Gender Differences in Computer-Mediated Communications Essay

â€Å"On the Internet, no body knows you’re a dog. † Herring (2003, p. 205) mentioned this caption of a cartoon bearing published in the New Yorker (July 1993). May be in this age with the internet evolution it’s hard to know it’s a dog, but what about distinguishing user’s gender in computer-mediated communication (CMC) is it easy or not. This essay tries to shade the light on some of these gender differences in computer-mediated communication (CMC). This essay gives an idea about computer-mediated communication (CMC) modes and the gap between CMC expectations and the fact that there are gender differences in CMC. Then it gives an idea about gender differences in traditional communication followed by exploring gender differences in CMC. First, it’s important to have an idea about CMC different modes. According to Herring (2003, p. 205), â€Å"computer mediated communication (CMC) comprises a variety of interactive socio-technical modes†. She gave some examples of these modes such as: e-mail, discussion lists and newsgroups, chat, MUDs (Multi-User Dimensions) and MOOs (MUD, Object Oriented), IM (Instant Messaging). Dalampan (2006) classifies CMC modes into: synchronous and asynchronous (Figure. 1). The synchronous mode requires communication in real-time. However, the synchronous mode doesn’t require interlocutors to be online at the same time. (p. 59) According to Dalampan (2006), the field of computer-mediated communication (CMC) continues to generate interest from sociolinguists who are concerned with whether the traditional gender differences in face-to-face interaction are carried over into online discourse (p. 59). The problem that all studies tried to investigate is the gap between earlier high expectations for CMC concerning providing an environment that creates equity and the fact that gender differences still existed even in CMC environment. Li (2006) saw that many educators and researchers had high hopes for CMC, believing that it provided more equal access to information and communication and would ultimately lead to greater equity. Also, Hendry (2001, p. 3) mentioned that earlier research in computer-mediated communication (CMC) found that CMC promoted social equity. She explains that this could be due to predictions by many researchers that CMC would democratize communication and mitigate gender differences. Despite these claims that the relative anonymous communication on the Internet would break down traditional gender binaries, research has identified gender differences in computer-mediated discourse, similar to differences observed in spoken discourse. (Herring, 2006) In order to determine whether the language used by males and females in computer-mediated communication (CMC) reveal gender related differences or not, many studies were conducted. However, according to Li (2006) research findings concerning gender differences in CMC are mixed. However, this essay will explore some of these gender differences in CMC in some related studies. Linguists have long recognized gender as a factor that may affect person’s linguistic productions (Baron, 2005, p. 8). â€Å"Sociolinguists have written extensively about stylistic differences they have observed between males and females in spoken and written language† (p. 4). Based on these previous studies, Baron (2005) mentioned some gender linguistic differences such as: females tend to use more politeness indicators than males, whereas males more frequently interrupt woman than vice versa; in general, women tend to use language as a tool for facilitating social interaction, whereas males are more prone to use language for conveying information; on average, women’s speech reflects standard phonological, lexical, and grammatical patterns more than men’s does (p. 8). Computer-mediated communication (CMC) has attracted more and more researchers’ attention as a due to the dramatic increase in the use of the Internet in recent years (Li, 2005, p. 382). According to Baron (2003) linguists and other scientists have been studying CMC for we over a decade (p. 4). The essay now will give some examples for gender differences in CMC. Herring (2006, p. 4) reported a tendency for women to be more polite, supportive, emotionally expressive, and less verbose than men in online public forums. Conversely, men are more likely to insult, challenge, express sarcasm, use profanity, and send long messages. Also, Baron (2003) listed some gender differences such as women tend to use more affective markers, more hedges, more politeness markers, and more tag questions. However, men are likely to use more referential language, more profanity, and fewer personal pronouns than women. (p. 9) A study conducted by Li (2006) showed that gender is a considerable factor in the context of mathematics and sciences learning using CMC. Concerning gender communication patterns, findings show males students are more likely to present their opinions and explanations, but less likely to make specific suggestions; whereas female students tend to ask for a lot of information, but are less likely to provide explanations or opinions. Also, female students tend to initiate conversations, while male students are more likely to enter the dialogue at later stages and respond to previous discussions. Li (2006) presented a meta analysis for some studies in gender differences in CMC. Her analysis provided answers for three main questions: first one, what are gender differences in users’ communication patterns in CMC? Results show that on average, female users had a significantly higher frequency of collaborative instances using CMC than males. Also, females had a significantly higher frequency of challenging others and were more