Consumer Behavior Essay

This section describes the roles of product appearance in the process of consumer evaluation and choice. For this aim, literature in the fields of product development, product design, consumer behavior, marketing, and human factors has been searched. The literature shows that the visual appearance of a product can influence consumer product evaluations and choice in several ways. Several authors considered the role of product or package appearance in consumer product evaluation or choice (Bloch, 1995; Garber, 1995; Garber et al. , 2000; Veryzer, 1993; Veryzer, 1995). However, they did not discuss explicitly the different ways in which appearance influences consumer choice and their respective implications for product design. In addition to these more recent contributions to the literature, the functions of a product in consumer–product interaction are described in earlier industrial design literature (Lo? bach, 1976; Pilditch, 1976; Schu? rer, 1971). Several of these functions concern product appearance. There are differences between authors in the number of roles (i. e. , functions) of product appearance they distinguish and the terms they use. For example, communication of ease of use was mentioned by Bloch (1995) and was described as part of the aesthetic function by Lo? bach (1976), while Veryzer (1995) called it the communicative function of a product appearance. If all the roles mentioned in the literature are considered as a whole, the following six roles of product appearance for consumers can be distinguished: (1) communication of aesthetic, (2) symbolic, (3) functional, and (4) ergonomic product information; (5) attention drawing; and (6) categorization. A description of these six roles and their implications for product design follows. Product Appearance and Aesthetic Product Value The aesthetic value of a product pertains to the pleasure derived from seeing the product, without consideration of utility (Holbrook, 1980). A consumer can value the ‘‘look’’ of a product purely for its own sake, as looking at something beautiful is rewarding in itself. When product alternatives are similar in functioning and price, consumers will prefer the one that appeals the most to them aesthetically (see, for example, Figure 1). Aesthetic responses are primarily emotional or feeling responses, and as such they are very personal (Bamossy et al. , 1983). Several researchers have tried to determine properties of products that are related to aesthetic appreciation. Innate preferences are proposed for visual organization principles, such as unity (i. e. , congruence in elements), proportion (e. g. , ‘‘the Golden Section’’), and symmetry (Hekkert, 1995; Muller, 2001; Veryzer, 1993; Veryzer and Hutchinson, 1998), and an inverted U-shaped relation is proposed between aestheticpreference and complexity (Berlyne, 1971). Another property influencing aesthetic judgments is color. The desirability of a color will change according to the object to which it is applied (e. g. , a car or a table) and with the style of the object (e. g. , modern or Georgian) (Whitfield and Wiltshire, 1983). In addition to (innate) preferences for certain properties of stimuli, prototypicality is found to influence the aesthetic response. Proto typicality is the degree to which something is representative of a category (see also the section about categorization). In several studies, evidence is found for a positive influence of visual prototypicality on aesthetic preference (Hekkert, 1995; Veryzer and Hutchinson, 1998; Whitfield and Slatter, 1979). According to Hekkert et al. (2003), products with an optimal combination of prototypicality and novelty are preferred aesthetically. As well as the product-related characteristics previously mentioned, there are cultural, social, and personal influences on design taste. For example, color preferences differ between cultures and in time (Whitfield and Wiltshire, 1983). In addition, personal factors, such as design acumen, prior experience, and personality influence the design taste of consumers (Bloch, 1995). The influence of an aesthetic judgment on product preference can be moderated by the perceived aesthetic fit of the product with other products the consumer owns, or his or her home interior (Bloch, 1995). Product Appearance and Symbolic Product Value Consumer goods carry and communicate symbolic meaning (McCracken, 1986). Symbolic value even can be the key determinant for product selection (Hirschman and Holbrook, 1982) and can account for the selection of products that clearly are inferior in their tangible characteristics (Levy, 1959). An example of the latter is Philippe Starck’s Juicy Salif lemon squeezer (Lloyd and Snelders, 2003). The choice for a specific product or brand may convey the kind of person someone is or wants to be; consumers use products to express their (ideal) self-image to themselves and to others (Belk, 1988; Landon, 1974; Sirgy, 1982; Solomon, 1983). Symbolic meaning can be attached to a product or brand on the basis of, among other things, advertising (McCracken, 1986), country of origin, or the kind of people using it (Sirgy, 1982). But the productitself also can communicate symbolic value in a more direct way, namely by its appearance. A product’s appearance communicates messages (Murdoch and Flurscheim, 1983), as it may look cheerful, boring, friendly, expensive, rude, or childish (see, for example, Figure 2). In addition, a certain style of appearance may evoke associations with a certain time or place (e. g. , the Fifties). Furthermore, the product or package appearance can reinforce the image of a brand, as the identity of a brand is expressed visually in the appearance of products (Schmitt and Simonson, 1997). Consumers may attach the meaning of a brand to elements of the physical appearance of products. In this way, a brand image may transfer to different kinds of products (see the section about categorization). Many companies therefore make consistent use of certain design elements, such as a color combination, a distinctive form element, or style. For example, car manufacturers often try to keep different car models recognizable as belonging to the same brand. The distinctive radiator grill of BMW automobiles is an example of a recognizable design element. The linking of brand meaning to elements of the product appearance will be easier when the associations these elements engender by themselves (e. g. , because they are innate or are determined by culture) correspond to the desired brand image. For example, use of bright colors and a large size, which is associated with aggression (Murdoch and Flurscheim, 1983), will make it easier to position a car brand as aggressive. Although there are large individual and time-specific differences in the experience of color and form, there are certain associations that seem to be relatively constant. Overviews of the influence of form and color on consumer perception of symbolic value (but also ergonomic and aesthetic value) can be found in Muller (2001), Murdoch and Flurscheim (1983), Schmitt and Simonson (1997), and Whitfield and Wiltshire (1983). For example, angular forms are associated with dynamism and masculinity, while roundness evokes softness and femininity (Schmitt and Simonson, 1997). Culture is an important determinant of the interpretations that consumers give and the associations they have with certain factors of a product’s appearance. For example, color associations vary from culture to culture (Whitfield and Wiltshire, 1983). In America and Europe, the color white stands for purity, and brides traditionally dress in white; in Japan itis a color of mourning. Furthermore, meaning is context dependent. The impression that colors give may change completely by combining certain colors (Muller, 2001). Also, the meaning of forms and colors may change in time, as meanings are continuously transformed by movements in art, fashion, etcetera (Muller, 2001). There is some debate about whether symbolic interpretation is part of the aesthetic experience. In most literature, aesthetic value is mentioned as botha hedonic impression and a result of interpretation and representation (Schmitt and Simonson, 1997; Vihma, 1995). It is acknowledged in this article that whether a product is conceived of as beautiful is affected by what it represents (Vihma, 1995). The same style can be considered ‘‘good taste’’ at one point in time, while being considered ‘‘bad taste’’ 10 years later, because the connotations associated with it or the interpretations given to it have changed. For example, orange was a modern color for clothes, furniture, and plastic products in the Seventies, generally was perceived as old-fashioned and ugly in the Eighties, and became used in products and clothing again in the Nineties. However, the view in this article is that aesthetic and symbolic value should be distinguished, as they may have opposite influences on preference. For example, someone who likes a colorful design may not buy it because it looks ‘‘too childish. ’’ Product Appearance and Functional Product Value

