Rise of South Korea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Rise of South Korea - Essay Example The paper tells that Heavy and Chemical Industry Drive did not play any positive role in the South Korean growth miracle because in any case, some of the industries were headed towards expansion. Secondly, during the HCI drive, South Korea was still a low protection nation and the aimed industries had to quickly compete in the world market. Instead, the HCI drive harmed the South Korean economy as its growth rate fell by 2.3% between the years 1963-1982. Between 1979-1980, there was a decline in the EOCD manufacturers imports’ share, which was as a result of fall in light manufactures. Therefore, targeted sectors’ growth was at other sectors’ expense. Actually, South Korea’s economy only grew following the end of HCI in 1979, with more trade as well as financial liberalization following in the eighties. Trade openness policy/Outward orientation was one of the most important factors in South Korea’s growth. During 1961-1980, Korea’s exports gr ew at 23.7% in real terms. Over the period 1960-1975, export expansion was directly responsible for more than quarter of the growth of manufactured output. Next was Heavy and Chemical Industry (HCI) Drive (1973-1979), which targeted the development of selective heavy and chemical industries (e.g., steel, automobiles, shipbuilding, etc.). This drive comprised Tax concessions policy and Trade policy reversal. It also comprised policies that directed bank credit at low interest rates – almost 60% of the bank loans and 75% of the manufacturing investment went to targeted industries. In April 17, 1979, Comprehensive Stabilization Program was developed, and it ended HCI drive. In the short run, there was tighter fiscal and monetary policy and liberalization in the long run. In 1980s, Stabilization and Liberalization policy was developed – import liberalization saw the reduction of average nominal tariff rate 24% (1983) to 19% in 1988 and to 11% in 1990. Due to the liberaliza tion financial sector, there was no more preferential interest rates for export industries and Chaebols, commercial banks were privatized, directed credit was relaxed, and the financial sector was opened up to FDI. Growth returned to pre-HCI levels of 9.9% 2. What was the role of Chaebols in South Korea’s economic performance before and after the East Asian Crisis? Chaebols were large family-managed business groups that had close relationship with the government of South Korea and depended on Korean government finance heavily. They received preferential allotment of grants, preferences in taxation and benefited from government sale of â€Å"enemy property† factories. The Chaebols followed the Confucianism approach to management and they took advantage of quick growth in exports and demand and expanded very quickly in the world market and became producers of major international brands. In 1950s and 1960s South Korea experienced economic success and Chaebols were major c ontributor in this – they were able to respond to market signals and outward looking export let strategies. The success factors of the Chaebols can be attributed to the fact that they ssuccessfully responded to such market signals as price, market opportunity and factor cost, outward looking strategies favoring export-led growth and a non-discriminatory government policy towards them. The Chaebols were therefore positive contributors of the amazing economic transformation and industrialization in South Korea, with the annual per capita GDP current prices reaching 79 dollars in 1960. This was particularly before the East Asian Crisis. However, Chaebols failed during the AFC 1997-1998, which marked the beginning of South Korea’s structural problems. Chaebols debts foreign and Non performing loans were exposed and in 1999, the government, under the pressure to get tougher with them, introduced a policy to rationalize their activities and do away with non-performing choebo l affiliates as well as

The Use of ICT in Primary Science Learning

The Use of ICT in Primary Science Learning Earlier in the history of electronic advancement, children in highly developed countries had learned to appreciate and use simple to complex electronic gadgetries but never understood basic principles behind them. Some knew how to assemble robots but could not understand how the motor or magnets in it work. In other words they learn to walk before they crawl. Concerns have reached the classroom as today’s educational systems use more of ICT in teaching basic principles of English, Mathematics, and Science teaching. The question whether how much exposure and competence the pupils must have on certain science principles before they are exposed to ICT as a means of performing laborious, repetitive or more complex tasks is a challenge for educators of today. The schools and all education stakeholders must however understand that the uses of ICT tools are an advantage to both teachers and pupils. Results of several studies conducted throughout the world revealed that the use of ICT greatly increased the level of learning and understanding of the pupils on the scientific principles being studied (Betts, 2003, Mistler-Jackson Songer, 2000, Hogarth et. al, 2006). In fact the ICT tools can even be use to demonstrate science principles in a safer way. For instance, teaching electricity principles to pupils can be both interesting and dangerous. But the advent of computer hardwares and softwares has made it more motivating and rewarding minus the hazards. Primary knowledge and skills about how electrical circuits work, how much power is required for certain types of lights, and others can be learned through simulation and not in actual exposure to real electrical circuits. To determine if ICT is really needed for primary science education and understand when is the proper timing of its introduction into the learning process it is proper to understand first what ICT applications are necessary and how can they be integrated into the learning systems? What are the advantages and disadvantages of its applications? Types of ICT learning tools in science The use of ICT in teaching science for primary education came in various forms. Review of schools’ science teaching modules show the use of ICT hardwares and softwares to obtain and use science information, encoding of data, and creating presentations. Science information materials can be obtained from CD-ROM based encyclopedia and other e-books, journals, and articles, through a wide variety of Internet locations, and through local and international electronic library networks. There are a lot of word processing softwares that can be used to prepare science reports including customized programs for science report preparations. Data processing programs, spreadsheets, databases used for logging science data, processing them, and analyzing the results and its implications are already available for use. Higher-level applications include the use of simulation programs to explain scientific principles and perform experiments in virtual conditions. There are experiments, which are impractical to conduct under normal conditions but can be simulated in computers to show the implications to let the pupils appreciate and understand. Example to this are CD programs that show what would happen if we walk on surfaces of different planets, what are the magnitudes of the gravity in Mars, Pluto, our moons, and others. Children can appreciate the effects through computer images animated based on the actual situation in the simulated locations. Advantages of ICT science learning tools The use of ICT tools has a lot of identified advantages over the use of conventional methods of instructions such as the traditional ordinary chalk and board and the pen and paper system. Several of these identified edge of ICT is discussed below. In primary level ICT applications on data logging using sensitive probes to measure temperature, light, pressure, acidity, and other parameters increase the affectivity in data gathering and extend the range and accuracy of the observations. Ordinary tools used to gather these data such as thermometers, pressure gauges, pH meters or pH papers, and others require manual reading and data quality is dependent on the child’s skills and mode. The use of ICT based instruments has helped free the children from doing laborious task and repetitive works and focus their attention on analysing the meaning of the data. The use of networks through Internet, intranets, e-libraries, and other ICT medium widened the pupil’s access to information and even brought him to places virtual which cannot be accessed easily with conventional means without ICT. Children can access information from libraries in other European, American, Asian, and other countries around the globe without leaving the classroom. Simulation software used in science learning provides higher achievements of students than those not using the simulation, with girls achieving equally with boys (Huppert, 2002). The use of ICT in the classroom makes as much demand on teachers’ understanding and mediation as non-computer activities; however it speeds up the process and makes use of class times more efficiently by eliminating board works as replaced by computer presentations. Illustrations and examples are more realistic with use of virtual replica of real world figures like plants, animals, and objects. ICT has really made learning more fun and exciting and even made to raise the enthusiasm of the pupils as learning is made easy and enjoyable just like games. Disadvantages and problems Just like any other promising technologies the use of ICT has perceived problems in education and in application to teaching-learning in particular. Several reports and reviews enumerated these problems which can be grouped into: teacher related, facility related, and learner related. As far as the teachers are concerned, review of Hogarth, et. al (2006) revealed some of those involved in utilizing ICT in science classes have doubts over the value of ICT in promoting learning in science lessons. This is caused by the fact that many ICT resources have no clear rationale for their inclusion in teaching. The worst case is that some teachers lack adequate training to handle ICT programs and if they are trained they lack the time to plan for effective use of ICT in their lessons. Some teachers lack confidence on the effectiveness of some hardware and software used in the process while others felt threatened by the presence in the classroom of a new, powerful source of information. Yerrick Hoving (1999) also reported that despite similarities in teachers knowledge on ICT the implementation of ICT programs differ with teachers which could have been affected by the school’s and teacher’s practices. In relation to facilities, Hogarth, et al. (2006) reported there are planning difficulties associated with banks of networked computers being located centrally in rooms which had to be booked in advance for the instructional purposes. These are caused by shortage of computers and other hardware and the lack of technical support. Materials in CD-ROMS and websites used in science researches must be controlled to conform to standards. Proliferation of non-approved materials in CDs and online can be a threat to performance and the quality of primary science learning. On the part of the pupils the use ICT, which speeds up the processes may cause learning disparities across different types and learning capacities of pupils especially in the heterogeneous classes wherein fast learners are merged with medium and slow learners. The Importance and Timing of ICT programs in science learning. It has been properly illustrated above that advantages of using ICT in primary science education outweighs that of the disadvantages and that problems identified from different settings can be solved with proper planning and coordination among stakeholders. Whether or not to adopt ICT programs to improve the learning of process skills among primary science pupils is already out of question. The question would be how much exposure to theories and learning the principles of science process skills the learners need before they are exposed to ICT applications. Is it necessary that theories must be learned first before application, or the other way around? The answer requires common sense and areas of concern must be dealt in a case to case basis. There are process skills that require just basic competency such as data encoding, internet browsing, CD-ROMS access. But there are skills that require just theoretical knowledge before ICT applications are used. Graphing is one particular case. To understand the graph, pupils must be taught how it is done and how to anaylyse them. But there are cases when innovativeness and flexibility on the part of the teacher is a better judge. To site an example in most cases pupils are taught about the basics on the physico-chemical properties, such as those mentioned above (temperature, pressure, pH, etc) and what these things are all about before they must be exposed on how to obtain the measurable properties whether conventional of through ICT. The use of ICT here just replaces the conventional which at this age are really outdated. But try to think that other teachers uses unique methods of presenting situations first via simulation software or even data logging programs to spur curiosity among pupils before discussing in depth the concepts behind them. Concepts such as magnetism, the earth, and others can be treated this way. Unless properly regulated, a teacher has the leeway to use his styles in order to achieve the learning outcomes. As a matter of fact, â€Å"who discourages innovation?† Conclusion We have lived into the Third Wave, the Information Age, and no one can argue about that. Whether we like it on not everyone even those who are out of school are exposed to ICT in everyday lives from the TV, the microwave ovens, the heaters, the street lights and everything. These electronic gadgets which have ICT software integrated in them confront us without any advance or basic knowledge about the theories behind them. The fact is everything can be learned if one desires. So if you are tasked to know how to operate a microwave oven you don’t have to understand how the microwave works on the food. But if you want to know about it you have the prerogative to learn. The point is as long as the basic requirement is satisfied then let the children use ICT to learn more. References British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta). 2004. Moving on: The role of ICT in pupil’s transition. Millburn Hill Road Science Park Coventry CV4 7JJ Information and communication technology in primary schools The Annual Report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools 2004/05. Retrived on Jan 4, 2008 from http://live.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/annualreport0405/4.1.6.html Betts, S., (2003). Does the use of ICT affect quality in learning science at Key Stage 3? Studies in Teaching and Learning, pp. 9-17. Hogarth S, Bennett J, Lubben F, Campbell B, Robinson A (2006) ICT in Science Teaching. Technical Report. In: Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London. Huppert, J. (2002). Computer simulations in the high school: Students cognitive stages, science process skills and academic achievement in microbiology. International Journal of Science Education, 24 (8), pp. 803-821. Mistler-Jackson, M., Songer, N.B., (2000). Student motivation and internet technology: Are students empowered to learn science? Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37 (5), pp. 459-479. Yerrick, R., Hoving, T., (1999). Obstacles confronting technology initiatives as seen through the experience of science teachers: A comparative study of science teachers beliefs, planning, and practice. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 8 (4), pp. 291-307.

