Computers In Business Essays - MS-DOS, DOS, WordPerfect,

Computers In Business In the business world today, computers and the software applications that run on them basically control a well organized business. Every major company is equipped with a computer, or network that connects through different branches throughout the firm. Computer Hardware: To keep up with the fastest technology that dominates the market is to be a sensible buyer. A system can be outdated in a matter of two years time. Software applications based on today's needs require more hard disk space and speed to run efficiently. The most powerful system would be the 586 machine which was developed in November, 1992. The space required on a business system depends on the firm. If a company has a network, their memory would range on the applications required to run the system productively. A one to three gigabyte hard drive would be most common for businesses. To keep these applications on the computer, you need a fair amount of RAM memory as well as hard disk space. An application developed in 1993, probably will be to powerful and run quite slow on a previous system that was 'top of the line' in 1991. That's why it is important for companies to understand that they must think years down the road before spending thousands of dollars on the technology of today. The best way is to prepare for the future such as making sure your mainframe is upgradeable and contains at least 8 expansion slots, which should already be loaded with enhanced graphics cards, the necessary amount of serial ports etc.. Networks are everywhere in the world of business. A network is a series of computers throughout the company which rely on one or two fileservers. Or it can be used in long distance communication through modem. An example would be that a company located in Calgary can call up its other branch in Toronto via modem, also able to up and download valuable files or records. Networks have their disadvantages also. Computer viruses are always present somewhere in a disk or computer system ready to strike. If an over powering, destructive virus enters a network system, all data can be severely damaged or lost completely. That's why there is back-up drives to store existing data that is written onto the disk each day. Anti virus programs are there to alert the user and wipe the virus off the system before it does any destruction to the data stored on the network. As far as practicality and mobility is concerned, the laptop has been around for quite a long time. A laptop computer is a portable computer, about the size of a brief case. This is a good feature to save time and money. Laptops allow you to connect to fileservers or mini systems after you travel around with them. Once you are at your destination, you can give another system a "unit to unit" data exchange. This means you connect the laptops serial port to the other system's port and transfer data without external data. Diskettes are also capable of holding small quantities of information that can be used for transferring. In this day and age every computer has a hard disk which contains the programs and applications that are used in the business industry. Programs and Applications Used in Business: Many computer applications can make a computer do wonderful things for you. Most of you have heard of programs such as Wordperfect, Lotus, Freelance, etc.. that are productive in helping the user perform functions that save time. In businesses, word processing is always included on a system. Different programming companies supply many programs that are quite helpful for the user. Wordperfect is probably the best designed word processor on the market so far. This program is easy for the user to learn, it contains a spell and punctuation check, it contains pre designed graphic arts, a thesaurus, and runs efficiently on a 386 machine that is basically not fast enough for modern applications today. Another application which is helpful in business is a data base. This application stores records and inventory on disk, which can be added and deleted as needed. An example where you would use a data base could be records of customers you have and would like to see what they previously purchased. Spreadsheets are a great commodity in business. a spreadsheet does many different calculations on products or other prices imputed into the computer. a math co-processor is quite useful for applications like this since you are using mathematical functions. The best brand name spreadsheet on

How to become a school counselor

How to become a school counselor School counselors are some of the most important professionals in the educational system. They can help bridge the gap between personal and educational issues for students and help students navigate life issues throughout their school careers. If you’re interested in both psychology and teaching, it can be a fulfilling career path. What does a school counselor do?School counselors (often referred to as guidance counselors as well) are educational administrative professionals who work with students to assist them on a variety of issues that can affect a student’s school day. Issues can range from class scheduling, to behavioral issues, to issues at home. Any given group of students’ needs are going to be diverse, and so the school counselor must be a versatile professional.School counselors are tasked with supporting students and promoting positive academic, social, and personal development. Their responsibilities may include:Meeting with students one-on-one or in groupsAssisting with college applications, job applications, and financial aid applicationsCounseling students on social, academic, or emotional problemsMeeting with parents as necessaryFacilitating peer counseling programsMediating conflicts between students, or between students and staffFacilitating help with personal problems like substance abuse, eating disorders, bullying, or other personal issues students may haveReferring students to social or emotional help resources like psychologists, mental health professionals, or social workersAdvocating for student well-beingSchool counselors work at all levels, from elementary school up through high school. Like teachers, school counselors work primarily during the school day and school year, but because there is an administrative component to the job there may be after school or year-round work related to the job. School counselors work in public schools, private schools, or other facilities that have educational components.What ski lls do school counselors need?Because this is a role that combines the academic needs of teaching with the personal skills of a psychologist, the skill set for school counselors is heavy on people skills and understanding.Observational Skills:Â  School counselors need to be able to determine issues and potential solutions, even if they’re not getting direct information from students. That means being able to piece together academic, social, or behavioral problems, or at least being able to assess students’ needs accurately.Listening Skills:Â  Much of a school counselor’s job is talking with students, determining what’s wrong, and working with them to find a solution (or more help). Active listening skills are key in helping students, who may have varying levels of communication skills.Conflict Resolution Skills:Â  Many students end up in a school counselor’s office because they need help resolving issues- whether that’s in the classroom, at home, or with other students. A school counselor needs to be well-versed in techniques for opening up communication, and finding healthy ways to resolve disputes.Communication Skills:Â  School counselors communicate with a number of different people: students, families, school colleagues and staff, and others. Clear, concise writing and speaking are very important, as is a strong sense of audience-appropriate communication.Organizational Skills:Â  School counselors may be working with a number of different students on a diverse range of issues, from college applications to bullying. It’s essential for the counselor to be able to keep information properly organized, so they can help meet students’ needs.Discretion:Â  School counselors can be privy to all sorts of private information about students, and so they need to be discreet.What do you need to become a school counselor?Most school counselor jobs require, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree in counseling, psychology, or a related subject. School counselors typically also have a master’s degree specifically in school counseling. Most states require some form of licensing, so make sure you know what your own state’s requirements are for school counselors.How much do school counselors make?According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), school counselors make a median annual salary of $54,560 per year.What’s the outlook for school counselors?Like most educational careers, this is a path that will continue to grow as student bodies increase and student needs get more complex and diverse. The BLS anticipates that the demand for school counselors will grow by 11% by 2026, which is faster than average for all jobs.If you’ve got a background in psychology (or are thinking about one) and have an interest in working with students, then becoming a school counselor could be the right educational career path for you. Good luck!

