Week 4 Differences in Culture †Euro Disney Essay Example

Week 4: Differences in Culture – Euro Disney Paper Week 4: Differences in Culture – Euro Disney Name: Institution: Course: We will write a custom essay sample on Week 4: Differences in Culture – Euro Disney specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Week 4: Differences in Culture – Euro Disney specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Week 4: Differences in Culture – Euro Disney specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Date: Introduction Disneyland is an entertainment company whose main target is children. Disneyland is a theme park with many fantasy figures such as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. Disneyland expanded to other areas in the world such as the east, that is, Tokyo, and in Europe, where it entered the France market. The response for the opening of Disneyland in France did not receive as much positive response as was expected with the main obstacle being the differences in culture between the original setup of Disneyland in America and the culture of the new market they were trying to reach. In order to attain a sustainable market, a company has to make certain changes that relate with the new market in order to attract interest and maintain it. Disney’s strategy when entering France Changes in theme park design and management In order to gain acceptability in the new setting, Disneyland had to adapt to the new market with the diverse demands they presented. The park’s hotel properties were created in a westernized manner as the park’s main agenda portrayed a western culture, a feature that most of the visitors of Disneyland were interested in seeing on their visit to Disneyland (Anthony, 1993, p 10). This was a good strategy as the main visitors of Disneyland had an urge to experience the feel of the original Disneyland in the United States. Another change that was incorporated in the French Disneyland was that major characters were set in European backgrounds in order to relate to the local visitors. Hence, European folklore was incorporated in the fantasyland with fantasyland characters such as Oliver Twist, Cinderella, Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland having a background set in the European culture and setting (Anthony, 1993, p 11). This enabled the guests in the park to identify with the characters hence creating an emotional connection to the park a move that aided in gaining the interest of the local visitors. Yet another distinguishable factor about this Disneyland was that foods were sourced from around the world as opposed to all American foods and the company employed the strategy of inviting top chefs from Paris (Anthony, 1993, p 11). Disneyland also offered entertainment for visitors in waiting lines to prevent boredom in the guests. Another move that Disney decided to employ in distinguishing itself from other entertainment spots in France was not serving wine to the visitors, a custom that was different from what the French were accustomed to.Maintained customs in the park designs The feel of the park had to be maintained to ensure that visitors received the experienced they expected. The layout of the park was similar to most of the layout in the American Disneyland with similar rides and land attractions (Anthony, 1993, p 10). Disneyland was themed, with set acres of land, full of adventure where every themed land would portray a set adventurous detail, some represented fantasy, and others adventure, while others represented military and the main street in the United States. Another custom that Disneyland maintained was the use of same characters that had grown to be the signature characters. This was because these characters acted and the identity of the viewers. The service delivery was up to per with the company employing an in-built personnel-training institution to ensure that the service delivered to the consumers surpassed the expectations (Anthony, 1993, p 5). Managers and supervisors were also cross-trained providing vigorous training for both the employees and employers. This resulted in well-rounded employees who led to the achievement of the company goals of provision of high qualities of conduct resulting in the best experiences for the employees. References Anthony, R. (1993). â€Å"Euro Disney: The First 100 Days†. Harvard Business School: Boston. Print. Gladwell, M. (2002). â€Å"The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference†. Back Bay Books. Print.

Peer to Peer Assessment Strategy for Groups

Peer to Peer Assessment Strategy for Groups Group work is a great strategy to use in the secondary classroom in order to to improve student learning.  But group work sometimes requires a form of problem solving on its own. While the goal in these classroom collaborations is to equally distribute the work to solve a problem or produce a product, there maybe a student (or two) who does not contribute as much as the other members of the group. This student may let his or her fellow students do the bulk of the work, and this student may even share the group grade. This student is the  slacker  in the group, a member who can frustrate the other members of the group. This is especially a problem if the some of the group work is done outside the classroom. So what can a teacher do about assessing this slacker student who does not collaborate with others or who contributes little to the finished product? How can a teacher be fair and award the appropriate grade to those members of a group who have worked effectively? Is equal participation in group work even possible?   The Reasons for Using Group Work in Class While these concerns might make a teacher think about giving up group work entirely, there are still powerful reasons for using groups in class: Students take ownership of the subject matter.Students develop communication and teamwork skills.Students work together and teach each other.   Students can bring   individual skill sets  to a group.Students learn to plan more effectively and manage their time. Here is one more reason to use groups Students can learn to how to assess their work and the work of others. At the secondary level, the success of group work can be measured in many different ways, but the most common is through a grade or points. Instead of having the teacher determine how a groups participation or project will be scored, teachers can grade the project as a whole and then turn the individual participant grades over to the group as a lesson in negotiation. Turning this responsibility over to the students can address the problem of grading the slacker in the group by having student peers distribute points based on the evidence of work contributed. Designing the Point or Grade System: If the teacher chooses to use peer to peer grade distribution, the teacher must be clear that the project under review will be graded to meet standards outlined in a rubric. The total number of points available for the completed project, however, would be based on the number of people in each group. For example, the top score (or an A) awarded to a student for a project or participation that meets the highest standard could be set at 50 points. If there are 4 students in the group, the project would be worth 200 points (4 students X 50 points each).If there are 3 students in the group,   the project would be worth 150 points  (3 students X 50 points each). If there are 2 members of the group,   the project would be worth 100 points  (2 students X 50 points each). Peer to Peer Grading and Student Negotiation Each student would be be awarded points using the following formula: 1. The teacher would first grade the project  as anA or B or C, etc.   based on the criteria established in the rubric. 2. The teacher would convert that grade into its numerical equivalent:   For example, the teacher may determine that the project should be awarded  the equivalent of a B: ​If the project had four students and was worth 200 points, the project would receive 172  points;   ​  if the project had three students and was worth 150 points, the project would receive  130 points; if the project had two students and was worth 100 points, the project would be awarded 86 points. 3.   After the project receives a grade from the teacher, the students in the group would negotiate on how to divide these points for a grade. Each student must have evidence of what he or she did to  earn points.  Students   could equitably divide the points:   172 points (4 students) or130 points (3 students) or 86 points (two students) ​If all students worked equally and have the evidence to show they should all get the same grade, then each student would receive 43   points out of the original 50 points available.  Each student would receive an 86%. However,  in the group of three students, if two students have the evidence that that they did the bulk of the work, they could negotiate for more points.   They could negotiate for 48 points each (96%) and leave the  slacker with 34 points (68%).   4. Students confer with the teacher for the distribution of points supported by evidence. Results of Peer to Peer Grading Having students participate in how they are graded makes the assessment process transparent. In these negotiations, all students are responsible for providing evidence of the work they did in completing the project.   Peer to peer assessment can be a motivating experience. When teachers may not be able to motivate students, this form of peer pressure may get the desired results. It is recommended that the negotiations for awarding points be supervised by the teacher to ensure fairness. The teacher can retain the ability to override a groups decision. Using this strategy can provide students an opportunity advocate for themselves, a real world skill they will need after they leave school.