Improved writing Essay

Probable Solutions: Reassign executives and match with the members Others to provide assistance whenever necessary Retrench one of the employees since two of eight executives have full-time administrative assistants anyway and only six are actually being serviced Benefits: To the employees †¢ Manageable and productive work To the company †¢ Cost savings To the supervisor †¢ Productivity improvement †¢ Less stressful †¢ Deadlines more likely to be met Draft My office provides secretarial support for the eight members of the executive team. Currently, their assignment is as follows: †¢ Jack Snieder is assigned to Ralph Cajun and Jessica Hilo †¢ Rachel King is assigned to Melanie Razor and David Thomson †¢ Bonnie Disselkoen is assigned to Samuel Daily and Frank Daily †¢ Molly Smakowski is assigned to Larry Miller and Victor Potack However, I have noticed that Jack and Rachel frequently have nothing to do, while Bonnie and Molly usually require overtime hours at least twice a month. Upon delving further, I learned that Melanie Razor and Jessica Hilo share a full-time administrative assistant who completes most of their secretarial work. On the other hand, Samuel and Frank Daily have no administrative assistant while Larry Miller’s assistant works only 15 hours a week. From this alone, we can already see a disparity in work assignments causing two of my team members to be overworked while the other two are underworked. For the former two, this could lead to stress and fatigue while for the latter two, work for them might lose its value since they have settled into boredom and lack of challenge. Moreover, the company is unnecessarily paying overtime costs. The best solution that I can see to this problem is to reassign the executives to a different member of the team. This way, the work load would be better distributed among the team members. There are no indications that the pairings of executives have anything to do with any common requirements. It may be that they were merely randomly assigned without making a careful study of the workload each executive would be giving. While present assignments can be maintained and just require the other members to assist when the other is loaded with work, this is not as good a solution because the sense of ownership will not be there. They will not have the proper motivation to turn out a good work when they will not get full credit. Another idea is retrenching one of the employees since two of eight executives have full-time administrative assistants anyway and only six are actually being serviced. This is not possible since not only would it lower morale even further, we are still unsure how much work load is given by the other six executives. If such a solution proves to be effective, this will impact a lot of factors. We will be seeing an increase in individual productivity. Each member of the team will get a boost in their morale for doing manageable work that is equally distributed. Work will be better organized and the capability of each team member will be fully tapped. This will also mean savings to the company since overtime costs will be lessened or even totally eliminated. This would affect the Supervisor’s work as well since the personnel will now be self-sufficient and self-motivated, she will have more time to focus on other administrative work. There will be less stress and deadlines are more likely to be met. MEMORANDUM To : Liz Jakowski From : My Name. Date : 02 February 2008 Subject : Productivity Improvement Currently, my office provides secretarial support for the eight members of the executive team. Their assignment is as follows: †¢ Jack Snieder is assigned to Ralph Cajun and Jessica Hilo †¢ Rachel King is assigned to Melanie Razor and David Thomson †¢ Bonnie Disselkoen is assigned to Samuel Daily and Frank Daily †¢ Molly Smakowski is assigned to Larry Miller and Victor Potack However, I have noticed that Jack and Rachel frequently have nothing to do, while Bonnie and Molly usually require overtime hours at least twice a month. Upon delving further, I learned that Melanie Razor and Jessica Hilo share a full-time administrative assistant who completes most of their secretarial work. Thus, this frees up a lot of Jack and Rachel’s time. On the other hand, Samuel and Frank Daily have no administrative assistant and are fully dependent on Bonnie while Larry Miller’s assistant works only 15 hours a week which also does not give Molly that much free time. It is apparent that there is a disparity in work assignments and work loads causing two of my team members to be overworked while the other two are under worked. This unevenness in work distribution could lead to stress and fatigue for the former two. For the latter two, there is the possibility that work for them might lose its value since they are slowly settling into a state of lethargy due to lack of a challenge. Such disparity also costs the company a lot of money in overtime costs which has to be paid to Bonnie and Molly if they are to meet the deadline imposed by the executives. I have worked my way up from a mere clerk and, until three moths ago, into an office manager. I have actual experience and exposure to what each of my staff are experiencing now. This work imbalance is certain to be taking a toll on their morale and motivation. I am, therefore, confident to recommend that we reassign the executives to a different secretarial support. This way, the work load would be better distributed among the team members. There are no indications that the pairings of executives have anything to do with any common requirements, that they cannot be separated and reassigned. It may be that they were merely randomly assigned without making a careful study of the workload each executive would be giving. Hence, I foresee that there should be no problems with regard to the executive’s preference as there may be none. It has been considered to retain present assignments and just require the other members to assist when the others seem to be loaded with work. This is not an efficient solution because of several reasons such as the sense of ownership will not be there. They will not have the proper motivation to turn out a good work when they will not get full credit. It is also a burden administratively since the supervisor would constantly have to go around and assess the work load of each individual at that particular moment. Retrenching a member of the team was also considered since there are two executives who had full-time administrative assistants anyway. This, however, cannot and will not be endorsed as this would lower morale even further and there’s the danger of losing the trust and cooperation of the team, which at this time of management changes, is an important factor. Moreover, we are still not entirely sure of the workload of the six other executives and to cut head now may be too premature. Hence, reassignment would be the best option and the proposal is as follows: †¢ Jack is assigned Ralph Cajun and Larry Miller †¢ Rachel is assigned Samuel Daily and Melanie Razor †¢ Bonnie is assigned Frank Daily and Jessica Hilo †¢ Molly is assigned David Thomson and Victor Potack This reassignment aims to address disproportionate work distribution. It is anticipated that with the work load relatively evenly distributed, we will be seeing an increase in individual productivity. Each member of the team will get a boost in their morale for doing work that is manageable. The tasks can be better organized and the capability of each team member can be explored, fully tapped and optimized. For the company, this would translate into savings on overtime costs. This would impact the Supervisor’s work, as well, such that close monitoring would no longer be as necessary as before since the staff will be self-sufficient and self-motivated. This will allow for more time to focus on other managerial and administrative work. There will be less stress as deadlines are more likely to be met. I hope that my proposal will be met with your favorable consideration.

Origins and Evolution of Ipe Essay

Origins and evolution of IPE and its relationship with International Relations, Comparative Politics and Economics International Political Economy can be defined as the study of how economics and politics influence each other in the global system; the interaction of those two aspects of the global society. IPE focuses how governmental policies affect the way economic resources are used and what are the consequences of those policies, especially economic consequences (welfare consequences). Although the terms â€Å"globalization† and IPE are relatively new, global political economy, as the study of interaction between politics and economics, has existed for more than a century. The first global economy took place during the nineteenth century when the British Empire was the center and hegemony of the global economy and trade. In a time when mercantilism was the dominant economic system, Britain made its economy more flexible and opened to the exterior; this first global economy was based on bilateral agreements that reduced tariffs and on a stable international monetary system (starting with the British abolition of Corn Laws and the British-French Cobden-Chevalier Treaty). The gold standard was also adopted by many nations as the fixed rate exchange. By these years, the first perspectives of international political economy were used to explain the situation and the future of the global economy: †¢ Liberalism: that encourages international economic interactions in order to enrich each of the involved countries. Individuals are the main actors ruling the economy and cooperation benefits all of them. †¢ Mercantilism: which argues that economic power is necessary to gain national power; it supports that the State is the most important actor in economics. †¢ Marxism: that divides the global economy in two groups: advanced countries that explode the poorest countries. However, the beginning of the twentieth century was characterized by multiple changes in the system. The First World War meant the collapsed of the British hegemony and the raise of the American power. Despite the collapsed of the global economy in 1929, the Great Depression, USA regained its economic power during and after the Second World War (period known as the Pax Americana). Since WWII was caused in part by the failure to reconstruct a stable global economy after WWI, United States, as the hegemonic power, worked in order to create international institutions to provide a more stable structure and integrated international economy. Therefore, developments after 1945 have increased the interactions between economies. In this post-war period, new international organizations were created: World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank have strongly shaped the international political economy and its study. Today, the understanding of their function is essential to the study of IPE; they are key focuses of the IPE. However, some argue that the IPE was not developed until the 60’s and 70’s, when the Pax Americana was declining. This was a period characterized political and social instability; economy was not as prosper as it used to be in the past and the Cold War was increasing the international tension between capital and communist blocs. Moreover, events such as the Oil Embargo in 1973 and the breakdown of the Bretton Woods monetary system are key factors that influenced the development of IPE. For these reason, the old theories were not able anymore to analyze and understand the global political and economic situation. Theories like the hegemonic stability, which argues the necessary existence of a hegemonic country which controls the global political economy, failed in their attempts to predict the future of the international system based on state-power explanations. USA hegemony has been collapsing since the 60’s; however, cooperation, interdependence and global trade since then have increased successfully. Today, the global economy is dominated not only by United States, but by Japan, Germany and France. Moreover, IPE today is facing the challenges of a more globalized political economy, where new actors have key roles in the function of the system, such as China and India. By examining the historic events of the international environment during the last centuries, we can notice how important the interaction is between economic and political factors in the global system. Economic tools, such as tariffs, clearly determine openness and global trade: the lowest the tariffs of states, the greater the openness of economies (periods from 1820 to 1879 and from 1946 to 1970). Those periods of open economies correspond to the raising of the British and American hegemony. On the other hand, we can notice how these economic interactions shape States’ foreign policies: normally, trade is concentrated within regions not only because of comparative advantage, but by political choices or dictates (Krasner, 29). Nowadays, globalization is creating a lot of controversy and disagreement about the future of our international system. While some emphasizes the benefits of a more interdependent and cooperative economy, others argue that globalization consequences are social inequalities and financial crisis. The challenge today is to decide whether the states should increase global trade or close their economies. Those political decisions are strongly influenced by social and public opinions; if individuals and other economic actors reject globalization, policies would be created to protect their national economies rather than maintaining the openness. History demonstrates how political actions of individual states clearly affect international trade and re lations; at the same time, those policies affect the behavior of economic actors in the international environment and foreign policy of other states. In a globalized world neither economic theories nor political theories alone can explain and predict the international system. IPE integrates both and is developing its theories to face the changes of the economies and politics of the globe. IPE has been forced to adopt new research methods and analytical tools to explain the new trends of the international arena. Today’s IPE theories have to include new units of analysis such as the role of international institutions and how policies affect particular groups. Today, we can differentiate between four IPE perspectives: international political (emphasizes the role of domestic policies), international economic (highlights global economic factors), domestic institutional (studies the role of the institutions of the state) and domestic societal (the role of sociopolitical actors). The most dominant approach today is the Open Economy Politics, which include new units of study such as the interest of particular groups, the role of institutions and the influence of one state’s decisions in other states’ behaviors. International Political Economy (IPE) is a â€Å"maturing interdiscipline† As we mentioned before, Political Economy, as the study of the interaction between economics and politics, is not new. However, during the past decades, changes in the global system have led to new and more developed studies, and IPE has emerged as new and renovated interdisciplinary field. IPE was born, as know it today, when scholars realized the importance to understand the simultaneous growth and conflict in international markets in the 60’s and 70’s. Since its birth, IPE has evolved and many different approaches have risen. On the one hand, the dependency theory was developed, which argues that the world is divided in a periphery (the poore st countries) that is dominated by the core (the most developed countries). On the other, the hegemonic stability theory was also created, which supports that the existence of a hegemonic power is necessary in other to control and stabilize a global economy. Another approach to IPE also emphasizes the importance of interest groups in trade policies. As we can notice, new perspectives and situations lead to different approaches. Today, the dominant approach is the Open Economy Politics (OEP), which incorporates new and more explicit variables to the study of the international political economy. OEP focuses in how individual or groups are affected by particular policies, how institutions aggregate conflicting societal interests and rule the political game, and how states negotiate when necessary to influence one another’s behavior. Therefore, we can see how IPE has grown and improved in the last decades to adjust their methods to changes in the global system. New tools and research methods have undoubtedly improved IPE outcomes. However, David Lake argues that it is not perfect, and there is a lot to improve. †For the same reasons that substantial intellectual progress has occurred in the past, I remain optimistic about the future of this emerging interdiscilpline† (Lake 2004) In conclusion, as long as the global political economy faces changes and new challenges, IPE has to adjust its methods in order to better explain international interactions and their influence in economy and politics. Although the IPE filed is rapidly developing nowadays, it can improve its theories. We also need to remember that globalization is changing our current system, and that even though IPE predicted this current era, it wasn’t as accurate as it could be. Many experts argue, for example, that globalization is increasing inequalities around the world and that more protectionist measures must be taken (Oatley p. 362). A better understanding and development of the IPE would help us understand and take decisions about our current economics and politics, and would help us predict the outcomes of those measures we take. As Jeffrey Frankel says, globalization is neither new nor very extensive; the same way IPE has been developing for years, it must keep emerging new theories and methods. IPE’s main contribution First of all, I want to emphasize that I do not consider IPE as a methodological approach, but a set of studies that attempt to explain international trade and politics; IPE is not a group of rules that countries and economies have to follow, but theories that help us explain the outcomes of our economic and political actions. Personally I do not think that any particular event or politic-economic decision is a direct outcome of IPE. Instead, what I think is that IPE is an essential social science that helps us to understand economic and institutional behavior in the international arena. IPE has showed us how politics and economics are not separate aspects of our society, but they are complementary and interdependent pieces of the international system. Although there is a lot to develop in the international political economy field, it has been able to predict outcomes of our political and economic decisions. Therefore, IPE does not directly tell us what policies we should apply, but show us the consequences of each one of them and help us to take decisions based on predictions. Also, IPE has showed us that our society is in continuous change; although there are many factors that are repeated throughout history, there are also new challenges that appear in each different period. The study of International Political Economy can better prepare us to face the new challenges of our society: the emerge of new powerful economies such as China and India and how their appearance will change international relations, the implications of the last global financial crisis, the roles of new social force and international institutions, and many others. Sources Oatley, Thomas. 2010. International Political Economy (4th Edition). New York: Longman. Frieden, Jeffry, David A. Lake, and Lawrence Broz, eds. 2009. International Political Economy: Perspectives on Global Power and Wealth (5th Edition). New York: Longman. Lake, David. International Political Economy: A Maturing Interdiscipline. Diss. University of California, 2004. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