Genetics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Genetics - Essay Example This was done to obtain the RAD51+/- cells (EMBO, 1998). Then, the RAD51+/- cells have been transpected with conditional human Rad51 expression constructs to obtain RAD51+/- cells carrying the constructs at random sites on the chromosome (RAD51+/-/HsRAD51)." (, 1998) Finally, the RAD51 construct that contained the blasticidin was then transpected into "several RAD51+/-/HsRAD51 clones to isolate RAD51-/-/HsRAD51 clones." (EMBO, 1998) The targeting process is shown in figures one and two. In order to target the necessary genes, a probe and southern blot analysis were used to indicate the knockout constructs. Samples of the cells and genetic material were loaded onto five different lanes and were combined with SDS-polyacrylamide gel. The three samples were the wild-type DT40, which was loaded onto lane 1, the RAD51+/-, which was loaded onto the second lane, a RAD51+/- clone that contained the human Rad51 transgene, which was loaded onto the third lane, #110 RAD51-/- clone was placed onto the fourth lane, and a human B lymphocyte line Ramos was loaded onto the fifth lane (EMBO, 1998). The targeting probe was constructed of A chicken RAD51 (GdRAD51) cDNA, and this probe was used to isolate the genomic clones that were of the RAD51 locus. These clones were, in part, sequenced to determine the position of the exons. Approximately "5.5 kb of the GdRAD51 locus was then amplified by long-range PCR using genomic DNA from DT40 as a template." (EMBO, 1998) Targeting events were determined by using southern blot analysis. From the targeting process, we also have found out that when RAD51 is deleted, a buildup of cells occurs in the g2/m phase, and the cells then die (EMBO, 1998). - Propose an alternative conditional targeting strategy for the Same paper (250 words 20%) Another tactic could have been used to target the RAD51 gene and could possibly achieve the same results in the experiment. This is known to researchers as siRNA. Though this technology is fairly new, it is effective at targeting certain genes, nonetheless. According to a particular FAQ concerning siRNA, it is stated that siRNA is an effective technology in knocking out genes, as well as testing resistance or sensitivities to certain drugs. Just like the method of gene targeting, certain gene sequences can be achieved in humans or in mice, so long as these genes are correctly aligned ( While a bit less labor intensive, the same results can possibly be achieved in the experiment using siRNA. After all, the technology has been designed to reach a common goal. This goal is to experiment and further the research in genetics. - Discuss advantages and disadvantages of siRNA versus Gene Targeting as tools for Reverse Genetics (500 words 30%) When working with reverse genetics, there are two tools that are known for their effectiveness. These tools are siRNA and gene targeting. Both of these tools use in depth technologies to aid in

East Asia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

East Asia - Essay Example Based on such a perspective, this paper makes a comparison of the Neo- Confucianism in China and Korea by establishing discussions on the different perspectives and circumstances that both nations experienced during the different eras. Indeed, the main area of discussion for this paper involves the benefits of Neo-Confucianism to both China and Korea and the various ways through which Neo-Confucianism influenced the lives of citizens in the two nations. Ideally, in the study of the numerous dynasties that played roles in China, the Song dynasty made a significant impact, despite the fact that it was less known for its power and stability, during a period in which Tang had previously imposed great suffering among the people. The Song dynasty, therefore, developed mechanisms for ensuring that the oppressive nature of the Tang came to an end and that all the oppressive activities reversed. Indeed, during the period, the Chinese society showed significant improvements in the various aspects including economy and cities’ expansions, contrary to the occurrences during the Tang regime in which oppression was high, resulting in the fall of the economy with success of few individuals and great suffering for the majority. The Song dynasty indeed influenced a state of significant development in all the different sectors of the economy. Such a perspective has an accurate view that through Neo-Confucianism a rationalist and worldlier Con fucianisms form was established, which involved the rejection of the previous superstitious and mystical elements of Daoism and Buddhism, which had substantive influence on Confucianism, most especially during and after the Han Dynasty (De Bary 314). Neo-Confucianism that had its origins in the Tang Dynasty, ideally, sort to create the existence of a peaceful coexistence between an individual and the universe. As such, in the Korean perspective through its scholars, classics were