personal oriented. Males, on the other hand, used more authoritative statements. Second one, to what extent do male and female differ in their interaction pattern in CMC? Results indicated that, on average, there was a small but significant gender effect on users’ participation pattern, male users had a significantly higher frequency of posting messages or having longer access to the Internet than female users, also, male users have better access to CMC environments. Third question, who would enjoy CMC environment, males or females? Results showed that, on average, there was a moderate but significant gender effect on users’ enjoyment of CMC. Male users enjoyed more CMC environments than their female counterparts. According to Bernard (1998), males tend to dominate group discussions, even when they are in the minority. They even tend to generate more aggressive and often caustic interactions to the extent that they often marginalize female communications to the point of being excluded from the CM interactions. Savicki and Kelley (2000, p. 817) examined whether men and women communicate differently using CMC. They found that gender composition of the groups is the variable that has the strongest relationship to communication style. Results found that women in small task group developed a significantly different style of communication than men did using CMC with other men. They explained that women in female-only groups were able to overcome the limitations of the text-only format of CMC with self-disclosure, use of â€Å"I† statements and through directly addressing their message to other group members. On the other hand, they found that men in male-only groups ignored the sociomotional aspects of group functioning and were more likely to engage in a collective monologue approach to discussion with the addition of mild flaming. Men in MO groups were less satisfied with the CMC experience and showed lower levels of group development. (p. 817) Herring (2003) (Baron, 2005, p. 15) found that on many-to-many asynchronous CMC mode (listservs and newsgroups), males tended to be more adversarial and to write longer messages than females, whereas females tended to be more supportive in their postings with shorter messages and more apologizes than males. On the other hand on synchronous many-to-many CMC mode (chat and social MUDs and MOOs), males were more aggressive and insulting, whereas female had more aligned and supportive discourse. By studying IM conversations of college students, Baron (2005) concluded that there are significant gender differences in IM conversations. She found that male-male conversations tend to be shorter and have more of a spoken character, while female-female conversations tend to be longer and have more of a written character. Males use more contractions than do females. (p. 14) On the other side, Dalampan (2006) added the context factor or dimension he concluded that males and females language use seems to be influenced more by the context of use than their gender this may be because both males and females in his sample were scholars so they were acting like scholars not as males and females. He also concluded that despite the claims of previous research that females used more linguistic qualifiers, hedges, and personal pronouns, the associations were not found to be strong. (p. 65) Another study conducted by Abdul Kadir and Din (2006) shows that there are no significant gender differences in CMC learning mode orientation and learning style. (p. 50) At the end, however research findings may appear to be mixed but findings showed that computer-mediated communication (CMC) couldn’t eliminate gender differences as expected after all it is another communication environment. These gender differences are somehow similar to gender differences in spoken and written language. Some findings didn’t show significant gender differences this could be due to other factors such as the presence of the instructor in the Dalampan (2006) study. Also, findings were different depending on CMC mode either being synchronous/asynchronous or one-to-one/one-to-many. References Abdul Kadir, R. & Din, R. (2006). Computer Mediated Communication: A motivational strategy toward diverse learning style. Journal Pendidikan, 31, pp. 41-51. Retrieved March 16, 2008 from http://pkukmweb. ukm. my/~penerbit/jurnal_pdf/jpend31_03. pdf Baron, N. S. (2003). Instant Messaging by American College Students: A case study in computer-mediated communication. Retrieved March 16, 2008 from http://www. american. edu/tesol/Baron-SeeYouOnlineCorrected64. pdf Baron, N. S. (2005). See You Online: Gender issues in college student use of instant messaging. Retrieved March 16, 2008 from http://www. american. edu/tesol/Baron-SeeYouOnlineCorrected64. pdf Bernard, M. L. (1998). Gender Interaction Differences Using Computer-Mediated Communication: Can the Internet serve as a status equalizer?. Retrieved March 16, 2008 from http://psychology. wichita. edu/mbernard/articles/Gender&Internet. html Dalampan, A. E. (2006). Gender Issues in Computer-Mediated Communications. TESL working paper, 4 (2). Retrieved March 16, 2008 from http://web1. hpu. edu/images/GraduateStudies/TESL_WPS/10Dalampan_Gender_a17241. pdf Hendry, J. (2001). E-gender or Agenda: Are women getting what they want?. ANZMAC 2001. Retrieved March 16, 2008 from http://smib. vuw. ac. nz:8081/WWW/ANZMAC2001/anzmac/AUTHORS/pdfs/Hendry. pdf Herring, S. C. & Paolillo, I. C. (2006). Gender and Genre Variation in Weblogs. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 10(4). Retrieved March 16, 2008 from http://www. blogninja. com/jslx. pdf Herring, S. C. (2003). Gender and Power in Online Communication. In: J. Holmes and M. Meyerhoff (Eds. ), The Handbook of Language and G

