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

SUMMARY - Essay Example Petersen also notes the students have problems with their listening skills. Native Americans speak quickly and fluently, and with vocabularies, but the international students lack a background on such complex terms. Listening then becomes difficult if they cannot follow and understand what lecturers and other students are saying (Petersen). The international students also shy away from speaking in front of others. They are aware of their problems in pronunciation, fluency, intonation, and word stress. They know they cannot fully understand what others say and cannot express what they mean correctly. Their participation in class, therefore, becomes limited. The author, Lissa Petersen, also indicates that the students have problems in reading comprehension, using idioms and grammar. If, however, the students can apply Benjamin Bloom’s strategy of thinking, they can overcome some of the problems. Lastly, Petersen points at rhetorical differences as another hindrance to effective learning by the international students. American academic writing features several differences with other cultures. Although most of the international students are taught English grammar in their countries, the teaching is not up to the American standards. Their English can, therefore, seem to be illogical and disorganized, but is acceptable in another culture

Special interest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Special interest - Essay Example One kind of an interest group is that which takes the form of political groups; the aim of the creation of this kind of interest group is to influence people in the political arena to create policies that favor the interest of a political interest group. One such interest group is Texas Medical Association, this group is said to be the largest medical association that has been operational for years with the aim of representing over 46,000 physicians and other individuals related to the field of medicine (Newell, 2009, p.92). Interest groups often derive their strength from their membership. Some of the largest and most powerful interest groups in the nation include the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). This association has a membership of over 32 million persons. With this kind of membership, pushing for championing of certain interest is not very hard. Other equally influential interest groups include the National Rifle Association (NRA), AFL-CIO and American Medical Association (Chapter 11, n.d). The relationship between interest groups and political groups is a very close one and it has been in existence for a very long period of time. Both these groups are defined to conduct separate functions in a particular nation (Bardes, 2012, p.224). A party has the task of ensuring candidates are elected for various public positions after nominating them. On the contrary, interest groups focus on the policy side of the political environment, where they try to influence the policy decision making process. Even though both these groups are defined to have different operational functions, they have a strong relationship which has lasted for quite a long period of time. For example, interest groups such as environmentalists have close ties with a particular state’s democratic political parties. The close alliance

Whether Fair Value Should Be Retained In Financial Accounting Essay Example for Free

