Wednesday, October 30, 2019

What is good education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is good education - Essay Example Good education is something that inculcates concepts in the students rather than making them cram a certain volume for a certain piece of time and then forget that after the exam. In conventional practice, a lot of countries have such educational systems in place that heavily draw upon the students’ ability to cram. Thus, students who have greater ability to cram are more qualified to excel as compared to others whose short-term memory is not equally fine. In the long run, the fundamental purpose of education is acquainting people with knowledge. People cannot be expected to contribute to the development of knowledge unless they have robust concepts about the existing knowledge. In order to be applicable upon a wider audience, it is imperative that education is cost effective. Education can be made cost effective by adopting cheap means of delivery. Quality education has become unattainable for many people simply because they cannot make it to the colleges. Either the colleges are too far away or else, renting a hostel makes the people go out of budget. Even if some manage to afford the hostel expenses, they may not be able to adjust in the hostel environment and consequentially, their academic performance may decline. Hence, virtual education is a big step ahead in the way of improving the quality of education. Virtual education can also be considered as good education because it obviates the need for the educators to arrange rooms to teach the students in.

Monday, October 28, 2019

China Country Identification Essay Example for Free

China Country Identification Essay The company has brought to our attention that it desires to expand into the Eastern Asian market where it is believed that the opportunity will be best and certainly more than double its profits by this venture. The Country of choice will be China; location is the city of Macau, which is an established trading center in Southeast Asia. B. Major Cross-Cultural Issues and Impacts: There are some marketing aspects to consider. Our approach must be culture sensitive to be successful. Insulting anyone in our business relations for work in China could end the deal or cause unnecessary delays. It is vital for all personnel involved in this venture to train with care in the marketing and cultural behaviors of the Chinese. Culture is a major issue and the company must be meticulous with training in order to be accepted. The Asian cultures are very careful about not losing face and this is critical. Keeping face goes back to Confucianism, which focuses on ones duty and loyalty, honor, sincerity, and keeping harmony with all those related to them through family, business, and social ties. This is strictly followed with respect for age first in any of these relationships. One must never lose face with any of these ties for to lose face is to lose honor. The concept of face translates as honor, good reputation, and respect. There are four types of face. Face behavior is power-oriented behavior with the purpose of maintaining stability or control of one’s self. Diumianzi originates from the word mian and directly relates to one’s reputation or place in society. It is actions or deeds, which others have observed, and it is earned. Geimianzi is response to or giving of face to another through showing respect to the other person. Liumianzi is developed by avoiding mistakes and showing wisdom in making decisions. Jiangmianzi, when face is increased through others by another complementing one to a business partner or associate. Saving face or reputation is very strong in the Chinese culture. People are generally reserved, quiet, and refined. No boisterous or loud behavior is acceptable and considered in poor taste. Another way to explain this is quiet dignity, always keeping control of one’s emotions. The personnel who are involved in this business venture will need to beware of the quiet reserved behaviors of the Chinese and adopt such behavior in respect and get to know well each Chinese in the business relationship. It is important to save face at all times and avoid blunders or mistakes of our  Western culture, and never criticize the Chinese or any others involved in the business or personal relationship in Macau, China. This includes any associates whether foreign or domestic (China 2010). When greeting in China, the eldest is always greeted first and though a handshake is most common among Chinese with foreigners, sometimes with the elderly or government officials a slight bow will be given. During the greeting exchange, it is the practice by the Chinese to look at the ground when shaking hands or bowing along while addressing the individual with their honorific title and surname (China 2010). Visiting and eating also have special rules. A guest always waits for the host to give direction for seating. Formal dinners have different rules on seating arrangements. The conversation at meals is light, no business, or personal talk. The host will always serve an abundance of food. The host will usually escort a guest outside their home a distance even down a street and the guest should politely resist with the special ritual of hospitality. It is customary to bring a wrapped gift presented with two hands when invited to the home of a Chinese. In China, they do not open a gift in front of the giver; this is to avoid embarrassment for gifts that are not needed. Both the giver and receiver will always use both hands for the gift. Another very important gesture is to refuse the gift three times before accepting it; this shows that one is not greedy. Once the gift is accepted, it is important to express thanks to them for accepting the gift. If giving money gifts around New Years for personal friendship, the bills must be even bills and there should be an even number of bills, and given in a red envelope. Do not use white, black, blue, or the number 4 for anything because it is associated with death and funerals. This would be very embarrassing. Unacceptable gifts include clocks which symbolize time is running out, a handkerchief suggests a farewell greeting, shoes, especially straw sandals, suggest sad memories, and do not give ink pens with red ink which signifies death. Sharp objects like knives and scissors are not appropriate as it represents severing of relationships (Roberts 1998). Dress is important, no bright colors or blue jeans are to be worn, and all colors should be neutral with business meetings or dinners. Women must wear modest heals, nothing sleeveless or sheer, modest necklines, even the jewelry should be modest and not flashy. Relationship is everything; to hurry would be a waste. The  impact of our approach on Chinese business with regard to cultural differences is everything, the dress, the greeting, visiting, dinners, and showing of respect to all parties involved both Chinese, and U.S. will affect the stability of the relationship (King 1999). If the relationship is not sealed in the beginning with saving face or respect and trust with the Chinese, then the business deal may never take place or may be a very weak deal. The Chinese find friendship and trust to be far too important to rush through a business deal. Respect or face must be earned over time and never lost. C. Cross-Cultural Communication: Macau, China has a very strong economy with a GDP of 21.8 percent growth currently, is not expecting a recession anytime soon and has a steady growth rate of double digits up to 21 or more percent per year (Economy 2011). The humid weather and subtropical climate will be a great help in the special heat hardening process, which is necessary to extend the life of the engine components. It is important for us to pay close attention to detail and avoid using black, gold, yellow, red, or white on the engine components for any identification of parts used. Our company will need to use colors that are low key, perhaps silver, grey, brown, tan, or green, for any differentiation used to identify parts. Red is overused and is considered a New Year’s awareness. The black as mentioned earlier represents death and is not a good omen. Do not use black or red print on any of the parts or packaging, this represents evil and death and does not work in the Chinese market. When promoting the product for selling, again, color is of utmost importance and it is important to be creative. No black borders and no black print can be used, it is considered to be a bad omen or evil. The same is true with red print, it is considered to be related to death of the person reading the red ink. White wrap signifies death of the person receiving the gift and is not a happy color. Yellow used in marketing generally relates to pornography, so it must not be used or it will damage the face of the new company and possibly be an embarrassment or cause it to fail. The colors purple for power and nobility, blue green, and some other colors can be used with marketing to promote our engine components, but red, yellow, gold, black, and white are best avoided entirely for marketing purposes (Gao 2011). The advertising name should involve only two perhaps  three syllables with the last syllable having inflection upwards with intonation of voice. The Chinese consider this necessary for a favorable impression and for recognition of a product or service. Chinese words are often very direct and it would be best to use such words to gain trust and immediate understanding, and to portray quality and enjoyment of the vehicle because of using Company A’s engine components. Another aspect to show purity and trust is a picture of a mountain in relation to televised advertising or media advertising on the internet, and in our promotional brochure (Lehman 1992). Manufacturing companies like Sinotruck Group, Qingdao Seize The Future Automobile Co. Ltd., and Special Truck Company China National Heavy Duty Truck Co., to name a few major manufactures for heavy-duty trucks, to market the engine components produced by Company A would be our target audience for this market (Brighter 2011). China is expecting an increase in unit freight mileage leading to long distance transportation implying a demand for high-end trucks in the next few years. China is an excellent market for our truck engine components and this is good timing with China’s economic growth and increased investment in the trucking industry (Intelligence 2011). Currently, in China, the demand for trucks ranked first and automobiles ranked second (Intelligence 2011). Pricing of the engine components is based on production and the shipping costs for China. Choosing to build a manufacturing plant in Macau, China would prove to be financially prudent and help to keep prices in line with other competing engine makers in the truck industry for China. To protect competition in China, the prices would need to be equal in revenue as that of other countries in which these engine components are sold. To distribute these engine components in China it is necessary to have distribution partners for acceptance in the different market areas. Company A will have to build a network of distributers among locals where face-to-face relationships can grow. It will be prudent to train local mechanics for problems with the engine components that may occur after the sale. It is important to have connections with individuals in all areas of the business for trust and friendliness to the Chinese country. They see life as a group connection in all associations. D. Cross-Cultural Ethical Differences: Introducing ourselves into the Chinese market is crucial and must be done through an intermediary, someone who will give face favorably about Company A’s reputation. Chinese do not like to do business with strangers. The meetings need to be requested in writing preferably one or two months in advance by someone that they know and trust who connects for Company A. Plan to arrive a bit early, do not be late as the Chinese perceive this as an insult and it could cause negative problems for the business relationship. Punctuality is considered a virtue in China. It is important not to wear bright colors for meetings; men should wear dark colored conservative business suits. Women should wear a conservative business suit or dress with a high neckline and flat shoes or not much of a heel. There is no gender bias in China. About the introductions, when greeting the Chinese, the highest official or eldest will start the introductions and will either bow slightly while looking to the ground or shake hands while looking to the ground, do not look them in the eye during the introductions but do state their honorific title and then surname. Example, â€Å"It is an honor to meet with you, President Chen.† They have a great sense of humor and like to laugh if they are comfortable. If it is appropriate on your behalf at any time, be sure to laugh at yourself. The names of all who will be at the meeting and their titles, of course, would be important to have in each member’s portfolio. Once the introductions have been made and you have been given the invitation, provide information about Company A and what is desired to be accomplished. If offered a business card always accept with both hands and look at it with interest on both sides and then place on the table in the front of the place setting o r in a suit pocket or briefcase, never in the back pocket. When giving a business card use two hands and place Chinese side up to the Chinese officer. Only the eldest officer from each business will hold the conversation for negotiation. All others will listen. Posture and facial expression is very important to the Chinese and persons attending the meetings must watch carefully and be aware of their posture and facial expressions to remain neutral. There should not be any staring into another’s eyes only concentration on what is being said and careful glancing to notice expressions. Tone of voice is of great importance and  should be closely noted. Relationship cultivation is first, no agreement will be made at this meeting. When the meeting concludes the Chinese will say they will think about it, accept that answer just as they say, thinking about it (Ltd. 2004) and be patient for the deal to close at another time. It may take several meetings to finish the business deal. When the Chinese diplomat in charge invites the visiting company to a banquet, this is a signal that they are ready to give their final answer. They use a banquet to celebrate (Ltd. 2004). Our company needs to be patient and ready. In China, it is not customary to give gifts; it is considered bribery and illegal. It is only acceptable to bring a wrapped gift for the most senior officer in the company after the business deal is complete and state that the gift is from your company and that it is wished for the senior officer to accept it on behalf of their company. If there are wrapped gifts for more than one individual in a group, all gifts must be different and monetarily representative of the status for each individual. It is disrespectful to give the same gift choice to several individuals, the gifts must be different, and the value spent commensurate with the associate receiving the gift. If meeting over dinner our members must remember to wait until the host shows them to their personal seat, and recognize that the executive who called the dinner will be paying for all, no one is going â€Å"Dutch.† Remember to talk about whatever interests them and the food. Generally, light talk is expected. No business will be discussed while dining. The seating behavior is much like it is in formal dining with the United States. Unlike the U.S., though take time with dining and eat all you can or at least make it appear that time is not important. Eating is a very social event with the Chinese, never a rush. They may not hurry to be at a dinner or meal for a certain time, but may be slightly late. Timeliness is not crucial as is expected for a business meeting. It is rare to be invited to a Chinese home. If this occurs, be on time, take a gift and offer it three times but do not expect them to open it in front of you. Take off your shoes and do not pay attention to slurping or belching noises, this is the Chinese way to show enjoyment with the food. All business personnel must learn to eat with chopsticks (Ltd. 2004). These culture differences are very important though strange to what our customs are here in America. All Chinese customs must be followed carefully to have a  successful business relationship in China. References Brighter, Mr. Made In China.Com. 2011. http://cntruck.en.made-in-china.com/ (accessed December 12, 2011). China, Neso. Social Norms, Saving and Losing Face. October 4, 2010. http://www.nesochina.org/dutch-students/preparing-your-stay/social-norms (accessed December 11, 2011). Economy, Macau. Macaus Economy Grows 21.8 percent from January to September. Macau Hub Magazine on line. December 1, 2011. http://www.macauhub.com.mo/en/2011/12/01/macaus-economy-grows-21-8-pct-from-january-to-september/ (accessed December 11, 2011). Gao, Kane. Public Relations and Strategic Communications. Illuminant A Source of Light. January 17, 2011. http://www.illuminantpartners.com/2011/01/17/color/ (accessed December 12, 2011). Intelligence, China Research. Research Report on China Truck Industry. April 12, 2011. http://marketinfoguide.com/2011/04/12/research-report-china-truck-industry-2011-2012/ (accessed December 12, 2011). King, Susan. Facts About Chinese Business Attire. eHow Culture and Society. 199 9. http://www.ehow.com/about_5040513_chinese-business-attire.html (accessed December 11, 2011). Lehman, Edward. Media and Advertising. Lehman, Lee, Xu. 1992. http://www.lehmanlaw.com/practices/media-and-advertising.html (accessed December 12, 2011). Ltd., Kwintessential. Chinese Etiquette and Customs. Kwintessential. 2004. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/china-country-profile.html (accessed December 13, 2011). Roberts, Kimberly. International Business Gift Giving Overview. 1998. http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/international_gift_giving.htm (accessed December 11, 2011).

