Anne Hutchinson

Governor Winthrop had a ream to build a puritan society with strict rules on his â€Å"city on the hill†. He was not going to let Anne Hutchinson, a forceful woman with unique religious beliefs, decompose his plan. Anne developed a respectful reputation during her early years in New England as a midwife, healer and a devout Christian. It was because of this reputation and her general magnetic personality that drew people to her. She was an intelligent woman, which was rare, so people wanted to listen to what she had to say.This would have been fine, except what she wanted to talk about was her religious beliefs. A woman preaching In a Puritan rich colony was unacceptable and was not to be tolerated. Although, the strong willed Anne, who finally had the freedom to express her religious beliefs was not about to quit. A woman, preaching her religious beliefs outside the church walls, was sufficient enough of a crime to bring Anne Into trial. Under Governor Winthrop lead, no perso n, especially female, would preach unless you were a member of the clergy.The Puritan ministers were the only apparent conduit between the people and God and any possible gateway to heaven. This belief gave Governor Winthrop a lot of control in managing his colony. So here Is the problem he faced. The Governor Is advocating that you must be â€Å"approved† through the Puritan ministers to get into heaven, and now there is this influential woman preaching too many others that you can access God directly through your own actions and beliefs. So why follow the church based rules laid out by the Government If you can write your own destiny?Governor Winthrop was prosecuting Anna not just because she was a woman acting out of her social etiquette, but because he was threatened that with her existing influence and religious beliefs, his â€Å"city upon a hill† would fall. I believe the outcome of Anne Hutchison trial was decided before she stepped In the door. ; What does thi s episode say about the hopes and difficulties of the ‘City upon a Hill' community that John Winthrop and others were trying to build?John Winthrop, a man very steadfast in the Puritan faith believed that the reformed religion could create a functioning community. He hoped to build a model community In which all others would follow, John Winthrop, along with other early colonists, had confidence that the new colony would be so perfect, that other English people would migrate and reform. Winthrop yearned for a society based on, â€Å"community solidarity'. It would be a well-oiled machine where all settlers would work together In harmony to build this dream colony.According to Governor Winthrop, this type of community could not exist without uniform religious beliefs. Therefore, he put laws in place that empowered his Puritan ministers and obstructed any other beliefs. The foremost difficulty that the â€Å"city upon a hill† faced early on not share the same Puritan bel iefs that John Winthrop laws had scripted. It is difficult to ask people escaping the corrupt Church of England religion, to simply fall onto another dictatorial way of religious belief.The bigger the colony grew, the more difficult it got for Winthrop to govern the growing amount of dissenter's within his colony. Also, settlers began to find opportunity for financial gain in the colony of Massachusetts, and this monetary hunger in individuals soon overshadowed their religious beliefs and standards. From dissenters to the vastly increasing population and monetary gain of individuals, John Winthrop hope for a religiously uniformed â€Å"city upon a hill† had collapsed, and the hope for religious freedom in America had begun.

Failure of Structural Adjustment Programme

INTRODUCTION According to Collin dictionary government is the group of people who are responsible to govern country. Christian council of Tanzania and Tanzania Episcopal conference define government as the chief agency for organizing and in the end of controlling both development and order in the society. Also it is an organized body of persons and institutions that form an agency or machinery of the state which formulates, expresses and realizes the will of state. Therefore, government consists of the activities, methods and principles involved in the governing a country or other political unit. Government failure is the public sector analogy to market failure and occurs when a government intervention causes a more inefficient allocation of goods and resources than would occur without that intervention. Likewise, the government’s failure to intervene in a market failure that would result in socially preferable mix of output is referred to as passive government failure (Weimer and Vining, 2004). The failure is an outcome of policies enacted to regulate trade which create systemic inefficiencies and economic cost that adversely affect a product‘s manufacture and sales. This arises when government has created some inefficiency because it would not have solved a given problem or a set of problems more efficiently. The government supply side failures largely result from principal/agent problems. Market failure – occurs when the supply of a good or service insufficient to meet a demand. A market failure result when prices cannot achieve equilibrium because of some distortions for example, the limits on specific goods and services. In other words, government regulations implemented to promote social wellbeing inevitably result in a degree of market failure. Structural Adjustment Programme are economic policies which countries must follow in order to qualify for new World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans and help them make debts repayments on the older dept owed to commercial banks, governments and World Bank, (Whirled Bank Group, 2003). THE CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY BEFORE STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT After independence in 1961, the new government adopted the colonial style of economic structure. Between 1960 and 1962, for example agriculture contributed more than 50% to gross national product (GNP), and sisal, coffee, cotton and tea contributed 60% to the total foreign exchange earnings (Taube 1992). Tanzania neglected not only to satisfy its own national food requirements, but also to diversify its export products and promote light manufacturing. Politicians were soon overtaken by the reality of severe deficiencies in the supply of food products, energy, housing, manufactured goods, health and educational services, as well as intermediate inputs and implement for the agricultural sector. Between 1961and 1966 Tanzania economy operated primarily under free market conditions and the government adopted the World Bank’s transformation approach to agricultural development as a component of its first five year plan (Wenzel and Wiedemann 1989). In 1963 Tanzania implemented the Agriculture Product Board Act, which was the government’s marketing board for scheduled crops. This board managed maize, wheat, rice, cashew nuts and oil seeds through market purchase, price regulation, and regulation of storage, transport and processing (Bryceson 1993). DURING ARUSHA DECLARATION In 1967, the ruling party (TANU) which nowadays is Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) passed the first national economic declaration establishing Tanzania’s era of economic socialism. This was the Arusha Declaration. This clearly meant to address the deficiencies in Tanzania’s economic development, but it explicitly enclosed socialism and a planned economy, which the country’s new leaders thought appropriate at the time. Ujamaa (familyhood and relationship) became the expression for Tanzanian‘s social economic system and a synonym for Tanzania socialism. Through this self reliance approach, Tanzania forced its own withdrawal from international market. GOVERNMENT FAILURE Although Tanzania experienced reasonable macroeconomic performance until the mid – 1970s, unfavorable external conditions wiped out the previous economic achievements and led to the crisis period of 1980 – 1985 (Ndulu 1994). The justification for nationalization of private firms and extensive involvement of the state in productive activities was the ability of the state to control negative externalities, exploit economies of scale and operate firms at officially optimal level, the outcome proved otherwise for Tanzania. The government failure occurred in the following ways; The state owned cooperation turned out to be inefficient in almost all areas of their operations. For example many supply companies operated below standard such as National Milling Cooperation which was supplying food stuffs like maize, packed maize flour, rice and wheat causing higher demand in urban areas. Another company was Regional Trading Company (RTC) for supplying commodities like sugar, soaps, wine from Dodoma, and these caused shortages of the commodities. Due to lack of fund from central government health services, water, education (especially primary schools) remained a big problem in both urban and rural areas. The government operation in providing these social services was highly contributed by among other things inadequate foreign exchange as the country relied much on agricultural products which did not competed strongly with the same crops from other countries in the international market such as coffee from Brazil, cotton from Egypt and India. There was also the Tanzania – Uganda war of 1978 – 1979 as much as national earnings was directed to the war. There was extreme weather conditions (drought or too much rainfall) leading to falling of local production in key food crops and high domestic inflation. These conditions contributed to severe poverty to most of the people since they depended on agriculture for their survivor. R. E. Stren adds that Tanzania faced a severe balance of payments originally caused by the rising prices of imported oil. The rise of oil price resulted to the rise of prices of products as well as provision of social and economic services. Due to this the majority could not afford to access these services. Young (2003) argues that the government had been adamant that the buses she owned retain their monopoly status, but the desperate economic situation and the existence of informal sources of transport forced the government to legalized the â€Å"daladala† in 1986. The owners of trucks and pickups were allowed to carry passengers for a fee if they obtain a contract from the public transport authority and met various safety requirements. These situations led to Tanzania try her own economic reforms in early 1980s. These include Nation Economic Survival Program (NESP) in 1981 -1982, Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) in 1983 – 1985. Due to these homegrown reforms, Tanzania adopted a series of donor supported reform programs starting in 1986. The first was Economic Recovery Program (ERPI), followed by the ERPII in 1989 – 1992. Despite all these efforts by 1980s Tanzania was the world’s second poorest country in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is these economic crises and poor services delivery which forced most of sub-Saharan African countries to implement the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) as a precondition to aids and loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB) and other donor agencies. In order to solve the persistent severe economic crisis which has been confronting Tanzania since the late 1970s, Tanzania signed an agreement with WB and IMF in 1986 to adopt SAP. SAP WITH MARKET FAILURE Structural adjustment program by World Bank and International Monetary Fund gave a new limited role for governments. No longer should the government supply services itself, instead the ultimate goal would be for the central government to serve in the role mainly educator, promoter and regulator and communities in league with the private sector in that of provider. Structural adjustment program failed also in many countries including Tanzania because many stakeholders (countries) had little or no participation in making its policy. This means, these reforms had been imposed on countries that were neither ready nor had the capacity to implement them. According to Lugalla, Structural Adjustment Programmes had the following principles which had to be adopted: There was devaluation of the local currency. That is the dollar gained more value than the Tanzanian shilling. Due to this the foreigners who bought raw materials such as cotton benefited much as their currency was high. Also the government ended up in importing manufactured goods in higher prices resulting to low profits. The introduction of cost sharing in education and health. Before the introduction of these reforms the government used to provide these services freely, but now the people were forces to contribute. Due to this, many people could not access these services because they were not able to contribute. There was a policy of trade liberalization. This policy aimed that the government should allow free trade where the price of commodities was controlled by donor countries. There were frequent price changes which aimed at benefiting the foreigners and not the producers. Creation for conducive environment for foreign investments. The government had to put easy, friendly and flexible conditions that were more beneficial to the investors than the country. Introduction of democratization which is understood as multipartism. The government was under one party rule but it was forced to adopt multiparty system as a condition to receive loans and grants. By 1992 Tanzania became a democratic state where different political parties such as Tanzania Labor Party (TLP), NCCR-Mageuzi, CHADEMA, Civil United Front (CUF) and others were introduced. Although the aim of Structural Adjustment Programme was said as to improve the socio-economic problems of the country, it proved failure. Failure of the program in Africa is also basing on the fact that there’s assumption that a uniform set of principles can yield successful policies for all countries irrespective of their differences. Failure of Structural Adjustment Program in Tanzania can be seen in; Since Tanzania has been implementing social and economic reforms prescribed by SAP, social services are still a problem both in quantity and quality. The urban areas (cities and towns) has witnessed the problems multiplying rather than decreasing. People have difficulties in accessing clean water, adequate shelter, better health care etc. Let us take Dar Es Salaam as example, there’s frequent water cut which sometimes leave areas dry up to a week, electricity problem in the whole country, overflowing sewage and hospitals without medicine especially public hospitals,( Lugalla). SAP emphasized on reducing government expenditure on the unproductive sectors social development in urban areas in Tanzania. Lack of sufficient budget has made it difficult to finance a variety of urban development projects including the provision of adequate housing. As a result seventy percent of the urban populations live in poor houses without necessities such as sanitation and adequate garbage collection. For example areas like Vingunguti and Hananasif in Dar es Salaam are composed of slum settlement without proper sewage systems. SAP has reduced the health budget significantly. The state allocation budget for health is now estimated at less than five percent of the government’s recurrent budget. Information from the ministry of finance shows that, every Tanzanian is currently spending five US Dollar a year to service foreign debts but spends only two US Dollars for his or her own health. A research from Dzodzi Tsikata from university of Ghana Legon, shows that SAP has much effect on women in Africa. SAP has exacerbated gender issue in, for example work places, wage differences between men and women are growing. For example in Tanzania and Nigeria, poor and middle class women are giving up formal employment for informal sector work because it pays more. SAP also due to its export promotion policy, has increased extractive activities such as logging and mining leading to deforestation and mining pollution and the reduction of ordinary people. These failure of SAP in Tanzania and Africa in general has posed critic from individuals and leaders like the late J. K. Nyerere the first president of Tanzania who tried to resist this program saying it was just for the Washington consensus. Another critic was made by the United Nations economic commission for Africa that SAPs are too narrow, rely mainly on fiscal and monetary instruments and have little relevance to long-term development goals. Another failure is seen in agricultural sector following the devaluation of Tanzanian shilling. For example in 1986, the rate was 192 shillings per dollar; this situation raised the price of imported inputs. This has resulted to poverty implication to the livelihood of farmers in the country. The removal of fertilizer subsidies had the effect of raising the price of fertilizers and therefore reducing profit. The removal of subsidies on maize meal is likely to have negatively affected urban consumers. However, under Structural Adjustment Programmes there was sound macroeconomic substantial growth in economy. The overall economic growth has been rising consistently from almost one percent in the mid 1980s to 6. 7 percent in 2004 (URT, 2005). A substantial improvement has been achieved due to adoption of various expenditure measures and processes including Public Expenditure Review (PER), Medium term Expenditure Framework (MTF) and Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS). Conclusively; Despite the setbacks, Tanzania has made tremendous progress on many fronts. However the remaining central challenge is making growth deliver more efficiently in terms of poverty reduction. The focus on this should be on accelerating growth of agriculture and rural sector development, to engender economic opportunities in rural areas where poverty remains pervasive. Equally important is the need to sustain robust growth, a necessary element to achieving the millennium development goals. Also since the inception of economic reforms in 1986, a promising number of Tanzania’s population has benefited from gradual poverty reduction. Understanding of the issues by wider segment of society through debates and participatory approaches engenders broad ownership of the reforms. The government should insist on the various homegrown programs to ensure sustainability and credibility to citizens as they will feel accountable and responsible for their development. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Bidyut Chakrabary and Mohit Battacharya(2003); Public Administration: A Reader; Oxford University Press. David Reed (1992); Structural adjustment and the environment. Economist Intelligence Unit (1995). Tanzania and the Comoros Gibbon, Peter and P. Raikes (1995). Structural Adjustment in Tanzania, 1986-1994. Center for Development Research: Copenhagen. Joe L. P. Lugalla; Online Journal for African Studies; University of New Hampshire; Available at www. africa. ufl. edu ; Sited on 16/12/2011. J. K. Nyerere (1973); Freedom and Development; Dar Es Salaam; Tanzania Printers. L. A. Msambichaka and A. Naho (1995). â€Å"Agricultural Sector Performance Under SAP in Tanzania: Promising or Frustrating Situation? in Beyond Structural Adjustment Programmes in Tanzania: Successes, Failures and New Perspectives. M. Bagachwa, F. Shechambo, H. Sosovele, K. Kulindwa, A. Naho and E. Cromwell (1995). Structural Adjustment and Sustainable Development in Tanzania. World Wildlife Fund and Economic Research Bureau: University of Dar es Salaam. Moshi, H. P. B. (1995). â€Å"Reforms and Economic Performance†. Paper presented at the World Bank Conference â€Å"So cio-Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation in Tanzania†, Arusha May 14-20 1995. Mshana, Rogate (1996). Structural Adjustment and Food Security in Tanzania†. Paper presented at the Danida Food Security Workshop, Arusha, 18-19 November 1996. Richard E. Stren ; Ujamaa Vijijini and Bureaucracy in Tanzania; Canadian Association of African Studies. Tom Young (2003); In-African Politics; Indiana University Press. United Republic Of Tanzania (2002); Country Overview; Available at www. novelguide. com; Sited on 15/12/2011. Whirled Bank Group (2003); Structural Adjustment Programme; Available at www. whirledbank. org/development/sap. html; Sited on 16/12/2011. .

