Technology: Friend or Foe? :: essays research papers

Technology is defined by dictionary.com as â€Å"The application of science, especially to industrial or commercial objectives† Determining whether this technology has helped or hindered our society, we must remember that it is not limited to computers and the internet. Technology has had a variety of faces over the last several thousand years of human existence. As man began to understand more and more about his environment, he began to use that knowledge to accomplish a practical purpose.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We know from history books and stories passed from generation to generation that man gradually improved things as he discovered them. This is true from the invention of the wheel to the ancient Egyptians great pyramids. Had they not discovered the technology to accomplish these things, our American way of life would be vastly different today. The wheel led to the horse drawn carriage, which led Henry Ford to invent the automobile and the assembly line. Ford's Model T, the only auto Ford produced from 1910 to 1927, not only outsold every other car made for much of its product life, it outsold all the myriad other cars sold in the U.S. combined*. From those two inventions alone, a great improvement in travel and productivity was accomplished, not to mention the money. Today, we still manufacture automobiles and many other things in an assembly line due to its efficiency and effectiveness. Modern technology has robots to reduce the number of human operators required. Computer controls enhance the precision of the machinery used in these assembly lines to reduce flaws. This process continues to improve, but there are side effects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Will Smith, a corporate trainer in the IT industry with 15 years experience said that â€Å"Without technology, many Americans would be without work today. The advancement of computers and the internet has created far more opportunities for new kinds of jobs. My company would not exist without it. Computers do fail, creating the job of pc repair for thousands, if not millions of people. Anytime you use equipment to improve things you need someone to maintain it, and therefore jobs are created.† The question was then posed, â€Å"What negative effects, if any, do you see resulting from the widespread use of technology?†. Mr Smith replied, â€Å"The internet in particular has encouraged laziness among many people. It also causes people to withdraw from social interaction because they can do everything they need from their home.

Bis220 Wireless Technologies

Wireless Technologies Proposal Team B BIS/220 July 2, 2012 Dr. Richard Swafford Wireless Technologies Proposal As Party Plates grows and becomes more successful, new technologies need to be implemented to allow the company to better serve our customers. Today we are going to lay out a new plan to make our deliveries more efficient. Our customers are our number one priority essay writer uk. Serving them with a better product and pinpointing delivery times will help us achieve this. To accomplish this, we are proposing that we integrate two types of wireless technologies in our delivery trucks: GPS tracking systems and Bluetooth.GPS System Currently, we have five trucks operating all over the city at any given time. With grid lock and accidents, implementing the GPS system will allow our drivers to navigate with HD Traffic information around these areas and make delivers on time. The system we are proposing is the TomTom GO Live 1535M. With this system, Party Plates can set up a Twitte r account and our drivers can keep companies informed on what time they expect to deliver. Additionally, if there are any issues with delivery, Twitter messages can be sent out to inform the company of that as well.The device can also locate the cheapest fuel prices which in the long run, will save the company money. However, there is a small drawback to this system. According to CNET Reviews. com the system says that, â€Å"searching the connected services is clunky and, at times, intuitive (CNET 2012). † Each unit costs $179 dollars per unit and installation is as simple as installing mounts in each truck to hold the devices, totally costs being approximately $1000. Bluetooth Next we would like to equip each truck with Bluetooth technology to seamlessly keep our customers connected with our drivers via phone.Our drivers are already using cellphones, however, with the current law, only Bluetooth devices are legal to use in our trucks. We are proposing purchasing Aliph Jawbon e Era Bluetooth devices for each driver. This will allow our drivers to take calls without taking their hands off the wheel. The only downfall to this system according to CNET Reviews. com is that,† The Aliph Jawbone Era doesn’t have a dedicated volume rocker, and the way it fits the ear is not as easy and comfortable as we would like (CNET 2012). † References CNET Reviews (2012). Latest Technology Reviews. CBS Interactive. Retrieved from http://www. cnet. com/? tag=hdr