Financial resources and decisions management Essay

Financial resources and decisions management - Essay Example equity and debt, comes with their advantages and disadvantages. Several factors, such as statutory rules and requirements, terms and conditions imposed by the counter party and general economic conditions are analyzed before selecting one of the options. The downside of acquiring financing through issuance of equity is that the procedure is quite complicated as compared to acquiring funds by approaching any bank. In most cases, a loan is acquired from any bank or financial institution by filing an application for the sanctioning of the loan. The bank or any other financial institution, after evaluating the necessary details such as credit history, financial outlook for assessing the ability of the entity to repay the loans in future, and the purpose of the project for which the loan application was filed, sanctions the loan. Whereas in the case of raising finances through issuance of equity shares, the company has to fulfill several requirements such as issuing a predefined number of shares, issuing shares to the existing shareholder in proportion to their existing shares and appointing a financial advisor for conducting a due diligence of the entity’s operations. ... In contrast, in equity financing, the company has to wait for a considerable longer period of time for the funds to become available for their utilization. 1.2 The two modes of finance available to the company would be raising funds through issuance of equity or acquiring loan in the form of a mixture of a long term and short term debt. Let us assume that the total requirement of funding for Quality windows Ltd is for ? 100,000. As provided in the scenario, 40% of the funding requirement can be met through internally generated funds, whereas for the remaining 60% the company has to decide about the mode of funding. Thus the amount of fund required to issue is ? 60,000. Option 1: Raising the fund through the issuance of shares The company decides to issue 6,000 shares at ? 12 (par value is ? 10 and premium is ? 2). As per the current market knowledge, the issuance cost per share is ? 1. Other administrative cost pertaining to the issuance of share is ? 5,000 in total which relates to publishing prospectus and appointing an under-writing agent. Thus the total cash inflows to the company for the first financial year would be as under: Particulars Amount in ? Shares issued 72,000 Issuance cost (6,000) Other costs (5,000) Total inflow 61,000 Option 1: Acquiring loan from a financial institution The company decides to acquire loan from a financial institution amounting to ? 70,000. The principal repayment will start two years from the end of the current financial year. In return, the financial institution will charge interest rate at the rate of 12%. Thus, following is the net cash inflow at the end of the financial year: Particulars Amount in ? Loan acquired 70,000 Interest cost (8,400) Total inflow 61,600 Thus it is apparent from the above analysis, that acquiring

RESPONSE PAPER#4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

RESPONSE PAPER#4 - Essay Example ction of the poem the poet discovers some new vision about the world and this alters the scenario completely and changes our perception about everything gradually. The poem holds two implications juxtaposed but held by a string of tension. The first message is that of a life almost suffocated by the mechanisms working around us and the second message pertains to the innovative commentary that he makes and where he even incorporates himself. (Christensen, 212) He attempts to destroy the trend of life centering on Delphi but also creates a kind of myth and epic out of his vision. For instance in the reading itself the poet talks about the notion of delaying and not being able to respond to situations on a timely basis. For instance if a sailor is always being obedient and cannot take any decisions by him then simple things like crossing a wet deck would involve a hesitation and hence the action would get delayed. He describes himself to be indistinguishable as a Greek in particular bec ause he has been picking up more western habits almost like an American who is usually a compilation of multi cultural practices – â€Å"No Greek will be able to discriminate my body. An American is a complex of occasions themselves a geometry of spatial nature† (Olson, 148). At the end of the section of The Maximus in the reading the poet wants the city of Gloucester to change. The poem makes an effort to build the context around the city of Gloucester. The poem itself incorporates the four characteristics of city-states across different cultural backdrops. There is a definite definition of a city, which is usually surrounded by walls and water. A city-state normally thrives to become economically self-dependent and a basic idea about sharing linguistic cultural and historical elements. At last, every polis is governed independently by its self-elected authority. The poet here urges Gloucester to change its rule or polis. The poet urges the readers to change and shed the previous

Starbucks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Starbucks - Essay Example It is a public company with its headquarters in Seattle, Washington. Currently, Howard Schultz is the president, chairperson and CEO of the company (â€Å"About Us†). The organization is in restaurant business and serves whole-bean coffee, cold and hot beverages, instant coffee varieties, snacks, pastries and full-leaf teas. Apart from the major selling items, the stores also sell cold and hot sandwiches, packaged food products and other items such as, tumblers and mugs. The business operations are strategically diversified according to the customer trends, traffic as well as demands. For instance, Starbucks Evening offers varieties of wines, beers as well as appetizers after 4 pm. Another arm called Starbucks’s entertainment and brand, Hear Music, markets music, films and books. This is a strategic division with the objective of engaging consumers through different channels. Products and services are seasonal and change according to the store locality as well as local demands. It also reaches another set of target customers through its coffee and ice-cream range offered at various grocery stores. Starbucks’ mission statement is â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time† (â€Å"Mission Statement†). At present, the company is planning to restructure by shutting down unprofitable chains and opening stores in new emerging markets. Also, market saturation is forcing Starbucks to use a more innovative and persuasive approach to reach consumers across various regions. The current report will start with profiling the company, evaluating the current situation and prospects for future. This will be followed by evaluation of the external environment and key success factors for the organization. Strategic Issue Situational Profile and Prospects The potential challenges in front of Starbucks are the increased competition from new and emerging retailers. These retailers may n ot have an identical concept as Starbucks, but they have been able to attract particular category of customers, especially those with low levels of loyalty. Overall economic conditions also pose a strategic challenge for the coffee giant. Starbucks is perceived as a luxury coffee parlour catering high-end customers and corporate professionals. With the recession hit, the company is experiencing loss in many of its store outlets even in prime locations across the globe. This has raised a doubt regarding the feasibility of the present strategic action plans. Also, being perceived as a high-end retail chain, offering discounts and other promotional benefits to increase sales might not go well with its loyal and regular customers (Koehn 25-45). The company’s business operations have also been criticized for over-diversification in recent years by offering products like, ice-cream and chocolates, which did not perform well in the market and negatively affected the bottom-line of t he company. The current strategic direction of Starbucks has also been critici

