Flipkart Report

INTRODUCTION E-COMMERCE E-commerce is short for electronic commerce. It is the business over internet involving buying and selling of  products/services. E-commerce makes use of payment gateways for online transactions. It requires excellent supply chain management, online transaction processing, logistics strategies and control, inventory management systems and many other automated softwares and database collection systems. WEB-BASED E-COMMERCE ARCHITECTURE E-COMMERCE INFRASTRUCTURE * Information infrastructure * Internet, LAN, WAN, routers, etc. Telecom cable TV, wireless, etc. * Messaging and information distribution infrastructure. * HTML, XML, e-mail, HTTP, etc. * Common business infrastructure * Security, authentication, electronic payment, directories, catalogues, etc. * The Internet * System of interconnected networks that spans the globe * Routers, TCP/IP, firewalls, network infrastructure. network protocols * The world Wide web (www) * Part of the Internet and allows user s to share information with an easy-to-use interface * Web browsers, web servers, HTTP, HTML Web architecture * Client/server model * N-tier architecture; e. g. , web servers, application servers, database servers, scalability THE PROCESS OF E-COMMERCE * Attract customers * Advertising and marketing * Interact with customers * Catalogue, negotiation * Handle and manage orders * Order capture * Payment * Transaction * Fulfilment (physical good, service good, digital good) * React to Customer Enquiries * Customer service * Order tracking E-COMMERCE IN INDIAE-commerce in India is still nascent, but it is important for developing countries like India. The opportunities for E-commerce players are many due to rapid urbanisation and rising literacy rates and rapidly growing internet user population, advances in technology, growing adoption of computers, introduction of 3G and falling net access costs. The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IMAI) estimated that India's E-commerce mar ket is growing 70% every year and 500% since 2007. Transactions In $ MillionsSegment-wise share in e-commerce market 2012 ABOUT FLIPKART Flipkart is an India based e-commerce company which belongs to the e-tailing (electronic retailing) sector. It is head-quartered at Bangalore and it initiated its operations in 2007. Flipkart was launched by a couple of young, enthusiastic friends, Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, who grew up together and studied at the prestigious IIT-Delhi, as an online retailing venture with the objective of making books accessible to individuals living in the all the parts of India.Sachin and Binny used to work for Amazon, which has a similar kind of business before quitting and opening up this new venture. Initially they used to sell just books on Flipkart and relied mainly on ‘word of mouth’ for promotions. But in 2010, they started selling CDs, DVDs, Mobile phones and accessories, cameras, computers and in 2011 stationery, home appliances, person al care items and health care products. It has now revenue of Rs. 500 crore within a span of just five years making t one of the largest e-commerce companies in India. The core value of Flipkart is strong focus on customer service. The major goal of the company is to provide its customers with an ultimate online shopping experience and for this they use many innovative policies like a 30-day replacement policy, EMI options, Cash on Delivery, free shipping, discounted rates, pre-paid online wallet and most important timely delivery  of all the products. This requires an extensive supply chain and logistics and distribution network.A network of over 500 distributors have been established by the company and it keeps only those items for which orders are placed frequently by the customers and the items that are rarely ordered are almost always sourced from the suppliers when such an order is received from the customers. The company owns four offices in each metro city with a combined strength of more than five hundred employees. Fifteen courier companies such as Blue Dart, DHL etc. have been engaged to deliver the products and also Indian Post where courier service is not available.Warehouses are there in seven cities including metros. One can track the order right from ordering an item to delivery. One can even pre-order an unreleased book from the website and that too on attractive prices and on top of that there is excellent customer service. Customer satisfaction, amazing customer experience and the discounted rates of items are the key factors that work in the favour of Flipkart. The company has a stock of nearly 12 million books making it the largest book retailer in India and it has eighty per cent share of the online book market in India.Access to internet, increasing number of iPads, smart phones, latest technology that gives 3D images of products, time constraint consumers and increasing real estate costs required for offline stores have lead to a shif t to e-commerce businesses especially to online retail stores. According to a survey done by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, the online retail market in India may grow from Rs 20 billion in 2011 to Rs 70 billion by 2015 as internet access improves. INNOVATIVE SERVICES LAUNCHED BY FLIPKART PREPAID WALLET FEATURE * As a general wallet that is used to store cash in it and allows a person to purchase and enjoy products or services equivalent to the cash amount in it, Flipkart has adopted a prepaid wallet service to its e-commerce website platform that provides customers with an opportunity to store and keep money on the website and consume it to purchase different products, without the need to take out their debit cards or credit cards or net-banking for each and every transaction.   The purpose of a prepaid Wallet is to make online transactions easier and more secure for the customers as they will be spared from the hassle of taking out their credit card or deb it card or net banking details each and every time they want to buy a product. Customers can fill their Online Wallets with up to Rs 10,000 by using any of the general payment methods like credit card, debit card and net-banking and then can consume it over multiple transactions. There is no expiry date for the wallet and the cash stored in it can always be refunded back to the source using which payment was made. Flipkart. com has included wallet service in its e-commerce structure keeping in mind the ease and convenience of their regular customers – those who make transactions multiple times during the month, and particularly when individual transactions are comprised of many small payments. Wallet allows the customers to make the payment just once and still involve in multiple transactions. This also makes sure that customers would not have to go through the bank payment verification processes each time they purchase something using the Flipkart. com.The wallet helps in cu tting down the issues with payment gateway too. * Also by including the innovative prepaid e-wallet, the aim of the Flipkart is to shorten the duration of the order processes that would certainly make the online shopping much simpler, faster and totally trouble free experience for their customers. * CASH ON DELIVERY * Flipkart launched the Cash on Delivery services for the customers who do not prefer to make an online payment. Using this payment mode, customers have to pay only when they receive the ordered item at their doorstep without any making any sort of advanced payment to Flipkart.Payment mode for this is strictly cash and the currency used can only be Indian Rupees. No discount coupons or e-vouchers can be availed while using this mode of payment. * India is a cash- driven economy with plastic cards penetration as low as 3% as of 2012. Also the existing payment gateways and infrastructure are not in such good condition and a noticeable amount of transactions fail. Also peop le in India still perceive high risks in using credit/debit cards online and thus in online transactions. All these reasons led to Flipkart adopting such a mode of payment.But the most important reason was because it was the demand of customers and since Flipkart has the maximum focus on customer satisfaction, they went ahead and adopted Cash-on-delivery mode of payment. * Important factors while adopting Cash-on-delivery model are that they have to deliver good products in good condition because if a product is not in good condition, customer cannot be expected to make the payment. They have to have their own collection and delivery network as they can’t rely on a third person to collect cash for expensive items and give it to them.They need to have strong and consistent operations and they need to make timely delivery because if they fail to do so, a customer is already lost for them for future. They also need to maintain customer relationships and respect customers so as t o maintain long-term profitability from the customers. * Cash-on-delivery model has increased the sales of the company by great margins and Cash-on-delivery has become the most used mode of payment. But there as many downsides of using this model. Rejection rate of the products delivered through this model is as high as almost thirty per cent.Though this is lower than other Cash-on-delivery players, still it is too much. Generally the company has to incur Rs. 35-70 for every transaction involving cash-on-delivery, but the cost could reach as high as Rs. 100 in case there is rejection or if multiple trips are needed to deliver the order. Whereas when the transaction is carried out using credit/debit cards or net-banking, only 1-2 per cent of the transaction total value is taken by the online payment partner as service fee. Therefore until and unless the transaction value is high enough, cash-on-delivery model cuts down the retailer’s margins by high values.Also cash-on-deliver y model tends to block the working capital that could have been better used for expansion and growth. * REPLACEMENT POLICY * Flipkart provides a thirty day replacement policy for every product purchased from its website. Defects in any product can be highlighted by customers at the time of delivery or within thirty days from the date of delivery. No cost is charged for replacing the defected product. * Main objective of this policy is related to the core value of the company – customer satisfaction.This policy makes customers feel much more secure about purchasing items online and helps build the company a strong trust with its customer base. PAYMENT GATEWAY OF FLIPKART Flipkart provides its customers with a hundred per cent safe transaction experience. Credit card payments are processed through the HDFC Bank payment gateway, as well as payment gateways (E Billing Systems/cc Avenue) that interface with various banks. The latest encryption technology is being used by HDFC bank to protect each customer’s credit card information.So as to hide the information while information travels over the internet, it encrypts one’s credit card number. HDFC also asks you to enter the three digit CVV (Credit Verification Value) number which follows credit card number and is given at the back of the card so as to make sure that the person carrying the transaction has the physical plastic card. Flipkart’s main focus is on customer satisfaction and in this case also Flipkart. com offers the security of highest standards so as to ensure that the shopping experience of each customer is private, safe and secure.Flipkart. com does not collect or store customer’s account information at all. Authorization of transaction takes place at multiple points, first by HDFC and subsequently by Visa/MasterCard/AMEX secure directly without any information passing through them. Payment Options * Flipkart accepts all MasterCard, Visa credit cards and AMEX. * Flipk art do not accept any international credit cards on Flipkart. com at this stage. * Apart from Credit and Debit Cards, payments are accepted by Flipkart by Internet Banking, Cash-on-Delivery and Equated Monthly Instalments (EMI).All Credit/Debit card details remain confidential and private. SSL encryption technology is used by Flipkart and their trusted payment gateways so as to protect the customer’s card information. SSL encryption technology Netscape developed a protocol Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for moving the private documents over the Internet. A cryptographic system is being used by SSL that uses two keys to encrypt data ? a public key that is known to everyone and a private or secret key which is known only to the recipient of the message.Many Web sites use the SSL protocol to obtain and protect confidential user’s personal information, such as credit card number. URLs that use SSL connection have to start with https instead of http which is nothing but Secure HTTP. But both SSL and S-HTTP have different uses. Where a secure connection between a client and a server is created by SSL, over which unlimited amount of data can be sent securely, individual messages are transmitted securely using S-HTTP. SSL and S-HTTP are therefore complementary rather than competing technologies. DIFFERENT METHODS ADOPTED BY FLIPKART Auto redirection to banking site: Customers are automatically redirected to the page of respective banks where the information is required to be filled. Thus Flipkart never lands you on CC Avenue page unlike most other ecommerce sites. Hence Flipkart skips an unnecessary page by passing the needed parameters directly to CC Avenue. * Banks Status: Flipkart maintains its own real time status to check whether the net banking service of particular bank is working. So the customers come to know about a problem prior to entering that bank’s website.ONLINE PAYMENT PROCESSING SERVICES CC Avenue 1) Uses secure servers throughout an d adopt stringent security measures to ensure that sensitive information such as customers’ personal details is protected. 2) Customers enter all their personal information and Credit Card details on ICICI’s E-Payments (Payseal) and Citibank’s secure servers and the same is encrypted before it is transmitted over the Internet to the Acquiring Banks. 3) Additionally CC Avenue’s server is behind security firewalls to ensure maximum protection of your customer’s information. EBS (E-BILLING SOLUTIONS)For better encryption of data, it uses seven architecture model which helps in protecting the client information. High-tech Axis, HDFC and Citibank’s secure servers are used to authorize all credit card transactions and the same is encrypted before it is transmitted over the Internet to the Acquiring Banks. To ensure maximum protection of customer’s information, EBS servers are also behind the security firewalls. This guarantees that the buye r’s information is not available to any third party. EBS makes use of the best amongst the industry standards – the VeriSign technology, which ensures the complete security of the data.A/B FRAMEWORK – UNIQUE FRAMEWORK USED BY FLIPKART The framework has two components: Through the first one the performance of the website is measured using various metrics which are pre-defined. The second one uses an A/B framework that allows different versions of the website to be available simultaneously which is used to check the success of the advertising campaigns over the website. Thus the company conducts live and real experiments by diverting a small portion of the traffic and studying the results. Both components work together and simultaneously.The website’s performance on various parameters is measured by the metrics tool which is kind of a dashboard. For example, systems are immediately warned in case the transaction rate goes down below a certain limit. Flipkar t’s engineers can also rapidly implement and check their ideas using the A/B component. When someone proposes a new idea, a lot of precious time is spent debating what-if scenarios. Using this framework an idea can be implemented while mitigating  its risks. For example, the A/B framework redirects ten per cent of the Flipkart’s traffic to the new design/idea whenever an engineer changes the design of any page.Through this they can evaluate and analyze the effect of the changes using the metrics tool for collection. If it does not lead to any productive result, they can immediately change it back, and only less than ten per cent of traffic is impacted. The Benefits Since the tool has been introduced sometime around mid-2010, Flipkart now sells more than twenty types of products, taking the sales up to Rs 75 crore a month. In fact, during the last eight quarters, Flipkart has been able to double its revenue each quarter.