Whether Fair Value Should Be Retained In Financial Accounting Essay Fair value may also be called the justified or unbiased price. It is applied in both Economics and Accounting. Fair value accounting refers to the rational or unbiased estimate for the possible good’s, service’s and asset’s market price. Fair value in Accounting is aimed at presenting financial data in the most utilizable way possible. Financial statements will therefore represent the true and reasonable view of the financial information relating to any financial entity. Stakeholders will hence be able to make their investment and relationship decisions based on Accounts statements that have utilized the Fair Value Accounting principle. The Body: Fair value in Accounting considers objective factors like;   The acquiring, producing or distributing costs, replacing and costs for the closest substitutes, the exact utility for a particular level of social productive capacity development is of importance and the supply against the demand for any particular good, service or asset. Subjective factors to be considered include; Characteristics of risk, cost for and return or benefits on capital and the individual utility perception. Fair value accounting is essential in estimating the market value for assets or liabilities whose true value may not be determined due to lack of a sincere established asset’s or liability’s market. (Stephen, 2008 p.3-18) As per the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) 157 dictates that, fair value is the sum of money for which assets can be purchased at a current transaction with willing parties   or moved to an equal or equivalent party, in a situation other than a liquidation case. All the direct and indirect production and operational expenses will be given consideration when trying to determine the most reasonable price for both the buyer and the purchaser. Traders will be expected to have all the information that is necessary for their transaction to be clear to all the related parties. (James, 2009 p.6-13) Fair value accounting is applicable to assets with a carrying value that is determined by market to another market valuation. For assets recorded at historical cost, the asset’s fair value may not be applicable. An example would be a university store whose cost of four million dollars was constructed ten years ago. In case the management was to give a fair value measure on the store, it will be a subjective measurement due to lack of an active market for this particular asset or assets that are close to this one. A different example would be, incase DEF Ltd bought a go down in nineteen ninety, for two million dollars, the financial statement in respect to historical cost will record the go down at two million dollars on its balance sheet. If GHI Ltd bought a similar go down in two thousand and ten for four million dollars, then the GHI Ltd will report the go down at four million dollars. Although the two assets are similar, DEF Ltd will report the asset at half the GHI’s asset value. Historical cost can not identify the two assets being similar. This issue   is compounded incase similar assets or liabilities are recorded historically, resulting in an undervalued balance sheet. Although if both DEF and GHI Ltd recorded the financial information as per fair value accounting the two would record the asset of four million dollars. (Gerald, 2009 p.24-31) The idea in fair value accounting is to represent the figures in the financial statements at amounts that they would fetch just in case an entity was to purchase them afresh. This is exactly that willing buyers are able to pay for the acquisition of such commodities. Adjustments made in determining fair values should consider the depreciation charge that the assets would attract. The disposable value is always of great interest in accounting at fair values. Fair value accounting produces information to investors whose interest is on the assets’ or liabilities’ current value but not their historical cost. It is known that stakeholders in a company use financial statements to make decisions as to whether their investments in the enterprise are worthwhile or not. Unbiased figures represented on the financial statements help investors predict their expected returns on their shares. Such reasonable figures will be helpful in determining the expected company’s growth and how their shares may increase in value in future. It will also be of use to investors to determine the extent of their rewards in case a company goes into liquidation or a receivership in future. The making of both short term and long-term decisions is made easy by the use of the true and fair view represented on the trial balance and balance sheet.