Ben Franklin :: essays research papers

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was a multi-talented person. He was a printer, and inventor, and a writer. As a writer, he wrote many publications but among this vast collection was a small piece in which Franklin states his beliefs on what may be the proper task to being morally perfect. His opinions are brief; yet complete enough to be considered descript enough to follow. His steps are insightful but just as much vague.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Temperance: Franklin’s first topic, which may be thought to have Franklin’s top choice at a most important step, is Temperance. In his instructions, he states that no once should eat to dullness, nor drink to elevation. This simply means that Franklin believes it is imperfect to eat to excess or to become intoxicated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Silence: This topic is thought to be an important one by many as well as Benjamin because it states that you should “speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversations.'; Franklins believe that to be “morally perfect'; once must not speak unless it is necessary or of importance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Order: Here is a step, which must be the reason in which I am doing my homework right now and concentrating on just this. Franklin believes that everything must have it’s place, and business must have it’s own time. This being my “business'; it is receiving it’s own time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Resolution: “Decide what you need to do, and do what you say you are going to do.'; Ben says that you must figure out what it is that you are responsible to do, and do it so that you can be considered responsible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frugality: You should be nice to others because it is only going to cause trouble if you are not pleasant to be around. Being nice to others will not only benefit the others but yourself, as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry: You must take care of precious time because once a moment has passed, it is lost forever and can never be replayed or relived. Time is valuable so you should not waste it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sincerity: “Use not hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

Studying Of Environmental Health Health And Social Care Essay

My MBBS ( Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery ) course of study of Community Medicine gave me an chance to analyze the multidisciplinary Fieldss of Public Health.Moreover, I had the opportunity to expose to the wellness attention installation of our state through several Day Visit plans. My Day Visits to Institute of Public Health ( IPH ) Dhaka, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh ( ICDDR, B ) , Expanded plan on Immunization ( EPI ) Centre, Dhaka etc. gave me a perfect range to detect the public wellness benefit in Bangladesh.Through these visits I become interested in this topic. My involvement in Public Health was further stimulated by my field visit experience as a portion of RFST ( Residential Field Site Training Program ) at Sreepur upazilla. We performed a cross sectional survey on â€Å" Psychosocial Assessment of Rural People of Bangladesh † . That was for the first clip I was introduced to epidemiological study and worked utilizing SPSS to come in and analyse data.We were awarded the 2nd award for our distinguishable undertaking. During my arrangement, I had found that most of these rural people were incognizant of the basic wellness regulations and therefore easy infected by many catching diseases.We gave them wellness instruction about nutrition, sanitation and personal hygiene and distributed ORS ( Oral Rehydration Salt ) packages. I was really aroused when they showed self-concern for safe environmental pattern. With the aid of Upazilla Health Officer, we guided them to put in H2O seal latrines. The RFST experience aroused my involvement in the field of Environmental Health. Not merely were we able to make something new but we were besides able to assist the local population. By actuating and educating a group of people about wellness related jobs, we could finally diminish the disease load in the community. I realize the importance of hygiene instruction in our society. In Ibrahim Medical College I managed to keep the top place in my category during the whole undergraduate plan. In the Final Professional MBBS ( Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery ) scrutiny, I stood foremost in the college. Besides academic surveies, I frequently volunteer to the BIRDEM General Hospital and Diabetic Association of Bangladesh ( DAB ) to take part in free wellness cantonments. After my completion of 5 old ages of medical class, I have started one twelvemonth rotatory internship preparation at BIRDEM ( Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation of Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorder ) General Hospital. As an intern physician in third degree infirmary, I have the chance to pull off patients with wide scope of unwellness like hapless patients with diabetes complications, severe malnourished kids enfeebling from Kalazar, Tuberculosis and Helminthiasis, skin malignant neoplastic disease patient with arsenicosis and immature workers with assorted pneumonic complications. To battle the predominating environmental wellness jeopardies in Bangladesh I believe it is imperative to develop an effectual accomplishment in the field of Environmental Epidemiology. An MS grade in Environmental Health in the field of Environmental Epidemiology will supply me a alone chance to analyze the incidence of disease and diminish the impact of environmental wellness r elated jobs from our community. During my internship in Gynaecology Department, I had made another field visit at Ramu Upazilla Health Complex, Cox ‘s Bazar.I was involved in supplying Essential Service Package ( ESP ) and Primary Health Care ( PHC ) to the local community.I organized a little group session with local people to discourse on issues like harmful consequence of chemical fertilisers, generative and child wellness attention and referral cognition for patients with cholera, diarrhea and pneumonia. I found this treatment really effectual as most of them were nescient about modern wellness attention. My community exposure and interaction with patients farther escalate my involvement in environmental wellness. I will be take parting in a research undertaking on â€Å" Identification and Magnitude of Antibiotic Prescription in Different Levels of Health Service Delivery Centres † from November 2012.Under the supervising of Dept. of Microbiology, BIRDEM infirmary I will be working as a research assistant.I think it will be really effectual to better my accomplishments in the field of epidemiology and biometricss. Bangladesh has made a sustained advancement in environmental wellness sector with precedence of issues like sanitation, planned urbanisation, forbiddance of plastic bag usage etc.By utilizing limited resources and wellness installations it has successfully promoted under five immunisation program.Working in both Upazilla and Tertiary degree infirmaries, I think environmental wellness demands more attending at primary level.Lack of sufficient figure of community doctors and unequal wellness installations fail to supply quality wellness service to the rural people. I am determined to function my community as a physician scientist every bit good as research worker to place community wellness job and create consciousness of wellness related jobs among them.After completion of Master ‘s plan I would wish to obtain a PhD grade in Environmental Health so that I can go on my research in the related field. Analyzing Environmental Health at Boston University will be really esteemed and I am peculiarly excited by its accomplishment focused course of study, diverse expertness, outstanding module, multicultural environment in campus and extended practicum chances in this field.As a doctor I am in a alone place of steering the wellness attention squad. I am excited that if I get into the plan I would hold the chance to lend to the bequest of Boston University ‘s School of Public Health plan. Finally, I believe that being an academician in a reputed university will function my ultimate calling dream as a research worker where I could be working towards the benefit of the society.The chance to prosecute my alumnus survey in Boston University will move as the origin of my dream towards a successful hereafter.

Jamaica’ crime rate statistic 2013 Essay

Jamaica has one of the world’s highest per-capita murder rates, and a 2010 state of emergency threw the harsh glare of publicity on the violent gang and drug culture in the capital, Kingston. Violent crime can be a real problem in Kingston and other parts of the country, but typically such crimes involve attacks by Jamaicans on other Jamaicans and revolve around drugs, gangs, politics, poverty, or revenge. Most crimes targeting visitors in tourist areas like Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios are property-oriented — pickpocketing and petty theft, for example. Armed robberies do occasionally involve tourists, and can turn violent if victims resist. Credit-card skimming is an ongoing problem in Jamaica. Some scammers will make a copy of your credit-card information when you give your card to a restaurant server or shopkeeper. ATMs also may be rigged to steal your card information, or individuals may observe you at the ATM and try to steal your password. Avoid using credit cards or ATMs whenever possible; carry just enough cash for what you need that day. If you do need to use a credit card, keep an eye on the person handling your card. If you need to get cash, use the ATM at your hotel. Sexual assaults by hotel employees in resort areas on Jamaica’s north coast have occurred with some frequency, as well. Police in Jamaica are generally short on manpower and training. You will see an increased police presence in areas of Montego Bay and Ocho Rios frequented by tourists, but if you are a victim of crime you may find the response of the local police to be lacking — or nonexistent. Locals generally have little trust in the police, and while visitors are unlikely to be mistreated by police, the Jamaican Constabulary Force is widely viewed as corrupt and ineffectual. Tourists are advised to avoid traveling in notoriously high-threat areas of Kingston including, but not limited to, Mountain View, Trench Town, Tivoli Gardens, Cassava Piece and Arnett Gardens. In Montego Bay, avoid the areas of Flankers, Canterbury, Norwood, Rose Heights, Clavers Street and Hart Street. Several of the latter neighborhoods are adjacent to Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport. Road Safety The north coastal road linking popular tourist destinations such as Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Negril is much improved in recent years. However, most roads are poorly maintained and have poor signage. Smaller roads may not be paved, and often are narrow, winding, and crowded with pedestrians, bicycles, and livestock. Driving is on the left, and Jamaica’s roundabouts (traffic circles) can be confusing for drivers used to driving on the right. Seat-belt use is required and recommended even for taxi passengers, given the hazardous driving conditions. Use of public transportation is not recommended, since public buses are often overcrowded and can become venues for crime. Take a cab from your hotel or use transportation from vendors that are part of JUTA — the Jamaica Union of Travelers Association.

Buying a Fake GED or Professional Certificate

Buying a Fake GED or Professional Certificate You can buy fake certifications for just about anything. There are fake GEDs, continuing education units, massage therapist certificates, hairstylist certificates, accounting, plumbing, even teaching certificates... but should you buy them? Its Not a Good Idea If you want to throw your money away  and buy some bad karma to boot, go ahead, but you will only add to the trouble in your life, not solve problems. You will be out $100, or more! You will not have the education to back up this fake diploma. You will not feel any better about your missing accomplishments. You will not fool anybody, especially an employer, and if you do fool them, it wont be for long. If you cant perform the job you got with your fake diploma or certificate, you wont keep the job. Youll likely be shamed and then fired. You also run the risk of being sued, especially if you hurt someone, and youll be right back where you started, less the money you spent on the fake diploma. Dont be a sucker. Earn your diploma the right way. Earn your certificate the right way; by learning and doing. It doesnt matter if no one ever finds out. You know, and youre the only one who matters. Roadblocks to Going Back to School There are many reasons that going back to school might seem too hard. But there is help out there. You didnt graduate high school. Everyone has to start somewhere, and if your goal is to earn a GED or high school equivalency certificate, congratulations. Its never too late, and this certificate can make a huge difference in your life. Learn more about  GED and High School Equivalency.You feel ready ​to go back to school  but arent sure what to train for. If youre not sure what to study but want to provide for yourself and/or your family, choose to learn something that will help you find a great job.Youre not sure how to pay for school. Finding aid as a non-traditional student can feel overwhelming, but money for college is available to almost anyone. Learn more about financial aid for non-traditional students to help alleviate some of your money worries.You dont want to or cant go to a physical campus and youre not sure about online universities.  Lots and lots of people are going back to school online, in all kinds of subjects. The beauty of online courses is that yo u can take them from anywhere you have an Internet connection. Youre not sure you have enough drive. If a little motivation is all you need to get back in the classroom, youll find it here. Thinking positive is easy, and its free! Learning how to write SMART goals is a great place to start.