Studying History Is a Waste of Time

Studying history is a waste of time because it prevents us from focusing on the challenges of the present. People live in this present. They plan for and worry about the future. History, however, is the study of the past. Given all the demands that press in from living in the present and anticipating what is yet to come, the speaker concludes that studying history is a waste of time because it distracts us from current challenges. However, I do not agree with this opinion because history is essential to individuals and our society. In the first place, history helps us understand people and societies. It offers a storehouse of information about how people and societies behave. Understanding the operations of people and societies is difficult, though a number of disciplines make the attempt. An exclusive reliance on current data would needlessly handicap our efforts. How can we evaluate war if the nation is at peace—unless we use historical materials? How can we understand genius, the influence of technological innovation, or the role that beliefs play in shaping family life, if we don’t use what we know about experiences in the past? Some social scientists attempt to formulate laws or theories about human behavior. But even these resources depend on historical information, except for limited, often artificial cases in which experiments can be devised to determine how people act. Major aspects of a society’s operation, like mass election, missionary activities, or military alliance, cannot be set up as precise experiments. Consequently, history must serve, however imperfectly, as our laboratory, and data from the past must be served as our most vital evidence in the unavoidable quest to figure out why our complex species behave as it does in societal settings. This fundamentally, is why we cannot stay away from history: it offers the only extensive evidential base for the contemplation and analysis of how societies function, and people need to have some sense of how societies function simply to run their lives. The second reason history is inescapable as a subject of serious study follows closely on the first. The past causes the present, and so the future. Any time we try to know why something happened—whether a shift in political party dominance in the American Congress, a major change in the teenage suicide rate, or a war in Iraq – we have to look for factors that took shape earlier. Sometimes, fairly recent history will suffice to explain a major development, but often we need to look further back to identify the causes of change. Only through studying history can we grasp how things change; only through history can we begin to comprehend the factors that cause change; and only through history can we understand what elements of an institution or a society persist despite change.

Analyzing video Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analyzing video - Article Example In the video â€Å"Mediation in action: role-playing workplace dispute resolution | Acas†, the two competitors at managerial position Paul and Kristy required mediation for the sake of their professional efficiency, stability and future progress. They also needed to resolve their disputes so to bridge the gap in their communication. To mediate the situation between these two, Senior Manager Bernard suggested mediation session which was conducted by an external agent, when he was unable to eliminate the strife between them himself. Now, Bernard as a senior manager regards both of his mangers for their distinctive skills. However, he is unable to accept their continual defiance of each other, which adversely impacted on the business in terms of time, money, lack of contracts and reputation (Mediation In Action: Role-Playing Workplace Dispute Resolution | Acas). After individual sessions with Paul and Kristy, Mediator meets them in a joint meeting and sets the ground rules initially to be followed by both. She reminds them both how these mediation sessions should be kept confidential and how they can ask for private chat if something disturbs them. Moreover, she made it clear to both the participants that they have to give ample chance and respect to the other to share his concerns and the listener will not interrupt the speaker. Setting ground rules and agreement on them makes such session more smooth and participants reach to resolutions quickly without wasting time in arguments. Mediator depicts composed and tactful approach for the second step of mediation that is listening and summarizing (Doherty and Guyler, 2008). She initiated the discussion by picking the flashpoint between two; â€Å"Kristy’s delegation handling issue†. Since, it’s directly related to Kristy’s liabilities in office; therefore, she gave Paul a chance to speak out his understanding on the issue,

Contemporary Leadership Theory Literature review

Contemporary Leadership Theory - Literature review Example According to the paper findings there is a wide range of leadership theories which have been developed through the years. The theories are classified into seven. The first is the known as the Great Man theories, which are founded on the idea that leaders are extraordinary individuals whose leadership qualities are inborn. The use of the term â€Å"Man† was intentional since it was generally held throughout the early half of the twentieth century that leadership is a male attribute; in fact, William James wrote that the course of history is determined by great men, without whom the masses could not progress. The next group is the trait theories, referring to the focus on traits or qualities that a good leader is thought to possess (though which are not necessarily inborn). The study of â€Å"great men† that preceded this yielded very few commonalities among them, giving rise to the idea that what defines a leader would be the set of admirable characteristics he possessed , such as intelligence, self-confidence, determination and integrity . Behaviourist theories are anchored on the actions of leaders rather than their attributes. Behaviour patterns are studied and categorised to comprise â€Å"leadership styles†. The next school of leadership theories is known as situational leadership. This set of theories views effective leadership not in terms of traits or actions, but the match between these and the situation being addressed. The situational leadership model holds that â€Å"the style of leadership should be mathed ot the level of readiness of the followers†. ... 66). Behaviourist theories, which came next, are anchored on the actions of leaders rather than their attributes. Behaviour patterns are studied and categorised to comprise â€Å"leadership styles†. Behaviourist theorists conceive of leadership in terms of the roles they fulfil, and the manner in which they are expected to fulfil them (Crainer & Dearlove, 2003, p.1). The next school of leadership theories is known as situational leadership. This set of theories views effective leadership not in terms of traits or actions, but the match between these and the situation being addressed. The situational leadership model holds that â€Å"the style of leadership should be mathed ot the level of readiness of the followers† (Hellreigel & Slocum, 2007, p. 221). The model (also known as contingency model) is comprised of three basic components – a set of possible leadership styles, a taxonomy of alternative situations which leaders are likely to encounter, and a stipulatio n of which style constitutes appropriate response to which situation. More recently, the transactional theory of leadership has emerged, focusing on task orientedness and ability to direct groups in a particular way so as to accomplish specific goals. Compliance is ensured through different approaches, such as offering incentives, threatening sanctions, appealing to the group’s sense of duty or selflessness, or prevailing upon their followers’ rational judgment, with the leader having little personal involvement with the group other than driving them to achieve an objective (Martin, et al., 2006, p. 47). Finally, the transformational leadership theory is based on the belief that leadership is not just the sole prerogative of people at the

Based off documentary (George) Orwell rolls in his grape Essay

Based off documentary (George) Orwell rolls in his grape - Essay Example There are several examples of the media not engaging in critical thinking throughout this movie. One of the main problems with the current media practices is that media will often report whatever they are told is happening without actually dissecting the context surrounding it. For instance, the media’s current coverage of the protests in New York over Wall Street do very little to unpack the socioeconomic causes of this anger, or the realities of the issue. Instead, they simply either cast the protesters as â€Å"good guys† or â€Å"bad guys† and run a story about how good or bad they are. Likewise, the movie â€Å"George Orwell Rolls in His Grave† shows that the media has a clear agenda that it pursues relentlessly, which is the aggrandizement of media and the protection and expansion of media profits. Media companies have become more and more concentrated into small ownership groups, so there is no real competition in the media market anymore, and whene ver there is a news story about deregulation of the media, the media portrays this as an amazing thing with no downsides because they want to be able to make more profit off of it. There is no way to truly be a critical thinker if you are relentlessly pursuing an agenda, so in this way the media fails to actually engage in critical

Monopoly and Perfect Competition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Monopoly and Perfect Competition - Essay Example b) Why is MR less than price in a monopolistic market? [2] In a monopolistic market, the demand curve for the monopolistic business is the market demand curve. Since market demand is not perfectly elastic, the monopolistic demand curve tends to be slopping down. Sales can only be increased in such conditions by lowering the price. MR is typically lower than price for every level except the first, since the lower price affects not just the extra sales but also previous sales. Hence MR tends to decrease, since a monopoly has foregone price for a greater output. c) A recent report shows that cars made in Canada are sold at lower prices in the U.S. Although they do not have a monopoly, how would price discrimination help to explain this. What does it say about Canadian consumers relative to those in the U.S.? [5] Price differentiation tends to exist when identical goods from the same provider are sold at different prices. Typically, price discrimination tends to exist in monopolistic mar kets or in oligopolistic markets where it is possible to exercise market power. Price discrimination between the Canadian and the American markets indicates that the same provider is selling the same product at two different prices in these markets. Since the cars are priced lower in Canada, it indicates that the car provider experiences greater competition in the Canadian market. This forces the car provider to sell at lower prices overall. In contrast, in the American market, the car provider faces lower competition or perhaps no competition at all and so can sell cars at higher prices. Therefore, Canadian consumers are willing to pay less to buy cars, while American consumers are willing to pay more to get the same cars. This would also indicate that the Canadian car market is in the state of perfect competition, and the American car market that is in the state of monopoly or oligopoly. d) Give an example of a monopoly. Briefly explain whether you believe it should remain as a mo nopoly or not. Support your answer. [4] Monsanto is a world leader in the commercial seeds market. Furthermore, Monsanto holds a monopoly in certain herbicide brands such as Roundup. This positions Monsanto as a global monopolistic giant that has the market power to alter prices when it feels appropriate. Already Monsanto is being investigated in the United States for breaching antitrust laws. Monopolies such as Monsanto should be broken up, since they cause more harm than good. Monsanto is already responsible for inflating prices in the genetically altered seeds market around the globe. Such practices dissuade the use of such seeds in the long run by farmers around the world, which in turn leads to generally lower agricultural output. Since the market entry barrier is high for industries such as the commercial seeds market and the herbicides market, it is necessary to break up monopolies such as Monsanto. Only such steps can ensure that new market entrants can be introduced to alte r the state of competition. 2. Perfect Competition a) Explain three ways in which international currency markets fit our model of perfect competition. Make sure to explain the effect of the assumptions in the currency market. [6] A market could be theorized to have perfect competition when it meets certain conditions. The market has to be so populated with numerous small firms or producers that