Relationship Between Facebook Usage and Social Capital

Relationship Between Facebook Usage and Social Capital 1. Introduction The purpose of this research is to investigate the recent phenomenon known as social networks, and in particular the social networks associated with the World Wide Web and their impact on the social welfare (also known as social capital) of people. This topic is of particular interest to the researcher because of the increasing importance and span of the online social network sites. Thus understanding how they impact society in general. The scope of the research will be The Facebook – the biggest at this time online social network. The reason for the topic is the increase of the website in our lives and the many disputations whether it has positive or negative impact on its users. Therefore adequate research regarding key concepts and connections between The Facebook and social capital would benefit anyone who is interested in online social networks and their influence over societies. Before continuing with the research it is important to introduce key concepts and definitions which is to make easier for the reader to understand the matters at hand. 1.1 Key Definitions A  social network  is a  social structure  made up of individuals (or organizations) called nodes, which are tied (connected) by one or more specific types of  interdependency, such as  friendship,  kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike,  sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or  prestige. As in almost everything in present days, the internet influences the social networks. A good example of that is the created in 2004 online social network: The Facebook. By 2007 it was reported to have more than 21 million registered members generating 1.6 billion page views each day (Needham Company, 2007). The site is closely incorporated into the everyday media practices of its users: Ordinary users spend about 20 minutes a day on the site, and two-thirds of users log in at least once a day (Cassidy, 2006; Needham Company, 2007). 1.2 Aims and Objectives The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between the use of Facebook, and the development and preservation of social capital – both bonding and bridging. Its objective is to determine whether online social networks and in particular The facebook have positive or negative impact on societies. 1.3 Key Research Questions Is Facebook positively connected with individuals who perceive bridging social capital? Will Facebook intensity be positively associated with people who perceive bonding social capital? Is Facebook helping people with face to face communication difficulties? Facebook Survey Pie Chart The remainder of the research is organized as follows: Section 2 reviews conceptual development and theories of the research questions. Section 3 reviews the research methods and how they address the questions and how the data will be collected. Section 4 shows the research plan vie diagram, displaying the different activities involved in producing the actual work and how they will happen in time. Section 5 concludes the research proposal by highlighting the importance of the research questions and their connection with the different theories. Section 6 is the bibliography and reference used for the research. 2. Literature Review Previous research suggests that Facebook users engage in searching for people with whom they have an offline connection more than they browse for complete strangers to meet (Lampe, Ellison, Steinfield, 2006). Much of the early research on online communities supposed that individuals using these systems would be linking with others outside their pre-existing social group or location, liberating them to form communities around mutual interests, as opposed to shared geography (Garton, Guila Haythornthaite, Dimitrova, Salaff, Wellman 1996). A benchmark of this early research is the assumption that when online and offline social networks overlapped, the directionality was  online to offline—online connections resulted in face-to-face meetings. For example Parks and Floyd (1996) report, that one-third of their respondents later met their online correspondents offline. As they mark, These findings imply that relationships that begin online rarely stay there. Much of the existing academic research on Facebook has focused on identity presentation and privacy (e.g., Gross Acquisti, 2005; Stutzman, 2006). Looking at the amount of data Facebook users present about themselves, the fairly open nature of the information, and the lack of privacy controls enacted by the users, Gross and Acquisti (2005) argue that users may be putting themselves at exposure both offline (e.g., stalking) and online (e.g., identify theft). Other recent Facebook study examines student perceptions of instructor presence and self-disclosure (Hewitt Forte, 2006; Mazer, Murphy, Simonds, 2007), sequential patterns of use (Golder, Wilkinson, Huberman, 2007), and the relationship between profile structure and friendship communication (Lampe, Ellison, Steinfield, 2007). Putnam (2000) distinguishes between bridging and bonding social capital. The former is linked to what network researchers refer to as weak ties, which are loose connections between persons who may provide useful information or fresh perspectives for one another but on average not emotional support (Granovetter, 1982). On the other hand, bonding social capital is found between individuals in tightly-knit, emotionally close relationships, such as family and close friends. Social capital generally refers to the assets accumulated through the relationships between people (Coleman, 1988). Social capital is a flexible term with a range of definitions in numerous fields (Adler Kwon, 2002), conceived of as both a cause and an effect (Resnick, 2001; Williams, 2006). Bourdieu and Wacquant (1992) define social capital as the sum of the resources, actual or virtual, that accrue to an individual or a group by virtue of possessing a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition (p. 14). The assets from these relationships can fluctuate in form and function based on the relationships themselves. Social capital has been related to a diversity of positive social outcomes, such as better public health, lower crime rates, and more resourceful financial markets (Adler Kwon, 2002). According to numerous instruments of social capital, this important resource has been deteriorating in the U.S. for the past several years (Putnam, 2000). When social capital declines, a community experiences augmented social disorder, reduced involvement in public activities, and potentially more mistrust among society members. Greater social capital increases commitment to a community and the ability to organize collective actions, among other benefits. Social capital may also be used for harmful purposes, but in general it is seen as a positive effect of interaction among participants in a social network (Helliwell Putnam, 2004). The Internet has been linked both to increases and decreases in social capital. Nie (2001), for instance, argued that Internet use detracts from face-to-face time with others, which might weaken an individuals social capital. However, this viewpoint has received strong criticism (Bargh McKenna, 2004). Furthermore, a number of researchers have claimed that online connections may add to or replace in-person interactions, mitigating any loss from time spent online (Wellman, Haase, Witte, Hampton, 2001). In fact, studies of physical (e.g., geographical) communities supported by online networks, such as the Blacksburg Electronic Village, have found out that computer-mediated interactions have had constructive effects on community relations, involvement, and social capital (Hampton Wellman, 2003; Kavanaugh, Carroll, Rosson, Zin, Reese, 2005). Lately, researchers have emphasized the significance of Online-based linkages for the formation of weak ties, which provide the foundations of bridging social capital. Donath and boyd (2004) theorize that SNSs (Social Network Services) could to a great extent add to the weak ties one could form and maintain, because the technology is well-suited to maintaining such ties inexpensively and effortlessly. Based on the earlier work, one could suggest the following assumption: Concentration of Facebook use should be positively connected with individuals perceived bridging social capital.    