Quantitative Research Paper Essay

Quantitative research includes classification of certain features, calculations and construction of statistical models that can describe these features. In contrast, qualitative research is more focused on description of features excluding statistical descriptions. In quantitative research, data are summarized in the form of verbal descriptions or graphical representations. On the contrary, in qualitative research they appear in statistical tables, graphs, or charts. The researcher is more likely to use qualitative research in the earlier phases of the research project when one is looking for ideas to be later explored in depth within a quantitative framework. The processing of data in quantitative research is more likely to include a subjective component than in the other type. As a result, the results of quantitative research can often mix the context of the study but provide enough material to evaluate a certain hypothesis. A literature review should be compiled in order to answer a specific question or gather data to evaluate a hypothesis. The researcher should define the type of literature one wants to use as well as the scope of information to be used in the research. The sources used should be appropriate for the topic. Depending on the type of research, the sources should be predominantly or only peer-reviewed academic publications relevant to the explored question or field of study. The publications used in literature review should be critically evaluated by the reviewer. It is also important to organize the literature review in a coherent manner so that it is divided into understandable units. An explanation of how this or that topic fits into the research framework should be provided. The synthesis of material should provide adequate background for the topic under research. Conceptualization and operationalization form two pillars of science as these two methods allow researchers to use concepts that are the foundation of human exploration of the universe. By grouping objects into categories called concepts and developing practical ways of measuring these concepts through operationalization, researchers can explore a variety of objects, phenomena and situations. Theories need to be formulated with the help of specific concepts. Here conceptualization plays a crucial role, permitting scholars to define classes that will be described by this or that concept.   Conceptualization creates a concept that can be defined in all complexity of relationships and serve as common ground for exploration of an object or phenomenon by different researchers. Operationalization allows practical application of concepts, permitting their measurement through concrete observations. Each science seeks to define its conceptual apparatus through specific observations. As a result of this quest, â€Å"to operationally define basic concepts has now become central to all sciences† (Wikipedia, 2006). The article â€Å"Money, money, money: an exploratory study on the financial literacy of Black college students† by Angela J. Murphy that appeared in the September 2005 issue of College Student Journal investigates â€Å"the influence of race, gender, age, major and parental educational level on the financial knowledge of undergraduate students attending a predominantly Black institution†. The researcher has identified a strikingly low level of financial literacy among such students. Age and major were found to have less influence, while parental education and major had more impact. One research question can be formulated as â€Å"Does age have an influence on financial literacy of Black college students?†. Another one is â€Å"Does major have an influence on financial literacy of Black college students?†. Independent variables included race, gender, parental education, and age. The dependent variable was the financial literacy in certain areas including â€Å"the topics of income taxes, credit consigning, short term savings, investing for retirement, social security, future college costs and home ownership† (Murphy, 2005). The research used surveys. The method is justified because it permitted researchers to have structured, generalizable results that could be analysed with statistical methods. The survey also allowed people to ask a broad range of students attending various institutions. Mail survey and personal interview are similar in the first place because they test personal attitudes of people toward a subject or phenomenon. Both involve respondents with their individual differences, cultural background, demographic situation that influence the research. The difference lies first of all in the procedure: personal interview involves face-to-face contact whereas a mail survey envisages written communication. Consequently, an interview is more personal, while a mail survey presupposes less personal interaction between the researcher and the respondent. In organizational behavior investigation, a personal interview is more subjective because the participant will be influenced by personal perception of the researcher, possible positive or negative associations, etc. A mail survey, on the contrary, will be free from these limitations. The downside, however, is the frequently low rate of response that is often accountable for bias in answers. A more personal interaction can create more opportunities for the researcher to probe the topic with open-ended questions and find out the opinion of the interviewee with more detail. In addition, if the interviewee finds certain questions ambiguous, he or she can clarify details with the scientist, while this opportunity is absent in the case of a mail survey. To investigate the question of trust, a personal interview is preferable. First, it is considered â€Å"the most reliable method of data collection, especially when attitudinal behavior is of concern† (Pennsylvania Department of Health, 2001). Especially when executives are targeted, the time consumed in filling out a mail survey may become a factor that will discourage most of the targeted public from answering. The choice can be constrained by the budget, as personal interviews are traditionally considered the most expensive research method. In an experiment, the researcher is trying to answer a question performing certain actions that will test the validity of a hypothesis. In a focus group, the researcher is typically trying to explore a broad range of issues. As such, a focus group is called upon to conduct a discussion using prepared question rather than answer a specific question. Besides, the results from a focus group will be less rigidly defined and will require more scholarly interpretation whereas the experiment should deliver a more specific answer to the question. The advantage of focus groups is the open-ended nature of the research that opens possibilities for participants to air their views on many important subjects and share opinions. Besides, it is more personal and allows for greater consideration of individual differences, as â€Å"interaction also enables participants to ask questions of each other, as well as to re-evaluate and reconsider their own understandings of their specific experiences† (Gibbs, 1997). However, a focus group can be practically difficult to organize, involves participants coming from different cultures that can contribute to bias. Besides, these groups offer less predictable results as â€Å"researcher, or moderator, for example, has less control over the data produced† than in other methods (Gibbs, 1997). An experiment, on the other hand, provides for a greater degree of control, especially in controlled experiments, which makes the data more adapted to generalization. However, there is a possibility that participants will behave in controlled environments differently than they would under typically circumstances. An example of research question that can be tested through a focus group is â€Å"What qualities of â€Å"Dove† soap brand make it appealing to consumers?† A focus group would allow participants to share views on the subject with a relatively large degree of freedom so that new, unexpected answers can come up. A question to be tested with an experiment can be â€Å"Do people buy Mercedes cars for quality or prestige?† This question can be answered in an experiment since here one can identify dependent and independent variables and develop a statistical apparatus to answer the question. References Gibbs, A. (1997, Winter). Focus Groups. Social Research Update. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from http://www.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sru/SRU19.html Murphy. A.J. (2005, September). Money, money, money: an exploratory study on the financial literacy of Black college students. College Student Journal. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCR/is_3_39/ai_n15384395 Pennsylvania Department of Health. (2001). Health Statistics – Technical Assistance Tools of the Trade. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from http://www.health.state.pa.us/hpa/stats/techassist/surveytypes.htm Wikipedia. (2006). Operationalization. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operationalization

