Are Cell Phones Good for Health Essay Example for Free

Are Cell Phones Good for Health Essay Talking on a cellular phone or living near to a cell site does not cause cancer, according to a report by the Royal Society of Canada. The society looked at GSM networks, mobile phones, cell site antennas and roof top aerials, on behalf of Health Canada. They did, however say that the existing safety limits for maintenance staff working on the cell sites, and should be revised to take into account possible damage to the eyes, due to the unique physiological make up of the eye. Upgrade handsets: If you are using too old handset, upgrade it to some recent handset which has released in last 1-2 years. Recent handsets use low power and take care of reflections to save battery as well as high radiations. Use standard handsets: Some cheap mobiles do not maintain standards. Always use handsets from branded companies. Cheap phones can be harmful to life. Use Bluetooth: Use Bluetooth headset/hands free to talk on phone. Bluetooth operates on low frequency. You can put the phone in back pocket. Use PC software: SMS chatting is most common in youngsters. Most of brands provide PC connectivity software’s; some 3rd party tools are also available. Connect cell phone to PC through Bluetooth, keep mobile at a distance and enjoy SMS. Use Flight Mode: Switching off and on mobile might be tedious when it’s not in use. Use flight mode profile of phone to deactivate radio signals, it will perform same operation as switch off but keeping other functions on. Avoid Mobile Internet: Get a wired internet connection for PC to use at home. Avoid using mobile internet connections (GPRS and 3G based). You will always find a cheaper wired internet option in this competitive market.

Self Confidence And Leadership

Self Confidence And Leadership Purpose The purpose of this study is to test empirically whether a relationship exists between self confidence and leadership, with self efficacy as a mediator. This effect is studied with respect to gender differences among the sample population. Design/methodology/approach An online questionnaire was administered to students of XLRI, Jamshedpur. The questionnaire measured the students on various parameters like self confidence, self efficacy, and leadership quality. Gender differences were also recorded for the same. Findings There is a significant relation between self confidence and leadership of an individual, with self efficacy fully mediating this relationship. Also, it was seen that gender plays an important role in defining the leadership among management students. Research limitations/implications Only management students of a B-school were taken as sample. Also, this study administered a structured questionnaire with cross-sectional design. Future research is required on various other parameters that effect leadership quality of an individual. Practical implications The research is carried on management students. Hence, it is expected to act as a guide for organisations in determining the effectiveness of future managers with respect to co-relation between levels of self confidence and their display of leadership behaviour. Originality/value This paper studies the direct effect of self confidence and indirect effect through self efficacy on leadership quality among students of a B-school and how gender differences affects this relationship model. This model, though earlier studied in parts will now be researched upon in totality. Keywords Self confidence, Self efficacy, Leadership, Gender, XLRI, Jamshedpur, India Paper type Research Paper Introduction Leadership has become an important determinant managerial ability. Leadership has been defined as the ability to execute, organize, communicate, motivate and inspire. Several approaches have been proposed for the assessment of leadership ability. These range from specific theories of leadership, such as trait theory, to specific kinds of leadership, such as transformational leadership, to specific dimensions, such as goal setting. However, lately, the best assessment of leadership is on the ability to inspire others through positive exemplary behaviour and through empathetic communication. As such the best description of leadership ability might comprise ability to: Exercise discipline over oneself, demonstrate clarity of thought of life, and possess a well rounded worldview and philosophy on life that combines personal mastery and public interdependence in a benign, non-manipulative way. Display compassion from others point of view, and to truly empathize with others and know their motivations, concerns and preconceptions. Communicate effectively on the basis of an accurate assessment of others perspective and their various levels of drives and motivation. That is, to construct the most appropriate message, and encode and deliver it through language and otherwise in the best way possible so that the recipient has thorough understanding of the idea being communicated. Draw from ones clarity of thought powers of empathy and freedom from vanity so as to assess the situation around him accurately, and to draw a vision of a lofty but attainable future which he considers to be desirable and beneficial to the largest number of people. To inspire large numbers of people towards a common, highly meaningful and motivating goal; guiding and showing them how it is achievable, while facilitating communication at every stage To maintain utmost consideration for, and a personal bond with, the people for and with whom he is working in the process elevating them and making leaders out of them in turn. The above characteristics what a leader is supposed to achieve. However these characteristics are difficult to measure over a short period of time, so alternative methods are use. One such method has been used in this study. Organizations are constantly on the lookout for executives who display these behaviours. As such they are constantly on the lookout for methods which can help predict the leadership abilities of prospective members of the organization. Self confidence is one such measure of leadership abilities (Kaplan, 1986; Popper and Mayseless, 2007). It is considered to be one of the fundamental building blocks of leadership ability and indispensible to leadership success. A person with a high level of faith in himself or herself is likely to be a better executor and motivator. Only a high degree of self confidence can enable a person to make the effort and the choices that go into developing leadership ability. A related trait that is crucial to leadership is self efficacy. The ability to handle adverse situations by taking charge of situations has been found to be determinant of leadership in situations requiring change. This is important because ability to lead positively, empathetically and ethically while facing tough competitive situations requires a belief that one can successfully negotiate such situations without compromising. Furthermore, gender has been an area of focus in study of leadership styles. Studies have pointed out that gender is related to leadership style and performance on various leadership dimensions. Given that leadership abilities of women are expected to draw from somewhat different strengths than men, it can be expected to affect the relationship between self confidence, self efficacy and leadership. Hence we see that there is a need to study the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between self confidence and leadership. Furthermore, given the significant differences found in leadership parameters of men and