An Artwork of Modern Realism Essay

Edward Hopper’s painting called ‘Portrait of Orleans’ pictures the town of Orleans back in 1950. The painting shows the point of intersection of a town road at daytime, with the viewer standing a little to the right in the middle part of the road. There are buildings on the further right side of the viewer, and a section of foreboding trees on the left side, which extends to the further end and curves backward to the right, straight to the area of buildings. Main Body The seven formal elements of art design are the following: (1) line, (2) shape, (3) form, (4) space, (5) texture, (6) light, and (7) color (School of Art, Design and Art History n. d. ). Going over Hopper’s Portrait of Orleans, we analyze it based on these seven elements: Line. Hopper’s painting is filled with either vertical lines or two congruent lines that converge at the middle to form a sort of triangle, which lead the eye upward to space (a cloudless sky). Curves were used to lead the eyes to the motion aimed by the painter. The curve of the looming trees, for example, extends vertically to the end and then curves backward to arrive at the right side of the road where the buildings are. From there, the horizontal lines of the road lead the eye to the right to extend beyond the picture. Shape. Shapes that were used were usually squares, circles, rectangles, and triangles. The shapes were usually connected through the use of perpendicular angles and right angles that lead one shape to the next. In the trees, for example, angles lead the eye from the rectangular trunk to the circular leaves above the trunk. Form. There are forms in the 2-dimensional items in the painting, as it creates depth, width, and height. The circular forms in the trees accentuate the form by using the right shade that darkens as the color progresses to the bottom. This creates depth, width, and height, which is emphasized also by the shadows that the looming trees are projecting. Space. The use of space is more apparent on the nearer portion of the intersecting road as well as the cloudless sky. Space gives huge impression on a painting, such as this one by Hopper. Because of the huge amount of space, it projects a feeling of isolation on the side of the viewer†¦ quietness, stillness, and a little of the feeling of alienation. Texture. Texture contrasts from the rougher ones on the trees, roofs, and tires to the smoother ones on the buildings, road post, and traffic light. Texture, together with shades and use of color, gives an added depth that makes the picture more realistic. This can be seen in Hopper’s painting, wherein texture makes the viewer feel the reality attached to the scene. Light. Light here was used basically to give emphasis to other elements like texture, shape, and form. It was also used to exaggerate the mood, as it gives a more isolated projection by emphasizing empty space, which cannot be made possible with the use of a dimmer light. The effect of the scene cannot also be made possible proper use of light. Color. The type of colors that was used here can be described as light, luminous, and realistic. The harmony does not develop a mood that is heavy, although it does not develop one that is happy and gay either. The use of colors (e. g. , tangerine), as well as the other elements, forms a sort of mysterious aura, creating a sort of tension on the side of the viewer. Conclusion Arthur McDowall wrote in 1918: â€Å"At the bottom of realism, in all its variations, seems to be the sense of actual existence; an acute awareness of it, and a vision of things under that form† (3). The ‘Portrait of Orleans’ is nothing different from this: it is art applied for a sense of existence, with a vision of how reality appears in mystery, tension, and motion. Appendix: Edward Hopper’s Portrait of Orleans (1950), available at Works Cited McDowall, Arthur. Realism: A Study in Art and Thought. London: Constable, 1918. Portrait of Orleans. 2008. Allposters. com. 21 May 2008 . School of Art, Design and Art History. ART BASICS: The 7 Formal Elements of Art Design. N. d. San Diego State University. 21 May 2008 .

Online Learning: The APUS Way

Today’s generation is one where competition in the workforce is stiff and where academic degrees oftentimes put an individual a cut above the rest. The constantly changing employment opportunities and work requirements push people to use whatever available resources they have just to gain the upper hand from a flock of aspiring applicants for several job positions.Experience and education can come in handy during rare occasions when good employment opportunities come knocking at one’s door. That is especially true in today’s time where America is facing one of the most troubling economic crises in history, a crisis which is spreading in the different parts of the world and, thus, causing job losses on a massive scale (Landler, 2008).I am attending college so that I can be able to harvest the rewards of having an academic degree aside from experience that I already have. While APUS is something entirely new on my part, I think of my situation as a chance to broade n my horizons. I think of my future experiences in APUS as events in my life that can help enlighten my understanding of the world and the ways to handle ordinary to complex situations in this modern time.I think of myself as a child eager to learn and comprehend the things that are yet to be known. What greater source of delight, satisfaction and wonder can there be than a learning institution willing to teach individuals the things that matter to them in this highly competitive world?In the coming months, I hope to gain new insights with regard to my chosen field. This is a point in my life where I am more than willing and more open than ever before to new knowledge. Part of my hopes also include my desire to communicate with other people more effectively because I view human interaction through whatever means necessary as an indispensable tool in shaping the course of our lives.The person living in deep isolation and allergic towards new information can only go as far as the limi ts of his shallow understanding of the world. Like the prisoners in Plato’s cave allegory, people should step out of their comfort zones and explore the world filled with new knowledge that need to be learned (Kanazawa, 2003). Through APUS, I am anticipating personal discoveries that I never knew are parcels of who I am.Of course, the answer to the question of who I am roughly depends in context. Nevertheless, I know myself as a person who is computer literate and who is able to easily grasp the many different sides to modern technology.Studying in a technological age will require some of the interests which I hold—my interests in the usefulness of the internet, in the advantages made possible by online learning and in the benefits of acquiring a degree that other people can hardly attain. Gone are the days of typewriters and snail mail; this is the age of information technology, and what better thing to do than to seek the best information through the modern learning tools provided by APUS.In order to be successful in my academic endeavor in APUS, I have to maintain my high level of interest apart from the fact that I need to keep-up with the pace of online learning. Since distance is no longer a critical issue in online learning, all I need to do to further attain my personal success with my academic pursuit is to allocate time and resources to my new experiences in APUS.Like any other task, my studies in APUS will certainly involve several challenges along the way. One challenge is the idea that I may face certain learning modules that I barely know which I am prompted to familiarize myself with. Despite such challenge, I know that I can overcome that ordeal because I will not let my drive to learn to reach a low point. Unfamiliar lessons and modules may come in my way, but these things are just forks in the road which I need to accept as parts of the learning process.ReferencesKanazawa, S. (2003). Reading Shadows in Plato's Cave Wall. America n Sociological Review, 68(1), 160.Landler, M. (2008). The U.S. Financial Crisis Is Spreading to Europe.  Ã‚   Retrieved February 2, 2009, from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/business/worldbusiness/01global.html?_r=1&scp=8&sq=financial%20crisis&st=cse