Consumer’s Perception of Risk of Online Transactions

Consumer’s Perception of Risk of Online Transactions Abstract The purpose of this research is to investigate whether a consumers perception of risk in transacting on the internet (Perceived Risk) would have an influence on their trust of a banks e-banking website (Specific Trust) and their willingness to use e-banking. Data were collected from a survey and a usable sample of 202 was obtained. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was used to test the model. The results showed that Perceived Risk has a direct influence on a consumers willingness to use e-banking and Specific Trust has a positive moderating influence on the relationship between Perceived Risk and a consumers willingness to use e-banking. Consumers who have low perceived risk of transacting on the internet are generally more willing to use e-banking. Their willingness to use e-banking was also shown to be more pronounced in cases where the consumer also trust their banks e-banking website. These findings are of particular relevance to banks. It highlights that a consumers wil lingness to use e-banking primarily depends on their perception of risk in transacting on the internet; trust of the specific e-banking website was secondary. This suggests the need for banks to not only employ mechanisms to build trust for their specific e-banking website, but that banks should first take measures to educate their customers and manage general consumer perceptions of the risks of transacting on the internet. Keywords: Trust, Perceived Risk, Internet, E-banking Adoption. Introduction In recent years, the advancement in technological developments in information technology has lead to the evolution of e-banking in the banking industry. The evolution of e-banking has fundamentally transformed the way banks traditionally conduct their businesses and the ways consumers perform their banking activities (Eriksson et al., 2008; Sayar and Wolfe, 2007). Today e-banking has experienced phenomenal growth and has become one of the main avenues for banks to deliver their products and services (Amato-McCoy, 2005). E-banking reaps benefits for both banks and its customers. From the banks perspective, e-banking has enabled banks to lower operational costs through the reduction of physical facilities and staffing resources required, reduced waiting times in branches resulting in potential increase in sales performance and a larger global reach (Sarel and Mamorstein, 2003). From the customers perspective, e-banking allows customers to perform a wide range of banking transactions electronically via the banks website anytime and anywhere (Grabner-Kraeuter and Faullant, 2008). In addition, customers no longer are confined to the opening hours of banks, travel and waiting times are no longer necessary, and access of information regarding banking services are now easily available (Hamlet, 2000). However the success of e-banking isnt without its problems. Firstly the adoption of e-banking has not kept pace with that of internet usage (White and Nteli, 2004). This gap is attributed to the lack of trust among bank customers, particularly among internet users age 65 and older (Ilett, 2005; Perumal and Shanmugam, 2005). Secondly, customers still prefer face to face interaction (Asher, 1999) due to reasons such as fear of the online environment and lack of trust in the internet. Recent literature on e-banking showed that the formation of trust can help reduce the impact of key inhibiting factors such as fears about using the online service among non-eÂÂ ­banking customers (Vatanasombut et al., 2008). Moreover, even with the increased usage of e-banking in recent years, banks are faced with a conundrum whilst e-banking does have its benefits of convenience and cost savings; the ease at which e-banking allows for switching back to traditional ways of banking consequently reduces long term customer commitment (Sarel and Mamorstein, 2003). The commitment-trust theory of Morgan and Hunt (1994) proposes that trust leads to commitment in relationships, and so, if trust is built amongst existing customers, over time they will become committed to the e-banking service, reducing the chances of customers jumping ship (Mukherjee and Nath, 2003; Vatanasombut et al., 2008). Evident in past literature is the fact that risk plays a role in the formation of trust (Chen and Dhillon, 2003; Pavlou, 2003), but what is not evident is the relationship risk has with trust especially in regards to the perceived risk consumers have in transacting on the internet. Past research studies into the area of risk found that it is not objective risk, but perceived risk which matter in the formation of trust (Bauer, 1960 as citied in BÃ ¼ttner and GÃ ¶ritz, 2008; Garbarino and Strahilevitz, 2004). A recent research study found that, perceived risk is directly related to an individuals adoption of e-banking with many past research studies showing that intention to use e-banking is often times affected by fears of theft or fraud (Gerrard et al., 2006). The relationship between perceived risk and trust is an underdeveloped area in the literature. Past work in the area of trust and perceived risk has not yet managed to fully determine the exact relationship which risk has on trust, as whilst risk is necessary for the formation of trust, it is not an antecedent of trust (Chen and Dhillon, 2003). Moreover, trust has been shown in the past to effect perceptions of risk, as well as having mediating effects through risk (Pavlou, 2003). Hence the purpose of this research is to investigate whether a customers perception of risk in the internet would have moderating effects on trust and a customers willingness to use e-banking. As noted by BÃ ¼ttner and GÃ ¶ritz, (2008), there is a lack of empirical studies in this area. Moreover by understanding the nature of risk and trust, banks can ascertain the steps necessary on their part to ensure that the trust which they have built in their services will indeed influence customers adoption and commitment to e-banking. Literature Review Trust in E-banking Trust is essential in situations where risk, uncertainty and interdependence exist (Mayer et al., 1995), and the online environment certainly encapsulates these factors. In an online environment, there is no direct physical contact between buyer and seller. This spatial distance means that consumers cannot use the physical cues, such as observing the sales staff or the physical office/store space, in order to judge trustworthiness (Reichheld and Schefter, 2000). Due to the global nature of the internet, consumers and e-retailers often face spatial and temporal separation as a result transactions carried out online often do not involve a simultaneous transaction of goods (or services) and money (Grabner-Kraeuter, 2002). This delay in time means that consumers can become increasingly uncertain whether the other party will actually perform their side of the transaction. Another reason for the increased need for trust in the online contexts is consumers fear for the sa fety of their personal information due to hackers or other harmful possibilities (Hoffman et al., 1999; Yoon, 2002). Apart from the necessities of trust in order to get consumers to purchase online as per the theory of reasoned action (Azjen and Fishbein, 1980), trust is also important for businesses to grow and maintain profitability, as per the commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing by Morgan and Hunt (1994). Past research studies have identified that one of the benefits of trust are committed customers (Casalo et al., 2007; Morgan and Hunt 1994). Loyal repeat customers are highly beneficial to organizations, as it is much cheaper to retain customers than it is to find and attract new customers (Reichheld and Schefter, 2000). In the online arena where substitutes are readily available, the benefits to businesses of having committed customers are plenty, hence the amount of research into the area (e.g. Casalo et al., 2007; Jarvenpaa et al., 2000; Vatanasombut et al., 2008). Numerous research studies have been conducted to identify what factors drive or inhibit the adoption of e-banking by consumers (Gerrard et al., 2006; Hernandez and Mazzon, 2007; Lichtenstein and Williamson, 2006; Sayar and Wolfe, 2007). It has been identified that the lack of trust was one of the main reasons why consumers are still reluctant to conduct their financial transactions online (Flavian et al., 2006; Luarn and Lin, 2005; Mukherjee and Nath, 2003; Rotchanakitumnuai and Speece, 2003). In order for e-banking to be a viable medium of service delivery, banks today must try to narrow the trust gap due to the higher degree of uncertainty and risk in an online environment compared to traditional settings. Research studies conducted examining the role of trust in e-banking (e.g. Vatanasombut et al., 2008; Casalo et al., 2007; Lichtenstein and Williamson, 2006; Rexha et al., 2003; Suh and Han, 2002), found that trust plays a key role in the adoption and continued use of e-banking. Furthermore, it was found that trust not only affects the intent to use e-banking (Liu and Wu, 2007; Suh and Han 2002), but trust in e-banking has also been found to be an antecedent to commitment in e-banking (Vatanasombut et al., 2008; Kassim and Abdulla, 2006), and is therefore useful to reduce the perceived risk that consumers feel is present in an online environment (Pavlou 2002). Perceived Risk and Trust Perceived risk is depicted as a concept that is complex, multifaceted and dynamic (Zhao et al., 2008, p.506). Perceived risk is defined as a consumers perceptions of the uncertainty and the possible undesirable consequences of buying a product or service (Littler and Melanthiou, 2006). In the online context, past research studies suggest the inclusion of perceived risk due to its importance in influencing online consumer behavior (Cunningham et al., 2005; Pavlou, 2003; Salam et al., 2003; Schlosser et al., 2006) and more so in the area of e-banking (Cunningham et al., 2005). As mentioned earlier, perceived risk is important in the formation of trust (Bauer, 1960 as cited in BÃ ¼ttner and GÃ ¶ritz, 2008; Garbarino and Strahilevitz, 2004). The body of the knowledge on trust has identified that risk is the element which gives rise to the need for trust when engaging in an activity which means that if there were no perceptions of risk, trust would not be necessary to engage in an activity, as actions could be taken with complete certainty (Yousafzai, 2003; Chen and Dhillon; 2003). There are two different