The movie Analysis. When Harry Met Sally Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The movie Analysis. When Harry Met Sally - Essay Example This happens before the drive to New York City. The second stage occurs during the drive and is known as the stage of experimentation. During this stage, there is an attempt on the part of both the characters to look for common characteristics in their personalities. Much of the tension in the movie arises out of the fact that this stage stretches for a very long time. The next stage is the intensifying stage. During this stage, the two parties seek to take the relationship forward and develop it further. Harry and Sally take a long time in reaching this stage and it happens during the New Year Eve party when they realize the attraction that they felt for each other. It is during the next stage, that of integration, that they engage in sexual intercourse. The act of sex then can be seen to be one where the members of the couple disclose hidden parts of themselves to the other. The next stage of bonding for Harry and Sally arrives, one may speculate after the events of the movie as th e formal declaration of love comes at the end of the movie. The stage of disintegration, on the other hand, never really arrives (Knapp and Vangelisti; Reiner). The different stages of love in the movie are ironically, shown to develop not between Harry and Sally but between different characters and the members of the lead couple. ... There is a great emphasis on the stages between initiation and bonding in the movie. It makes it clear that these stages may not move through very quickly and the appeal of the movie lay largely in the audience’s wish for the stages to pass by quickly. The stage of bonding is looked upon as the most desirable one and the one that every relationship is supposed to lead up to. The stage of experimentation is looked upon as one of the most conventionally romantic stages and the elongation of this is considered to be one of the reasons for the enduring popularity of this movie. The Johari model can also be used to analyse the different stages of the relationship within the movie. There are different windows that different parts of the relationships within the movie occupy. In the beginning, Harry and Sally both occupy the window of the arena. They are aware of those sides of themselves that are known to the society at large as well. There is no knowledge that is hidden from the so ciety and known to the other person. As a result, there is no proress in the relationship and it remains stagnant. Later on, the space of the blind spot is opened up for discussion as Harry and Sally are made to confront the validity of their beliefs. These are challenged as they are made aware of those aspects of their personalities that they are not aware of but the society is. This happens through the interventions of the two characters. The relationship develops further and to its logical conclusion when the couple separates itself into a unit separate from the society. This happens when they move into the space that is designated as the facade. In this stage, the characters are

On DQ1Diversification and Based on DQ2 PepsiCo Essay

On DQ1Diversification and Based on DQ2 PepsiCo - Essay Example One of the reasons for the success of this company has been its ability to innovate. Innovation has helped the company create thousands of consumer products. It is important for companies such as P&G to create products that meet the needs, expectations, and desires of its customer base. â€Å"Effective business communication requires a certain skill set to determine the customer needs and then deliver on that information† (Highprofitsmarketing, 2013). When companies ignore the fact that satisfying the needs of the customers is of top priority they often struggle maintaining a high customer retention rate. It is important for companies that use diversification to add product lines that are aligned with the strengths of the firm. Another example of a company that implemented a diversification strategy was Microsoft with its successful entrance into the gaming industry. The XBOX 360 has taken a lot of market share away from Nintendo. Technological products are susceptible to being influence by innovation. An example of a technological product that has been constantly innovating is Apple’s iPhone. In six years the company has launched five versions of the product. All new versions have new innovative features. Innovation is often also found in luxury products. PepsiCo is the 2nd largest player in the soda beverage industry. The company is behind the industry leader Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola has historically done a better job at marketing its brand globally which has helped the company maintain a higher customer retention rate. â€Å"One of the most important metrics to measuring your customer retention is your retention rate† (Newnorth, 2013). Pepsi has to do a better job at marketing its brand in order to gain the global recognition that Coca-Cola has achieved. A factor that differentiates both companies is the fact that Coca-Cola has greater popularity among international consumers. I think that

The Arab-Israeli conflict Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Arab-Israeli conflict - Research Paper Example This essay analyzes the Mandate for Palestine. This mandate majorly aimed at shielding the indigenous population, the Palestinians from right infringement. This treaty became acceptable internationally due to the cognizance of Arab opposition to the historical rights of the Jews in Palestine. This mandate further survived the League of Nations dissolution in April 18, 1946. This mandate aimed at solving the disputes that could arise in the settlement of the Israelis and the Palestinians hence preparing the country for self rule. However, it was to be a recipe for conflicts in Palestine. The failure by the Camp David meeting to give a Framework Agreement on Permanent status yielded conflicts between the Israelis and Palestine. This aimed at ending the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza strip, Palestinian areas. This led to violent protests and radicalization in September 2000 as the seven year Oslo process ended. These Israelis perceived these events leading to the end of Os lo process as an offer totally disregarded by the Palestinians. They also viewed the violence as intentional and encouraged by the Palestinian leadership. They accused them of not willing to accept negotiations for peace with Israel but rather had the agenda of dismantling the entire Israel state. On the other hand, the Palestinians expected the Oslo’s declaration of 1993 to end the occupation of the Israelis in their territory. Finally, the Palestinians were disappointed and disillusioned with this peace progression. This led to the public view that the Israel government used Oslo as a shelter to acquire their land and bring their civilians to settle in it. The open ended nature of this Oslo agreement delayed for up to six years the resolution of the key issues in disputes between Israelis and Palestine. In order to solve the expanded conflict, the open-ended nature of Oslo only pronounced an already existing uncertainty. This would make neither of the conflicting sides be f ully committed towards the peace progress. It only facilitated some three dynamics in the parties. First, determination of the Israeli to give the Palestinians as little land as possible and Palestinian unwillingness to revise their system of education Secondly, lack of willingness of the negotiating party to surrender the negotiating assets. Thirdly, since negotiations had not started, both the side tried to improve their negotiating ranks with Israel remained superior and controlled the land in question (Rothstein and Khalil 39). The ability of both parties to reconcile and make peace limited these agreements to a great extent. Lack of legality in the eyes of a significant category of the population on both parties also affected the peace process. The Israel settlers and the furthest right wing elements profoundly opposed this and resorted to violence to counteract this. On the Palestinian side, the national opposition and Islamists declined to recognize the authenticity of this p eace process. Neither side also had the ability to combine a stable peace coalition for government with the process of making hard compromises (Sylvan 444). The public also unwilling to accept the laborious compromises needed to attain a lasting peace. The stipulations of these agreements concern a transformational process that is keen on revolutionizing both the political and mental surroundings. This makes the resolution of the most difficult problems easy. However, when the two

