Suppose you are the Information Security Director at a small software company. The organization currently utilizes a Microsoft Server 2012 Active Directory domain administered by your information security team. Mostly software developers and a relatively small number of administrative personnel comprise the remainder of the organization. You have convinced business unit leaders that it would be in the best interest of the company to use a public key infrastructure (PKI) in order to provide a framework that fosters confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and nonrepudiation. Email clients, virtual private network (VPN) products, Web server components, and domain controllers would utilize digital certificates issued by the certificate authority (CA). Additionally, the company would use digital certificates to sign software developed by the company in order to demonstrate software authenticity to the customer. 

Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:

1. Analyze the fundamentals of PKI, and determine the primary ways in which its features and functions could benefit your organization and its information security department.
2. Propose one (1) way in which the PKI could assist in the process of signing the company’s software, and explain the main reason why a customer could then believe that software to be authentic. 
3. Compare and contrast public and in-house CAs. Include the positive and negative characteristics of each type of certificate authority, and provide a sound recommendation of and a justification for which you would consider implementing within your organization. Explain your rationale.
4. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment (no more than 2-3 years old) from material outside the textbook. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Medical malpractice is one area where tort reform is argued most heavily. Some concerns are that caps on damages might result in costs that ultimately fall on the taxpayer; other concerns are the increase in medical expenses for tests ordered before diagnosis by physicians hoping to eliminate a future claim of medical malpractice.

First, research medical malpractice for an understanding of the elements of this cause of action. Then, read the following two articles and answer the questions posed.

Kenney, K. (2009, Aug. 9).  Fixing health care reform requires tort reform.  Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2009/08/fixing_health_care_requires_to.html

Doroshow, J. (2009, Nov. 9). Medical malpractice tort reform-we are already suffering and don’t need more. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-doroshow/medical-malpractice-tort_b_350573.html

1. What must the plaintiff prove to prevail in a claim of medical malpractice? Clearly define this legal doctrine, including the element of this cause of action. How does medical malpractice differ from a standard negligence claim?
2. What defenses, if any, exist for a claim of medical malpractice?
3. Evaluate arguments for and against tort reform in the area of medical malpractice. You are encouraged to illustrate your arguments by using real case examples, either researched or from the material provided.
4. Include new thoughts or ideas based on the module information. This is your reflection/insight that logically would flow from each information point presented.

As a helpful explanation, in the area of torts we see many causes of action that are comprised of “elements.”  For instance, if we discuss a situation involving negligence, we would define negligence stating, “Negligence occurs when a person’s conduct falls below the standard of care, resulting in a breach of duty which is the direct and proximate cause of injury to another person or thing. The elements of negligence are 1) duty; 2) breach; 3) causation; and 4) damages.”  Then, each element would be analyzed, determining whether each one was met. It is imperative that each element of a tort claim is met for the plaintiff to prevail in a suit.

Your paper should be 2-3 pages in length, not including the title or reference page.  Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page, and make sure to follow the APA Requirements. Please be sure to reach out to your instructor early in the week if you have difficulty with this topic.

Assignment 1: LensCrafters Case Study

Due Week 4 and worth 250 points

This assignment requires student complete an analysis of the LensCrafters case from Chapter 6 of the text.

Write a six to seven (6-7) page paper in which you:

1. Evaluate LensCrafters’ operations strategy and explain how the organization seeks to gain a competitive advantage in terms of sustainability.
2. Analyze how operation management activities affect the customer experience. Select two (2) operation management challenges and provide the solutions for confronting them.
3. Examine LensCrafters’ value chain and evaluate its effectiveness to operations in terms of quality, value creation, and customer satisfaction. 
4. Determine the different types of performance measurements that can be used to measure LensCrafters’ service-delivery system design. Select at least two (2) types that can be applied and provide justifications for the selection. 
5. Examine the different types of technologies applied to LensCrafters’ service operations and evaluate how the technologies strengthen the value chain.
6. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Apply the concept of operations management. 
• Compare and contrast the difference between a supply chain and a value chain.
• Analyze the types of measures used for decision making. 
• Analyze the five key competitive priorities and their relationship to operations strategy.
• Analyze different types of technology and their role in manufacturing and service operations.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management. 
• Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics.

Loans

Congratulations! You are a proud owner of an engraving business. However, you are using an aging rotary engraver to engrave plaques and trophies. The machine has been reliable, but does require regular maintenance and periodic replacement of parts. You have just found out that this engraver will no longer be supported by the manufacturer. This means that service and parts will be hard to get in the future and if it breaks it could take up to three weeks to get a new one up and running. You keep this machine running almost 8 hours a day, every day. Every day that the engraver is down will cost around $975 in lost income.

If you have to buy a new engraver, it would cost around $25,000.

You can get a one-year loan at 12% to buy a new engraver, but you worry that this is a lot of money to spend, especially since the old engraver is still working fine. You have to make a decision.

In this discussion, pose you argument on whether you should purchase a new engraver now or wait until the old engraver breaks before ordering a new engraver?

To help you construct your argument answer the following steps:

1. The local bank will loan you $25,000 for 1 year at an interest rate of 12% with only one payment due at the end of the year. If you borrow the full $25,000 for the new engraver, what will the total cost of the loan be?
2. Calculate the total amount of revenue (gross profit) that will be lost if the engraver breaks and is down for 18 business days.
3. If the engraving business makes $975 per day in revenue and generates a net profit of 25%, how much profit is generated per day?
4. Given a 25% profit margin and $975 per day in revenue, how many days would it take for the new engraver to earn back the total cost of purchase, if the entire net profit were allocated to pay for the unit?
5. What other factors should you consider in order to make a good business decision?