911 Essay

911 Essay

Technology

9 Personality Traits Needed for Successful Use of Enterprise Innovation Software

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One of the greatest inventors of all time could be argued to be Thomas Edison. Numerous reports have said that he was also one of the greatest innovative thinkers. He was known to always come up with new ideas finding connections and patterns where nobody could see one. For instance, when he was exploring electrical power, he was focused on 40 separate projects. He describes this as his mental kaleidoscope. Imagine what someone like Edison could have done had he had access to enterprise innovation software.

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Enterprise Innovation Software and 9 Key Personality Traits

A kaleidoscopic thinker is both an idea generator and an innovator. This is why businesses that want to implement a culture of innovation should find their kaleidoscopic thinkers. They can be recognised because they share nine key personality traits.  They are:

  1. Curiosity. Innovators are hugely curious individuals. They see possibilities and are not limited by probabilities. They ask millions of questions, tinker, probe, and always considered what if. They ask questions that generate more questions.
  2. Risk taking. Invention is always a risk because it is venturing into the new and unknown. Anyone adversely taking risks will never be a true innovator.
  3. Critical thinking. A true innovator isn’t afraid to take risks but will not take unnecessary risks. Because they ask so many questions do to their inherent curiosity, they also think critically about whether risk it’s worth it or not.
  4. Resilience. An innovator knows that they cannot give a 95% chance of success. They know many of the ideas will feel yes they will continue to come up with new ideas.
  5. Self control. This is important on two levels. Firstly, it is all too easy to get carried away when something does go well. Secondly, a true innovator knows when to put the brakes on or they will end up with a burnout.
  6.  Interpersonal skills. True innovators are people people period they like to talk, I’d like to interact, I like to socialize. They’re instill Trust, respect, and motivation. People want to listen to them because they look up to them.
  7.  Collaboration. Innovators know that they do not know it all. They also know where to find the people who know what they dumb cells do not. They love working together with others, seeing them flourish, and learning from them.
  8.  Dealing with paradox or ambiguity. There are many paradoxes in the world of business such as the fact that we all know people are more important than profit but it seems that for businesses profits are more important than people. Finding a balance in that and being able to manage that is something only a true and innovator can do.
  9.  Working at a fast pace. An innovator is always looking at what the competition is doing and try to make sure that their project will be implemented before that of the competition. This means making quick decisions in rapid succession and working in an incredibly fast pace.

Online Resources To Help You Become Financially Literate

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A number of surveys in South Africa and in other countries have shown just how little the population as a whole knows about management of their personal finances, and about the financial world in general.

A study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) revealed that South African people were the least financially literate of the 30 global economies covered by the survey. Only 30% of South Africans achieved a score of at least five out of seven in the tests used by the OECD. Particular areas of concern included people being unaware of the compound interest benefits that are available via savings accounts, and consumers being unable to calculate simple interest on their savings.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has reported that a surprisingly high number of South Africans report being unable to cover household essentials, and says that more people in South Africa are experiencing this than in some of the poorer countries in the region.

Additionally, if people are financially illiterate, it is much more likely that they will fall victim to mis-selling scandals, and to scams and swindles.

Fortunately, help is at hand. There are many online financial resources that you can access free of charge to help you in managing your financial affairs.

  1. Wonga’s Money Academy

The well-known cash loans provider Wonga has a wealth of information on Debt, Saving, Budgeting and Investing available via its Money Academy. The site includes a series of fun, interactive videos to engage the viewer, and allows you to test your knowledge via a series of simple exercises.

  1. Khan Academy

The Khan Academy’s mission is “to provide a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. This US-based non-profit organisation provides a vast online video resource that allows you to study almost any subject. Specifically regarding financial matters, you can learn about taxation, accounting, insurance, retirement, debt, interest, housing, investment vehicles, stocks and bonds, inflation and the general economic picture.

  1. Investopedia

The financial world is full of jargon. Find out what some of the most confusing terms mean by visiting Investopedia, which is a massive online financial dictionary. The site also contains a large number of news stories on current affairs and financial issues.

  1. Fundamentals of Personal Financial Planning

Fundamentals of Personal Financial Planning is a series of online courses offered by the University of California-Irvine. It says of ‘financial planning’:

“Financial planning, in the broadest sense, is an effort to manage all aspects of a person / family’s financial affairs. Classically, that begins with planning family spending and extends through risk management (insurance), taxes, wealth accumulation, investing, and wealth distribution (retirement and estate planning).”