Environmental Regulation and Business Strategy in UK and Scotland Essay

Environmental Regulation and Business Strategy in UK and Scotland - Essay Example The plan also espouses the maximization of the remaining waste by utilizing its energy through waste-to-energy incineration plants. Electrical/and or heat energy can be produced by burning or incineration of wastes (Scottish Environment Protection Agency, 2011). This is an aspect of concern because the burning of solid and liquid material will produce mixtures of solid and gaseous emission like heavy metals, dioxins, particulates, ash residues, and acidic gases. An incineration plant refers to the technical unit and equipment that are dedicated for the purpose of burning or thermal treatment of waste material and in so doing, produce combustion heat (Council Directive 2008/1/EC of the European Parliament and of the European Council ). The definition for the incineration plant includes the site, incineration lines, waste reception, waste storage, fuel and air supplies, post-treatment areas for exhaust gases, waste and wastewater, and all other facilities and devices for control and mo nitoring the operations in incineration. Incineration of waste is achieved by oxidation, pyrolysis, and gasification. Strictly speaking, the energy produced by the incineration of waste materials cannot be considered renewable energy, but it can replace and supplement the energy that is sourced from fossil fuels like oil and coil, natural gas, and other renewable sources. As stated by the Scottish Planning Policy 6 on renewable energy, the energy derived from waste can help Scotland meet its targets for increasing electricity derived from renewable energy sources (Scottish Development Executive Department, 1997). Energy from waste is therefore considered a part of the response to climate change towards sustainable development. The Renewables Obligation gives incentives to suppliers of electricity to obtain electrical energy from renewable sources (Renewables Obligation, 2007). In Scotland, the Renewables Obligation, and the Renewables Obligation Order were enforced on April 2002. Th e schemes were introduced by the Scottish Executive and the Department of Enterprise and Trade, and are administered by the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority. The Renewable Orders set the amount of electricity from renewable sources to 5.5% and 6.7% in 2005-2006, and 2006-2007 respectively. In 2009, the Scottish government published the Renewables Action Plan, which committed the country to achieving 20% energy coming from renewable sources by 2020, which also meant that there must be a large increase in the energy derived from the heat (11% increase) and transport sectors (10% increase) (The Scottish Government, 2009). In the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Amendment Order of 2011 which was enforced in April 2011, waste materials were already included as renewable energy sources. According to SEPA, incineration can be considered compatible with high recycling rates, which is also highly dependent on the segregation of wastes. Energy can be recovered from residual waste that ca nnot be recycled due to economic and technical reasons. Despite the economic crisis, the practice of waste incineration has risen worldwide (ecoprog/Fraunhofer UMSICHT, 2010). In the last decade, the annual global capacity of the incineration plants increased from 180 to 350 million tonnes. This can further rise by 20% in the next five years. It is further expected that with landfill sites decreasing, new plants will be

Quiz 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Quiz 1 - Assignment Example He is also looking ahead and is avoiding the unwanted incase the Democrats retain control of the senate in November and the Republicans decide to compromise immigration. The foreign policy problems have caused atrophy in the foreign policy. This has affected the approval rating of Mr. Obama; this has been a concern for most of the Democrats in the final season of the campaign. The policies have made the president be perceived weak an issue likely to hurt his party’s electoral chances.(Hook, and Nelson, 2014) The senate has prepared a 100 day agenda plan should they take the senate; they are very likely to win. The key agenda is to authorize the long-delayed Keystone XL oil pipeline so as to boost the energy production. Other agendas are: approving fast track trade authority, repealing Obamacare’s unpopular tax on medical devices and effecting back new Environmental protection Agency regulations. There is a rift amongst Republicans; there are those thinking the GOP can rely on Obama’s lack of popularity in winning the senate and those thinking that the party would do better to push the positive agenda. (Riley, 2014) The republicans are intending to attract women voters at all cost. Rep. Cory Gardner announced his support for the over-the-counter women’s oral contraceptives. The policy is one of the party’s attempts to draw more female voters contrary to the past. The party was also the leading oppose of the Obamacare, something that a large number of women opposed, this gives them the support from the

Wenxuecity. Chinese immigrants on-line community. Ethnical issues Dissertation

Wenxuecity. Chinese immigrants on-line community. Ethnical issues - Dissertation Example They were sent an invitation to participate in the study further through an interactive interview conducted through emails or instant messaging platforms of their choice. They were also asked the following questions in order to qualify them for the second criterion – that traditional media does not play a significant role in his daily life (Appendix B). Based on the responses to these questions, I selected twenty users who display the second criterion the most. That is, they exhibit interest in getting the latest updates about China, and the Chinese people and culture at large, and that they do not get this information from traditional media. Furthermore, they exhibit knowledge about the fifth question’s subject matter, not only through their actual subscriptions and affiliations, but through their expression of interest to get connected and develop deeper understanding. After twenty users were selected based on the criteria mentioned above, I proceeded to schedule the interactive interviews. These happened within a period of one month since the questions were sent one after another, the succeeding question mainly based on the previous answer. I also allowed the respondent during the time to deliver a meaningful personal account of experiences, and the flexibility to do it at his or her own pace. Data Analysis The method of analyzing data is to analyze the transcripts to discern patterns of responses. The patterns are ascertained by examining a series of coded utterances, with an eye towards data which fit the overall themes of the research at hand. What I found was that the respondents used the website for a variety of reasons, therefore the challenge was to ascertain under what theme the reasons fit. For instance, a common response from Respondents was that... Each of the members of the group stated that they felt the need to connect with other Chinese people, because they felt out of place in the current society, in one way or another. Under this theme were several sub-themes. One sub-theme was that the Chinese in this survey felt that they needed to bond with one another because they felt somehow at odds with American culture. Therefore, the question regarding this sub-theme is why do the Chinese feel at odds with American culture, and how does Wenxuecity help in combating these feelings? Another sub-theme was that Wenxuecity helps the Respondents is how does Wenxuecity help with this feeling of connectedness with their Chinese family and friends? These sub-themes are explored below. Feelings of disconnection with the larger culture, and how the Wenxuecity helps the Respondents feel connected to one another. One of the major themes which emerged is that the Respondents felt that they were not a part of the dominant culture, and they needed to feel a sense of connectedness with others, so this site is their way of feeling that they are a part of a community. Some of the Resondents, as, for instance, A, C, G, S, and T, state that they currently have friends who are American, along with those who are Chinese, yet they do not entirely relate to their American friends. G states that his American friends simply do not â€Å"get it† - in other words, they do not get what it means to be Chinese. There are different values, beliefs and backgrounds that the Respondents have from their American cohorts and friends, and that is simply something that cannot be bridged. The respondents state that they feel out of place in the dominant culture, despite the fact that some of the respondents have been here in American for many years.