Gender equality is no longer important or a relevant concept. Consider Essay

Gender equality is no longer important or a relevant concept. Consider this statement in relation to the position of women in contemporary society - Essay Example For many years before acceptance of this law the woman struggled for their rights. In 1854 the woman have got the recognition of the right to inheritance, in 1864 the unmarried women began to be considered as the independent individuals. The married women have acquired such right only in 1888. Since this moment they have acquired the right to dispose the property belonging them (Fortmann, 2006). Sex equality is the feministic treatment of equality assumes an equality of sexes, that men and women should have equal shares in the social authority, equal access to public resources. The equality of sexes is not identity of sexes, identity of their attributes, characteristics. The term egalitarian theory (in this case is a synonym of the term equality of sexes) has undergone at least four stages of transformation. The idea of absolute equality between people as sample of a socially-fair society was primary. Historical development has shown that such concept is utopian. The ideas of similar "equalizing" of women and men also have the sad examples of realization. Involving of women in heavy kinds of work, "double burden" loadings on women, occurrence of "straw" orphans - the left children. And the most remarkable – the mass attempt of women to break the female identity, having accepted mans behavior and mans game rules for equality with men. The second stage in understanding of the term ‘equality’ was comprehension of necessity of equality of the rights of all citizens of a democratic society. Realization of this certainly progressive principle of social development has shown its inconsistency and weakness from the point of view of realization of the rights separate marginal groups (women, national minorities, etc.). From here there is an occurrence of the third stage of egalitarian theory in social development. The equality of rights of

Attributes of a Culture Formed by the ISIS Assignment

Attributes of a Culture Formed by the ISIS - Assignment Example The religious seminars have been enforced for pharmacists that they have to pay their presence for the importance to being allowed to carry on operating their businesses. In various parts of Iraq, the ISIS has imposed taxes on local people business should pay taxes. Cars entering into the state have to pay tax. Other religions have to pay tax, for instance, the Christians. The ISIS has also imposed sweeping restrictions on personal freedom implying that women must wear the niqab, or face unspecified punishments. Every person under the control of ISIS should always carry a ‘repentance card, which is a paper testifying that a person has ‘repented’ from his or her heretical past. Status of women under ISIS In ISIS, the group has released a manifesto that illustrates the role of women in the jihadist group which say that it is ‘legitimate' for girls to get married to fighters whoa re at nine years and emphasizing their role as wives, homemakers or even mothers. T he ISIS believes that women should be kept at home unless an emergency occurs that requires them to get out of the home. When they leave their homes, they should wear the niqab. Under ISIS, Arab women are encouraged to go to ISIS Islamic countries such as the Iraq and Syrian, where they are asked to live the ‘sedentary’ lifestyle that is guided by the responsibilities in the home, which is considered to be their ‘divinely appointed right’ in line with Shariah as well as the life’s methodology that God ordained it.

The Continuum from Legitimacy to Fraud Dissertation

The Continuum from Legitimacy to Fraud - Dissertation Example With the purpose of satisfying the data requirements of the proposed study, two types of data collection procedures, which include primary data and secondary data, will be taken into account. The primary method of data collection to be implemented in this proposed study comprises interviews and surveys. In this context, interviews and surveys will be conducted on managers and stakeholders for collecting primary data in this proposed study. On the other hand, the secondary data planned to be collected from various secondary sources in this proposed study will include journals, books, and other online sources. This proposed research will emphasize the study of earning management. Earning management is identified as a practice executed by managers to modify the financial stance of the earning entity, depicting misrepresented financial information during the unsatisfactory performance of a company. In this respect, the proposed study will be executed with the aim of determining the vario us differences and linkages amid earning management and fraud. In the process to attain the determined aim, the proposed study will depict the dimensions and aspects of earning management. Accordingly, a quantitative research approach will be adopted on the basis of which, the data collected will be analyzed with charts and graphs. It is expected that from the findings of the proposed study, the procedure on the basis of which earning management leads to fraudulent practices can be revealed evidently.... On the other hand, fraud is unaccepted under the principles of GAAP being explained as the procedure of misrepresenting data and information presented to stakeholders and investors of the company. Kassem (2012) contextually stated that earning management may be accepted under the principles of GAAP, but it may affect stock price as well as integrity of a company leading to non-transparency of financial information. As stated by Kassem (2012), management of a company may adopt earning management in providing misrepresented financial information in order to misguide stakeholders and investors during the failure of the company (Tangjitprom, 2013; Kassem, 2012). Earning Management is a form of Fraud According to Leuz, Nanda & Wysocki (2003), earning management is used by management of a company to adopt fraudulent practices for their benefits at the expense of stakeholders’, investors’ and others’ interests who are dependable on the performance of the company. In thi s perspective, when stakeholders and investors detect that management of a company has adopted earning management, the stakeholders are eligible to take adequate disciplinary and legal measures against the occurrence of the mismanagement (Leuz, Nanda & Wysocki, 2003). In a similar perspective, Saanoun, Riahi & Arab (2013) have stated that managers may be adopting earning management in order to obtain private benefits and revealing false financial information and reports to stakeholders and investors. Correspondingly, earning management is recognized as an unethical practice in business by stakeholders and investors, which can certainly hamper the confidence of stakeholders and investors among others to a significant extent (Saanoun, Riahi & Arab,

Helping Our Students Transition Successfully Coursework

Helping Our Students Transition Successfully - Coursework Example Student who used to plan their schedules so that they have afternoon classes or classes during particular days of the week, have hard time coping up with job environments that demand full time working for five days a week. One needs to wake up early and ensure that they arrive to work by 8 a.m. in college, there is a lot of free time and vocation time especially when students break for summer or winter. Some other colleges have mid-semester break. Unfortunately, this is not that case with work. One is only entitled for utmost two-weeks leave which mostly come once in a year (Gore, 4). Though one may find hard managing various discussion groups in college, it becomes harder when one is employed. Students are therefore requested to make use of their time in colleges so as to prepare them for their careers. College is a factory that transforms students into corporates. It is in college where one gets the opportunity to try different things and be somehow irresponsible. Acting unprofessionally while in college will only result to poor grades or a lecture from the administration. In working environment, people are required to maintain highest standards of professionalism. Any act of unprofessionalism lead to dismissal or stern warning from the management. In addition, while a student is in college, they may sweet talk their lectures if they fail to meet deadline to submit assignments, this is not the case while one is working. As a professional, one must meet deadlines set for them (Kuh, 12). Finally, in college, students are used to lectures giving then notes and assisting them solve complex assignment. At work, one is supposed to figure out solutions to complex situations as this is the only way one becomes distinguished. Students must therefore conduct themselves in the most professio nal manner that will reflect who they will be in their career. Many students

Discussions 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussions 2 - Essay Example When they run off the road, its June Star who mentions that no one has been killed - yet. The reader knows the "yet" is inevitable when the three men get out of the car. In the grandmothers eyes Red Sammy is a "good man." This is why OConnor tells the reader so much about him because she wants to characterize the difference between a good man and a "bad man." This is the classic "good vs. evil" theme. There are only two references to Hiram in the entire story and they are both about him and his expertise of the car. He is not described at all other than saying he has a grey hat. A Narrow Fellow in the Grass -- it seems that she is using personification in that she is giving a snake in the grass the title of "boy." She also uses a lot of simile -- the grass divides with a comb (like hair is divided), the shaft of "hair" that is spotted. Another simile, "Unbraided in the sun" as the snake slithers away instead of being picked up. "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" is a metaphor because she is actually talking about a snake and not a boy. She also uses imagery because we can see the scene she points out. Using phrases like the first paragraph where she points out that the grass parts and then closes -- the reader can see this happening. Also, the fact that she gets a little scared whenever she sees a snake, though she treats the snake with kindness. Wild Nights -- it seems that the writer is comparing wild desires (aka wild sexual desire) to the way that a ship at sea is thrown back and forth when the winds are highest. It is as thought her sexual desire (maybe she has had this happen before and wants a bit more) is as tempestuous as the sea. 6. Black poets -- all of these men wrote poems about what they believed in and what they understood. They had many references to slavery and to the plight of the black man. All of their poems are vibrant with passion and imagery. Langston Hughes always seems to make the reader see in similes. In "Let America Be America

Card Game Essay Example for Free

Card Game Essay The study was commenced inside the Computer Shop at Dasmarinas, Cavite. After we discussed our first topic we planned to come up with a Card Game as our second topic for the sake of our thesis project in Software Engineer Subject. We picked Card Game as our second topic because we feel that it’s more challenging rather than hunting some companies around Dasmarinas. Some of the reasons why we picked Card Game as our second topic are because in this topic we own our time performing the codes of the program any time before the day of our defence without such pressure. Statement of the Problem From some of the research and data we gathered. We found a few application and websites that is running a similar online game like our propose topic. From what weve seen some major problem that they have is that the game is not quite user friendly. Its difficult to use the control. Because of the lack of visual control buttons. There is also limitation on how many game can it accommodates at the same time. Of course keeping the gamers idle for so long they might lose interest in the game Research Objectives The Objectives of this research is to develop a game that will be entertaining and at the same time, a game that will be educational that may enhance thinking and decision-making skill in the following ways: * To make unique cards in the game that will allow diversity for the players to think of their own strategy. * To ensure that players will have no advantage against each other by making cards balance. * To allow multiplayer (online) for players to play against each other in different parts of the world. Significance of the Study Cardfight vanguard is a trading card game there are also people who wants to experience playing this game but doesnt have the luxury of buying the needed cards and also looking for people to play with. Since people now are more often browsing the internet people who want to play Vanguard can play the game without buying the necessary cards needed and having to worry of looking for someone to play with. Conceptual Framework * PHP Hypertext Preprocessor. * Randomized * Easy access * Less hassle Electronic Trading Card Game The model above explains on what and how will be the process of the study. Trading Card Game is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards. While trading cards have been around for longer, TCGs (Trading Card Games) combine the appeal of collecting with strategicgameplay, but in our study we will do it in a different way by using PHP Hypertext Pre-processor as our scripting language for this study and for our main function for this logical game is the random() function. The researchers will assure an easy access program for the user and it lessens hassle because rather than bringing your deck of cards using your bare hands, just bring your portable computer and start playing the game on your most comfortable place.