Mktg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Mktg - Essay Example The other common restriction is imposition of taxes and tariffs on imports. Lastly, a government may ban trade between it and another country or countries. This is called â€Å"Embargoes†. Logistic Performance Index is an international logistic assessment tool used to determine a countries global trade performance in regard to logistical dimensions. These dimensions incude,quality of trade as facilitated by infrastructure, efficiency in regard to the clearance concept, relative ease in the arrangement and pricing of shipment products, tracking and tracing ability of products being exported and imported. Overall quality and competitiveness of services used in logistics which may include transport oparations.Lastly under Logistic Performance Index is reliability. This refers to if the goods are able to reach their intended destination within expected time. In general outline, logistic performance index can be implored in a number of ways. They guide the assemblance of goods before being exported to another country. They also facilitate import procedures and provide guidelines that are common to parties participating in trade. It gives firms universal outlook and enables all nations be potential markets. In conclusion political restricts uphold the overall trading welfare of a particular country whereas logistic Performance index puts logistic systems in place to enable effective trading environment

The theory of normalisation

The theory of normalisation Howard Parker and colleagues (1995) have had a dominant role in the development of the normalisation thesis. They argue that illicit drug use is no longer a sign of deviant behaviour in relation to crime, but a central part of youth culture due to freedom of choice and consumption, it has become recreational rather than problematic. They predicted that within a few years time, the young people that had not tried drugs would be the minority and therefore be the deviants. They also argue that post-modern Britain has an increasing issue of globalisation and consumption that has affected the increase of drug use as globalisation means that trade and accessibility of drugs is more common and easier, and having spare money due to the labour market and a longer childhood allows young people to consume freely. In this essay I will further discuss the theory of normalisation by Parker et al. Parker, Williams and Aldridge (2002) use the normalisation theory to measure sensible recreational drug use. These drugs include cannabis, amphetamines, LSD and ecstasy, sensible drug use does not include using a combination of these drugs at one time or using them on a daily basis due to addiction (Parker et al., 1998). Parker, Measham and Aldridge (1995) argue that drug use moved from deviant subcultures, such as the Mods and Hippies from the 1960s-1970s, to mainstream youth culture in the 1980s when the rave scene occurred. This dance culture became normalised as it was a recreational leisure pursuit of young people that introduced an appealing new drug, ecstasy. British surveys have shown that the late teens and early twenties are the main users of illicit drugs (ISDD 1994). The normalisation theory was introduced so to rule out the stigma about young people that take recreational drugs as the majority are not deviant or involved in crime. The trends in drug use have altered from the addiction of hard drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, to drugs that are used by the modern youth culture in leisure activities, including alcohol, cannabis and ecstasy (Muncie 1999). Although this may provoke crime that is out of character due to being under the influence, it does not create a lifestyle of crime which heroin may. For example, in order for class A drug addicts to fuel their habbit they turn to criminal acts such as burglary and mugging. Yet when a young person uses ecstasy or cannabis it is for leisure and does not necessarily cause the individual to partake in a criminal offence. However, Professor David Nutt was recently asked to resign as the c hair of the ACMD (Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs) due to declaring that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous for the human health than illegal drugs such as ecstasy, LSD and cannabis. He wrote in a paper at Kings College, London, that the legal drug alcohol ranks 5th as the most harmful drug. We could therefore argue that the consumption of alcohol is normal in society despite the harm it can cause. Also, although David nutt smoking,,, public bans it is now marginalised Alcohol is social activity,,, but some become dependant. abuse of any substance can cause issues to health or impact on family members. Although Parker et al. (1998) does not fully undertake postmodernism as structural inquality still exists, they believe that young peoples behaviour and choices have changed towards drugs due to a post-modern society that allows them to consume freely. For example, Mott and Mirrlees-Black (1993) found that the number of 16-19 year olds using cannabis more than doubled from 1983 to 1991. Normalisation has become an indicator of changes in social behaviour and cultural perspectives, meaning that the opinion about some illicit drugs has changed within the youth culture which in return affects their social behaviour as they do not think that using the drug is wrong or immoral. However, it could be argued that it is overgeneralizing to assume that all young people see drug use as normal, Dowds and Redfern (1994) found that approximately two-thirds of 12-15 year olds saw taking cannabis as a serious offense. Hunt and Stevens (2004) suggest that the government and media use drug normalisation as the proof