How Is Technology Affecting People Psychologically? Essay

In 1922, a doctor’s kit was the most desired toy in the United States. Almost all toys on the website â€Å"Hot Holiday Toys for 2012† were either electronic or electronic related. These toys range from Furbuddy, an electronic pet that talks, to Nintendo and Wii’ games and gaming systems. What impact is technology having on people? Today, with thousands of video games offered; nearly 1 billion users on Facebook; and the average person checking their phone close to 75 times per day, one can only wonder how this affects people psychologically. This can be seen in how the internet offers amazing information and opportunities that have changed the way people communicate. Internet World Stats website cites that the internet users have grown over 566% since 2000. Ease of access to information and communication is, of course, a big reason to use the internet, but is there more to it? Is the ability to control completely the information one reads and the people one interacts with a part of this draw to the internet? The person who holds the mouse is in control when he or she surfs the web. He or she chooses which sites to go to and which people to interact with. In many ways the user feels safe. If something negative online occurs, one can simply exit the site. On Facebook, if someone posts something the user doesn’t like, the user can block the sender or â€Å"unfriend† the offending person. Unfortunately, this negative online interaction is all too frequent. Cyber bullying is the act of bullying using electronic technology. It has become so serious that laws have been passed to outlaw it; going as far as jail time. Cyber bullying occurs with one out of six children. It can be devastating because it can happen 24 hours per day and every day of the week. The worst part about Cyber bullying is that it can even happen when the victim is alone. Cyberbullying Research Center states, â€Å"There have been many high profile and tragic incidents in the media in recent years which have linked adolescent suicides to experiences with cyber bullying.† The technology used in this type of bullying ranges from cell phones, social media sites, to chat rooms. It has become such a problem that many schools have created programs to discuss the harmful effects it causes. Cyber bullying is an example of the disinhibition effect. Psychologists have created this term meaning when people online loosen up, feel more uninhibited, and express themselves more than they ever would in a face to face conversation. It can be threatening and hurtful as in cyber bullying; or it can be what psychologist call benign disinhibition. This is when a person reveals secret emotions, fears and wishes. The user may share too much about themselves, but overall it is not harmful. This sharing of experiences has been seen as a very positive experience when regarding veterans. Many times soldiers come back from war and have feelings about their experiences that they feel civilians do not understand. Sites and chat rooms have been created to fill this need. As John Suler author of The Psychology of Cyberspace states they don’t have to worry about how others look or sound when they â€Å"say† something. Seeing a frown, a shaking head, a sigh, a bored expression, and many other signs of disapproval or indifference can stop what people are willing to express. Not being able to see expressions of a person’s feelings, leads to one expressing themselves more openly. This has created support for not just veterans, but others who reach out to people â€Å"like them† so they can connect and feel understood. Another group who seek to connect with each other are gamers. Video games have exploded in popularity since 1947. Now over 72 percent of the Americans play video games. Video games have been proven to increase decision-making skills which come in handy in a fast-paced world. They have also been proven to improve men and women’s ability to picture 3D objects states U.S Department of Defense researchers. However, as much they may be helping gamers with thinking skills; violent video games are certainly not helping with violent behavior. A study was done with two groups of college students; group one played a violent video game and group two played a nonviolent video game. The researchers measured how the students felt and how they behaved. Social Psychologist Brad Bushman at Ohio State University showed the groups two violent pictures: one of a man shoving a gun down another man’s throat; another of a man holding a knife to a woman’s throat. â€Å"What we found is for people who were exposed to a lot of violent video games; their brains did not respond to the violent images,† Bushman said. â€Å"They were numb, if you will.† People who play violent video games become numb to the violence they see. Knowing this, one may find it disturbing to know that the top three most sold video games in the US, are all listed by Parenting website in â€Å"The 10 most violent video games to avoid.† list. Does playing violent video games increase violence or just make the user numb to it? That is still to be determined. The positive effects of technology are as endless as imagination. The amazing ability to instantly have knowledge at your fingertips any time of the day or night is one benefit it is hard to imagine being without. Being able to connect with a friend continents away is a wonderful gift that keeps people in touch with each other. But like most things; technology has a negative side like cyber bullying; and the violence in video games open to children a keystroke away. Technology has no doubt changed the world, but the question becomes does the positive outweigh the negative and if so, what should be done about the negative aspects?