women, it is important to see how the strength of the relationship between self confidence and leadership abilities is affected by gender. Hence in this study, we seek to study the mediation effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between self confidence and leadership with gender as the moderating variable. Research background and hypotheses Efforts to pinpoint the influences on leadership skills have focussed, for the greater part of the twentieth century, on individual factors such as personality traits and behavioural attributes. In a 1948 literature review, over a 100 studies on trait approach were reviewed and it was found that traits like interpersonal skills, initiative, intelligence and integrity were consistent with leadership capabilities (Daft, 2005). Studies on individual traits have included research on various traits such as honesty, interpersonal skills, initiative etc. Studies have also talked about traits like self-confidence and self-efficacy in relation to leadership (Popper and Mayseless, 2007; Hautala, 2005). This study carries forward these ideas while also attempting to add to knowledge of leadership by studying factors which lead to leadership as well as the way in which other factors moderate this relationship. Self-confidence Self-confidence is a personality trait. One of the most widely accepted definitions of it comes through the Trait Theory of Leadership wherein it is considered one of the most important personality traits used to identify potential leaders (Daft, 2005). If we were to take a more contemporary definition of self-confidence, Merriam-Webster Online defines it as confidence in oneself and in ones powers and abilities. Although there is no singular definition of self-confidence as a construct, a lot of research has been done on the subject and various authors have defined it in different ways. For instance, the reasons for development of self-confidence in an individual have been identified by various authors. Self-confidence may result from a persons belief in whether he or she can performs a task a belief derived from whether or not they succeeded in performing the task in the past (Burns, 1993). On the other hand, self-confidence has also been said to develop in two phases. First, you examine whether you are capable of handling, or have adequate information about, a task and then based on this analysis you decide whether you can handle the task in the present context or situation (Koriat et al, 1980). Self-confidence has most often been linked with the concept of self-efficacy and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Apart from gaining experiential knowledge, a persons self-confidence may also increase through appropriate motivational mechanisms or through reinforcement behaviours (Bandura, 1977). The components of self-confidence have also been studied and they can be divided into internal and external components, ranging from self-love for the former to assertiveness for the latter (Lindenfield, 1995). There are also certain general behavioural indications, which have been linked to self-confidence as components or attributes, viz. a persons air of assurance and the fact that his entry or exit from a space is considered to be of note (Goleman, 1998) In an analysis of self-confidence as a concept, we can find those attributes, which are most representative of self-confidence as a stand-alone concept. These attributes include belief in positive achievements, persistence and self-awareness all of which our questionnaire attempted to capture (White, 2009). Personal characteristics such as willingness to take initiative, effectiveness, self-esteem etc. have also been variously linked to self-confidence (Kacmar and Young, 1998; Pool and Sewell, 2007). Self-confidence measures have, for the most part, continued to measure the attributes mentioned above. However, some new scales to measure it have been developed in recent years, mostly for use in specific professions. The Self-confidence Attitude Attribute Scale was developed to measure the ability of students as well as the amount of work they are willing to perform in order to succeed (Nokelainen et al, 2007). A new measure, the Perceived Self-confidence Scale was also developed for n urses in order to gauge the correlation between willingness to take up managed care and perceived self-confidence (Hayes, 2003) Self-efficacy Self-efficacy is also a construct related to personality and was first developed as part of a study on behavioural change (Bandura, 1977). It was initially defined in terms of an element which helps in development of learning abilities, especially for social or cognitive skills. The concept gained currency over the years and may now be defined as the conviction that one can act in accordance with certain predetermined norms and that such actions will lead to the successful achievement of objectives (Ormrod, 1999). It can also be defined as the belief that our actions can have a modifying effect on the environment and, hence, bring about changes or achieve goals (Steinberg, 1998). Elsewhere self-efficacy, especially among students has been examined and has been described as being capable of imagining oneself achieving a goal completely or as far as one desired to achieve it (Smalley, 1998). It has also been described as, simultaneously, an influence on and a result of socio-cultural n orms and ethnic background (Pajares, 2002). As mentioned above, a similarity of concepts has often led to self-efficacy being used interchangeably with self-confidence. This is also true in the case of efficacy, self-esteem and self-concept. Efforts to distinguish efficacy from self-efficacy have focussed on the fact that efficacy represents actual ability whereas self-efficacy represents a belief in ones ability to accomplish a goal in a designated manner (Sue et al, 2005). The sources which lead to self-efficacy as well as the factors which impact it have been divided under four broad headings learning derived from experiencing something in the past; learning from or comparing oneself with others; persuasion from social relations or even institutions and finally, our reactions to the physiological changes within us during specific situations (Bandura, 1977). Self-efficacy also has certain consequences on behaviour. For example it leads to greater effort and increased focus on ach ievement of goals (Schunk, 1990). It may also make one more competent in generating enthusiasm and motivation for a task (Gonzalez et al, 1990). On the other hand, low self-efficacy could also lead to the reverse, i.e. low competence due to lack of belief in oneself (Pajares, 2002). Self-efficacy, apart from being linked to the above-mentioned constructs (with which it is frequently interchanged), also has an impact on the way we think and act, our thought patterns and behaviour (Bandura, 1977). In order to define self-efficacy or to apply it to their research, theorists and researchers began to devise new ways to describe and measure the construct of self-efficacy. Initially self-efficacy was primarily measured on the General Self-Efficacy Scale (Scherer et al, 1982). However, more recently, apart from the universally accepted scales such as the Generalised Self-Efficacy Scale (Jerusalem and Schwarzer, 1995), other scales have been developed, such as the Scale of Perceived Social S elf-Efficacy (Betz and Smith, 2000). The latter was developed to measure self-efficacy expectations in the context of actions taken or behaviour demonstrated in social situations. There were six sub-factors to self-efficacy, in