Confuciuss Virtues and their tendencies to the modern American society Essay

Confuciuss Virtues and their tendencies to the modern American society - Essay Example When talking about Confucian ethics, it is central to analyze the five fundamental virtues which Confucius identified based on the fundamental relationships that people establish among each other, such as love, friendship, dedication, loyalty, respect and others. One of these fundamental virtues is Ren, the virtue of humaneness and goodness; it is based on compassion and understanding others and it represents the most important Confucian principle. â€Å"People cultivated by it are humane individuals who exhibit benevolence and care toward others. They are motivated by a deep empathy for others - what might be called human-heartedness† (Carroll). This particular virtue reflects the Confucian view upon the human nature, that is, the fact that all people are essentially born to be good and that they can automatically demonstrate care, respect and kindness one to another. However, when the human nature is not cultivated and educated in the right way and when it is exposed to outs ide detrimental influences, people can lose this basic quality and become mean, aggressive, irritated, hateful and undisciplined. Therefore, the virtue of Ren advises people to appeal to their good, kind, emphatic and well balanced self and by cultivating their mind and spirit in order to avoid a destructive and bad version of themselves.

Organizations going through Change Research Paper

Organizations going through Change - Research Paper Example These aspects are presented in Intel Corporation (2011) and Jones, Watson, Gardner, & Gallois (2010). In Intel Corporation (2011), the rationale for change is informed by the need to match Intel’s enterprise architecture with the current market demand for semiconductor chips. On the other hand, Jones, Watson, Gardner, & Gallois (2010) address change in the light of communication challenges in the21st century. The role of Intel in enhancing the welfare of the communication industry is highlighted. The commonality between the two publications is that they both evaluate the sources and impacts of organizational change. However, while one is based on the internal operations of the corporation, the other focuses on the entire industry. Organizational change for Intel is influenced by technology, operation processes, and architecture subject to the desired level of creativity and innovativeness (Ilozor, Peter, & Graham, 2012). In this respect, Intel uses diverse rationales for internal change, while the industry rationale for change is communication-based. Therefore, the use of single or multiple rationales in assessing the need for change depends on the specific operations undertaken by the

Economics of crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics of crime - Essay Example This can lead to more crimes. Soros, G. (2010). â€Å"Why I Support Legal Marijuana: We should invest in effective education rather than ineffective arrest and incarceration.† Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303467004575574450703567656 Svrakic, D.M. (2012). Legalization, Decriminalization & Medicinal Use of Cannabis: A Scientific and Public Health Perspective. Missouri Medicine 90 109:2. Retrieved from: http://www.msma.org/docs/communications/momed/Medicinal_Use_Cannabis.pdf Morris R.G., TenEyck M., Barnes J.C., Kovandzic TV (2014) The Effect of Medical Marijuana Laws on Crime: Evidence from State Panel Data, 1990-2006. PLoS ONE 9(3): e92816. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092816. Retrieved from: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0092816 d. Both qualitative and quantitative data would be required for conducting this particular research. Qualitative data will involve the views of the people towards this topical subject. Interviews can be conducted in order to obtain first hand information about the perceptions of different people pertaining to the use of marijuana in different circumstances. Secondary sources such as published literature including peer reviewed journals would be used for this particular task. Newspapers containing information related to the topic would also be used. Official data from different organizations and governmental departments related to this subject area would also be used for the purposes of conducting this research. Quantitative data can be obtained through the use of questionnaires in order to establish the number of the people who support the idea of legalizing marijuana and those against it. The number of selected participants will represent the whole population. e. The likely difficulties to be encountered in

The Star Appeal of Farid al-Atrash and Yusuf Wahbi Assignment

The Star Appeal of Farid al-Atrash and Yusuf Wahbi - Assignment Example Farid’s mother had to work as a singer in private functions like parties and weddings as her children also did jobs as they went to school. Farid and his young sister Amal took an interest in their mother’s love for singing and thus she encouraged them to sing as she taught Farid how to play the oud. Early in their youth, Farid and Amal (who later became Ashmahane), began drawing the attention of composers and song-writers who were amazed by their musical talents and beautiful voices. Soon, they were singing in radio stations and in large gatherings. The cinema also opened a door for success for Farid and Ashmahane after they starred in two films. Unfortunately, tragedy struck and Ashmahane died after being involved in a grizzly car accident. It was rumoured that she was involved with the British intelligence (IMDB 1990). Farid’s quick success brought him into a life of night clubs, love affairs and gambling in which he got involved. Soon, he went into debt and w as abandoned by his mother. It is during this time that his sister died (IMDB 1990). According to Sis.gov, Farid studied the lute at the public service department of the Institute of music and at the same time worked as a driver to earn a living. This was a time of financial difficulty for him and his family. Some of his teachers were the renowned composers Safar Ali and Mohamed al-Qasabgi. Farid later worked in the night club called Badie'a Mosabni. During Farid’s time in 1952, there was a revolution known as the 23 July Revolution. It began on 23rd July with a military coup d’etat by the Free Officers Movement. This was a group of army officers led by Muhammad Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser. This revolution was initially aimed at overthrowing king Farouk I but later went on to abolish the constituional monarchy and aristocracy of Egypt and Sudan, establish a republic and finally secure Sudan’s independence that was governed as an Anglo-Egyptian condominium. Thi s revolutionary government established a republic and among its goals was to secure the independence of Sudan. This revolutionary government adopted a staunch, nationalist, anti-imperialist agenda that came to be expressed mainly through Arab nationalism and international non-alignment (Khan 2010). Farid was a mixture of the oriental music’s originality and modernity of Western music. He was the best lute player of his age and one of the first to introduce the show business to Egyptian movies. He died in the year 1974. Indeed, Fareed Al-Atrash was a legend that will always be remembered throughout in history (Sis.gov). Yusuf Wahbi Yusuf Wahbi was an Egyptian stage and film actor and director who was a leading star of the 1930s and 40s. He was one of the most prominent Arab stage actors ever. Born the son of a pasha in 1898, Yusuf was expected to become an engineer like his father but his passion for acting took him to an unexpected direction. He joined the circus and this bot h surprised and enraged his father. He became someone whose testimony was not acceptable in court and he was considered a disgrace to his family. He was expelled from home by his father who later enrollrd him in an agricultural school in order for him to be reformed (Kanema 2008). Wahbi ran away to Italy where he changed his name to Ramses and only

Population Pyramids-Session Long Project Assignment

Population Pyramids-Session Long Project - Assignment Example ment on social and economic values as well as introduction of some policies to regulate the population in Germany shaped its population in a different direction (Caselli, Vallin, and Wunsch, 2006). For instance, the Germany’s May 9, 2011 population census indicated that Germany has 80,219,695 persons. This population made Germany the 16th most populous nation globally. Despite this population, Germany’s population on the pyramid data presentation shows data Germany has a zero or declining population growth that is defined mainly by aging population and a smaller cohort of youths. The changing population trend with the number of youths being smaller than aged person is attributed by many factors in Germany including education, improved health care, social elements, and government policies. It is noted that in Germany, most of the educated persons tend to have lower number of children than then lowly educated persons. This has led to the shifting of fertility being high among the elderly women (considered to have achieved low education levels) compared to the youthful women who are considered to be highly educated (Micklin and Poston, 2006). Additionally, improved healthcare in Germany has since provided adequate and efficient healthcare system to the citizens, thereby reducing death rate thereby extending or elongating life span of persons within the country. This explains why there more elderly persons in Germany. The economic status of citizen and wealth generation is also another factor that contributes to the population trend in Germany (Hobbs and Hobbs, 2009). Parents are the sole sources of finances for the families; thus, the lower the number of children the effective and sustainable such families are; hence, the families tend to smaller for economic effectiveness and efficiency. In 5 or and 20 years to come, Germany is expected to have negative population growth rate. Notably, this will follow the trend between 1982 and 1985 when the population of this

Statement of purpose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Statement of purpose - Essay Example This will add onto my competence as a member of the society because the family is the basic unit of the society. Clinically, my pursuit of this program is meant to advance my knowledge of health assessment. Prior studies and internships have underscored to me the need to have the highest level of competence in examining a patient’s medical issue in order to pick on the most suitable intervention that addresses that issue. Additionally, I seek to advance my knowledge of research methods in nursing because I reckon that as a registered nurse, I have a responsibility to generate knowledge, share it with other nurses and contribute to the overall growth and development of the profession of nursing (Codina 266). I seek to pursue this program with an interest of augmenting the skills of identifying and utilizing best practices in my work as a committed registered nurse. The other interest I have in pursuing in this program is to acquire knowledge of managing acute and chronic illnesses. I developed this interest after witnessing how disruptive the effects of such illnesses are to the family. A sizeable portion of scarce family resources goes to the care of chronically ill family members. Besides this economic impact, caregivers of the chronically who lack strong defences can develop depression. My endeavour is to use the knowledge I will get from this course to devise affordable and accessible interventions that can help address the economic, social and psychological toll that acute and chronic illnesses have on both patients and their families (Codina 262). It would be fulfilling to me to see families living happily without being put down by the sickness of one of the members. My value and high esteem for the family unit is one of the things that justify my fitness for the Family Nurse Practitioner program. The clinical hours I have handled in the previous educational levels and in my internships have

The Importance of Reading Book Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Reading Book Essay There is much more to life than your work and spending time aimlessly with latest technology products. Reading books gives you that much needed break from the chaos in your life. It instills peace inside you, makes you relaxed and also exercises your brain in the process. When you read a book, it feels great to put yourself into a different world that the writer has created for you. Ask any avid reader about this and they too will agree that reading a book is same like watching a movie. When you spend hours and hours reading a book, creating a world with different characters in your mind, your imagination powers are sure to get a boost. Depending upon what you read, you will come out with the same experience as when you watch some really good movie. I have been a voracious reader ever since i learned how to read. Thats why i never get bored even being alone for a long time. I have found that reading books is the best medicine to kill boredom. What starts with reading story books, when you are a kid, turns into reading books for improving yourself as you grow older. From story books - technical management books - self improvement - spirituality and beyond, the journey is fantastic and you learn something with each passing day. You understand your thoughts and emotions more clearly. It makes you realize who you really are and makes your life more meaningful. Reading books will make you a better thinker and a better man. Thanks to technology you can easily find good articles to read on the internet. A great article can inspire and motivate you as much as a great book. Its not how much you read, but what you read which is more important. The only reason i recommend reading books over short articles is because when you spend hours with a thought or an idea then its more likely to stay with you for long time rather than when you spend just few minutes tinkering with it. Its easy to read a quote or an article for few minutes than discard it and continue with what you were doing. But when you invest your time in reading a good book, you end up spending at least a few hours reflecting on its contents as you read. Thus, its likely to stay with you for a longer time and have some positive influence on you. A good reader also varies his reading pace based on the content he is reading and what he wants to get from it. The purpose of reading news articles is different from reading stories, which is different from reading important documents. Over a period of time, you will understand how to vary your reading pace and comprehension based on what you read and what you want from it. Also, just reading good books is not enough. The way you read it is more important. When you come across a new idea or a different opinion, think upon it deeply. Dont accept it or reject it blindly. Try to reason with it and understand the writers point of view. Reflect upon the thoughts that come to your mind whenever you read a great book. You will know whether a book is great or not based on the thoughts it awakens inside you. As you continue this habit of reading and reflecting on what you read, you will start forming your own thoughts and values. It will challenge your mind and the thoughts, customs and traditions that you have grown up with. However, there is one thing which you should always remember when you make this a daily habit, as you are investing a part of your life doing it. Too much reading, without any thinking and action isnt of much use. When you know you are ready to do something its time to move to the next step. Act upon what you think is right and what you have decided to do. Its easy to get so much involved in the reading process, that you forget that the main purpose of reading is to make you a better person which can only happen when you act upon it. Just finishing one book after another without any real action from your side wont help you. What kind of person you want to be and what you would ultimately become depend greatly upon the type of content that you read and how much you act upon them. Reading articles that promote negativity, hatred and give wrong information is dangerous. Its better to not read anything at all than read such articles. Whether you read on some electronic device or prefer reading an actual book. Thats your personal choice. Personally, i prefer to read actual books whenever possible. I find that even after hours of reading my eyes feel fresh and full of energy. Thats something i dont find when i read too much on my computer. Before ending this article, i would like to summarize few important points and also suggest some Dos and Donts of reading: * Always read your content from a safe distance. Neither too close to your eyes neither too far away from your eyes. * Always prefer quality over quantity. Better to read one great book than hundred mediocre ones. * Understand properly what you have read and reflect upon it. * Dont accept anything blindly that you read but think for yourself and try to understand the reason behind whats been written. * Bookmark interesting pages for future reference. You never know when you will need them. * Sometimes it takes more than one reading to fully grasp some thing. Dont be disappointed if you dont understand a book in one reading. Maybe when you come back to it the next time, you will get it. * Focus completely on what you are reading. Dont think about other stuff while reading. * If possible, create a favorite spot in your house for reading books. You will feel more relaxed whenever you are there. * And above all, enjoy your reading experience. The habit of reading good content daily will act like an exercise for your mind and keep you mentally fit and flexible. If you have never given it a try then always remember that its never too late to start a good habit.

Changes to McDonalds: An Analysis

Changes to McDonalds: An Analysis Introduction About the Report The main objective of this report is to actually look in depth on McDonalds, a fast food restaurant that has been there for so many years and analyze the differences between McDonalds in the past and at present which can be explained further using SWOT and PEST analysis. From there onwards, we are able to see and understand how McDonalds changes through time so that the company can compete with other companies and yet at the same time cater to the different needs of its consumer. Information gathered are from internet resources and my personal experience working in McDonalds for more than half a year. McDonalds History McDonalds is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 31,000 local restaurants serving more than 58 million people in 118 countries each day. So ever wonder how the world famous McDonalds begins and who were the ones that started this business? The McDonald brothers Dick and Mac opened the first McDonalds restaurant at 1940 in San Bernardino, California. In 1954, Ray Kroc became the first person to gain the rights to franchise McDonalds; opening his first restaurant in Des Plain, Illinois on April 15 and the McDonalds corporation was created. Phenomenal Growth in the 1960s and 1970s In 1961, Kroc bought all the rights of McDonalds concept from the McDonald brothers for$ 2.7 million and at the same year, the Hamburger University was opened. During 1960s and 1970s, McDonalds success was i large part due to the companys skillful marketing and flexible response to customer demand, introducing new burgers like the Filet-O-Fish and Big Mac. The first restaurant outside of the USA opened in Canada and Puerto Rico. Fred Turner became the companys president and chief administrative officer. Kroc became chairman and CEO until 1973. Turner had originally intended open a McDonalds franchise, but when he had problems with his backers over location, he went to work as a grill man for Kroc in 1956. As operations vice-president, Turner helped franchisees get their stores up and running. He was constantly looking for new ways to perfect the McDonalds system, pointing out that seconds could be saved if McDonalds used buns that were presliced all the way through and were not stuck together in the package. Such attention to details was one of the reasons for the companys extraordinary success. In 1972 passed $1 billion in annual sales; by 1976, McDonalds had served billion hamburgers and system wide sales exceeded $3 billion. McDonalds in the recent years McDonalds had been recording declining profits since 2001. Although turnover was increasing, there was a continuous declining in its operating profit and net profit margins. To turnaround its fortune, the company adopted the â€Å"Plan To Win† strategy in 2003. The main purpose of the strategy was to bring about the improvement in the companys performance by building it around five key drivers of customer experience-People, Product, Price, Place and Promotions; and by identifying opportunities on the basis of the four basic aspects of its mission statement Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value. The strategy was also based on what McDonalds considered as three essential components of success-Operational Excellence, Leadership Marketing and Innovation. McDonalds Corp. has finally selected a new trans-fat-free oil for cooking its French fries, hash browns, all chicken choices, and Filet-O-Fish and has made the switch during 2008. This change has been made because consumption of trans fat increases the risk of getting coronary heart disease and customers are being more aware of that. Though McDonalds was among the first to say it would stop using unhealthy oils, it has been slow to make the change. On the other hand, its competitors like Yum Brands Incs KFC and Taco Bell and Burger King Holdings Inc had earlier swapped for trans-fat-free oil in 2007. Companys Mission and Vision statement McDonalds Mission statement Be the best employer for our people in each community around the world Deliver operational excellence to our customers in each of our restaurants; and Achieve enduring profitable growth by expanding the brand and leveraging the strengths of the McDonalds system through innovation and technology. McDonalds Vision statement â€Å"McDonalds vision is to be the worlds best quick service restaurant experience. Being best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile.† PEST Analysis Political The international operations of McDonalds are highly influenced by the individual state policies enforced by each government. (2001, 705) For instance, there are certain groups in Europe and the United States that clamor for state actions pertaining to the health implications of eating fast food. (2005) They have indicated that harmful elements like cholesterol and adverse effects like obesity are attributable to consuming fast food products. On the other hand, the company is controlled by the individual policies and regulations of operations. Specific markets focus on different areas of concern such as that of health, worker protection, and environment. All these elements are seen in the government control of the licensing of the restaurants in the respective states. For instance, there is an impending legal dispute in the McDonalds franchise in India where certain infringement of rights and violation of religious laws pertaining to the contents of the food. The existence of meat in their menus in India is apparently offensive to the Hindu religion in the said market. There are also other studies that point to the infringement of McDonalds Stores with reference to the existing employment laws in the target market. Like any business venture, these McDonalds stores have to contend with the issues of employment procedures as well as their tax obligations so as to succeed in the foreign market. Economical Organisations in the fast food industry are not excused from any disputes and troubles. Specifically, they do have their individual concerns involving economic factors. Branches and franchises of fast food chains like McDonalds has the tendency to experience hardship in instances where the economy of the respective states is hit by inflation and changes in the exchange rates. The customers consequently are faced with a stalemate of going over their individual budgets whether or not they should use up more on these foreign fast food chains. (2004) Hence, these chains may have to put up with the issues of the effects of the economic environment. Particularly, their problem depends on the response of the consumers on these fundamentals and how it could influence their general sales. In regarding the operations of the company, food chains like McDonalds tend to import much of their raw materials into a specific territory