for an increased disciplinary regulation and endorse policies as it is viewed to be a drug outbreak that needs to be broken or finished. For example, drug testing has been introduced in some schools to help prevent usage by young people (Craver, 2004). Illicit drug use is frequently associated with the youth culture, Robson (1994) points out that the most common time for using or trying drugs is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four. It is suggested that this is due to adolescents being the time of experimentation in many aspects of life which can lead to rebellion. Coleman (1992:13) suggests a psychoanalytical-theory of three main reasons why young people and drugs are linked together: adolescence is a time of vulnerabilty as well as being impressionable, of rebellion and non-conformity and the need to be independant by disengaging from family relationships. These changes through adolescence support Colemans sociological theory that youth culture experiment in different social aspects of life, such as subcultures and trends or sexualities and in this case drugs. In relation to the normalisation theory, young people are able to experiment with drugs due to the wide availabilty of them as well as the access young people have to them due to people they know (Barton 2003). EVALUATION It is argued that the claims about the normality and extreme use of illicit drugs is over exaggerated and in fact illicit drugs have always been an underlying issue and therefore society has not suffered an instant or radical change due to industrial or post-modern reasons. For example, in 1932 Aldous Huxley discusses a hallucinogen called soma, showing the existence of drugs in previous decades. if ever by some unlucky chance such a crevice of time should yawn in the solid substance of their distractions, there is always soma, delicious soma, half a gramme for a half holiday, a gramme for a weekend, two grammes for a trip to the gorgeous East, three for a dark eternity on the moon. (Huxley, 1932: 49) Illicit drugs have always been present within society but throughout time the drugs have changed to match different subcultures and trends, such as hippies in the 1970s were associated with using LSD, Mods in the 1960s were associated with amphetamines and todays youth culture is associated with dance drugs such as ecstasy (South, 1997). LOOK AT S+N.. difference between frequency and normallcy Shiner and Newburn (1997) argue that the normalisation theory focuses on the measure of lifetime illicit drug use. They point out that if evidence of drug use is measured in shorter time frames such as within the last month or week, there is a dramatic decline in the results of illicit drug use. This is also relevant to the media panic over dance drugs such as ecstasy, amphetamines and LSD in which the media has exaggerated a high rate of use within youth culture. Yet ecstasy is one of the least addictive drugs and tends to be taken less regularly, for example when someone takes an ecstasy pill in a clubbing atmosphere they are less likely consume alcohol which can be an equally as dangerous drug if drank in access (Coleman, 1992). Shiner and Newburn also point out that when time frames such as whether or not the respondent has used any dance drugs in the last year are used, it was found that one in twenty young people said they had. Also, only one in four 16 to 25 year olds said they had used cannabis, the most commonly used illicit drug, in the last year. Overall, Shiner and Newburn criticise the normalisation theory as although there is an increase in the numbers of young people using illicit drugs, it overgeneralizes young people as it does not necessarily mean that they all see it as normal due to conservative norms and values about drug use still existing to many people and they view illicit drug use as wrong or bad. This challenges the argument by Parker et al. (1995) that soon the young people that were not using drugs would be in the minority and therefore be the deviant subculture. However, it is important to remember that Shiner and Newburn are evaluating the work of Parker et al. in 1995. Their work about normalisation in 1998 does acknowledge that young people view each drug differently and their decision to take illicit drugs is complex and sophisticated (Barton, 2003:121-122). It could also be argued that illicit drug use only appears to have become normalised due to a moral panic, a term that is commonly used to describe media stimulated over-reaction to subcultures, such as youth groups and issues within society. Stanley Cohen (1973) coined the term moral panic in the 1960s as a result of over exaggerated reports about the feud between the Mods and Rockers, he noted that moral panics tend to focus on topics concerning the actions of young people. Other sociologist such as Goode and Ben-Yehuda (1994) suggest that moral panics occur when a proportion of society feel that the folk devils (as suggested by the media) have become a threat to society and social order. For example, when the rave scene occurred there was a new folk devil associated with the acid house dance culture and ecstasy that became normalised among the youth culture. Ecstasy has had huge media coverage, especially since the death of Leah Betts in 1995 after she took one ecstasy pill on her 18th birthday. Leah collapsed in to a coma four hours after taking the tablet and died three days later. The police claimed the death was due to the tablet being contaminated, this resulted in the media using the tragedy to create a panic about the effects of the drug within society. However, it was later revealed that Leah did not die directly from the ecstasy pill but from drinking an excessive amount of water in reaction to dehydration from the drug.