types of risk that have been identified in relation to trust risks associated with a partner and risks associated with a type of transaction (BÃ ¼ttner and GÃ ¶ritz, 2008). Risks associated with a partner in general are perceptions that a particular interaction partner in a transaction will not perform their end of the bargain, and are formed from perceptions of the attributes of that interaction partner this type of risk should be inversely related to trust of that partner (Jarvenpaa et al., 2000). Essentially, the higher the trust one has in a partner, the less perceived risk in dealing with that partner. However, risk associated with a type of transaction has a different association with trust. The more risky a type of transaction is perceived to be, the more trust is required in order to engage in an interaction with that partner (Mayer et al., 1995). The relationship between risk and trust is a complex one, whilst risk is necessary to the creation of trust, it is not an antecedent to trust which means the presence of risk does not automatically equate to the formation of trust (Pavlou, 2002). According to Mayer et al. (1995, p.711) It is unclear whether risk is an antecedent to trust, or is an outcome of trust. Clearly, a gap of knowledge exists in this area, and further research is required so as to determine the relationship which risk has with trust, especially in the context of e-banking. However the area that interests the authors of this research is the work by Pavlou (2002) which found that the effect of trust on transaction intention could be moderated through perceived risk. This is a relationship which was originally proposed by Mayer et al. (1995), who postulated that the level of trust needed to engage in a risk taking behavior is influenced by the perception of risk inherent in that behavior. Pavlous (2002) work also called for future research so as to examine the complex interrelationships among trust, perceived risk and behavioral intention to reach definite conclusions. (Pavlou, 2002, p.125). This research aims to answer that call by testing perceived risk in the internet as a moderator in the relationship between a consumers trust in a banks e-banking website and the consumers willingness to use e-banking. Theoretical Framework The investigation of the role of trust in the use of e-banking necessitates the examination of two key theories the theory of reasoned action by Azjen and Fishbein (1980) and the commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing by Morgan and Hunt (1994). The theory of reasoned action states that a persons behavior is determined by their behavioral intent, which is in turn shaped by attitude and subjective norms (Azjen and Fishbein, 1980). Increased trust means that when a persons attitudes towards a particular behavior (in this case, using e-banking) are positive, it will likely increase a persons intent to perform that behavior. This has been supported by research in both the e-retailing context (Jarvenpaa et al., 2000), and also in the e-banking context (Liu et al., 2005), where trust has been shown to lead to a purchase intention. Further, Morgan and Hunt (1994) purports that by building trust over time, customers become committed to the relationship built, and will subsequently reciprocate with continued business. Past research in this area have extended the applicability of this commitment-trust relationship to the e-banking context (Casalo et al., 2007; Mukherjee and Nath, 2007; Vatanasombut et al., 2008). This gives rise to the first hypothesis for this research which forms the basic relationship between a consumers trust in a banks e-banking website (Specific Trust) and the consumers willingness to use e-banking. H1: Specific trust in e-banking has a direct effect on willingness to use e-banking Perceived risk is defined in this research as a consumers perceptions of risk in transactions using the internet, and is hypothesized to have a moderating role in the relationship between specific trust and the willingness to use e-banking. As mentioned previously in the literature review, there is little empirical research on the moderating effect of risk in the e-banking context. Work by Pavlou (2002) found that the effect of trust on transaction intention could be moderated by perceived risk, but called for further research in this area to confirm the complex interrelationships between these three constructs. Therefore, the authors of this research proposed the second hypothesis as: H2: Perceived risk has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between specific trust and willingness to use e-banking. Methodology To test the model, a cross-sectional survey was undertaken using an instrument containing 15 items. The 15 items used were established scales adapted from Doney and Canon (1995), Chow and Holden (1997), Jarvenpaa et al. (2000), Suh and Han (2002), Kim and Ahn (2006) and Verhagen et al. (2006) measuring specific trust, willingness to use and perceived risk. Great care was taken when adapting the scales to ensure that the original concepts being measured by the scale had theoretical congruence and relevance to this study. Each item is measured on a 7-point Likert scale with 0 denoting the low end and 6 the high end. The questionnaire was then preÂÂ ­tested on a non-probability sample of university staff. Refinements were made to the questionnaire based on feedback from the pre-test. All items in the final instrument were then reviewed by marketing academics for content validity. Measures The scale used to measure perceived risk was adapted from a number of scales which have similar theoretical congruence with the definition of risk perception in the theoretical framework. A few of the items in the scale used was sourced from Verhagen et al. (2006), which measured intermediary risk and was defined as the belief of a probability of suffering a loss due to the inability of the intermediary to provide sufficient protection against fraudulent and/or opportunistic sellers (p.545) which is similar to the definition of the perception of risk on the internet. In that, the consumers belief in a possibility of loss or harm as a result of the medium internet is being measured. The nature of the internet is such that, there is insufficient protection to consumers from fraudulent and/or opportunistic people, and so the use of items from Verhagen et al.s (2006) scale on intermediary risk was appropriate. Other items in the scale were sourced from the work of Jarvenpaa et al. (2000 ), Kim and Ahn (2006), and Chow and Holden (1997), which measured concepts such as risk perception and web-shopping risk, all of which was similar to the concept of perceived risk being operationalised. Minimal alterations were made to the items due the similarity of the concepts being measured. Whilst it would have been ideal to operationalise the construct of perceived risk in the internet with a singular scale, but there is a lack of scales in this area (Verhagen et al., 2006), therefore the use of a composite scale was necessary. To measure specific trust in e-banking, items from work of Doney and Canon (1995), Suh and Han (2002) and Jarvenpaa et al. (2000) were adapted. These items were chosen due to their semantics and wording. Items directly relating to interpersonal trust including the service of e-banking, and a belief in the benefits and trustworthiness of e-banking were used as part of the scale. Lastly, in measuring the willingness to use e-banking, items that measure at titudes and intentions towards using e-banking were chosen. Items in the scale were sourced from scales published by Verhagen et al. (2006), Pavlou (2003), and Kim and Ahn (2006). Demographic data were also collected for the purpose of classification and determining the generalisability of the results. Sample and Data Collection Representativeness, reliability of results as well as time and resource restraints were considered in determining the sample. The final sample was a non-probability sample of administrative and academic staff in ten departments across the five faculties of a large Australian university. University staff was chosen, as they were deemed to be more educated and informed about a range of issues. Therefore it is concluded that university staff would likely have a higher chance of responding to the survey, with more accuracy and honesty in their replies. Surveys were distributed physically and via online. Data collection took place over two weeks. A total of 218 returned questionnaires were yielded of which 202 passed manipulation checks and were usable. The response rate was 34.8%. Results Adoption of Internet and E-banking Descriptive analysis was used and a bar chart (Figure 2) was constructed to compare the year of adoption of the internet and the year of adoption of e-banking. In relation to internet adoption, the results showed that there was a slow growth in the adoption of internet prior to 1995. The rate of adoption increased significantly in the years 1995 to 2000 and dropped significantly after. As for the adoption of e-banking, the results showed that there was no apparent usage of e-banking till the late 1990s and after which the adoption of e-banking rose reaching its peak in 2006. Figure 2 illustrates how the adoption of e-banking has not kept up with the pace of internet usage this is consistent with the previous finding of White and Nteli (2004). Furthermore results also showed that there were still a significant number of people who have not adopted e-banking. Demographic variables were examined across the three constructs of specific trust, perceived risk and the willingness to use. The results in Table 1 showed that there were significant differences between gender and specific trust (sig. value 0.010, t-value 2.588) and perceived risk (sig. value 0.029, t-value 2.206) constructs. The means scores showed that males have higher specific trust (5.2748) and higher perceived risk (4.2916) as compared to females towards e-banking and the internet. For age, the results showed a significant difference between age and willingness to use (sig. level 0.017, f-value 4.161). The difference was found between respondents of age groups 29 and under, and 50 and above. The means scores showed that respondents who were age 29 and below (mean 5.603) were more willing to use e-banking as opposed to respondents who were 50 and above (mean -4.8571). For qualification, significant differences were present in the perceived risk (sig. level 0.020, f-value 4.991) and willingness to use (sig. level 0.030, f-value 4.932) constructs. In