Project Management and Virtual Teams Essay

Athabasca University Abstract Due to advanced communication technologies, globalization and outsourcing most of the project management teams are based on groups of individuals called virtual teams who work across time and space using communication technologies. Members of virtual teams may be employees of same company from same country, or they can be contractors, suppliers and company employees around the globe. Managing projects using virtual teams have some advantages and disadvantages. Also several studies have been done to try to determine the factors that are positively co-related to the effectiveness of virtual teams (Schwalbe, 2011). To manage virtual teams successfully in project management, the project manager must manage these factors successfully and also minimize the impact of disadvantages. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the virtual teams in project management and outlines the factors that are positively correlated to the success of projects based on virtual teams. The paper also outlines some of the recommendations to successfully manage the virtual team in information technology projects. Keywords Globalization, outsourcing, virtual teams, video conferencing, telecommuting, Project Management, Trust and relationship, Advantages of Virtual teams, Disadvantages of virtual team. Introduction Imagine that you are a project manager in a multinational organization and managing a project to upgrade the server operating system and your team members are from different countries with different cultures and working in different time zones. To complete the project successfully that is based on virtual teams, project manager must understand the advantages and disadvantages of managing virtual teams and factors that positively affect the team members. Today most of the project management teams are based on virtual teams whose members work across time and space using communication technologies and project managers cannot rely on previous methods of project team management where they were able to build trust between team member by social interaction, face-to-face meetings, and direct observations of fellow team member commitment. Literature Review Virtual teams do have some advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages outlined by Kathy Schwalbe are: 24/7 availability of workers increasing competiveness and responsiveness, lowering the cost of project as many virtual team members do not need office space and support, providing more flexibility and expertise as project managers have access to the talent around the globe and increasing the work/life balance for team members by eliminating fixed office hours and the need to travel to work. (Schwalbe, 2011). Communication and trust are the most important factors that influence the virtual team performance. Saonee Sarker and others discussed the â€Å"theoretical linkages among trust, communication, and team member performance in virtual teams†. (Sarker1, Ajuja, Sarker, & Kirkeby, 2001). To prove their argument the researchers identified and tested three proposed models (additive, interaction, and mediation) describing the role of trust in its relationship. The results of the study indicated that the â€Å"mediating† model best explains how communication and trust work together to influence the performance of virtual team members. In simple words them study proves that â€Å"a communicative individual will be more likely to be trusted and will therefore be more likely to be a high performer†. (Sarker1, Ajuja, Sarker, & Kirkeby, 2001) Radostina K. Purvanova reviewed experimental literature and emerging field research on virtual teams. Author compared the â€Å"results from both type of literature and found that experimental literature has largely reported negative results for virtual teams, whereas ? eld investigations and case studies of real virtual teams employed by business organizations report positive outcomes for virtual teams. According to the article although results reported by experimental versus field studies are quite different, author concludes that both literatures have revealed negative attitudes toward virtual communication media. Advantages of Virtual Teams The main advantages of virtual teams include: The biggest advantage of virtual team enjoyed by an organization is the associated cost savings. The organization can save huge expenses on real estate, office spaces, utility bills such as gas, electricity, water etc. and executive’s travel. Team members can work from anywhere and anytime of the day. They can choose the place they work based on the mood and the comfort. You can recruit people for their skills and suitability to the job. The location does not matter. There is no time and money wasted for commuting and clothing. Physical handicaps are not an issue. Another advantage is the labour laws, some organizations prefer to have virtual teams because of strict local labour laws. Since the members span the time zones, there could be different team working on the same project 24/7, so when one member sleeps there will be another one somewhere else who would start work where the former had left. This shortens the product development time as well as faster response time to demands in both global and local markets. Disadvantages of Virtual Teams Disadvantages of virtual teams include: Since team members do not frequently meet or do not meet at all, the teamwork spirit may not be present. Some people prefer to be in a physical office when working. These people will be less productive in virtual environments. To work for virtual teams, individuals need to have a lot of self-discipline. If the individual is not disciplined, he or she may be less productive. The cultural difference between the members of virtual teams gives rise to number of conflicts. For example, while an employee from one part of the world would write a straightforward email describing a bad situation; this would be perceived as impolite by a member of the team from other part of the world. This would lead to conflicts, mistrust and difficulties in fruitful collaboration which is so vital for the success of virtual team functioning. These challenges are also precipitated by the absence of non-verbal cues so intrinsic to face-to-face interactions. Many members of virtual teams are adversely affected by the lack of physical interactions. Most of the communications in virtual environment is task-oriented. In today’s society where job is an important social force for most of us because many of our workplace colleagues also constitute our close friends, this gives a not-so-good feeling of social isolation. This in turn counter-effects productivity as well as leads to stress. In the virtual environment, it is better to communicate, clarify, and confirm everything to make sure that all members have the same understanding about the task at hand. This produces of ton of paperwork and files that could quickly fill your archives. Factors that positively affect virtual teams Succession planning and promotions involving virtual team members are important factors and if managed properly, virtual team members will feel that they are receiving recognition and credit and as a result they will be satisfied and their productivity will be increased. (Leonard, 2011) Since team members are not communicating face to face, constructive team and individual feedback early and often becomes more important and if managed properly can avoid many problems before hand. Trust between team members and project leader is an important factor that can affect the performance of team members. One important way to build trust between team members is effective communication. The more they communicate with each other and with project more they build the trust. Well defined and documented team process also important which saves a lot of time for especially new team members to find answers to their questions related to policies and procedures. A team member selection and role preference is also important factor to successfully manage the virtual teams. â€Å"Dr. Meredith Belbin defined a team role as a tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way. 15 It is important to select team members carefully and to form a team where all roles are covered. Each virtual team member must also understand his or her role(s) on the team. † (Schwalbe, 2011) Discussion and Conclusions Organizations such as IBM, Microsoft, Whirlpool as well as SMEs are reaping the benefits of virtual teams for some time now. It has been a well-recognized fact that virtual team is not a passing tide but it is here to stay. Virtual teams are rising in numbers nowadays and even small technology companies are now adapting virtual team practice for recruiting the best people from all over the globe and reduce the cost. As outlined in previous sections, virtual teams do have advantaged and some disadvantages as well. To benefit from advantages and to minimize the impact of disadvantages a project manager can focus on factors that positively affect the virtual team’s performance. As indicated by previous researchers, increase in trust, comfort level and communication effectiveness leads to better project success. All of the above discussed disadvantages can be overcome by following a different leadership approach, trainings, greater role clarity and effective communication strategies. Also earlier discussed factors that affect virtual teams, if managed properly can result in a successful project. In addition, the companies using virtual teams can minimize their operating costs and maximize the profit margins. Additionally, the employees working in virtual teams are at advantages when it comes to working in their own home, own time, and reduction of commuting costs. Therefore, organizations should look into setting up virtual teams for different tasks whenever possible. To reap the benefits of virtual teams in projects and minimize the impact of disadvantages virtual team managers should manage the outlined factors properly and should also follow best practices outlined in next section. Best Practices When running virtual teams, some of the best practices include: An instant messaging program can be used to create a sense of presence amongst members of the team. Chat is a good way to have side conversations during meetings to gain consensus, confirm understanding or ask questions. Quick questions can be asked through instant messenger as a substitute for popping into someone’s cubicle. Services for syncing files, bug tracking, project management, source control, web conferencing, conference calls, screen recording, usability testing and so on. A virtual phone system allows mapping of phone extensions to any phone number. Advance features allow callers to dial by name, get placed into a phone queue or get recorded answers back from a phone tree. In-person meetings are also a good option; it helps build team cohesion and trust and can help people get to know each other on a deeper level. But they are by no means critical. Bringing everyone together once a year may cost a little, but it’s still often cheaper than paying local salaries and rent, and increases the efficiency of team.