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Nobel Prize and The Bluest Eye :: Bluest Eye Essays

The Nobel Prize and The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison's Nobel prize acceptance speech has many interesting parallels between that and her novel The Bluest Eye. The speech opens up new ideas and interesting correlations between the address and the story. In this paper, I will document how parts of Morrison's speech uses situations in The Bluest Eye. The first being that of the story about the blind woman and the bird. Morrison says, "Her answer can be taken to mean: if it is dead, you have either found it that way or you have killed it. If it is alive, you can still kill it. Whether it is to say alive, it is your decision. Whatever the case, it is your responsibility." The characters in the novel are also responsible for their own actions, regardless if situations happen beyond their control. Meaning that the characters in the novel cannot lament their life because things got away from them. While there is incest and a subsequent pregnancy involved, it is possible that the character is able to reach beyond the path set for them and exceed anyone's expectations. By talking about responsibility, Morrison is able to make people think about their lives and make them realize that it is possible to have things be better. "Sexist language, racist language, theistic language all are typical of the policing languages of mastery, and cannot, do not permit new knowledge or encourage the mutual exchange of ideas." This quote by Morrison seems rather unusual, considering that she did incorporate some of these ideas into her work. It sounds as though in this quote that by using such characteristics in a work, it somehow loads it down with extraneous details. However, in Morrison's The Bluest Eye, it only enhances the reading and furthers the reader's understanding of the time. In accordance with the understanding of the reading and the enhancement of the words on the pages, Morrison fulfills the obligation of the following quote in The Bluest Eye: "The vitality of language lies in its ability to limn the actual, imagined and possible lives of its speakers, readers, writers.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Change Foreign Policy to Win the War on Terrorism :: Politics Political Essays

There are many advocacy groups that have long been doing important good works in the international arena, but on issues that have not officially been seen as being a proper part of foreign policy: the environment, human rights, women's rights, the condition of children, labor, international public health issues (e.g., AIDS in Africa), sustainable development, refugees, international education, and so on. The metaphors that foreign policy experts have used to define what foreign policy is rules out these important concerns. Those metaphors involve self-interest (e.g., the Rational Actor Model), stability (a physics metaphor), industrialization (unindustrialized nations are "underdeveloped"), and trade (freedom is free trade). I would like to propose an alternative way of thinking about foreign policy under which all these issues would become a natural part of what foreign policy is about. The premise is that, when international relations work smoothly, it is because certain moral norms of the international community are being followed. This mostly goes unnoticed, since those norms are usually followed. We notice problems when those norms are breached. Given this, it makes sense that foreign policy should be centered around those norms. The moral norms I suggest come out of what I called in Moral Politics "nurturant morality." It is a view of ethical behavior that centers on (a) empathy and (b) responsibility (for both yourself and others needing your help). Many things follow from these central principles: fairness, minimal violence (e.g., justice without vengeance), an ethic of care, protection of those needing it, a recognition of interdependence, cooperation for the common good, the building of community, mutual respect, and so on. When applied to foreign policy, nurturant moral norms would lead the American government to uphold the ABM treaty, sign the Kyoto accords, engage in a form of globalization governed by an ethics of care-and it would automatically make all the concerns listed above (e.g., the environment, women's rights) part of our foreign policy. This, of course, implies (a) multilateralism, (b) interdependence, and (c) international cooperation. But these three principles, without nurturant norms, can equally well apply to the Bush administration's continuance of its foreign policy. Bush's foreign policy, as he announced in the election campaign, has been one of self-interest ("what's in the best interest of the United States")-if not outright hegemony (the Cheney/Rumsfeld position). The Democratic leaders incorrectly criticized Bush for being isolationist and unilateralist, on issues like the Kyoto accords and the ABM Treaty.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Prison Inmates Should Be Allowed To Take College Courses Essay

Prison Inmates Should Be Allowed To Take College Courses Prison inmates should be allowed to take college course because having an education helps reform the inmate into a useful member of society. Education is useful in helping the inmate acquire the life skills necessary to make a life change for the better. Studies have shown that inmates who participate in educational programs were less likely to recidivate once released back into to society than those who did ot participate. Allowing prisoners to take college courses restructures the way inmates think and benefits society as a whole by helping inmates adapt once released, providing Job skills necessary to find work, and aiding in inmate rehabilitation. Providing an education for inmates helps them acquire the necessary life skills to make better choices once released and makes it easier to adapt to life outside the prison walls. An educated person is better able to choose etween right and wrong and also make wiser decisions. By restructuring the way an inmate thinks, the inmate makes better choices and finds better role models to emulate. An inmate who has the ability to read and write is better able to find information for himself and is more likely to use that information to make informed decisions. It is therefore easy to deduce, an inmate who has received a prison education can think more clearly and will act more positively preventing most inmates from recidivism. Using the education gained in prison will facilitate an inmate’s adaption to society and provides the necessary Jobs skills to find work once released. Education for inmates helps build a foundation for future success and provides the Job skills necessary to help inmates find work once they are released. Teaching basic educational skills to inmates such as reading, writing, and math skills increases their chances of passing employment tests and greatly improves their..