Using accelerometer and EMG signals to estimate arm motion Dissertation

Using accelerometer and EMG signals to estimate arm motion - Dissertation Example Using accelerometer and EMG signals to estimate arm motion This study investigates a means to overcome this degradation through use of EMG signals combined with accelerometer signals to measure the upper arm static and dynamic acceleration. Both EMG signal and accelerometer inputs are fed into an artificial neural network. The artificial neural network continuously predicts arm movement trajectories. An offline time-delay Artificial Neural network (TDANN) is employed to predict the movement trajectories of the arm. The accuracy of prediction was judged by using a set of goniometer readings which provides the changes in the angles of the upper limb. All data was processed in the Matlab environment. The TDANN deployed was developed in the neural network toolbox present within the Matlab environment. The developed neural network was optimized and trained with different sets of inputs, and the results for each of the trails was noted. The results obtained clearly demonstrated that accelerometers are able to enhance pattern recognition and thus p rovide better prosthesis control. Neural Network Optimization and Prediction Performance The neural network structure used for the study is the TDANN. TDANN is a neural network architecture whose primary purpose is to function on continuous data. The major advantage of using TDANN on continuous data is its ability to adapt the network’s weights and activation function online by use of back propagation error method. (Fougner, et al., 2011). The networks can be visualized as a feed forward neural network which is trained for time series prediction. The architecture has continuous inputs that are delayed and sent into the network. In this study, the inputs to this neural network architecture were delayed time series; that is the previous values of 10 channels for 4 for EMG and 6 channels for accelerometers. The measured goniometer signals served as desired output of the TDANN and also as the present state of the time series. The usage of one- layer time delay artificial neural n etwork which is a feed forward structure allow us to predict continuous trajectories which is advantageous for a coordinated and simultaneous control of multiple degrees of freedom in a natural manner. The use of delayed input signals enabled the neural network to capture dynamic input-output properties and account for the delay between the onset of the muscle activity and mechanical arm movement (the activation of the hardware motors in the prosthesis) (Fougner, et al., 2011). TDANN have also an advantage of rapid training time when compared to the dynamic neural networks with recurrent connections. We investigated using a TDANN to predict the elbow flexion degrees, wrist flexion degrees, wrist deviation degrees and forearm rotation degrees based on EMG information from the available intact muscles in transhumeral amputation patients. The EMG information was combined with the accelerometer information about the upper arm and the upper trunk orientations. A one layer time-delay arti ficial neural network (TDANN) was created using Matlab’s neural network toolbox; this network was used to capture the time-series data (EMG and accelerometer signals as an input with the goniometers and torsiometer signals as output). The size of the hidden layer was set by default to be 10 neurons and the network was trained then the hidden layer size was increased to 25 then to 35 and the performance of the network was monitored. TDANN with 35 neuron hidden layer size was then chosen. The network used 2 input delays to allow building a dynamic network, which has memory so

Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Evaluation - Essay Example This will require the audience to have basic knowledge on how relationships are made and maintained over the internet. Obviously, the readers will be familiar real relationships and, hence they will be interested in the comparison element of the evaluation. The audience is also expected to prefer face-to-face relationships. Consequently, the readers expect an evaluation that condemns cyberspace relationships. Responses to issues of increased fraud and cybercrime will be highly appreciated by the audience. The audience will also prefer an evaluation that handles the problem from an impact approach. Credibility of information will also be a requirement for the evaluation. It is evident that the audience will be moved by statistical facts particularly those associated with a government agency. Visual aids such as charts and graphs will provide an excellent comparison of both relationships. A recent incident in which a woman named Miller was coned thousands of dollars and valuables throu gh an online dating site by a man who posed as an Afghanistan based soldier, will be a sufficient motivation for my audience. The review will focus on both relationships from a non-partisan approach with the intentions of identify credible facts. Therefore, the readers should expect an evaluation that is solely composed facts, criticism and free of

Japanese History Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Japanese History - Research Paper Example The system of governance adopted by the Japanese was influenced by the Chinese system of government. The Imperial Court of the Japan was based on the working of the Imperial Court which existed in the ancient Chinese culture. The ranks and titles in the bureaucracy were structured around the Chinese pattern. Although numerous Japanese rulers during the sixth and seventh century included the Chinese system in their governing system, Prince Shotoku was prominent among them, as he was more inclined towards a complete adoption of Chinese system. â€Å"Prince Shotoku a major political figure at that time, was credited with formally adopting major elements of Chinese culture, including Buddhism and Confucianism, as well as the system of government and calendar.† (Hong, 2000). The Chinese system of governance was based on the ideals of Confucianism. As Confucianism had already entered Japan and influenced the religious beliefs and attitudes of the Japanese people, the Japanese aimed to incorporate the Confucian ideals in their governing system. During the Tokugawa period, Confucianism influenced the working of the political organizations of the country. The Japanese adopted the Chinese system of government but they also placed all the administrative powers in the hand of the emperor. The final decision regarding governing policies rested with the emperor. Along with bureaucratic policies, Japanese also followed the Chinese system while planning their cities and irrigation system. The Chinese style of architecture was adopted by the Japanese while building their temples and monasteries. The cities in Japan resembled Chinese cities in various ways, as both of them were built following a similar pattern. This period saw a strong Chinese pattern to the government, Chinese style buildings with tile roofs, Chinese writing, and expansion of Buddhism throughout Japan. Japanese ancient capitals in the 18th

A Critical Essay on Raimondo Pannikar Essay Example for Free

A Critical Essay on Raimondo Pannikar Essay Raimondo Panikkar is a Roman Catholic Priest who specializes in the study of comparative philosophy of religion. He was born in Barcelona Spain on November 03, 1918. Perhaps, the mixed inter faith marriage of his mother, who was a Catholic from Catalonia Spain, and his father who was a Hindu from a highly situated caste Nair from South India, accounts most for his interest in comparative religious philosophy. His education also contributed much in this. He was educated in a Jesuit school and he took up chemistry and philosophy at universities in Madrid, Barcelona and Bonn. After being ordained as a Roman Catholic Priest in 1946, and holding doctorates in Philosophy and Science (Complutense University, Madrid 1945 and 1958) and theology (Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, 1961), he left for India in 1953 to undertake studies in Indian philosophy and religion at the University of Mysore and at the Banaras Hindu University. He authored 40 books and almost a thousand articles dealing with comparative philosophy and religion and has deliberated on principles and practices of multi-faith, which includes among others, dialogues between Christian-Hindu, Christian-Buddhist and Christian-Secularist. In the book Intrareligious Dialouges, Panikkar said I left as a Christian; found myself a Hindu; and I return as a Buddhist, without having ceased to be a Christian. (Panikkar, Paulist Press; revised edition, July 1999. ISBN 0809137631). Panikkar’s contributions are widely quoted and heavily used to support the theory of (your family name 2) religious pluralism, interfaith and multi-faith studies as well as religious comparative philosophy. THE WEBSITE HTTP://WWW. RELIGIOUSTOLERANCE. ORG No matter how you describe yourself, you should find your beliefs and practices accurately represented in this website. – (ReligiousTolerance. org) This site is a copyrighted side by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. In their Statement of belief the web masters said that they are a multi-faith group. As of 2008-FEB, we consist of one Atheist, Agnostic, Christian, Wiccan and Zen Buddhist. Thus, the OCRT staff lack agreement on almost all theological matters, such as belief in a supreme being, the nature of God, interpretation of the Bible and other holy texts, whether life after death exists, what form the afterlife may take, etc. (ReligiousTolerance. org) They proceed to enumerate key points in their belief system in a bullet style, and among others, said that they In working towards a culture that is relatively free of discrimination on the basis of gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, physical disability, age, etc. (ReligiousTolerance. org). On the left hand side of the website there are clickable links of articles and essays that list among others, the major religions of the world, Non-theistic articles such as Agnosticism and Humanism. There are also articles on Spiritual Ethics, Peace and Conflict, â€Å"Hot† Topics as well as Laws and News. Over-all the website is plain and straightforward. The interface is very easy to (your family name 3) use and very user friendly. The website has sponsors ads, but none of the usual annoying pop-ups, and/or annoying background music and other widgets that are found in other websites. The articles in the website presented in a logic way, are easy to use and topics are indexed clearly for easy referencing and retrieval. It is also peppered with nuggets and quotes from religious leaders and other notable personas. One such example is on the bottom part of the web page, from Mahatma Gandhi â€Å"The need of the moment is not one religion, but mutual respect and tolerance of the devotees of the different religions. (Ghandi). The website is a valuable resource for information in the major religions of the world. It is an excellent source of in depth religious comparative articles as well as current issues affecting faith and practice. WORKS CITED Pannikar, Raimondo. Intrareligious Dialouges: Paulist Press; revised edition, July 1999. ISBN 0809137631). Raimon-Panikkar. org Fundacion Vivarium Raimon Panikkar – Tavertet (Catalunya) Retrieved February 25, 2009. http://www. raimon-panikkar. org/index. html ReligiousTolerance. Org. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Retrieved February 25, 2009. http://www. religioustolerance. org/