Islam Essay -- essays research papers

The law, defined as the body of rules and principles governing the affairs of a community and enforced by a political authority, is an important facet of any community. It provides guidelines for those in the community to follow so that they may have the most peaceful and problem- free life. Islam takes this notion of peace and obedience and applies to everyday living for the members of its community. Islam law is of great importance to the Muslim community because it provides specific courses of action for living and also supplies mechanisms for considering how to deal with situations that are not discussed in the law. Islam law covers all aspects of life; it has its own personal, moral, civil, ethical, societal, and criminal law. All these laws come from God through revelations that are sent through His angel, Gabriel to the Prophet, Muhammad. The laws have been transmitted over time to the people of Islam in the two forms: the direct word from Allah, namely the Quran and the teac hings of the Prophet, the sunnahs. The primary source of Islamic law which is the foundation of every Muslim’s faith and practice is the Quran. The Quran deals with all subjects that concern humankind, mainly the relationship between God and humankind and how this relationship relates to the guidelines that are required to be followed by all Muslims. Within the Quran are not only instructions of how an individual must conduct his or herself but there are also principles relating to all aspects of...

Social Media and Social Change

Social Media and Social Change: A Closer Look at the Revolutionary Qualities of Social Media In Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, â€Å"the medium is the message† (McLuhan). McLuhan suggests that messages are greatly affected by the medium in which they are delivered. Messages must be received in the proper channel to create social change. On July 21, 1969, the American astronaut Neil Armstrong created history when he sent his message to 3. 31 billion people via radio and television, â€Å"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind†. Forty years later another astronaut created history by sending the first tweet from outer space, â€Å"Launch was awesome!!! I am feeling great, working hard, and enjoying the magnificent views, the adventure of a lifetime has begun! â€Å"(AP). While many people see online activity on social media sites as a past-time, a growing trend and even a fad, it is actually the biggest key player in creating social change. This is why NASA has more Twitter accounts than any federal agency. The biggest reason NASA has been extremely keen about adopting social media is because of the collapse of interest in space programs, said the NASA chief of public affairs Bob Jacobs. NASA also has plans to incorporate YouTube on their next shuttle flight to field questions from space (AP). The message is clear, NASA looks to generate more interest in space programs or to create social change and they look to social media tools to help them. We are in the midst of a communicative revolution fuelled by social media and driven by the masses. Social media possesses the intrinsic power to change the world even in the most marginal of ways. A closer look at the ability social media has to generate dialogue, its ability to change perception and persuade, and its ability to connect and unite the masses democratically, will demonstrate the power that social media possesses to enable a revolution. It will demonstrate a profound shift in the way that we communicate and denounce social media as a current fad or passing trend. Many people credit the television for its ability to deliver a high quality message. In fact it would be extremely hard to misunderstand a message delivered through such a high sensory communicative channel. Social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter have been criticized for its â€Å"dumbing down† qualities. In Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes our Future, Mark Bauerlein suggests that Generation Y, that is – a generation of youth born in the late 1970's to the late 1990's – spend wasteful hours on social networking sites posting useless updates and sending mundane messages (Bauerlein 12). But the Harvard Law professor Jonathan Zittrain reminds us that â€Å"the qualities that make Twitter seem inane and half-baked are what makes it so powerful† (qtd in Cohen). It is the same qualities that give social media a high quality communication channel for inspiring social movements amongst participants. Participants of social media are often required to create accounts or profiles and as a result participants are left with a sense of community. Because all content on social media sites are user-generated, any information or message posted on a given site is automatically received as word of mouth dialogue and this is the powerful nature of social media. It is important to note that dialogue is unrestricted to mediums. It can occur via face to face interaction, by telephone, by email or even a social media site such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or MySpace. Danah Boyd suggests that comments in a world of social media act as conversation in the real world (Boyd 124). Her compelling article, Why Youth Love Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in Teenage Social Life argues that profiles, friends and comments â€Å"differentiate social network sites differentiate from other types of computermediated communication† (124). Boyd explains that comments are what engage and encourage users to participate and when they do they become participants (127). In Sociability and social interaction on social networking websites, Andrew Keenan and Ali Shiri identify the emphasis social media outlets place on transferring your existing â€Å"real world† experiences, connections, networks and information to the web and making them accessible (Keenan & Shiri 443). Naturally users are inclined to do the opposite. Any dialogue generated online is not limited to or even discouraged from entering the real world. What Boyd, Keenan and Shiri remind us is that social media sites are not only encouraging us to socialize on their sites, they are encouraging us to participate and to socialize in the real world. In The Power of Dialogue, Patrick Jenlink highlights the contributions dialogue makes in creating social change: The primary challenge to global society, as we pass the threshold of a new millennium, is to transform existing social systems, and therefore American society, in such ways as to embody a more inclusive, democratic, and open-ended communicative spirit. Necessary to this transformation is a social discourse that enables the power and potential of global citizens to be realized. Dialogue is such a discourse that enables citizens in unconcealing societal patterns and structures, which guide and direct individual and collective interactions within and across events and activities. Engaging in dialogue, as a social discourse of creative possibility, with others in our daily lives can contribute to change in our selves and society (Jenlink 1). One example of social media's ability to use dialogue to create social change is the recent use of Twitter to coordinate protests. The Iranian government's attempts to restrict and censor media outlets was challenged by citizens that used Twitter to spread the word about the Iranian Election (Cohen & Stone 2). When the Chinese government censored citizens from accessing the internet the Global Internet Freedom Consortium provided Chinese movements with software that helped evade censorship. When asked about the increase of traffic from Iran, the founder of the organization suggested that â€Å"the Iranian people actually found out by themselves and have passed this on by word of mouth† (Cohen & Stone 2). Furthermore, Zittrain suggests that â€Å"Twitter was particularly resilient to censorship because it had so many ways for its posts to originate – from a phone, a web browser or specialized applications – and so many outlets for those posts to appear† (qtd in Cohen & Stone). Similarly, word of mouth messages are difficult to avoid because they can be delivered from so many places – a neighbour, a teacher, a coworker, a classmate or even an astronaut. In short, the intrinsic nature of social media sites to turn user generated content into word of mouth information, that is – unrestrictive dialogue – allows for users to spread messages quickly and effectively. Social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and MySpace have not only given us a way in which we can converse, they have given us a space in which conversation and dialogue can start and continue to grow. When John