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Senior Citizen Essay Essay Example

Senior Citizen Essay Essay Example Senior Citizen Essay Essay Senior Citizen Essay Essay Essay Topic: Senior Ageing is a concern for all. Our sensitiveness to the issue is merely heightened when we reach what we normally refer to as the â€Å"ripe old age. † By so. sing. hands-on footing. the basicss of being and turning old. Possibly upon contemplation. really glean on the sightlessness and without the cognition of parents and grandparents who became senior citizens manner before our coevals. Several states. whether developed or developing. are get downing to see ageing from a really different position the current constructs. The possible to populate healthier for longer old ages has raised outlooks about people’s life styles beyond 60’s and what may be possible. Peoples are oppugning and reexamining their attitudes to instruction. work. their community. personal life agreement. wellness and fittingness. relationships and religious demands. Rapid population ageing and urbanisation will be accompanied by increased demands and demands from mainstreaming older individuals in the society. income security. appropriate health care. lodging and other societal services. All these have to be addressed by older individuals themselves. their households. their communities. by concerned members of civil society and by local and national authorities. Measures have to be undertaken by all stakeholders now to get by with the climb challenges posed by the population ageing phenomenon. Republic Act 7432 â€Å"An Act to Maximize the Contributions of Senior Citizens to Nation Building. Grant Benefits and Privileges and for other Purposes. † Approved April 23. 1992. amended by Republic Act 9257 â€Å"The Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003† approved February 26. 2004. and farther amended Republic Act 9994 â€Å"An Act allowing extra Benefits and Privileges to Senior Citizen. further amending Republic Act 7432. as Amended. Otherwise Known as an ‘Act to Maximize the Contributions of Senior Citizens to Nation Building. Grants Benefits and Special Privilege and for Other Purposes’† approved February 15. 2010 expanded the benefits a nd privileges afforded to the senior citizens of this state. Some of the benefits are: giving 20 % price reduction on medical and dental services. educational aid on the chase of station secondary. third. station third and vocational or proficient instruction in both public and private schools. and. to the extent possible. the grant of particular price reductions in particular plans on purchase of basic trade goods all in conformity with guidelines. PAKI SIMPLIFY DAW gt ; BAWASAN UNG MGA R. A. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:The primary purpose of this survey is to show the life status of the senior citizens on the side of their immediate household member. Secondary is to reply the undermentioned inquiries: What is the demographic profile of the respondents in footings of: AgeSexual activityHighest educational attainmentPosition in the old employmentNo. of siblings and immediate household members populating with them How senior citizen’s behavior/attitude affects in the relationship with their immediate household members? What jobs encountered by the senior citizens when their relationship with their immediate household member is concern? What are the possible solutions to turn to jobs encountered? Hypothesis There is no important consequence of the relationship of senior citizens with their immediate household member of the household to their life status. Significance OF THE STUDYThis survey will supply us information about the living status of Senior Citizens in Barangay 150. in Caloocan City. Its important will be showing as the statement follows: BARANGAY-As the research workers conducted the study method. they have found out the top job of Senior Citizens in Barangay 150. in Caloocan City. As the consequence. Barangay would supply the integrating of plan in order to give benefits to the Senior Citizens. SCHOOL- University of Caloocan City is besides a public retainer. This survey would inform pupils particularly to those who have Senior Citizens in their household about their life status. FAMILY-Philippines is a family-oriented state. Conflict within the immediate household members of Senior Citizens genuinely affects their attitude/behavior and besides their life status. This is to supply each household the consciousness to the populating status of Senior Citizens whenever they holding struggle with them.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Hypothesis Testing With One-Sample t-Tests

Hypothesis Testing With One-Sample t-Tests Youve collected your data, youve got your model, youve run your regression and youve got your results. Now what do you do with your results? In this article we consider the Okuns Law model and results from the article How to Do a Painless Econometrics Project. One sample t-tests will be introduced and used in order to see if the theory matches the data. The theory behind Okuns Law was described in the article: Instant Econometrics Project 1 - Okuns Law: Okuns law is an empirical relationship between the change in the unemployment rate and the percentage growth in real output, as measured by GNP. Arthur Okun estimated the following relationship between the two: Yt - 0.4 (Xt - 2.5 ) This can also be expressed as a more traditional linear regression as: Yt 1 - 0.4 Xt Where:Yt is the change in the unemployment rate in percentage points.Xt is the percentage growth rate in real output, as measured by real GNP. So our theory is that the values of our parameters are B1 1 for the slope parameter and B2 -0.4 for the intercept parameter. We used American data to see how well the data matched the theory. From How to Do a Painless Econometrics Project we saw that we needed to estimate the model: Yt = b1 + b2 Xt Yt Xt b1 b2 B1 B2 Using Microsoft Excel, we calculated the parameters b1 and b2. Now we need to see if those parameters match our theory, which was that B1 1 and B2 -0.4. Before we can do that, we need to jot down some figures that Excel gave us. If you look at the results screenshot youll notice that the values are missing. That was intentional, as I want you to calculate the values on your own. For the purposes of this article, I will make up some values and show you in what cells you can find the real values. Before we begin our hypothesis testing, we need to jot down the following values: Observations Number of Observations (Cell B8) Obs 219 Intercept Coefficient (Cell B17) b1 0.47 (appears on chart as AAA)Standard Error (Cell C17) se1 0.23 (appears on chart as CCC)t Stat (Cell D17) t1 2.0435 (appears on chart as x)P-value (Cell E17) p1 0.0422 (appears on chart as x) X Variable Coefficient (Cell B18) b2 - 0.31 (appears on chart as BBB)Standard Error (Cell C18) se2 0.03 (appears on chart as DDD)t Stat (Cell D18) t2 10.333 (appears on chart as x)P-value (Cell E18) p2 0.0001 (appears on chart as x) In the next section well look at hypothesis testing and well see if our data matches our theory. Be Sure to Continue to Page 2 of Hypothesis Testing Using One-Sample t-Tests. First we’ll consider our hypothesis that the intercept variable equals one. The idea behind this is explained quite well in Gujarati’s Essentials of Econometrics. On page 105 Gujarati describes hypothesis testing: â€Å"[S]uppose we hypothesize that the true B1 takes a particular numerical value, e.g., B1 1. Our task now is to â€Å"test† this hypothesis.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"In the language of hypothesis testing a hypothesis such as B1 1 is called the null hypothesis and is generally denoted by the symbol H0. Thus H0: B1 1. The null hypothesis is usually tested against an alternative hypothesis, denoted by the symbol H1. The alternative hypothesis can take one of three forms:H1: B1 1, which is called a one-sided alternative hypothesis, orH1: B1 1, also a one-sided alternative hypothesis, orH1: B1 not equal 1, which is called a two-sided alternative hypothesis. That is the true value is either greater or less than 1.† In the above I’ve substituted in our hypothesis for Gujarati’s to make it easier to follow. In our case we want a two-sided alternative hypothesis, as we’re interested in knowing if B1 is equal to 1 or not equal to 1. The first thing we need to do to test our hypothesis is to calculate at t-Test statistic. The theory behind the statistic is beyond the scope of this article. Essentially what we are doing is calculating a statistic which can be tested against a t distribution to determine how probable it is that the true value of the coefficient is equal to some hypothesized value. When our hypothesis is B1 1 we denote our t-Statistic as t1(B11) and it can be calculated by the formula: t1(B11) (b1 - B1 / se1) Let’s try this for our intercept data. Recall we had the following data: Intercept b1 0.47se1 0.23 Our t-Statistic for the hypothesis that B1 1 is simply: t1(B11) (0.47 – 1) / 0.23 2.0435 So t1(B11) is 2.0435. We can also calculate our t-test for the hypothesis that the slope variable is equal to -0.4: X Variable b2 -0.31se2 0.03 Our t-Statistic for the hypothesis that B2 -0.4 is simply: t2(B2 -0.4) ((-0.31) – (-0.4)) / 0.23 3.0000 So t2(B2 -0.4) is 3.0000. Next we have to convert these into p-values. The p-value may be defined as the lowest significance level at which a null hypothesis can be rejected...As a rule, the smaller the p value, the stronger is the evidence against the null hypothesis. (Gujarati, 113) As a standard rule of thumb, if the p-value is lower than 0.05, we reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis. This means that if the p-value associated with the test t1(B11) is less than 0.05 we reject the hypothesis that B11 and accept the hypothesis that B1 not equal to 1. If the associated p-value is equal to or greater than 0.05, we do just the opposite, that is we accept the null hypothesis that B11. Calculating the p-value Unfortunately, you cannot calculate the p-value. To obtain a p-value, you generally have to look it up in a chart. Most standard statistics and econometrics books contain a p-value chart in the back of the book. Fortunately with the advent of the internet, there’s a much simpler way of obtaining p-values. The site Graphpad Quickcalcs: One sample t test allows you to quickly and easily obtain p-values. Using this site, here’s how you obtain a p-value for each test. Steps Needed to Estimate a p-value for B11 Click on the radio box containing â€Å"Enter mean, SEM and N.† Mean is the parameter value we estimated, SEM is the standard error, and N is the number of observations.Enter 0.47 in the box labelled â€Å"Mean:†.Enter 0.23 in the box labelled â€Å"SEM:†Enter 219 in the box labelled â€Å"N:†, as this is the number of observations we had.Under 3. Specify the hypothetical mean value click on the radio button beside the blank box. In that box enter 1, as that is our hypothesis.Click â€Å"Calculate Now† You should get an output page. On the top of the output page you should see the following information: P value and statistical significance:The two-tailed P value equals 0.0221By conventional criteria, this difference is considered to be statistically significant. So our p-value is 0.0221 which is less than 0.05. In this case we reject our null hypothesis and accept our alternative hypothesis. In our words, for this parameter, our theory did not match the data. Be Sure to Continue to Page 3 of Hypothesis Testing Using One-Sample t-Tests. Again using site Graphpad Quickcalcs: One sample t test we can quickly obtain the p-value for our second hypothesis test: Steps Needed to Estimate a p-value for B2 -0.4 Click on the radio box containing “Enter mean, SEM and N.” Mean is the parameter value we estimated, SEM is the standard error, and N is the number of observations. Enter -0.31 in the box labelled “Mean:”. Enter 0.03 in the box labelled “SEM:” Enter 219 in the box labelled “N:”, as this is the number of observations we had. Under “3. Specify the hypothetical mean value” click on the radio button beside the blank box. In that box enter -0.4, as that is our hypothesis. Click “Calculate Now” P value and statistical significance: The two-tailed P value equals 0.0030By conventional criteria, this difference is considered to be statistically significant. We used U.S. data to estimate the Okuns Law model. Using that data we found that both the intercept and slope parameters are statistically significantly different than those in Okuns Law. Therefore we can conclude that in the United States Okuns Law does not hold. Now youve seen how to calculate and use one-sample t-tests, you will be able to interpret the numbers youve calculated in your regression. If youd like to ask a question about econometrics, hypothesis testing, or any other topic or comment on this story, please use the feedback form. If youre interested in winning cash for your economics term paper or article, be sure to check out The 2004 Moffatt Prize in Economic Writing