this scale, and they included performance in public situations as well as social assertiveness. These scales have also been modified according to the needs of the research (Matsushima and Shiomi, 2003). Leadership Leadership has been identified in various forms over the years. It has alternately been considered a combination of traits, of behaviours, of contingency actions etc. It can be defined as the process by which an individual encourages others, or works with others, to achieve certain shared goals (Chemers, 2002). Over time this definition has become more expansive and now includes the interrelationship between the leader and his followers. Leadership as a construct has evolved over time and this evolution can be divided into six broad types of leadership theories (Daft, 2005). The Great Man Theory of leadership defined it as inherent ability which set apart one man from the rest and he was recognised as a leader while the Trait Theory, which was in currency for nearly half a century, tried to identify those traits which can be influencers or predictors of leadership ability (Robbins, 2008). Other theories have included study of leadership behaviours, leaderships impact on followers, le adership actions to be taken in emergency, interrelationship between leadership and change etc. (Yukl, 1981). ). Leadership or leadership quality (which has been used as a construct in our survey and our research) has also been defined in terms of the people orientation and task orientation of individuals (Hemphill and Coons, 1957; Likert, 1979; Blake and Mouton, 1985). The reasons for leadership definitions being focussed on these two dimensions are the importance of both to the organisation as well as the fact that the presence of both, in an effective leader, is necessary. Irrespective of whether the two orientations are displayed simultaneously or at different situations, it is clear that extensive research has determined them to be present in successful and admired leaders (Fleishman and Harris, 1962). The various constructs which have been related to leadership over time include emotional intelligence and social intelligence (Goleman and Boyatzis, 2008), integrity and self-con fidence (Trait Theory) and other more elusive constructs such as charisma (Influence Theories). There has been a great deal of empirical evidence over the years to suggest that leadership is affected by self-confidence (Bass, 1985; Popper, 2004 etc.) and also by self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977; Paglis and Green, 2002 etc.). Various measures have been developed over the years to capture the elusive and ever-changing construct of leadership. Some of the scales developed in the last decade included the Revised Self-leadership Scale (Houghton and Neck, 2002), revisions to existing scales on Leadership Scale for Sport and Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire (Nazarudin et al, 2009), etc. Self-confidence and Leadership From the literature which was reviewed, it was clear that self-confidence was an important part of an individuals personality and, hence, should be an important factor in the development of leadership in him. But, first it needed to be proved that personality has an effect on development of leadership or on demonstration of leadership behaviour. The study of relationship between leadership and personality has found significant interdependence between the two, with self-confidence being an important element of a leaders personality (Hautala, 2005). In one such study personality was divided into four clusters and it was proved that certain types of personality demonstrated greater leadership behaviour (Church and Waclawski, 1998). However, in order to relate the constructs of self-confidence and leadership, more research has been conducted, both empirical and conceptual. While studying transformational leadership through a survey feedback session, it was discovered that one of the important personality components, for those who scored high on leadership was self-confidence (Bass and Riggio, 2006). Similarly a study on the building-blocks of leadership development, has also shown that self-confidence was the most evident variable when it came to determining ability to lead others (Popper and Mayseless, 2007). When it comes to leadership in a business environment, there is ample research to suggest that business leadership is also dependent, to a great extent, on self-confidence. For instance, there has been research on managerial self-confidence and organisational change. The study attempts to formulate a new concept of self-confidence, which can lead to better managerial performance in terms of leading an orga nisation towards change (Bowman, 1999). The current economic environment requires a new set of business leaders with new ideas and a confident leader as well as earning confidence through respect is an important means of achieving success (Darling and Nurmi, 1995). A profiling tool on public sector managers had also discovered a lack of leadership confidence among them, which affected their ability to provide inspiration and support to subordinates and colleagues (Women in Management Review, 2007). Entrepreneurship can intuitively be considered a direct firm of leadership and studies have demonstrated that among MBA students (our sample), higher self-confidence can be statistically correlated with higher levels of entrepreneurship-orientation (Koh, 1996; Turker and Selcuk, 2009). A study on communication in groups has also shown how self-confidence is essential for improved communication (Education + Training Journal, 1960). For prospective managers it, therefore, becomes necessary to develop self-confidence as a means to developing leadership and even communication skills. Self-confidence and self-efficacy As mentioned earlier, self-confidence and self-efficacy are often used interchangeably, primarily due to the similarity of the constructs, which are both dependent on a sense of self-belief. While self-confidence is the belief in ones abilities, self-efficacy is the belief that one is capable of performing a certain task in an expected manner. Studies on either of these constructs tend to focus on the other as well. In a conceptual study on use of these constructs for therapy, self-confidence was advocated for the common man whereas self-efficacy was recommended for use in (Ulmer, 1998). The study felt that self-efficacy had more empirical support as a construct and, hence, self-confidence could be considered a sort of sub-set of self-efficacy, whereby, higher self-confidence would imply higher self-efficacy. The relationship between the two, with self-efficacy playing an important mediating role between self-confidence and effective performance, has also been empirically validated b y another study (Orpen, 1999). Not only are the two concepts interrelated but they can also be used a substitutes for each other for example self-efficacy can be seen as a private form of shoring up faith in oneself, while self-confidence can be seen as the external image we need to present to society in order to succeed It has been suggested that self-confidence can be either a trait or something that is specific to certain situations (Pool and Sewell, 2007). There have also been attempts to redefine these personality traits as contextual concepts so that it would easier to measure them and also to work towards developing them in individuals. It would also be easier to map the exact relation between the two, i.e. how the increase in one leads to increase in the other (Pool and Sewell, 