Overview Of The Sampath Bank Management Essay

Overview Of The Sampath Bank Management Essay Objective of this chapter is to present a general idea about the research. Hence, Chapter one is divided into eight areas such as background of the study, Objectives of the research, research problem, conceptual framework, research hypotheses, research questions, significance of the research and organization of the study. 1.1 Overview of the Sampath bank and Background of the study The dynamic nature of the new marketplace today has created a competitive incentive among many companies to consolidate and reconcile their knowledge assets as a means of creating value that is sustainable over time. Knowledge transferring is believed to be able to improve performance and productivity of the organization and knowledge transferring has been illustrated as a significant discipline in leading to positive performance in the organization (Kasim, 2008). To achieve competitive sustainability, many companies are launching extensive knowledge transferring efforts. More recently, knowledge transfer has emerged as powerful determinants of value creation in organizations. Organizations specific knowledge becomes as a necessary factor of competitive advantage (Gold, Malhotra, and Segars, 2001). The Sampath Bank has commenced its operations as a License commercial bank in 1987 with 47 employees. At present 3rd largest PCB in the contry Its vision statement, The Growing Force in Sri Lankan Financial services and values mentioned in below enhancing professional standards of internal and external customers (Sampath bank, 2012). Create a learning culture that promotes individual and organizational development as well as promoting innovation and value for customers. Treat all internal and external customers the way we would like to be treated. Encourage and promote teamwork in all aspects of behavior. Open to feedback and demonstrate an eagerness for personal development. Monitor and demonstrate an impressive commitment to results. Uncompromising ethical and professional standards of behavior The bank believes that its greatest treasure in what is truly a service industry is its investment in human capital, the high quality of management staff, motivation, dedication, and team spirit. The bank does not employ clerks and peons and ubiquitous features in most other institutions. Its staff is composed of executives assisted by secretaries, all of whom have been handpicked and adequately remunerated at levels well above prevailing market rates. Team of Sampath Bank is young and energetic, adaptable to change and are blessed with a gungkok bo attitude which in all circumstances allows us to pursue the vision and mission of the bank stridently. They are committed to constant improvement, new ideas and remain unafraid of challenges. They seek new opportunities within the knowledge based culture we permeate across the bank and this has resulted in winning accolades from all spheres of competencies. Moreover, among the corporate objectives of the bank was employ, develop and retai n a self-motivated group of employees who themselves enforce high standards of performance (Sampath bank, 2012). According to General Manager of Sampath bank the relative youth, together with the enthusiasm and the pioneering spirit of all members of the staff had laid the foundation for the development of an innovative culture which was so essential in a field as competitive as banking. Intensive training, recreation and welfare facilities transform and guided the development and skills attitudes of the team necessary to deliver superior customer satisfaction (Sampath bank, 2012). The numbers of employees and branches have been increased to 3230 and 206 respectively in 2011. It has recruited new employees parallel to the vision of accelerating the branch network with the aim of gaining competitive advantage. The Sampath Bank had to fill the new vacancies from strategic level to function level in the newly opened 35 branches. The rapid expansion did not give a room to in-house built the skilled team members to allocate for newly opened branches. Most of team members were promoted to higher potential grades than their real potential grades. Number of employees who have been worked in different department in Sampath bank utilized the opportunity to work in branches. Transferred team members were required enhancing professional standards of internal and external customers with moving from their functions to branch banking.nb Several issues can be explored with reference to knowledge transferring in Sampath Bank. This research intends to identify whether the transferred employees have been shared or gain their knowledge within the subordinate employees. The main objectives of this study to explore links between employee transfer and knowledge transfer. This study is monitoring these issues and identified ways in which they may be overcome by introducing changes to the effective knowledge transferring. Objectives of the research The purpose of this research is to examine the links between employee transfer and knowledge transfer. The following objectives will be fulfilled above aim of this study. To explore management concepts to review links between employee transfer and knowledge transfer To identify individual and organizational factors for affecting effectiveness of knowledge transfer Research problem Top corporate entities in the world are beginning to realize the significance and importance of transferring knowledge and are beginning to appreciate knowledge as the most important and valued assets that leads to organizational performance. The Sampath Bank will compete for business only on the basis of quality, price and superior service to its customers. Considering values in Sampath bank, The Bank develops a highly motivated and competent team of individuals who independently ensure that the highest standards are maintained throughout the Bank. The bank Create a learning culture that promotes individual and organizational development as well as promoting innovation and value for customers are highly focused. Promoting open to feedback and monitor commitment to results are aimed to enhance its ethical and professional standards of behavior. The Sampath bank makes every effort to train and develop team members to acquire the professional skills and knowledge they would need to use in the Bank and the bank do hope that both team members professional and personal goals will be realized in a satisfying and rewarding career at the Sampath bank. The bank encourages team members to find new and better ways of doing their job or improving their Banks systems and processes. Innovation creates value not only for customers but for team members. It would add to the quality of work life and ensure that quality work of team members. The Sampath bank considers training and development as one of the most valuable investment in realizing their enduring goals and aspirations. Work towards developing their own talents and creating a culture where team members strive to acquire and share new knowledge critical to achieve mission of the bank. The Sampath bank deploys systematic and modern learning methods to enhance knowledge and productivity. As a matter of policy, the bank provides minimum of sixty hours of training per year for every team member. The type of training will be determined by an analysis of what skills and knowledge are required by each. The analysis will consider not only what is necessary in their current job but also what they would require in successive positions in the future. Team members are generally expected to serve in a particular workstation for a minimum period of four years. However, request for a transfer from team members assigned to Branches in remote areas may be considered after completion of three years. In the event of transfer of a team member, subsequent to his/her promotion, the minimum period of three years will not apply. Except for team members identified for specialization. The Bank encourages team members to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to do their job and the future positions they will hold and to disseminate those skills and knowledge within the Bank, So that, the Banks organizational capabilities and effectiveness are always improved. Career at the bank will depend on how well team members perform in the jobs they hold and the attitudes they exhibit. The work performance will be the sole criteria for any promotion. Considering rapid expansion in Sampath bank, it has emerged more vacancies in Branch banking. In presenting issue in promoting team members who has fewer competencies in branch banking to team members in branches. Required knowledge transferring through the transferred employees is questionable. Relationship between knowledge transferring and employee transferring in the Sampath bank is vital for academic performances. Considering these events and factors less publication in banking industry have addressed the effectiveness of knowledge transferring. As such, this study effort to identify the effectiveness of knowledge transferring from transferred employees at the Sampath bank. Conceptual framework A conceptual framework represents the relationships and the type of relationships among the concepts. The conceptual framework portrayed in figure.1 explains the relevant concepts in this study, and the form of relationship between the perceptions. Figure 1.1 Conceptual framework of the study Characteristics of the Transferred Employees Employee Transfers Effectiveness of Knowledge Transferring Source: Researchers orginal constraction. Moreover, figure 1 describes an analytical model in a graphical model based on some theoretical foundations. Accordingly, the conceptual framework is developed based on theories. The model assumes transferred employees as independent and knowledge transferring as dependent. Research hypotheses Bhatti, Zaheer and Rehman (2010) studied the effect of knowledge management practices on organizational performance. Specially, the study explored the effectiveness of knowledge transferring depend on learning capability, leadership skills and experience of employees. H1: Effectiveness of knowledge transfer is influenced by characteristics of the transferred team members at the Sampath bank. Research questions How individual and organizational factors influence for the effectiveness of knowledge transfer? What are the individual characteristics affect to knowledge transfer? How transfer knowledge via transferred employees? Significance of the research The main significance of this study is to help management of The Sampath Bank identify the effectiveness of knowledge transferring from transferred employees. Effectiveness of knowledge transferring relates to Banks current business performance named as customer orientation, competent people, long term profitability and growth, image building, effectiveness leadership among major customer segments. This knowledge will enable management implement the appropriate strategies that help improve the effectiveness of knowledge transfer. On the other hand, knowledge transferring plays significance role in building up sustainable competitive advantage in Banking industry. Limitation of the study The aim of this section is to define the boundaries of the study or to enumerate how the researcher has narrowed down its focus. The survey was conducted over a period of three months. Organization of the Report The main body of this report comprises seven sections. Its structural organization is presented in Figure 1.2 given below. Chapter 03 Research methodology and framework Chapter 04 Thematic organization, presentation and Analysis of data Chapter 05 Statistics outcome. Chapter 06 Concluding remarks Chapter 01 Introduction Chapter 02 Literature review Source: Researchers orginal constraction. The introduction that comprises a glimpse of the study, focusing on the context, the objectives of the study, an overview of the Sampath bank in Sri Lanka, the research issue and empirical setting of the research. it also provides an account of limitations that the researcher has set for defining the boundaries of the study. Chapter two contains a review of past research on the topics covered in this study. In this section, some important findings of past studies are outlined, while attention is paid to their methodological concerns. A special feature of thhhis literature review is the emphasis placed on bringing to the fore findings of knowledge transferring and characteristics of employees. The research methodology and framework of the study are presented in chapter three. Key areas addressed therein include the case study research strategy employed, units of analysis, the method of sampling, methods of data collection, the quality of research strategy and the research framework. The foundation for this study as developed in the preceding two sections leads to the development of a conceptual framework as a piece of original work of the researcher, which has strengthened the researchers endeavor to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the subject. Chapter four and five which are based on Knowledge transferring and transferred employees. Chapter Four explains the methodology, adopted in this study in order to empirically test the research hypotheses. Moreover, the chapter presents findings, statistics outcomes and facts. Chapter Five comprises of a review of data collection, followed by a detailed review of the factor analysis.in addition, objectives of the study, evaluate hypotheses and limitations are presented. And, it presents the similarities and differences between knowledge transfers and employee transfers with special reference to the organization of knowledge transferring function and job transfer. Chapter six presents findings and concluding remarks of the study. Latter part of this section documents presents limitations of the study, inviting the attention of academics, researchers, scholars and practitioners to understand how they could plan future research taking cognizance of these limitations. Potential research would essentially contribute to broadening the horizons of the body of knowledge and wisdom on knowledge transferring as an academic and professional discipline. Literature Review 2.0 Introduction to the chapter The purpose of this chapter is to present the literature review related to the concepts incorporated in the study. This chapter consists of sections such as definition of knowledge, definition of knowledge management, types of knowledge, importance of knowledge, knowledge and organizational performance, knowledge transferring, knowledge transferring and competitive advantage, factors affecting for knowledge transferring, effectiveness of knowledge transferring and knowledge transferring in financial institutions and Individual characteristics and knowledge transferring. Meanwhile 2.1 Knowledge and Knowledge transferring Knowledge is fluid mixes of framed experience, values, contextual information and expert insight that provides a framework for evaluating and incur pirating new experiences and information or Knowledge is about people, relationship. Communities and new ways of working Tan (2010) reviewed that knowledge are the two types of knowledge such as explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge. Information systems which achieved by organization named as explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge refers to informal knowledge which gain through work experiences. Most scholars divide knowledge into two types such as explicit knowledge or information, and tacit knowledge or know-how (Hussain. Lucas. and Ali., 2004). The key to knowledge is capturing intellectual assets for the tangible benefits for the organization. As such, imperatives of knowledge is to transform knowledge to add value to the processes and operations of the business, leverage knowledge strategic to business to accelerate growth and innovation and use knowledge to provide a competitive advantage for the business. (Hussain. Lucas. and Ali., 2004). Knowledge management is an organizational discipline bridging information demand and supply in support of learning processes within organizations (Curado.n.d.). Knowledge management enables the communication of knowledge from one person to another so that it can be used by the other person. (Hussain. Lucas. and Ali. , 2004). Knowledge transfer (KT), knowledge retention (KR), and knowledge utilization (KU) are identified as components of knowledge management systems.