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Free Essays on Advertisements

â€Å"I’d like a Beefeater Martini Please.† The advertisement for Beefeater is well crafted making it both psychologically as well as visually appealing to its consumer. In the advertisement, Beefeater attempts to attract more women to its brand which is more popular to male consumers. The impression created by this striking woman is effective because it makes the potential consumer feel that by drinking Beefeater Martinis, she can stand out for individuality while also exhibiting a sophisticated sexiness, unlike other alcohol brands. In this advertisement, there are many â€Å"draws† to attract the consumer. The visual element used is the attractive woman who stands in the center of the page wearing British guard attire. She is quite conservative with her upper-body very well concealed ; yet, she also wears a skirt baring her legs indicating she is confident. This shows the consumer that she is getting noticed not only for her looks and subdued yet scandalous clothing, but also she is type of woman who is capable of attracting a certain type of man...one who is upscale, successful, and attracted to women who â€Å"stand out†. The slogan reads â€Å"A bold spirit always stands out†; it is clear here that the appeal is to be bold and proud, showing that you are an emotionally strong woman. Another aspect to her attire is that she is dressed as a British Guard and one can connect it to the date and origin of the drink in 1820, also printed on the page. But through history the reader knows tha t a woman would not be a queen’s guard. This woman in the contemporary ad is making a bold statement...she would and could have done the job of that man. The advertisement is appealing to a feminist woman for sure. Yet, it reaches out to many young women today because it uses an interesting combination of visual, verbal, emotional, and psychological tact's. This ad is targeted for women in their mid-twenties to thirties and they are... Free Essays on Advertisements Free Essays on Advertisements Singaporeans seem to be fixated on the quest for outer beauty. This can be seen by the influx of beauty centres and their adverstisements in our media today. These advertisements invariably involve celebrities or real life success stories extolling the virtues of their individual products. These products promise flat tummies, bigger breasts and toned bodies for the females and six packs and a V figure for males. The celebrities, with their perfect figures conjure an image of perfection for the common Singaporean to aspire to be like them while the real life success stories strive to persuade us that a vision of perfection that is not unattainable for the commonest of us. However, the increasing trends of slimming and facial advertisements that can be seen in our society today bring with it several negative points. What these advertisements do not state is that the celebrities do much more than just consuming the said product, often having to starve themselves on diets, for their above-mentioned perfect figures. Also left unstated is the fact that the real life success stories make up only a very small percentage of all consumers and the astronomical sums spent in achieving them. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. What is most appalling is that the social expectations for the sexes have changed over the years as fat and ugly people seem to be deemed generally unacceptable and undesirable now. For instance, women with good looks and busty figures are probably considered beautiful for the general public but may not necessarily be true as a woman’s beauty could also be portrayed innately and the way they present themselves to others. Similarly for the men, inner beauty such as having a good character and substance seem to tell others that they are beautiful in the man’s sense as well rather than just having six packs and a V-shaped body alone. Thus, the general public should not be easily influenced by the social expe... Free Essays on Advertisements â€Å"I’d like a Beefeater Martini Please.† The advertisement for Beefeater is well crafted making it both psychologically as well as visually appealing to its consumer. In the advertisement, Beefeater attempts to attract more women to its brand which is more popular to male consumers. The impression created by this striking woman is effective because it makes the potential consumer feel that by drinking Beefeater Martinis, she can stand out for individuality while also exhibiting a sophisticated sexiness, unlike other alcohol brands. In this advertisement, there are many â€Å"draws† to attract the consumer. The visual element used is the attractive woman who stands in the center of the page wearing British guard attire. She is quite conservative with her upper-body very well concealed ; yet, she also wears a skirt baring her legs indicating she is confident. This shows the consumer that she is getting noticed not only for her looks and subdued yet scandalous clothing, but also she is type of woman who is capable of attracting a certain type of man...one who is upscale, successful, and attracted to women who â€Å"stand out†. The slogan reads â€Å"A bold spirit always stands out†; it is clear here that the appeal is to be bold and proud, showing that you are an emotionally strong woman. Another aspect to her attire is that she is dressed as a British Guard and one can connect it to the date and origin of the drink in 1820, also printed on the page. But through history the reader knows th at a woman would not be a queen’s guard. This woman in the contemporary ad is making a bold statement...she would and could have done the job of that man. The advertisement is appealing to a feminist woman for sure. Yet, it reaches out to many young women today because it uses an interesting combination of visual, verbal, emotional, and psychological tact's. This ad is targeted for women in their mid-twenties to thirties and they are... Free Essays on Advertisements Advertisement Analysis In all advertisements, there is a common goal, make the product appealing. Whether it’s sex appeal, location, or discrete psychological targets, a Camels’ cigarette ad is a perfect display of the techniques used to accomplish this goal. As a whole, the ad is applying a psychological term called the peripheral-route to persuasion. The peripheral- route is projected through sexual appeal and visual stimulus, as opposed to the company sending a message through text. This approach is trying to seize people with low resistance to persuasion, using bright colors in a flashy setting. The visual stimulus attracts the consumer first and then sex appeal is used to make people stare for a few moments. The cigarette companies only need a few seconds to plant the thought in someone’s brain. A person could be a lifetime smoker or just thinking about trying it, and this ad throws gas on the fire. If that isn’t enough, the company then classifies brands in categories such as: Exotic & Indulgent, Mellow & Turkish, and Rich & Classic. This technique is saying to the consumer that this brand of cigarettes can fit anyone’s tastes and needs. Just choose a brand that pertains to your liking. The goal here is not to target a small group. The more people it relates to, the more chances they have of someone buying their product. If they are successful with just one person, this individual is most likely going to be a lasting consumer of Camels’. Cigarette companies have millions of clientele, paying thousands of dollars over a long period of time. The main goal for companies is just to get the idea implanted into as many people as possible. Sexual appeal is another scheme used to get the reader to contemplate buying cigarettes. Without a doubt it is the most effective and popular means of advertisement. Sex can be found throughout this advertisement. Directly centered, in the ad, is a classy blond for your enterta...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal statement - Essay Example I feel as though I have always learned lots in school, but never had the grades to reflect my efforts. I also tend to keep to myself when it comes to studying, so I thought studying with others might help me improve my grades. Finally, in high school, I learned that my time management skills were not very good. This often caused stress that I didn’t need to experience. As I look back on these goals, I feel really great because I have accomplished all three. If all goes well, I will have a 3.0 GPA. It may actually be higher if I do well in my most difficult class. I met some great friends on the first week of school and we formed a study group that meets each week. I have never studied with other people and found this to be a great way to learn and to meet people. I hope that next semester will find many of us taking the same classes so we can study together again. I can say that I met my third goal because I did not freak out a single time this semester as a result of forgetti ng or putting off a project, paper or test. I did feel a lot of stress about my grades, but that was simply because I wanted to meet my goal of earning a 3.0 GPA. I would call it normal stress, as opposed to stress caused by wasting my time or procrastinating. Time Management and Study Skills are the topics that meant the most to me this first semester at ASU. I knew that this was a weakness of mine coming into college. My first reaction to the topic when it was introduced in class was something like, â€Å"Oh, yea, this is what I need.† I think that the skills we talked about in class were helpful, but more than anything else, I think I am maturing and realizing that reaching goals is directly connected to decisions I make about work and study habits. I know that for the first time in my life, I actually wrote down assignments in a planner and scheduled set study times. Establishing a study group was a big part of this success, but I actually went to the library on several o ccasions by myself to study for tests. This was not a typical behavior for me in the past. Managing my time this first semester made me feel in control. I was able to think about studying because I blocked time out for studying and stuck to my schedule. Sticking to a study schedule was difficult, but I was able to do it. If I had to point to any one thing that helped me this first semester, it would be scheduling time for studying. My first semester was great. I feel as though I have been successful in many ways. The single most enjoyable thing about this semester was my study group. Having fun people from my classes to meet with made me want to engage in studying more often. I never have experienced this before and I think that it is great. One concern that I have is that I will not be able to meet with the same people next semester. I guess I just need to trust that I’ll just meet more interesting, fun people. One of my biggest challenges this semester was meeting up with b eople that knew me before I came to ASU. I was not the best student and did not always have the healthiest lifestyle. These people were not supportive of my educational goals. All they wanted me to do was to hang out. It was difficult for me to tell these people that I just didn’t want to be that person anymore. It was hard to say to old friends that I had changed and I was moving in a new direction. What gave me the strength to do this was the new friends I met during this first semester. I am excited for the next semester and all of the