The eNotes Blog Bookless Libraries TheyreComing

Bookless Libraries TheyreComing Just this week, I was watching an episode of  Downton Abbey  and one of the scenes was set in the library. Beautiful leather-bound volumes filled the vast room from floor to ceiling and covered every wall. Lord Grantham took no notice of them at all, as he stood, brandy in hand, waiting for his valet to fetch his evening coat. The visual image of this early twentieth century library struck me on a couple of levels; first, how books like the ones that adorn the Crawleys home were once meant for the very elite. The servants downstairs might have indulged themselves occasionally in a penny dreadful but it is unlikely that any of them read, or had access to, much more. The second thing that I noticed was the sheer numbers of tomes, and how unnecessary, really, it is in the twenty-first century to have to devote so much physical space to the printed word. Dont get me wrong. There is nothing I love more than the heft of a book. I love the way they smell. I delight in actually turning pages. Until it is time to move. I have as many books in my Kindle now as I do on my buckling shelves. And they all fit in my smallest pocketbook. So I suppose I understand that modern libraries are facing the same dilemma. The space and time needed to house and administer books is enormous. Not long ago, bookless libraries were only an idea, but now they are happening. This fall, San Antonio, Texas will open its first entirely electronic lending library. There will be fifty computer terminals and eReaders that patrons can check out and take home. Even though the project cost $1.5 million dollars, its advocate, Judge Nelson Wolff, argues that it is cost effective. The new institution, dubbed BiblioTech uses existing city facilities, and, perhaps more importantly, is available to a largely underserved community whose residents often do not have their own personal electronic devices. Is this the future for most libraries? Probably. But not for a while yet. To say there is still an enormous amount of material to be digitized is a understatement. And there are copyright issues with which to contend. Sarah Houghton, director of a library in California, complains that 99 percent of the materials that the general public want to check out,   such as best-sellers,  simply arent available to libraries digitally. Another issue inhibiting the growth of bookless libraries is the training of staff, not only on use of the devices, but how to explain them to their patrons, many of whom may have had little or no experience with digital readers. Moreover, the expense of acquiring all of these new devices is often prohibitive for most public libraries. And what happens when these devices become outdated? Today, it seems that technology improves every two years, if not sooner. Better not upset Lord Grantham just yet. You may still need to borrow that volume of Tocquevilles  Democracy in America.

How to Talk Politics and Still Stay Friends

How to Talk Politics and Still Stay Friends Is it possible to talk politics without the conversation ending in bruised egos and hurt feelings? Is politics, like religion, a  subject too taboo  for the holiday gathering or family function? And if someone does unexpectedly start to talk politics at your dinner table, what should you do? Republicans. Democrats. Libertarians. Greens. Neocons. Ultraliberals. Americans are a diverse bunch, and theyre growing increasingly polarized and seemingly more unable by the minute to talk politics in a civilized manner. Usually, a fight breaks out when the topic turns to the upcoming election. Here are five ideas for how to talk politics and still stay friends with your partisan pals. Cite Facts, Not Opinions If you absolutely must talk politics, one way to avoid messy confrontations is to steer clear of opinions and instead cite facts. Dont say, for example, that you think all Republicans are insensitive or all Democrats are elitists. Steer clear of painting everyone with such a broad brush. If you find yourself engaged in political debate while trying to enjoy the Thanksgiving turkey, use facts to gently back up your position. This will require some preparation and study the night before a get-together, but a policy discussion that centers on facts and not opinion tends to be one that is more thoughtful and less likely to end in a brawl. Disagree Respectfully Dont shake your head in disgust. Dont interrupt. Dont sigh like Al Gore did during his debate with George W. Bush in 2000. Dont roll your eyes. Dont be a jerk, in other words. There are at least two sides to every debate, two visions for the future, and yours isnt necessarily the right one. Let your sparring partner have his say, then explain in an even tone why you disagree. Do not use the phrase, You are wrong. This makes the disagreement personal, and it shouldnt be. Stick to the facts, be respectful, and your holiday gathering should be a smash. In a good way, of course. The bottom line: Agree to disagree. See the Other Side Lets face it: If you were right all the time, youd be president and not that other guy in the White House. Theres a chance youre wrong about some things. Its always good to see an argument through your sparring partners eyes. Occasionally, should you feel the need to extinguish what appears to be an escalation of the political rhetoric, stop and say to your friend, You know, thats a good point. I never looked at it that way. Dont Take It Personally So you and your pals or in-laws once disagreed over how President Barack Obama had handled the economy, or whether Mitt Romney really understood the middle class. Who cares? That shouldnt have an impact on your friendship. The bottom line: This is isnt about you. Get over your bruised ego or hurt feelings. Move on. Embrace your differences. Theyre what make America great. Keep Quiet If you really dont have anything nice to say, as the old maxim goes, dont say anything at all. This is especially true when talking politics. If a civil discussion of the issues is impossible with your friends and family, its best to keep quiet. Even if they raise force the issue, stay silent. Shrug your shoulders. Duck into the bathroom. Pretend to be distracted by the song playing in the background. Whatever it takes, keep your thoughts to yourself. For silence is the best policy of all in the long run.

Ryanair airline Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ryanair airline - Case Study Example Yet it raises opportunities for the low-fare carrier segment, such as Ryanair that is a rising star in the skies of Europe, having been performing well post 9/11. The aim of this report is to analyse the overall performance of Ryanair in the fast-changing environment, and then few recommendations will be provided. Conclusions will be drawn at the end of this report. Irish-owned Ryanair, founded in 1985, began to introduce a low cost operating model in the early 1990s. The company primarily serves short-haul, point-to-point routes that target business commuters and leisure travellers by offering low, multi-tier fare pricing and sngle-classs air transportation. Having overtaken EasyJet, Ryanair is now the largest low-cost carrier in Europe In January 2000. (Doganis, 2001) The company offers approximately 475 scheduled flights per day serving 84 locations in 14 EU countries. The worldwide commercial aviation has suffered from terrorist attacks of 9/11. The tragedy dramatically decreases the number of passengers and pushed Airline industry facing deterioration in their financial positions. Similarly, impact of SARS and Iraq War reduce willingness of people to travel outside their countries. Since 1997, the Euro... For example, any airlines holding a valid Air Operators Certificate in the EU have right to operate on any route within the European Union, including flights wholly operating within another country. On May 1st 2004, ten new members joined the EU as part of EU enlargement. The era of single European sky related to Open-Sky Treaty, allowing point-to-point service between any EU countries is approaching and airline companies will benefit from consolidation; on the other hand, they will have to confront fiercer competitions against each other. (Loddenberg, 2004) The price-sensitivity for routes to and within accession countries is naturally suited to low cost airlines. The average Ryanair fare in 2003/4 was 40 and the expectation is a 38 average fare in 2004/5. The net margin fell from 28% in 2002/3 to 21% in 2003/4 and is predicted to fall to 18% in 2004/5. The net margin has thus fallen by 10 points in two years. While the margin exceeds the industry average, it may come under pressure from factors such as further falls in yields and the lack of scope for more reductions in an already low cost base. Economic factors Economic recession Overall, the world's economy is slowdown, which affects European economy as well. People are reluctant to spend money in leisure activities. Currency fluctuation In related to companies' operating costs, currency fluctuation affects those companies' revenues that are not in US dollars. Weakness in US dollars enables fuel cost reduction. Social and cultural factors Population intensity High level of population density in the EU region (six times larger than the USA) is likely to stimulate the growth of short-haul point-to-point routes within Europe, which provides major opportunities for low-cost

Vote against war between America and Germany Essay

Vote against war between America and Germany - Essay Example Once the people have been led into war, there would not be anything as tolerance. Fighting requires ruthlessness and brutality. The very attitude penetrates into the fiber of national life. If this happens, everything ranging from the courts to the Congress, the common people, and the police would be infected. The only virtue would be conformity and those refusing to conform would be required to face penalties. If America enters into war with Germany, it would make the circumstances very unfavorable for the Constitution to survive in. The free speech would be gone and so would the right of assembly. It is, indeed, impossible for a nation to invest all its strength into war and yet keep its head high; there is hardly any example of the same in the history. We must go for any alternative that can be realized. So far, America has maintained a neutral attitude since the eruption of the war in 1914. America has been a proponent of the neutral states’ rights. The apprehensions of the Congress encourage the isolationist foreign policy about providing other countries across the globe with a political door into the policies of the US as well as the American population’s cultural melting pot. Keeping these facts into consideration, going into war with Germany would not be an informed decision.