The history of lynchings in the united states between 1882 and 1930 Research Paper

The history of lynchings in the united states between 1882 and 1930 - Research Paper Example This traditional narrative, for all its tragedy, excluded the White males, White females, and black females who were also lynching victims and took for granted the dynamic part of White women in supporting or opposing mob violence. Moreover, Black women were completely absent in the mainstream lynching narrative (Logan, 1999). However, as this paper argues, Black women belonging to the middle class, headed by Ida B. Wells, became the most expressive and bold detractors of lynching. The work of Ida Wells against lynching provokes a re-evaluation of the extraordinary influence of Black women on structured campaign against lynching. Ida’s revolutionary analysis of the politics of race and gender and her worldwide exposure crusade signified a radical deviation to the public role of Black women. It initiated the presence of feminization within American reform that oriented its critical tendencies into a more cultivated type of women’s position (Logan, 1999). The campaign of Black women against lynching by the 1920s, even though remained public, was influenced more powerfully by sexuality and gendered practices of women’s society, evangelicalism, charity, and the expression of motherhood and womanhood (Loewenberg & Bogin, 1976), all uniquely dissimilar from the prior campaign of Ida. The lynchings of Will Stewart, Calvin McDowell, and Thomas Moss in 1892 were not an issue for their uncommonness: in 1892, hundreds of Blacks were murdered by furious mobs for suspected crimes against White people (Brundage, 1997, 295). The site of the lynchings in Tennessee was not noteworthy; seventeen Black people from Tennessee were lynched in 1892 and forty-six Blacks had died in a race disturbance in Memphis in 1866 (Brundage, 1997, 295). The three casualties took particular relevance mainly due to their influence on Ida Wells as a young writer. She was well acquainted with the three men. Infuriated by the death of her comrades, Ida mustered her great gifts and efforts to

Response to Intervention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Response to Intervention - Essay Example The Response to Intervention is aimed at changing the ways in which traditional educational institutions support the student groups with learning, cognitive and behavioral issues that they face in their learning process (Stewart, Martella, Nancy, Marchand and Benner, 2005). This method works by systematically providing or delivering new steps of interventions and instructions from the entities that provide education tot the students on the basis of the demonstrated or displayed levels of needs and requirements of the student and learner groups. Response to Intervention can thus, be defined as an educational and instructional practice which is aimed at providing consistent, high quality and easily assimilative interventions that would help the educational provisions to match the needs of the students while at the same time ensuring the frequent monitoring of the educational and interventional practices to ensure that proper decisions are taken regarding the modifications that are to b e made to the existing education and intervention systems and instructions given to the specific student groups (Fuchs, Compton, Fuchs, Bryant and Davis, 2008). The Response to Intervention is built on the basis of a problem solving model, in which both the internal factors applicable to a student and the external factors that may affect the level of assimilation and understanding of the student are considered with the aim of solving common academic problems. The Response to Intervention has emerged as an innovative way of thinking about the intervention assistance and disability identification for the vulnerable, academically weak and unresponsive learner groups. This method of educational intervention is especially applicable to the children in primary and post primary school levels. The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) is an extended version of the Response to Intervention which is aimed at

Globalization and Illustrates in India and Nicaragua Research Paper

Globalization and Illustrates in India and Nicaragua - Research Paper Example After a rigorous analysis here we have an example of a county being negatively affected by the effects of globalization. Resultantly, the individuals i.e. the Youth in Nicaragua is now determined to put in play new and autonomous forms of outfit in an attempt to trigger massive positive change in their very own localities. To determine all this, a wide variety of sources, including geographic data, ethnographic data and all other sources of economic data have been used. The reasons why globalization made one country to prosper and the other to deteriorate both socially and economically have been well analyzed and integrated into the conclusion. Since the partition from Pakistan and Freedom from Colonial rulers, Indian Economy has been striving really hard to stabilize itself. The partition from Pakistan also affected the economy negatively as all the economic assets like; printing presses, manufacturing units, fertile agricultural lands, and the irrigation system. This division affected the economy adversely and it took almost two decades to recover from the after math of that economic and political shock. British traders still have a strong influence on the Indian economy as in the late nineties the industrial development stagnated and the market had to be saved for the foreign traders. Analysts support that the efforts to free the country’s economy from state interventions contributed a lot to the stable growth that came on the face in the 1980s. As a known fact, the open economy and a free-market economy has lesser governmental interventions. Thus, bringing in more creativity by waiving off more and more restrictions to let people trade in the way they want to. In India, the economically active class of the society had strived to their wits to free the market from unnecessary governmental interventions. However, that period was also marked with heavy foreign borrowing.

The role of the 'social' in war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The role of the 'social' in war - Essay Example But different sources stated that it has started many-many years back, probably millions years or more. As every event has it factors leading to it, war also cannot start without factors that lead to it. These factors include territory, sovereignty, ideology and peaceable. All these can lead the beginning of a war. While introduction about war and it causes are cited, now the primary objective of the writing would be presented; that is outlining and explaining the three elements of war, which include Logistic, Technological and Social. How these elements are put in use in order to achieve victory during a war What are the merit and demerits of the elements if any And what are the historical testimonies where these elements where applied to achieve victory in War All these and others might be bringing into considerations during this writing. The science of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of forces.... those aspects of military operations that deal with the design and development, acquisition, storage, movement, distribution, maintenance, evacuation and disposition of material; movement, evacuation, and hospitalization of personnel; acquisition of construction, maintenance, operation and disposition of facilities; and acquisition of furnishing of service. In some (Juicy Quotes from Clausewitz, 1976), in order to explain further the needs for applying elements of war so that victory would be achieve at all level he has this to say: War is fighting and operates in a peculiar element -- danger. But war is served by many activities quite different from it, all of which concern the maintenance of the fighting forces. These preparatory activities are excluded from the narrower meaning of the art of war -- the actual conduct of war, because they are concerned only with the creation, training, and maintenance of the fighting forces. "The theory of war proper, on the other hand, is concerned with the use of these means, once they have been developed, for the purposes of the war. In another work of (George C. Thorpe's '1986') which outlines and explains the term Logistic as parts of the Science of War also states that: Logistics is essentially moving, supplying, and maintaining Military forces. It is basic to the ability of armies, fleets, and air forces to operate--indeed, to exist. It involves men and materiel, transportation, quarters and depots, communications, evacuation and hospitalization, personnel replacement, service, and administration. In its broader sense, it has been called the economics of warfare, including industrial mobilization, research and development, funding, procurement, recruitment and training, testing, and, in effect, practically everything related to military activities besides strategy and tactics. Logistics, in short, in the words of one irreverent World War II supply officer, is "the stuff that if you don't have enough of, the war will not be won as soon as. TECHNOLOGY: Another outline and explanation of the three elements of War is Technology, which means the

Linux Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Linux - Assignment Example The processor performs the instructed task, then sends the results back to the application via the operating system. Linux is utilized by both personal and business enterprises which makes it feasible for any organization. It is evident that Linux is still highly used in server side. The benefits of open source has been endless for organizations who attempt to save up server costs. Organizations such as IBM have been utilizing Linux for decades now. Around 30% of PCs run LINUX, and 60% of servers run linux. Before understanding Linux, it is crucial to look at how it was developed. In 1991, a gentleman known as Torvalds became curious about OS and invented this system in university of Helsinki. He began to work on his own operating system which eventually became the kernel. Additionally, developers worked to integrate GNU components with the Linux kernel, making a fully functional and free operating system. At that time, the notion of open source system was not fully developed. It was Torvald’s value of OS that lead to development of this. Linux can be downloaded from www.linux.org Linux, which began as only from server side, has also manifested itself as a desktop OS, can also be used on all of these devices.  One of the most unique elements about Linux is the fact that it has many Linux distributions, or "distros". These distros allow end users to manage a remote collection of system software and application software. Just as java has plug-ins and jars, these distros can be d ownloaded and act together as a component which is crucial to developers. Moreover, this allows users to adapt the operating system to their specific needs. These distros are maintained via volunteers and developers who continue to strive to make progress.   Linux can be used in super computers, which is a huge benefit. Linux is fairly easy to use even though it is not object-oriented programming. The  user interface, also known as shell or GUI in modern days is utilized by the

Nissan Corp Swot Essay Example for Free

Nissan Corp Swot Essay Global interdependence: possible new marketsGovernment regulations: abroad in other countries as well as US and the US; global warming, CAFE standards, safety issues Growth of existing market: widen market New entrants: threat of potential inclusive of generation X,Y and baby boomersnew competitors Strong economy: economy not faltering;Changing market tastes: need for consumers still buyingcontinuous innovation to appeal to ifferent segments Nissan’s reputation: leads the industryShortage of resources: workforce in reliability, performance, and design dissatisfaction, hiring good talent Emerging technologies: innovative through the development of technologies for improving fuel economy and reducing fuel emissions Introduction This Case Paper will examine accessible information about Nissan Corporation and determine its position in the world market through a business SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). Through this analysis, we hope to see where the Nissan has been and make suggestions as to where the corporation should go to improve their bottom line, increase market share, and plan for future products to ensure their viability in the world automobile marketplace. Market Analysis Nissan’s focus in establishing a multi-cultural company begins with regaining global market share. The company has learned from past mistakes and is determined to succeed, developing a common vision and a global ompany culture that will need to be a main driver for continued strength (Associated Press, pgs. 1-8). For instance, establishing a brand name and personality that is sensitive to nationalistic cultures. Strategic alliances and joint ventures are growing in importance in the automobile industry and Nissan is no stranger to the competition. Nissan’s mission statement delivered by Mr. Ghosn in the Automotive News World Congress in 2001, is evidenced in how the company exploits synergie s to create positive alliances with other manufacturers (Ibid). For example, Nissan’s announcement to venture with Ashok Leyland to build small trucks and other light commercial vehicles in India gives them an opportunity to enter a market that in recent years has been dominated by its competitors, Toyota and Honda. This venture will produce at least 100,000 vehicles annually for sale in India and for export, as it will facilitate the construction of a plant near the southern Indian city of Chennai to manufacture and export compact cars to Europe. The deal with Ashok Leyland will broaden Nissan coverage in the Indian market in addition to providing new LCV (lightweight commercial vehicle) products for emerging markets which will sell for around $3,000. 00. Ashok Leyland’s strengths in large and mid-sized trucks combined with Nissan’s strength in smaller vehicles creates a positive synergy (Ibid). According to Mr. Ghosn, partnering globally is an opportunity and the Chinese market is no exception. China is Nissan’s third largest single market, after North America and Japan. Vehicle production has grown over the past ten years. However, the major source of growth has been the production of passenger cars (The Business Review, pg. 7). Passenger car production has doubled in the past ten years. This shift is in response to a change in market conditions and in a desire for Chinese manufacturers to enter the global auto passenger car market. Consumer demand is also increasing and in order to satisfy this demand, auto production has been increasing. The demand for autos is expected to continue (Ibid). According to the Wall Street Journal, the car craze in China has just begun. There are two factors that create possible opportunities for Nissan: 1) the country has the world’s largest population and as incomes rise, so will the hopes of buying an auto some day. 2) the market may grow to 8 million vehicle sales annually by 2010. Nissan’s new line of cars in China will be designed and engineered in Japan, based on a common â€Å"B† platform shared with Renault that centers on smaller engines. Annual sales of the entire family of cars are expected to reach 200,000 units globally and will be launched in other markets over the next couple of years (Financial Times, pg. ). However, the threat of inadequate roads and the government’s changes in regulating how autos are purchased will make the costs unpredictable. On a financial scale, the banks are under pressure to control credit, so auto loans may not be easy to acquire. North America accounts for nearly 40% of Nissan’s global sales, and in each of the past years sales have exce eded those in Japan, with the gap widening each year. Nissan is spending several billion dollars on new models, and the U. S. assembly plant in Canton, MS is aimed at maintaining momentum (Ward’s Auto World, pg. 1). The most significant automotive development in North America is continuing growth in the luxury segment and the increasing popularity of cross/utility vehicles. Nissan is on track to rebuild its image and regain brand value. In the past, customer satisfaction was good, but the model lineup was limited. Now, with the Q45, M45, G35 sedan and coupe and the FX models, the market has begun to recognize that Infiniti provides a range of real luxury models (Ibid). According to Bloomberg, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. led Asian automakers’ U. S. sales gains in September as Toyota Motor Corp. posted a third straight decline. Accord helped boost sales by 9. 4 percent. Toyota’s 4. 4 percent drop marked the first time since 1995 that Japan’s largest automaker logged three consecutive months of lower U. S. sales. Sales of the five year-old Corolla model, Toyota’s second-most popular in the U. S. , dropped 8. 5 percent and demand for the company’s light trucks declined amid rising gasoline prices. Industrywide U. S. sales fell for a fourth consecutive month, by 2. 9 percent to 1. 31 million light vehicles (Bloomberg. com, pgs. 1-3). Toyota’s old models like the Corolla are dragging down while Honda and Nissan have brand-new models. Nissan reported a 6. 7 percent increase in sales (Ibid). Nissan, sixth in the U. S. , sold 94,269 vehicles, helped by higher demand for midsize Altima and Versa compact cars. Nissan’s market share edged up 0. 7 percentage point to 7. 2 percent. The Japanese are becoming more aggressive in terms of incentives and pricing, which makes them more competitive against South Korea’s largest automaker. The company faces tough competition from Japanese and Korean auto makers like Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi, which are rapidly gaining ground in the European markets. Asian manufacturers are continuing to fortify their position in the crucial North American and European market. It can also expect stiff competition from Toyota and BMW (Ibid). Nissan believes that growing the business means introducing new products and has created the Nissan Revival Plan to realign their cost structure. Significant amounts of money are funneled back into product development, mostly going towards the North American market. This means there are opportunities for new innovations that will bring the company in line with a mix of vehicles that are currently on the road. Its RD costs in FY 2006/2007 stood at JFY 464,839 million, an increase of 3. 9% when compared to JFY 447,582 million in FY 2005/2006. The company increased its investment on RD activities to launch a host of new products throughout the year (Ibid). In 2007, Nissan launched a new version of its minicar, namely, Pino E, which is a 2WD model and equipped with a three-speed automotive transmission. It is claimed to offer a fuel economy of 21. 0 km/1. Furthermore, the model is considered safe and environmentally friendly, as it features anti-lock braking system (ABS), brake assist (BA) and electronic braking force distribution (EBD) systems. It is low emitting, complying with the 2005 emissions regulations in Japan. In March 2007, the company also developed a new engine technology that helps balance between responsiveness and fuel efficiency, high power and low emissions (Ibid). Today, Nissan stands behind its offerings; that fundamentals of the business are strong, products are attractive to customers, and the company is poised for sustained, profitable growth. Environmental Concerns In researching the issues of automakers in regards to the environment, many nations as stated in The Wall Street Journal, are concerned about climate change and energy security. One of the most important issues all automakers are faced with on a global scale is the reduction of emissions, more specifically carbon dioxide or CO2. Concerns for the future in the minds of the majority are setting new goals for automakers of vehicles with internal combustion engines to become more efficient if they are to remain profitable or even in existence, which is further backed by a global treaty known as the Kyoto protocol (Wall Street Journal). In the protocol’s drafting of new rules they are intended to cap emissions of CO2, the gas widely blamed for global warming can potentially pose a major threat. According to scientists, it is reported that the rise in the earth’s average atmospheric temperature is largely due to this major contributor CO2 which will bring changes to the global environment, and therefore affect our daily lives (Ibid). According to the Wall Street Journal, a debate is raging in the US over how much time automakers actually need to boost fuel economy, and whether setting stringent targets will compromise safety by encouraging car makers to use lighter materials. Additionally, the US has not adopted the Kyota protocol and is under less pressure to reduce CO2 emissions as they are in Europe. Therefore, Nissan’s global prominence puts the auto manufacturer in an â€Å"opportunity† position by making concentrated efforts in advanced technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions at every stage of the vehicles life cycle and their corporate activities, from manufacturing and transportation to use of Nissan’s vehicles by its consumers. Nissan, currently the third largest automaker out of Japan has opportunity to grow stronger from the threats of one and two automakers Toyota and Honda respectively, who lead the market in alternative fuel development (Wall Street Journal). According to Nissan’s Green Program, it is Nissan’s view that internal combustion engines will continue to be the main power source of vehicles globally in the years ahead. Therefore, Nissan therefore takes a stance of reducing CO2 emissions through the development and widespread adoption of advanced technologies for improving the fuel economy of gasoline engine vehicles. Currently in the works for Nissan is the development of cleaner diesel engine vehicles that run on biofuels made from plants and other reusable sources (Ibid). Nissan estimates that over half of the vehicles they sell by 2050 will need to be electrically powered if they are to reach their long term goal of reducing CO2 emissions. Nissan’s threat has been its major competitors in developing hybrid electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles and electrical vehicles. Other companies such as Toyota are setting the bar in alternative fuel sources which makes them a profitable industry leader with the obvious threats of gas prices that change virtually on a daily basis (Ibid). Nissan History and Innovation Nissan Motors’ history dates back to the 1930s when Jidosha Seizo Co Ltd was established in 1933 in Yokohoma City, Japan. Its beginnings as a munitions company was short lived when the company was renamed to Nissan Heavy Industry Co Ltd and introduced the first Datsun, manufactured after World War II. After the company began exporting the cars to the US in 1958, it gained popularity due to its small size and high fuel efficiency. Subsequently, in 1980, Nissan Motor established Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corp. USA to strengthen its market potential in North America (ABI/INFORM Global pg. 1). Today, Nissan supplies a widespread customer base classified across regions, namely, Japan, the US, Asia, Europe and General Overseas Market, which includes Mexico and Canada. This market includes 150 dealers and 2,500 outlets worldwide (Ibid). This is the age of globalization and the worldwide interdependence of resource supplies, product markets, and business competition. Nissan has succeeded in meeting its challenges due to its focus in valuing diversity both in its workforce and through understanding customer needs. This is evident in how the company plans ahead and is always looking for new ways to improve current performance. For instance, the company learned from past mistakes; failure to recognize changing customer focus in non-growth sectors, and being competitively focused rather than market focused. Also, finding the right people and the right plan to maximize growth is key (Nissan News, pg. 8). Shiro Nakamura Nissan’s automotive designer is known as â€Å"The man behind the Nisan Look† and has developed some up-to-date, eye-catching designs that have no resemblance to the old models, and the company is optimistic that sales will increase once the current plan to launch 28 new cars during fiscal year 2008. Most of the changes are defined to the upper body and adjusted to make it more like the Altima (Business Week, pg. 1). Nissan’s innovations stem from producing a product that their customers want. Their philosophy is that investing in a product that will bring value and satisfaction to its customers will build loyalty as well as expand that market base. Nissan’s models include Maxima and Sentra cars, Altima and upscale sedans, Frontier pickups, the 350Z sports car, and Xterra and Pathfinder SUVs. In 1999 French automaker Renault took a 37% stake in Nissan, and installed president and CEO Carlos Ghosn (nicknamed â€Å"Le Cost Killer† based on his talent for turning red ink black) who has since returned the company to profitability. Renault now owns almost 45% of Nissan. According to Hoovers, Nissan fiscal year end sales in March were in millions, $80,583. 7. Net income in millions was $4,427. 8, and 1 year net income growth was 7. 0%. Their top competitors were General Motors, Honda, and Toyota (Hoovers. com, pg. -2) Generation â€Å"X† consumers can identify with the sports world, ESPN’s X Games. Games showcase the world’s most dangerous events. The â€Å"X† generation is also playing a big role in the fashion world, thus the automotive industry has been one of the leaders driving the â€Å"X† growing trend. Jaguar’s Web site prominently features a glowing X to promote the new â€Å"Jaguar X-Type: a car for a new generationâ⠂¬ . And Nissan has scored big with the model Nissan Xterra. This trend is enabling Nissan to tap into a pool of younger car buyers. The vehicle has attracted many new buyers, some of which have never purchased a Nissan before. The Xterra is aimed to attract 25 to 35 year old drivers. Marketing tactics fill viewers with scenes of athletes doing extreme outdoor exercise, and pushing their SUVs to the extreme. Polls cited that men were most affected with the advertisement than women. 13% to 9%. According to the Gallop polls, the ads scored highest among those 30 to 39 years old, which is right where the company was trying to segment. The 25 to 35 year old target market (USA Today, pg. 2-3). Baby Boomers on the other hand are most attracted to the Nissan Murano, or Nissan Bevel. Nissan’s long term vision for 2015 is that future vehicles will save lives by installing a series of sensors that can detect sobriety of a driver and can immobilize the car. Other features include detecting operational changes, such as drifting out of a lane, at which time the system navigation system alerts the driver with voice message alerts and the seat belt is tightened. Nissan is currently testing an on-board breathalyzer and road sensors to help reduce accidents. Other plans to develop an Intelligent Transport System Project and road sensors will help reduce accidents (Nissan. com, pg. 1-2) The company understands the importance of agility in a dynamic 21st century market and is continuously reinventing itself to stay ahead of the competition. Sometimes, this means taking risks. Most recently, the company made an announcement that it was moving its headquarters from California to Tennessee. The new facility will accommodate 1300 plus employees and favorable for business, not to mention contributing to the infrastructure and supporting the community with more jobs. It’s inevitable that there could be some unforeseeable threats perhaps with current labor force. Some issues could be that they are not in agreement with the transfer and choose to leave the company, thus the need for new hires. Other potential threats are the risk of new competitors in the area, and developing a new sense for the new market. The California population may not have the same tastes and likes as the Tennessee population, thus Nissan could expend additional resources to substitute products and services (Tennessean. om, pg. 1-4). A strategy for the future that Nissan could consider would be to offer a motorcycle product. Exploring and pursuing this opportunity would allow them to remain competitive and also to offer products to meet different needs. Honda, BMW, and Suzuki, all of whom offer cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles, Nissan too should visit the idea of offering a motorcycle. Over the years Nissan has developed quality products that are dependable, hi ghly functional and desirable; this being an advantage for Nissan. Along with remaining competitive, the high price of fuel recently would make a Nissan motorcycle more appealing. The motorcycle would alleviate fuel expenses and consumption. The Nissan motorcycle would also be appealing in geographic locations such as Japan, China and major cities in the United States that do not have the space on roads for larger vehicles. Nissan plans to offer a concept vehicle that resembles a car and a motorcycle. This vehicle is called â€Å"Urge† and offers state of the art gaming systems that allow the driver to use the gas and brake pedals to play. When considering the pricing of a Nissan motorcycle and remaining competitive, Nissan should consider that Honda and Suzuki offer motorcycles at reasonably affordable prices. Suzuki offers several types of motorcycles to include cruisers, motocross, and sport bikes all at reasonable prices ranging from $6,000. 00 to under $10,000. Honda also offers cruisers, motocross, and sport bikes. Honda motorcycles range from $3,000 to $13,000. In order to lure prospective buyers into purchasing a Nissan motorcycle, Nissan should strive to offer its motorcycles at reasonable prices, similar to Suzuki and Honda. The price range for motorcycles made by BMW is slightly higher starting at $8,000 to $15,000. BMW has offered a motorcycle since 1923. Its tenure along with the fact that consumers have learned to trust the German made motorcycle are what keep BMW competitive. Offering reasonably priced and desirable styles similar to BMW, Honda and Suzuki is a great opportunity that has not been approached by Nissan. The cruiser styles offered by Honda, Suzuki and BMW resemble that of a Harley –Davidson motorcycle without the high cost. The market for Nissan motorcycles is positive with the increasing cost of fuel and the ages of future drivers. Most of the baby boomer generation have become accustomed to the quality of Nissan vehicles and would be approaching retirement age in the next few years. Nissan’s release of motorcycles would segment the soon retired baby boomers as a fun and recreational of transportation. The Nissan motorcycle would also segment the new drivers of today which in a few years will be the young generation to market to. Nissan would have to be conscious of expenses in marketing and production of the motorcycle, a product never offered and could use the business model already established by its competitors offering both motorcycles and automobiles in the industry. According to Analysts, the economy is not faltering and people are still hopeful for the future. It is a race to the finish line, and who ever gets there first wins. It will be interesting to see how automobile manufacturers will implement new strategies (Economy Today, pg. 1) Nissan Technologies –Past and Future New technologies were as important to Nissan’s past as they are to Nissan’s future. Nissan has always addressed environmental issues, including the development of clean power sources for vehicles and recycling of natural resources. Nissan has been able to release one new model after another with fuel-efficient direct-injection gasoline engines and direct-injection diesel engines since 1997. This has led to the expanding application of the Hyper CVT (continuously variable transmission) , the Extroid CVT, the Tino Hybrid and the two-seater Hypermini electric vehicle in the early part of 2000 for efficient fuel economy (Nissan global. om). Nissans history goes back to an automobile factory started by Masujiro Hashimoto in 1911 called the Kwaishinsha Co. In 1914, a box-type small passenger car was completed and in the following year the car made its debut on the market under the name of Dat Car. Another predecessor of Nissan was Jitsuyo Jidosha Co. , Ltd. , which imported m achine tools and components from the U. S. , and was one of the most modern automobile factories of its time. Kwaishinsha Co. and Jitsuyo Jidohsa Co. merged in 1926 to form Dat Jidosha Seizo Co. , and two years later to the establishment of Nissan Motor Co. Ibid). In preparation for post war capital investment in Japan, Nissan developed two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities leading to the advancement of motorization and increased traffic accidents; and contributed to the problem of air pollution. Nissan developed its first Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESV) in 1971 and over the years created a reputation for excellence in engineering and advanced technology. Nissan has developed weight-reducing materials, engine management systems for controlling combustion, and using CAD/CAM systems and industrial robots (Ibid). Recently, Nissan has also been localizing R;D operations, which has now advanced decision-making through the regional headquarters in North America and Europe. Nissans local operations in their respective regions oversee product development, manufacturing, procurement, fund-raising and mutual complementation of parts between companies (Ibid). Nissan’s Vision Nissan is developing corporate activities centered on automobile manufacturing based on