E. Kennedy first tried to define advertising in 1904 he did so with three simple words, â€Å"salesmanship on paper† (O'Reilly). While he might rework this phrase, first to include all forms of advertising media and then to comment on some form of social change; he would certainly be forced to include social media tools such as YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter as they have changed the way in which we choose to communicate. When considering social change it is imperative to consider advertising. The first step to creating social change on any level is to change public perception and there is no other industry known more for changing perception than the advertising industry. It is best explained by notorious ad man who persuaded millions to watch MTV and wear Tommy Hilfiger, George Lois who said, â€Å"Great advertising can make food taste better, can make your car run smoother. It can change your perception of something. Is it wrong to change your perception about something? Of course not. I’m not lying; I’m just saying, ‘This one’s more fun, this one’s more exciting. ‘† The advertising industry is typically always the first one to recognize the capability of digital technologies to create social change. This is why Katalyst Media, a media agency dedicated to producing content on social media has more campaigns than they can handle. The founder and CEO of Katalyst Media, Ashton Kutcher uses social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to send his message and to persuade others to join his causes. It started with a message to promote World Malaria Day that read â€Å"Every 30 seconds, a kid dies of malaria. Nets save lives. $10 buys a net† and was followed by a link to Malaria No More's web site where people could donate (Macsai & Wilson 80). The celebrity's tweet persuaded millions to join and the donation website had more traffic in one month than it did the previous twelve (80). Kutcher was able to tally nearly 90,000 nets in a very short time. What Kutcher did was raise awareness to a cause and by taking advantage of the most popular space in modern times to have a conversation he created action. Another celebrity to cash in on free advertising, that is – the process of attracting public attention to a product, business or cause through multiple forms of media with the ultimate goal of delivering a message to create action – is Bill Cosby. Cosby recently held a virtual town hall to discuss issues that face the African-American Community and to promote this town hall he advertised his message on social media sites, Facebook and Twitter (Hein). Cosby launched his ad campaign in a few simple words, â€Å"Our children are trying to tell us something, but we are not listening† followed by a link to Ustream – a website that streams footage live alongside a comments box where the streamer can read at the same time. Cosby was capable of generating 1. 3 million views which set a record behind President Obama's inaugural address (Hein). Similarly, companies are taking advantage of social media sites by gathering positive word of mouth dialogue to create a social change, that is – a higher demand and positive brand relationship with consumers (Schmitt). Companies like Nike, Red Bull and Samsun all have their own Twitter and Facebook pages where consumers post reviews and experiences with relative products. In The Last Campaign: How Experiences Are Becoming the New Advertising, Garrick Schmitt highlights the increasing awareness that companies have for social media (Schmitt). He also argues that companies unwilling to adapt are unlikely to survive (Schmitt). The ability that social media has to change perception is largely fuelled by its ability to generate dialogue in a public space. In creating a public space social media sites provide a space where the masses can rule, even if the masses are as marginal as a group of chess players. In Explaining Why Young Adults Use MySpace and Facebook Through Uses and Gratifications Theory, Mark Urista, Qingwen Dong and Ken Day assert that â€Å"the uniqueness of social networking sites is not in their ability to allow individuals to meet strangers but rather their ability to enable users to shape and make their social networks visible to others (Urista et al. 17). Because social networks are visible to the public it is easy to find the best or most popular product. Persuasion and the changing of perceptions becomes easy when 500,000 people think the same way you do. This is why Bill Cosby was capable of generating 1. 3 million hits when he only had 650,000 Twitter followers and 26,000 fans on Face book. In short, social media sites present users and companies with a platform for persuasion through a visibly public space. Effective companies and social change movements relish critical feedback via social media and used correctly can persuade the masses to take part of revolutionary change. Perhaps the most powerful quality that social media possesses is the ability to connect, unite and democratize traditional forms of communication. All of which help to generate social change albeit unintentionally. The most recognizable form of social media's ability to democratize and unite can be found in its language. Twitter for example opened up its ever evolving language to its users. Tweets is a term that refers to a Twitter post. the letters RT is a negotiated term amongst all users that stands for Retweet which means to forward, like an email or repost. As more and more uses are found for social media sites such as Twitter, the language evolves. For example, Tweet-Up is a recently added term that refers to a real-world meeting of people who connected via Twitter (Wired). Another way in which social media acts as a democratic force is its ability to give power to the masses. User-generated content certainly adds to the democratic nature of social media sites because the content on them can become important or redundant but it is up to participants and users to decide. When something becomes popular often times groups will be started and streams of meta data are collected and grouped to provide easy access. In Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business , Erik Qualman suggests that â€Å"human beings have the dichotomous physiological need to be our own individual, yet we also want to feel like we belong to and are accepted by a much larger social set. People are willing to have an ‘open diary' as a means to stay connected – as their ultimate desire is to feel connected† (Qualman 43). This idea suggests that we are rewarded for participating so a simple call to action is in fact rewarding: Part of this lies in a yearning to have a clear understanding of what the majority is ding. It was much easier to know what the majority was doing when all on had to do was tune into Casey Kasem's â€Å"American Top 40† to find out the latest and greatest in music or to flip through â€Å"Vogue† magazine to quickly grasp ever fashion trend. â€Å"Social media help us make sense of information overload by quickly seeing what our friends find important, helpful or interesting. It also helps eliminate people performing he same tasks – if three of your friends have already performed the task (finding a good hotel in Bermuda), why should you be redundant? (Qualman). Danah Boyd also highlights social media outlets call to participate as a reward (Boyd 126). Social Media makes participation in social movements rewarding and democratic. Participation in social medi a allows users to connect and unite as the public platform used by social media sites makes it easy for users to connect and to participate with others. These qualities are the underlying reasons surrounding the profound shift in the way that we choose to communicate. Social media has become the biggest change to our society since the industrial revolution (Qualman). Qualman states the following statistics while arguing his case for social media revolution: 96% of Generation Y have joined a social media network, is the number one activity on the internet today, 1 out of 8 couples married in the US last year met via social media, it took the radio 38 years to reach 50 million users, the television took 13 years, the internet took 4 years, the iPod took 3 years, Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months (Qualman 2). Along with it are the intrinsic qualities social media carries with it, that is ability to generate dialogue, to change perception and persuade, and its ability to connect and unite the masses democratically. The social media revolution is incipient and inchoate. The creation of every new medium brings with it a learning curve and as its strengths are developed and its language invented, social change will be one of its many uses.