Questions in a case study in theCorporate Governance & Social Essay

Questions in a case study in theCorporate Governance & Social Responsibility field - Essay Example None among the management should have the ultimate power during the decision-making process (FRC, 2003) This is because when this happens, the company will have a chairman who will be the leader to the board making sure it is effective in its roles and sets the board’s agenda. He will make sure the directors have accurate, clear and timely information. Since no governance structure exists, this principle will help to promote efficient and transparent markets, ensuring the consistency with the law and articulating clearly separation of responsibility among the management. This must be achieved by: Consistent, enforceable and transparent regulatory and legal requirements affecting governance should be provided. The framework should be developed to generally impact integrity of market, economic performance and promote participation (OECD, 2004). According to OECD (2004), the corporate governance is expected to safeguard and facilitate the expression of shareholders’ rights and so by applying this principle, the extractive industry will be aiming to put in place structures in order to achieve the following: Firstly, it gives the shareholders their basic rights which include but not limited to; obtaining a means of ownership by registration, be able to transfer shares, be able to obtain information regarding the corporate regularly and on time, obtain participation and voting regularly on AGMs, having a say in electing and voting office bearers serving on the board and finally be able to share the profits of the corporate. Secondly, it ensures that shareholders have the rights for participation and information on key decisions affecting the corporate which could include; proposals to amend the statutes, incorporation articles or any other relevant administration documents of the company, proposals to authorize additional shares and in any decisions to undertake significantly extra ordinary transactions (OECD, 2004). Thirdly, it gives shareholders

The Invasion of Normandy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Invasion of Normandy - Research Paper Example This essay examines the Allied Forces invasion of Normandy. Within this spectrum of investigation specific consideration are given to events and statistics that are central to a comprehensive understanding of the events of D-Day. The essay reveals that the operation was nearly as large in logistical scope as it was in seminal importance to the Allied mission. Notably, rehearsals, planning, and covert operations led up to this extraordinary event that would become the largest invasion in military history. The planning for the operation had begun as early as April the year prior as the British General Montgomery outlined operations for an invasion of St. Paul’s Cathedral (Neillands). The invasion itself would become meticulously planned and rehearsed in the months leading up to the attack. One considers that in addition to the significant rehearsal that occurred the Allied Forces made a number of offensive operations as a means of deceiving the Axis Forces that other parts of Western Europe, specifically Northern France, would possibly be attacked. These attacks went under the name Operation Bodyguard and they were ultimately successful in diverting the German forces from the Normandy area, allowing the Allies a strategic advantage during the attack (Hakim). In addition to the rehearsals and deception that occurred before the invasion, the Allied Forces also developed specific new technology for attack. Most notable among the new technology was the ‘mulberry’. This was a mobile, pre-fabricated concrete harbor.

Blood Pressure Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Blood Pressure - Lab Report Example As the muscles are less stretched the force of contraction decreases which reduces the stroke volume. Decreased stroke volume results in decreased cardiac output and hence reduces blood pressure initially. This is also called orthostatic hypotension (reduced blood supply to brain due to reduced cardiac output causing fainting). However after sometimes, baroreceptor respond to this decreased blood volume and stimulates the cardio-accelerator center in Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla which cause noradrenergic discharge. Nor adrenaline then acts on Beta-2 adrenergic receptors on myocardium to increase the heart rate and force of contraction to increase the blood pressure to normal and thus maintaining homeostasis (Williams et al, 2004). Q2. Analyzing the blood pressure it becomes evident that although there was a drop in mean systolic blood pressure (114mm Hg sitting versus 111 mm Hg standing, but it was not statistically significant as p value was > 0.05), even mean diastolic blood pressure decreased (76.3 mm Hg sitting versus 73 mm Hg standing but again it was not statistically significant as p value was > 0.05). However the mean pulse pressure ( difference between systolic and diastolic) increased(84.6 mm Hg sitting versus 87 mm Hg, but this was also not statistically significant as p value was > 0.05). This means that out of 100 observations more than 5 observations has happened due to chance factors of random sampling and change in posture has not statistically altered their blood pressure. Though statistically insignificant it is clearly seen that clinically or physiologically there is reduction of blood pressure from sitting and standing postures as discussed in question 1. The increased pulse pressure was d ue to the fact to compensate the reduction in cardiac output and increase the peripheral circulation (Williams et al, 2004) (Blair et al, 1980). t tests are conducted to test the significance of difference between

UNIT 4 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UNIT 4 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT - Essay Example Anti-Abortionists on the other hand agree in unison that it is pretty much in defiance as laid down in the holy books of God to commit such a heinous act like abortion. The rationale that can be provided here is that if at any point in time it was in defiance with the laws as proposed and put forward by God, then it is between the woman under question and her God and she is the one who will be the recipient of chastisement with regards to the abortion decision that she has taken. A number of people are of the view that abortion can threaten a mother’s life and hence should be deemed as illegal right from the onset. Again there are some opinions which suggest that if the mother does not want to have the baby then it would be best to at least give birth to the newborn and give it to some orphan house so that those women who do not have children in their lives can raise their families in accordance. This seems pretty valid since giving a newborn for the sake of adoption is a good route none the less if a family is against the birth and the eventual raise of the baby. This is due to the fact that at times it has been seen that these children suffer immensely as they sit for ages in the orphanages making them look like unwanted guests in this world. Different people raise different opinions but this is true that each one of us has a responsibility towards the society and thus we should be responsible enough of take it. Indeed abortion is a very sensitive topic that has been shown flames during its discussion in different meetings and seminars. Controversy is one thing that is sure to make rounds of these board room meetings and hospital seminars. Then again, choosing whether one should have an abortion or not is pretty much dependent on the family and more so the mother, if not the father as well. This is said so as to make sure that the society does not have to pay for the unwanted and

Blood Pressure Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Blood Pressure - Lab Report Example As the muscles are less stretched the force of contraction decreases which reduces the stroke volume. Decreased stroke volume results in decreased cardiac output and hence reduces blood pressure initially. This is also called orthostatic hypotension (reduced blood supply to brain due to reduced cardiac output causing fainting). However after sometimes, baroreceptor respond to this decreased blood volume and stimulates the cardio-accelerator center in Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla which cause noradrenergic discharge. Nor adrenaline then acts on Beta-2 adrenergic receptors on myocardium to increase the heart rate and force of contraction to increase the blood pressure to normal and thus maintaining homeostasis (Williams et al, 2004). Q2. Analyzing the blood pressure it becomes evident that although there was a drop in mean systolic blood pressure (114mm Hg sitting versus 111 mm Hg standing, but it was not statistically significant as p value was > 0.05), even mean diastolic blood pressure decreased (76.3 mm Hg sitting versus 73 mm Hg standing but again it was not statistically significant as p value was > 0.05). However the mean pulse pressure ( difference between systolic and diastolic) increased(84.6 mm Hg sitting versus 87 mm Hg, but this was also not statistically significant as p value was > 0.05). This means that out of 100 observations more than 5 observations has happened due to chance factors of random sampling and change in posture has not statistically altered their blood pressure. Though statistically insignificant it is clearly seen that clinically or physiologically there is reduction of blood pressure from sitting and standing postures as discussed in question 1. The increased pulse pressure was d ue to the fact to compensate the reduction in cardiac output and increase the peripheral circulation (Williams et al, 2004) (Blair et al, 1980). t tests are conducted to test the significance of difference between

Tom's Shoes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tom's Shoes - Research Paper Example The same type of shoes was also being wore by the farmers in Argentina and were considered as the part of centuries old history of the shoes. These shoes are made in canvas or through cotton fibers with rubber soles. These shoes are traditionally made in different styles and are considered as common shoes in Argentina. (Cook) It is also important to note that the idea of actually giving one pair of shoes to the children for every pair of shoes sold was also taken from the Argentina. While Blake Mycoskie was on vacation in Argentina and was conceiving the idea of developing such shoes, he noticed that many children were not having shoes or other footwear therefore this idea of buy one and give one was conceived there. The overall business model of the firm is based upon the concept of one for one wherein for every needy child a pair of shoes is given against the sale of each new pair of shoes. The countries where most of the free shoes are sent include countries like Argentine, Ethiop ia, Haiti, Rwanda and South Africa. The overall focus is on corporate social responsibility wherein non-profit business is being integrated with for-profit organization. ... Most of the marketing of the firm is done through the word of mouth and is shared by the existing customers with the potential customers. What is critical to note that the firm wants to make benefactors out of the consumers by following a strategy of one for one? By focusing on this, firm has actually been able to focus on its consumers while at the same time focusing on other stakeholders also including non-consumers who get the shoes without actually paying for them. This model has been dubbed as an effort towards eradicating poverty and helping needy children. (Miller) Over the period of time, Toms Shoes has been able to offer 10 million pair of shoes to 10 million children in over 60 countries. Such large number of free pairs given suggests that the firm is effectively focused upon helping children specially to improve their eyesight and having access to quality shoes. (TOMS) Toms has been partnering with some of the world’s leading organizations to help improve different aspects of life. Besides focusing on eradicating poverty and helping poor children, Toms has also been involved in using its profits for the purpose of medical equipment as well as the improvement of the education in some of the countries in Africa. Apart from this, it has also been partner with Charity: Water which is engaged in the project of offering safe drinking water especially to the people in African countries. What is critical to note however, is the philosophy that rather than doing charity, it is more important to actually do business and help the people? This model therefore is oriented towards using for profit organizational structure to help achieve the required degree of social change

The Press Agentry Model Media Essay

The Press Agentry Model Media Essay The earliest PR model to appear was press agentry or publicity. It emerged in the late 19th century and was characterized as one-way, source-to-receiver communication where the flow of information is only from the sender to the receiver. The sender is not much concerned about the second partys feedback, reviews and so on. Press agentry attempts to change the behavior of publics without changing the behavior of the organization. Under the press agentry, public relations strive for publicity in the media in almost any way possible. Grunig Hunt confirm that the model involves a propaganda function (Grunig Hunt, 1984 pp. 21) and academics such as Butterick (2009), Theaker (2004), and Johnston Zawawi (2004) agree that accuracy and credibility are somewhat compromised as the goal of the model is to influence the audience by manufacturing news, be that by way of stunts or explicit publicity seeking. Butterick (2009) states that practitioners who use this model become press agents, utilis ing a range of PR tools from press releases to publicity stunts which in turn ensures that an audience takes a specific course of action. Press agents did little research aside from monitoring the media in which they sought to place favorable articles about their clients. The prototype practitioner of this model was the American impresario P. T. Barnum. He promoted circuses and other entertainment venues such as the singer Jenny Lind. Publicity continues to be a component of contemporary American PR and is used in sports, entertainment and product publicity, although todays practitioners are less likely to take liberties with the truth. In Press Agentry publicity model, public relations expects enhance the reputation of the organization among the target audience, stakeholders, employees, partners, all other associated with it through manipulation. According to this model, hire public relations expects who create a positive image of their brand in the minds of target audience through arguments and reasoning. They influence their potential customers by simply imposing their ideas, thoughts, creative stories of their bran d, USPs of the products and so on. Flow of information takes place only from the public relations expects to the target audiences. (One-Way communication) Although J. Grunig and Hunt acknowledged that there had been public-relations-like activities throughout history, they claimed that the press agents of the mid-19th century were the first full- name specialists to practice public relations. These press agents practiced the press agentry/ publicity model of public relations for such heroes as Andrew Jackson, Daniel Boone, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Calamity Jane. The most prominent of these practitioners was P.T. Barnum, who skillfully promoted his circus performers using the axiom, There is a sucker born every minute. Curiosity and scepticism played a pivotal role in the success of the press agentry model in the 19th Century, as illustrated with Barnums stunt, and to this day it still does. Butterick (2009) points out that we only have to look at the inner editorial pages of the tabloid newspapers, the celebrity magazines or observe when a new movie or CD is launched to see the press agentry model in its purest form. Press agents like Max Clifford are often seen as masters of the industry, carefully manipulating the media coverage of their clients, as Butterick notes; even the so-called exclusive pictures of semi-naked celebrities on a beach in a Sunday newspaper can sometimes be the result of a collusion between the stars publicist and photographer. Although it is clear from the examples above that the press agentry model is still very much in use in the 21st Century, we can easily argue that the ethics involved in this model are highly questionable, and the admission from Grunig Hunt that the model has an element of propaganda attached to it does nothing to distil the negative connotations attached to PR as propaganda (Butterick, 2009). However, despite these criticisms, it is ultimately our curiosity and scepticism which ensures the press agentry model is still alive and well in the modern day. Although the modern day PR practitioner must be more au fait with the truth, the very foundations of the model still exist whether it be to publicise a sporting event, a theatre production, or the scariest film of the decade, as in the recent movie release Paranormal Activity (2009). We, the public, will either want to believe what we see, or find out for ourselves if our scepticism can be proven correct which is why this model still works for practitioners seeking to gain the illusive media spotlight and is therefore relevant for the 21st Century. Having established a need for the press agentry model in the 21st Century, we must now look at its successor; how it works, and how it continues to work today, in order to establish how relevant it remains. The public information model surfaced circa 1920, when, some say, the press agentry model started to lose credibility with journalists who had caught on to the press agents way of emitting the truth on many an occasion to get their clients into the media (Grunig Hunt, 1984). Although similar to the press agentry model in that it is characterised by a one way method of communication, the public information model differs because it is aimed at giving its audience clear and factual information. Press agentry is closely associated with publicity in the entertainment world. Press agentry is the practice of attracting the attention of the press through technique that manufactures news. Methods associated with press agentry include staged events, publicity stunts, faux rallies or gatherings, spinning, and hype. A common practice is the late 1800s and early 1900s, press agentry is not part of mainstream public relations. Rather, it is a practice primarily associated with major entertainment-related events, such as Hollywood premieres and boxing matches. The goal of press agentry is to attract attention rather than gain understanding. Even today, however, the term press agent is sometimes used interchangeably with publicist in traditional Broadway theater and motion picture industries. Todays entertainment industries are populated with publicists rather than press agents. Publicists are individuals skilled in media relations who attempt to get the name of their clients or events in the media by carefully constructing messages that inform, educate, and persuade. Some are astute in branding and positioning strategies to aid the careers and success of their clients. In contrast, press agents want attention either good or bad in most any form. Press agentry had been called persuasion for short-term advantage through the use of truth bending and even distortion, but it can also be simply the staging of provocative acts to get publicity and draw attention to an individual, event, or cause. Therefore, it is understandable that one of the earliest proponents of press agentry was Phineas Taylor (P.T) Barnum, the famed American showman and promoter who put gun Gen. Tom Thumb on exhibit and launched a mobile circus featuring Jumbo the elephant and freak shows. Barnum was a master of press agentry. For instance, he wrote letters both praising and criticizing his circus show to newspaper under an assumed name. In the early part of his career, Edward L. Bernays was also a master of press agentry. He persuaded 10 debutantes to hold up Lucky Strike cigarettes manufactured by his client, the American Tobacco Company, as torches of freedom while participating in New Yorks Easter parade. In 1929, Bernays staged a global news event by organizing the Lights Golden Jubilee, a worldwide calebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the electric light bulb for his client, General Electric. Bernays managed to secure several prominent individuals for that event, including carmaker Henry Ford, electricity scientist Thomas Edison, and President Herbert Hoover. Henry Rogers, one of the founders of Rogers and Cowan, the largest and most successful West Coast entertainment publicity firm, became well known when he promoted an unknown contract player for Columbia Pictures named Rita Hayworth. He contacted Look magazine with a telegram from the Fashion Couturiers Association of America, a fictitious group, claiming that Hayworth was the best-dressed off-screen actress. Look magazine took the bait and put Hayworth on the cover and published 10 pages of her photographs.

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morisson :: Toni Morisson The Bluest Eye

Toni Morisson's novel The Bluest Eye is about the life of the Breedlove family who resides in Lorain, Ohio, in the late 1930s. This family consists of the mother Pauline, the father Cholly, the son Sammy, and the daughter Pecola. The novel's focal point is the daughter, an eleven-year-old Black girl who is trying to conquer a bout with self-hatred. Everyday she encounters racism, not just from white people, but mostly from her own race. In their eyes she is much too dark, and the darkness of her skin somehow implies that she is inferior, and according to everyone else, her skin makes her even "uglier." She feels she can overcome this battle of self-hatred by obtaining blue eyes, but not just any blue. She wants the bluest eye. Morrison is able to use her critical eye to reveal to the reader the evil that is caused by a society that is indoctrinated by the inherent goodness and beauty of whiteness and the ugliness of blackness. She uses many different writing tools to depict how "white" beliefs have dominated American and African American culture. The narrative structure of The Bluest Eye is important in revealing just how pervasive and destructive social racism is. Narration in novel comes from several sources. Much of the narration comes from Claudia MacTeer as a nine year old child, but Morrison also gives the reader the insight of Claudia reflecting on the story as an adult, some first person narration from Pecola's mother, and narration by Morrison herself as an omniscient narrator. Pecola's experiences would have less meaning coming from Pecola herself because a total and complete victim would be an unreliable narrator, unwilling or unable to relate the actual circumstances of that year. Claudia, from her youthful innocence, is able to see and relate how the other characters, especially Pecola, idolize the "ideal" of beauty presented by white, blue-eyed movie stars like little Shirley Temple. In addition to narrative structure, the structure and composition of the novel itself help to illustrate how much and for how long white ideas of family and home have been forced into black culture. Instead of conventional chapters and sections, The Bluest Eye is broken up into seasons, fall, winter, spring, and summer. This type of organization suggests that the events described in The Bluest Eye have occurred before, and will occur again. This kind of cycle suggests that there is notion that there is no escape from the cycle of life that Breedloves and MacTeer live in.

Essay --

This paper will address recent trajectories of college tuition, fees, and financial aid in order to assess the extent to which fiscal assistance has kept pace with increases in tuition. Agenda setting constructs will then be used to contexualize this relationship, as well as student loan debt in general, and to identify applications of this issue to macro level social work practice. Trends in Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid Among public four-year institutions, the average cost of tuition and fees has increased by 2.9 percent for the 2013-2014 academic year, rising to $8,893 for in-state students. This trend was mirrored among out-of-state public four-year institutions as well; tuition and fees increased by 3.1 percent from $12,887 to $13,310. With regard to private four-year universities, the average cost of tuition and fees increased by 3.8 percent, a difference of $1,105. Although it appears as though the momentum of tuition increases has continued, it is important to note that the ascension of published costs between the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 academic years is the lowest proportion in increase over the past 30 years. That is, tuition and fees are continuing to increase with each academic year, however the percentage by which they do so is actually decreasing (Baum & Ma, 2013). When assessing college affordability, it is important to not only understand trends in tuition costs, but it is also necess ary to differentiate between the published costs of schools and the net prices that full-time students actually pay throughout their enrollment. Tuition and fees might vary according to reciprocity agreements between adjacent states, duration of enrollment, and student aid disbursements; these are all factors which could impact th... ...tarian education policies that make college more affordable and accessible in order to promote a competitive labor market and cultivate a proficient workforce. Conclusion Although the inflation of tuition and fees among post secondary institutions has begun to subside, the trajectory of federal financial aid and grant assistance has become increasingly unable to compensate for this trend. Increases in tuition and, subsequently, student loan debt can be attributed to agenda setting initiatives that supplement revenue losses, but simultaneously marginalize many students and increase the inaccessibility of higher education. In effect, the byproducts of tuition increases underscore the importance of macro-level social work practice and its ability to critically reframe fiscal education policies that best promote the economic welfare of students and their communities.

Folly as the Narrator in Erasmus’s The Praise of Folly

â€Å"The Praise of Folly† Desiderius Erasmus In Erasmus' work â€Å"The Praise of Folly†, the narrator delivers a speech praising Folly with the following: â€Å"And to whom is it generally agreed life owes its beginning if not to me? For it certainly isn't the spear of ? mighty-fathered' Pallas or the shield of ? cloud-gathering' Jupiter which fathers and propagates the human race,†1[2496]. Here the narrator, who is Folly herself, tries to put herself above everyone else, even the Gods on Olympus. She says that she is the beginning of all life, and that she should be the most regarded person, while in reality, this is all a bunch of ‘folly'. She ridicules the Gods and strips them of their powers. She tries to convince the reader that they can never have â€Å"Self-Love† without the presence of her. In Folly's eyes, she proves these items as being virtues and not defects. Folly leads the reader into believing that all foolishness is, in fact, wisdom. While Folly continues her deception, she also criticizes the philosophy of Christian church. She sees the happiness of Christians as a type of folly. Paraphrasing Folly, the philosophy is ‘as long as the mind makes proper use of the organs of the body, it is called sane and healthy. But once it begins to break its bonds and tries to win freedom, men call it insane. ‘ Even so, according to Folly, this type of person shows a knowledge they had never previously learned, and giving clear indication of something divine. Knowledge, power and position don't, and can't, get you true happiness. It is only with a little ‘madness' that a person can truly be free and live an enjoyable life.

“Life Insurance Buying Behavior”