( Gayton, 2009). Knowledge transfer revealed by Makino (1990) typically has been used to describe the movement of knowledge between different units, divisions, or organizations rather than individuals. This is described Tan,(2010) and Disterer (2001) by stating Knowledge transferring can be defined as a social interaction culture involving the exchange of employee knowledge, experiences and knowledge through the whole department or organizations. However, Gayton (2009) concluded knowledge transferring is not only between departments. The process of knowledge can be transferred through one channel to another channel such as group, department and branch. Therefore, Knowledge transfer means knowledge sharing within an organization between individual and groups (Trautman,2011). 2.2 Significance of Knowledge transferring Most knowledge organizations, uses multiple knowledge management tools to transfer knowledge. With the result of knowledge transfer any organization that competes with other organizations in the marketplace on quality, price, or customer loyalty. (Schlomer, Anderson and Shaw,1997). Due to the, emergence of personal networks and applications, knowledge transferring and capturing are becoming more on-demand. And, Organizations must continuously update their knowledge resource to stay in the competition (Bhatti, Zaheer and Rehman, 2010). Knowledge transferring is necessary for companies because what worked yesterday may or may not work tomorrow because, market needs are changing rapidly. Knowledge is a vital factor for financial institutions. Use the knowledge management system enhances continuous improvement and innovation to gain competitive advantage. Demands from customers and Human resources require transfer knowledge within the organization (Rasoulinezhad,n.d.). 2.3 Factors that Influence Knowledge Sharing There is a scarcity of research specifically in the area of knowledge sharing between individuals in organizations, and empirical evidence has just begun to uncover some of the complex dynamics that exist in processes related to knowledge sharing. Based on a review of theory and research related to knowledge sharing, the following have been identified as the major factors that influence knowledge sharing between individuals in organizations: the nature of knowledge, motivation to share, opportunities to share, and the culture of the work environment. 2.3.1 Nature of Knowledge Knowledge by its very nature exists in both tacit and explicit forms. However, with the increasing recognition of the importance of knowledge in organizations, different types of knowledge have also begun to be valued differently within organizations. These two characteristics of the nature of knowledge, tackiness and explicitness of knowledge, and the value attributed to knowledge have a significant influence on the way knowledge is shared within organizations. 2.3.2 Tacit and explicit knowledge. The dominant classification of knowledge in organizations divides it into two types, tacit and explicit. The critical differences between these two types are found in three major areas codifiability and mechanisms for transfer, methods for acquisition and accumulation, and the potential to be collected and distributed (Lam, 2000). The concept of tacit knowledge was first presented by Polanyi (1966), who argued that a large part of human knowledge cannot be articulated and made explicit easily. Tacit knowledge can be thought of as the know-how that is acquired through personal experience (Nonaka, 1994). It is therefore not easily codifiable and cannot be communicated or used without the individual who is the knower. Tacit knowledge also tends to be sticky in nature. Lam (2000) defined stickiness as the incremental expenditure involved in moving knowledge in a form that is useable and easily understood by the information seeker. According to Lam, stickiness for the knowledge supplier c omes from the tackiness of the knowledge that has to be shared, whereas absorptive capacity creates stickiness for the knowledge user. Therefore, tackiness of knowledge is a natural impediment to the successful sharing of knowledge between individuals in organizations. Explicit knowledge, on the other hand, can be easily codified, stored at a single location, and transferred across time and space independent of individuals (Lam, 2000). It is easier to disseminate and communicate (Schulz, 2001). Explicit knowledge therefore has a natural advantage over tacit knowledge in terms of its ability to be shared relatively easily among individuals. However, just because explicit knowledge is easily transferred across individuals and settings, it should not be assumed that it is easily shared in organizations. Weiss (1999) argued that the ability to articulate knowledge should not be equated with its availability for use by others in the organization. To support this point, he made a distinct ion between explicit knowledge that is easily shared with that which is not by introducing the notion of rationalized knowledge and embedded knowledge within the context of professional services organizations. Rationalized knowledge is general, context independent, standardized, and public. Weiss suggested that because this knowledge has been separated from its original source and is independent of specific individuals, this knowledge is readily shared and available to all those who seek it. Embedded knowledge, on the other hand, is context dependent, narrowly applicable, personalized, and may be personally or professionally sensitive. Therefore, explicit knowledge that is embedded in nature is not likely to be easily shared among individuals. However, knowledge must be seen as more than just explicit and tacit in nature. Regardless of whether knowledge is tacit or explicit, the value attributed to it also has a significant impact on whether and how individuals share it. 2.3.3 Value of knowledge Knowledge is increasingly perceived as being commercially valuable, and its ownership is being recognized by both individuals and the organizations they work in (Brown Woodland, 1999). When individuals perceive the knowledge they possess as a valuable commodity, knowledge sharing becomes a process mediated by decisions about what knowledge to share, when to share, and who to share it with (Andrews and Delahaye, 2000). In situations in which it is valued highly, individuals may tend to claim emotional ownership of knowledge (Jones and Jordan, 1998). This sense of ownership comes from the fact that in several settings, individual knowledge is linked to status, career prospects, and individual reputations (Andrews and Delahaye, 2000). The sharing of such knowledge is a complex process, and Jones and Jordan (1998) found that it involved, among other things, the extent to which individuals perceived themselves to be valued by their organization. Certain types of knowledge are valued highly by both individuals and organizations. For example, knowledge related to research and development is valued highly because of its commercial and scientific value. Research suggests that in research and development organizations, creative power resides in a relatively small number of individuals (Armbrecht et al., 2001), creating issues of ownership particularly because it is linked to tangible outcomes such as creation of new products, patents, research grants, and individual incomes. Therefore, in highly competitive environments or those in which knowledge has high commercial value, there exists a dilemma resulting from contradictory incentives to share knowledge and to withhold it. In organizations in which an individuals knowledge becomes his or her primary source of value to the firm, sharing this knowledge might potentially result in diminishing the value of the individual, creating a reluctance to engage in knowledge-sharing activities. Professionals, in particular, tend to guard their knowledge as they perceive that their own value to the firm is a product of the knowledge they possess (Weiss, 1999). Any reluctance to share knowledge is further heightened in situations characterized by uncertainties and insecurities, such as mergers and acquisitions (Armbrecht et al., 2001). 2.3.4 Motivation to Share Knowledge is intimately and inextricably bound with peoples egos and occupations and does not flow easily across the organization. According to Stenmark (2001), People are not likely to share knowledge without strong personal motivation. Motivational factors that influence knowledge sharing between individuals can be divided into internal and external factors. Internal factors include the perceived power attached to the knowledge and the reciprocity that results from sharing. External factors include relationship with the recipient and rewards for sharing. Knowledge as power, the increasing importance given to knowledge in organizations, and the increasing value attributed to individuals who possess the right kind of knowledge are conducive to creating the notion of power around knowledge. If individuals perceive that power comes from the knowledge they possess, it is likely to lead to knowledge hoarding instead of knowledge sharing. According to Brown and Woodland, individuals use knowledge for both control and defense (Armbrecht et al., 2001).In a competitive environment, withholding knowledge from those considered competitors is often regarded as being useful to attaining ones goals. Power politics is therefore an important aspect of knowledge sharing in organizations (Weiss, 1999). Blackler, Crump, and McDonald (1998) concurred with the notion that knowledge can be perceived as a source of power in organizations. They suggested that because knowledge is always situated within a particular context, it is natural that culture and power dynamics within the context affect the way knowledge is perceived and used. Reciprocity or the mutual give-and-take of knowledge can facilitate knowledge sharing if individuals see that the value-add to them depends on the extent to which they share their own knowledge with others. Reciprocal acts as those in which individuals help others and share information without negotiation of terms and without knowledge of whether or when the other will reciprocate. Reciprocity as a motivator of knowledge sharing implies that individuals must be able to anticipate that sharing knowledge will prove worthwhile (Weiss, 1999). It is the expectation that those involved in sharing knowledge will be able to acquire or benefit from some of the value created by their involvement. Empirical evidence for the relationship between reciprocity and knowledge sharing indicates that receiving knowledge from others stimulates a reciprocal flow of knowledge in the direction of the sender both horizontally and vertically in organizations (Schulz, 2001). Support for the relationship between reciprocity and knowledge sharing was also found by Hall (2001). Reciprocity is also thought to be a motivator of knowledge sharing in communities of practice where knowledge sharing results in enhancing participants expertise and providing opportunities for recognition. 2.3.5 Opportunities to Share Opportunities to share knowledge in organizations can be both formal and informal in nature. Formal opportunities include training programs, structured work teams, and technology-based systems that facilitate the sharing of knowledge. Stenmark (2001) referred to these asformal interactions, and Hall (2001) called them purposive learning channelsthose that are designed to explicitly acquire and disseminate knowledge. Informal opportunities include personal relationships and social networks that facilitate learning and the sharing of knowledge Weiss (1999) referred to these informal opportunities as relational learning channels. Purposive learning channels provide individuals with a structured environment in which to share knowledge. Armbrecht et al (2001) identified some formal interventions that facilitate knowledge sharing in organizations, from basic instructions to share knowledge, to more complex interventions such as Nominal Group Technique and the Delphi Technique. However, knowledge shared through formal channels tends to be mainly explicit in nature (Yang ,2007) The advantages of purposive learning channels are that they are able to connect a large number of individuals and they allow for the speedy dissemination of shared knowledge, especially through electronic networks and other technology-based systems. Empirical evidence for successful knowledge sharing through formal channels was found by Chini (2004) and Tan (2010) Although purposive learning channels play an important role in facilitating knowledge sharing, research indicates that the most amount of knowledge is shared in informal settings through the relational learning. Relational channels facilitate face-to-face communication, which allows for the building of trust, which in turn is critical to sharing knowledge. These informal opportunities to interact with other people help individuals develop respect and friendship, which influences their behavior Lim (2005) called this relation al embeddedness the kind of personal relationships that people develop when they interact with each other over a period of time. 2.3.6 Culture of the Work Environment The factors described above are important to understanding the manner in which knowledge is shared between individuals. However, all of these factors are influenced by the culture of the work environment the culture of the subunit and/or the culture of the organization at large. Organizational culture is increasingly being recognized as a major barrier to effective knowledge creation, sharing, and use (Weiss,1999). Organizations are essentially cultural entities Lim (2005) and therefore, regardless of what organizations do to manage knowledge, the influences of the organizations culture are much stronger. Dyer (1998) defined culture as a pattern of basic assumptions that is developed by a group as they grapple with and develop solutions to everyday problems. When these assumptions work well enough to be considered valid, they are taught to new members as the appropriate way to approach these problems. Schein further added that a key part of every culture is a set of assumptions about how to determine or discover what is real and how members of a group take an action, how they determine what is relevant information, and when they have enough of it, to determine whether to act and what to do. Culture is therefore reflected in the values, norms, and practices of the organization, where values are manifested in norms that in turn shape specific practices (Kasim, 2008). Weiss (1999) identified certain aspects of organizational culture that influence knowledge sharing culture shapes assumptions about which knowledge is important, it control