Childrens Speech Development essays

Children's Speech Development essays Characteristics of childrens speech * Research has shown that human speech develops in a similar pattern regardless of the language the child hears around it. *Characteristics of childrens speech develop in the same order, although the age at which they develop varies from child to child. This pattern of development is categorized into four general areas; Pre-linguistic stage- babbling (from birth) From birth an infant produces sounds which gradually become more varied. This stage is sub catogorised further; *Crying (from birth) - This is recognized as instinctive communication because there is no real intention to communicate. However cries soon become differentiated and parents can often tell a cry of huger form one of boredom. *Cooing (from six weeks) - This is often produced by a satisfied baby and helps to strengthen vocal apparatus. This cooing sound begins to be broken up into consonants. *Babbling (from six months) - the pattern of consonants and vowels become linked together: la la la mamama etc. Babbling appears to be intuitive because it occurs about the same age in all infants. *Studies show that babies are more likely to babble when an adult responds with sounds. One word utterances- the holophrase stage (from one year) *Amongst the babbling, babies begin to use one syllable words. *A word in this stage is classified as any sound used to seek an active response. *First recognizable words are usually those derived form babbling: baby or daddy. * More than half of the early words are nouns (names of objects and people) and these are often used for a number of meanings. For example ga may be used for anything a child wants, however combined with an appropriate gesture, such as a point towards a cookie jar; clearly means give me a cookie. *Such a gesture is known as a ho ...

Performance Appraisal Systems

Performance Appraisal Systems StopNShopToday Inc has to adopt a performance appraisal system which will objectively evaluate and allow continuous interaction between its employees and managers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Performance Appraisal Systems specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Employee Performance Appraisal System should enable the managers provide objective descriptions and evaluations of the employees’ performance standards. There are several types of performance appraisal systems which can be adopted by StopNShopToday Inc. StopNShopToday Inc can adopt 360-Degree or Full Circle Appraisal to evaluate the performance of its employees. In 360-Degree Appraisal, an employee’s performance will be evaluated by everyone within StopNShopToday Inc with whom he or she interacts (Eichinger, 2004). This will include the managers, colleagues, customers as well as members of other departments. Hakala (2008) asserts that although t his appraisal system is expensive, it can be used to comprehensively evaluate the performance of key employees of an organization. StopNShopToday Inc can also adopt Management by Objectives (MBO) appraisal system. By implementing this appraisal system, each departmental manager will set objective goals with his or her subordinates so that at the end of the period, the manager evaluates the employee’s achievement of the set objective goals (Deming, 1994). Action statements in the MBO process begins with statements like â€Å"reduce rejected parts by 5%† (Hakala, 2008). It involves continuous monitoring as well as review of objectives to enable the manager keep the employees focused on achieving the set goals. During the annual review, an assessment is conducted on progress towards objectives so that new goals are set. Rating Scale is another important appraisal system which can be implemented by StopNShopToday Inc. The Rating Scale would require each manager or the mana gement to develop an in-depth grading system which would be used to evaluate each employee’s success within a range of areas which could include technical skills, creativity, communication skills, and teamwork among others.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The management/manager sets a minimum required grade which an employee has to receive to enable the manager consider the performance appraisal as a success. This method allows the organization to put those who do not make the minimum required grade on a performance improvement plan (Henderson, 2011). StopNShopToday Inc also needs to improve how it rates its performance assessment categories. Evaluating an employee’s procedural knowledge and skill as well as customer service Skills should involve rating performance standard by entering whole numbers on the Employee Performance Appraisal System Form to represent the manager’s perception/evaluation. The numerical values should include 0 meaning unacceptable; 1 meaning development needed; 2 meaning fully competent; and 3 meaning Excelling. The manager has to document performance of each staff throughout the appraisal period by keeping written record of every staff’s accomplishments. It is this information that the manager should use to rate the performance of every employee. In situations where the manager assigns an employee value 0 or 1, he or she has to list all areas which need improvement as well as recommendations for improvement. The manager must also provide a narrative explanation for his or her evaluation of each performance assessment category to justify the overall score assigned. It is important that each manager for every department keeps written record of every employee’s creative work examples and judgment examples. This would allow the manager to quantify every employee’s creativity and consistent good judgment. As a result, the manager can use comparative rating scale to evaluate every employee’s creativity and consistency in good judgment by using words such as low, medium and high. The examples should be used to justify the employee’s creativity and consistency in good judgment as rated by the manager. Evaluation of employee attendance should be more objective and accurate adopting rating scale which assigns numerical values to the employee’s average attendance.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Performance Appraisal Systems specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This should involve calculating the number of days attended during the appraisal period as a percentage of the total number of days the employee is supposed to have attended, and assigning values 1-6 where 1represents less than 50%; 2 represents 50-60%; 3 represents 61-70%; 4 represents 71-80%; 5 represents 81-90%; and 6 re presents 91-100%. StopNShopToday Inc would be able to improve its performance appraisal system by adopting a combination of appraisal systems. Besides, it has to improve its performance assessment categories to make them more objective and accurate. Reference List Deming, W. E. (1994). Out of the crisis. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Eichinger, R. (2004). Patterns of rater accuracy in 360-degree feedback. Perspectives, 27: 23–25. Hakala, D. (2008). 16 ways to measure employee performance. Web. Henderson, K. J. (2011). What are the different types of performance appraisal. Web.

Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Culture - Essay Example However, it is often debated as to whether the religion is a part of the culture or culture is part of the religion. The historical roots of every religion suggest a very strong correlation between the culture and religion as most of the religious rituals are finally being shaped by the culture of the society within which the religion evolve. It is therefore because of this fact that Historian Dawson claim that "The heart of Western civilization says Historian Dawson, is its Christian culture. By this he means not the Christian religion but its impact on the social life and institutions of the West. Today that Western heart is not beating at the center of things, where it belongs, but is fluttering on the fringes, and Western civilization is sick with a bad case of secularism." (www.time.com). Thus there is very strong historical evidence as to how the religious values and culture has shaped the overall form of Christianity which is prevalent today. As defined above that culture is a set of patterns of an individual's life which portray the human activity and present a symbolic representation of that person's or group of persons' lives. In its essence, culture is a collection of values commonly practiced by a large number of people sharing a common heritage. The first definition of the word culture came in 1871 when in his book "Primitive Culture" he defined culture as "complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society" (Tylor). Culture is considered therefore as a powerful human tool necessary for the survival of the human beings but it is also considered as fragile too as cultural bondages define not only common heritage but common sentiments and emotions too. It is often believed that there are various layers of the culture also commonly known as subcultures. First layer is called the cultural traditions which effectively distinguish and specify a society from others whereas second layer of culture is called subculture which is often considered as the very own identity of the individual. The third layer of culture is called cultural universals and is considered as shared behaviors which are being used by all the humanity across all the geographical regions of the world. Cultural Difference As discussed above that culture have three different layers. This very fact clearly suggests that culture is itself diverse in nature. This diversity creates cultural differences between the various societies and within cultures even. These cultural differences can sometimes be the source of great embarrassment for people who are relatively alien to that culture or even present a great opportunity to create an environment where society can be shared by various cultures belonging to different regions etc. Since "Culture is vital because it enables its members to function one with another without the need to negotiate meaning at every moment. Culture is learned and forgotten, so despite its importance we are generally unconscious of its influence on the manner in which we perceive the world and interact within it. Culture is significant because as we work with others it both enables us and impedes us in our ability to understand and work effectively together." (Learning). Thus

Discrimination and the Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discrimination and the Law - Essay Example The Race Relations Act 1968 extended the scope of the 1965 law by making it applicable to housing, employment and other matters. An improved Race Relations Act was framed in 1976 mostly in accordance with the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975. The three main types of racial discrimination which were to be made unlawful under this act were direct discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation. The primary objective of theRace Relations Act of 1976 was to form the legal foundation for protection from racial discrimination in the fields of employment, education, training, housing and the provision of goods, facilities and services. Under this law, 'racial discrimination' means treating a person less favourably than others on racial grounds - meaning race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins. Although this law protects one against people's actions, it cannot change their opinions or beliefs. (Home Office, n.d.) This Act resulted in the setting up of a Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) as a statutory enforcement and implementation body to eliminate racial discrimination and to promote equal opportunities and harmonious race relations between people of difference races. The CRE has the power to undertake formal investigations into discrimination charges and to represent victims of discrimination. The Crime and Disorder Act of 199... The Public Order Act,1986 On 9 June 2005, the Government published the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill which makes incitement to religious and racial hatred an offense under the The Public Order Act of 1986. Thereby, this Act makes it illegal to incite racial hatred, whether through words or action, such as distributing racist leaflets. Penalties are severe for anyone convicted of a racially motivated crime. (BBC, 2003) The race relation and racial hatred legislations have always protected Sikhs and Jews as the Courts have identified them as 'ethnic groups' according to their interpretation of the Act. Muslims, however, are not protected as they are not considered to be an ethnic group under the law. Since hate crimes against Muslims have increased during the post 9/11 period and as Muslims are not considered to be an ethnic group, it poses a serious problem. The Racial and Religious Hatred Bill tries to amend this situation The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations, 2003 The Employment Equality regulations makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate, harrass or victimise an employee on the basis of any religion, religious belief, or similar philosophical belief. Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 The Race Relations (Amendment) Act provides new powers to tackle racism in public authorities by eliminating unlawful discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity. This Act makes it statutory for public authorities like all government and local government services including the Police to promote race equality. Public authorities should ensure that racial equality considerations are part of everything they do. This Act gives the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE)