Internal and External Constraints Facing Venetian Ices Ltd Essay

Limitations are laws, which the organization must keep. There are two unique kinds of requirements; these are interior and outer limitations. Inside imperatives are those that the organization controls their selves, for example, * Availability of fund * Existing organization strategy * Peoples conduct Outer limitations are choices that are made outside the company’s control, for example, * Government and EC enactment * Competitors conduct * Lack of innovation * The monetary condition The inside limitations confronting Venetian frosts include: 1.Equipment Venetian Ices need hardware so as to create their merchandise and furthermore keep the dessert solidified. So clearly they will require hardware, for example, coolers (to store the frozen yogurt), new dessert making machines so as to create the dessert for the clients. They will likewise require a portable van, so clients could get dessert in various territories. Another gear that Venetian Ices could have is bundling, this will be for clients who might need to purchase an entire tub of frozen yogurt from them. There are a few issues, which may happen when substitution or additional gear is required. Venetian frosts could in truth wind up in a position where they can't manage the cost of the hardware that they would need accessible to them. On account of extra hardware there may not be sufficient space on seeing enough representatives to work all the apparatus. 2. Financing the improvement of a Franchisee activity Venetian Ices must give fund to their franchisees so as to kick them off and set up in the business world. Venetian Ices can get their fund from various spots and ways. The first is held benefit, yet that would possible be able to demonstrate hard for them, as little organizations, for example, themselves just will in general make a little benefit. They can likewise get their money from selling as much frozen yogurt as possible. Venetian frosts would need to purchase all the gear and started that they would require when they are setting up a business up and furthermore paying the entirety of the laborers in their franchisee. This implies when another franchisee joins from the start Venetian Ices need to spend a great deal of capital and receive minimal back consequently. 3. Staffing for Increased Production Output By expanding the quantity of staff it would build the yield of the organization, yet this will mean paying out more cash so as to pay their new representatives. Likewise they may have an issue with the size of the premises. There could be an issue with the measure of individuals permitted to work in the structure, if there isn’t sufficient space for everybody they would need to utilize less individuals then they might want. Some External imperatives that may influence Venetian Ices include: 1.Raising fund How much fund Venetian Ices can raise relies a great deal upon the open who buy dessert from them and furthermore financial specialists who choose to put cash in the organization. This could cause an issue however in light of the fact that in winter frozen yogurt is less famous and a mess less individuals would come and buy dessert during the cool time frame. This could along these lines mean financial specialists won't have any desire to put resources into a frozen yogurt organization, which for some portion of the explanation won't raise a lot of money. 2. Arranging Permission On the off chance that Venetian Ices chose they needed to extend their premises or choose to assemble new premises for their organization, they would require arranging authorization from the neighborhood committee or the administration. In the event that Venetian Ices decided to proceed with an augmentation or the structure of another structure without an agreement from the specialists then they could be indicted and compelled to desert take a shot at their new premises totally. 3. Diversifying Venetian Ices don't have unlimited oversight over its franchisees, as the franchiser doesn't generally check them on. This can imply that franchisees may maintain the business against the organization strategy and utilize unique and strategies. For instance in the event that the franchisee trains the staff in how to enroll, at that point the staff must do precisely as they are advised to, in the event that they select individuals in an alternate manner or individuals who Venetian Ices don’t need. This could prompt the organization having a terrible notoriety. 4. Law Venetian Ices must follow and work by all the laws. There has being laws set about strategies for work, preparing, European guidelines and furthermore food which would insubordinately apply to Venetian Ices. These laws can be checked regularly by government assessors. 5. The travel industry The travel industry is a major market for Venetian Ices as they make up a huge level of clients in certain regions where there are versatile and dessert parlors. Visitor likewise frequently buys products without really thinking. Be that as it may, Venetian Ices can't protect that the quantity of vacationers in a specific region will continue as before constantly. 6. Foot and Mouth Disease Another flare-up of foot and mouth can cause significant issues for Venetian Ices. Foot and Mouth influence dairy animals, which Venetian frosts, relies upon for its fundamental fixing, which is milk. Another foot and mouth plague breaking out would make it hard acquiring the milk and furthermore getting it shipped as specific regions of the field would be stopped, hence making transportation hard. Foot and mouth can likewise make the travel industry drop in specific territories and perhaps really close. This would lead Venetian Ices in a dreadful situation in them zones influenced by foot and mouth. There might be individuals who might need to avoid the dessert because of foot and mouth.

How income inequality effects teen pregnancy Research Proposal

How pay imbalance impacts teenager pregnancy - Research Proposal Example (Rich, 2012). As indicated by a study directed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, â€Å"nearly 330,000† young ladies of an age bunch from 15 to 19 are accounted for to be pregnant in a year (Ipatenco, 2014). Inspite of a decline in American youngster labor for the last 10 to 20 years, among the most evolved nations, the United States have the most significant level of pregnant adolescents than other creating nations (Rich, 2012). Researcher have been going after for a considerable length of time to â€Å"untangle† the blended difficulty among various perspectives like training, monetary, culture and contraception which cause pregnancy during high school (Rich, 2012). Insightful examinations uncover that there is a direct â€Å"connection† between adolescent pregnancy and pay disparity (Oakes and Jolicoeur, 2012). This examination means to discover the connection between salary imbalance and high school pregnancy as this is turning into the most talked about open is sue in present day. High school labor has a major hazard on mother just as the youngster. Numerous investigations have recognized a connection between â€Å"income inequality† and high schooler pregnancy. Analysts contemd that the youngsters living in a spot where the pay imbalance is more noteworthy, in such a circumstance they can't grow up to their necessities of life, such adolescents will in general lose their expectation and jump on the way of melancholy, which compels them into a joyful way of life (Oakes and Jolicoeur, 2012). The creators state that not just pay disparity can be expressed as an explanation behind youngster labor yet this is a â€Å"topic† which needs more examinations (Rich, 2012). To defeat this issue , different angles that lead to the difficult should be distinguished and in like manner answers for the equivalent must be discovered. Henceforth through this exploration the reasons and preventive measures for this issue will be talked about. The pace of high school pregnancy was

Another Type of Mens et MANUS

Another Type of Mens et MANUS QUOTE: My advice to a high school student interested in science as a career would be to forget all the stuff they tell you in the textbooks about the answers. My advice to a high school sophomore or junior considering a career in science would be to close the science textbook for a minute and forget all the answers that their texts purport to be telling them. What you should steep yourself in is the ignorance, in what we dont know. What is fascinating about science is to define the questions. When we teach science in the high schools we try to teach people all the answers. Well, thats the answers to old dusty questions. What we should be teaching people is how to ask good new questions. It is a tremendous art to ask good questions. To look at a situation and see that there is something going on and articulate clearly what is it that you want to know about that. To be willing to risk and to explore. Im sorry in a way that we dont capture it in the high school textbooks, high school curriculum, because we have to impart knowledge. But in fact it is ignorance that drives us. If we had knowledge about everything there would be no point in going into science. And so what we have to do is convey our tremendous excitement about our ignorance, the wonderful potential of ignorance, and then we have to teach people how it is that you take raw ignorance and turn it into processed ignorance, and processed ignorance, well-defined ignorance, well-asked questions that we dont know the answer to, thats the root of experiment. It is processed ignorance, carefully constructed ignorance, and apply it to the situations. I think kids interested in science should look around the world and start asking questions. And dont worry so much about all the facts that are in the books. Ask questions. Professor Eric Lander, Professor of 7.012 (Introductory Biology), Director of the Broad Institute, Co-Chair of Obamas Presidents Council on Science and Technology. So every semester, iHouse (my dorm, for those who are just tuning in ;) I really should do this more often, since Ive been writing on this for so long that I assume you all know everything about me.OR DO YOU?!?! *runs away and hides* =/) does a Project Presentations Dinner where dormmates who did international development projects abroad during the summer or IAP can come back and present to the rest of the dorm (and to the faculty and other staff advisers that oversee iHouse) what we did. We also currently have a strong working relationship with the Spurs-Humphrey Fellows Program, so the Fellows were invited to join us for dinner as well. If youre curious, you can hear from Helen 12, Sophia 10, Kathy 10, Mary 11, and Kayla 12 about the projects they did in Uganda, India, Cameroon, and the Philippines! And I will stop writing here, because I realize that I have a tendency to fit way too much text in one entry. :) ANDDD I wanted to include this picture of Tiantian and Marisa. Haha our froshies are so cute. :) +1000 points to the person who can guess what they were for Halloween. :D Post Tagged #iHouse #New House

Performance Of Islamic Funds In The Gulf Area Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2991 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? There is a lengthened chronological association with the growth and development of traditional commercial banking practice and religious conviction. As Brown and Skully (2007) have put it, some of the earliest economic transactions commenced with the storage of gold in religious temples which expanded at a swift pace, thereby, allowing the ancient Greeks to make credit notes which were acknowledged throughout Greece. Islamic banks and financial organizations are operating in accordance with the facilitations and decrees of the Islamic Shariah law, which denies benefits by means of any form of usury. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Performance Of Islamic Funds In The Gulf Area Finance Essay" essay for you Create order Islamic banks function on the basis of sharing profits and losses with their clientele which is in contrast with the conventional banking systems, whose chief task is to intermediate by lending money at higher rates of interest than paid by the bank on funds which are set down by the borrowers, thereby, obtaining gains from the margin between the two. What is more, Islamic banks operate in facilitating money transactions as well as exchanges, whereas, the conventional banks function on the products that are purchased or sold with the use of interest as well as time. More to it, the Islamic religion forbids trade of money for money, however, allows money to be put to work, and then take part in the profits or losses which are realized (Alford, 2003) which is the base of Islamic funds. Recognized and strict banking has now been existent for nearly a thousand years, with Islamic Banking being associatively a new phenomenon as the first Islamic Bank, Mit Ghamr Local Savings Bank of Egypt , which was established in the year 1963 (Brown and Skully, 2007). However, even then, the actual development of Islamic finance did not commence until the late twentieth century when the Middle East nations went through a giant rise in surplus funds. Since that time, the Muslim investment has extensively spread all throughout Europe and Asia, while Islamic finance is yet to expand. The straight Islamic financing approaches and methods such as with the Islamic bonds  [1]  are gaining huge prominence in the West similarly as the Islamic based funds management has done so far. With time passing by, there has been an increased demand for Islamic funding provisions all across the Muslim world, chiefly, in the dearth of benefits. In order to function, Islamic bank system became dependent upon the work of Islamic law. Hence, since that time, Islamic funds system has prosperously spread all over the world, as it operated according to this pattern, and as a result, the Islamic bankin g became one of the largest established bank systems set to compete with the conventional banks (Iqbal and Molyneux, 2004). Eventually, according to Khan and Ahmed (2001), Islamic Banks possess a number of products which are compatible with the Islamic Law, such as Murabha, Musharaka, and Mudaraba (Khan and Ahmed, 2001). In 1981 the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was formed in Dubai joining all six countries (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain) to reach a cooperative frame work in all fields (GCC.org). Each of the GCC nations is autonomous in terms of currency and administration. It is predictable that the entire population of this region is nearly 34 million, and the principal religion in all the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council is Islam. The GCC nations are affluent in natural reserves, for example, oil and natural gas. The Gulf States have developed into the largest reliant export hubs for oil which is a key requirement in the global mar ket (Saif, 2009). Aims and Objectives of the Study Regardless of the increasing consideration given to Islamic mutual funds by practitioners, there has not yet been any rigorous research or analysis with regards to the performance of these funds, and how they fare in comparison with the conventional funds. Hence, through this study, we aim at the analysis of the performance of Islamic funds, investigating whether there is existent any considerable reward or penalty for investing them. This study is carried out to find out the performance of international Islamic indices with an objective to assess if the Islamic funds are perilous or safer than the pertinent benchmarks. Alongside, the key objective of this assessment is to thoroughly study the profitability of Islamic and conventional banks, keeping the GCC region under spotlight. Furthermore, the study aims to find if the Islamic funds in GCC countries outperform or underperform international Islamic indices. The final aim of the study is to find if the Islamic funds are riskier o r more safe that the relevant benchmarks. As a result, with due consideration to the increased competition between Islamic banks and the conventional banks at this point of time, chiefly, in the Muslim domain for the reason that it does not take much of the interest, this study is carried out to analyze every commotion associated with the performance of Islamic funds in the Gulf States region. However, we will also discuss about the systems brought into use in other countries. Last but not the least, a thorough assessment of the disparities between financial systems makes it a more striking and fascinating topic of discussion. Research Methodology and Data The research methodology for this study is based on the similar variables which have been taken up by studies carried out in the past on fund performance. In this dissertation, the basic Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)  [2]  will be used to measure the Islamic funds performance in the GCC region by comparing each country Islamic funds with their relative market index. Coefficient of determination and t-statistics will be applied in the process by regressing the monthly excess  [3]  gain (loss) of the fund with the market monthly excess gain (loss). Other performance determination will be used in this dissertation like: (sharp ratio, Jensens Alpha, Famas Ratio and Sortino ratio). The same methodology will be applied for all the GCC Islamic funds but with a non-regional Islamic index like Dow Jones Islamic Market. The data for this research will be provided from secondary data providers. The market indexes and risk free data will be acquired from Datastream and this sec ondary data is provided through the university laps. The remaining data regarding the Islamic fund in the GCC countries will be acquired from which is also provided by the university. Structure of the Dissertation This dissertation centralizes on performance of the Islamic funds in GCC region, and has been segmented into seven chapters. The structure of this dissertation is as follows: Chapter 1 The first chapter comprises of an introduction to the research, and also introduced the research questions. The significance of understanding the performance of Islamic funds in the GCC is discussed and enlightened. Chapter 2 The second chapter provides with an overview of the Islamic Banks, conventional mutual funds and Islamic funds. This is inclusive of a general idea of the history along with the challenges they confront, and what are the fundamental rules and regulations. More to it, this section prefaces some of the most significant Islamic funds types. Chapter 3 The third section of this dissertation offers a basic concept of the economic life in the GCC, prior to the presentation of the banking industry, and the financial markets in the GCC, followed by the comparison of the evaluation. Chapter 4 This chapter offers a summary of the studies and researches that have been carried out on the performance of funds. The evaluation is not restrained to Islamic funds, but will be on both the conventional fund and the Islamic funds. Chapter 5 This section puts forward the data important for this study. Also, the attributes and features which will be brought into use in the analysis of the Islamic funds are thoroughly explained. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 explains the results and conclusions of the research, thereby, displaying the findings. Chapter 7 The last chapter confirms and discusses the outcomes of this research. In addition, it covers the section of references and bibliography that have been used. Part 2- LITERATURE REVIEW Islamic Banking: An Introduction In this time and age, Islamic Banking system is believed to be one of the premium trades in the banking industry. The industry is comprehended to be 46 years old. We can define Islamic Banking as interest-free banking that works on the exchange of profits and losses. Hence, in this chapter we will talk about the origin and history of Islamic Banking. To start with, we will compare the services that are provided by Islamic Banks along with their activities in association to those of the conventional banking systems. Following it would be a study of the history of Islamic banking, while the last segment would comprise of the acceptance and prohibition of chores in Islamic Banking, followed by the examination of loan contracts in Islamic Banks. 2.1 An introduction to the Islamic Funds The Islamic funds market is one of the swiftest growing sectors within the Islamic financial configuration. However, when they are put to comparison with the mutual fund industry as a whole, Islamic mutual funds are yet to grow up as they are in their infancy phase of development, chief of them being around for no more than a decade (Elfakhani and Hassan, 2005). Islamic funds are quite diverse for an industry which is somewhat young. It is seen that while the major part of the funds are equity funds, some 86 per cent of the total 126 funds, balanced or secured funds comprise of 14 per cent, and Islamic bond funds comprise of 2 per cent. The other three funds are currently launched (Elfakhani and Hassan, 2005). More to it, amongst the equity funds, various segments and geographical investment areas are efficiently attributed. Islamic funds have undergone tremendous development during the conclusion of the late 1990s for the reason that they efficiently benefited from the boom wit nessed in technology, where most of them delineated high positive returns which even transcended their highest targets. Their number incremented from 8 funds before 1992 to 95 funds along with approximately $5 billion in assets by the year 2000. However, it dropped to nearly $4 billion by the conclusion of 2001. It is observed that more funds have been launched ever since the year 2002, with even more striking market opportunities, and more lessons being learnt. 2.2 Rules and Principles of Islamic Investing An Islamic fund is analogous to a conventional fund in a number of ways, but, unlike its conventional foil, an Islamic mutual fund ought to obey the rules of the Shariah or the Islamic law investment notions. The principles and regulations of Islamic Banking are obtained from the Quran and words of the Prophet Mohammad. According to the Quran, there are three major practices which have been outlawed, and hence, they should not be contracted with in Islamic Banking. These three practices are Riba, in other words, interest; Maysir or Betting and Gharar or uncertainty. It is well-known amongst the Islamic territories that Riba is prohibited in Islam as it is referred to in the Quran. It is the increase on the loan, irrespective of whether it is a fixed or variable one, or for a short or long term. This is believed to have led to difficulties in the economy along with a lack of efficacy which may be as a result of the lenders suffering huge losses for having collected many of the fu nds. Also, for the reason that this enables a number of benefits to deal, it is believed to have led to the inflation of the debt pyramid in the world. On the other hand, Gharar or Uncertainty is strictly forbidden in Islam and is also referred to in the Quran. It is believed that Gharar will happen in case the seller is unaware of what he is selling, and the buyer of what he is purchasing. For that reason, there must be an exact provision and explanation in detail of what is being retailed or purchased, and the target is always to eradicate any ambiguities associated with it. The third and the last factor is Maysir or Betting, which is also strictly forbidden in Islam, which construes to gambling or speculation and betting. The reason for averting this activity is due to its mysterious behaviour, and the returns are not assuring re-entry. Hence, we can construe that all of these practices are prohibited and are not used in Islamic banking for specific advantages. The Shariah guidel ines and decrees reign over various facets of an Islamic mutual fund, which are inclusive of its asset allocation or port-folio screening, investment and trading commotions, and income dissemination or purification (Elfakhani and Hassan, 2005). 2.3 Conventional and Islamic funds (History): Islamic mutual funds represent one of the swiftest growing sectors within the Islamic financial industry. With Shariah supervision being an inseparable part of the Islamic industry, its place in association with the Islamic funds performance is undoubtedly no less significant. When picking investments for their portfolio, or asset allocation, conventional funds can autonomously choose between debt-bearing investments and profit-bearing investments, thereby, investing across the gamut of all the accessible industries. However, it is essential for an Islamic fund to set up screens in order to opt for those companies which meet its qualitative as well as quantitative criteria as set by the Shania guidelines (Elfakhani and Hassan, 2005). Also, qualitative screens are brought into use so as to sieve out companies which are based on the conduct of their business or securities which comprise of one of the Shariah forbidden components, as discussed earlier, or companies which carry out uns crupulous business practices as per Shariah law. As a result, the income implements which are barred from the Islamic-approved securities are corporate bonds, treasury bonds as well as bills, certificates of deposits, stocks, warrants, and last but not the least, some derivatives like options, etc (Elfakhani and Hassan, 2005). More to it, it is not possible for Islamic mutual funds to trade on the edge, or in other sense, it is not possible for them to use interest-paying debt to finance their investments. Moreover, it is also not acceptable to get involved in sale or repurchase agreements. These transactions are believed to be of the similar kind as the indirect interest changes. The foundation upon which an Islamic fund operates ought to be Shania compliant, or in other words, its invested funds ought to be free of interest-based debt or conjecture. It is not possible for Islamic mutual funds to trade on the edge. This means that they cannot make use of the interest-paying debt for financing investments. However, conventional funds such as hedge funds, arbitrage funds, and leveraged buy-out funds scrounge enormously in order to finance their investment commotions, and they are forbidden to Muslim investors. In contrast to the conventional mutual fund managers, it is not permissible for Islamic fund managers to speculate. An Islamic financial unit is looked forward to presume risk after making an appropriate assessment of risk with making use of the information and knowledge. Only in the lack of information or under circumstances is speculation considered to be of a kind similar to a game of opportunity, and is culpable. 2.4 Literature on Funds Performance: Earlier, mutual fund performance literature could not deal with the performance of the Islamic mutual funds industry. A study of Hajara Atta (2000) suggests that the Islamic index goes one better than a sample of unscreened ethical benchmark by bringing into use Sharpe, Treynor, and the categorical Jensen measure (Atta, 2000). A number of theoretical inferences result from the Shariah law as well as demographics of Islamic funds. Islamic mutual fund managers are prohibited in their prowess to exploit paramount information or winning markets. Nevertheless, as put by Bollen and Busse (2001), the average mutual fund manager has not been found to delineate his superior proficiencies (Bollen and Busse, 2001). As a result, the argument which is exactly opposite may also infer that Shariah law restraints the potential harm that is caused by a manager. As of December 2001, there were 105 Islamic mutual funds, of which 86 were equity finds, while 16 were balanced or secured funds. The ot her three were Islamic bond funds which were offered by the Malaysian organizations (Wilson, 2005). The Islamic funds are geographically classified with predominance given to the global equity funds. Akin to socially responsible investment, Shariah compliant investment does not entirely pursue profits. As argued by Levin (2005), such a distraction by concerns with regards to the responsibility would be disadvantageous for financial performance (Levin, 2005). These are supported by evidence that suggests standard sin stocks such as of alcohol, gambling, or tobacco, excluded by Islamic funds so as to deliver considerably positive abnormal returns. The Shariah compliance of products as well as provisions is possibly financially more advantageous in businesses, where consumers and executives go through a higher utility from obedience to the Shariah law. As a result, islamic mutual funds may experience a considerably better financial performance in principally muslim economies as comp ared to others. According to Christoffersen and Sarkasian (2009), centres which have a high density of economic intermediaries and competitors have a considerably absolute influence on the mutual funds learning profits along with their eventual financial performance. Theyve also explained the performance pertinent to being located in a financial centre with better knowledge of spill-over effects (Christoffer and Sarkasian, 2009). The patterns of Islamic funds are, perhaps, more homogeneous as compared to their conventional counterparts as a reason of the Shariah laws narrow concept of eligible commotions. Islamic funds may have comparatively lower betas than conventional, may be leveraged funds (Hoepner et al, 2010). Islamic funds also invest quite proportionally in smaller stocks, for the reason that large stocker possess a higher stake of receiving insufferable revenues from activities that are forbidden under the law. Hence, Islamic funds are expected to be more prone to growt h stocks as compared to value stocks, for a simple reason that the former is believed to possess a lower leverage in comparison to the latter (Campbell and Vuolteenaho, 2004). Nevertheless, literatures have often failed to find out a significant theoretical reason as to why Islamic funds should be more exposed to momentum and not to the contrarian investment strategies or vice-versa (Hoepner et al, 2010).

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Essay Draft Free Essays

string(93) " age o f Columbus, the rational way of thinking included the belief that the world was flat\." What is needed is essentially a gap, to show that aspects of r sectional thinking can coincide with faith. So the question must be asked; can faith and reason cookie SST? It is absolutely possible for rational thinking to be a part of faith, or more particularly religious s faith. The only point in which faith is irrational, is the initial leap Of faith one takes in order to make the decision. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Draft or any similar topic only for you Order Now Besides this initial jump of blind faith, where one must fully trust a h Geiger power without complete understanding, every decision after this seemingly irrational I one, has the full capacity for rational thought. Often times thoughts, beliefs, and actions are often labeled as rational or irritate IANAL, but what defines something as rational? Rationality is defined as a pursuit of NAS were through the use of logical discourse and objective criteria. What comes out of this pursuit is w hat humans tend to think is rational. Generally speaking, rationality is what is â€Å"best on the table†, it s purpose is to provide or attempt to provide, answers to questions based on factual evidence e and through the Kim 2 use of logical discourse and scientific advancements. With scientific advances, what is considered rational and irrational shifts as well. It is through new, changing eve dance that alters rationality. This is why rationality changes throughout the course of time, it is because new evidence is provided therefore changing the belief of what is considered ratio anal and what is considered to be irrational. Through the course of increased logical discourse and time, rationality and what one deems something as rational will continually evolve. Faith on the other hand, is belief that provides the best possible answers bas deed on scriptures and attempts to address the questions that science cannot. It’s there e to provide the questions such as, â€Å"Why am I here? Or â€Å"What’s my purpose on this earth? ‘. The is is the reason for why many accept religion and faith into their lives. Many times humans De sire for purpose and reason for their lives. The theory of Existentialism and the brilliant minds of Albert Campus and Jean Paul State, articulate that humans possess an innate desire to create purpos e in ones life. This wanting for purpose is satisfied through religion. Ultimately science awns errs the how, and faith answers the why it provides the purpose of everything in life, and the ever y essence of humans and their ultimate purpose. It is is evident that science deems that faith and reason are on the same page and essentially can be compared. However it is argued that the faith system and t he pursuit of rational answers to the universe are not on the same page. In fact, Francis Cool lines, director of the Human Genome Project states, â€Å"God gave us an opportunity through science to understand the natural world, but there will never be a scientific proof of God’s existence† (Co Loins). It illuminates fact that science is there not to contradict religion, but is there for the purpose of further understanding the world we live in. It’s purpose is not to disprove relic ion, but instead to Kim 3 deepen our knowledge of the what we have already, the earth. It further sup rots the point that rational thinking and religion belong in two different domains and shows that the two are essentially two different scopes of looking at the world, from a spiritual stand point and both a rational standpoint. Furthermore Stephen Jay Gould, a famous evolutionary bi eulogist suggests of the existence of impoverishing magisterial (Gould). Gold’s theory also know n as (NOAA) state that science and faith have separate teaching domains. This dissonance means that the findings and claims of both domain do not have to contradict each other. Pro egress in science does not have to disprove the teachings of religion. In the same way religion d goes not have to control every aspect of one’s life. It demonstrates that besides the initial leap of faith, what follows after has the potential to be rational as the existence of faith and ratio anally relate to two different domains. This is what it means to coexist separately. Therefore the p regress of rational thinking and science should not interfere with faith and vice versa. Essentially these two efferent domains are two different ways to come closer to, or attaining the Try HTH in their own respective fields. The assertion that faith does not cloud or bleed into the coo rise of logical thinking is made and emphasized quite heavily. In essence, the ideology that r elisions belief hinders one from rational thinking is disproved as it’s heavily asserted that the e two belong in very different ballparks. Francis Collins, also indirectly refers to this theory of Gold’s magisterial with the statement, â€Å"l was in a very reductionism frame of mind. The tats often what science imposes upon your thought process, and it’s a good thing when you a ply it to the natural world. But I sought to apply it to everything else. Obviously the spiritual world is another entity’. Collins admits that despite his numerous amount of years of science b 10th at Yale and the Human Genome Project, that the two domains of science and religion were is imply not meant to Kim 4 compliment or contradict each other. Ultimately, one can simply both be a sic intestine and a believer. Furthermore, it shows that both domains are indeed there and the d main of faith does not prevent progress through rational thinking. Therefore, when one claims t o believe, rational hinging is still present, because of the simple fact that the two belong in differ rent domains or region of thinking. There are of course the rare occasions when faith and reason do come together ere. This does not mean, however, that religion disproves rational thinking. Before the age o f Columbus, the rational way of thinking included the belief that the world was flat. You read "Essay Draft" in category "Essay examples" A very pop alular and highly controversial idea at the time, both rationality and religion produced the Sam e conclusion, that the world indeed was flat. This shows that despite the defined boundaries bet when reason and oath, that both can also hover on the same ideals. In the example of the world d being flat, both science and religion conformed to rational thinking that the world was flat (re member that rationality is what the best possible answer is based on the facts provided). D goes this not show that religion does not devalue rational thinking? It shows that religion does no t shun rational thinking, but rather is also another way of attaining the Truth. Thomas Aquinas s argues that faith and reason are just rather two methods but are related in that nature is sees initially God and the study of nature is to study God (Planting). Another instance where reason an d faith collide, is the theory of egocentricity. Rational thought at the time supported the hellion enteric theory based on the given evidence of past scholars. The institution who heavily supported this theory was none other than the Catholic Church. This can be seen as an act of irrational y that the Church did not base their decisions on the given evidences. However, this is not true as the works of supporters of the heliocentric theory remained hidden and censored, until we II after their own Kim 5 time. Once these works were discovered rationality would be altered as people now see that the Sun is the center and not the earth based on the provided evidence. It also go sees to show that rationality changes over time and ultimately takes time to change as evidence grows. Religion is seen as a concoction filled with emotion, and what better way to RI d oneself from rational thinking than to incorporate emotions? When one’s emotions start to take control, one’s thoughts and actions often become irrational. This being said, emotion and SE mentality often follow religion and faith, however even bigger than emotion, is action. Actions are a crucial part n almost every religion or philosophy. Without action nothing is achieved. As actions play a pivotal role in religion, emotions are irrelevant and can even be discouraged I n faith. Many times religion is institutionalized due to the supposed use of emotions and how h evilly religion relies on emotion. However this is not true at all. The basis Of religion is not s lowly based on emotions, but rather the actions and the strength or intimacy of faith that the individual carries. This goes to say however, that emotions aren’t completely shunned by religion n, some are encouraged while others are discouraged completely. In Christianity the Ten Commandments that God provides humans with a set of guidelines that provided to the Israeli test the knowledge of certain actions and their moral values. It leaves out any aspect of emotion and are essentially just rules of what to do and what not to do. The word â€Å"do† immediately incisor orates actions and certain acts but not emotions. Through an Eastern scope, the belief of actions and karma are a prime example. Furthermore religion goes about to shun certain emotions the at often bring about negative actions from humans through the verse â€Å"A fool gives full vent to his s rid, but a wise man quietly holds it back† (Proverbs 29:1 1). This popular verse depicts the rest train upon which Christianity places upon an individual. It shuns the expression of one’s emotion NSA especially Kim 6 anger. Such restrictions on emotions are also present in Eastern philosophies and religions. In the religion of Hinduism, the discharge of emotions is evident. The fundamentals of Hinduism state that emotions hinder one from reaching the point of enlightenment. Further more emotions produce certain detrimental desires within an individual that prevents the par TTY from seeing the Truth; that emotions and personal desires are meaningless. Yes, religion does shun some emotions but not all emotions. Emotions such a s happiness and euphoria are encouraged. But most if not all religions possess a unifying element of love and compassion (Jesus in Christianity, Shattered in Buddhism etc. ). Such a cone action begs to answer the question of whether or not such feelings incite irrational thin king, or if they re even emotions at all. Love is characterized by physical objects and actions. In a relic souse aspect the acts of Jesus Christ symbolize God’s supposed love. If love is characterized by such acts, its more than safe to say that love is indeed an action and not an emotion. Love s shown through actions that symbolize the level of love that one possesses. But the deepest el veil of love is through sacrifice: and sacrifice is an action, therefore linking the overseen chaw in between love and actions. Through sacrifice one learns the value of love, and the greater the e sacrifice the greater strength Of love. However many believe that love is irrational, and that t is perfectly true, love itself is irrational, but the reasons why humans are rational according to social relationships s explained by Aristotle statement, â€Å"Man is by nature a social animal; an mind Vidal who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more the an human† (Rack). This quote shows that humans want if not need social interactions , such actions which include the essence of love. Therefore the need for love and further Soc ill interactions are justified as being rational. This justifies the rationality of why one chooses to Eve, or to embrace Kim 7 the concept of love. This unifying element of love also carries the implication t hat morally sound actions are heavily encouraged. The certain encouragement of morally sound behavior can be seen throughout all religions. The Buddhists describe this as dharma, and the Western belief perceives it as the Ten Commandments. The fact that such diverse religions c an come together on a single consensus that morally sound actions are essential to one’s faith, provokes yet another question; the question of how such a phenomena can occur. Based o n the difference of the origins of these religions, it goes about to show that religions appeal to the e common interest Of people. This however, does not explain how or why certain extremists act the way the do. In such cases religion is seen as providing actions that resort to irrational action s. First off, remember that such extremists represent only a very small number of certain religious beliefs. Secondly, the actions of such extremists are fueled by their own interpretation NSA. Therefore, if the definition of rationality is defined as the product of the pursuit of knowledge, the interpretations of certain texts is one’s own pursuit of knowledge. The late novelist and essays SST D. H. Lawrence States, â€Å"The human being is a most curious creature. † (Lawrence). The justifies Zion of such interpretations is essentially supported by this statement by Lawrence. The in trepidations of texts differ as different sects offer different answers to certain curiosities. Fur hormone, if an extremist no matter how extreme, is given the question of what is two plus two o, the answer will inevitably be four. Ultimately they would know and understand how and why two and two is four, even if they’ve never encountered the question before. They can prove t wrought the pursuit of logical thinking can they not? If they are capable of such actions it shows the at rational thinking is still present despite whatever faith they believe in. How to cite Essay Draft, Essays Essay Draft Free Essays Competitions are everywhere in our society. People compete against each other using deferent ways and effective behaviors. They stimulate people’s creativities and Innovations. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Draft or any similar topic only for you Order Now They help people promote their maximum potentials. Athletes practice and train hard to reach their goals. Companies cooperate and create Innovative products to change the world. Cakewalk does her best to learn and Improve with Dry. Larvae’s help In order to win the national spelling bee competition while she feels incontinent competing against Dylan. However, competitions could bring up negative behaviors at the same time, depending what attitudes and behaviors people are holding In the competitions. Cheating Is s behavior when people try to win during a competition. Some people steal classical files and take advantage of others’ secrets. In the movie of Cakewalk and the Bee, a competitors mother cheats in the competition, who tries to help her son go to the next round. In summary, competitions are two- sided swords. All kinds of behaviors show up in competitions. Cooperating, cheating ND practicing are behaviors that help them to succeed in the competitions. Cooperating is one of the significant behaviors in competitions. Under the pressure of competitions, competitors spontaneously learn from each other and unite as a larger group. For example, Nikkei and Apple are two top companies at their fields. As the society becomes more digitized, they cooperate and they share technologies. As a result, a pair of Nikkei shoes with high-tech chip can directly connect to Apple devices to record data. In the movie, Cakewalk is invited to Join a Spelling Bee Club at another school. She gets a chance to learn from her friends, who are also competitors. They share experiences and strategies and play interesting games. She improves her skills in the group. At the national spelling bee competition, Cakewalk misspells a word because she does not want to upset Dylan father. But Dylan does the same thing to her. They compete fairly and they both get 25 champion words. Cooperation makes them succeed in sharing the champion. When people compete, they sometimes cooperate because it is the best way the maximize their advantages. Those people ho want to win so badly cheat. They try to take advantage of what they can get In the competition in inappropriate WAP to compete. For Instance, people use cellophane to find the answers or copy from others’ paper while taking exams. Essay Draft 1 By Philanthropically different ways and effective behaviors. They stimulate people’s creativities and innovations. They help people promote their maximum potentials. Athletes practice and train hard to reach their goals. Companies cooperate and create innovative products to change the world. Cakewalk does her best to learn and improve with Dry. Larvae’s help in order to win the national spelling bee competition while she feels unconfined competing against Dylan. However, competitions could bring up negative holding in the competitions. Cheating is s behavior when people try to win during a In the movie of Cakewalk and the Bee, a competitor’s mother cheats in the competition, Cooperating is one of the significant behaviors in competitions. Under the pressure who want to win so badly cheat. They try to take advantage of what they can get in the competition in inappropriate ways to compete. For instance, people use How to cite Essay Draft, Essays Essay Draft Free Essays Actually one didn’t even think at all. One was going by its instincts while the other was going by its knowledge. Now what’s more more important knowledge of stuff, or being able to imagine the stuff. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Draft or any similar topic only for you Order Now Let’s say you’re building a house. If you have knowledge you’ll build a steady house, normal sized. With your imagination you could’ve imagined a mansion with a pool, home theater, etc. So what is more important. Essay: Very early in the story the narrator was talking about how cold it is, and how that’s all that came to the mans head,† Oh,it’s cold. † While the dog didn’t know it was below freezing he could read a thermometer, he knew this was no time to be out, and he wondered why the man hasn’t built a fire yet. The man kept walking and walking only thinking about how cold it is. In this case he dogs instincts win. Dog 1- Man O Next case scenario is when the man sends the dog to go up front and check if it’s safe. The dog goes and falls on water, causing him to quickly lick his paws to get them heated so they wouldn’t freeze and get numb. Now the dog didn’t know what would happen if his feet got frozen, it was its instinct. The man also falls in water wetting his knees, he knew this would delay him an hour and that he had to build a fire. He got a fire starting but because he kept boning the tree to grab branches, the snow from atop the tree fell down on the fire. He got angry and tried to build another fire, but his feet and hands were badly frozen. There was nothing he could do. The dog’s instincts win again. Dog 2-Man O Now there are many more scenarios and could keep going naming one by one then explaining but that will be boring. So IM going to shake things up a bit. The man has lots of knowledge as you know, but he doesn’t have knowledge of the things surrounding him, as it’s his first winter. How to cite Essay Draft, Essays

Analysis of Edgar Allan Poes The Black Cat Poe Th Essay Example For Students

Analysis of Edgar Allan Poes The Black Cat Poe Th Essay e Black Cat EssaysAnalysis of Edgar Allan Poes The Black CatEdgar Allan Poe wrote that the single effect was the most important aspect of a short story, which everything must contribute to this effect. Poes gothic tale The Black Cat was written trying to achieve an effect of shocking insanity. In this first person narrative the narrator tells of his decline from sanity to madness, all because of an obsession with two (or possibly one) black cats. These ebony creatures finally drive him to take the life his wife, whose death he unsuccessfully tries to conceal.This short story easily achieved the effect that Poe was looking for through the use of description of setting, symbolism, plot development, diverse word choice, and detailed character development. In most cases, the setting is usually indelible to a story, but The Black Cat relies little on this element. This tale could have occurred anywhere and can be placed in any era. This makes the setting the weakest element of The Black Cat.Next, symbolism is always an integral part of any Poe story. The most obvious of symbolic references in this story is the cats name, Pluto. This is the Roman god of the underworld. Pluto contributes to a strong sense of hell and may even symbolize the devil himself. Another immensely symbolic part of The Black Cat is the title itself, since onyx cats have long connoted bad luck and misfortune. The most amazing thing about the symbolism in this story or in any other of Poes is that there are probably many symbols that only Poe himself ever knew were in his writings.Furthermore, Poes plot development added much of the effect of shocking insanity to The Black Cat. To dream up such an intricate plot of perverseness, alcoholism, murders, fire, revival, and punishment is quite amazing. This story has almost any plot element you can imagine a horror story containing. Who could have guessed, at the beginning of the story, that narrator had killed his wife? The course of events in The Black Cats plot is shockingly insane by itself! Moreover, the words in The Black Cat were precisely chosen to contribute to Poes effect of shocking insanity. As the narrator pens these he creates a splendidly morbid picture of the plot. Perfectly selected, sometimes rare, and often dark, his words create just the atmosphere that he desired in the story. Expressions such as apparition, vile haunts, and fiendish malevolence were added for atmosphere. Another way that Poe used word choice was with synonyms. The cat was not only the black cat, it was the playmate, the beast, the brute, the apparition, and the monster.Finally, character development was most important to Poes effect of shocking insanity in The Black Cat. Without the perversely insane narrator this story cant exist, let alone put across an effect. It is mentioned many times that he loves animals and that he is an alcoholic. In fact many of his rages were caused more by alcohol rather than the black cat. The cat(s) was also vividly developed. At one point early in The Black Cat, the narrator spends two paragraphs describing his then delightful pet. But as the story progresses both characters change dramatically. The cat is dynamic in that it is hung, reappears with a white splotch on its chest, and has a different disposition than before. The narrator spirals out of control into fits of rage and numerous hideous, unthinkable actions, commencing with the walling up of his own wife (and unbeknownst to him the black cat too) in the cellar.Obviously, the setting, symbolism, plot, word choice, and character development contributed greatly to the effect of shocking insanity in Edgar Allan Poes masterpiece, The Black Cat. .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 , .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 .postImageUrl , .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 , .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519:hover , .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519:visited , .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519:active { border:0!important; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519:active , .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519 .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u34751f0c15dac95b1d0acafc89279519:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Metamorphosis of Wang Lung in The Good Earth P Essay Without these, there would be no story at all. Poes skillful use of all of these elements, the least of these being setting and the greatest of these being character development, creates a shocking tale, which leaves the mind to ponder in all its horror.

Title Nine Essay Example For Students

Title Nine Essay Throughout generations, humans have played organized games and sports. For that same amount of time, it has been instilled that men are faster, stronger, and just plain better at athletics. We also have come to realize that the slower, weaker, and not as good women make up for physical strength with mental prowess, to succeed on the playing fields and courts of the world. However, this concept has not caught up with athletic directors, coaches, and trustees boards across the country. Women’s athletics is still not given the financial backing, the practice facilities, the correct training personnel, and the support of the general public for building winning programs; on the other hand, losing men’s programs are given any and everything for mediocre results. Title IX was instated 25 years ago, but the results are hard to see, if they can be seen at all. In states like Connecticut, where there are no professional sports teams, state universities are the big ticket in town. The University of Connecticut has two major sports, men’s and women’s basketball. We will write a custom essay on Title Nine specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Winning programs, that include national championships, have everyone in the state talking. They are talking about two successful coaches, two successful teams, and one successful athletic department. According to the UConn Athletic web page, Jim Calhoun, coach of the UConn’s Men’s Basketball team, has a 304-120 (. 717) record and 1 national championship in his 13 years as head coach. Geno Auriemma, coach of the UConn’s Women’s Basketball team, has a record of 393-95 (. 805) and 2 national championships over the past 15 years. One would think that with seniority, a better winning percentage, and more national championships the women’s coach would be paid better. Yeah okay, this is America. Geno Auriemma’s salary was about $ 250,000 for the year, while his male coaching counterpart made $ 875,000. (March 2000 issue of Connecticut Magazine) This practice is actually quite common. Seniority or winning does not earn more money, because it is believed that the men’s game is harder to coach then the women’s game. Umm†¦ am I missing something? A sport is a sport, no matter who is playing it, or so I thought. According to the Detroit Free Press coaches of women’s teams, earn 67 cents to every dollar that a coach of a men’s team earns. These were shown not to be the only discrepancies between men’s and women’s program. The Detroit Free Press analysis shows women’s sports get 25 percent of the athletic budgets, 27 percent of the recruiting dollars and 38 percent of the financial aid. The average Big 12 School spent an average of 2. 2 million dollars on its men’s programs. The average spent on women’s programs was $ 922,097. That’s a difference of about 1. 3 million dollars. These trends continue throughout the country. Athletic Directors are quick to add women’s programs to be compliant with the law, but do little to support them once they are up and running. Women’s programs are then put into an impossible situation; they are not given the resources to bring in the best recruits, the best coaches, or the best equipment. They are then told to win, and if they do not they are in danger of losing their sport. If they happen to win, it is often ignored or forgotten quickly. As we move into the 21st century, we have to wake up as a nation. Equality is not simply giving males and females the same number of athletes or sports, but rather support. This support should be financial, emotional, and physical. All athletes should look up at home games and see the President of the University, the Athletic Director, and alumni at a game. In the perfect world, this would happen but this is the real world. In the real world, most people can’t tell you who won the national championship in women’s basketball, but can tell you every loser in the past 10 Super Bowls.

Essay Sample on Online Music Purchases That Are Legitimate and Affordable

Essay Sample on Online Music Purchases That Are Legitimate and Affordable Free sample essay on Essay on Online Music Purchases: As the internet and it’s rapidly expanding business technology continues rise, the demand for â€Å"easier† ways to purchase is also increasing. The online market encompasses all forms of business from automobile parts to concert tickets. However, one of the most sought after expeditions of the webmasters is a way to sell music to listeners all while avoiding copyright infringement practices. The article I read dealt with this issue directly. Apple Computers has finally made software that allows users to purchase songs by artists for the set price of $1. The listeners also have the ability to purchase entire albums for $10. This has been a huge step because finally full albums are cheaper online than one can find in any music store. Another bonus of the software is that unlike many of its competitor’s versions, the users may use the songs to their liking after download and payment is received. In many of the other programs, the customer’s use of the songs was tracked and they could be held at fault if they burned those files to a recordable device. The program that Apple devised was given the name iTunes Music Store. It can be found at www.applemusic.com. The software also comes with precautionary settings that disallow the users to mass produce CD’s. The program automatically changes the playlist order on the CD after 10 copies have been made as a step to prevent the selling of black market albums. The online program also allows possible buyers to hear crystal-clear 30 second clips of any song before purchasing it. Then, if one chooses to buy, it is no more than a simple click of a â€Å"Buy Song† command button and that file is automatically added to your music collection. As of now, the software deals with 5 major record labels ranging from artists such as Eminem to Fleetwood Mac. It is Apple’s objective to increase their collection significantly in the next year or two, hopefully making online CD purchasing t he standard of buyable media. This software may however create some controversy, much like the illegal music shareware applications out now. Many artists have refused to sign agreements allowing their music to be sold online because many fear that this idea will flop. Although a large collection of artists have already joined the iTunes bandwagon, a dent has hardly been made in converting this popular industry to a strictly-internet based business. The odds are not completely against this software. Many people (mostly those who frequent the no-cost p2p sharing programs such as Kazaa and iMesh) are not ready to begin paying for a product that is so readily available to them with no purchasing involved. There are a huge group of these individuals across the globe and they will indefinitely be the toughest to be gained by Apple as customers. Once this setup begins to become familiar with the common user, and as the illegal programs are ousted for the realm of the WWW, many will most likely be willing to pay this minimal amount for a song of guaranteed excellent quality. This issue is very significant when relating it to the advancements made in the online market in the past few years. Not strictly music, but recently all aspects of business have in the same way been incorporated to an internet-friendly form, making purchasing â€Å"easier† for the consumer. Any individual can now order all types of products online, set reservations for airlines, and even perform all of his/her banking needs without even rising from their comfortably padded computer seat they call â€Å"home†. The music industry’s remarkable jump to the online market may be a sign that life as we know it (such as daily interaction with other individuals) is rapidly changing to a ‘Point, click, and scroll’ society. In conclusion, these steps taken by the Apple organization to devise a truly legitimate music and at the same time affordable, music sharing system may be headed in the right direction. The complexity of the situation lie in a programmer’s ability to keep consumers happy with large search engines and low prices, and at the same time ensuring artists that payouts to them will be definite. We can only sit back and wait to see how successful iTunes, the application with the most promising future in the online music industry, will truly be.

Letter to the Editor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Letter to the Editor - Essay Example In the same line, the North Miami Mayor was involved in ballot fraud prob. When will this end? We need to come together and stamp out corruption. Politically, corruption undermines democracy. The act of good governance dies off. In the election, corruption reduces accountability in representations in policymaking. Underqualified leaders in position wrongfully lead the nation to ashes. In the judiciary, corruption compromises the rule of law. Provision of inefficient services experienced results from corruption in public administration. Corruption in the economic sector affects both the private and public businesses. Starting with the private sector, it leads to an increase in the business cost in acquiring the license to start the business. In the public sector, corruption lowers the compliance in activities such as constructing and maintenance of the environment. The quality of government services and infrastructure significantly reduces. Roads built by unqualified engineers have a short life span. Later they become unworthy limiting the users significantly. Corruption accelerates environmental destruction. Forest guards are receiving bribes allowing people to cut down trees. The environment becomes threatened. Global warming accelerated endangering the survival of the human species. Food production falls increasing prices of the available food. The cost of life increase gradually. In humanitarian aid to the poor, manipulation of assessment, targets, and registration is prone. Uneven distribution of aid leaves many to sleep hungry while others remain shelter less. Support covers only those with connections. Under the table, payments have given unqualified individuals job opportunities leaving qualified individuals jobless. Corruption has made education expensive. Some people even end up buying academic certificates. Such individuals threaten the future of the nation. STOP CORRUPTION! The first step starts with you. Obey the law.

An individual report which debates a contemporary issue in E-Business Case Study

An individual report which debates a contemporary issue in E-Business - Case Study Example Moreover, the case studies that will be utilized will be that of the 2013 annual reports from Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft. By analyzing these recent annual reports, it is the hope of this particular student that the reader will be able to gain a level of inference concerning how security issues and legal issues are represented within these and serve to define the approach to the market that these companies are taking. Rather than these two particular issues serving as considerations for the way in which business is conducted within three of the largest tech companies within the United States, is the understanding of this particular analyst that these see concerns are so intrinsically important that they are not only represented as focus point for business development but serve as a fundamental definition for how these companies engage with the market and develop their current and existing, as well as future, strategies for continuing to remain profitable. As one of the most profitable and successful pioneers of the computer operating system, Microsoft has long placed a high emphasis on the importance of security and dedicated entire teams and departments towards ensuring that this particular goal is accomplished (Dvorak, 2012). However, as with many companies, the failures of Microsoft to ensure a completely and entirely secure experience for its users, and the lapses in overall security that have come to be tabloid sensations over the past several decades, has created a difficult situation for Microsoft as it seeks to transition towards a new dynamic for engaging profitability. As the annual report of 2013 for the Microsoft Corporation indicates, the company is deliberately shifting towards a more service oriented approach to the market (Foley, 2012). This does not indicate that Microsoft windows or other long time/profitable engagements will cease to exist; however, the means by which the user engages

Challenges to HR Managers at British Gas

Challenges to HR Managers at British Gas Challenges to HR Managers at British Gas 1.0 Q 1 . Business Environment is changing everyday and bringing new challenges to the HR Managers. What are the challenges forces by HR Managers at British Gas in the UK? Ans.: With the increase in business competition locally and globally, organizations must become customer-focused to succeed. Therefore HR professional has to work out to become a strategic partner and a change mentor within the organization. In order to succeed, Human Resource must be a business driven function with a thorough understanding of the organizations big picture and be able to influence key decision and policies. In general the focus of todays HR Manager is on strategic personnel retention and talents development. And they will also promote and fight for values, ethics, norms and beliefs within the organization. In a 2004 Deloitte Research Study, Athey (2004. p1) noted that, organizations in recent days have to deal with many external forces which influences the way they do business and how they develop and implement a business plan. Some of the external influences that impact an organizations business planning are: government, natural disasters, terrorist threats, local and community, vendor, competitors, transportation etc. Therefore it is important for British Gas to have their business continuity plan. If British Gas able to do so then they can reduce their small and large unknown affect in their daily operations. That is why HR Manager of British Gas should evolve with the change in competitive market environment and realize that they must play a more strategic role in the success of an organization. So, in this global business environment crisis what kinds of challenges are faced by the British Gass HR managers? In UKs market the companies like: EDF energy, EON energy, N power, Scottish Hydrogen are consistently competing with British Gas. If these companies reduce their prices to attract more customers then it will be a challenging issue for British Gas. If this happens then, British Gas can reduce their prices at the same time manage their customers with quality services and make them happy with offering some bonus facilities. For doing this British Gas has to hire skilled employee and place them in a challenging position, Otherwise they might face the retention challenges. Secondly, looking at some political challenges like: regulation of counter policies country tax; Since the whole world economy is unstable and to make some positive changes in UKs economy govt. might impose some extra taxes to the big companies like British Gas. And if this is happen then British Gas management might think about to reduce their workers salary or layoff some workers. Thus how to plan the HR competency towards British Gas employee then? Then again some social factors like: attitude of workers towards the management is a problem. Example: workers are not giving their best effort, may be they are emotional or not satisfied with their job. Sometimes the workers bring their family problem in work. So how the HR manager will handle these issues? Then again, when British Gas hire employee from different culture sometimes the hired people dont know the English very well but they have the competency of holding the offered position. So its a kind of challenge for HR manager tha t which trainings are given to the employee and how that employee will be fitted to the specific position. A part of that, every single day new technologies are coming up. So how the British Gas HR will fit the workers with their new technologies, which training they can provide to the workers then? Then the late ages workers are not that skilled of using the technical staffs but they are well efficient towards their manual works. Thus how HR will fix this problem. According to Cox, (1993) suggests that a HR Manager needs to change from an ethnocentric view (our way is the best way) to a culturally relative perspective (lets take the best of a variety of ways). This shift in philosophy has to be ingrained in the managerial framework of the HR Manager in his/her planning, organizing, leading and controlling of organizational resources. Now we should look forward to how globalization changes the HR policies and a part of that, what kind of challenges are facing by the HR Managers. So globalization can be defined based on ongoing political, economical, social and technological issues and with the help of these issues business environments have been greatly changing from last few decades. Thus organizations are required to respond in a strategic manner to the changes in order to survive and progress in this competitive world. And for surviving well into the market the HR manager should be integrated with the strategy and strategic need of the firm. Then HR policies should adjust, accepted and used by line managers and employee as part of their daily work. According to the above statement, the British Gas has already focused on macro based oriented, productive, and long term goals. Nowadays Human Resource function faces many challenges during the globalization process, including creating global mind-set within the HR g roup, creating practices that will be consistently applied in different locations while also maintaining the various local cultures and practices and communicating consistent corporate culture across the entire organization. In this circumstance British Gas Managers should meet these challenges and the whole organization should consider the HR personnel not as just the administrative service but as a strategic business. As an expanding business of British Gas, HR managers will face some problems like: Health Safety policies, EU regulations, huge demand for quality service to the customers. Therefore British Gas can developing health safety policies by conducting risk assessments which indentify hazards, carrying out health safety audits and inspections, implementing occupational health programs, managing stress, preventing accidents, communicating with employee about the health safety practices etc. And for fulfilling the customer demand, those who are working for British Gas needed more technical training, people skills training. And the HRD of British Gas also can come up with some global training programs like: Cross cultural technology transfer, international protocol and presentation, Language training etc. If British Gas trains their employee with a global perspective then the trained employee shall be improving job satisfaction and retention of overseas staff and enabling a newly assigned employee to communicate with colleagues abroad. These kinds of training will not only help them to develop their skills and knowledge but also work as motivational and building block to organizational success. Q2. Comment on how HR activities contribute to the success of British Gas. Use any 2 HRM Models to explain your answer. Ans.: Nowadays effective and efficient HRM is a big challenge to all HR professionals. And the sole purpose of HR is to help humans via mediator between employees and employer. Thus British Gas has to determine what benefits they are willing to offer to their employees and what portions the company is willing to pay for those benefits vs. what they may mandate their employees to share costs in those same benefits. Since HR professionals are playing a very vital role for British Gas therefore its important to know that how the HR strategies align with British Gas business strategies. Since British Gas is a huge company and lots of technical workers are working with them thus in this company there is a need to attract, retain and motivate employee because it is heavily dependent on the knowledge base and expertise of the employee and such there is a need for building a kind of high performance culture based on a strategic mission. HR activities contribute to the success of British Gas in the following way: Recruiting both skilled and unskilled employee which have to go through the training and development called traineeship, which provides a way the new employee/recruit learns about the gas industry, gain relevant skills and qualification to ensure that organization objective to meet consumers high demand for quality services and competitive price for products and services. HR train their engineers throughout that career which ensure that its employees are kept up to date with new information and technology to enable them provide the best possible service. HR has strategy of retaining its people by offering a mix of financial and nonfinancial benefits. This is in line with the organization strategy. As well as the good pay and pension scheme also providing each employee the opportunity of buying shares in Centrica. From the analysis above, it is clear that we can say British Gas adopts two models, namely: Fit model Holistic/dialogue model. Fit Model: represent recognition of the importance of the people in the achievement of organizational strategy. Employees are seen as key in the implementation of organizational and HR strategy is designed to fit the requirements of the organizational strategy. British Gas uses this method to align their HR strategy with organization strategy also it aligns the interest of the workers (pension scheme, investment opportunity, development and training, salary interest)with the interest of the organizations (to maintain the competitive position the company has within the energy market, ensure returns on investment by making profit by share holders) end goal. Harvard Framework for HRM: Harvard model (Beer et al) of HRM developed by Michel Beer, Richard Walton, Quinn Mills, they argues that human resource policies are to be influenced by two significant consideration, first, situational factors, second, shareholders interest. And Harvard framework also explains the significance of the HR policies in the organization which recognize external environment and refers that if its properly used would lead to organizational effectiveness. It also can be used a good fit between organization environment and HR policies and it would lead to various element like employee commitment, cost effectiveness in product and services and congruence which are all covered by the Harvard model and the British Gas holds firmly these elements in dealing with its employee as one of its organizational; objectives. The following elements will give us the idea that how the HR in British Gas apply this to the organization. Competence: The HRM of British Gas has a policy that reflects to the organisational objective in selection of their workforce. HR department not only concern about recruiting skilled engineers but also give attention to go through its assessment centre before appointing an employee for his/her job, which can determine the core competence and life skill of that employee. Personal skills that are created an impact on the customers experience when someone is to work on the field. Core competencies involves team working, leadership skills, listening skills, problem solving skills, interpersonal skills(such as properly dealing with customers), motivation skills, innovation skills and responding to changes. These are crucial skills that can affect the way an individual fits in and works within an organisation and also important because these skills can determine the companys lose or gain more customers. And if British Gas loses then the customers will be shifted to their rivals. Commitment: according to Bratton, John and Gold, Jeffrey (Beer et al: Human resource management Theory and Practice second edition: page 19). Refers, one way HR of British Gas can contributes to the company is that the employee are made to invest high interest to their work within the organization, which will give up two aspects: First, it will enhance self respect and value, at British gas the HRM has a policy that counter on employees, for those offered a job, With Human resource strategy British Gas provides the job benefits including a market competitive starting salary and van from outset. And with British Gas development offers technical comprehensive training for all its engineers throughout their career by their training academy. And the training ensures that employees are kept up to date with new information and technologies and provide best services possible. Second, it will accelerate the employee loyalty and performance towards their work. When British Gas offers employee to invest in the company with having to their own shares in its Parent company (Centrica), also offering good pension scheme after retirement which increase the commitment of the job and good sense of responsibilities. And its the plus point of promotion to management level, which is a strategy of the HR in retaining its suitable people for promotion to higher role, because it needs managers to plan, organise and co-ordinate the teams of engineers. Congruence: here it states that there must be agreement between and amongst various HRM policies and practises in operation. At British Gas HR need to keep in mind the fact that having a company policies of recruiting people from different background and sex as is seen in the case, the company in trying to meet with a recruitment process that is all embarrassing (being recognised by operation now, wining the prestigious award for inspiring the work force of the future, an award for women into science and engineering etc) must consider not just overall employee numbers but ensuring that it attracts and retain the skills that will be required within the business. British Gas managers articulate a programme of forecasting to assume how much the UK market for domestic gas service will grow and this helps the company to decide how many additional engineer they will require in the near future. Cost effectiveness: At the same time HR policies must be evaluated in terms of wages, benefits, turnover etc. In this segment British Gas HR implements its strategy that confront to the organisational strategy in developing and recruiting their employees to become capable and competent employees. And future managers can ensure the organisation turnover remains increasingly high and implement in their salary policy that is highly competitive. Thus, HRM knows it is much more cost effective to retain trained staff than recruit and train up new people therefore this strategy which is in line with the organisations strategy of minimising cost and maximising quality staff retain ship through offering a mix of both financial and non financial benefits helps the organisation achieve its goals. Lastly, looking at long term scenario, the organisation tries to differentiate between three levels: social, organizational and individual. In organisational level increased effectiveness and ensure the survival of the organisation. By providing top-class service at lower price to its customers and ensuring for a well define working environment, and also developing job training and a good pension scheme for it employee at the British Gas. At individual employee level the long term output comprises the reward receive by the workers for their efforts. In the societal level some of British Gas societal goals (employment and growth) are attained, offering exciting career paths for people of all backgrounds. This is how HRM at British Gas can achieve the success. Q3. Describe Recruitment Selection Strategies that have been taking by British Gas to enhance organization performance? Ans.: For British Gas workforce planning is essential because it analyze an organizations future needs for people in terms of numbers, skills and locations. It allows the organization to plan how those needs can be met through recruitment, selection and give them proper training. It is vital for British Gas to plan ahead because the company wants to satisfy their diversity customers by recruiting socially inclusive workforce. It seems that their HR personnel are little too much busy with the recruitment and selection process to meet its future demands for staff. It allows a business time to train existing staff to take on new responsibilities and to recruit new staff to fill vacancies or to meet skill shortages. But due to the recession, many organizations including British Gas not willing to expect so much on recruitment. Thus is this circumstance what are the strategies they are following in their recruitment and selection process. Recruitment strategies: British Gas recruitment involves attracting the right of applicant to apply for vacancies. They follow some ways of recruiting people. They first looks at its internal talent plan to fill a vacancy. This is a process that lists current employees looking for a move within the same level or gets a promotion to the next level. Since they need to make happy diversify customers thus they need to search people from the different regions peoples. So they can help their customers by offering different language, cultural value, norms ethics. They also emphasis on recruiting female engineers so that they can handle the female customers. This is just because sometime some female customers do feel comfortable to talk to the male one. And for some other external recruitment, British Gas advertises vacancies (like: apprenticeship) via their specialist Sky channels like parliamentary project TV, radio, newspapers, DVD for schools and British gas website. Selection Strategies: involves choosing the most suitable people from those that apply for a vacancy, while keeping to employment laws and regulation. For British Gas screening candidates is a very important part of the selection process. This ensures that those selected for interview have the best fit with the job requirements. Ref: The Challenges of Human Resource Management..:The Challenges of Human Resource Management. 25th November, 2009

Research Paper on Extraction of Pectin Essay

Sampalok, being of prehistoric introduction, is planted throughout the settled areas of the Philippines and is cultivated for its many uses. The plant is a large tree from 12 to 25 meters in height. The pods are oblong, thickened, and 6 to 15 centimetres by 2 to 3 centimeters, slightly compressed, and provided with a thin, crustaceous epicarp and a pulpy, acid, edible mesocarp. The young leaves flowers, leaves, and young pods are being used by people for seasoning foods like â€Å"sinigang†. The pulp surrounding the seeds, called â€Å"malasebo† is eaten outright either with or without salt (E. Quisumbing, 1951). Sampalok pulp contains Pectin which can be useful in our society and possibly be extracted. Pectin is a structural heteropolysaccharide contained in the primary cell walls of terrestrial plants. The main use for pectin (vegetable agglutinate) is as a gelling agent, thickening agent and stabilizer in food. On this account, the researcher would like to experiment on tamarind pods, which has Pectin content and to extract it for further use, which can help in the food industry here in our country. Statement of the Problem The study aims to extract Pectin from Sampalok (Tamarindus indica) pods. Specifically to answer, the following questions: * How can Pectin be extracted from Sampalok? * How much Pectin can be extracted from the Tamarind fruit? * What general characteristics did the Pectin from the Tamarind fruit exhibit? Hypotheses * Pectin cannot be extracted from Tamarind. * No amount of Pectin can be extracted from the Tamarind. * The tamarind fruit did not exhibit characteristics of Pectin. Significance of the Study This study will help reduce the country’s importation of pectin from other countries. . Based from Government’s statistical data, our country had imported about 93,150 kilos of pectin in 2008. The cost incurred in importing Pectin is about P27, 000 per kilo. Finding an alternative source of pectin from locally grown plants like tamarind will help reduce the country’s dependence on pectin importation as well as help the local economy. If proven that pectin can be commercially extracted from tamarind then the local populace will be encouraged to cultivate tamarind as extra income. Scope and Limitations In this study, the researcher is only limited to use the tamarind pulp surrounding the seeds, called â€Å"malasebo† Tamarind pulp is the main independent variable in the extraction of pectin except for the materials needed for the extraction process. This project is limited only in extracting pectin from tamarind pulp. Review of Related Literature Pectin is defined as complex mixtures of polysaccharides that make up approximately one third of the cell-wall dry substance of most types of plants (Van Buren, 1991). The function of pectin in plants is to contribute structural integrity to the cell wall and adhesion between cells.   The methods of extraction will vary based on the actual makeup for each particular plant type. For example, protopectins are brought into solution by hot dilute acids. The general makeup of the pectin content varies with ripening of the plant and it is fairly easily brought into solution depending on the plant type (Van Buren, 1991). Commercial pectin extraction is mainly from citrus peel and apple pomace, but several other sources exist such as sugar beets and sunflower heads.   Because it is a natural additive for foods, pectin is being considered for a number of applications beyond the traditional jams and jellies. Pectin is now used as thickeners, water binders, and stabilizers. It is used in yogurts and pastry glazes and as a stabilizer in drinkable yogurts and blends of milk and fruit juices (May, 1990). Pectin is also being used as a texturizing fat replacer to mimic the mouth-feel of lipids in low-calorie foods and shorter chain galacturonic acids have been considered as clarification agents in fruit juices (Braddock, 1999). Pectin is also being used as a texturizing fat replacer to mimic the mouth-feel of lipids in low-calorie foods and shorter chain galacturonic acids have been considered as clarification agents in fruit juices (Braddock, 1999). Pectin has also been investigated for its usefulness in the pharmaceutical industry. Among other uses it has been considered in the class of dietary fibers known to have a positive effect on digestive processes and to help lower cholesterol (Braddock, 1999). It also is utilized to stabilize liquid pharmaceutical emulsions and suspensions. Pectin is capable of forming gels with sugar and acid. Because of this gelling ability one of the well-known uses of pectin is in high sugar jams and confectionery jellies, dating back to at least the 18th century (IPPA, 2001). METHODOLOGY The subsequent materials were used in the study: 1 kg fresh tamarind fruit, 750g water, kettle, a large bowl, cheese cloth, sieve, isopropanol, and drying oven. The fruit pods will then be put in the kettle and boiled for one hour. When boiling, heat to low and stir occasionally to break up pods. Transfer cooked pods with water in the large bowl and strain using a sieve, pressing pulp against it to extract all the juice. Then, strain the extracted juice again using the cheese cloth to produce a clear liquid extract. To remove impurities, use the most common method in which, mix the liquid extract with an organic solvent in which pectin is insoluble. As International Food Standards permit the use of only methanol, ethanol, or isopropanol as an organic solvent, the researcher treated the liquid extract with isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol) in the ratio of 1 part liquid extract to 2 parts alcohol. In this process, when the liquid extract is mixed with sufficient alcohol, it solidifies the extract, making it firm enough to be handled. This precipitate (Pectin) is then washed several times to further remove other impurities. Once the pectin is isolated, it is dried in a drying oven overnight at 45 degrees Celsius, then ground to powder. Definition of Terms Pectin – is a structural heteropolysaccharide contained in the primary cell walls of terrestrial plants. It is used in food as a gelling agent particularly in jams and jellies. It is also used in fillings, medicines, sweets, as a stabilizer in fruit juices and milk drinks, and as a source of dietary fiber. Tamarind – is a long-lived, medium-growth, bushy tree, which attains a maximum crown height of 12.1 to 18.3 metres (40 to 60 feet). The crown has an irregular, vase-shaped outline of dense foliage. The fruit is an indehiscent legume, sometimes called a pod, 12 to 15 cm (3 to 6 inches) in length, with a hard, brown shell. The fruit has a fleshy, juicy, acidulous pulp. It is mature when the flesh is coloured brown or reddish-brown. The tamarinds of Asia have longer pods containing six to 12 seeds, whereas African and West Indian varieties have short pods containing one to six seeds. The seeds are somewhat flattened, and glossy brown. The tamarind is best described as sweet and sour in taste, and is high in acid, sugar, B vitamins and, oddly for a fruit, calcium. Extraction – the process of obtaining something from a mixture or compound using physical or chemical means. BIBLIOGRAPHY Book Sources: * Quisumbing, E. (1951) Philippine Medicinal Plants. Genus TAMARINDUS Linnaeus pp. 434-436, Manila * Srivastava, P. & Malviya, R. (2011) Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources Vol. 2 (1) Sources of pectin, extraction and its applications in pharmaceutical industry. pp. 10-18 * May, C. D. Handbook of Hydrocolloids pp. 169-188 * Huang, J. M. G. Improved method for the extraction of Pectin, PO Box 4200 Highstown, New Jersey 08520