if there is a dearth of supply. Exchange rate fluctuations will als o play a significant role in the operations of the company. As stated in the paragraph above, McDonalds stores have to take a great deal of consideration with reference to their microenvironment. The companys international supply as well as the existing exchange rates is merely a part of the overall components needed to guarantee success for the foreign operations of McDonalds. Moreover, it is imperative that the company be cognizant of the existing tax requirements needed by the individual governments on which they operate. This basically ensures the smooth operations of the McDonalds franchises. In the same regard, the company will also have to consider the economic standing of the state on which they operate on. The rate at which the economy of that particular state grows determines the purchasing power of the consumers in that country. Hence, if a franchise operates in a particularly economically weak state, hence their products shall cost higher than the other existing products in the market, and then these franchises must take on certai n adjustments to maintain the economies of scale. Social Cultural Articles on the international strategies of McDonalds seem to function on several fields to guarantee lucrative returns for the organisation. To illustrate, the organisation improves on establishing a positive mind-set from their core consumers. McDonalds indulge a particular variety of consumers with definite types of personalities. (1994) It has also been noted that the company have given the markets such as the United Kingdom, an option with regards to their dining needs. (2005) pointed out that McDonalds has launched a sensibly valued set of food that tenders a reliable level of quality for the respective market where it operates. Additionally, those who are aged just below the bracket of thirty-five are said to be the most frequent consumers of McDonalds franchises. (2005) The multifaceted character of business nowadays is reflected in the harsh significance of the information on the subject of the existing market. This procedure is essentially identified in the field as market research. (1997) Information with regards to the appeal and potential fields of the market would double as obstructions to the success of the company if this area of the operations is neglected. In the case of McDonalds they establish a good system in determining the needs of the market. The company uses concepts of consumer behaviour product personality and purchasing decisions to its advantage. (1998) it is said to have a major influence on the understanding of the prospective performance of the organisation in a particular market. (2000) Technological McDonalds generates a demand for their own products. (2006) The Companys key tool for marketing is by means of television advertisements. There are similarly some claims that McDonalds are inclined to interest the younger populations more. The existence of play spots as well as toys in meals offered by the company shows this actuality. (1995) Other demonstration of such a marketing strategy is apparent in the commercials of they use. They employ animated depictions of their characters like Grimace and Hamburglar. Other advertising operations employ popular celebrities to promote their products. The like has become endorsers for McDonalds worldwide â€Å"loving it† campaign. Moreover, the operations of McDonalds have significantly been infused with new technology. Elements like the inventory system and the management of the value chain of the company allows for easy payments for their suppliers and other vendors which the individual stores in respective markets deal with. The i ntegration of technology in the operations of McDonalds tend to add value to their products. Basically, this is manifested in the improvements on its value chain. The improvement of the inventory system as well as its supply chain allows the company to operate in an international context. Conclusion Observations In order to gain any advantage over businesses in the same market, a company must find some sort of differentiation to exploit- McDonalds is no different. They have focused their marketing advantage on good food with fast service as well as their willingness to change and innovate. An example of this can be found with the implementation of Chicken McNuggets. At first, people were not thrilled with eating meat with their hands but McDonalds responded by adding BBQ sauce for dipping, which cause McNuggets to explode onto the scene. McDonalds successful name brands have spread all over the world, and with their competitive advantage, and marketing campaign dominating over competing companies, they look to stay at the top of the fast food business for the foreseeable future. Recommendations Implement new healthier food options in their menus. It is obvious they already did this to some extent with offering milks, salads and yoghurts, but they can do more to continue to flourish. In order to stay above negative press about health risks (â€Å"Supersize Me†, etc), McDonalds must bounce back by altering their menus in a positive, health conscious way-dramatically change their food choices. Refurnish restaurant franchises by changing their entire look of what the inside of McDonalds looks like. Instead of the old fashioned tiles and outdated table and chairs, McDonalds should employ a more contemporary ‘new age look. By doing this, they will change the way consumers think of McDonalds s just a fast food restaurant joint, instead sending them the message that is instead a high-scale restaurant. By simply changing the physical surrounding inside McDonalds (as well as adding few TVs and modern amenities), the restaurant will appeal to many more people who have been overexposed to â€Å"the same old thing†, as well as giving them more excitement/enthusiasm to come and eat at McDonalds. McDonalds should work more to expand beyond its namesake franchise. As a company they should take advantage of the name brand recognition associated with McDonalds brand and create other brands producing new, dynamic types of food. By moving to adjacent markets, McDonalds can use their current success to their advantage by starting to become involved in diverse food markets, which will increase revenue in the long run. Conclusion McDonalds is and will be the leading food services for the many years to come. But the company can do more by changing their menus into a much healthier menu by introducing more vegetables and fruits as there are a growing number of health conscious consumers and if the company is able to so, they can attract more customers and hold off their competitors such as Burger King and KFC. So with that in mind, there are still many aspects that McDonalds can improve on to continue their domination in this world of business.