Most of us really see to it that we will have better lives in the future. It is been our desires that we can live a life full of comforts and our needs are supplied and met. We sometimes look ahead of time or we go beyond in our horizons so that we can prepare what lies ahead of us especially when we will grow old. Because of this, we tend to get life insurance to secure our unknown future. This kind of trend is very popular in Toronto, Canada as well as around the globe.But before we go further to our thorough discussions, we must know first what is life insurance and what are the possible benefits that we could get from it. When we say life insurances, it occasionally pertains to as life insurance which arranges for a sum or disbursement of money upon the death of the insured. Moreover, life insurance can also used as a way or method of saving or investment. Through this, we can receive many benefits. The insurance on human lives include benefaction benefit, supplementary benefits in event of death or disarticulate by accidental means or accidents, supplementary benefits for annuities and disability. There are several kinds of life and relative insurance products. The people or the public alters and the necessity for life insurance alters in analogy.The purposes of this study are to understand the buying behavior of life insurance at Toronto, Canada and the reasons why they buy life insurance.*Buying behavior of life insurance in Toronto and its reasons why buys it*In a study conducted in March 14, 2006 and entitled â€Å"Life Insurance: Like ‘Deal or No Deal’ without the Drama† advocated that â€Å"what does the game show â€Å"Deal or No Deal† have in similar with life insurance. Kerzner concluded that both are the same because like in a game, contestants are sweating out with regards to their decision in  order to be in the right track so that they can get the jackpot. Same as buying life insurance because buyers go through su ch experience due to its big amount of money involve. In a LIMRA research, it presents that several people delay or postpone in spite they learn that they need more life insurance. In a survey made by LIMRA of both non-buyers and buyers of life insurance, only 4 out of 10 non-buyers commented that they were scared of making wrong choice or conclusion and half of it explained that they couldn’t choose how much to buy and 70 percent answered that they could not afford it. Kerzner added that:â€Å"Behavioral economics tells us that when people say they can't afford life insurance, even when they admit they don't have enough, there's more to it than a straight budget calculation,† Kerzner said. â€Å"The negative feelings of ‘losing' the premium for more insurance are often a lot stronger than the positive feelings of buying the needed protection.†1An article entitled â€Å"Increased protection for life and health consumers: CompCorp† stated that CompCo rp guards Canadian policyholders in opposition to loss of benefits in the occurrence that life and health insurance company be unsuccessful. It was announced that its members favored and commended three improvements and augmentations to its consumer defense:2Accumulated Values are fully protected up to $100,000;31 â€Å"Life Insurance: Like ‘Deal or No Deal’ Without the Drama. March 14, 2006. http://www.insurance-canada.ca/consinfolife/LIMRA-Survey-Life-Insurace-603.php  3-2 Ibid†¦For Cash Values, CompCorp ensures that policyholders receive at least 85% of their promised benefits and, below $60,000, CompCorp ensures 100% protection;4Guaranteed amounts of Segregated Funds are protected under Cash Value coverage and, as such, policyholders receive at least 85% of their promised benefits and, below $60,000, CompCorp ensures 100% protectionCompCorp protection puts in to every Canadian policyholder altogether with a current and prevailing product to any recent polici es purchased from a member company.5   Another article stated that â€Å"in December 2003, Canadian life insurance application activity has enlarged and improved 3.5 percent as years by. Canadian life insurance application activity gauged and calculated as a percent of the sum in North American Life Index has enlarged over the years successively.MIB Life Index- Percent Change5 â€Å"Increased protection for life and health consumers: CompCorp†. July 7. http://www.insurance-canada.ca/consinfolife/CompCorp-enhancements-507.phpAn article stated that there was a mass marketing. Corporations or companies advertised recent products and services to all their valued customers even though those products or services were suitable for the individuals on the mailing list of the company. When a certain bank presented a mass marketing movement, there is 1 percent up to 3 percent reply rate was well-thought-out successful. If the regular direct-mail movement costs a company about $98,000 to spread 100,000 customers, in accordance to its estimation from the New York City Direct Marketing Association that organization is getting a large amount of loss.66 â€Å"Slices of Lives†.  http://www.cio.com/magazineReferencesâ€Å"Life Insurance: Like ‘Deal or No Deal’ Without the Drama. March 14, 2006. http://www.insurance-canada.ca/consinfolife/LIMRA-Survey-Life-Insurace-603.php â€Å"Increased protection for life and health consumers: CompCorp†. July 7. http://www.insurance-canada.ca/consinfolife/CompCorp-enhancements-507.php â€Å"2003 Annual Report†. http://www.mib.com/webcontent/2003%20MIB%20Life%20Index%20Annual%20Report.pdf â€Å"Slices of Lives†. http://www.cio.com/magazine