Factors Explaining Group Behaviour Education Essay

Factors Explaining Group Behaviour Education Essay Introduction: This essay identifies and discusses the reasons motivated me and my work sponsor to come here to study a master degree at Bangor. In this context, explained how I selected Bangor university, explain the ways of choices, background about Bangor university. The benefits I obtain when I finished my degree and my future plan after finished my master degree. Secondly defined term of leaning, explained learning approaches and the learning process, also how differ form one another. Brief description of learning theories such as behaviorism and Classical conditioning, however the definition of styles and his conditions. also discusses the group work which defined types of group formal and informal group and the classification of it , the reasons of how do people joint groups ,the stages of group structures which are forming ,storming , morning, performing and adjourning. Factors explaining group behavior includes internal and external factors, group structure, group process, group tasks and decision making group. In the last topic explained how to attempt to address the issues that related when people anticipate in group work ,the important issue that will be happen is multiracial group which discusses what the leader should be use the RAP framework which stand of recognize, anticipate and problem-solve. What has motivated you to study a master degree at Bangor? Motivation can be defined as a decision making process in which the person put some desired goals and then adopts specific behaviors to gain these goals. Also to satisfy their needs in life and happy with it. According to (Huczinski Buchanan 1991) motivation defined as a process of decision making do by individuals and through it select desired findings and derived the appropriate behaviours to achieve it. Huczinski Buchanan 1991) page 230. First of all I attend here to study at Bangor university to obtain several benefits, the purposes that motive me to came here representing in a lot of reason .firstly I am a banker working in bank in my country, the manager have a proposal to send some of the staff to do a master outside of my country, he has a lot of alternatives of universities abroad. He nominates many countries for example Malaysia, India and UK. He submit their proposal to the Board of Directors to a proof it, but the Board of Directors reply that is the better choice is to sent the employees to United kingdom , the universities in UK provide high standard of qualifications. They also offer more motivation to go ahead in your qualifications. And it offers more support to international students than any other country. The diversity of the UK cities which let you to meet many people from different areas that is chance to know new cultures and tradition from international student they influences me by different cha racteristics, beliefs, values and attitudes via sharing in accommodation, in classes, social activities and doing assignment in group this also have much advantages by sharing idea form multinational students. After Board of Directors agreed of the UK universities the manger transfer his proposal to the Training Department. The staff of it they ask question, how select candidates? After along meeting they decided to make course in mini-MBA and then choice best twenty and after it they sit to IELTS test. Fortunately I passed the test and I get opportunity to study a master degree at UK at Bangor University. Secondly how choice Bangor? The answer was meeting together the candidates, Training Department and H$H consultant. They did comprehensive research, gathering lots of information and began to make alternatives, some surfing internet and other make intensive communication and at the end the selection tend to Bangor University. Why? Because it have high ranking in the areas of banking and business research among the UKs universities, best educational system. They think Bangor has famous professors and lecturers especially in business collage, Bangor city is one of the most beautiful places in the UK,. On the other hand it very quiet suitable for studies. It has friendly people and lovely, cheaper stores, private rent available around the university, has many libraries and full equipped. My future plan is to improve a career in banking and finance in an internationally oriented bank. My objective is to work as a manager for one of the top investment banks in my country, or as a banking Advisor for any world banks. To gain this, I want to complete my academic knowledge and to take the Master Degree in Islamic banking and finance in Bangor University which provides me best background education to secure my future job.   Having this knowledge will allow me to better background in banking working. With changes in the world, in political, economic, and technological fields, I think that after world crisis all professional Islamic investment say Islamic finance the best ways which ably it in bank that particularly appear in by the lasted crisis in the US that any banks work in Islamic finance do not affected by it .   I am however open-minded and prepared to meet all challenges faced to me. I am trust that a Master Degree in Islamic banking and finance will brig me a c hance to build a successful career and become a good professional, contributing value to my future banks. (my own opinion before inter Bangor university ) What is your approach to learning? Leaning is now recognized is a shift in behavior as outcome of experience or practice, knowledge acquisition and obtain through study like skill in some thing example books, TV, newspapers, radio and internet . Also the people process of building understanding focus on experience from different sources, also inferred form change in behavior and performance, shift in memory, and outcomes experience. (Tessie J, Rodriguez, D. M.) Page 144. The learning granted or gift from god who somebody are cleverer than other they have fast understanding and remembering things. The learning is not exclusive to an education system. Learning starts before long time before apparent of large number of school or institutions. It spread rapidly after school came, there are a lot of different approaches of learning not only enter educational system which discusses and explained by many interested researcher. The learning process and learning approach is differ from one person to another the idea of that notion learn as individual learners have specific approach to learns so as individuals have different preferred approach for example some individual take information through specific ways and other find it impossible by this medium because it quite difficult to take it. This lead us to the types of which learners take information such as visual or auditory learners. There a lot of theories of approach learning like behaviourism explained o n the observation and mental activities also which humans and animals similar can be learned to do specific things. Classical conditioning this theory focus on acquisition, extinction, generalisation and discrimination. Learning style is recognised as a specific method in which an individual learns, learning mode which the best manner to understand and take information, gain skills and knowledge , strategies or habit like regular reading in deliberate educational that an individual displays. Cognitive style is also recognised in a set of different approaches, as a certain approach to problem-solving, focus on ability to think and understand things, especially complicated ideas. A typical or noticeable quality of someone or something of cognitive processing which are strange to a specific people. Regular or strategies, mental behaviours, randomly applied by an individual to problem solving. The expression preferences of learning has been used to relate the situations , environmental , encompassing, emotional, sociological and physical situation, that people learner would select to adopt comfortable position. Learning styles are not permanent a particular characteristic which people will often fallow it. Individuals getting knowledge  are able to do many different styles of learning in a lot of causes. might be use more than style according to Honey and Mumford (1986) (suggest that we in need of skillful to adopt one of four different styles in so as finished any given learning job in more satisfactorily) According to Honey-Mumford Model there are four type styles, activists which individual prefer action learning rather than reading or listening . Reflectors which individuals collect more information before making decision. Theorists, which to see the relationship between observations. And pragmatists which are keen to search and find new idea and use it. ). (ALAN PREICHARD 2009 p1-44). About my self the best approach to learn my self is practice learning, for example in my studies I prefer empirical study that base on home work , show in the lap also via a lot of media like TV or games . What issues do you anticipate in the group work? Any number of individual which perceive themselves to form a group and interact with each other to achieve specific goals. According to David Buchanan and Andrzey Huczynski say (group is tow or more people in face-to-face interaction, each aware of their membership in the group, each aware of the others who belong to the group, and each aware of their positive interdependence as they strive to achieve their goals) page 286. The group includes two types of groups, formal groups and informal groups. Formal groups are formal created to achieve specific task in the organization. In formal groups, the behaviors are serving the needs of the organisation to perform specific tasks. For example the staff of business school collages an example of formal group. Informal groups are not created formally, unplanned by the organization are basis on common interest. The groups divides into, task and command groups are related to formal groups, whereas friendship and interest groups are naturally created. Group command this group is forms by the power of the leader in the organization. Task Group, this refers to individuals who work combine to execute a job task. The important issues face or encounter any body joint in work group represent in why do people joint in groups , stages of group development ,the factors inside organization and out side organization affect the group behaviour which explain why are many group performances successful and others unsuccessful?, group structure and group process ,and finally the group decision making. About my self I work in a bank and my experience six years. I jointed in many group work during working all points I mentioned above I think is important issues face any individual group members which any body anticipated occur or happen during groups work , most authors and researchers talking and discussed this issues . Why Do People Join Groups? People join in group for many reason personalities and organizational. The personality includes, security to joined in group individuals will decrease risk of appearing responsibility alone, because they afraid from threats. Status, by joining a group, members can have recognition and status. Self-esteem, in order of more confidence. Affiliation, they become more close relationship to achieve best result. People can enjoy the continuous interaction with each others. Power, There is more power in great numbers. On the other hand for organizational reason includes flatter structures, perform tasks, improve productivity and quality and more motivation in order to provide support reward sense of belonging. Stages of Group Development: Group development in common passes via five stages. According (Tuckman 1965, Tuckman Jensen 1977).Forming, this phase is featured by the group responsibilities and roles, also group purpose, goals and external relationships. Storming, this phase is featured focused in the main objective and avoid conflict. There is conflict between the leader and members group. Norming, this phase is characterized by complete relationship and best cohesiveness and the decisions making sharing among whole group. Performing, In this phase the group known what is doing and why, put the strategic into action and apply it as it planning, focus on over -achieving objectives. Adjourning, In this phase, the task has been finished or achieved the group members can go to an other new job, and be ready themselves to go their on ways. (David Buchanan and Andrzey Huczynski, page 305) Factors Explaining Group Behavior Why are many group performances successful and others unsuccessful? The solution includes many internal and external variables which influence the ability of the group member, the group size, the conflict level, the consideration of group norms, homogenous represent on routine and standard task, the level of cohesiveness. Members education such as experience and training, job design ,motivation of employees and attitudes, also diversity training , gender, and academic major, personality orientation. The individual factor must be followed first because are effect on the outcomes of group. Also the are many external factors which affect the group performance , so every work groups are influenced by conditions come from outside like overall strategy of the organisation, government regulations , structures authority, official regulations, resources or the input represent by skills, knowledge and abilities and personality , process selected by the employees, system of reward and evaluatio n the performance , the culture of the organization physical work setting, the traits of groups affect the performances of group which influence outcomes of whole group members . Group Structure and group process The group structure act as the main issues face the groups when work to gather because of the behavior of members are unclear and possible to do predict inside the group as well as the outcomes that you planed. There are many different factors which affect the group behavior. They include the leader of group like unit manager, employee charge or responsible for workers, project manager or committee president. The roles of any member, norms are necessary because they help and support group and let it go on and survival, help to predict behavior, reduce the clash between the group individuals and give individual to express the main values or attitudes of the group, status group is important to classification of group among the other, size of group which make Social loafing is that some people of the group tend to do less effort than other when they work to gather in the group, the group composition is an important factor for predicting groups behavior. Heterogeneous groups tend to perf orm better than homogeneous groups over the long run. The level of group cohesiveness is group individual attracted help others in order to motivated whole group and to stay together to achieve tasks. Group Processes is important such as ways of communications each group individual support each other to provide information and exchange information between other so as to solve problems, decision process, chair group behavior and conflict reaction. During social loafing obtains opposite outcomes of using individuals, the positive results when the out pot greater than input. (David Buchanan and Andrzey Huczynski page 318-335) Group Decision Making Decision-making in groups or an organization is the important task made by group members in order to choose the best alternatives that doing by group member which represent the outcomes, may in all departments of the organization be able to be used. At this point, when a decision maker chooses a particular action, he does so with full background of the power and diversity of alternative opinions. He does so, however, using his own notions of the severity of the reactions and disappointments of the individuals whose own prefer- ences for some action has been shunted aside, if not ignored. This problem of how to combine the action preferences of individuals with differing values (utility functions) has been studied intensely in recent years. A basic question concerns the degree to which a group of individuals with differing utility functions can agree upon a single, group utility function. Under certain axiomatic assumptions, Arrow (1963) has shown that such agreement is impossible. Un der other assumptions, however, agreement is possible. If, for example, there is a single decision maker who wants to take every group members preferences into account, but who will make the ultimate decision himself (this is the context we are assuming throughout), then no contradictions of this type arise. (Kirkwood 1972). During my work, I work in country have a big diversity, the population composed form different tribes and have different tune speaking and values, attitudes and ethnics so as difficult to work in group and to forming group work until arrived to decision making (outcome) . . 4-How will you attempt to address these? Whereas people joint group come from different races to interact together to doing a work or job I think some problem or causes should be occurred in all the stages of group which I explained above, from forming a group to finish the job and making decision for specific goals. So as the manger or the group leader should be aware of this important issues might be happen and failures group continues. The important issue may be happen the race because it is much apparent when group members joint for different multiracial in the group that must be forming this is called multiracial group. To mange or control multiracial group according to Davis Galinsky and schopler (1995) (urge that the leader use the RAP (recognize, anticipate and problem-solve) framework which stand of recognize, anticipate and problem-solve. Recognizing crucial ethnic , cultural and racial differences in any group work requires the manger to be both self-aware and aware of racial dynamics of the group. A manger of mu ltiracial group needs to be aware of personal values and stereotypes. Recognize racial ethic and cultural differences among the members of group. Respect the norm, cultures and customs of the population represented in the group, familiar with resources in the community that responsive to the needs of racial component of the group, be aware of various forms of institutional discrimination in the community and their impact on various populations of groups, and racial tension in the community also. Anticipating how individual members will be affected racial issues prepares the leader to respond preventively and inter-preventively when racial issues arise. The leader should anticipate potential sources of racial tension in the group when members formulate their group goals and when the leader structure group work. To anticipate tensions and help members deal effectively with them the leader should be seek to include more than one member of any given race, develop a leadership style that is culturally appropriate to the groups specific racial configuration, treat all members in respect and equality ,seek to empower members to obtain their rights particularly if they are been victimized by institutional discrimination or other forms of racism in the community , encourage development of norms in mutual respect and appreciation of diversity. The last element is solve-problem which the leader should be use solve-problem approach by the evaluation and generating alternatives, use conflict resolution approach include role reversal, empathy, inquiry, use intervention and goal that are culturally acceptable and appropriate for all members of the group and provide some rules in problem solving and conflict .( Charles Zastrow, Karen K. Kirst-Ashman 2010-2007, P359-360.) Conclusion To conclude, this essay has explained factors which motivated me to study master degree at Bangor university, focus on the reputation of it academics ,staffs, and area, also my future plan after complete my study at it. The definition of learning, approach of learning and styles of learning any my styles learning during my live. However the most important issues anticipate occur or happen in a group work as general and my experience work such as, why do people joint in groups, stages of group development, the factors inside organization and out side organization affect the group behaviour which explain why are many group performances successful and others unsuccessful?, group structure and group process, and finally the group decision making. Although how will you attempted to address this issues I mentioned above which I focus on multiracial group I think it is important issues face in my work experience which must be mange or control by RAP framework which stand of recognize, antic ipate and problem-solve, which the leader should be do in recognize, anticipate and problem-solve.