regards to perceived risk, the difference was found between respondents who have completed secondary school and respondents who have a post-graduate qualification. The means scores showed that respondents who had a post-graduate qualification (4.4355) have a higher perceived risk compared to those who had completed secondary school (3.4006). In relation to willingness to use, significant differences were found between three groups of respondents those who had a trade qualification/diploma, a tertiary degree and a post-graduate qualification. The means scores showed that respondents who had a post-graduate qualification has a higher willingness to use e-banking (5.6871) compared to those who had a trade qualification/diploma (4.5259) and those who had a tertiary degree (5.5925). Finally for income, significant differences were found between the different income groups in the perceived risk (sig. level 0.049, f-value 2.249) and willingness to use (sig. level 0.003, f-value 3.788) constructs. The two groups of respondents with income levels of $15,001 -$ 30,000 and $70,001 -$90,000 were found to be significantly different in the perceived risk construct. The means scores of the two groups showed that respondents with an income level of $70,001 $90,000 had a higher perceived risk (4.6057) compared to respondents with an income level of $15,001 $ 30,000. In relation to willingness to use, significant difference was found between two groups $30,001 $50,000 and $50,001 $70,000. A comparison of the means scores showed that respondents who had an income level of $50,001 $70,000 (5.8625) were more willing to use e-banking compared to those who had an income level of $30,001 $50,000 (4.6513). Model Testing In order to validate the measures of each construct, exploratory factor analysis was conducted using principal components extraction with varimax rotation. The items in each factor were then tested for scale reliability using standard Cronbach alpha indices. As the items for both perceived risk and specific trust in e-banking were used together as a single scale in the survey instrument, factor analysis was ran on them both, to ensure that the two different factors were still valid. To check for the appropriateness of the data for factor analysis, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartletts Test of Sphericity was examined. Results showed that the KMO statistic for the data set was 0.885 and the Bartlett test showed that non-zero correlations exist at the 0.000 significance level. This indicates that the data is appropriate for factor analysis. The results of the factor analysis showed that two factors were indeed present, however, one of the items from the scale measuring specific trust in e-banking Compared with other forms of banking, e-banking would be more risky had moved to the factor measuring perceived risk (see Table 2 , item marked with asterisk). A reliability analysis was conducted on this adjusted factor; a Cronbach alpha ind ex of .926 was obtained. The factor loading of the item, whilst not very high at .651 was much higher than the items alternate factor loading which was .253. The item content was examined, and was found to also be applicable to the context of perceived risk due to the items wording which could be interpreted as a higher perception of risk in the medium of the Internet in comparison to other mediums. Given all these results, it was decided that the adjusted factor would be used as is in the analysis. Items measuring the construct of willingness to use e-banking were also analysis to ensure that it was indeed a singular factor (Table 3). The results showed that the KMO statistic for the data set was 0.873 and the Bartlett test showed that non-zero correlations exist at the 0.000 significance level. This indicates that the data is appropriate for factor analysis. The results revealed a uniÂÂ ­dimensional structure, and corroborated that all five items in the scale loaded onto one factor. The factor loadings of each item were high, indicating strong relevance of each item within the scale. When in combination with the high Cronbach alpha of .957, the results of the analysis show that this factor is a highly useful measure. Regression Analysis To test the relationship between the constructs of specific trust, perceived risk and willingness to use e-banking, hierarchical moderated regression was conducted. This method was proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986) to examine moderating effects. In conducting hierarchical moderated regression analysis, a series of regressions were performed. The first regression (Model 1) involved regressing the dependent variable (DV) on the independent variable (IV); the second regression (Model 2) involved regressing the DV on the IV and the moderator; and the final regression (Model 3) regressing the DV on the IV, the moderator, and a cross-product of the DV and the moderator. The three regression models were tested for explanatory power, and yielded R-squared values of 0.396, 0.454, and 0.508 respectively (see Table 4). Results of the R-squared comparisons showed that Model 3, which included specific trust, perceived risk, and the cross product of specific trust and perceived risk, had significantly improved R-squared values from Model 1 and Model 2. The analysis yielded results quite different to what was hypothesized. Besides Model 1 where specific trust was the only IV in the regression, specific trust was shown not to have a direct influence on the DV of willingness to use e-banking. Rather, perceived risk was shown to have a direct influence on the DV of willingness to use e-banking in Models 2 and 3. Model 3, which had the greatest R-squared value, suggests that it is not specific trust that influences a consumers willingness to use e-banking, but rather perceived risk. The regression coefficients from Model 3 (see Table 5) showed that perceived ris k had a significant negative impact on willingness to use e-banking (p = 0.000, Beta = -1.179, t = -5.588). Specific trust in e-banking instead was found to have a positive moderating influence on the relationship between perceived risk and willingness to use e-banking (p = 0.000, Beta = 0.759, t = 4.386). The results derived from the regression analysis thus do not support the two hypotheses H1 and H2. It appears that the roles of the independent variable and the moderator have swapped. Figure 3 shows the amended model reflecting these new roles, where the independent variable of perceived risk is shown having a primary role with a direct influence on a consumers willingness to use e-banking and specific trust in the banks e-banking website having a secondary role as a moderator. Discussion and Implications Adoption of Internet and E-banking The results showed that there was no apparent usage of e-banking till the late 1990s. This was firstly attributed to the late adoption of e-banking facilities by the four major banks in Australia. It was only at the end of 1997 when e-banking facilities were provided by the banks in Australia (Sathye, 1999). Secondly, a report by the Australia Bureau of Statistics (1999) stated that the use of internet by adults to pay bills and transfer funds were only approximately 2 per cent during that time. These findings deserve attention, as Australians were considered to be technology savvy being at the forefront of United States as the worlds third highest users of electronic point of transfer (Eftpos) in the 1990s (Macfarlane, 1997). However there were other reasons for the late adoption of e-banking in Australia. These reasons include the lack of knowledge of service availability, the internet website being not user friendly, and security concerns (Sathye, 1999). In the last decade, banks have addressed these problems through the use of effective marketing strategies, education and adopting innovative technology in security measures and information technology. It has proven to be effective as the latest statistics showed that approximately 40% of the internet users in Australia have adopted e-banking (comScore, 2008). This proportion however is still relatively low, and concurs with the results of past research such as White and Nteli (2004), Lichtenstein and Williamson (2006), and the current research showing that the adoption of e-banking has not kept up with the pace of internet usage. This is despite figures for internet access quadrupling from 16% to 67% in the last decade from 1998 to 2007/08 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008). Demographics and Specific Trust, Perceived Risk and the Willingness to Use Constructs Results showed that respondents who are aged 29 and below, earning an income level of $50,001 $70,000 and with post graduate qualifications were more willing to use e-banking. This finding is congruent with the findings of past studies that claimed that consumers who are well educated and with higher incomes are more willing to engage e-banking services (Kolodinsky et al., 2000; Gartner, 2003). Furthermore results of this study concur with past research studies on the unwillingness to use e-banking by the older/elderly generation (Ilett, 2005; Perumal and Shanmugam, 2005). Further examination of the results showed that respondents who are unwilling to use e-banking have a trade qualification/diploma and are earning an income of $30,001 $50,000. In relation to the perceived risk constructs, males who have a post graduate qualification and earning $70,001 -$90,000 have higher perceived risk. This finding is rather surprising as it does not concur with previous studies which found females to have a higher perceived risk. Females were found to be more concerned on the level of risk in technology (Lichtenstein and Williamson, 2006), more anxious with privacy protection and ethical standards (Shergill and Li, 2005) and have greater fears in new technologies such as the internet (Morahan-Martin, 2000) compared to males. Further examination of the results showed that respondents who have a lower perceived risk are females, earning an income of $15,001-$30,000 and have completed secondary school. Results from this research showed that males have higher specific trust than females regardless of income, age and qualification. Drawing from the findings of the perceived risk construct, an interesting discovery was made males have higher perceived risk as well as higher specific trust compared to the females. The authors of this study propose that a possible reason for this may be explained by a higher level of involvement in banking services in males. This should be con

Rubin Hurricane Carter: Guilty Until Proven Innocent Essay -- Court Mo

Rubin Hurricane Carter: Guilty Until Proven Innocent '"I don't belong here and I am not going to play their game.' 'If I were to cooperate in all these things, it would be as if I were saying, 'I'm a guilty man, and I am not a guilty man"' (New Jersey). The case of Rubin (Hurricane) Carter has been a heated issue for the last 34 years. In the last year a new movie, The Hurricane, starring Denzel Washington has once again brought this case to the foreground of discussion. The question argued has been is Rubin Carter innocent or guilty of the murders he allegedly committed on June 17, 1966 in the Lafayette Grill in Paterson, New Jersey. The proof is undeniable that Carter is innocent. He had an unfair trial where the police played a negative part, the prosecution suppressed information, and the court also worked against Carter. Although Rubin Carter is innocent of the crimes committed that fateful night in Paterson does not mean he was an angel. The biggest threat to Rubin's defense in this case was himself. Rubin Carter was born May 6, 1937 in Delawana, New Jersey. He grew up in the nearby town of Paterson (J.K.B. 7). Rubin was a strong-willed boy who learned to stand up to everyone as a child. James S. Hirsch, the author of Hurricane: The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter wrote, "the men in his family are not intimidated by threats" (60). In chapter 5 of his book, Hirsch explains how Rubin Carter learned to stand up against authority. Born with a stutter, he would fight anyone who dared to make fun of his speech-impediment. Carter once beat up his younger sister Rosalie's teacher when he saw him chasing her. He was expelled from school and beaten by his father. It was displays like this that caused Carter's father fear... ...'Deal' for Freedom in Murder Case." New York Times [New York] 4, Dec. 1975: 45:2. "Carter Lawyers Focus of Dispute." New York Times [New York] 29, Jan. 1975: 39:1. Hirsch, James S. Hurricane: The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2000. J.K.B. "Carter, Rubin." Current Biography May 2000: 6-14. "Lawyers for Carter Say Judge Erred on Appeal." New York Times [New York] 28, Jan. 1975: 54:7. Massaquoi, Hans J. "Hurricane Carter: I Was Framed For Murder!" Ebony Dec. 1974: 30: 174-6+. "New Jersey Journal." New York Times [New York] 5, Feb. 1984: XI 3:1. "Police Record Backs Carter's Story." New York Times [New York] 23, Oct. 1975: 83:4. "Reversal is Won By Rubin Carter In Murder Case." New York Times [New York] 8, Nov. 1985: "Same Judge Gets Carter's Appeal." New York Times [New York] 31, Jan. 1975: 37:8.