The course comprises 22 lessons – there are eight modules and between one and six lessons in each. Topics covered include:

  • Determining Goals
  • Changing Words into Numbers
  • Doing the Math
  • Preparing to Plan
  • Figuring Out Where You Are
  • Creating A Net Worth Statement
  • Creating A Cash Flow Statement
  • Taxation
  • Property & Casualty Insurance
  • Life & Disability Insurance
  • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Funding Retirement
  • College Planning
  • Estate Planning Basics
  1. Freakonomics Radio

Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt wrote the 2005 smash hit book Freakonomics, which was followed by SuperFreakonomics (2009) and Think Like a Freak (2014). Now their idea of “a rogue economist examining the hidden side of everything” has moved to US radio, where they look at diverse topics such as:

  1. Budgets Are Sexy

This website is particularly noted for its excellent budget planning tools that you can use to get your own finances in order. The site is run by a man who calls himself J.Money, and who says he learned the hard way about the need to manage your finances effectively when he purchased his first home. His easy-to-read and entertaining articles might also give you vital tips on issues such as budget planning, credit cards and retirement planning.

How To Pick The GPS Tracking Device That Is Right For You

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GPS – global positioning system – is now incredibly common place. Few people realize just how often they use a GPS tracking device, something that was the height of technology just a short time ago. Today, these devices are everywhere, enabling people to know where they are at all times. This can be a tremendous time saver, while also providing people with a sense of security. But which type is right for your needs?

Choosing the Right GPS Tracking Device

There are many different choices to make and you may feel somewhat overwhelmed with all the different options and accessories that are out there. There are two particularly common types of GPS systems out there:

  1. The small portable device, which is often a wearable.
  2. The auto navigation system, which is generally installed as a tracker inside a vehicle.

Of course, with developing technology, different models are being developed all the time. You can now get GPS trackers with pedestrian modes, for instance, designed specifically for people who are walking, but there are also models for cars, motorcycles, boats, backpacks, and more. Today’s trackers often also solve double functions, for instance by also recording heart rate, steps taken, and more. Furthermore, there are GPS devices for hunting dogs, to track animals, walkie-talkies, and so on.

So how do you choose with so many options? The main thing you have to ask yourself is how often you travel, the distance you generally cover, and how you travel between two points.

Should you be mainly a car user, then the auto navigation system is likely to be right for you. However, if you don’t want to be limited to your car only, then a handheld unit may be better. Should you spend a lot of time on water, then a marine GPS, or even a GPS fish finder, is the right option for you. Those have been designed to take readings through water and, naturally, are completely waterproof. For the occasional traveler who only needs to get some directions every once in a while, inexpensive models costing no more than $250 are available. If, however, you want to track an entire fleet of vehicles and monitor their speed as well as location, then you will need to invest a lot more.

GPS tracking devices are incredibly useful for some people, but not everybody needs them. People who don’t travel regularly or who already know the area they are in very well, have no reason to use such as device at all. However, anyone who likes to explore, who wants to make sure their children are safe, who monitors a fleet, who tracks assets for security reasons, or who has any other reason for needing to know where someone or something is at given times, a GPS tracking device is essential.

The market for GPS devices and accessories is growing rapidly, but with a little bit of time and patience, you should be able to find the one that is right for you.

Curtis Cripe – A Deeper Look Into The Branches of Engineering

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Engineering has become the most popular major amongst students in the United States, for the first time in history. Engineering is a great career choice for anyone with the necessary abilities, offering a secure position, the opportunity to grow and climb the career ladder, a solid salary as well as a job which provides a great deal of personal satisfaction.

Engineers like Curtis Cripe, are the world’s designers, they create all that we see and do and they design solutions for the world in which we live. Within engineering there are many different branches which you can elect, depending on what you enjoy doing, and where your skills lie. Let’s have a deeper look into the various engineering branches, to see which one fits best.

Civil Engineering

The most populous branch of engineering is civil engineering, the discipline which deals with infrastructure such as roads, buildings, bridges and city design. Within civil engineering there are also additional sub-branches such as architecture, which you could choose to specialise in. Many who choose a career in civil engineering, will cross between these sub-branches during their career, as there are skills within each that are easily transferable.

Neuroengineering

A relatively new branch of engineering which operates within the highly niche world of neural systems. Neural systems can be found both in and outside of the living world and a neural engineering will focus on the systems and the solutions for a wide range of living and non-living constructs. This area of engineering requires high intelligence and much technical knowledge.

Chemical Engineering

The definition given to chemical engineering is the combination of chemicals in order to make something of use. Within this definition, you could be working with labs trying to find new ways of using chemicals in farm work, with drug companies finding new medicines or even within a petroleum company finding new and safer ways of utilising chemicals to extract oil. The majority of this industry is working with drug companies and government agencies, to find new cures and treatments for a wide range of illnesses.

Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace engineering is considered to be one of the most exciting, interesting and highly specialised branches of engineering. Within this sector you will be working with cutting edge technology as you seek to provide new and exciting solutions to some of the challenges within the field of aerospace. Working with planes, space shuttles and helicopters, this discipline of engineering requires a great deal of intelligence and hard work from you.

Computer Engineering

Another relatively new form of engineering is computer engineering, largely focussing on creating software and hardware to meet the requirements of businesses, individuals and governments. IF you are skilled in computing and in particular coding and computer language, you can find yourself a great career in this field, a field which will continue to grow for many years.

Finding A Good Fit For Your VPS Needs

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As a business, you will need your own server at some point of time, but you might not be at the point where you want to host your own website, or where it is feasible to do so. Especially when high–quality parts, technical assistance, and security, all add a large amount to the overall cost. This is why so many companies choose to go with virtual private servers or VPS for all of their business needs. But knowing what you need and getting the support that you deserve isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Here are a few things to look for in a VPS company to ensure that you get the best possible results for your business. 

1. High–Quality Hardware

A VPS is only as good as the hardware that it runs on. While everything might go through the cloud, it will only go as fast as the hardware allows it to. This will also control how safe your data is, how easy it is for clients to access things they need, and any number of different variables. Any company that isn’t using high–quality hardware simply isn’t looking out for their customers. 

2. Adjustable Space Plans

Space needs can change rapidly, and if you have an issue that requires more memory space quickly, then you want to have a plan that allows you to adjust for that need on the fly. Any company that makes you wait days or weeks for even the smallest amount of extra space is the one that isn’t going to work well for you. To avoid this, there are like Memset offer options like block storage or storage additions from within your control panel. 

3. Built-in Support and Security

Your data is important, the ability to access it is important, and letting your customers know that they can trust you is important. Any company that doesn’t offer you built-in support and security with your package isn’t looking out for your best interest. This is especially true if you are leasing a smaller VPS, as you are attempting to save money by employing your own security and technical support teams.

4. Fail-Safe Backups

While everyone likes to think that their systems could never fail, there is always the possibility that they will. A good company will have a back-up set up to ensure that all of your data will never be lost. This can’t be kept in the exact same way as the original, but it still needs to be extremely strong and safe. Always choose a company that can offer you fail-safe backups over one that won’t disclose the methods that they use to protect your information. 

Overall, a good VPS will ensure that they are offering the best possible services to all of their customers, going out of their way to keep them safe at all times. If a company isn’t going to ensure that they will meet your needs, then they aren’t a company that you should be doing business with. There are too many options out there to settle for service that is less than perfect. 

Creating A Technology Plan For Your Small Business Starts Here

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Every modern day business that aims to be able to effectively satisfy its customer base, stay competitive, and experience growth requires at least three things; finances, vision, and technology. Without technology, a business is simply ill-equipped to survive, much less compete in the modern world. This is why it is generally advised that businesses take their technology as seriously as they do legal practices and taxes.

Technology is what makes it possible for a business to accomplish its objectives quickly and efficiently. But technology can only deliver such results if it is sufficient. This is why it is important that a business draws up an effective technology plan to match its short and long term goals. If you want to get started on drawing up your technology plan, the best place to start are the three steps listed below for analysing your small business’ technology needs.

  1. Draw up a technology inventory for your small business.

Create a Technology Inventory and Audit Worksheet which will contain all the various technological aspects that your business currently has and uses. This inventory will also state if your currently owned technologies are leased or fully owned by the business.

  1. Carry out a SWOT analysis for your small business.

A SWOT analysis analyses the Strengths and Weaknesses of your small business as well as the Opportunities and Threats currently facing it. Your business’ strengths might revolve around your high quality customer service or low prices, or even your market location. Your weaknesses on the other hand might include ineffective sourcing of materials or poorly trained staff. Whatever the case might be, draw up a list of your top strengths and weaknesses.

A similar list should be drawn up concerning the opportunities and risks facing your business.

  1. Align your primary business goals with appropriate technology tools.

Based on your SWOT analysis, identify your business’ top three business goals. Next step is to consider your list of available technologies and look at which can help your business achieve the listed goals. If your available technologies are insufficient, you can develop a list of technologies which are capable of helping you accomplish the defined goals. These new technologies can then be acquired by your company.

Various innovative technology tools are available to help with a variety of business circumstances. The important thing is to understand which can deliver the best results that match your business’ goals. Once you discover which technologies you need but do not have available, you can then go about acquiring what is needed by budgeting funds, and allocating time as well as man power towards facilitating the creation of your technology plan whilst ensuring the protection of your business. This will then be followed by the actual acquisition of necessary technologies that best match your business’ immediate or long term goals.