Effect of Bring your own Device (BYOD) on Cybersecurity

Effect of Bring your own Device (BYOD) on Cybersecurity Effect of Bring your own Device (BYOD) on Cybersecurity at workplace Introduction Several new trends in information access are impacting organizations ability to control and secure sensitive corporate data. The increase in web applications, cloud computing and Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings, and the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon, means that employees, business partners and customers are increasingly accessing information using a web browser on a device not owned or managed by the organization (Morrow, 2012). Bring your own device (BYOD) is process whereby when individual/ employees can use personal devices for business purposes (Privacy Right, 2013). And the D in BYOD includes more than just smartphones. It also includes employees logging into web applications such as Outlook Web Access and SharePoint, SaaS applications such as CRM systems or healthcare billing applications hosted in cloud services, from home desktop or laptop computers (Morrow, 2012). The concept of bring your own device (BYOD) is a growing trend for business IT. There are a var iety of benefits to allowing users to supply their own PCs and mobile devices, but there are also some concerns (Bradley, 2011). Several studies have also shown that BOYD is one the three biggest cybersecurity threat of 2014 (Singh, 2012). In addition, it is suggested that BYOD, or bring your own device, can no longer be thought of as a fad; it is quickly becoming the new reality. In addition, as this trend grows, all businesses are potentially at risk which can stem from both internal and external threats, including mismanagement of the device itself, external manipulation of software vulnerabilities and the deployment of poorly tested, unreliable business applications (Singh, 2012). In this study, the effect of Bring your own Device (BYOD) on Cybersecurity at workplace will be investigated. Hypothesis It might be concluded that due to using of unauthorized devices such as personal electronic device also known as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) at workplaces causes intrusion into the company network, thereby causing data loss, stolen intellectual property to mention but few. Arriving at this hypothesis: It was not an easy task, however, following the provided information made it easier. Coming up with the hypothesis, I had to brainstorm and do enough research to come up with a schematic sketch of the variables (independent and dependent) involved in this issue. To ensure the hypothesis is an empirical statement, general phenomenon, plausible, specific, consistent and testable. In this hypothesis, the identified independent variable is the personal electronic device (BYOD) while the dependable variable is the network intrusion, thereby causing data loss, stolen intellectual property. Figure 1: Schematic sketch of identified variables Independent Variable Dependent Variable Use of Personal Electronic Device à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Network intrusion Figure 1: showing the dependable and independent variables of the hypothesis Findings Studies have shown that one of the biggest challenges for organizations when employees use their own device organizations is that corporate data is being delivered to devices that are not managed by the IT department (Morrow, 2012). This has security implications for data leakage, data theft and regulatory compliance (Morrow, 2012).in addition, the use of unmanaged devices such as BYOD causes enterprises to have less control and visibility, and fewer mitigation options than they do with managed devices (Morrow, 2012). In addition, Laptops, smartphones and tablets that connect to corporate networks significantly increase threats to sensitive data (Morrow, 2012). . Organizations should be concerned about the security state of endpoint devices and the risks to which they are exposed. Key loggers, malware and cyber-attacks have greatly increased the potential for unauthorized access to, and information theft from, endpoints. Potential unintended consequences such as data leakage and mal ware reinforce the need to enhance the security of corporate data. A malicious employee can easily steal company trade secrets, intellectual property or sensitive customer information by saving it locally or to a cloud service, sending it through accounts in Dropbox and you send it or emailing it via a personal webmail account. Organizations must control the data after its delivered to the device to prevent accidental or intentional loss by careless or malicious end users. Studies have also shown that to assess the risks of BYOD computing, everything from data contamination to user habits to the activities of criminal syndicates needs to be considered (Romer, 2014). Some of the security risks to be considered includes: Security as an afterthought: Shows that most mobile devices either lack advanced security features or have them disabled by default. Even basic features such as screen locks are turned off, and most users leave them that way (Romer, 2014). Data contamination: Shows the photos and other content share storage space along with confidential business data. This combining of data introduces new risks to the enterprise. Through carelessly configured back-ups or file copies, personal content might accidentally end up on corporate file servers. Worse, personal files that contain malware might spread to business files and from the mobile device to internal file servers and other enterprise assets (Romer, 2014). New Forms off malware: Shows that New forms of malware targeting mobile devices are on the rise. IBM predicts that mobile malware will grow 15% annually for the next few years (Romer, 2014). Hackers and criminal syndicates realize that most mobile devices are less secure than more traditional devices such as laptops (Romer, 2014). They have begun targeting mobile devices for attacks ranging from mischievous pranks to advanced persistent threats that stealthily copy internal data over many months, transmitting it to remote control centers around the world (Romer, 2014). Phishing attacks that slip past network defenses Shows that many employees routinely catch up on email and work during evenings and weekends, and when they do, they typically use smartphones or tablets (Romer, 2014). Realizing that most of these devices lack AV software and that most email and web traffic accessed remotely bypasses inspection by firewalls and gateways, attackers are now designing phishing attacks and other email exploits to be triggered during non-business hours (Romer, 2014). Lost Devices: Shows that on average, a cellphone is lost in the US every 3.5 seconds.1 Even if a lost smartphone or tablet does not contain confidential data, it still might include apps or cached credentials that make it easier for criminals to infiltrate an enterprise network (Romer, 2014). As workers begin carrying more devices, the likelihood of them losing devices only increases (Romer, 2014). Risky file sharing: shows that to ensure all their devices have the files they need, employees often try out one or more file-sharing services, including free but risky file-sharing apps that run on public clouds (Romer, 2014). Unfortunately, these services, though popular, are usually not secure enough to be trusted with enterprise data (Romer, 2014). Conclusions with recommendations Overall, this study shows that organizations should be concerned about the security state of endpoint devices and the risks to which they are exposed. In addition, key loggers, malware and cyber-attacks have greatly increased the potential for unauthorized access to, and information theft from, endpoints. Potential unintended consequences such as data leakage and malware reinforce the need to enhance the security of corporate data. In addition, to protect valuable information such as intellectual property, organizations need to make data security a top priority. To counter these sophisticated threats, organizations should employ a layered security strategy that provides necessary access to corporate information while minimizing risk and maintaining compliance (Privacy Right, 2013). When it comes to sensitive information, the focus must go beyond authorized and unauthorized users and extend data protection from storage through transport to delivery on the endpoint to prevent sensiti ve data loss (Privacy Right, 2013). Organizations also need to stop making a distinction between devices in the corporate network and devices outside of it, and focus instead on protecting their information (Privacy Right, 2013). They must compartmentalize access to sensitive information, employ better audit logging and log analysis, and deploy security solutions that are designed to support current BYOD strategies, such as those that can control the replication of data (Privacy Right, 2013). In conclusion, organizations must now readdress their corporate policies to ensure that their greatest asset information is being safeguarded on these mobile devices that are outside of their direct control (Gatewood, 2012). References Singh, Niharika. B.Y.O.D. Genie Is Out Of the Bottle Devil Or Angel Journal of Business Management Social Sciences Research (JBMSSR) ISSN No: 2319-5614 Volume 1, No.3, December 2012 Bradley, Tony. Pros and Cons of Bringing Your Own Device to Work. PCWorld. PCWorld, 21 Dec. 2011. Web. 17 Dec. 2016. Privacy Right. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) . . . at Your Own Risk | Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, 1 Sept. 2013. Web. 17 Dec. 2016. . Morrow, B.BYOD security challenges: Control and protect your most sensitive data(2012) Network Security, 2012 (12), pp. 5-8. Romer, Hormazd. Best Practices for BYOD Security. Computer Fraud Security 2014.1 (2014): 13-15. Web. 17 Dec. 2016. Gatewood, Brent. The nuts and bolts of making BYOD work. Information Management Journal, Nov.-Dec. 2012, p. 26+. Academic OneFile, Accessed 17 Dec. 2016.

Essay --

Witch-hunts occurred throughout England for centuries, so it was no surprise that the witchcraft hysteria eventually reach colonial New England in the late seventeenth century, but this wave of fear was different from any other. Beginning with two young girls, witchcraft affected every person living in the New World and by the end, over twenty men and women were convicted of witchcraft, as well as entire communities living in constant fear of being touched by the Devil. Puritans, a group of English settlers, held strong beliefs about the Devil which sparked ideas of witchcraft among the Salem community. The austere Puritan lifestyle left little room for creativity, resulting in accusations against innocent people. Women, in addition to children, were inferior and considered weak; it was believed that Satan used them to carry out his wishes, and as a result, these people became witches. The severity of Puritan religious beliefs indirectly caused the witchcraft hysteria to reach its p eak during the Salem Witch Trials. Prominent and influential among the colonies, mainly Massachusetts, Puritanism was not only a religion, but a lifestyle. Puritans left England in 1630, with the intent to reform the Church of England. These English Protestants were discontent on how the Church of England was run and they made it their mission to â€Å"purify† and eliminate the church of Catholic influences, as well as â€Å"invigorate daily practices of religion.† Overall, Puritans desired â€Å"England to be reformed as John Calvin (1509-1564) had reformed Geneva (Hall, 21).† By moving to New England, Puritans had the freedom to establish their own religious authority. Puritanism controlled every activity in order to maintain a constant unity between people and Go... ...ities. â€Å"Young women at that time had nothing at all to feed their imaginations. There were no fairy tales or stories, no art, theater, or classical music (Kallen 23).† In addition to restrictions of childhood, extreme pressure was placed on children to remain pure or suffer the potential punishments from the Devil. At young ages, fear was planted in children’s minds causing hyperawareness of Satan’s wrath to frighten a child’s consciousness (Hall 23). The combination of fear, lack of imaginative outlets, and pressures on children were catalysts to the uproar of witches and witchcraft. With little ability and opportunity to express any behavior other than obedience, it was understandable that young Abigail Williams and Betty Paris claimed that they were possessed by witches, and in turn, these accusations engulfed the entire settlement of Salem into the hysteria.

Karl Marx - The Victory of the Proletariat and the Fall of the Bourgeoi

Karl Marx - The Victory of the Proletariat and the Fall of the Bourgeoisie In the Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx writes of the proletariat working class on the verge of revolution due to the overwhelming oppression perpetrated by the bourgeoisie. Marx lays out a sequence of steps, which demonstrate the coming of the revolution, a revolution caused consequentially by the actions of the bourgeoisie. As the bourgeoisie constantly form new ways to revolutionize production, they invariably move toward a consequence wherein the working class discovers its oppression and turns to the only means of change possible, a complete revolution. Marx first discusses the necessity for the bourgeoisie to revolutionize instruments of production, an action necessary for the benefit of their own profit. The owners, who incessantly â€Å"resolve personal worth into exchange value,† (p. 828) attempt to derive new forms of production to minimize the â€Å"callous ‘cash payment’† owed to their workers in order to maximize the surplus of production. This ultimately leads to a great disassociation between the laborers and their product. In Alienated Labor, Marx describes the worker as â€Å"poorer the more wealth he produces, the more his production increases in power and extent,† (p. 791). Since the bourgeoisie undoubtedly wish to maximize the wealth produced by the laborer, their actions inevitably lead to the marginalization of the working class. Searching for cheaper, more effective means of production, the non-workers track down raw material from remote zones, invent new technologies for producti on, and generally separate workers from their own creations. In these ways, the bourgeoisie undeniably alter the relations of production. As Marx said in Alien... .... They have exposed the world of injustice to the proletariat, who will burst asunder the conditions of the times in a new revolution that will bring an end to the bourgeois. In the modern industrial age of Karl Marx, the bourgeoisie perpetually revolutionize the instruments of production, altering relations of production, and most importantly, the relationship of human beings to the rest of society. In this revolutionizing, the bourgeoisie produce greater surpluses, but also their own grave-diggers, alienating the class that will revolt to reclaim their individual identities as human beings. For Marx, this change requires only time, and as the proletariat begin to realize the injustices of their positions in society, they will begin to recognize the necessity for revolution. The victory of the proletariat and the fall of the bourgeoisie are equally inevitable.

Is Morality Subjective or Objective? Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical

Is Morality Subjective or Objective? Morality must be objectively derived because (1) the concepts of good and morality exist; (2) cultures differ regarding certain moral actions, thus there is the need to discover which is right but cultures are similar regarding the existence of and need for morality; (3) relativism is not logical and does not work, (4) for moral principles to be legitimate and consistent, they must be derived external to human societies. Otherwise morality is merely one person's choice or feeling, not an understanding of truth; and (5) the existence of religion. People recognize a moral aspect to the worship of deity; even if the deity does not exist, we still perceive a need for morality to be decreed by Someone or something greater than humanity. 1. First, the concepts of good and morality exist. The very existence of the idea of good argues for something in human society that is different than the bunnies and the wolves. "Nature" is amoral; the bunnies do not protest the fact that wolves eat them. There is no notion, outside of Bambi, that the animals consider some of themselves good and some bad. Thus, the nature of humanity is somehow different than other creatures. Somehow we know that certain principles and actions are "good" and acceptable, rather than simply necessary for existence. We contemplate the abstract thought of moral principle itself, and the universality of such an idea. All human cultures do not have exactly the same moral codes, but all cultures have a moral code. This concept of the nature of humanity argues for a code of morality that fits all people; we seek it, we believe it, we feel that we need it. Second, cultures differ regarding certain moral actions but all cultures... ...s, 1998. Paton, H.J. The Moral Law: Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. London: Hutchinson University Library, 1961. Philosophical Psychology. Abstract of article in Volume 11, Number 4, December, 1998. www.cs.indiana.edu/hyplan/cdelance Plato. The Collected Dialogues of Plato. Bollingen Series LXXI. Edited by Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1961. Satris, Stephen. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Moral Issues. Guilford, CT: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 2000. Schick, Theodore, Jr. "Morality Requires God... or Does It? The Council for Secular Humanism. 17 July 2002. Article from Free Inquiry Magazine, vol.17, number 3. www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/schick_17_3.html Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. "The Cambridge Platonists." 17 July 2002. http://plato.stanford.edu