Synopses of Psychology Articles

1. Synopsis: This magazine picture displays the concept of depression. As the female blankly stares into space, she looks very stressed and depressed. This also displays prescription drug pills in which are falling as if they were raindrops, with a teddy bear, kids’ small wagon with blocks in the background, and the female holding a bottle which references as if she’s overly stressed from the pressures of parenting. This ultimately results with having to take the pills for her psychological disorder of depression. The woman also appears to be suffering from post partum depression, which could have led to her drug abuse. Moreover, common experiences of new motherhood, such as sleep disturbance, postpartum pain, psychological stress, and trauma also increase the chances of having post partum depression. Psychological Concept: Depression—Andrea, Barbalich, Moms on Drugs (2011) Parents Magazine pp. 140-1412. Synopsis: This is a poem that describes the many things tha t one does when having the sleep disorder of insomnia. The person tries many methods to go to sleep, but none seem to work, so they stay up and perform different movements and actions in hopes that they’ll eventually go to sleep. Nothing works, so they just accept the fact that sleep won’t come. Psychological Concept- Sleeping disorders- Chidi, S. (2006). Up! Education. Retrieved December 9, 2009, from http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/up-education/3. Synopsis: This was a very interesting video that speaks of the psychological effects that stem from positive and negative reinforcements a parent gives a child to change their behavior. For example, a parent may spank a child to reinforce their behavior of lying habitually. This is a type of punishment that parents gear towards in hopes to positively change their child’s behavior. Psychological Concept- punishment-Zakaria, F. (Host), & McCullough, C. (Writer). (2011, May 16). Psychology: reinforcement and punishment [ Video file]. Retrieved from http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=1uTsQLH3vNQ&feature=related4. Synopsis: This website describes the many causes of drug and alcohol addiction that one may experience. It then goes on to mention the multiple treatments and therapies that one can seek to get through this life threatening psychological disorder. It not only affects the brain, but also affects the body detrimentally as well. This website is very informative on guiding them on a road to recovery. Psychological concept- drug and alcohol  use and addiction-Archer, D. (n.d.). Treatment approaches for drug addiction. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/infofacts/treatment-approaches-drug-addiction5. Synopsis: This is an article that was published in the New York Times newspaper where it speaks of the effects of helicopter parenting, and how it negatively affects the child. Hovering a child hinders them from making their own decisions and developing their own identity in this societ y. This is a very significant psychological concept because decision making is essential to have and perform in daily life. Lacking decision making skills is a cause from one being neurotic.  Psychological concept- decision making- Lewin, T. (2008, Dec 01). Going off to college for less (passport required). New York Times (1923-Current File), pp. A1. Keirsey, D(1998). Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence (Prometious Nemesis Publishing Company) Toronto Canada.6. Synopsis: This is a best seller book where the author David Keirsey talks about how being temperament is very important to have in college, other schooling, work, relationships and more. As a child, one may have temper tantrums when they don’t receive what they desire. That is a personality and psychological trait where the impulses in one’s brain becomes very strong and cause the tantrums. This behavior shows during adulthood in the daily life of the person. It’s important to b e temperament because it causes less arguments and altercations between yourself and others, as David stresses in his book. Psychological concept- temperament7. Synopsis: Freud talks about the three personality traits: Id, ego and super ego, and how they work together to build personalities and the complexity of human beings. They are the different levels as to how information in the brain is structured. Freud says there’s the unconscious, mid conscious and conscious. Freud practiced many methods and has come to the conclusion that the unconscious is where everything is stored. The three  personality traits that he has come up with him consider are important in making decisions. Psychological concept- Id, ego, and super ego  Lahey, B, Psychology: An Introduction 11th edition8. Synopsis: The psychological concept that is revealed in this commercial deals with forgetting. The psychological disorder of dementia is humorously shown in this commercial by an elderly woman who f orgets that she’s eating KFC, and that she placed the chicken bucket on her head. Dementia is very common in old age, and saddens families as they watch their elder loved ones go through it, but in the commercial it brings humor to the disorder. The family that’s in the commercial find it funny that the elder woman put the bucket onto her head. Psychological concept- forgetting- Pratt, C. (Executive producer). (2008, October 5). KFC [commercial] MTV.9. Synopsis: The movie Arachnophobia is about a group of scientists, looking to discover and research many species of insects and spiders, but accidently brings home a deadly creature then increasingly multiplies and kill many people. The people of the town become paranoid of them, and do all they can to get away from them. Psychological concept- phobia- Marshall, F. (Director). (1990). Arachnophobia [Hollywood Pictures]. Available from IDP Films, 1133 Broadway, Suite 926, New York, NY 1001010. Synopsis- Ivan Pavlov was a R ussian Physiologist who researched conditioning. One of his findings was that if you present someone with a repetitive demonstration that they are to perform, they will continue to receive the anticipation of what was told for them to perform. For example, when ringing a bell for a dog to come and get a bone, the dog comes to eat it. When the bone is taken away, but the bell is still rang, the dog’s mouth began to salivate and will anticipate the reward of the bone. The animal has been controlled by being conditioned by a conditioned response. Psychological concept- conditioning- Babkin, B.P. (1949). Pavlov: A Biography. Toronto, Canada: The University of Chicago Press.11. Synopsis- This picture represents a woman on her death bed relying on oxygen as a means of life support. There are 5 stages of dying, which are denial, anger, bargain, depression and accept. This woman’s first reaction was probably denial, in which she refuses to acknowledge the inevitable, perhaps b elieving a mistake has been made. She may have even sought other medical opinions and diagnoses or pretend that this situation would simply go away on its own. As she realized that she was dying, she may have experience anger due to her life ending prematurely.She may have also attempted to bargain, probably with God or another religious figure, and she may have promised to change or make amends or atone for her wrongdoings. The woman may have also experienced depression and hopelessness. During this stage, she may mourn the loss of health that was already occurring, as well as the impending losses of her family and plans. Lastly, when nearing the end of suffering she will learn to accept the inevitable, paving the way for a smoother transition both for herself and loved ones. Psychological concept- Stages of Dying-http://www.equalitybritain.co.uk/content/news/news_June09.asp12. Synopsis- This picture represents a young lady with an eating disorder. She displays signs of disappointm ent, disgust, depression, guilt and a pale/unhealthy appearance. She may be abnormally sensitive about being perceived as fat, or have a massive fear of becoming fat. The measuring tape in her mouth shows that she is very body conscious and is constantly measuring her body. The different writing on her body represents how she feels about herself and her image. She may have psychological and emotional problems that contribute to her disorder.She may also have a low self-esteem, perfectionism, impulsive behavior and troubled relationships. Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues in society. Peer pressure and what she may have seen in the media may have fueled her desire to be thin. The exact cause of eating disorders is unknown. Unfortunately, many people with eating disorders resist treatment and experience serious complications such as bone loss, heart failure, digesti ve problems and seizures. Psychological concept- Eating Disorders- http://iamw0manhearmer0ar.wordpress.com/category/eating-disorders/