their vision of â€Å"enriching people’s lives. In order for cars, which provide mobility, to truly become reliable partners for our customers, a number of issues including global environmental issues, traffic accidents and congestion problems must be tackled as part of a long-term vision (Nissan global. com). The global automotive industry is entering an era that will change almost every facet of the car in the future to come. Nissan’s global vision includes the pursuit of environmentally sustainable technologies creatin g one of the greatest engineering competitions in history that has the potential to deliver significant benefits to humanity (Ibid). To realize our vision, Nissan is developing technologies based on a framework called the â€Å"Orchard† concept. † This concept allows Nissan to embrace technologies in a comprehensive manner (Nissan global. com). In order to create a distinct value in order for customers to choose their cars, Nissan is likening its approach to the management of a fruit orchard in which â€Å"fruit† is planted and raised. The process has three phases, one the Harvest Plan, two Seeding and Growth and three – Soil Enrichment. The Harvest Plan takes into account social needs and market demands for the commercialization of technologies and the timing of releases. Seeding and Growth will implement strategies for the realization of the Harvest Plan and to formulate development of schemes. Lastly, Soil Enrichment will create value for the long term by researching reliability improvement and analysis technologies (Ibid). Some of the proposed solutions are more efficient fuel-cells for electric cars, bio-fuels, advanced diesel fuels or combinations of these solutions. However, the most effective solutions will not be decided by engineers. It will be decided by consumer demand, which is the most powerful force for global environmental progress. Every new car buyer in every country gets a vote by exercising their right to choose, thereby dictating both the pace of future change and its direction (Ibid). Nissan’s vision is to invest massively in RD in pursuit of new technologies. This has not always been the case. Due to perilous financial decisions, in 1999 Nissan could not afford to invest in the core of its brand identity technological innovation. Today, Nissan’s RD budget is much healthier than the level of 1999 due to significantly increased efficiency of their RD activities. This has led to an environmental blueprint known as Nissan’s â€Å"Green Program 2010†. Also taking advantage of the alliance with it’s parent company, Renault, Nissan is able to focus on specific promising technologies – such as advanced lithium-ion batteries and other areas, such as clean diesels. Nissan’s vision includes the determination to be the leader in environmental progress. It is Nissan’s belief that motoring can be both green and fun allowing consumers to expect new technologies that will enhance dynamic performance (Ibid). Some of the latest technologies being embraced by Nissan are the X-Trail Fuel Cell Vehicle, Ultra-low Friction Diamond-like Carbon (DLC), the Super Motor, and the Compact Lithium-ion Battery. Nissan continues to raise the practicality of FCVs, which are being developed as the most eco-friendly vehicles. The X-Trail FCV provides increased cruising range. (Nissan global. com). The FCV also provides improved acceleration. The new model features a Nissan-developed fuel cell stack that is more efficient than the previous stack resulting in maximum power of 90 kw compared with 63 kw in the 2003 model. Ultra-low Friction Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) is Nano-technology based on ultra-low friction technology. Nissan has substantially reduced friction between engine parts by developing the first technology in the world to combine a hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating with special oil. Energy is lost due to friction that arises between the hundreds of parts that comprise an engine. This ultra-low friction technology uses nanotechnology in order to reduce friction by approximately 40% compared to conventional engines. The DLC works by use of a hydrogen-free DLC coating, improves binding with the engine oil, and results in the formation of a firm ultra-low friction film when special oil additives are added. It is now possible to reduce overall engine friction by 25% (Ibid). The Super Motor and Compact Batteries Nissan has independently developed the Super Motor based on an all-new concept. One motor provides output through two shafts, enabling it to function as both a motor and a generator. This innovative technology has a wide range of potential applications (Nissan global. com). The Super Motor can dramatically reduce the size and improve the efficiency of the drive unit compared with the use of two conventional motors. Independent control of the power obtained from the two shafts. The Super Motor has rotors positioned on both the inside and outside of one stator, enabling power to be delivered through two shafts by use of a new technology to apply compound current to the Stator coils (Nissan global. com). Nissan has succeeded in independently developing a laminated lithium-ion cell that displays an exceptionally high output characteristic. This cell is the result of many years of lithium-ion battery research that began in 1992. The laminated cell is featured from the 2003 model X-TRAIL FCV (Nissan global. com). The laminated cell design and high-power electrode technology improve power output by 1. 5 times and reduce the volume by more than half compared with the conventional cylindrical cell. The thin cell construction also enables a thin module design for a substantial improvement in battery ooling efficiency. Locating the battery under the floor achieves compact and highly efficient vehicle packaging, including a low, flat floor, among other advantages. Compared with the cylindrical cell, the laminated cell has fewer components and is extremely compact and lightweight. Moreover, Nissan has succeeded in achieving higher power output through material improvements made to the lithium manganate positive electrode and the carbon negative electrode (Nissan global. com). Executive Summary Like any other automobile manufacturer, to stay competitive in today’s world markets, one must consistently innovate and stay one step ahead of the competition. In the past, automobile manufacturers have been first in presenting more fuel efficient vehicles, increased gasoline mileage rating through body redesign, and have introduced new safety features for the yearning public marketplace. Nissan current project in India is to try to regain market share from its competitors Toyota and Honda by creating Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV’s) which are small cars that can be sold for around $3,000. 00. This innovative idea can create a brand new market segment of customers who could not, up until this point, afford to purchase and operate a vehicle. Along with being fuel efficient and maintaining competitive, Nissan’s offering a motorcycle would be an added strategy to pursue. Dealing with the myriad of different cultures across the globe is also a major focus of Nissan’s Chief Operating Office Carlos Ghosn who realizes that the creation of multi-cultural company can flourish and grow through exploiting it synergies, believes that feeding off each other’s strengths, and minimizing its weaknesses are key. Automobile manufacturers like Nissan can never be â€Å"one size fits all†, but they can certainly try to understand and adapt to different cultures to maximize desired commonalities and maximize profits. These days, partnering globally cannot be realized without including China. China is Nissan’s third largest single market (only after North America and Japan). Although vehicle production has significantly increased over the last ten years, passenger car production has actually doubled in the last ten years due to market conditions and Chinese automobile manufacturers ntering the car market. China has a great position in the future manufacturing of automobiles because of increased income and an already over-inflated population. However, threats of inadequate roadways, governmental regulations on how automobiles are purchased, and pressure on Chinese banks to â€Å"control credit† may temporarily slow the process. North America has captured 40% of Nissan’s global sales and has caused an ever-widening gap with Japanese sales which has been increasing each year. Nissan has recently spent several billion dollars on new models and a new U. S. ssembly plant in Mississippi to ensure that this momentum continues. Nissan believes that growing this business means introducing new products while realigning cost structures. Large sums of money are being placed back into product development – most geared towards the North America market. Although the United States never signed onto the popular Kyoto protocol which planned to significantly reduce the amount of carbon emissions in the world, many other nations did because of the ever growing concerns of climate change on a global scale which many believe poses a worldwide threat. Nissan, however, has proactively realized this concern and has taken advantage of this opportunity by making concentrated efforts in advancing technology that reduces carbon dioxide emissions â€Å"at every stage† of the vehicle’s life cycle. Nissan is vigorously working on the creation of cleaner diesel engines that run on biofuels made from plants and other renewable sources. The threat to Nissan has been its competitors who are developing hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. Toyota has lead this aspect of the automobile industry, and has been setting the bar in alternative fuel sources making them the very green and very profitable company that envisions change in the industry. Nissan began exporting cars to the U. S in 1958 and gained popularity because of its small size and great fuel efficiency. Today, Nissan has developed new eye-catching designs that do not resemble older models. Nissan is very optimistic that sales will increase significant once these 28 new models are launched during the 2008 year. But the look of new models alone isn’t all Nissan is after. Safety features such as installing a series of sensors that can detect alcohol levels in the driver will alert the car to slow and/or become immobilized. Corporate agility is also a key factor as is shown when Nissan moved its headquarters from California to Tennessee, which accommodates over 1300 employees, supporting the community with more jobs, and reducing significant overhead. New technologies developed at Nissan have addressed environmental issues including clean power sources for its vehicles and recycling of natural resources. Nissan has envisioned that the future of their company will greater enrich peoples lives through global environment issues, and reducing traffic accident and congestion problems. Some of Nissan’s proposals include more efficient fuel-cells for electric vehicles, bio-fuels, and advanced diesel fuels. The most important facet that Nissan realizes is that effective solutions will be decided by consumer demand, not engineers. Nissan has constructed a â€Å"Green Program 2010† which has become their environmental blueprint for success in the industry.