Friday, October 18, 2019

Final Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Final Marketing Plan - Essay Example management strategy, the company will move forth by promising its customers to provide secured services without hampering their assets or interests to welfare. The services provided by the company will therefore be entirely environment friendly. The products and the devices used by the company will also take due care of the customers’ needs, which often remain unaddressed. The company will also provide extreme care and privacy security to their clients during servicing, which is quite likely to increase customer satisfaction ultimately. At the initial stage, the company will mainly target the commercial market as its future customers. As per estimations, there are approximately 30,000 small and large businesses, comprising the group of targeted customers of the company. The company is expected to have a huge growth in its business process by targeting those customers, as it will also ensure limited competitive effects on the same. It has been expected that small offices are the potential customers of the company, which will help the company to achieve growth in the short-run. This targeting strategy of the company to attract the big business organization and sophisticated customers, will be a great opportunity for the company to expand (Iyer & et. al, 2005). The segmentation strategy of the company emphasizes targeting the customers in geographical basis. Contextually, the company has decided to increase its business by targeting the local or the regional customers and commercial customers (Jenkins & McDonald, n.d.). â€Å"Get It Done Office Pro’s† will be a cleaning service provider company. The uniqueness in the company’s services is to provide security during the office cleaning process and provide high-level security to maintain privacy to all its clients and their assets. All the employees of the company will belong from a decent background, which will ensure a better working environment not only for the employees but also for the customers after

LEGAL QUESTIONS MUST BE GRAMMER CORRECT AND ON TIME Essay

LEGAL QUESTIONS MUST BE GRAMMER CORRECT AND ON TIME - Essay Example Kathy's participation would be considered in terms of the fact that other messages. Other than the email # 6 can be deemed as Kathy's message and not Bill's. But for this Bill would have to be coward enough to turn his back on Kathy and say that she accessed his Email account without permission. So in this case Bill is responsible for correspondence #6 in evidence. By law, now, they held Walt. But the case description does not specify any warrants being shown to Waltz. One thing being clear. Walt was hacking Jim's system for his personal and Bill's personal advantage and their firm's advantage. Answer) Walt can plead for the motion of cause, only in the following cases: if Walt is able to prove that has committed a minor crime or a crime that has not caused sever damage or loss to the concerned party. Legally, if he has caused damage and loss to the concerned party, he cannot be granted the Motion of Cause. Because as the motion of cause suggests that the evidence found during the search, it would not be allowed to be presented as evidence in court. 3) The CPIF stands for Cost plus incentive fee contract. Megacorp and Mesoco. in other words John and Jim and both their firms had a contract , as this contract was a CPIF contract , by law , Mesoco will have to pay the Amount as ruled by the court because of the implication that CPIF had on their contract . Legally it was not John or his firms' responsibility to know how Jim will complete the project. It was Jims Responsibility. As the CPIF indicates the cost of the project plus some bonus if all is successful. 4) Barbara was at fault initially, she did decide in hastiness, or what one might presume is that, now that she knew she had settled for a lesser amount, she thought this was a good way out. Other than that if we observe the other facts. Which are that she was not qualified enough to handle the project wholly. So she was honest enough to let Bill and Kathy know that she would not continue, if she would she would need an extension on the deadline as well as the assistance of two other people who would be able to do the job for her. For some extra cost. That extra cost was also specified in the mail correspondence. Furthermore, other than this if that wouldn't or couldn't be the case she herself volunteered to back out, and just be paid for the work she had done up till then. The contract she made with Microdev was true and very much there. They can hold her in court against making them suffer when they were half way through the project. Just because she was not careful enough to read all the specifications clearly does not let her buy herself out of the situation. Legally, also Bill and his firm can take her to court and possibly win, if they can prove their point. 5) Nanotechnocrats owe money to Microdev. It is quite sensible. But legally,

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Authenticity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Authenticity - Research Paper Example To neutralize gender norms, most women deliberately assume traits related to masculinity, and hence turn away from associations with women sets that may be alleged as being separatist or divisive. Women should stop shunning particular jobs due to gender norms. Women should grab their papers and join the world of manly jobs. Look, for instance, at Hollywood, engineering firms and pilots – women have fit into these industries in style. What women need is to believe in themselves and avoid the cultural beliefs which do no good to them (Uhl-Bien et al., 2012). Managers should assist their subordinates in discovering their talents as well as themselves by being a role model to them. Being a role model helps the subordinates borrow a leaf from the manager. By mentoring them â€Å"be like me† helps in discovering themselves since they try to imitate their bosses’ style. Through close monitoring, the managers are able to know their subordinates’ talents, thus knowing where they work best (Lubit,

The Trosack Family Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Trosack Family Decision - Essay Example The social worker would also identify and facilitate local and community based programs such as support groups and grief counselors since depression could become an issue for both Rita and Peter. The educator would provide education on Tay-Sachs disease. This could be a physician who specializes in genetic diseases or a nurse educator with an advanced knowledge of Tay-Sachs disease. Understanding the disease, including cause, expectations, and prognosis would be of utmost importance to Rita and Peter to help them grasp their situation on and begin to cope with it (Kaback, Rimoin and O'Brien, 1977). The genetic counselor could provide information regarding the risks of subsequent pregnancies and possibly shed some light into their family history related to the development of the disease. The case manager, in collaboration with the other healthcare team members, would be responsible for designing a unique and patient specific approach to Rita’s healthcare and both Rita and Peter ’s emotional wellbeing. Nurses have knowledge and decision-making skills in health assessment, diagnosis, offer therapeutics and health care management to the patient. They provide health care services that encompassing prevention of diseases and injuries and other support services. Their integration to the team would provide access to a wide range of primary health care services (Lapham, Kozma and Weiss 1996). Teaching plan Definition Tay Sachs disease (TSD) is also referred to as Hexosaminidase or GM2 gangliosidosis. It is an autosomal recessive disorder that is genetic. Infantile Tay Sachs disease causes a persistent deterioration of physical and mental abilities that begin at six months old more often than not results to death by age four (Lapham, Kozma and Weiss 1996). Genetic diagnosis TSD is caused by a genetic defect in a single gene which has one faulty copy gene inherited from the parents. The disease arises when dangerous amounts of cell membrane gangliosides build up in the nerve cells of the brain. They finally lead to the early death of those cells. A genetic mutation in the HEXA gene on chromosome 15 is the main cause of TSD. It is a hereditary disease. TSD takes place when the body lacks hexosaminidase A. This protein assists in the breaking down of gangliosides. Gangliosides build up when the protein is missing. When both parents carry the faulty TSD gene, their child has a 25 percent chance of getting the disease (Feetham, 1999). Treatment of TSD At present, no treatment is available for TSD. However, anticonvulsant medicine may be used to control seizures initially. Supportive treatment such as proper nutrition and hydration can be applied (Lapham, Kozma and Weiss, 1996). Prognosis of Tay-Sachs disease Children with TSD die usually by age 5 due to recurring infection. This is due to the complications that arise after the child is born. Support Groups Stress of the illness may be relieved by joining support groups whose members share c ommon problems and experiences such as the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association. Its aim is to lead the fight of treating and finding a cure for TSD. It also supports affected individuals and families to lead fuller lives. Such groups may also offer financial and emotional support. Pregnancy information Screening should be done before pregnancy and if possible before marriage. One partner can be screened and if the

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Authenticity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Authenticity - Research Paper Example To neutralize gender norms, most women deliberately assume traits related to masculinity, and hence turn away from associations with women sets that may be alleged as being separatist or divisive. Women should stop shunning particular jobs due to gender norms. Women should grab their papers and join the world of manly jobs. Look, for instance, at Hollywood, engineering firms and pilots – women have fit into these industries in style. What women need is to believe in themselves and avoid the cultural beliefs which do no good to them (Uhl-Bien et al., 2012). Managers should assist their subordinates in discovering their talents as well as themselves by being a role model to them. Being a role model helps the subordinates borrow a leaf from the manager. By mentoring them â€Å"be like me† helps in discovering themselves since they try to imitate their bosses’ style. Through close monitoring, the managers are able to know their subordinates’ talents, thus knowing where they work best (Lubit,