The History of Toy Inventions

The History of Toy Inventions Toy manufacturers and toy inventors use both utility and design patents, along with trademarks and copyrights. In fact, many toys especially video games take advantage of all three types of intellectual property protection. Toys as big business did not begin until after the 1830s, when steamboats and steam trains improved the transportation and distribution of manufactured goods. Early toymakers used wood, tin, or cast iron to fashion horses, soldiers, wagons, and other simple toys. Charles Goodyears method for vulcanizing rubber created another medium for manufacturing balls, dolls, and squeeze toys. Toy Manufacturers One example of a contemporary toy manufacturer is Mattel, an international company. Toy manufacturers produce and distribute most of our toys. They also research and develop new toys and buy or license toy inventions from inventors. Mattel began in 1945 as a garage workshop belonging to Harold Matson and Elliot Handler. Their business name Mattel was a combination of the letters of their last and first names, respectively. Mattels first products were picture frames. However, Elliot started making dollhouse furniture from picture frame scraps. That proved to be such a success that Mattel switched to making nothing but toys. Electronic Toys In the early 1970s, Pong, the first patented video game was a great hit.  Nolan Bushnell  created Pong along with a company named Atari. Pong debuted in  arcades and was soon ported to home units. The games Space Invaders,  Pac-Man, and Tron followed. As technology advanced, the dedicated single game machine was replaced by programmable machines that allowed different games to be played simply by exchanging a cartridge. Inventions in circuitry and miniaturization in the early 1980s produced handheld games. Nintendo, a Japanese electronics company, along with many others, moved into the video game market. Home computers created a market for games that were versatile, action-packed, challenging, and diverse. As our technology progresses, so does the complexity and diversity of our amusements. Once, toys simply reflected everyday life and activities. Today, toys create new ways of living and teach us to adapt to changing  technologies and inspire us to follow our dreams. The History of Specific Toys From Barbie to the yo-yo, learn more about how your favorite toy was invented Barbie DollCrayonsEtch-A-SketchFrisbeeHacky SackHula HoopLEGOMr. Potato HeadPlay-DohPuzzles, Board and Card GamesSilly PuttyTeddy BearsComputer and Video GamesYo-Yo

Dead Poets Society Film Review.

Dead Poets Society Film Review. After watching this film, my very first impression was it was inspiring. Both the elegance and disgrace were clearly distinguished. Different settings combined and the visually well-seen themes added life to the already magnificent film.The year is 1959 and the place, Welton Academy, one of the best schools in the United States. It is the beginning of a new semester. Neil Perry met a new student, Todd Anderson, who is also his new roommate. Neil has been in this boarding school with his friends for the last several years. They've always been educated in a strict and traditional way. There is a new English teacher in their class, Mr. John Keating. His way of teaching, on the contrary, is emphasised by freedom and imagination. He won over the boys by his wit and exuberance. He led the boys to the "Dead Poets Society". The boys got a source of newfound energy and inspiration and started to seize the things that they were passionate about...KeatingJohn Keating, Neil Perry, Todd Anderson, Knox Overstreet, Charlie Dalton and Mr Perry were the key characters. They all have their own personalities and ambitions. Out of all these people, I pick Todd Anderson as my favourite character. At the start of the film, Todd was timid and taciturn, mainly because he was unwilling to come to Welton and he must walk in the shadow of his big brother, a valedictorian. He's got the responsibility to 'fill some big shoes'; therefore he didn't spend time to communicate with people, while he put all the effort in the school work. It was his roommate, Neil Perry, who tried to help him and finally persuaded him to join in the 'Dead Poets Society', which turned out to be remarkably important for...

Shortage of Nurses in the United States Research Paper

Shortage of Nurses in the United States - Research Paper Example Shortage of Nurses in the United States It is evident that the U.S. faces and is still facing a looming shortage of registered nurses within its healthcare centers. However, more effort needs to be established, especially by the government to ensure this problem ceases. Inside medical facilities such as nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities and schools among others, they play vital roles that ensures smooth daily running of such facilities. Failure to provide their services would lead to unimaginable adversity. For any medical facility to prevail, therefore, it is necessary that there be nurses, more than enough to carry out efficiently the duties delegated upon them. Despite the importance of nurses in medical facilities, the U.S healthcare facilities are facing a scarcity of nurses. The shortage level is on the rise annually and both long term and short-term solutions need to be addressed. This paper seeks to explore the existing shortage of nurses in the U.S. It analyses causes of such effects, then concludes by givi ng a summary of the research and the recommendations that might help solve the problem. Background In the 19th century when nursing was in its early stages in the US, icons like Florence Nightingale facilitated the nursing movement to help alleviate the serious deficiency of nurses that threatened healthcare staff and patients. The deficiency is still present to date, as can be witnessed in the past ten years where several U.S. healthcare facilities are facing acute shortage of nurses, a clear indication that the output of nurses is not meeting demand from the growing population. The shortage situation Although healthcare facilities in the U.S. are facing a deficiency of nurses, a situation that can compromise the quality of services offered in these facilities, many students are being denied admission into nursing schools. The resultant deficit has attracted the White House and political elite’s attention as the need to import foreign staff intensifies. Lois Capps, a Democra t U.S. Representative and a former nurse was quoted saying, â€Å"Nurses deliver healthcare† and that there cannot be meaningful healthcare with the deficit of nurses. The American Association of College of Nursing issued a report that 116,000 positions of registered nurses in U.S. healthcare facilities are vacant while 100,000 jobs remain unoccupied in nursing homes. The deficiency is anticipated to deteriorate, as the numbers of the elderly is on the rise hence need for more nurses. According to Robert Wood, a staff at the Association, "The nursing shortage is not driven by a lack of interest in nursing careers. In 2008, over 50,000 competent applicants were denied admission into nursing programs, including 6000 who applied for postgraduate of doctorate levels (Dunham, 2009, p.3). In ‘The Future of Nursing’ released in 2010, the Institute of Medicine called for an increment of baccalaureate-prepared nurses and nurses with doctorate degrees as the current levels of this staff stands at 50% instead of over 80%. The Health Resources and Services Administration in April 2006 projected that the deficiency of nurses nationwide would increase by 2020 to over a million nurses. In the report, ‘What is Behind HRSA’s Projected Supply, Demand and Shortage of Registered Nurses?’ all states in the U.S. will witness the deficiency. Currently, over 30 states are facing a shortage, as there are no nurses to fill in the positions. In a statement published by Journal of the American Medical Association in November 26, 2008, Dr. Peter Buerhaus, a professor of nursing was quoted saying

Managing Working Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Working Capital - Essay Example The working capital management takes the concept of managing inventories, cash, receivables and payables and the short term funding. Inventory management is quite important for an organisation. Maintaining a high level of inventory can incur higher cost for the firm, while a low inventory level can put a hindrance on the way to meet the customer needs. So it is very much necessary to have ideal inventory level to meet the customer demands at a minimum possible cost. In a similar way, the receivables would indicate about the willingness of the organisation to offer products or services on credit based. This credit sale is quite risky if not managed well. On the other hand sometimes firms have to offer their products or services on credit basis, as that would fetch more customers to increase the business volume. This again is a risk return trade-off for the organisation. Cash is an important component of the current assets on balance sheet. This is the most liquid asset that a company can avail in troubled situation. On the other end, having an excess level of cash can block to use that as operating capital. So having an optimum cash level is necessary for proper business functioning. Cash and short term securities management is very much needed from liquidity point of view. In all, a proper management of working capital is very much necessary to generate cash and improve profits at a reduced risk level. The allocation can be changed with due change in the financial and operational environment. For an instance in recession time, firms would like to cut down their inventory levels, delay the debt payment and at the same time would like to accelerate the payments from debtors. So different periods can have different working capital needs. Even this can vary depending upon the industry or depending upon the size of the organisation. For an instance retail