How technology effects children

How technology effects children Technology is one of the principal driving forces of the future; it is transforming our lives and shaping our future at rates surprising in history, with profound implication which we cant even begin to see or understand. In todays world we are plagued with technology. The technology which surrounds almost everyone in the modern society, is changing every day, and will forever be a staple in our lives. Kids in the current generation are enamored with technology. Although perhaps it is not that they adore technology so much but the simple fact they have never lived without. Technology has had a significant effect on children that has brought on some concerns. Our common concern has been that although digital technology has boosted childrens talent for multitasking, their ability to process information deeply may be deteriorating (Carpenter, 2000). There is vast amount of technology in todays world, but there are three main component of technology that is having the greatest impact on children: video games, television/media, and computers. The modern technologies we have today are tremendously powerful; they attract our genetic biases. The human brain is attracted to visually presented information. Video games, television, movies and computer programs are all very visually oriented and therefore they magnetize and keep the attention of children. The technology which is just now beginning to be manipulated and harnessed is affecting the minds of small children and adolescents in ways that could be harmful. By far the largest concern of technology today is video games. There have been so many experiments and studies to try and figure out if video games have a negative or positive effect on our children. A growing body of research is linking violent video game play to aggressive cognitive, attitudes and behaviors (D.A. Gentile, 2004). Video games can obviously be dangerous for our children causing aggression, bad performances in school and obesity. Although we cant blame all of these problems on the use of video games, there have been many studies to prove so. Boys do seem to be more attracted to video games than girls are, Adolescent girls played video games for an average of 5 hours a week whereas boys averaged 13 hours a week (D.A. Gentile, 2004). The effects of both violent and non-violent video game playing can be determined by the amount of time playing the video game and by the content of the games being played. The content of the games being played could definitely have a factor in how a child performs in school, and how aggressive they are towards peers and teachers. Obviously if a child is playing hours upon hours of violent video games, this can lead to them acting out violence and having no consequences for it. If a child took the time that they played video games a week and used that time to be engaged in reading, homework or even a creative activity wed have less issues with our childrens school performances. Parents should really be monitoring how long their child is playing video games, but this doesnt always happen. A child who plays video games for long periods of time could also build up a social wall, become a loner. It is important for children to interact with other children in order to help develop their so cial skills, which without will make it very difficult to make it in this world. At the age children start playing video games, it is hard for them to distinguish what is reality and what is not. So in some cases the violent acts in video games could make the child believe the world is a scary place. More than a thousand scientific studies and reviews conclude that significant exposure to media, and video games of violence increases the risk of aggressive behavior in certain children, desensitizes them to violence and makes them believe the world is a meaner and scarier place than it is (Tompkins, 2003). Children who are playing endless hours of video games are also said to have less hobbies and activities, which may lead to obesity. Obesity in young children has become an overwhelming problem these days. They are now making fit video games such a Wii Fit, which involves actual movement and exercise. Video games like these are excellent especially if your child just needs to play a video game. There are educational video games out now, more and more are surfacing. The amount of time children play these is completely different than the amount of time children are playing violent video games. Educational video games obviously can do a lot for your child, they can improve vocabulary , mathematics, and some fitness. So increasing the time they are interacting with educational video games is said to have a very positive effect on them. Even though they make video games with the intent to be entertaining, challenging and sometimes educational, most of them do include some form of violence. Recent content analysis of video games show that as many as 89% of games contain some violent content and that about half of the games include serious violent content towards other game characters (D.A. Gentile, 2004). It is now a known fact that playing violent video games increases aggressive behaviors, increases aggressive cognitive, increases aggressive emotions, decreases pro social behaviors and increases physiological arousal. So people do say that children who already have aggressive tendencies get therapy from playing violent video games. By releasing their aggression on playing a video game, they are less likely to be aggressive towards others. Then others believe that violent video games maybe even more harmful to the children who were characteristically aggressive already. Because violence is such an attractive part to a video game, companies will continue to keep selling violent video games, to make more money. Although now they do usually list the rating on the game, but whos to say that parents will take any interest in the rating. Most parents are to blame for their children playing violent video games, how else would they get the game? Parents need to be held responsible for the effects that violent video games have on our children, they need to be monitoring them more closely. Recent research has shown that connections between children playing violent video games can cause later aggressive behavioral problems. In retrospect studies have also shown a twelve percent increase in aggressive behavior after watching violent television as well (Tompkins, 2003). For many years it has been apart of the repercussions that television has on children. Now we have those special chips called V-chips to put in the TVs to block certain programs or channels. But who knows what your children are watching when they go to a friends house, or even at school. Exposing your children to some violence almost seems inevitable, everywhere we turn there is some kind of violence on some kind of new piece of technology. Endless hours of watching television may be thought of as somewhat entertaining to a child, but it has such negative effects on them. TV is consistently reinforcing gender-roles and stereotypes which isnt always a good thing to show our children. A child should be out r unning around, exploring their environment, participating in activities and sports. Children who view media violence are more likely to have increased feelings of hostility, decreased emotional response to the portrayal of violence and injury that lead to violent behavior through imitation (Tompkins, 2003). During the first 2 years of a childs life, the brain is at a critical developing period. Television can get in the way of a child exploring, learning and spending time interacting with their parents and other children. Having time to play with others helps kids develop the skills they need to grow cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally. If parents limit the television that their pre-school age child is watching it can be a good thing as long as what they are watching is educational or age appropriate. If you allow your children particularly ages 2-7 to watch shows or movies with scary monsters, they will remember those scary faces. Children this age have a hard time distinguishing between real and fantasy, so to tell them that monsters dont exist, wouldnt really console them. While kids 8-12 are usually scared by natural disasters, the threat of violence and victimization of kids. Many shows or movies now a days depict risky behaviors, such as sex and substance abuse. They portray these things as cool, fun and exciting, and there is often no discussion about the consequences of these actions. More and more now we are seeing alcohol ads on television, and more underage children are being exposed to them. Over sixty percent of television shows being shown in prime time contain some form of violence (Tompkins, 2003). They are now linking child obesity to over watching of television which includes four or more hours a day. While watching television kids are usually inactive and usually snacking. Kids are getting overwhelmed with the many ads on television encouraging them to eat unhealthy foods. The ads are meant to target children, by showing sugary cereal, or sugar filled soft drinks. Children are being manipulated by advertising companies, so then they beg and plead with their parents to buy them exactly what they have seen on television. In another study of preschoolers (ages 1-4), a childs risk of being overweight increased by 6% for every hour of t elevision watched per day. If that child had a TV in his or her bedroom, the odds of being overweight jumped an additional 31% for every hour watched. Preschool children with TVs in their bedroom watched an additional 4.8 hours of TV or videos every week(Dennison, 2002). Parents should treat watching television as a privilege, maybe not allowing television in their childs room will help reduce the percentage of overweight children. Its simple, reduce the amount of time your children are doing nothing with their minds or body, and increase the amount of time they are exploring things and participating in physical activities. So over all its apparent that watching too much television isnt healthy for any child of any age, or even any adult. While boys tend to be more attracted to violence on television, girls tend to be more attracted to the teeny bopper shows. Some of these shows include situations that are not likely to ever happen, or that are too mature for the child whose watching them. The image that most female television/movie stars, and models are giving to young girls is that the skinner you are the better. We are in a vein world, where somehow everyone got the impression that its not alright to look healthy, better to be overly skinny. Eating disorder experts say prepubescent girls are developing eating disorders as young as 5 and 6 years old. They may be getting their obsession from parents who are preoccupied with their own body images, and media images of skinny stars like the Olsen twins, or even Kiera Knightly, whom stars in a very popular movie series Pirates of the Caribbean. Which is a movie directed towards the younger crowd, considering it is a Disney movie. If we take a look at the figure of Barbie , whos body is considered to be perfect, yet no girl or woman could achieve a body like this, this figure is a definition of beautiful. Unfortunately the only way to help change the outlook of body images is to help our children know its ok to be a different shape than someone else, to teach them its not okay to poke or make fun of children who are bigger sizes. This is not something we need to change just for our children but also for ourselves and our world. Some programs that may seem age appropriate for our children, are still showing some sort of sexual activity. Young girls are getting the image that it is okay to engage in some sort of sexual activity, even if that is just kissing. Some of these shows are saying that having a relationship at a young age is okay, kids need to be kids and not worry about relationships until they have at least approached puberty. Blaming only television and technology for these acts is unfair, because parents have a lot of effect on their children as well. Children are just getting the wrong message from a lot of these shows, that premarital sex is the thing to do, that even something as simple as kissing is okay. This all depends on the age of the child, some parents need to make sure that the shows their child is watching is age appropriate. Maybe some parents need to watch a couple of minutes of the show their child wants to watch and get the feeling, and voice of the show to determine whether its a ppropriate for their child. Children are natural manipulators of the world-they learn through controlling the movement of and interaction between objects in their world: dolls, blocks, toy cars, and their own bodies. With television, they watch and do not control anything, computers allow interaction. Children can control the pace and activity and make things happen on computers (Perry, 1999). Computers are becoming apart of everyones daily lives. We have them at work, home and even at school in childrens class rooms. Computers like all technology have their pros and cons. Obviously the computer can open up a world of intelligence for children, you can look up and explore anything you want on the internet. Studies indicate that the media can promote pro-social behavior, that some computer games can hone visual intelligence and that classroom use of the internet links children with distant mentors and resources, enriching the way kids learn (Carpenter, 2000). Computers are now being used as a learning tool, we h ave access to them, we might as well try and use them for good. Technology offers children a sense of empowerment and provides kids with the tools needed to solve problems (Goessl, 2002-2008). Educational websites, and games are at the reach of our childrens hands, not to mention if they want to know everything to know about Alaska, or who holds the record for chewing gum the longest, they can. Computers can have a great influence on developing hand- eye coordination, since it does take this skill to type and use a mouse. But still the time they spend on the computer should be limited, because kids still need social interaction, and physical activity. We must encourage our children to develop the ability to think first and then give them a computer (Fanning, 2007). Even though we can see many positive outcomes from children using computers, there are also many negative views. Computers are being introduced to children younger and younger these days. Which is making our children lazy, they can now type papers that automatically spell check for them, they dont even have to go to the library to do a research paper, the computer puts all information at a click of the mouse. While it is a nice way for children to communicate with their friends, whatever happen to hand writing a note. Our kids are talking in chat rooms, to who knows, they could be talking to a sexual predator. We have seen this in many cases, the world is such a crazy place and we have to do the best to protect our children from it. Hours and hours of computer use can also be physically damaging to children causing bad posture, hand problems and can effect their eye sight. A child who is always on the computer can cause a lack of social skills. Children need interactive time with pee rs and adults to really develop correctly. On the computer our children can come across things that arent age appropriate for them such as violence, and sex. All they have to do is type in a word and somehow it can be referenced to sex, and link them to a pornography site. Computers are now being linked to as a factor to anti-social behaviors, primarily because computers are replacing normal social activities. Anti-social personality disorder is characterized as a gross disparity between behavior and the prevailing social norms. Children who constantly use the internet as a form of socializing can develop social anxiety disorder or a internet addiction. You may think that young children cant have an internet addiction, but today it is becoming more common. Some children would rather rush home and get onto the internet rather than go play outside with friends or do a creative activity with their parents. Children are isolating themselves from the real world with the excessive use of computers. They are only knowing the web world. Some may not realize it but cell phones do have an effect on our children. In fact they say that children under the age of 8 shouldnt even use one. Cell phones can not only cause brain tumors, but also impaired cognitive functions. Scientist have now discovered that even a two-minute cell phone call can alter the electrical activity of a childs brain for up to an hour after the phone call. This finding has lead many doctors to believe that the disruption in brain activity can lead to psychiatric and behavior problems and can impair learning ability. The alteration in brain waves can lead to aggressive behaviors, lack of ability to learn and memory loss. A study found that children who used cell phones, and whose mothers used cell phones during pregnancy were 80 percent more likely to have behavioral problems such as emotional symptoms, inattention, hyperactivity and problems with peers compared with children who had no cell phone exposure as fetuses or in early childhood. Children wh ose mothers used cell phones during pregnancy but who had no other cell phone exposure were 54 percent more likely to have behavioral problems (Roan, 2008). Excessive cell phone usage can also be linked to an earlier onset of Alzheimers disease. Many parents have no idea how a cell phone is impacting your childs brain. Some scientist have found that cell phone transmissions damage the ability of white blood cells to ward off infectious diseases by disrupting the immune systems electromagnetic communications. The biophysicist from Lincoln University in Christ Church, New Zealand has also found that cell phones can murderously modify moods. In brains and bodies seriously derailed by tiny imbalances in trace minerals and hormones, depression, suicide, anger, rage and violence can result when calcium and serotonin levels are disrupted by cell phone transmissions (Thomas, 2004). Its amazing that all of this time we have been exposing our children to something that is unrecognizably harmful to them. As we can all recognize, technology today is vastly growing, and is out of our hands. What we do have control over is how much of that technology we expose our children to. It is inevitably up to the parents to monitor and react to the technology being used by their children. This may not seem very serious to some parents, but more and more we are seeing children, young adults walking into their classrooms and shooting theirs peers and teachers. All because maybe they played one too many violent video games growing up, or have felt like an out-cast due to a social-anxiety disorder which can be caused by dissocializing yourself with video games, computers and even television. Even though not one research conducted could really prove either positive or negative long term outcomes of technology, it is apparent that technology does have a great effect on our childrens lives and developmental behaviors. Technology has many effects on our children today, but how couldnt it when our society is transforming into a technology world. Children these days will never know what life is like without technology so it is important to make sure we use the technology we have for what its worth. Although there are many negatives to the use of technology, we need to embrace the ever changing world, and just learn as parents to pay attention to what our child is doing. Works Cited Carpenter, Siri, 2000. In Digital Age, Experts Pause to Examine Effects On Kids. http://www.apa-org/monitor/dec00/digital.html Emele, Love, 2002-2008. Technology: Its Effects on Children. http://www.helium.com/items/392511 Fanning MD, Iris, 2007. Television Computer Effects on Learning and Emotional Intelligence. http://ezinearticles.com Gentile et al, D.A., 2004. The Effects of Violent Video Game Habits on Adolescent Hostility, Aggressive Behaviors, and School Performance. Journal of Adolescence 27. http://www.sciencedirect.com Goessl, Leigh, 2002-2008. Technology: Its Effects on Children. http://www.helium.com/items/613503 Lehmann, Max. 2002-2008. Technology: Its Effects on Children. http://www.helium.com/items/361089 McCormick, 2008. Side Effects of Cell Phone. http://www.southcoasttoday.com Perry, Bruce, 1999. ECT Interview: Bruce Perry Discusses the Effects of Technology on the Brain. http://content-scholastic.com Science Daily, 2007. Most Middle- School Boys and Girls Play Violent Video Games. http://www.sciencedaily.com Thomas, William, 2004. Cell Phone Health Effects/ Busy Signals. http://willthomas.net/investigations/articles/cellphones.html Thompkins, Aimee, 2003. The Psychological Effects of Violent Media on Children. http://allpsych.com/journal/violentmedia.html