Symbols and Symbolism in Lord of the Flies :: Lord Flies Essays

Symbolism in Lord of the Flies In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, the boys who are stranded on the island come in contact with many unique elements that symbolize ideas or concepts. Through the use of symbols such as the beast, the pig's head, and even Piggy's specs, Golding demonstrates that humans, when liberated from society's rules and taboos, allow their natural capacity for evil to dominate their existence. One of the most important and most obvious symbols in Lord of the Flies is the object that gives the novel its name, the pig's head. Golding's description of the slaughtered animal's head on a spear is very graphic and even frightening. The pig's head is depicted as "dim-eyed, grinning faintly, blood blackening between the teeth," and the "obscene thing" is covered with a "black blob of flies" that "tickled under his nostrils" (William Golding, Lord of the Flies, New York, Putnam Publishing Group, 1954, p. 137, 138). As a result of this detailed, striking image, the reader becomes aware of the great evil and darkness represented by the Lord of the Flies, and when Simon begins to converse with the seemingly inanimate, devil-like object, the source of that wickedness is revealed. Even though the conversation may be entirely a hallucination, Simon learns that the beast, which has long since frightened the other boys on the island, is not an external force. In fact, the head of the slain pig tells him, "Fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill! Ö You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you?" (p. 143). That is to say, the evil, epitomized by the pig's head, that is causing the boys' island society to decline is that which is inherently present within man. At the end of this scene, the immense evil represented by this powerful symbol can once again be seen as Simon faints after looking into the wide mouth of the pig and seeing "blackness within, a blackness that spread" (p. 144). Another of the most important symbols used to present the theme of the novel is the beast. In the imaginations of many of the boys, the beast is a tangible source of evil on the island. However, in reality, it represents the evil naturally present within everyone, which is causing life on the island to deteriorate. Simon begins to realize this even before his encounter with the Lord of the Flies, and during one argument over the existence of a beast, he attempts to share his insight with the others.

The Impact of Technology on Education Essay -- Education Learning Essa

The Impact of Technology on Education Technology has greatly affected and impacted the way things are presented and taught in the classroom. Technology has had a large impact on the materials that are used and the way we use these materials to teach in the schools. Most everything that is used in today’s classroom has been a result of technology. All materials, including textbooks and the Internet, have been invented and have had some connection to the growth of technology in the school setting. There are many advances in technology that are now used in the classroom and have been very beneficial to the teaching process. For example, the invention of the printing press allowed textbooks to be mass-produced, which made them more readily available to all (Anderson 46). Schools could now have multiple copies of the text and would not have to go through the trouble of teaching the material without the children seeing it for themselves. The printing press made reading books and novels a way for everyone to become educated, not just children. Over time, other inventions of technology have grown rapidly and have become very useful in the educational classroom (Fisher 13). Technologies, such as typewriters and eventually computers and copy machines, have helped further advance the speed and sometimes quality of the teaching materials. The typewriter was the start of a personal printing device that allowed both teachers and students to present their work in neat, le gible form. Recently, the computer has allowed for even better printing quality and more educational programs. Now, especially with the Internet, there is increased communication and new methods of research being conducted. The Effec... ...r research. While sometimes these sources are not reliable, computers crash and there is junk on the Internet, overall, these technologies contribute a positive glow in the realm of education. As a Christian, I believe that the technologies in the education system have been a tremendous success and are very effective in their purposes. They help save time and also expand the learning environment to communicate to more people more effectively. Works Cited and Consulted Education and Technology : reflections on computing in classrooms. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1996. Special education technology : classroom applications. Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 1993. Technology in American education 1650-1900. Washington: U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare Office of Education, 1963.

Julius Caesar Essay -- essays papers

Julius Caesar William Shakespeare has written many plays that touched millions of people throughout the centuries. His works are still the most controversial ones favored by many Literature critics because his plays generate spontaneous debates on issues such as friendship, revenge, human ambitions and moralities that lead to dynamic discussion among people. In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, friendship vs. duty is one of the major themes that is developed. One's struggle over the choice between friendship and duty is depicted through the main character, Brutus, as he battles himself to choose between his duty to carry out people's will and his own conscious hitting on his faithfulness to his best friend Caesar. Although Brutus himself was skeptical if he made the right decision, he joins the conspiracy that plans for the murder of their leader Julius Caesar. The tragic aspect of the play Julius Caesar is that even though Brutus ‘s motives were immaculate, his fear toward Caesar's ambition, Cassius' persuasion, and his tragic flaw, idealism deluded him to make a tragic mistake of assassinating Caesar. While human ambition is considered an important requirement in achieving one's goal, it often leaves negative impressions to others. People do fear ambitious men because strong desire often leads to selfishness and dictatorship. As Caesar's popularity became more evident, his fellow officers and the nobles were worried that people of Rome might crown Caesar. As early as Act 1 scene one, two tribunes of Rome, Flavius and Marullus show concerns toward a possibility of a new dictatorship in Rome and remind themselves of their duty to protest against such power exercised by one person. Not surprisingly, the rumors of Ca... ...dealism. His tragic flaw, idealism, makes him to make initial decision, arrived at with such difficulty, that Caesar has to die. Brutus is wrong. Yet when we read carefully, the soliloquy in the garden, it becomes obvious that Brutus is deceiving himself. He confesses that he has "no personal cause" to fear Caesar and furthermore, that he has never known of potential of tyranny in Caesar. His honor and nobility were manipulated by Cassius and at the end, he finishes his life tragically by suiciding. The tragedy of Brutus lies here. Not that he attempted to free the republic of Rome from a tyrannous dictator and was killed in the action; but that, with the best of motives, he was responsible for the murder of Caesar.) (Mowant, P. 23 - 25) " Thou art the ruins of the noblest man That ever lived in the tide of times." (Shakespear, Act 3, scene 1, 256 - 257)

Asher Farms Essay

Political – In class the major political topic that we focused on was possible affects on the industry if immigration laws became stricter. This industry is highly dependent on cheap labor. If all of a sudden there were not enough workers in the industry there would not be enough chicken available to meet the demand. Economic – Evident from the case, the chicken market is heavily influenced by currency fluctuation. This is because 15% of the total poultry production is exported and therefore changes in the price of the dollar can make chicken much more expensive in other countries or it can have a reverse effect. Social – Over the past couple of decades there has clearly been a shift in the amount of different types of meat products that are consumed. Those who watch their what they eat are more likely to eat chicken for the high protein benefits and minimizing some of the harmful affects of red meat. Technological – There had been a strong push for more efficient technology to be produced in this industry. The technology developments range from the machinery that does some of the work to new genetic engineering of the food that the chickens eat. These advancements allowed for the growth of the chicken industry without and slowdowns. Legal – Animal rights advocates have had major impacts on the ways that chickens can be processed. The conditions that the chickens live in could cause some legal problems in the future in different animal rights groups wanted to make changes. Environmental – Spread of disease always seems to be a major concern in the food industry. Contamination is very possible and could potentially cause huge problems. The FDA would like to minimize the possible affects of any type disease from spreading such as salmonella or other bacteria’s that are harmful. I feel that all of the business risks identified in question 1, the PESTLE acronym, all have the same potential to impact the risk of material misstatements on the financial statements. These business risks would all put revenue, cost of goods sold, wage expenses, and certain discloses at risk for being misstated. This would require more substantive tests to provide more reliable evidence that the financial statements are correctly stated. Obtaining knowledge about the client’s industry helps to highlight practices unique to that industry that may have an effect on the client’s financial statements. The auditor should obtain knowledge relating to the client’s business before commencing the audit. Understanding the client’s business provides information regarding events and transactions that may affect the client’s financial statements. Just like an auditor is not responsible to provide absolute assurance that the financial statements are correct, an auditory does not have the responsibility to identify or assess all business risks because it would be not efficient, timely, or costly to do so. As discussed in question 1, some examples of business risks that should be considered include; immigration concerns, currency fluctuation, health changes, technological development, and the spread of disease. An example of a business risk that might not lead to a risk of material misstatement in the financial statements that we discussed in class was opening new locations and growing the business.