It is obvious that the Internet facilitates new connections, in that it provides people with another way to connect with others who share their interests or relationship goals (Ellison, Heino, Gibbs, 2006; Horrigan, 2002; Parks Floyd, 1996). These new connections may cause an increase in social capital; for example, a 2006 Pew Internet study analysed that online users are more likely to have a larger network of close ties than non-Internet users, and that Internet users are more likely than non-users to obtain help from core network members (Boase, Horrigan, Wellman, Rainie, 2006). Williams (2006) argues that even though researchers have examined possible downfalls of social capital in offline communities due to greater Internet use, they have not effectively explored online gains that could compensate for this. For that reason it could be proposed a second assumption on the relationship between Facebook use and close ties: Concentration of Facebook use should be positively related with individuals perceived bonding social capital. 3. Methodology The ontology of this research is such as: although Facebook is virtual and without material component, one can view and describe it as a real object, because it can be used, felt and its existence proved. Second is the epistemology, for which the objective perspective is used, because Facebook is seen as separate entity from the individual user. The environment is constant, thus the result is that the individual`s profile is what changes according to the virtual surrounding. This perspective makes it easier for marketers to analyse the user behaviour and give firms the opportunity to efficiently advertise and sell their products for maximizing profits. To provide evidence that the research findings are indeed correct, the positivist assumption will be used, because it is better and more accurate way of describing the topic, giving exact data for the research. An example of bad secondary date is the following pie chart: http://media.brainz.org/uploads/2009/02/facebook.png For the purpose of the research a comparison of the terms primary and secondary data is needed, so one can see why the author of the research chooses the second. Primary data is collected to be up to date and topic specific. This in no doubt leads to better and more accurate results. The big downfall of this method is its time consuming nature and the fact it is really expensive. On the other hand Secondary data is identified by Saunders et al (2003) as data previously collected, stored or published. The big plus of secondary data is that it is already published, analysed, structured and is reviewed by other professors and academics, who already evaluated it. There are two types of secondary data identified by Saunders et al (2003). These are qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative data is usually analyses and text-like definitions whereas quantitative data is usually related to statistics and numbers. A good source of quantitative secondary data is census, housing, social security as well as electoral statistics and other related databases. It is exactly this type of data, that would be best to use in this research as it is easier, cheaper and less time consuming to obtain, while relatively reliable and least, but not last, by using secondary data it is easier to avoid privacy problems with the people the information was gathered from. As every method, secondary data has its disadvantages, which in this case are that the data may be collected for a different from the researcher`s aim and thus it can be distorted. The access to some secondary data sources can be costly and difficult. Furthermore it is proved that one has no real control over the quality and reliability of the secondary data at all. (Saunders, M. Et al. 2003) For that reason when collecting the secondary data it is vital to measure its validity and whether it meets the researcher`s needs. There is always bias in the data, so it is important to find as many sources as possible to minim ise the bias. (Saunders, M. Et al. 2003). For this exact research the secondary data will be collected from analysed written surveys, questionnaires, telephone surveys, observation focus groups and existing records. Each of those has their own pros and cons in terms of how much qualitative data can be extracted out of them. It is clear that written surveys with determined scales will give more pure numbers and thus make the descriptive statistics analysis easier. On the other hand processing telephone surveys and observation focus groups would be harder and more time consuming. But as stated above one need as much data sources as possible to fully analyse and give reliable and non biased answer on a topic as large as the impact of the largest online social network – Facebook on its users. 4. Research plan: Step one: writing the proposition Step two: make a research on the possible resources available and making a list of the most useful sources. Step three: Following the proposition methods, mine the needed quantitative data from the resources. Step four: Analyse and process the raw quantitative mined data via descriptive statistics analysis and the qualitative data analysis. Step five: Summaries the data found from the previous steps and based on it start writing the actual dissertation. Step six: Review the Reference and bibliography carefully and write it. Step seven: Give the semi-finished dissertation to the advisor for ideas of improvement. Step eight: Improve and polish the dissertation and then wrap it up for submission.http://thomaslarock.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/datamining.jpg http://www.42u.com/images/data-center-resources.jpghttp://howtowriteathesis.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/writingabook.jpg http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/classic-motoring/Flex3401VRGCarPolisher.jpg -1 -2- -3-http://www.whole-person-counseling.com/Images/bookstack.gifhttp://onetick.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/innovation_1.jpg?w=640 http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2008-11-17-2Advisor.GIF -4--5- -6- -7- -8- 5. Conclusion With the data that could be gathered using the models described above, one will have a more in-depth, reliable and useful information about the actual benefits and drawbacks Facebook gives in terms of social and bonding capital. It will be seen whether the theories suggesting Facebook helps people with face communication difficulties are indeed true. In general, conducting this research will provide data that is important for understanding the ever-growing online social networks and how to cultivate them to bring maximum benefits, not only for socializing, but for businesses, education, helping people overcome socializing problems and improving our lives in general.http://www.neurosoftware.ro/programming-blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/521f7_facebook_like_button.jpg