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Timothy McVeigh Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Timothy McVeigh - Research Paper Example Unarguably, the case of Timothy McVeigh is one of the most infamous and heinous crimes ever committed in the United States. It is second only to the damage wrought by the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York in damage to property lives claimed. What made it particularly significant, however, is the fact that McVeigh is an American citizen, which made his terrorist act homegrown as opposed to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which was perpetrated by foreign terrorists. This paper will explore the criminal theories behind his act as well as in the dynamics of the drama that unfolded in the course of his arrest and trial, which culminated in his execution. This is particularly because there was so little effort to comprehend his act and his motivations because there was a collective clamor for his death and nothing else just so he could no longer repeat his feat. The sentiment was understandable, as McVeigh – throughout the whole affair stood unmoved and unrepentant, coldly defending hi s action as rational and calling the victims â€Å"collateral damage† in his twisted notion of things. ... The tragic event, wrote Stein, effectively â€Å"shattered the mythic invulnerability of the American â€Å"Heartland†Ã¢â‚¬ . (p. 51) McVeigh was apprehended a little over an hour later on a different charge – that of transporting a firearm. â€Å"By August 1995, McVeigh and co-defendant Terry Nichols had been charged with conspiracy, use of weapon of mass destruction, destruction by explosives, and eight counts of first-degree murder.† (Greene and Heilburn 2010, p. 189) When McVeigh was apprehended, along with his cohort, Terry Nichols, America was again shocked to find that these clean-cut men, both served in the country’s armed forces, were responsible for planning and implementing an action that would kill hundreds of their countrymen. In the process, they methodically constructed and detonated bombs, with the plan as some sort of revenge and catalyst to his separatist movement. (Disilvestre 2003, p. 64) For this paraphrase, this is the information/d irect quote from the source (I will include the quotes if you want to use it): â€Å"Timothy McVeigh, just 29 years, was the ex-soldier convicted of constructing, planting and detonating the bomb that killed so many of his countrymen. Terry Nichols, 42, was convicted of helping McVeigh plan, purchase and steal materials in order to construct the bomb.† (Disilvestre, p. 64) Criminological Theories Again, it must be emphasized that contemporary interest on the motivational factors for McVeigh’s crime was close to nonexistent as many Americans wanted closure and the sense of security that came with finally putting the man who murdered hundreds of Americans to death. If the public and criminologists themselves bothered to look, there are existing criminological theories that could explain McVeigh’s behavior and

Narcissism in the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Narcissism in the Workplace Essay I. Introduction and Purpose Having an encouraging self-attitude, being self-assured, and having high self-esteem are worthwhile attributes in both work and personal life; some take these positive attributes to the extreme and become self-regarding, self-adoring, egocentric, and show little empathy for the problems and concerns of others. These people can be considered narcissists, and they can be especially problematic in business settings. Narcissists in work organizations, I believe, are more problematic than beneficial. They tend to cause problems in the workplace due to their toxic personalities. The purpose of this research paper is to prove my point that narcissists are more harmful in a workplace environment than helpful. I will point out the failures of companies due to narcissistic leaders. Although there are companies that are successful who have had a narcissistic leader such as Jack Welch and his company General Electric, it will not be covered in this paper. Secondly, I will make the point that narcissists as leaders are toxic for companies due to their relationship patterns and how it can hurt the business. Freud’s three types of personalities relate to interactions between people that helps further prove the point that narcissists are not beneficial in workplace environments. Thirdly, I will discuss possible techniques to cope with narcissistic leaders and how employees can get their opinions across to their leaders. II. Failures due to Narcissistic Leaders As narcissists become progressively self-assured, they act more impulsively. They feel free of constrictions, and their ideas and beliefs flourish. They believe they’re invincible, which further inspires followers’ enthusiasm and feeds into feelings of grandiosity. One example of a company’s failure due to narcissism is Pehr Gyllenhammar and Volvo. He had a vision that attracted a broad international audience—a plan to transform the industrial workplace by substituting the dehumanizing assembly line mimicked in Chaplin’s Modern Times. His wildly popular vision called for team-based craftsmanship. Model factories were built and publicized to international praise. But his success in pushing through these dramatic changes also sowed the seeds for his downfall. Gyllenhammar started to feel he could ignore the concerns of his operational managers. He pursued chancy and expensive new business deals, which he publicized on television and in the press. On one level, you can credit Gyllenhammar’s falling out of touch with his workforce simply due to faulty strategy. But it is also possible to blame it to his narcissistic personality. His overestimation of himself led him to believe that others would want him to be the leader of a worldwide enterprise. In turn, these fantasies led him to pursue a partnership with Renault, which was extremely unpopular with Swedish employees. Because Gyllenhammar was deaf to complaints about Renault, Swedish managers were forced to take their case public. In the end, shareholders aggressively rejected Gyllenhammar’s plan, leaving him with no option but to resign. At the University of Amsterdam, a study was taken by Nevicka Babora to determine whether or not narcissists make for good leaders. The study recruited 150 participants that were divided into groups of three. One person was randomly assigned to be the group’s leader; all were told they could contribute advice, but that the leader was responsible for making the decision. Then they undertook a group task: choosing a job candidate. Of 45 items of information about the candidate, some were given to all three, and some to only one of the participants. The experiment was designed so that using only the information all three were privy to, the group would opt for a lesser candidate. Sharing all the information that was given would lead to the best choice. After the interviews, the participants completed questionnaires. The leaders’ questions measured narcissism; the others assessed the leaders’ authority and effectiveness. As expected, the group members rated the most narcissistic leaders as most effective. But they were wrong. In fact, groups led by the greatest egotists chose the worse candidate for the job. Barbora said â€Å"The narcissistic leaders had a very negative effect on their performance. They inhibited the communication because of self-centeredness and authoritarianism.† III. Narcissistic Relationships in the Workplace As narcissists move higher up in position in a company, they are more likely to maintain relationships with coworkers who are willing to conform to their ideas and motives. Some people believe narcissists benefit the workplace environment because they are good at making relationships quickly with groups of people by charming people with their charismatic personality at the first initial meeting. They also benefit the company by them willing, and able to make whatever personal sacrifices are necessary to gain reputation and position. Taken to a certain degree, these narcissistic traits are valuable to the person and the organization. They signal â€Å"leader.† Yet, as Manfred Kets de Vries has said, â€Å"narcissism is a strange thing, a double-edged sword. Having either too much or too little of it can throw a person off balance.† Narcissists will often become obsessed with gaining power and control. They tend to make decisions on impulse, with no second thoughts, leading to potential problems. Narcissists have trouble working with others and they often do not take blame for their mistakes and they do not like to share credit for successes. Leaders with a narcissistic personality often like to surround themselves with an unquestioning loyal and uncritical staff because they do not like to feel threatened by a colleague. Also, they exploit others; forming relationships only with those he or she feels will advance his or her goals and self-esteem. Jon Carlzon, former CEO of the Scandinavian airline SAS, is a textbook example of how a narcissist’s weakness can cut short a brilliant career. Carlzon compared the ideal organization to the Brazilian soccer team; there would be no fixed roles, only innovative plays. When another input of thought of a more military form of organization was added that disagreed with Carlzon’s belief, he stated, â€Å"Well, that may be true, if your goal is to shoot your customers.† He did not engage in serious dialogue with his subordinates, displaying his trait of self-interest. He also ignored the issue of high costs, even when others pointed out SAS could not compete without improving productivity. He spent tons of money investing in unnecessary items right before his company filed for bankruptcy. Carlzon’s self-image became so enormously inflated that his feet left the ground. Freud: The Three Types of Personalities Freud identified three main types of personalities: erotic, obsessive, and narcissistic. Most of us have elements of all three; therefore, we are all somewhat narcissistic. One type of personality will dominate over the other, making us react differently to success and failure. i. Erotics tend to be the compassionate and caring. They care about being loved and believe that it is most important. Erotics are dependent on people they fear will stop loving them. Erotic’s are generally teachers, social workers, and nurses; positions which help others in need. Erotics do not make the best leaders because they try to avoid conflict as much as possible and they make people dependent on them. According to Freud, they are the outer-directed people. ii. Compared to erotics, obsessives are more inner-directed. These people tend to be more self-reliant and conscientious. They make the most effective managers in a workplace environment due to their ability to create and maintain order. They are constantly looking for ways to help people listen and understand better to resolve conflicts and find win-win opportunities. Obsessives want to constantly improve due to their conscience and their sense of moral improvement. The best obsessives communicate effectively and set very high standards. They make sure that all procedures are followed according to plan and within the budget. The most productive obsessives tend to be great mentors and team players. iii. The third type of personality is narcissistic. Narcissists are not easily impressed and independent. In business, they are driven by their innovation to gain power and glory. The best narcissists go above and beyond being experts in their industries and they crave the knowledge to know everything about the companies and products. Compared to erotics, they want to be admired not loved. They are not afraid to express their feelings and put others back in pursuit of their goals. At the moment of success, narcissists are at the greatest risk of isolating themselves out of all three personality types. Narcissists constantly look for enemies due to their independence and aggressiveness. The most toxic relationships to be made are with narcissists out of the three personality types because they are the most unstable. Generally, a relationship with a narcissist is short term because of their fear of having someone be more superior than them and due to their independence. IV. How to Cope Narcissists are not likely to realize they do not have narcissistic personality disorder nor do they know how to react when they sense they are being targeted. The best thing for a person to do in order to work well with a narcissist is to follow along with the narcissist’s ideas or plans. The best way to determine if a leader is a narcissist is finding certain qualities that narcissists display. If he or she talks frequently about him or herself, and constantly uses the word â€Å"I† and bullies and abuses those who work for him and intimidates others to get his way, these are signs of a narcissist. Also, another sign would be in public if he or she presents himself or herself as patient, congenial, and confident; however, in private is smug, arrogant, snobbish, and patronizing to subordinates and coworkers. The biggest situation you should try to avoid is not to confront the destructive narcissist directly. Confrontation with them can lead to rage and a feeling of being attacked, causing a highly malicious response. Whatever happens, stay as calm as possible and behave in an admiring manner to calm the narcissist down. Never show that you are afraid of a narcissist for they will try to use it to think that you are of lower authority than them. Get everything you can in writing and keep notes of things that narcissists may lie, bluff, threaten, and deceive about. Narcissists are likely to apologize when they have no one on their side if a mist of an argument or disagreement. They will confess their wrong doings and ask for forgiveness however, they will not mean or believe what he or she is saying. Narcissists rarely see their wrong-doings until they have no one that is admiring them, so they may fake their emotions in order for the person to feel guilty and put the blame for the situation on themselves. This also relates to narcissists taking back the things they say in order for themselves to get out of tight situations. Expect the destructive narcissist to break contracts and agreements. Protect yourself emotionally and financially from betrayal. Have a backup strategy should the destructive narcissist go back on his word, which he or she probably will. V. Conclusion Narcissistic leaders are bad for companies due to their constant admiration of themselves and inability to take criticism well. They listen to only the information they seek and they don’t learn easily from others. If a company is at its highest stress level, adding a narcissist to the stress load may cause the company failure. Works Cited Boyett, Joseph H., Ph.D. Surviving the Destructive Narcissistic Leader. Apr. 2006. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. Bruner, Robert, and Robert Spekman. Alliances: Lessons from Volvo- Renault. 2 Apr. 1998. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. Grunes, Dennis. MODERN TIMES (Charles Chaplin, 1936). MODERN TIMES (Charles Chaplin, 1936). 06 Nov. 2011. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. http://grunes.wordpress.com/2007/11/06/modern-times-charles-chaplin-1936/. Konnikova, Maria. The Narcissistic Leader: Not as Good as He (Or You) May Think. 24 Oct. 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. http://www.maccoby.com/Articles/NarLeaders.shtml. Maccoby, Michael. Harvard Business Review. Proc. of Weaknesses of the Narcissistic Leader. 02 Aug. 2006. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. http://www.maccoby.com/Articles/NarLeaders.shtml. Maccoby, Michael. Narcissistic Leaders: The Incredile Pros, the Inevitable Cons. Jan. 2004. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. Nevicka, Barbora. Narcissists Look Like Good Leaders—But They Aren’t! Association for Psychological Science RSS. 09 Aug. 2011 . Web. 26 Nov. 2012. http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/narcissists-look-like-good-leadersbut-they-arent.html. [ 1 ]. Grunes, Dennis. MODERN TIMES (Charles Chaplin, 1936). [ 2 ]. Bruner, Robert, and Robert Spekman. Alliances: Lessons [ 3 ]. Nevicka, Barbora. Narcissists Look Like Good Leaders—But They Aren’t! [ 4 ]. Quoted in Andrea Giampetro-Meyer, Timothy Brown, S. J M. Neil Browne, and Nancy Kubasek, â€Å"Do We Really Want More Leaders in Business?† Journal of Business Ethics, 17, no. 15, (November 1998): 1730. [ 5 ]. Maccoby, Michael. Harvard Business Review. The Rise and Fall of a Narcissist [ 6 ]. Maccoby, Michael. Harvard Business Review. Proc. of Weaknesses of the Narcissistic [ 7 ]. Boyett, Joseph H., Ph.D. Surviving The Destructive Narcissistic Leader.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Impacts Of Globalisation On The Economy Politics Essay