More and More on Technology Essay

They are the ‘machines’ which just receive their leaders’ requirements and relying on machines to complete without thinking. Becoming shortsighted and lose their belief, human act just for only financial purpose, regarding the progress and the negative effects. There have been many crises appearing one by one at the aspect of environmental pollution, religious conflicts and the injustice in the social wealth. For example, the Rhine has lost the beauty described by Friedrich HÃ ¶lderlin, a major German lyric poet, and been forced to be cut off and be a hydropower station to produce electricity as a slave to sever for human. Nature has changed its role, losing its previous holy, and become a serious of progress of being exploded, transformation, storage and distribution. There is not anybody like the Indians in New Mexico, refusing to use steel plough to tillage. Why? Is it just a rejection of using the plough? It’s absolutely not. At the aspect of Indians, land is their mother and they should respect and protect her as a part of their bodies and using the steel plough to cultivate the land equals to doing harm to their mother. Itis not a foolish behavior. In contrast,it completely shows they still have the loyalty and the pure soul comparing with those numb people lost in the frigid material world. What’s more, human are just rescued by technology but lose in their own dilemma created by themselves. For women, suffering from the twisted complex ethics and aesthetics, they are on the heavier social pressure of every behavior given by the followed medium. Even the weight, the figure and the action of the every part of their body are strictly required and involved in their ethics. They have to limit their desire to make the body slim and the culture of blind diet and losing weight, causing women live in a nervous station and get psychological disease. To sum up, technology, different from machine, is a dynamic progress where human use machine system to communicate with the nature to balance the relative relationships. It is a positive product of human exploring the objective world but human cannot rely on to seriously. Though most of people are the user of new technology and not the finder, our thought should not be limited by technology. We should consider how to use the technology to make the world harmonious and serve human more effectively.

Eternal Law and Human Law

Eternal Law and Human Law As humans live in this world, laws and regulations are strictly enforced for the justice, safety, and rights of the humans. Whether those laws are eternal or temporal, all laws require standards. Saint Augustine’s On the Free Choice of the Will discusses these standards and defines what each laws mean. Most importantly, Augustine argues that eternal law is necessary for temporal law to exist and for the nation to function properly. I agree with Augustine’s argument on the necessity of both eternal law and human law and the belief of how temporal law is based on eternal law.According to Augustine, eternal law is a law that is just, unchanging, and follows the proper ordering and reasoning. This eternal law is also what the ordering of everything is based on. He also believes that when one pursues his or her life based on eternal things, such as truth, knowledge, and love, then they are living a life under eternal law. However, if one decides to live a life of desire for temporal things, such as money, possessions, and physical appearances, then they are living under a temporal law where their happiness will not last long.This law, which is interchangeable with human law, makes a nation well ordered, where the people are allowed to designate officials with their own choices and obtain many other rights. Eternal and human laws proposed by Augustine are essential to society; though both essential, Augustine differentiates the two. Augustine explains that eternal law bases its standards on God and He is the ruler of this law; this law is the law by which God rules all creation. It can also be characterized as the â€Å"divine reason or the will of God, a will which enjoins the natural order† (Fitzgerald & Cavadini, 583).On the other hand, temporal law is subject to change in such instances as the election of a new president, or institution of new laws. While eternal law both regulates human affairs and governs eternal t hings, human law is solely limited to the regulation of human affairs. Eternal law is immutable and irreversible; there are no officials or a president to eternal law because God is the standard, and therefore it is unchanging. Eternal law is universally applicable where human law differs in between nations and countries, even tates. Though there are many differences between eternal law and human law, Augustine elaborates that eternal law is both necessary and crucial for human law to exist. He believes that what is considered just in human law is derived from eternal law. In other words, â€Å"eternal law is the measure of the temporal law’s justice† (Dilman, 77). What is considered temporal may be revised in accordance with the changing circumstances of men and their social arrangements, but still remain just by the measure of eternal law.Human law exists because eternal law is present to us right now in this moment. Augustine concludes that eternal law is just; ther efore everything is ordered in the highest degree under this law. I agree with Augustine in that eternal law encompasses human law. Reading through Augustine’s On Free Choice of the Will, I was convinced that eternal law is unchanging because it is independent of the changing circumstances of men, but temporal laws are constantly changing as years pass by because we face new generations.Therefore, there must be a boundary where temporal law can base on. And that boundary is eternal law. For clarity, an example of human law and eternal law can be compared. A well-known law that everyone should follow is that of the legal drinking age. In the United States, the legal drinking age is 21, however, in other countries such as Mexico, the legal drinking age is 18. Human law is different between many countries and it is temporal because people in United States are raising their voices to lower the drinking age to 18.Therefore, the legal drinking age law is subject to change as citize ns are constantly bringing up this topic. However, in eternal law there is no drinking age but it is telling the rational human being to not to become addicted to drinking and to find healthier desires other than the consumption of alcohol. Under eternal law, drinking is not what life is all about; there are so many other significant tasks and experiences that human beings need to fulfill during their life times in this world.Eternal law says to love eternal things, not what is a temporal joy. With this example, I am arguing that human law is based on eternal law because human law establishes the legal drinking age so that young generations can find what their true wisdom is before being introduced to worldly pleasures and find themselves lost without having realized the true purpose of their existence. To follow temporal law is to love the creature and the creation more than the Creator.The desire for artificial and materialistic things will lead to discontent, both for the individ ual and the society as a whole. However, if all men loved only eternal things, then there would be no need for temporal law, which governs our daily lives. Therefore, temporal law is necessary to restrain the actions of those men who love temporal things. Temporal law is not meant to punish men who do love temporal things, but is rather for the criminal actions that men commit because of their excessive desires for these things.This all comes back to the idea that God created the universe and He is the man of eternal law, and we need to love him more than any other things in this world. Great benefits and blessings will be rewarded to those men that earnestly seek for wisdom, love, genuine virtues, and truth than to those men that live wrongfully longing only for wealth, lust, physical beauty and many earthly things. In conclusion, it is both crucial that laws govern society and important that laws order human choices and interpersonal relations.But it is more valuable that eternal law governs these laws of society because it is always present, ultimate standard and suffers no exceptions. Therefore eternal law is necessary for human laws to exist and control the corrupted society for the better. Works Cited Dilman, Ilham. â€Å"Free Will: An Historical and Philosophical Introduction. † Google Books. Routledge, n. d. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. Fitzgerald, Allan D. , and John C. Cavadini. â€Å"Augustine Through the Ages: An Encyclopedia. † Google Books. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. , n. d. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.

Space meets knowledge The impact of workplace design On knowledge sharing ?