Psychopathy And Borderline Personality Disorder Essay

     INTRODUCTION Personality disorders constitute a major group in the classification of mental disorders. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR),1 these conditions are defined by maladaptive personality characteristics beginning early in life that have consistent and serious effects on functioning. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is frequently seen in clinical practice.2 Characterized by emotional turmoil and chronic suicidality (suicide ideation and attempts), this type of personality disorder presents some of the most difficult and troubling problems in all of psychiatry.   The majority of patients with BPD are seen in psychiatric clinics or in primary care. The keys to successful management include making an accurate diagnosis, maintaining a supportive relationship with the patient and establishing limited goals. Although BPD may persist for years, it does not last forever, and one can be reasonably optimistic that most patients will recover with time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychotherapy can help speed up the recovery from BPD. The most effective forms of treatment have been developed by psychologists, and therefore when making a referral, physicians should consider a patient’s ability to pay for such therapy.   More research into the causes of BPD is needed, the results of which may help to develop evidence-based approaches to treatment that are practical and specifically designed for this challenging disorder.   THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER   Epidemiologic studies of personality disorders are at an early stage of development. Community surveys of adults have indicated that the prevalence of BPD is close to 1% (similar to that of schizophrenia).3,4 About 80% of patients receiving therapy for BPD are women,2 but sex differences are less striking in community samples.4 As is the case for personality disorders in general, BPD is associated with lower social class and lower levels of education.3,4   THE ETIOLOGY OF BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER We are only beginning to understand the causes of BPD. As with most mental disorders, no single factor explains its development, and multiple factors (biological, psychological and social) all play a role.   The biological factors in personality disorders consist of temperamental (inborn or heritable) characteristics that present in adulthood as stable personality traits: patterns of thought, affect and behaviour that characterize individuals and are stable over time.5 Heritable factors account for about half of the variability in virtually all traits that have been studied.6 Specifically, both affective instability6 and impulsivity7 have a heritable component of this magnitude, and studies involving twins have demonstrated that BPD itself shows a similar genetic influence.8 Also, family history studies have found that impulsive disorders such as antisocial personality and substance abuse are particularly common among firstdegree relatives of patients with BPD.9 Studies of central neurotransmitter activity have shown that impulsive traits, a major component of BPD, are associated with deficits in central serotonergic functioning.10,11 However, the biological correlates of affective instability are unknown, and no markers specific to the overall disorder have been identified.10 The psychological factors in BPD can be striking but are not consistent. BPD first presents clinically in adolescence, at a mean age of 18 years.12 Although many patients describe adversities such as family dysfunction as well as mood and impulsive symptoms that go back to childhood, longitudinal data are needed to determine the precise influence of early risk factors. 13 Reports of a high frequency of traumatic events during childhood in this population need to take into account community studies, which show extensive resilience following trauma, particularly for less severe adversities.13 The most careful studies have shown that a quarter of patients with BPD describe sexual abuse from a caretaker14 and that about a third report severe forms of abuse.15 However, although child abuse is clearly a risk factor, it is not specific to BPD.13 In general, adverse life events are not consistently pathogenic by themselves but, rather, produce sequelae in vulnerable populations.16 Social factors in BPD are suggested by indirect evidence.   Thus far, there have been no cross-cultural studies of BPD, although characteristic symptoms such as recurrent suicide attempts are less common in traditional societies, in which there is little change from one generation to the next, but are on the increase in modern societies and in societies undergoing rapid change.17   DIAGNOSIS AND SYMPTOMS OF BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER The term â€Å"borderline† is a misnomer, based on an old theory that this form of pathology lies on a border between psychosis and neurosis. Actually, BPD is a complex syndrome whose   central features are instability of mood, impulse control and interpersonal relationships.2 Box 1 presents the DSM-IV-TR1 criteria, reorganized in relation to these basic dimensions, as well as cognitive symptoms.   Since the DSM-IV-TR requires only 5 of 9 criteria to be present, making a diagnosis on this basis leads to heterogeneity; more precise research definitions have been developed that require high scores for all 3 dimensions.18 The affective symptoms in BPD involve rapid mood shifts, in which emotional states tend to last only a few hours.19 When affective instability is monitored with standardized instruments,20 emotions are found to be intense but reactive to external circumstances, with a strong tendency toward angry outbursts. Levels of affective instability are most predictive of suicide attempts.21 Impulsive symptoms include a wide range of behaviours and are central to diagnosis.22 The combination of affective instability with impulsivity in BPD23 helps account for a clinical presentation marked by chronic suicidality and by instability of interpersonal relationships.23 Finally, cognitive symptoms are also frequent. In one case series,24 about 40% of 50 patients with BPD had quasi-psychotic thoughts. In another series,25 27% of 92 patients experienced psychotic episodes.   In a third series,26 psychotic symptoms were found to predict self-harm in patients with personality disorders. BPD is common in practice. A recent study involving patients in an emergency department who had attempted suicide showed that 41% of those with a history of multiple suicide attempts met the criteria for BPD this disorder.27   However, many cases are also seen in primary care settings.   Data from a survey conducted in a US urban primary care practice indicated that BPD was present in 6.4% of a sample of 218 patients.28   Because of the wide range of symptoms seen in BPD that are also typical of other disorders (Table 1), such as mood and anxiety disorders, substance abuse and eating disorders,29 patients may be felt to have one of these conditions while their BPD goes undetected. The most common disorder associated with BPD is depression, but in BPD, symptoms are usually associated with mood instability rather than with the extended and continuous periods of lower mood seen in classic mood disorders.19 Also, because of characteristic mood swings, BPD is often mistaken for bipolar disorder.30 However, patients with BPD do not show continuously elevated mood but instead exhibit a pattern of rapid shifts in affect related to environmental events, with â€Å"high† periods that last for hours rather than for days or weeks.30 BPD may be mistaken for schizophrenia; however, instead of long-term psychotic symptoms, patients with BPD experience â€Å"micropsychotic† phenomena of short duration (lasting hours or at most a few days), auditory hallucinations without loss of insight (patients with schizophrenia do not recognize that a hallucination is imaginary, whereas patients with BPD do), paranoid trends and depersonalization states in which patients experience themselves or their environment as unreal.   24 Finally, patients with BPD are at increased risk of substance abuse, which forms part of the clinical picture of widespread impulsivity.2 To diagnose BPD in practice, clinicians must first establish whether a patient has the overall characteristics of a personality disorder described in the DSM-IV-TR;1 that is, long-term problems affecting cognition, mood, interpersonal functioning and impulse control that begin early in life and are associated with maladaptive personality traits, such as neuroticism (being easily prone to anxiety or depression, or both) or impulsivity. Personality disorders can often account better for the multiplicity and chronicity of symptoms than can alternative diagnoses such as mood or anxiety disorders. The next step is a personality assessment, which requires a good history. Although practitioners will be able to obtain needed information from most patients during a routine visit, they may also, with the patient’s consent, wish to speak to family members or friends.   The final step is to determine the category that best fits the clinical picture. To diagnose BPD, clinicians   need to establish that patterns of affective instability, impulsivity and unstable relationships have been consistent over time.   THE COURSE AND MANAGEMENT OF BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISODERs Managing patients with BPD can be burdensome for clinicians because they may have to deal with repeated suicide threats and attempts over years. Also, patients with BPD do not easily respect boundaries and may become overly attached to their therapists.31 When practitioners fail to diagnose BPD, they may be at risk of becoming overinvolved with patients who suffer greatly but can be personally appealing to the physicians. Fortunately, most patients with BPD improve with time.32–34 About 75% will regain close to normal functioning by the age of 35 to 40 years, and 90% will recover by the age of 50.32 Unfortunately, about 1 in 10 patients eventually succeeds in committing suicide.35 However, this outcome is difficult to predict, and 90% of patients improve despite having threatened to end their lives on multiple occasions. The mechanism of recovery in BPD is not fully understood, but impulsivity generally decreases with age, and patients learn over time how to avoid the situations that give them the most trouble (e.g., intense love affairs), finding stable niches that provide the structure they need.35 BPD is a therapeutic challenge. A series of randomized controlled trials of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy36–47,50,52–54 have been published; however, the trials had a number of defects, most particularly small samples, attrition and durations that were too short (usually 8–12 weeks) for a chronic disorder that can last for years. Finally, outcomes in these studies were generally measured by self-report and did not indicate whether the clinical picture had actually shown full remission. The pharmacologic treatment of BPD remains limited in scope. By and large, the result can be described as a mild degree of symptom relief. A number of agents, including low-dose atypical neuroleptics,38 specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors39,41–43 and mood stabilizers,44,45 all alleviate impulsive symptoms. However, antidepressants are much less effective for mood symptoms in BPD patients than in patients without a personality disorder.48 Benzodiazepines are not very useful in BPD and carry some danger of abuse.49   Thus, although several drugs â€Å"take the edge off† symptoms, they do not produce remission of BPD. Failure to understand this point has led to polypharmacy regimens, on the assumption that multiple drugs are needed to target all aspects of the disorder. The result is that many patients receive 4–5 agents — with all their attendant side effects12 — in the absence of evidence from clinical trials supporting the efficacy of such combinations. Future research may lead to the development of agents more specific to the symptoms seen in BPD.   The mainstay of treatment for BPD is still psychotherapy. Dialectical behaviour therapy is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy that targets affective instability and impulsivity, using group and individual sessions to teach patients how to regulate their emotions. This form of behaviour therapy has been shown to be effective in bringing suicidal behaviours under control within a year.50–53 However, whether this method is effective in the long term is unknown. There is evidence from a randomized controlled trial supporting the use of a modified form of psychoanalytic therapy in a day-treatment setting that also makes us of cognitive techniques.54   Unfortunately, these forms of psychotherapy for BPD are expensive in terms of resources and are not generally available. In practice, therapy tends to be practical and supportive.   Practitioners who manage these cases can also use educational materials for patients and their families.31   BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER AND SUICIDE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The main problem that practitioners face in managing cases of BPD is chronic suicidality. Physicians in primary care settings are prepared to care for many patients with psychotic disorders but are likely to ask psychiatrists to manage patients who make repeated suicide threats and attempts, or to suggest hospital admission. However, there has been little research on the   Efectiveness of hospitalization for the treatment of BPD and no evidence that it prevents completion of suicide.55 Suicidality in BPD peaks when patients are in their early 20s, but completed suicide is most common after 3035 and usually occurs in patients who fail to recover after many attempts at treatment. In contrast, suicidal actions such as impulsive overdoses, most often seen in younger patients, do not usually carry a high short-term risk and function to communicate distress.56 Self-mutilating behaviours such as chronic cutting, often referred to as â€Å"suicidal,† are problematic but are not associated with suicidal intent and instead serve to regulate dysphoric emotional states.56 Practitioners should move beyond their concerns about these patients and instead concentrate on managing symptoms and the life problems that exacerbate suicidal thoughts or behaviours.   THEORIES OF BEHAVIOR INTENT   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Explaining and predicting consumer behavior has been the focus of research for many years. Marketing research seeks to find the answers as to why people make specific choices and how can these be predicted.   Are there commonalities among purchasing groups that can be identified as predictors?   The literature available is rich, as researchers try to understand the drive forces and motivators of the consumer. Hovland and Rosenberg (1960) proposed that attitude, acting as an intervening or moderating variable, consists of three components: cognition (knowledge, ability), affect (beliefs, opinions) and conation (behavior or intent of behavior) (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975; Hansen, 1972).  Ã‚   In order for behavior intent to exist, the three components must be present (Fazio & Olsen, 2003). Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) proposed that attitude does not consist of three components, but is the moderating or intervening variable between cognition and the behavioral intent.   Attitude is derived from cognition, which in turn determines the intent to act or not (Ryan, 1982)   They proposed that researchers need to look at four categories: 1) knowledge, opinions and beliefs (cognition) about the object, 2) attitude (affect) towards the object, 3) behavior intent (conation) and 4) observed behavior to the object (Fishbein and   Ajzen, 1975). The specific action cannot be determined by the assessment of the knowledge of attitude toward an object but rather through the person’s intention to perform the act (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975).   Previous studies have shown that people may have a positive attitude toward an object; however, the intention of behavior will be negative.  Ã‚   This was found in studies concerning blood donation, condom use, and racial prejudice (Ajzen and Fishbein, 2005; Burnkrant and Page, 1982; Fazio and Olson, 2003; Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975). Although many previous surveys showed favorable attitudes toward blood donation, condom use, and other races, their intention to give blood, use condoms or socialize with racial groups was negative.   Therefore, the intent of behavior of an individual must be determined, as well as his beliefs and attitude.   An in-depth discussion of each component will be addressed at a later point of this chapter.   MOA THEORY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Related to the behavioral intent theories is the motivation-opportunity-ability theory of processing information.   Although this theory is in response to communication outcomes, the components are relative to this study.   According to the MOA theory, a person must have motivation, opportunity, and ability to process information in order to develop an attitude towards a brand, which can be enhanced through advertising cues (MacInnes et al., 1991).   Motivation in ad processing refers to the consumers’ willingness to allocate processing resources; whereas, opportunity is the amount of attention that is allocated without disruption; and ability is the â€Å"skills or proficiencies† or prior knowledge (MacInnes et al., 1991).   Each component of the MacInnes et al. model will be discussed in greater detail.   Cognition – Knowledge, Opinions and Beliefs The cognition or knowledge, opinions and beliefs component of the Fishbein and Ajzen model is considered to be the driving force of the model.   Beliefs about an object are formed through direct observation, with information received from outside sources or by inference processes (Fazio and Olsen, 2003; Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975).   The information or knowledge sought in belief formation in a specific situation can be influenced by the effort needed to obtain the information, the time constraint, and the likelihood that the information will be useful (Hansen, 1972).   Opportunity Opportunity pertains to those distractions or environmental factors which affect the consumers’ attention to information (Agho et al., 1993; MacInnes and Jaworski, 1991; Mooy and Robben, 2002).   Fazio and Olsen (2003) further proposed in their MODE or Motivation and Opportunity as DEterminants of attitude-behavior relationship that in order for deliberate processes such as activities used in belief formation, opportunity to engage in the deliberate process must first be available, otherwise, the consumer will resort to memory (Fazio & Olsen, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Time is reflective of opportunity as it influences consumer behavior and choices.   This finite and intangible resource is allocated by the consumer by choice, and is acquired by trading for another resource such as money (Bergadaa, 1990).   Therefore, consumers must choose how to use and manage their time.   Okada and Hoch (2004) found that consumers place a higher value on time spent if the outcome is positive and a lesser value if the experience is negative.   Consumers who have little time pressure will process the information in a leisurely fashion.   However, consumers who experience greater time pressure will generally use less time to process the information (Suri and Monroe, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore, this study will propose that if the consumer has little time or reduced opportunity to expend on search and information gathering, he or she will be more likely to enlist the services of a realtor.   