Impacts Of Globalisation On The Economy Politics Essay Globalization is driven by a combination of economic, technological, socio-cultural, political, and biological factors, integrating worldwide government policies and financial markets through trade and exchange of ideas. Several Factors has fuelled the pace of globalisation; technology, especially communications technology, transportation, deregulation and liberalisation of economic policies, free trade, removal of capital exchange controls, change in consumer awareness and wants and emerging markets in developing countries (MOHAMMED). The world is undergoing a continual transitional process as numerous people, societies, institutions and organisations of varying interests across the globe partake in this expansion. (Mohammed R). Also, whilst economic, social, political and cultural systems across societies become increasingly interdependent and complex, the old world order of managing economies and international relations is being rendered inadequate (Mohamed R). In this transitional flux, the future of the world society appears far from stable (Wallerstein). (i)Economy The ever growing dependence between global economies resulting from international trade of goods, services, finances and technological development paved the way for a global economy. Economic globalisation refers to the continual growth and reciprocated integration of world markets and is an unalterable trend which has been developing at an unprecedented rate since the turn of the twentieth century. Rapid technological development, particularly in areas of information and communication, are the two main forces that have fuelled economic globalisation (Gao). Further the expansion of science and technology has substantially reduced the cost of transportation and communication, making economic globalisation a smoother process (Gao). Centralised economies shifted focus to market economies and market oriented reform through world bodies like GATT, WTO, IMF and World Bank galvanised this process. Many countries have steadily reduced their tariff and other blockades whilst implement flexibl e financial policies (Gao). The development of the financial sector to serve the needs of international trade and investment actions has come to be the most influential aspect of economic globalisation. As the main ambassadors of globalisation, Multinational Corporations (MNC), like McDonald, Coca Cola and Levi amongst others are organising production and allocating resources worldwide with a view to maximising profit. Their global developments are altering and restructuring macro-economic systems across global economies.(Gao) The expansion of economic globalisation also resulted in the reshaping and restructuring of global industrial structures and activities. In recent years, developed western countries and the US, whilst taking advantage of the knowledge economy, have shifted many of their labour intensive industries with poor global competitiveness, to developing countries. Conversely, due to the existence of productivity surplus since the dismantling of the Soviet Union, international competition has intensified amongst enterprises from different countries. In order to leverage their international competitiveness, enterprises are resorting to swift mergers and acquisitions, resulting in a wave of industrial reorganization. Similarly, developed countries, taking advantage of the low wage structure in developing nations, set up factories there. However, if the labour laws are altered or stricter rules introduced to govern the manufacturing process, then these factories are closed down and relocated to o ther countries with more favourable policies.(shanta Sharma). With better access to technology and liberalising of policies, developed countries are capable of producing higher quality goods at lower prices. This gives them the advantage of favourable balance of trade and thus a greater control over global financial resources and wider markets. As the biggest benefactors of economic globalisation, the United States and other Western countries have wielded considerable economic and cultural power by taking advantage of their control over international economic and financial organisations to encourage and determine the development of globalisation.(Wallerstein) Developing countries have been playing a central role in the process of economic globalisation and this is mirrored in the fact that they establish the regulations for international economic exchanges. Whilst the globalisation process has enabled developing economies to strengthen their market position by, initiating better technologies, introducing foreign capital and management experience, they also face enormous risks. Several reports indicate that globalisation has increased rather than reduced the gap between the developed and developing countries. Secondly, these countries also face the threat of being unfavourably impacted by external factors. Under open market situations, the difference between the realisation of outside economic stability and internal economic stability puts a substantial limit on their macro-economies, weakening their control and regulation.(Gao) According to a recent United Nations Development Report (1996), whilst globalisation has been a catalyst in reducing poverty and enhancing the quality of life worldwide, for e.g. since the 1970s significant developments in China and India have played a major role in reduction of world poverty, the fact remains that economic growth is not balanced across the globe.(Shanta Sharma) The world today is so interconnected that the collapse of the subprime mortgage market in the U.S. has led to a global financial crisis and recession on a scale not seen since the Great Depression. Government deregulation and failed regulation of Wall Streets investment banks were important contributors to the crises.(Shanta Sharma) Globalisation in itself cannot bring about an equitable and rational new international economic order and an expansion in which developing countries are unable to evade the boomerang effects of globalisation or fully enjoy its benefits. (Wallerstein). (ii) Social As a consequence of the continual process of globalisation a diverse world in transition is surfacing, with significant de-localisation in social and economic changes (Mohamed R). Its one where change in socio-economic conditions is rendered by impersonal, non-institutional and non-ideological forces. Whilst the last quarter of the twentieth century has seen significant increase in communications, there is considerable decrease in person to person contact (Mohamed R). Many of the activities that involved face to face dealings are now conducted over larger distances. Activities and dealings have been displaced from local origins and cultures increasingly causing people to deal with distant systems. Banking and retailing for instance have implemented new technologies that entail less person to person interaction..(infed globalization) As a social and cultural process, globalization is increasingly exposing people to different ways of thinking, cultural values and family norms. (Jorg Grahm). Globalization is a phenomenon created through human activity and that in turn constantly changes human behavior and activity and has helped shape online communities. This has led to the evolution of new identities for people and a new phase of acculturation; new ideas, new methods of work, life and governance are being shared worldwide. Now more than ever, not only societal, but intra-familial issues are also being influenced by globalization (Jorg Graham). Globalizations most profound effect is on changing gender roles and the empowerment of women. Global proliferation of communication carries ideas and currents across continents, sensitizing people in remote areas to similar agendas and promoting mutual programs, promoting greater social justice and equality. One such example is the global campaign against brand names that exploit child labor. Whilst universal equality was the fundamental social and cultural value of traditional internationalism, contemporary globalizations only commitment is in perfecting the market it turns, including all cultural products into commodities. Whilst selling is universal, production is always local. In a social context, the basic ideology of globalization is not equality, but difference. Globalization unites the markets and divides individuals, as humans can be best used for purposes of global marketing if they act as individual consumers (shanta Sharma). Religion, region, language, caste, nationality and ethnicity are used to dismantle working class solidarities or to prevent them from emerging at the work place or residential communities. (Shanta Sharma). Whilst the current social order pretends to be an active one, increasingly headed towards a growing similarity of living conditions in all countries, it cannot counteract the fact that several thousands are still deprived of the basic ne cessities of a decent life. Racial unrest in Europe today is also a direct result of unrestricted legal and illegal immigration of people of different values, particularly those from North Africa and Asia. Whilst immigration has caused a sense of loss of their identity, they refuse to integrate into the host society to hold on to their allegiances. (Maddock) (iii) Cultural Cultural globalization refers to an increase in the exchange of cultural practices between countries and peoples involving the movement of ideas, information, images and people. Although practiced for thousands of years, economic and political globalization has contributed to a spurt in cultural globalization in recent decades. Giant strides in technology and communications, particularly the internet has been the single most important factor in breaking cultural boundaries across the globe facilitating immediate communication between people of varying lifestyles and cultures.(infed) . Additionally, new technologies and their utilization like commercial air travel, satellite television and mass communications and the internet have created a world where billions now consume and share identical cultural products sports, music, lifestyles, languages, entertainment as not evidenced before, determining a new global culture(Fabian global forum global know- gloablisation). In recent decades, there is a growing shift in power away from the nation state toward multinational corporations with the rise and globalization of brands like Coca Cola and McDonald. Employing a market strategy to establish their brands as an essential part of the way people see themselves they have captured a large global market, particularly the younger generation.(infed). With rapid strides in technology and communication, a new modern wave is emerging from the West and America; something that is defined as a popular culture. This new cultural globalization has easily transcended borders, reaching poor and rich countries alike, making no distinction. In developing countries it can be witnessed in a western style of dressing, use of cellular phones and popular usage of the English language among other things, bring about deep-seated changes in conventional local cultures, values and traditions (Louis de Lamare) Rising as a tributary to economic globalization, cultural globalization is slowly replacing the traditional nation-state and homogenizing cultures and conversely a loss of individual, national and ethnic cultural identities. Whilst cultural globalization can be a profoundly enriching process, opening minds to new ideas, experiences and strengthening the finest universal values of humanity, it also brings intrusions into the local norms, cultures and traditions of individual countries. Many cultures, particularly indigenous people, treasure their culture as their richest heritage, without which they have no roots or soul. Their culture cannot be quantified. (Levin). Many believe that such rampant exposure to foreign culture is undermining their own cultural identity. Whilst capitalism favors a fast paced environment and consumer culture, its a matter of conflict for other socialist societies are used to a different lifestyle and want to preserve their traditions.(lous Lamare) . Violen t reactions against the West by elements within Islamic society can be seen in this light.(Levin). Asian values are described as those embodying the ideals of respect, hard word, thrift and the belief of the importance of the community over the individual. These are coupled with preferences for economic, social and cultural rights, rather than political ones..(Mohamed R) In doing so, they have been able to protect and nurture their traditions in the face of utilitarian modernity, slack morals and globalization (Mohamed R) Another dimension to the negative aspects of cultural globalization is the imposing of one nations culture on another. The early 1990s attempts by the United States to dolphin ban sanctions against Mexico lead to heated governmental confrontations between the two countries. The issue was not that dolphins were endangered or even threatened species, but simply American cultural mores against the killing of these animals. The Japanese whaling issue has also come under a similar cultural scanner.(Levin) Conversely, many researchers also believe that globalization has a positive impact on the homogenizing effect of national cultures. Large television networks in India have given people a wider exposure and understanding of cultures in their own nation, reaffirming their own local traditions. (iv) Political Political globalization refers to an increasing trend toward multilateralism, in which the United Nations plays a key role, toward an emerging transnational state, and toward the emergence of national and international nongovernmental organizations that act as guardians over governments. Far reaching political changes have arisen from increased economic and social globalization, with developing or newly developed economics becoming even more dependent on the activities of developed economies such as the US where there is a centralization of capital and technical expertise.(Mohamed R) . The policies of national governments in capitalist countries are mainly determined by two important dynamics: the first is the state of the national process of capital accumulation and its relative international strength; the second is the balance of class forces both nationally and internationally.(Mohamed R) As a result, globalization has reduced of power of national governments to direct and influence their economies. Shift in economic activities in Japan or US are impacted all over the globe. The internationalization of financial markets, of technology and of some manufacturing and services bring with them a new set of limitations upon the freedom of action of nation states.(Mohamed R). To survive this market drive political globalization, it is deemed necessary for governments to handle the pressures of trans-national market forces as well as domestic economies. Whilst the influence of the nation states may have diminished as a part of the globalization process, it has not all together disappeared. The nation state remains as pivotal institution in creating conditions for effective national governance (Mohamed R). On a political map, whilst national boundaries are well demarcated, those indicating financial and industrial activity have largely overlapped or disappeared. Globalization has undermined the nation state, not only by shrinking resources under the national control for shaping economic and social outcomes, but it has reduced government legitimacy and control in the eyes of the public. (Mohamed R). The decline in national power and sovereignty in globalization is attributable to two important factors. One reflects the magnitude and velocity of international economic exchanges eroding the states capabilities and the other is the extent to which market relations across borders is diminishing the citizens attachment to national authority, reducing the states legitimacy. Citizens increasingly understand the relative economic strengths and weakness of their countries as products of specific national political arrangements and of different national cultures and not as the result of diverse national advantages. Contemporary politics in developed nations shows an increasing distrust of elected representatives. Unregulated flow of capital, labor, information from outside their country, resulting in unemployment delocalization of industry, immigrants, infiltration of undesirable material through the net are all attributed to poor government policies in allowing such lapses. Paradoxically , this one outcome of globalization is assisting governments to refocus political attention on the role of the state on the boundaries of national territory. In many advanced countries a new political camp has emerged to reinforce national control at the frontiers. (Mohamed R). Conclusion Globalisation involves the diffusion of ideas, practices and technologies and the increase of worldwide social relations which link distant localities, significantly impacting on the economic, social, cultural and political dimensions of nations and its peoples. Globalization, however, is not a new phenomenon. It has existed in at various levels since the development of agriculture (Mohamed R). While it saw a spurt in the late nineteenth century, it slowed down during the period from the First World War until the third quarter of the twentieth century (Shanta Sharma). This slowdown can be attributed to the inward-looking policies pursued by a number of countries in order to protect their respective industries. However, it was with the dismantling of the Soviet Union and destruction of the Berlin Wall that contemporary globalisation commenced, giving rise to a transitional world society. The recent recession has seen corporations and institutions from developed nations moving their focus to developing countries, particularly in the East. Cheap labour, relaxed industrial norms and the capacity to shift base at short notice to countries with more favourable policies have all significantly impacted on economic globalisation. The import of raw materials from developing nations is another advantage. Multinational corporations have shifted power away from the nation state with their brand globalization. However, whilst research does indicate that globalisation has been able to alleviate global poverty, it has in many respects deepened the gap between the rich and poor nations. Economic globalisation has brought in its wake significant and far reaching changes in socio-cultural activities as well as politics. With an increase in the exchange of cultural practices, attributable largely to the internet, there is on one hand a homogenization of cultures and the transgression and loss of national ethnicity and cultures. Further, globalization has undermined the nation state, not only by shrinking resources under the national control for shaping economic and social outcomes, but it by reducing governmental legitimacy. There is an increasing trend toward multilateralism, in which the United Nations plays a main part, toward an emerging transnational state. In this constant state of flux, it is difficult to say whether an equilibrium state of world society can be achieved.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Computers in Life :: Essays Papers