2007). Most attempts at measuring one or the other have culminated in both being measured as a factor of the other. Confidence has been included as one of the six dimensions on the Occupational Self- efficacy Scale (Pethe et al, 1999). Similarly, a study on the Israeli military used the construct of self-confidence as a combination of 3 variables, one of which was self efficacy (Popper et al, 2004). Variants of the constructs have also been found to be related to each other. For example, Social Self-efficacy has been proved to have a high correlation with Social Confidence (Betz and Smith, 2000). Thus, we may say that an increase in self-confidence or high levels of self-confidence is mirrored by correspondingly high levels of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy and leadership It has been seen that high level of self efficacy makes a person better suited for leadership role than a person with a low level of self efficacy. Through the Social Learning Theory, it was demonstrated that leadership development increases with high levels of self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977). Leadership involves being committed to the organisation you work for and self-efficacy at the workplace plays an important role in increasing this commitment (Rastogi and Rathi, 2009). A construct called Leadership Self-Efficacy (LSE) was also designed and the relationship, between LSE and an increase in leadership behaviours, was empirically validated (Green and Paglis, 2002). Studies have not only related individual self-efficacy and leadership but have also shown how increase in a leaders self-efficacy, so far as it pertains to his leadership abilities and job performance, have a positive effect on self-efficacy of the team or group that is being led (Sanchez and Villanueva, 2007). Self-effica cy is also necessary for achievement of stated objectives and the construct has been found meaningful for developing better performances in an organisational setting (Appelbaum and Hare, 1996). Other research has also tried to establish a correlation between self-efficacy at work and the personal traits which can be considered essential for leadership (Schyns and Sczesny, 2010). Career success which could be defined as being able to reach a level of influential leadership is also positively affected by self-efficacy (Ballout, 2009). There has also been an interest in transformational leadership and its relation to self-efficacy for leaders, both male and female (Sanders and Schyns, 2005). For those working in expatriate roles or leading global organisations, self-efficacy has been found to be an important criterion for success (Ang and Dyne, 2006). Self-efficacy also leads to greater job involvement, a prerequisite for effective leadership (Lin et al, 2009). The ability to lead new companies or begin a new venture has been found to be positively affected by high self-efficacy (Alvarez et al, 2006). Self-confidence, self-efficacy and leadership Based on the discussion above, we can say that there is a positive relationship between self-confidence and leadership, self-confidence and self-efficacy and self-efficacy and leadership. But in order to study the relationship between self-confidence and leadership, with self-efficacy as a mediator, further research was involved. The Social Learning Theory was one of the first in establishing a correlation between these three constructs since it showed self-confidence to be an important element of self-efficacy while also establishing its relation with leadership development (Bandura, 1977). Any comprehensive study of leadership as a concept tends to include self-confidence and self-efficacy as two of the most important factors in possessing or developing leadership skills (Conger et al, 1988). Self-confidence and self-efficacy have also been found to influence the thought patterns or actions which lead to leadership development (Popper, 2004). Both self-efficacy and self-efficacy ha ve been shown to have an impact on a persons job capabilities and, hence, ultimately his leadership capabilities as well (Pool and Sewell, 2007). Self-confidence and self-efficacy have also been independently correlated to entrepreneurial leadership abilities and, considering the correlation between the two constructs, one can say that an increase in one would lead to an increase in the other and finally to an increase in leadership abilities (Turker et al, 2008; Alvarez et al, 2006). Attempts to develop future leaders have also shown that increasing self-efficacy and motivating employees to have greater self-confidence are integral to the process (Popper and Lipshitz, 1993). From empirical and theoretical research, the two constructs of self-confidence and self-efficacy have been shown to be related conceptually, since both are dependent on self-belief to a great extent. If we posit that self-confidence has a positive correlation with leadership, then an increase in one should lead to a corresponding increase in the other. However, since self-confidence is related to self-efficacy and self-efficacy is related to leadership, any increase in self-confidence will lead to increase in self-efficacy, which in turn would increase leadership ability. Genders Moderating Role on the Model The definition of gender includes the practices, beliefs and norms, internalised by men and women, with reference to their roles in society. Thus, gender influences individual decision making according to societal expectations. As a sociological entity, it also affects the development of personality and, hence, of traits such as self-confidence and self-efficacy. There has been significant research on how gender affects leadership. The possibility of women attaining leadership roles has been studied with reference to whether a glass ceiling exists and how evaluation of (and by) either gender tends to have an element of bias (Weyer, 2007). There is research to suggest that the types of roles or leadership positions offered to women are often significantly different compared to men (Lantz and Maryland, 2008). The differences in leadership orientation or style, between men and women, have also been studied to identify the varying ways in which they handle change and transformation (Yane z and Moreno, 2008). Leadership effectiveness has been analysed to show that gender differences exist (Chow, 2005). Not only does gender affect leadership but it also has an impact on various abilities and competencies which affect leadership. Studies have shown that women tend to score higher on emotional intelligence, which is generally identified with leadership (Bauch and Rucinski, 2006). There is also a significant difference in the extent to which men and women possess these success-predicting attributes (Hopkins and Bilimoria, 2008). In a study, which is of particular interest to this research, entrepreneurship skills (linked to leadership in the discussion above) were found to be influenced by levels of self-confidence. The self-confidence levels for men and women were qualitatively proved to be different, hampering women in their quest for leadership development and success. Thus, we can say that gender has an influence on the relationship between self-confidence and leader ship. Based on the discussion above, the following hypotheses are proposed: H1. Self-confidence has an impact on leadership quality. H2. Self-confidence has a positive impact on self-efficacy. H3. Self-efficacy has an impact on leadership quality. H4. Self-confidence has an impact on leadership quality by increasing self- efficacy. H5. Gender has an impact on the relationship between self-confidence and leadership quality. Research Model Self-Confidence Self Efficacy Leadership Gender Methods Sample The survey was administered to management students of XLRI of batch 2008-10 and 2009-11. There are total 420 students (294 males and 126 females), out of which 68.03% of the students chose to participate. The response consisted of 127 males and 73 females. Using stratified sampling, 102 males and 58 females were chosen using random number generator. The average age of the sample is around 25 years. The questionnaire was a self-administered questionnaire and it was sent to students using internet. Measure The constructs used here were measured using Likert and Likert-type scale with different range used for different constructs. Leadership quality It is measured using 5-point Likert type scale developed by. A sample item is The more challenging a task is, the more I enjoy it. Self confidence it is measured using 5-point Likert scale developed by Sherer et als (1982). A sample item is I avoid facing difficulties. Self efficacy it is measured on a 4-point Likert type scale using Schwarzer and Jerusalems General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale (Schwarzer and Jerusalems, 2010). A sample item is If I am in trouble, I can usually think of a solution. Also, gender has been used as a moderator which is a dichotomous variable asking if the respondent is a male or a female. Analysis For the analysis, different methods have been used for different purposes. For measuring the reliability of various constructs the Cronbachs alpha has to be calculated for all the constructs defined in the model. For proving H1, H2 and H3 we are using linear regression model to find out the significance of relationship between the constructs of Self confidence, self-efficacy and Leadership Quality. In order to evaluate the effect of mediator we use the mediator model with multiple regression analysis or MRA which consists of four sequential steps to find out the significance of mediation and the effect of mediation. This analysis supports H4. For evaluating the effect of gender as the moderator, we first do regression analysis between the predictor and the consequent while including only the male gender in the analysis and then we do the same analysis using the female gender. This is done to find out whether gender has a significant role to play on how self-confidence affects leaders hip quality in a person. We use SPSS software to carry out our analysis. Results Reliability: In order to test the consistency of a construct, Cronbachs alpha is calculated. Following are the results for the same. According to some professionals, as rule of thumb, if value of alpha is 0.7 or higher, the construct is considered as reliable. Construct Cronbach alpha Reliability Leadership Quality 0.847 Yes Self Confidence 0.681 Yes Self Efficacy 0.889 Yes Effect of Self confidence on Leadership Quality: This

Dialogue †Bitter Breakup :: Dialogue Conversation Essays

Dialogue – Bitter Breakup Oh, hi, honey... No, no, I'm fine, I was just expecting to get your machine. Aren't you usually at, like, hockey practice around now? Oh, right, you quit hockey to help with your dad's business. I forgot. Heh. No, I don't remember what you and Todd were talking about at lunch. Yeah, I'm sorry I wasn't paying much attention; my mind was thinking about something else. What? Oh, I don't know, I was probably thinking about a conversation I had with Natasha today. Sweetheart, I... What? Yeah, I totally hate Mr. Simmons, too. It is unfair that he only gave your essay 85%, but come on, I worked my ass off on my essay, and I only got 70% on it. And your topic wasn't all that interesting, to be honest. I mean, "Romeo and Juliet: A Tragedy of Unawareness"? More like a tragedy of Leo; how many movies does that marvelous creature have to die in? Anyway, I think that my essay was much more thought out: "Homeless People Are People, Too." I put a lot of work into it; I even made references to an article I read in People. Oh, I can hardly wait to go to New York this summer. The Empire State building, the Statue of Liberty, the Sears tower... What? Oh, that's sweet... Oh, yes, of course I'll miss you, too. I'm sorry, my mind must have drifted for a second. Yes, school is keeping me really busy. Can we talk for a second? Okay, I know we're already talking, but I mean seriously. Not just small talk. I mean it. Please? Okay, thanks. Um, well... It's that... Idon'tthinkweshouldseeeachotheranymore. I said, "I don't think we should see each other anymore." Because we're just different people. I know it sounds lame, but -- Don't be upset, we are different. And I've tried to deal with it; I really have. But you seem to think that you can just live your life without any responsibility, disrupt my life, my schoolwork, and my relationships with other people and --No, I don't mean other guys, I meant my friends and family, you idiot... I didn't mean that. I didn't, you're just not letting me finish. Can I finish? Thank you. It's just that you don't seem to think you need to put any work into this relationship. You think that I'll do everything and we'll be fine.

Internet and Education :: Teaching Essays

Internet and Education Since the Internet was created it has always had an effect on education. After military establishments Universities were the first real contributors to the Internet's structure. The Internet has vastly improved education. There are so many ways that education and the Internet are connected these days. Almost every textbook has a corresponding Internet sight including the one for this course. [http://www.scsite.com/dc2002/ Some sites like these contain valuable tools and accessories to aid in the learning process. As well as notes and multimedia displays, they may include things like hypertext chapters. In the future, there may not even be a need for paper textbooks. The Internet has also enabled teachers to teach a class from thousands of miles away. With video conferencing, a professor in Guam can teach a class in Michigan in close to real-time. Virtually all libraries are now connected over the Internet. At Lake Superior State University you can check the catalogs of almost any library and even check out books from nearby libraries. The Internet has made it easy for researchers to obtain information. No longer do you have to travel to get rare documents they are now just a few clicks away. The corresponding Internet site for this textbook greatly improves the overall effect on the education of students. Students have quick access to any part of the text. They also receive visual and audio stimulation, which has been proven to increase the amount of information the student remembers. Some students are simply not strictly audio learners. Listening to a professor or teacher lecture sometimes just isn't enough for students. With the site they can review material quickly and easily and see the multimedia imagery at their own pace. Students can even take practice tests to see if they have learned the material. Perhaps one of the most impressive things that the Internet has done to improve education is videoconference teaching. Not only can this connect the teacher to a class thousands of miles away; it can also connect a class with other groups or events such as a city counsel meeting. Different classes can interact and discuss topics, or perhaps sit in on a discussion of experts. Some sites such as Global Nomads Group [http://www.gng.org/] offer assistants to educators when it comes to videoconferences.