However, if the consumer is seeking monetary savings, and believes that time is less than the value of monetary costs, that consumer will participate in a For Sale by Owner transaction. Reference groups, friends, and family are important resources for the search of information, which is an integral part of buying or selling real estate.   This social network provides a means for sending and receiving information.   Word-of-mouth communication is important in shaping the attitudes and behaviors of the consumer.   â€Å"Personal word-of-mouth influence has a more decisive role in influencing behavior than advertising and other marketer dominated sources (Herr et al., 1991).   Brown and Reingen (1987) found that the stronger the relationship tie, the more influential the communication.   The weaker relationships, on the other hand, were instrumental in developing a bridge in the communication flow and in providing a means for referrals.   The opportunity to obtain information increases as the number of people a person comes into contact with increases.   Ability Ability comprises the second component of cognition.   Not only does the consumer need opportunity to process information, but he or she must have the skill set or ability to access and process the information (MacInnes et al., 1991; Mooy and Robben, 2002).   Any increase in ability can reduce the search process for information, as consumers will rely more on internal information than external information (Gibler and Nelson, 2003). The Internet has become a primary source for product research.   By using the Internet, consumers are afforded the ability to research a specific product, as well as compare products, attributes and prices.   â€Å"Retail businesses must struggle with facing an era of unprecedented consumer power obtained through Internet information† (Schoenbachler and Gordon, 2002).   This phenomenon would apply to the sale or purchase of a home as well (Muhanna, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Technology and the Internet have provided consumers access to information and products that were previously difficult, if not impossible to obtain, as well as have significantly influenced lowering of search costs.   Armed with this advantage, consumers are now afforded with possibilities of researching on the Internet and taking virtual tours, or viewing pictures and descriptions of available properties from the comfort of their own home.   The use of the Internet as one source of information will reduce the cost to the consumer during the search process (Baen, 1997; Baen and Guttery, 1997; Bakos, 1998; Seiler et al., 2001; Giaglis et al., 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ability is an intangible attribute that is often related to age and education.   As a person ages, or attains higher levels of education, the level of ability increases (Alba and Marmorstein, 1987; Huneke et al., 2004; Maheswaran and Sternthal, 1990).   Age contributes to the informal knowledge base while education contributes to the formal knowledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Experience is also often associated with the level of ability (Alba and Marmorstein, 1987; Huneke et al., 2004; Maheswaran and Sternthal, 1990).   Alba and Marmorstein (1987) studied the correlation of frequency or the number of times an event occurs, of experience to knowledge levels.  Ã‚   The greater the number of times a person was exposed to information or experience, the process of decision making was observed to be faster and less complicated.   Furthermore, â€Å"task performance is improved by different types of experiences† (Alba and Hutchinson, 1987).   Gibler and Nelson (2003) described that experienced home buyers remember which dimensions were useful in the past; on the other hand, inexperienced buyers ar e more susceptible to external influences, such as real estate agents, in determining their criteria for selection.   Therefore, the more homes a person has bought and/or sold, the more experience he/she has gained, and the less likely will that person enlist the services of a real estate agent.   The measurement of the levels of ability by the consumer can be ascertained by examining age, education level and prior experience.   â€Å"The greater the accumulation of experience and knowledge as one ages creates a reduced desire for additional information† (Gibler and Nelson, 2003).   Conation/Motivation – Dependent Variable   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conation is defined as behavior or behavior intent.   Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) determined that conation is motivation or behavior intent.   Behavior only occurs if motivation is present to perform the behavior.   MacInnes et al. (1991) stated in their MOA theory that motivation is defined as the consumers’ desire or readiness to process the information.   Therefore, motivation can be defined as behavior intent.   Opportunity, measured by time and social contacts, and ability, measured by Internet access, education and experience (cognition) directly influence the level of motivation or behavior intent (conation).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hovland and Rosenberg (1959) proposed that attitude consists of three elements:   cognition, affect and conation.   Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) argued, however, that attitude is affect, or the feelings toward a behavior.   â€Å"Attitudes reflect reasons for acting, and focus on what the decision maker does or can do† (Bagozzi et al., 2003)   For the purposes of this study, affect and attitude will be treated as the same and will be referred to as affect.   Affect is the result of cognition (Perugini and Bagozzi, 2001). Therefore, if behavior intent is a result of persuasion and persuasion is the result of cognition, then persuasion will act as a moderating variable.   As the persuasion increases positively and based upon previous studies, behavior intent will increase positively.   Media habits, or message exposure, will also moderate cognition-affect-behavior intent (MacInnes et al., 1991; Mooy and Rubben, 2003).   The higher the levels of exposure to television, radio, newspaper, and internet, the more frequency the messages will occur (Alba and Marmorstein, 1987).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Demographics have been routinely used in marketing to assist in segmenting markets based upon gender, age group, income, culture, marital status, education and household size.   These variables are often referred to as demographics; however, as pointed out by Art Weinstein (1994), many variables used for demography are often socioeconomic.   It is common in marketing research to refer to all of these variables as â€Å"demographics† (Weinstein, 1994).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Demographics are commonly used in business management due to the fact that they are easy to collect, group and analyze.   Furthermore, demographic variables typically have an interrelated correlation, which facilitates generalization and analysis of demographic data (Weinstein, 1994).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Household income and household size have a direct correlation with the monetary asset or value.   Consumers with lower incomes, or who have a large number of members in the household, are generally more price conscious.   Therefore, it is proposed that these consumers would prefer to participate in a For Sale by Owner transaction, foregoing the commissions paid to a real estate agent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The purpose of this study is to identify those determinants which persuade a consumer to participate in a For Sale by Owner transaction.   Therefore, in order to identify these factors, the proposed model is an integration of the three major theoretical models discussed. Fishbein and Ajzen’s expectancy value model, and Hovland and Rosenberg’s tripartite theory of behavior, provides the cognition-affect-conation model and cognition-attitude-motivation.   Integrated with this model, is the MOA model as proposed by MacInnes, Moorman and Jaworski (1991), in which behavior is influenced by motivation, opportunity and ability.   Through literature, it has been determined that opportunity and ability are components of cognition, and motivation is influenced by cognition and moderated by affect.   METHODOLOGY Study Population   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The selected population for this study is the participants of a study conducted by Bluefield State College School of Business.   The purpose of the study was to collect raw data regarding the real estate buying and selling behavior of the consumer in the local area, which would be available for future analysis and interpretation.   Their sample is composed of participants over the age of 18 at a local annual exposition held in Mercer County, West Virginia.   Mercer County has a population of 61, 589 people with a median income of $28,130. In 2004, 30,207 housing units existed in the County, with 63.5% of the population living in the same house in 2000.   The homeownership rate was 76.8% in 2000 (US Census Bureau).   The attendance rate at this particular event was approximately 6000 people, approximately 10% of the population (Princeton Mercer County Chamber of Commerce, 2006).   Table 2 provides a summation of the demographics of Mercer County, West Virginia, in comparison to the State of West Virginia and United States averages.   Table 2. Demographic Data Mercer County, WV, State of West Virginia and United States (US Census Bureau, 2000) Demographic Mercer County West Virginia United States Population 62, 980 1,816,815 281,421,906 Median Household Income 28,120 32,967 43,318 Homeownership 76.8% 75.2% 66.2% For Sale By Owner N/A N/A 13% Living in the same home in 1995 and 2000 63.5% 63.3% 54.1% Housing units 30,207 866,944 122,671,734 High School Graduates 72.1% 75.2% 80.4% Bachelor’s Degree or above 13.8% 14.8% 24.4% In order to determine the appropriate sample size needed to complete this study, the following formula was used (Malhotra, 372); whereas the number of possible homeowners is 76.8% or 77% (US Census, 2000), Proportion of population that are homeowners (Ï€) = .70 Desired precision level (D) =.05 Confidence Level (CL) = 95% z value associated with 95% confidence level =1.96: Therefore, the number of samples needed:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   n = Ï€(1-Ï€)z2/D2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   n=.77(1-.77)(1.96)2/.052   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   n=.77(.23)(3.8416)/.25   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   n=272.13 or 272 samples needed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Bluefield State College study contains 356 usable surveys of individuals rather than households, which is in excess of the 272 samples required for this study.   Based upon attendance of 6,000, this represents .0593% or 6% of the attendees surveyed. Instrument   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The questionnaire developed consists of 42 questions including 35 opinion statements followed by 4-point Likert Scale responses and 8 demographic questions.   The Likert responses ranged from â€Å"mostly disagree† = 1 to â€Å"mostly agree† = 4.   Therefore, those who prefer to purchase or sell real estate without the assistance of a real estate agent will answer 1’s or mostly disagree.   These questions were drawn from Mitchell’s 1980 VALS; however, drawing from the works of Wells (1975) the constructs were changed to reflect product specific behavior. Opportunity H1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the level of opportunity, measured by time and social contacts, increases, the behavior intent or motivation to buy or sell real estate without a professional agent will increase.      Two variables will be measured to identify the positive or negative level of opportunity.   As previously stated in the literature, opportunity is influenced by time and social contacts. Six opinion statements are used to identify respondents’ attitudes and opinions regarding time, or the lack of time. These statements are followed by four Lickert-scale responses to choose from with 1 = â€Å"mostly disagree† and 4 = â€Å"mostly agree†.   An example statement from the questionnaire is, â€Å"I spend more than 40 hours a week outside of the home†.   Those respondents, who disagree with this statement, will have more time available to search or sell a home.   Previous research cited has shown that reference groups are an important factor during the information search phase of the decision making process.   Therefore, the more people a consumer comes into contact with, the greater access to information.   The questionnaire contains eight opinion statements with 4-point Lickert-scale responses.   These statements represent the respondent’s network by asking questions in regards to school, community, church and family gatherings.   It is proposed that respondents who have a larger network of social contacts will have access to more information than those who choose not to participate in outside of the home activities.   Therefore, based upon the scale responses, 1=mostly disagree and 4=mostly agree, responses that are higher numbers, will most likely have a stronger social network.   For instance, the statement â€Å"I am active in my community†, reflects the activities of the respondent.   If the response is a 4, then the respondent has outside of the home social contacts and access to information. Affect H1a  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The direction of the level of affect will moderate the level of motivation to purchase or sell real estate without a professional agent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to determine affect, or beliefs, the survey provided seven belief statements.   Respondents responded using a Lickert scale, with â€Å"1† = mostly disagree to â€Å"4† = mostly agree.   A sample statement from the questionnaire is â€Å"I believe real estate agents are a necessity when buying or selling a home†.   Responses with higher numbers will have a strong belief concerning real estate agents. Ability H2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As ability, measured by age, education and experience, increases, behavior intent or motivation to purchase or sell real estate without a professional agent will increase. Ability is measured by three variables:   experience, Internet access and education. In order to determine experience, the survey provides two questions and twelve opinion statements.   Experience can be measured by the number of homes purchased or sold in a lifetime.   Respondents to the questionnaire were asked to choose 1, 2, 3, or 4 or more.   As the number of homes purchased or sold in a lifetime increases, the level of experience increases.   The highest possible response will be a 4 and the lowest 1.   Furthermore, experience with a real estate agent is questioned.   If the respondent had used an agent to buy or sell his/her home the answer would be no, represented by the number 1.   If yes, then number 2. Internet presence, which is also an indicator of information access, is determined in the questionnaire by requesting the respondent to choose which email providers they use for email.   The more email providers would indicate a higher Internet usage of the respondent.   Also, based upon the provider, it can be determined if the respondent has high speed cable or DSL access.   Those respondents without email would respond to â€Å"none†. Information regarding education level will then be analyzed to determine correlation with the questions and statements regarding ability.   According to the literature cited, it is proposed that as the level of education, Internet access, and experience increases ability will increase, which will directly impact behavior intent. Motivation (Behavior Intent) The next twelve statements contained in the survey are opinion statements regarding the use of real estate agents, brokers and intentions of the respondent.   A sample statement from the questionnaire is â€Å"I would always use a real estate agent to help with purchasing a home†.   Respondents were given four Lickert-scale responses to choose from with 1 = â€Å"mostly disagree† and 4 = â€Å"mostly agree†.   Therefore, â€Å"3† and â€Å"4† would indicate the respondent’s intent to use a real estate agent, rather than for sale by owner. Media Habits H1b  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An increase in the level of media habits will moderate the level of opportunity and its relationship with motivation to purchase or sell real estate without a professional agent..      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H2b  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An increase in the level of media habits will moderate the level of ability and its relationship with   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Media habits, is also an indicator of information access.   Survey questions ask respondents the number of hours spent weekly watching television, listening to the radio, as well as newspapers read.   It is proposed that as the hours spent watching television or listening to the radio will moderate cognition and behavior intent.   As the number of hours exposed to media increases, the level of behavior intent will increase. Demographics H1c  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Demographics, measured by age, household income and household size will mediate the relationship between opportunity and motivation to purchase or sell real estate without a professional agent.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H2c  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Demographics, measured by age, household income and household size will mediate the relationship between ability and motivation to purchase or sell real estate without a professional agent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Demographic information regarding age, household income and household size will be collected.   This information will mediate cognition and behavior intent. Questions concerning gender, marital status and zip code will be used as descriptor or extraneous variables which are not statistically significant in this study. Data Analysis Descriptive Statistics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The data that will be used in this study has been collected by the Bluefield State College School of Business; however, statistical analysis has not been completed.   Therefore, raw data obtained will be used for this study. The first step will be determining the descriptive statistics of the variables used in the study.   This will provide the mean, median and standard deviation of each survey question.   The aggregate mean will then be used for each variable.   The results of this analysis will then be used to conduct inferential statistic analysis. Inferential Statistics Inferential statistic analysis will be conducted in four steps.   Multiple regression analysis will be conducted to determine the affect of the moderating and mediating variables.   The dependent variable is dichotomous; therefore, logit analysis will be conducted, followed by model fit and significance testing. Due to the existence of several independent variables, mediators and moderators influencing the dependent variable, multiple regression analysis will be conducted to determine the relationships (Hair, 2003, p579).   The steps that will be taken to accomplish this, as recommended by Hair (2003, p579) are: assess the statistical significance of the overall regression model using the F statistic with a level of significance