Abstract An examination of the role the physical workplace plays in creating opportunities and barriers that influence knowledge management has become a matter of substantial debate. Design of good workplaces for knowledge sharing is considered a major challenge for any organisation. This study provides an insight into the impact of the design and use of the physical workplace on knowledge sharing. Evidence presented in this study substantiates the position that the physical presence of an employee has the potential to impact performance and knowledge management. This assessment will be of use to researchers seeking to further examine the area of knowledge management. Introduction Knowledge management, described as the intentional management of information has become increasingly important to organisations (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995; Alavi, 1997; Garvin, 1997; Wiig, 1997; Davenport and Prusak, 1998; Ruggles, 1998; Hansen, 1999; Zack, 1999a). In large part this has been fuelled by the exponential growth of the knowledge economy and the increasing number of knowledge workers who have become as essential for many firms competitiveness and survival (Tallman and Chacar 2010). For many emerging organisations face to face contact is essential in the dissemination of knowledge within that infrastructure (Ibid). The process of internal knowledge management is a dynamic element that must be maintained in order to produce results. Literature Review Knowledge is defined as a dynamic human or social process that allows a justification of personal belief as regards the truth (Nonaka 2011). Interaction between people, employees and consumers is one of the primary methods of communicating innovative and inspirational progress. Modern studies in the field of knowledge management have begun to shift focus from the importance of the physical workplace to those engaged in knowledge work (Becker 2004). The recognition of inherent value in the employee base adds incentive to capitalize on the low cost innovative opportunities that knowledge sharing creates (Tallman et al 2010). With critical insight established through the direct contact of the employees, the means of communication becomes a critical concern (Dakir 2012). International companies are recognizing this same value of face to face interaction as the social interaction between management sections, benefits production and development levels world-wide (Noorderhaven and Harzing 2009). In their discussion of social capital, Cohen and Prusak (2001) emphasise the importance of the physical workplace for the exchanging of knowledge, specifically the distribution of ideas amongst individuals in a situation where they could not assume that others knew what they were required to know. Becker (2004) hypothesises that the choices an organisation makes about how space is allocated and designed directly and indirectly shapes the infrastructure of knowledge networks – the dense and richly veined social systems that help people learn faster and engage more deeply in the work of the organisation. This corresponds with the Dakir (2012) argument that technology is no substitute for live interaction among the members of the organization. Davenport et al (2002) undertook a study among 41 firms that were implementing initiatives to advance the performance of high-end knowledge workers who were regarded as critical to the company’s aims. They focused upon determining th e elements that affected the knowledge work performance. Surprisingly, the issue that was most frequently dealt with by these firms involved the physical workplace – â€Å"the other common ones were information technology and management† (Davenport 2005, p. 166). Davenport (2005) emphasises that the recognition of the importance of knowledge work has grown in recent years, but that our understanding of the physical conditions in which knowledge can flourish has failed to keep pace. The inclusion of emerging communication technology has been argued to provide a better opportunity for employee interaction (Rhoads 2010). This same element of improved long distance communication is credited with diminishing the valued impromptu inspiration that many firms rely on during day to day operations (Denstadli, Gripsrud, Hjortahol and Julsrud 2013). According to Davenport et al (2002) workplace design should be seen as a key determinant of knowledge-worker performance, while we largely remain in the dark about how to align ‘space’ to the demands of knowledge work. Davenport (2005) emphasises the point that â€Å"there is a good deal said about the topic, but not much known about it† (p. 165). Most of the decisions concerning the clima te in which work takes place have been created without consideration for performance factors. This fact continues to diminish opportunities for in-house knowledge sharing and effective dissemination of intelligence (Denstadli et al 2013). Becker (2004) points out that the cultivation of knowledge networks underpins the continuing debate about office design, and the relative virtue of open versus closed space. Duffy (2000) confirms these views when he admits that early twenty-first-century architects â€Å"currently know as little about how workplaces shapes business performance as early nineteenth-century physicians knew how diseases were transmitted before the science of epidemiology was established† (p. 371). This makes every emerging decision regarding effective knowledge sharing critical to the development of any organisation. Deprez and Tissen (2009) illustrate the strength of the knowledge sharing process using Google’s approach: â€Å"one company that is fully aware of its ‘spatial’ capabilities†. The spatial arrangements at Google’s offices can serve as a useful example of how design can have a bearing on improving the exchange of knowledge in ways that also add value to the company. The Zurich ‘Google engineering’ office is the company’s newest and largest research and development facility besides Mountain View, California. In this facility, Deprez and Tissen (2009) report: â€Å"Google has created workspaces where people literally ‘slide into space’ (i.e. the restaurant). It’s really true: Google Is different. It’s in the design; it’s in the air and in the spirit of the ‘place’. It’s almost organizing without management. A workplace becomes a ‘workspace’, mobilizing the collectiv e Google minds and link them to their fellow ‘Zooglers’ inside the Zurich office and to access all the outside/external knowledge to be captured by the All Mighty Google organisation† (2009, p. 37). What works for one organisation may not work for another and this appears to be the case in particular when it comes to Google (Deprez et al 2009). Yet, some valuable lessons in how the workplace can be used to good effect can be gained from Google’s operations. For this precise reason, research was carried out at Google Zurich to provide both theoretical and managerial insights into the impact of the design and use of the physical workplace on knowledge sharing (Ibid). Studies comparing the performance of virtual and co-located teams found that virtual teams tend to be more task oriented and exchange less social information than co located ones (Walther & Burgoon 1992; Chidambaram 1996). The researchers suggest this would slow the development of relationships and strong relational links have been shown to enhance creativity and motivation. Other studies conclude that face-to-face team meetings are usually more effective and satisfying than virtual ones, but nevertheless virtual teams can be as effective if given sufficient time to develop strong group relationships (Chidambaram 1996). This research implies the importance of facilitating social interaction in the workplace, and between team members (virtual and co-located) when the team is initially forming. Hua (2010) proposes that repeated encounters, even without conversation, help to promote the awareness of co-workers and to foster office relationships. McGrath (1990) recommends that in the abs ence of the ability to have an initial face-to-face meeting other avenues for building strong relationships are advised to ensure the cohesiveness and effectiveness of the team’s interaction. So although interaction alone is not a sufficient condition for successful collaboration, it does indirectly support collaboration. Nova (2005) points out that physical proximity allow the use of non verbal communication including: different paralinguistic and non-verbal signs, precise timing of cues, coordination of turn-taking or the repair of misunderstandings. Psychologists note that deictic references are used in face-to-face meetings on a regular basis, which refers to pointing, looking, touching or gesturing to indicate a nearby object mentioned in conversation (Ibid). Newlands et al (2002) analysed interactions of two groups performing a joint task in either face-to-face or a video conference system. They found that deictic hand gesture occurred five times more frequently in the face-to-face condition the virtual interaction. More recent research has found that extroverts gesticulate for longer and more often in meetings than introverts (Jonnson 2006). Barbour and Koneya (1976) famously claimed that 55 per cent of communication is non-verbal communication, 38 per cent is done by tone of voice, and only 7 per cent is related to the words and content. Clearly non-verbal communication is a key component of interaction and virtual interaction systems need to replicate this basic need, especially in the early stages of team forming or when the team consists of a high proportion of extroverts. The physical co-location of teams also facilitates collaboration (Ibid). A seminal piece of research carried out by Allen (1977) demonstrated that the probability of two people communicating in an organisation is inversely proportional to the distance separating them, and it is close to zero after 30 metres of physical separation. Furthermore, proximity helps maintain task and group awareness, because when co-located it is easier to gather and update information about the task performed by team members (Dakir 2012). A recent survey of workers at highly collaborative companies found that most â€Å"collaborative events† are short (with 34% lasting fewer than 15 minutes) and the majority take place at the desk (Green 2012). It is likely that these impromptu interactions relate to sharing information (perhaps on the PC) or answering queries rather than lengthy intense discussion and development of joint ideas. Interactions at desks may facilitate tacit knowledge sharing by overhearing relevant conversations between team members, but such interactions can also be considered a distraction if not relevant (Denstadli et al 2013). Methodology There are two acknowledged methodological approaches: quantitative and qualitative (Creswell 2005). The quantitative method involves identifying variables in a research question which are then utilized in order to collate numerical data (Ibid). The qualitative research is open to interpretation allowing personal answers to be incorporated into the study (Creswell 2005). The researcher considered both options in order to complete the necessary goals.Types of DataThere are two forms of data: primary, or newly generated data, or secondary, previous data generated within existing studies (Creswell 2005). This study required the acquisition of primary data creating the need for relevant instruments. A survey with 5 open-ended questions has been created and subsequently conducted with centred on 548 employees working at Google Zurich. This was done in order to explore the perceptions of Google employees with regard to the environment in which they work with a focus on factors that affect knowledge sharing in the work environment.Methods of Data CollectionThe qualitative data analysis employed a Content Analysis technique to reveal participant perceptions of their work environment. The survey questions were designed to explore employee perceptions regarding the following dimensions: 1) Activities that allow for increased exchange of knowledge; 2) Advantages of frequent interaction with colleagues; 3) Individuals or groups dependent on the frequent interaction with co-workers orgroup members; 4) Factors that facilitate interaction within the workplace 5) Factors that inhibit interaction with others in the workplace. Survey participants responded to five open-ended questions and rated their answers using a five-point Likert scale where 5 was ‘most important’. Using a Content Analysis approach (Creswell 2005; Leedy and Ormrod 2005; Neuendorf 2002), the interview responses were analysed. Content Analysis is a qualitative data reduction method that generates categories from key words and phrases in the interview text; it is an evidence-based process in which data gathered through an exploratory approach is systematically analysed to produce predictive or inferential intent (Creswell 2005). Content Analysis was used to identify themes or common concepts in participants’ perceptions regarding the culturally and environmentally distinctive factors that affect interaction in the workplace (Neuendorf, 2002). This process permitted the investigator to quantify and analyse data so that inferences could be drawn. The Content Analysis of survey interview text was categorically coded to reflect various levels of analysis, including key components, words, sentences, or themes (Neuendorf 2002). These themes or key components were then examined using relational analysis to determine whether there were any relationships between the responses of the subjects. The analysis was conducted with Nvivo8 ® software which enables sorting, categorising, and frequency counts of invariant constituents (relevant responses). Content Analysis was used to critically evaluate the survey responses of the study participants, providing in-depth information regarding the factors related to workplace interaction. Sample Respondent Characteristics The invited population consisted of 675 individuals and a total of 548 individuals participated in the survey resulting in a response rate of 81 per cent. Of these 548 completed surveys, 35 responses were discarded because the respondents only partially completed the survey. The final sample consisted of 513 respondents. The key characteristics of these respondents are summarized in Table 4-1.Table 4-1 Sample Respondent Characteristics FactorDescriptionFrequency EducationHigh School Bachelor Degree Certificate Degree Master Degree PhD Degree Other:15 118 19 231 121 9 Tenure< 2 years 2-5 years > 5 years153 331 29 Time Building Use< 1 year 1 year 2 years > 2 years140 102 271 0 Time Desk Use< 3 months 3-6 months 7-12 months > 12 months143 159 126 85 Age< 20 years 21-30 years 31-40 years 41-50 years > 50 years0 216 255 35 7 GenderMale Female428 85 MobiltyZurich Office Other Google Office Home Office Travelling Other88.9% 3.9% 3.9% 2.7% 0.5% PositionEngineering Sales and Marketing GandA Other:428 12 14 59 NationalityGermany Switzerland United States France Poland United Kingdom Romania Hungary Netherlands Sweden Spain Australia Russian Federation < 10 respondents73 62 35 33 28 27 24 23 17 16 14 13 12 136 Survey Findings In order to provide an audit trail of participant responses to the thematic categories that emerged from the data analysis, discussion of the findings precedes the tables of data, within a framework consisting of the five survey questions. An overall summary is provided at the conclusion of the discussion of findings. During the analysis of data, common invariant constituents (relevant responses) were categorically coded and associated frequencies were documented. Frequency data included overall frequency of occurrence as well as frequencies based on rating level (5 = most important to 1 = least important). Invariant constituents with a frequency of less than 10 were not included in the tables. Study conclusions were developed through an examination of the high frequency and highly rated invariant constituents in conjunction with the revealed thematic categories.Question 1: Main Activities that Allow Exchange of KnowledgeTable 4-2 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relev ant responses) by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 1. Thematically, the analysis revealed the following primary perceptions of participants in terms of main activities that allow knowledge exchange: (a) meetings of all types; (b) whiteboard area discussions; (c) video conferencing; (d) email, and (e) code reviews. These elements demonstrated a high frequency of importance ratings, and a moderate percentage of respondents rated these elements as ‘most important’ (rating 5). Other themes revealed through the analysis included the importance of writing and reading documentation, Instant Messaging (IM) text chat, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), and extracurricular/social activities. All other invariant