Albert Einstein Essays -- Essay s Papers

Albert Einstein Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Ulm Germany. He lived there with his parents, Herman and Pauline. After a year in Ulm, due to the failure of his father's electrical and engineering workshop, the Einstein family moved to Munich (the capital of Bavaria), where after a year in residence there, Einstein's mother had Maja, Einstein's sister. Despite the fact that he was Jewish, from age five until age ten, Einstein attended a Catholic School near his home. But, at age 10, Einstein was transferred to the "Luitpold Gymnasium," where Latin, Greek, History, and Geography were pounded into childrens' heads. His parents wanted him to finish school, get his diploma so he could go to a University, and then become an electrical engineer. But Einstein had other Ideas for his future. Einstein's father wanted him to attend a university but he could not because he did not have a diploma from the Gymnasium. But there was a solution to this problem over the Alps, in Zurich, there was The Swiss F ederal Institute of Technology which did not require a diploma to attend. The one thing it did require was the applicant to pass an entrance exam. But then yet another problem arose, most scholars were 18 when they entered the institute, and Einstein was only 16. Einstein took the risk, and in the autumn he was dispatched over the Alps. Einstein took the exam, but did not pass. The principal of the school was impressed with his abilities, so he was admitted to the cantontal scho... Albert Einstein Essays -- Essay s Papers Albert Einstein Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Ulm Germany. He lived there with his parents, Herman and Pauline. After a year in Ulm, due to the failure of his father's electrical and engineering workshop, the Einstein family moved to Munich (the capital of Bavaria), where after a year in residence there, Einstein's mother had Maja, Einstein's sister. Despite the fact that he was Jewish, from age five until age ten, Einstein attended a Catholic School near his home. But, at age 10, Einstein was transferred to the "Luitpold Gymnasium," where Latin, Greek, History, and Geography were pounded into childrens' heads. His parents wanted him to finish school, get his diploma so he could go to a University, and then become an electrical engineer. But Einstein had other Ideas for his future. Einstein's father wanted him to attend a university but he could not because he did not have a diploma from the Gymnasium. But there was a solution to this problem over the Alps, in Zurich, there was The Swiss F ederal Institute of Technology which did not require a diploma to attend. The one thing it did require was the applicant to pass an entrance exam. But then yet another problem arose, most scholars were 18 when they entered the institute, and Einstein was only 16. Einstein took the risk, and in the autumn he was dispatched over the Alps. Einstein took the exam, but did not pass. The principal of the school was impressed with his abilities, so he was admitted to the cantontal scho...

Google: Entry to China Essay

Google is widely known as a technology company that created a search engine site proven to be a helpful tool for most people because it helps you find the most relevant answer from the all the websites. This led to their success in the US market and worldwide. However, Google faced numerous criticisms on their business strategy to enter China, a market widely known for its government’s restrictions on content on the Internet, often referred to as the â€Å"Great Firewall of China† (As cited in Hoegberg, 2013, para. 2). With potential of long-term financial gain of doing business in China, should Google continue to do business with a market that is in conflict with its business motto? Google Background When founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin collaborated on creating a search engine site in 1996, their mission is to organize a seemingly infinite amount of information on the web (â€Å"Our History in Depth†,n.d., para. 4 & 5). The company later on received recognition from PC Magazine as the search engine of choice (â€Å"Our History in Depth†,n.d., para. 9). Then in 2004, Google, Inc. offered an IPO at $85 and closed at $194 at year-end 2004 reaping the IPO investors a healthy gain (Travlos, 2012, para. 1). Post-IPO Google, Inc. means finding more sources for revenue for the company. Google ventured outside of the web search engine market by creating applications for mobile, media brosing, home & office, social media and the list goes on and on (â€Å"Products†, n.d.) and revenues are generated from online advertising or their own product: Ad words (â€Å"Adwords†, n.d., para. 1). With tremendous growth of the company, Google founders have embraced the i nformal corporate motto â€Å"Don’t be evil† and also developed an ethical code of conduct for both internal and external audiences (as cited in Martin, 2006, p. 5). China Background Martin reports that in 2006 China has a population of 1.6 billion people and is an attractive market for many U.S. companies (Martin, 2006, p. 6). Also, with China’s transformation to a market economy (Zimmerman, A., & Fey, R, 2001, p. 15-28), George Magliano, an economist at IHS Automotive, states that â€Å"This is the wave of the future† and that â€Å"The Chinese market is going to grow faster than the U.S., and it will continue to be this way† (Hirsch, 2011, p. 1). The rapid growth of Internet use in China is being accompanied by more sophisticated official efforts at censorship as stated in the report issued by the China Internet Network Information Centre (CNNIC), an organization under the official Chinese Academy of Science, (â€Å"China politics: Internet censorship grows more sophisticated†, 2003, para. 1). Google in China In 2000, part of Google, Inc. global strategy was to enter the Chinese market creating a Chinese-language version of the website, and because of the regulations in China, the server is housed in the US (Martin, 2006, p. 12). However because of complex Internet infrastructure of Chinese government, the site became inaccessible and slower performance than other sites (Martin, 2006, p. 13). This became an issue to the users and therefore losing market share (Martin, 2006, p. 13). Google reached a deal with the Chinese government to create Google.cn, a site that is in compliance with Chinese regulations on censorship (Martin, 2006, p. 13). Strengths Google.com is a trusted name worldwide as a search engine site and that there was no need to advertise since Google users typically share the information with anyone, hence most individuals common answer to a question is to â€Å"Just Google it† (Clark, Greniuk, Riherd, Rome and Yu, 2010, para. 2). With its global reach and growing traffic, online advertisers would allot budget for spend with Google.com as part of online marketing strategy to reach online consumers, potentially reaching 1 billion Global unique visitors (â€Å"Google Reaches 1 Billion Global Visitors†, 2011, para.1). Weaknesses Google entered China with their mission, stated on their website â€Å"organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful† (â€Å"About Google.com†, n.d., para.1) which is in contradiction to Chinese government’s ideology on Internet censorship is â€Å"If you open the window for fresh air, you have to expect some flies to blow in† (â€Å"Internet censorship in the People’s Republic