Computers in Life A man wakes up in the morning to the sound of his digital alarm clock and immediately checks his e-mail. He turns on the television, which has a V-chip to keep his children from watching what may be violent. He gets dressed, gets in his car, and drives to work where he works as the network administrator at a local steel company. It is amazing all of the things this man uses in the morning alone that would not be possible if it were not for computer technology. From his alarm clock to his e-mail even to the job that pays his bills it has all been made possible by computer related technologies. This is the same situation with many people in American society today. Everything has to do with computers. The very first things that we consider "computers" were nothing more than adding machines. "Perhaps the first example of this is the abacus, known in the Orient at least as early as 600 B.C."(Nunz 517). The abacus consists of a frame with rods that hold beads which depending on their posit ion represent a different number. It is usually made of wood and the rods that were thought to one time have been made of bamboo. Users can add, subtract, multiply, and divide just like modern calculator (Fernandes). It all started with calculating machines and has advanced to the fast microprocessors we have today. People use computers everyday in many forms from the computer that's in a car to a home PC. Computers have changed everyday life in the way society drives, communicates, and relaxes. Society has changed because of computer technology and it will probably never go back. One thing that is very important to most people, especially in this area, which in most cases involves a computer, is the car. This is due mostly to the lack of effective public transportation in the area. Cars get people where they need to go from the mall to work and back home again. For those fortunate enough to have year 2000 model cars there are some pretty amazing almost futuristic features. One of t hese is "adaptive cruise control" which monitors the car in front of the driver and brakes accordingly. This feature is in more expensive BMWs and the Mercedes-Benz S class (Car Go to the Store... 8). This should make it a little easier for those people who have to commute a great distance to and from work everyday.