constituents with a frequency of greater than 10 are shown in Table 4-2.Table 4-2 Data Analysis Results for Question 1: Main Activities Allowing for Exchange of Knowledge Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 Informal discussion/face to face mtgs/stand ups35114977603332 Formal planned meetings/conference room mtgs2184061563823 Email207747432216 Lunches/Dinners64910151812 Whiteboard area discussions/brainstorming5822131094 Video Conferencing (VC)5841620144 Code Reviews515162046 Writing/Reading Documentation476813164 IM/Text Chat/IRC4610161073 â€Å"Extracurricular Activities† (e.g., pool, socializing, Friday office drinks, etc.)4522151016 Writing/Reading docs specifically wiki pages/sites34210697 Chat (unspecified in person vs. text)3387873 Techtalks2745675 Training/presentations23133106 Mailing lists21102522 Shared docs/doc collaboration1703554 Read/write design docs specifically1202505 Telephone/phone conversations1203243Question 2: Main Advantages of Frequent Interaction with ColleaguesTable 4-3 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relevant responses) by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 2. Thematically, t he analysis revealed the following elements representing the primary perceptions of participants in terms of the main advantages to frequent interaction with colleagues: (a) knowledge and information exchange and transfer; (b) staying current on projects and processes; (c) social interaction; (d) learning from others; (e) faster problem resolution; (f) efficient collaboration; and (g) continuous and early feedback. The following themes received a high frequency of importance ratings and a large percentage of ‘most important’ and ‘important’ ratings (rating 5 and 4, respectively) included: knowledge sharing, staying in touch and up to date, learning from others, faster resolution/problem solving, better collaboration, and feedback. Although socialising was revealed to be a strong overall theme, it also demonstrated lower importance ratings. Other themes revealed through the analysis are provided in Table 4-3.Table 4-3 Data Analysis Results for Question 2: Ma in Advantages of Frequent Interaction Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 Knowledge sharing/exchange of information/Knowledge transfer149753919124 Staying in touch/up to date/ more info on projects and processes11358281782 Socializing/social interaction7451035186 Learning/learning from others/learning new things/increased knowledge base7217281485 Understand problems/needs – faster resolution and quicker problem solving7025241146 Better/more efficient collaboration67428953 Feedback/continuous feedback/early feedback661729893 New and better ideas/flow of ideas/creativity/ brainstorming6525151474 Teamwork/being part of a team/teambuilding5110121892 Get work done/efficiency/speed462613241 Fun4421115115 Better understanding of what others are doing and how/workloads4415171002 Everyone on same page/shared vision/focus on goals of team32109652 Better personal contact and easy interaction27561123 Avoid misunderstanding/work duplication27810441 Helping others/getting help (when stuck)26391031 Good/happy atmosphere/work environment2412858 Networki ng2219624 Motivate each other/inspiration2151582 Other/new perspectives/viewpoints18210312 Improving quality of work/performance1615910 Work synchronization1628141 Productivity1231431 Knowing latest news/innovations1203216 Better communication1011521Question 3: Individuals or Groups that are Dependent on Frequent InteractionTable 4-4 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relevant responses) given by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 3. Thematically, the analysis revealed the following elements representing the primary perceptions of participants in terms of individuals or groups that are dependent on frequent interaction of the participant: (a) my team/project teammates/peers; and (b) managers. The first theme demonstrated a high frequency of importance ratings with a moderate percentage of ‘most important’ and ‘important’ ratings (rating 5 and 4, respectively). Although the theme of managers was revealed to be a relatively strong overall theme, it also demonstrated lower importance ratings. Other themes revealed through the analysis are shown in Table 4-4.Table 4-4 Data Analysis Results for Question 3: Individual/groups dependent on frequent interaction of participant Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 My team/project teammates/peers12887191435 Managers/PMs484241163 Users/customers/clients357121042 All reports/related teams34717442 Engineering teams (various)28188200 Recruiting team/staffing1753630 Geo Teams1576200 Operations teams1423522 All of them1191010 HQ1133122 Other engineers using my project/peer developers of my tool1015310Question 4: Factors Facilitating Easy InteractionTable 4-5 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relevant responses) by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 4. Thematically, the analysis revealed the following elements representing the primary perceptions of participants about factors that facilitate easy interaction: (a) common, proximal, and open workspace areas; (b) common functional areas; (c) sufficient and available meeting facilities; (d) excellent communication tools; and (e) video conference facilities. The theme of open and common workspace areas/shared office space demonstr ated a high frequency of importance ratings with a very large percentage of ‘most important’ ratings (rating 5). Other revealed themes, particularly the second listed theme, demonstrated relatively high overall frequency, but these themes did not demonstrate the strength of importance that the first theme did. Other themes and invariant constituents revealed through the analysis are shown in Table 4-5.Table 4-5 Data Analysis Results for Question 4: Factors Facilitating Easy Interaction Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 Open and Common workspace areas/shared office space/desk locations/sitting together175103342594 Common shared Areas (e.g., Kitchen, play/game rooms, lounges, library, etc.)173406642178 Enough facilities for meetings/availability of meeting and conference areas90192730122 Great communication tools (email, VC, chats, dist. Lists, online docs, wireless, VPN, mobile†¦)80113014187 Video Conference meeting rooms/facilities78192518124 Onsite lunch/dinner/common dining area (free food and eating together)5071511134 Whiteboard areas for informal meetings431018771 Corporate culture/open culture/ open communication culture431811932 Email421113954 Casual and social environment/open atmosphere36195921 People: easy going, friendly, smart, knowledgeable, willing to help35149336 Social Events2836577 Company calendar/planned ops for meeting/ scheduled meetings1937621 Geographic co-location/same time zone1374200 Travel/trips to other offices1212135 Chat (non-specific t ext or in person)1124302 IM/internet chat1051112 MOMA/social networking/wiki pages/company docs1010342Question 5: Factors Inhibiting Interaction with OthersTable 4-6 provides high frequency invariant constituents (relevant responses) by survey participants demonstrating themes within the data for Question 5. Thematically, the analysis revealed a single strong element and several elements with less relevance as inhibiting factors. The physical geographic differences – specifically the time zone differences – were noted by a majority of participants as the most important element that inhibited interaction with others. Study participants perceived their overscheduled and busy work lives, noise levels in their workspaces, and shared work environments to be contributing inhibitory factors with regard to interaction with others. These elements also demonstrated high frequencies of importance ratings with a moderate percentage of ‘most important’ ratings (rating 5). Other themes revealed through the analysis are shown in Table 4-6.Table 4-6 Data Analysis Results for Question 5: Factors Inhibiting Interaction with Others Invariant ConstituentOverall number (Frequency)By Rating 5=Most important n=51354321 Physical Geographic distance/ timezone differences16411536931 Very busy/Overscheduled people/ overbooked calendars/ too many meetings4517161020 Crowded/noisy environment/ noise in shared space33196440 Defective VCs/ VC suboptimal/ VC equipment not working2597720 No meeting rooms available2286620 Too few VC rooms in some locations / lack of available VC rooms1949501 Open Space: no privacy, interruptions/ disruptions1958321 Information overload/ too much email1562610 Large office building/building size and layout/ too many people, difficult to find people15114000 Team split between multiple sites or large distance between team members in same bldg1545420 Need more whiteboards/lack of informal areas with whiteboards1135210 Language barrier: lack of correct English/not knowing colloquial lang. or nuances1151311 Lack of time/deadlines1152121 Different working hours within same time zone1053200 Discussion Both the literature and the survey have illuminated interesting facets of the work environment and the need for personal communication. The analysis of the 513 participants’ responses to five open-ended questions from the employee perception survey revealed patterns of facilitating and inhibiting factors in their work environment. Nonaka (2011) clearly illustrates this point with the argument that the communal environment promotes a standard of communication not found in the technological alternatives. Further, the shift away from the organization to the person orientation provides a fundamental benefit to every employee (Becker 2004). With a rising recognition of individual value, the organisation is building employee trust. Participants in this study preferred frequent, informal opportunities for the exchange of knowledge. The opportunity for growth was centred on the capacity to exchange concepts in a free and easy manner (Nonaka 2011). The evidence presented in this study demonstrates that these opportunities were more valued by team members with high knowledge exchange needs. This is line with the increased depth of knowledge and ability to meet technical needs through employee communication (Tallman et al 2010). A combination of professional advice can benefit the entire production and development process. In this study, transactions among participants were often brief, and were perceived to require limited space – often just stand-up space – with noise-regulating options not found in open-office environments. Dakir (2012) demonstrates the environment has the potential to add to or detract from employee communication, making this factor a critical consideration. Spontaneous and opportunistic knowledge-sharing transactions were valued, and technology provided a platform for this type of knowledge exchange to occur. This evidence from the survey corresponds with the literature illustrating that increased communication and sharing in the workplace enhances the entire operation, as well as providing new and fresh opportunities and innovations (Tallman et al 2010). The research at Google provides further support for the view of some leading companies who strongly believe that having workers in the same place is crucial to their success (Noorderhaven et al 2009). Yahoo’s CEO Marissa Mayer communicated via a memo to employees that June 2013, any existing work-from-home arrangements will no longer apply. Initial studies theorized that the work at home system would provide a better platform for workers, even on a local level (Dakir 2012). Many points of the memo cited in this Yahoo example, parallel the literature presented in this study. Her memo stated (Moyer 2013): â€Å"To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side.† This is clearly in line with the Coehen and Prusak (2001) assertion that the physical workplace is a critical element of the dynamic business. â€Å"That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Some of the be st decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings.† This element of the her reasoning is nearly identical to the argument presented by Dakir (2012), that a successful company do so, in part, by promoting communication and teamwork in the office, the technical alternatives are not enough. â€Å"Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo!, and that starts with physically being together†¦.Being a Yahoo isn’t just about your day-to-day job, it is about the interactions and experiences that are only possible in our offices† (Moyer 2013). This section is directly in line with emerging studies citing the vital nature of the interaction and face to face employee contact (Heerwagen et al. 2004). This study has clearly demonstrated that Mayer is not alone in her thinking; Steve Jobs operated in a similar fashion as well (Davenport et al 2002). Despite being a denizen of the digital world, or maybe because he knew all too well its isolating potential, Jobs was a strong believer in face-to-face meetings. â€Å"There’s a temptation in our networked age to think that ideas can be developed by email and iChat,† he said. â€Å"That’s crazy. Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings, from random discussions. You run into someone, you ask what they’re doing, you say ‘Wow,’ and soon you’re cooking up all sorts of ideas† (Isaacson, 2011, p. 431). This assertion by Jobs closely resembles the argument presented in the Rhoads (2010) study that found a clear correlation between the communication capacity and opportunity for successful innovation and progress. Following this philosophy led Jobs to have the Pixar building designed to pr omote encounters and unplanned collaborations.Mayer’s former colleague at Google agrees (Ibid). Speaking at an event in Sydney February 2013, Google CFO Patrick Pichette said that teleworking is not encouraged at Google. This reflects the consensus that is emerging that time in the office is not only valuable but necessary to sustained competition in the industry (Denstadli et al 2013). Pichette believes that working from home could isolate employees from other staff. Companies like Apple, Yahoo! and Google are holding on to (or have started embracing) the belief that having workers in the same place is crucial to their success (Dakir 2012). This appears to be based on the view that physical proximity can lead to casual exchanges, which in turn can lead to breakthroughs for products. Heerwagen et al (2004) illustrates that it is evident that â€Å"knowledge work is a highly cognitive and social activity†. Non-verbal communication is complex and involves many unconscious mechanisms e.g. gesture, body language, posture, facial expression, eye contact, pheromones, proxemics, chronemics, haptics, and paralanguage (Denstadli et al 2013). So, although virtual interaction can be valuable it is not a replacement for face-to-face interaction, particularly for initial meetings of individuals or teams. Furthermore, the increase in remote working has indicated that face-to-face interaction is important for motivation, team-building, mentoring, a sense of belonging and loyalty, arguably more so than in place-centred workgroups (Deprez and Tissen 2009). Conclusion The role of knowledge management in the workplace has become an increasingly valuable segment of a company’s resources. This study examined the practice of working remotely versus employee interaction in the work place providing many illuminating developments. Despite the early optimism that emerging technology was going to provide the end all to employee work habits have proven less than fully realized. The evidence in this study has continuously illustrated an environment that requires the innovative, face to face interaction in order to maintain a competitive edge in the industry. Further, the very environment that promotes this free exchange of ideals is not adequately substituted by technology. In short, the evidence provided in this study has clearly demonstrated the advantage that the in house employee has over the remote worker. The impromptu encounters between employees are very often the elements needed for progress. What is clear is that in order for a business to capitalize on their full range of available resources virtually requires, face to face personal interaction in order to fully realize the firms full potential. In the end, it will be the combination of leadership, teamwork and innovation that provides business with the best environment, not necessarily how much technology is available. References Dalkir, K. 2005. Knowledge management in theory and practice. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann. Denstadli, J., Gripsrud, M., Hjorthol, R. and Julsrud, T. 2013. Videoconferencing and business air travel: Do new technologies produce new interaction patterns?. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 29 pp. 1–13. Nonaka, I. and Takeuchi, H. 2011. 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