Woodstock Music Festival :: essays research papers

WoodStock music festival, took place near Woodstock New York, on August 15, 16, and 17, 1969, and became a symbol of the 1960’s American counterculture and a milestone in the were often referred to as hippies and who characteristically rejected hartred and authority, protested against the Vietnam War, supported the civil rights movement, dressed differently, and experimented with sex and illegal use of drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Woodstock began by four partners Michael Lang, the manager of a rock band, Artie Kronfeld, an executive at Capitol Records, and two capitalists, John Roberts and Joel Rosenman. Their original plan had been to build a recording studio in Woodstock, a small town in the Catskill Mountains that had become a rock center when musician Bob Dylan and a rock group called the Band settled there. To getout the word the four partners decided to have a concert, which they called WoodStock Music and Art Fair. The festival was expected to attract 50,000 to 100,000 people. After a long search for a large enough space, the partners eventually rented a field from a local dairy farmer, Max Yasgur, who owned land about 48miles from Woodstock, in the town of Bethel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early in the week before the festival, it became clear that the event as going to draw a much larger audience than expected. By the day before the official opening, traffic jams miles long blocked most roads leading to the area. On Friday, August 15, when the festival began, its management was unable to watch the estimated 400,000 or more people coming into and out of the field and decided to end admission fees. Sweetwater, the band scheduled to open the festival, could not get to the site because of the traffic, so folksinger Richie Havens, who was already there, began the festival instead. As a result of the audience size, volunteers from inside and out helped with any possible problems: Woodstock Music Festival :: essays research papers WoodStock music festival, took place near Woodstock New York, on August 15, 16, and 17, 1969, and became a symbol of the 1960’s American counterculture and a milestone in the were often referred to as hippies and who characteristically rejected hartred and authority, protested against the Vietnam War, supported the civil rights movement, dressed differently, and experimented with sex and illegal use of drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Woodstock began by four partners Michael Lang, the manager of a rock band, Artie Kronfeld, an executive at Capitol Records, and two capitalists, John Roberts and Joel Rosenman. Their original plan had been to build a recording studio in Woodstock, a small town in the Catskill Mountains that had become a rock center when musician Bob Dylan and a rock group called the Band settled there. To getout the word the four partners decided to have a concert, which they called WoodStock Music and Art Fair. The festival was expected to attract 50,000 to 100,000 people. After a long search for a large enough space, the partners eventually rented a field from a local dairy farmer, Max Yasgur, who owned land about 48miles from Woodstock, in the town of Bethel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early in the week before the festival, it became clear that the event as going to draw a much larger audience than expected. By the day before the official opening, traffic jams miles long blocked most roads leading to the area. On Friday, August 15, when the festival began, its management was unable to watch the estimated 400,000 or more people coming into and out of the field and decided to end admission fees. Sweetwater, the band scheduled to open the festival, could not get to the site because of the traffic, so folksinger Richie Havens, who was already there, began the festival instead. As a result of the audience size, volunteers from inside and out helped with any possible problems:

Free Essays on Whartons Ethan Frome: Wonderful and Cynical Ethane :: Ethan Frome Essays

Wonderful and Cynical Ethane Frome    Wonderful symbolism, pleasant reading, yet cynical and deterministic  Ã‚   I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and recommend it to lovers of romantic tragedy. For its mere 157 pages, this novel has an amazing impact. Wharton, who is usually credited for her stories set in the society she was more familiar with, such as "The Age of Innocence" writes with profound symbolism here. Setting the story in the town of Starkfield, her main character, Ethan, is a poor farmer caught between the cold reality of his marriage and his warm passion for love. In many ways "Ethan Frome" reminds me of "The Great Gatsby", although Ethan is much more down-to-earth and realistic than the fanciful Jay. But both novels read like poetry, and Wharton masterfully uses the natural settings and seasons to describe and emphasize her protagonist's inner workings. Where the tragedy of Gatsby's story may be questionable, there is no question (not in my mind anyway) about this story's appeal to our pathos. What is even more interesting is that Ethan Frome is probably the closest to autobiography of Wharton's works. She most likely chose a male protagonist in order to achieve the sympathy for those circumstances. Had she titled the story "Edna Frome" she would have likely stirred the animosity that Kate Chopin received for her book "The Awakening". The story is a simple one and the reading very pleasing. Ethan Frome is in a loveless marriage to a "mean" and sickly woman - Zeena. He falls in love with her younger cousin Mattie, who embodies all the sweet characteristics of romance. The dilemma is obvious on the surface, but is strengthened by many other unsurmountable realities. (Wharton has been labelled a believer of determinism, which is evident in this writing.)

Agricultural Equipment Business Essay

Agricultural Equipment Business Manufacturing, export and distribution opportunities in post-harvest equipment beckon entrepreneurs even as other farm products also hold great promise In the last decade, Buhler, a global manufacturer of grain milling, sorting and handling products, has been witnessing a geographical shift in demand for its products. While the US and Europe remained the mainstay for long, it is China and India that are now the demand hubs for its products. The company, which launched its India operations in 1992, has since expanded its facility in India and ramped up the workforce. Another equipment firm, Satake, a Japanese major, has been witnessing similar trend. But the presence of big firms such as Satake and Buhler has not had much effect on local manufacturing. Many small and medium enterprises operate at full capacity across the country. Take for instance, S P Khandelwal of S S Milling and Engineering. He sells grain cleaning and sorting equipment to flour mills, energy foods producers and snacks companies. He boasts of clients such as Bikanerwala, Priya Gold and Modi Flour Mill. It is the price factor that helps entrepreneurs such as Khandelwal survive the onslaught of the global majors. â€Å"Products sold by organized players are expensive while my products are low-cost,† he says. Farm equipment companies, both big and small, are fighting tooth and nail to grab the larger share of the lucrative India market, despite the fact that the agriculture sector’s share in the GDP has fallen over the years. This notwithstanding, the farm equipment sector, that is a key support for agriculture, has been growing at a brisk pace and is projected to touch $7. 9 billion by 2012, according to The Freedonia Group, a US-based market research firm. [pic] Growth Drivers A couple of factors are driving the growth of this sector. These are mechanization of agriculture, increase in contract farming, easy availability of farm loans at low interest rates, and migration of laborers from villages to cities. Mechanization of Indian agricultural has been a major booster. The continuous increase in the consumption of power for farm sector and the corresponding reduction in the use of animal and human power is a clear indication that more and more machines are being deployed. A study by KPMG, done for India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) throws up some interesting observations. It says the share of animals as the source of power for the agriculture sector declined sharply from 45% in 1971-72 to less than 10% in 2005-06.