Choose a favorite piece of music Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Choose a favorite piece of music - Term Paper Example However, the harmony that generates from the two music forms is almost similar since they both have same chords those progresses at the same rate due to the nature of tone that comes from each of their rhythmic beats. Though the two types of music may show variation in their consonance and dissonance, their texture but may either be monophonic, polyphonic or homophonic. In this instance, blues and classic music present difference in their forms such as binary, ternary, and the strophic (Handy, W.C et al, 43) Nevertheless, rhythm in all these two music forms is just but their element of the item. For instance, in any case there is tapping of one’s foot to the music, there is the act of â€Å"keeping the beat’’ or following the structural rhythmic pulse of the music. Other aspects of rhythm are the duration that defines the tone when music plays. For instance, blues do take longer than classic music in most of the occasions. Tempo that is the beat rate of any particular music also falls into the rhythm. When compared, classic music does have a high tempo than blues since their beat rates are always faster (Handy, W.C et al, 52). On the other hand, meter defines the pattern of organization of beats recurring in music. Meters are either, duplex that occurs in two pulses per group, triples occurring in three pulses per group or quadruple that takes place in four pulses per group. In relation to blues and classic music, blues do have well-defined meters than classical types. The reason is that their beats are more organized in a systematic pattern of play that goes slowly and soothes the mind. The classic types look more disorganized in their beat rates and also are rough and noisy in their nature. The beat rates are so faster such that they don’t even facilitate the relaxation of an individual’s mind in most of the occasions (Handy, W.C et al, 66) Blues types of music trace their way back from the spirituals. Initially, spirituals formed the