of China†, n.d., para. 3). Google executives clearly did not follow this ideology when the company first entered China. As a result, Chinese government has added a strain on the company’s efforts to gain market share. Threats The â€Å"Great Firewall of China† limits the searching capabilities of terms on the internet in China, even keywords such as Freedom are off limits to users (â€Å"Internet Censorship in China†, 2012, para. 3) this hinders Google to operate and provide their services to Chinese consumers. Then this led to loosing market share to Baidu.com (â€Å"Baidu vs. Google†, 2010, para. 5). Alternative Strategies Google possess the technology and resources to create products (â€Å"Our products and services, n.d., para.1) that would meet Chinese government regulations as Larry Page, co-founder and CEO, would describe Google.com, the â€Å"perfect search engine† as something that â€Å"understands exactly what you mean and gives you back exactly what you want† (â€Å"Products†, n.d., para.1). This should have been the initial business strategy to avoid criticisms and struggle to meet demands of Chinese government and the internet users in China. Oppose to negotiating with Chinese government, because this can be damaging to company’s image to China and the Chinese citizens. Google decision to create Google.cn is a clear contradiction to the company motto however when the Utilitarianism philosophical approach is applied as part of the strategy â€Å"promote the happiness of others, even at the expense of our own projects, our integrity, or the welfare of our friends and family† (Hills, 2010, p. 225), the results may offset the implications to company’s reputation and plans to gain market share in a country where business practices are very different from theirs. Since corporate ethics will be questioned, perhaps a partnership with small technology companies in China and other local program opportunities that would steer the message of the company’s decision to bow to Chinese government regulations. In addition, hiring Chinese executives and employees would be an ideal start as the company enters a market like China. These individuals have lived, and survived the political and economic intricacies of Chinese market. They are the ones that have the working knowledge, and learning from other companies that passing the helm to strong local replacements is essential for sustained profitable growth (Hsieh, Lavoie, and Samek, 1999, para. 1). Recommendations China is known as the Kingdom of Bamboo because it has the most bamboo of any country in the world (â€Å"Bamboo and Chinese Culture†, n.d. para. 1). In addition, Bamboo’s resistance to stretching and its ability to support weight are at least double those of other kinds of wood, making bamboo an ideal material for houses, scaffolding, supporting pillars, and work sheds (â€Å"Bamboo and Chinese Culture†, n.d. para. 8). That being said, doing business in China would be similar to working with bamboo, it is resilient to change and therefore adapting to the market is the recommended strategy. Even if it means changing the Company’s product and ideologies so that the company may prosper in the long term partnership with the local government and gain market share. Google.cn business model would be the initial offering because it adheres to government regulations and there won’t be any struggle in reaching the local market. And even with the criticisms that will arise from this decision, the financial gain and respect from the local market is what every company would want to achieve in this market, therefore it would be not just Google that will benefit from this, but also the citizens of China. Who knows in the future, when censorship is no longer in existence, Google can finally launch their products that are in compliance with company’s motto and provide the oppressed Chinese market of this freedom to view information without censor. In the end, the majority may benefit from this.

Zzzzzzzzzz

northwesterly Missouri carry University 51-646-40 managerial accounting January 12 February 14, 2013 St. Joseph pose Instructor Dr. R. WoodOffice Colden H completely 2100 (Maryville campus) Teleph ace 562-1759e-mail emailprotected edu escritoire 562-1835 melodic line DESCRIPTION A potassium alum level assembly line in the principles and mathematical action of managerial and cost method of accountancy information. The wrinkle firsts develops an intellectual of the concepts and procedures for a topical orbit and then through gestures, problems, and suit of clothes readings applies them.The major topical atomic number 18as include the role of accounting information to guidance, cost concepts, cost behavior, cost systems, budgeting, allocation, relevant costs, variances, capital budgeting, planning and control. textual matterbook Managerial news report, Fourth Edition (2010), crowd together Jiambalvo, Wiley, ISBN 978-0-470-33334-1 Textbooks sess be ordered t hrough, http//www. nwmissouri. bncollege. com the binturong bookstore (660. 562. 1246), Amazon, or other online vendor. oblige READINGS In addendum to the textbook thither ar required name readings.These ar listed in the syllabus and at the e companion lay under the Articles by Chapter heading or in the webliography. Alternatively the articles may be undercoat at most either University library, the full reference is given up in the syllabus and online. eCOMPANION SITE The site is originally organized by chapter. Each chapter lists the assign follow-up questions and problems along with their solutions, PowerPoint slides, additional problems for selected topics, and readings for some(prenominal) articles. Other article readings are found under the Webliography tab.A copy of the daily enumeration and general syllabus items is too at the site. OPTIONAL MATERIALS http//www. wiley. com/college/jiambalvo (click on the assimilator Companion Site link) the site offers Power Point slides for each chapter, review questions and quizzes. Availability is non guaranteed, it is subject to Wiley Publishing. COURSE OBJECTIVES The course is designed to add understanding of management information needs, develop managerial accounting concepts, and the application of managerial accounting methods.The use of accounting data in aiding, planning, control, and decision making and its relationship to the management function is of primary importance. In addition the student testament understand more of the various accounting compend procedures for sale to management as well as their limitations. Upon completion of the course the student should hurl a broad understanding of the concepts and go for of managerial accounting, and how it aids managers in manufacturing and military service environments. ATTENDANCE Successful completion of this course requires regular material body attendance, especially in this short and condensed account.It is the students responsib ility to throw every information missed in come apart from other students, including any announcements that may reckon the schedule. Lectures, word of honor, announcements, or assigned material impart not be retell for the earn of absent students. Missing intravenous feeding break upes or half the contact hours, whichever comes first, go forth lead in a grade simplification of one letter grade, missing flipper classes will result in administrative withdrawal from the course or a grade of F as separate. northwestern Missouri State University 51-646 