Three Benefits of Memset’s Virtual LAN Service

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To run an office in this century, file sharing and network communication have become a necessity. It’s rare to find an office where there isn’t a network of computers working on a given function to keep the business going. However, when there’s a network, there’s a possibility that hackers will find a weak spot where they can get in and steal sensitive information. To protect yourself and your business from hackers, you need a virtual local area network or vLAN.

Memset offers a virtual LAN (vLAN) service that allows you to secure multiple server connections via a private network. Here’s everything you need to know about vLAN, from how it works to its benefits.

How vLAN Works

Let’s break down what vLAN actually is. Before anything else, LAN means local area network, which pertains to a network of computers that are connected through a single server via a cable or wire, which is why the computers need to be contained within one small area. With a virtual LAN or vLAN, you’re given more flexibility because you’re not constrained by physical limitations. You can connect one or more LANs within the network while also isolating each LAN into broadcast domains so that the hosts don’t communicate directly to each other, keeping each secure on its own.

vLAN Components

To change a current LAN structure to a vLAN, with the latest architecture, you need five main components: 1) high-performance switches, 2) inter-switch trunking protocols, 3) layer-3 routing solutions, 4) compatibility with your existing LAN system, and 5) network management solutions. With the help of Memset, you can easily establish these components to enjoy the benefits of a vLAN.

Benefits of Memset’s vLAN

Speaking of benefits, here are three advantages that you will get to experience if you trust Memset and their vLAN services:

  1. No physical restrictions

A vLAN does not restrict end-stations to the same physical area, so moving end-stations isn’t a problem. You can move a component of your network and not need to have it reconfigured. At the same time, if an end-station changes its function, there’s no need to move it to a different location because a vLAN makes it easy to localize this end-station to its new network.

  1. Better network performance

A vLAN will improve network performance because public and private traffic are segregated. Therefore, you can secure and share data within an isolated environment, giving you the opportunity to maximise the performance of your dedicated servers.

  1. Year-round support

Memset gives its clients year-round support. All dedicated vLANs are always monitored by Memset and are protected by their superior network security.

The age of technology is upon us. It is constantly changing the way the world works—even businesses and government agencies have to cope with it. A virtual LAN is just one way to stay on top of your game. If you want to keep your files and data secure over your local area network without the physical restrictions, then you should definitely look into vLAN and the benefits it will bring into your work network.

How to Start Your Own Blog!

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If you’re contemplating starting your first blog but are unsure about how to get started, simply continue reading to discover 5 tips and tricks, which will help you succeed as a first time blogger.

How to start your own blog: 5 Handy tips and tricks to get started

Find an exciting niche to write about 

The key to succeeding as a blogger is to select a niche topic to write about. As an example, if you’re passionate about cooking, while it may be tempting to set up a generic blog about cooking, you’ll significantly increase your chances of gaining a following if your blog offers a fresh, unique viewpoint. As an example, you may want to blog about creating dishes from your grandmother’s cookbook or you may want to attend a different cooking class per week and blog about your experiences. Alternatively, you may want to blog about your favorite international dishes.

Decide which platform you’d like to write on 

If you’re a newbie blogger or don’t want to invest a ton of money into your blog, from the offset, you may want to sign up to a platform which will host your blog for free. Examples of such platforms include Blogger and WordPress both of which host some of the most successful blogs on the internet.

Alternatively, if you’d rather run a blog which boasts a personalized .com address, rather than a WordPress or blogger address, you may want to pay to have your blog hosted by a reputable, well-recognized site which specializes in hosting websites and blogs.

Ensure to include a lot of relevant photos

As humans are visual creatures, your blog will attract regular readers if you make sure to add at least one photo to each of your posts. It’s also well worth including a photo of yourself in the top right-hand corner of your blog or uploading a photo of yourself to your blog’s about me page. Just make sure that the photos you choose are of a decent quality and are relevant to your post’s subject matter.

Make sure to engage with your readers on a daily basis 

While it may not be necessary to publish a new post on a daily basis, it’s still well worth visiting your blog on a daily basis in order to reply to any comments which your readers have left. If you respond to each of your readers’ messages in a timely manner, they’ll feel appreciated and will recommend your blog to their friends and family members.

Market your blog 

In order to market your blog, you may want to consider creating multiple social media accounts which are linked to your blog. As an example, if you were to run a food related blog, you may want to take photographs of your creations and post them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, in order to attract attention to your new blog. Better yet, if you choose to harness the power of social media to market your blog, you won’t have to pay a single cent, in order to effectively market your blog.

So if you’re determined to succeed as a professional blogger, it’s well worth following the tips and ticks listed above, in order to get started.