Varying Definitions of Online Communication

Running head: VARYING DEFINITIONS OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION 1 The title should summarize the paper’s main idea and identify the variables under discussion and the relationship between them. The title should be centered on the page, typed in 12point Times New Roman Font. It should not be bolded, underlined, or italicized. Varying Definitions of Online Communication and Their Effects on Relationship Research Elizabeth L. Angeli The author’s name and institution should be doublespaced and centered. The running head is a shortened version of the paper’s full title, and it is used to help readers identify the titles for published articles (even if your paper is not intended for publication, your paper should still have a running head). The running head cannot exceed 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation. The running head’s title should be in capital letters. The running head should be flush left, and page numbers should be flush right. On the title page, the running head should include the words â€Å"Running head. † For pages following the title page, repeat the running head in all caps without â€Å"Running head. Purdue University Blue boxes contain directions for writing and citing in APA style. Green text boxes contain explanations of APA style guidelines. VARYING DEFINITIONS OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION Abstract The abstract is a brief summary of the paper, allowing readers to quickly review the main points and purpose of the paper. The abstract sh ould be between 150-250 words. Abbreviations and acronyms used in the paper should be defined in the abstract. 2 The word â€Å"Abstract† should be centered and typed in 12 point Times New Roman. Do not indent the first line of the abstract paragraph. All other paragraphs in the paper should be indented. This paper explores four published articles that report on results from research conducted on online (Internet) and offline (non-Internet) relationships and their relationship to computer-mediated communication (CMC). The articles, however, vary in their definitions and uses of CMC. Butler and Kraut (2002) suggest that face-to-face (FtF) interactions are more effective than CMC, defined and used as â€Å"email,† in creating feelings of closeness or intimacy. Other articles define CMC differently and, therefore, offer different results. This paper examines Cummings et al. s research in relation to three other research articles to suggest that all forms of CMC should be studied in order to fully understand how CMC influences online and offline relationships. Keywords: computer-mediated communication, face-to-face communication VARYING DEFINITIONS OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION Online Communication Definitions Effect on Relationship Research 3 The title of the paper is centered and not bolded. Numerous studies have been conducted on various facets of Internet relationships, The introduction presents the problem that the paper addresses. See the OWL resources on introductions: http://owl. en glish. purdue. du/owl/resou rce/724/01/ focusing on the levels of intimacy, closeness, different communication modalities, and the frequency of use of CMC. However, contradictory results are suggested within this research mostly because only certain aspects of CMC are investigated, for example, email only. Cummings, Butler, and Kraut (2002) suggest that FtF interactions are more effective than CMC (read: email) in creating feelings of closeness or intimacy, while other studies suggest the opposite. In order to understand how both online (Internet) and offline (non-Internet) relationships are affected by CMC, all forms of CMC should be studied. This paper examines Cummings et al. ’s research against other CMC research to propose that additional research be conducted to better understand how online communication effects relationships. If an article has three to five authors, write out all of the authors’ names the first time they appear. Then use the first author’s last name followed by â€Å"et al. † In-text citations include the author’s/ authors’ name/s and the publication year. The publication year and the not page number is used, because APA users are concerned with the date of the article (the more current the better). In Cummings et al. ’s (2002) summary article reviewing three empirical studies on online social relationships, it was found that CMC, especially email, was less effective than FtF contact in creating and maintaining close social relationships. Two of the three reviewed studies focusing on communication in non-Internet and Internet relationships mediated by FtF, phone, or email modalities found that the frequency of each modality’s use was significantly linked to the strength of the particular relationship (Cummings et al. , 2002). The strength of the relationship was predicted best by FtF and phone communication, as participants rated email as an inferior means of maintaining personal relationships as compared to FtF and phone contacts (Cummings et al. , 2002). VARYING DEFINITIONS OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION Cummings et al. (2002) reviewed an additional study conducted in 1999 by the 4 HomeNet project. In this project, Kraut, Mukhopadhyay, Szczypula, Kiesler, and Scherlis (1999) compared the value of using CMC and non-CMC to maintain relationships with partners. They found that participants corresponded less frequently with their Internet partner (5. 2 times per month) than with their non-Internet partner (7. 2 times per month) (as cited in Cummings et al. , 2002). This difference does not seem significant, as it is only two times less per month. However, in additional self-report surveys, participants responded feeling more distant, or less intimate, towards their Internet partner than their non-Internet partner. This finding may be attributed to participants’ beliefs that email is an inferior mode of personal relationship communication. Intimacy is necessary in the creation and maintenance of relationships, as it is defined as the sharing of a person’s innermost being with another person, i. e. , selfdisclosure (Hu, Wood, Smith, & Westbrook, 2004). Relationships are facilitated by the reciprocal self-disclosing between partners, regardless of non-CMC or CMC. Cummings et al. ’s (2002) reviewed results contradict other studies that research the connection between intimacy and relationships through CMC. Hu et al. (2004) studied the relationship between the frequency of Instant Messenger (IM) use and the degree of perceived intimacy among friends. The use of IM instead of email as a CMC modality was studied because IM supports a non-professional environment favoring intimate exchanges (Hu et al. , 2004). Their results suggest that a positive relationship exists between the frequency of IM use and intimacy, demonstrating Use two spaces after a period throughout your paper. VARYING DEFINITIONS OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION that participants feel closer to their Internet partner as time progresses through this CMC modality. Similarly, Underwood and Findlay (2004) studied the effect of Internet relationships on primary, specifically non-Internet relationships and the perceived intimacy of both. In this study, self-disclosure, or intimacy, was measured in terms of shared secrets through the discussion of personal problems. Participants reported a significantly higher level of self-disclosure in their Internet relationship as compared to their primary relationship. In contrast, the participants’ primary relationships were reported as highly self-disclosed in the past, but the current level of disclosure was perceived to be lower (Underwood & Findlay, 2004). This result suggests participants turned to the Internet in order to fulfill the need for intimacy in their lives. In further support of this finding, Tidwell and Walther (2002) hypothesized CMC participants employ deeper self-disclosures than FtF participants in order to overcome the limitations of CMC, e. g. , the reliance on nonverbal cues. It was found that CMC partners engaged in more frequent intimate questions and disclosures than FtF partners in order to overcome the barriers of CMC. In their study, Tidwell and Walther (2002) measured the perception of a relationship’s intimacy by the partner of each participant in both the CMC and FtF conditions. The researchers found that the participants’ partners stated their CMC partner was more effective in employing more intimate exchanges than their FtF partner, and both participants and their partners rated their CMC relationship as more intimate than their FtF relationship. VARYING DEFINITIONS OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION A Level 1 heading should be flush left and bolded. If you use more than two levels of headings, consult section 3. 02 of the APA manual (6th ed. ) or the OWL resource on APA headings: http://owl. english. pur due. edu/ow l/resource/ 560/16/ 6 Discussion In 2002, Cummings et al. tated that the evidence from their research conflicted with other data examining the effectiveness of online social relationships. This statement is supported by the aforementioned discussion of other research. There may be a few possible theoretical explanations for these discrepancies. First, one reviewed study by Cummings et al. (2002) examined only email correspondence for their CMC mod ality. Therefore, the study is limited to only one mode of communication among other alternatives, e. g. , IM as studied by Hu et al. (2004). Because of its many personalized features, IM provides more personal CMC. For example, it is in real time without delay, voice-chat and video features are available for many IM programs, and text boxes can be personalized with the user’s picture, favorite colors and text, and a wide variety of Because all research has its limitations, it is important to discuss the limitations of articles under examination. emoticons, e. g. , :). These options allow for both an increase in self-expression and the ability to overcompensate for the barriers of CMC through customizable features, as stated in Tidwell and Walther (2002). Self-disclosure and intimacy may result from IM’s individualized features, which are not as personalized in email correspondence. In addition to the limitations of email, Cummings et al. (2002) reviewed studies that focused on international bank employees and college students. It is possible the participants’ CMC through email was used primarily for business, professional, and school matters and not for relationship creation or maintenance. In this case, personal self-disclosure and intimacy levels are expected to be lower for non-relationship interactions, as this communication is primarily between boss and employee or student VARYING DEFINITIONS OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION and professor. Intimacy is not required, or even desired, for these professional relationships. Instead of professional correspondence, however, Cummings et al. ’s (2002) review of the HomeNet project focused on already established relationships and CMC’s 7 effect on relationship maintenance. The HomeNet researchers’ sole dependence on email communication as CMC may have contributed to the lower levels of intimacy and closeness among Internet relationships as compared to non-Internet relationships (as cited in Cummings et al. , 2002). The barriers of non-personal communication in email could be a factor in this project, and this could lead to less intimacy among these Internet partners. If alternate modalities of CMC were studied in both already established and professional relationships, perhaps these results would have resembled those of the previously mentioned research. In order to gain a complete understanding of CMC’s true effect on both online and offline relationships, it is necessary to conduct a study that examines all aspects of CMC. This includes, but is not limited to, email, IM, voice-chat, video-chat, online ournals and diaries, online social groups with message boards, and chat rooms. The effects on relationships of each modality may be different, and this is demonstrated by the discrepancies in intimacy between email and IM correspondence. As each mode of communication becomes more prevalent in individual’s lives, it is important to examine the impact of all modes of CMC on online an d offline relationship formation, maintenance, and even termination. The conclusion restates the problem the paper addresses and can offer areas for further research. See the OWL resource on conclusions: http://owl. english. pur due. edu/ow l/resource/ 724/04/ VARYING DEFINITIONS OF ONLINE COMMUNICATION References Cummings, J. N. , Butler, B. , & Kraut, R. (2002). The quality of online social relationships. Communications of the ACM, 45(7), 103-108. Hu, Y. , Wood, J. F. , Smith, V. , & Westbrook, N. (2004). Friendships through IM: Examining the relationship between instant messaging and intimacy. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(1), 38-48. Tidwell, L. C. , & Walther, J. B. (2002). Computer-mediated communication effects on disclosure, impressions, and interpersonal evaluations: Getting to know one another a bit at a time. Human Communication Research, 28(3), 317-348. 8 Underwood, H. , & Findlay, B. (2004). Internet relationships and their impact on primary relationships. Behaviour Change, 21(2), 127-140. Start the reference list on a new page, center the title â€Å"References,† and alphabetize the entries. Do not underline or italicize the title. Double-space all entries. Every article mentioned in the paper should have an entry.