Managerial news reportPREPARATION and lodge Preparation for class is reading all chapter and article readings prior to class, you will obtain more and contribute more to class discussion. Assigned questions, exercises, and problems are optional in that they will not be collect, further it is expected that they will be completed, they are for your benefit and will help on exams. Assignments will be reviewed in class as time permits and when requested by the student. shells or articles will be calm and graded as noted below. Students will also be called on to go into in discussing questions, roblems, boldnesss, and readings. GRADE DETERMINATION 90- 100AMid call Exam45% 80 -89BFinal Exam45% 70 79CCollected Cases or Articles10% below70D (Failure)Total100% EXAMS Two unlikable book exams will be given will be given all over the chapters and material covered. The exams will cover the text (chapters, questions, problems, and cases), additional readings, any handouts, and class discussion. subside EXAMS No tests will be repeated for the benefit of absent students unless at that place is render of sufficient weight in the teachers judgment to merit it.Extenuating circumstances must(prenominal) be verifiable with an independent source. In no case will an exam be repeated if the student fails to notify the instructor or part secretary in advance of the absence. WRITTEN CASE REPORTS A total of two cases and/or articles will be collected and are payable immediately after class discussion, they will not be accepted afterwards. It must provide a description of the case or article, the major issues of concern to management, resolve the questions in the case or article, and when appropriate provide resolution to the problem(s) in the case or article.Note that the daily schedule also has additional questions for some cases. The length of the survey is determined by the case or article, but should not exceed four rogues. It must be typed using well-worn margins and type, and/or a (Excel) spreadsheet as appropriate. Cases for collecting will be assigned as the semester progresses but will come from those denoted with a pronged asterisk (**). DISABILITY ACCOMODATIONMS Students in this course who need disability accommodations/modifications should record a copy of their official Northwest accommodation letter from the LAP/S Committee to the instructor uring private touch hour s as early in the term as possible. Additional information can be found in the go for Students with Disabilities brochure available at the Student Services Center or online at www. nwmissouri. edu/swd. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Per University and departmental policy, academic dishonesty will result in failure and dismissal from the course and possible dismissal from the University. A more fine description of the policy is in the ammonium alum catalog and in the last page of the syllabus. IMPORTANT DATES Class meetings Saturday January 12, 26, February 9Thursday January 17, 31, February 14 51-646 Managerial Accounting August 4 kinfolk 6 2012 Daily Schedule The schedule will likely change some as the semester progresses to accommodate for class discussion and unforeseen changes. For each day the chapters to be discussed, homework and case discussion points are listed. Half-way and at the end of the course there will be an exam. Cases denoted with a double asterisk ** may be collecte d and counted towards the grade. At the eCompanion site some article readings are under the chapter tab and others are linked through the webliography as noted.January 12, Saturday 9-5 pm Q=Question, Ex = Exercise, Pr = Problem CH 1 Managerial Accounting In The culture Age Q 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 Case 1-1 topical anesthetic 635 Case 1-2 Boswell Plumbing Products CH 2 Job-Order cost For Manufacturing And Service Companies Q 1- 10 Ex 12 Pr 1 Case 2-1 Brixton operative Devices (additional question How are costs allocated to the convergence such that producing more units would result in more of overhead being bury in inventory? ) Case 2-3 Dupage gunpowder Coating CH 3 Process be Q 1, 4, 5, 6, 10 Pr 2, 3, 8 and adjunct (online) Case 3-1 Tech-Tonic Sports DrinkJanuary 17, Thursday 6-10 pm CH 5 Variable cost Q 1 5, 9, 10 Ex 4, 5 Pr 4, 12, 15 CH 6 Cost Allocation And Activity-Based Costing (and handout on service department allocation) Q 2, 5, 6, 7, 9 Pr 1, 5, 6, 12, 16 Case 6-1 Easts ide Medical Testing** Devices (additional question Why or why not is Eastside better or worse off economically if they keep thermonuclear Systems business at existing prices? ) * Estrin, T. J. Kantor, and D. Albers, Is alphabet Suitable for Your Company? Management Accounting, April, 1994 40-45. * Tatikonda, D. OBrien, and R.Tatikonda, come through with 80/20, Management Accounting, February, 1999 40-44. January 26, Saturday 9-5 pm hit our discussion of chapter 6 CH 4 Cost-Volume-Profit depth psychology (and appendix on regression) Q 1, 3, 4, 6-10 Pr 2, 3, 4, 12, 15, 17 Case 4-3 Krogs Metalfab, Inc. ** (Additional essential pass judgment the lost profit using trey methods or variations in the data used, one of which must be simple regression. ) CH 8 Pricing Decisions, Analyzing Customer Profitability, and Activity-Based Pricing Q 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10 Ex 6, 9 Pr 3, 4, 9 Shim, E. , and E. Sudit, How Manufacturers Price Products, Management Accounting, February, 1995 37-39. Mi dterm (chps 1, 2, 3, 5, 6) showtime at about 230 pm January 31, Thursday 6-10 pm CH 9 Capital Budgeting And Other Long-Run Decisions (Including concomitant A, B), and handout (online) Q 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 Ex 7, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18 Case 9-2 Sergo Games** (Case clarification use NPV analysis for each option additional requirement identify four qualitative considerations that would feign the decision) * Shank, J. and V.Guvindarajan, Strategic Cost Analysis of technological Investments, Sloan Management Review, Fall 1992 39-51. CH 10 budgetary Planning And Control Q 4, 7, 9, 10 Pr 3, 4 * Hope, Jeremy, and R. Fraser, Who Needs Budgets? Harvard Business Review, February, 2003 108-115. Webliography** * Fisher, J, L. Maines, S. Peffer, and G. Sprinkle, victimisation Budgets for Performance Evaluation set up of alternative Allocation and Horizontal Information unbalance on Budget Proposals, Budget Slack, and Performance, The Accounting Review, Vol. 7, No. 4 October 2002 847-865. Webliogra phy. February 9, Saturday 9-5 pm good continuation of Chapter 10 discussion CH 11 cadence Costs and Variance Analysis (including the appendix) and supply (online) Q 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 Ex 13 Pr 5, 15 Case 11-1 Jackson dear Case 11-2 Champion Industries CH 12 decentalisation and Performance Evaluation (include the appendix on transfer pricing) Q 1, 2, 7, 9, 10 Ex 6, 7, 8, 10 Pr. 8 Case 12-1 Home repute Stores * Lipe, M. G. and S.Salterio. The Balanced Scorecard Judgment Effects of Common and Unique Performance Measures, The Accounting Review, July, 2000, 283-298. Webliography. * Ittner, C. , D. Larcker, and M. Meyer, Subjectivity and the Weighing of Performance Measures read from a Balanced Scorecard The Accounting Review, July, 2003, 725-758. Webliography. February 14, Thursday 6-10 pm Review as requested Final exam (chps. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or chapters/material covered since the mid-term)