Global Industries experience with the then Pension Fund Manager Essay

Global Industries experience with the then Pension Fund Manager - Essay Example According to his analysis the funds represent a small fraction of the U.S.-managed fund industry, but despite this their net assets grew by 262% from 1998 to 2005, compared to a 10.8% increase in U.S. high-yield bond funds. There was significant public attention but academic research did not give much attention to the emerging market bond funds. So did the Pension Fund Manager who also did not pay proper attention to this fund. I would have gone deeper in my research as Pension Fund Manager and would take correct and patient decision before shifting from the fund. I would also for a diversified fund investment rather than concentrating on single fund and suffering. Similarly, if we study carefully the Lazard’s Emerging Market Equity Market Returns annually from 1993 to 2008 we can note of certain emerging markets doing very well. In 1997 Turkey, Hungry and Mexico returned more that 50% from the equity market. In 1998 Korea and Greece returned more than 50%; in 1999 Russia and Turkey returned more than 200% % and Indonesia, India and Korea returned more than 75% from this market. 2000 was a poor market but from 2001 the equity market again started looking up. By 2002 the return was very lucrative: Pakistan returning 150% and Check Republic and Indonesia returning about 40% and above. Minimum five important emerging markets continued yielding sound returns till 2007 The main problem concerns about reading the market trends correctly and selecting the target market with the help of proven experts in the market. Perhaps the Pension Manager could not foresee the correct trends in the market and his decision about investment yielded losses. In 2003 the loss incurred was due to wrong reshuffling of his portfolio to US Treasury Bills for two years and Treasury notes yielding only 1% to 3% return.  

TV show The First 48 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

TV show The First 48 - Essay Example This paper aims at gathering statistics of the number of homicides cases in New York City, United States. The First 48 Hours is an American documentary television series on A&E. This series has been filmed in various parts of the United States, and it offers an insight into the real –life of homicide investigators. The series often track the investigations to the end, and it focuses on the first forty-eight hours hence the title. In each of the episodes, there is one or more homicide in the diverse cities, which shows how investigators use witness evidence, forensic evidence, and other investigation skills to get the suspect. Most cases are solved in 48 hrs while others take the time to get solved. The First 48 was selected as the best distinguished documentary by the International Documentary Association but later lost to American Experience. In season 6, The First 48 was the highest rated factual Justice series on the television, and it gained important applause along with criticism. The purpose of this television show is to air the number of crimes that are happening in the Ne w York City. Statics shows that the First 48 Hours is one the most watched documentary with approximately 30 percent of the total television viewers. People are interested in this show to know the homicide is happening in the city and know the suspects. Nielsen Ratings are used to determine the size and composition of the audience watching a particular television show in United States. A Nielsen rating has become the primary source of measuring the audience watching a television show (Turnbull, 2005). The size of the audience who watch the series The First 48 Hours has been determined through Nielsen ratings. Nielsen ratings are gathered using two ways: Viewer diaries, where a target audience self-records the viewing habits. By aiming at different demographics, the collected statistical models provide a representation of the audience of the television