Friday, November 29, 2019

The Emirati Consumers Buying Behaviors

Introduction There is no use denying the fact that modern world is based on market relations. Nowadays, every state is able to exist and function due to the main aspects of market-driven economy. People and organizations buy certain goods and in this way they promote further development of the whole industry.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Emirati Consumers’ Buying Behaviors specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These regularities are peculiar to the majority of countries in the world nowadays. That is why, it is absolutely vital for coherent society to save existing model as the whole prosperity of the world depends on it. Additionally, it is possible to say that there are regions where some certain sorts of goods are distributed better than others. I t is connected with the peculiarities of development of the area and culture of people who live there (Luxury Goods in the United Arab Emirates, 20 14). Special demand leads to the development of a certain kind of industry which, in its turn, influences the whole economy of a state. Nevertheless, especially important it becomes if the demand of a customer and his/her buying behavior depend on the presence or absence of a certain kind of goods (Worldwide luxury goods continues double-digit annual growth; global market now tops â‚ ¬200 billion, finds Bain Company, 2013). Under these conditions, the aim of this work is to analyze the Emirati consumer’s buying behaviors based on luxury goods prices and the character of the good of this sort (Pivac, 2014). This question seems to be rather significant within the framework of the development of the UAE industry and market because people, who buy luxury goods, serve as the main force for the development of economy (Luxury Goods in the United Arab Emirates, n.d.). That is why, it is very important to understand all aspects which influence the choice of these people and mechan isms of the formation of their behavior. Background It is obvious that there is a great number of different scientists who devote their works to the investigation of this very issue. The thing is that being very important, it can influence situation in the region greatly. Nowadays, the UAE is one of the richest states in the world and it is obvious that great attention is given to purchasing ability of its citizens and their buying behavior in order to understand better what kind of goods could be sold better and start manufacturing and promoting these very products (Ligaya, 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Under these conditions, it becomes very important to understand the situation it the country and world in the whole. Additionally, the UAE can be also characterized by the high level of incomes among youth as very often they are either heritors of a great c apital or partners in some business usually connected with oil manufacturing and distribution (Maceda, 2013). Taking these facts into account, it is possible to say that very often oscillations in the mood of a customer can influence his/her attitude towards a certain good or service and influence his/her decision whether to buy a good or not. That is why, the influence of the positive or negative attitude towards a certain object should also be investigated. Theoretical framework It is no use denying the fact that the issue of consumers buying behavior has its own theoretical basis. It should be said that a great number of different factors influence the attitude of a person towards some good and it, in its turn, influences their final decision whether to buy a good or not. Additionally, there is a great number of additional concepts and forces which influence the process of decision making of a customer. Under these conditions, it should be suggested that the Theory of Reasoned Ac tion could be applied to this issue. This theory states that there are certain factors which influence and predict a behavioral intention of a person and in such a way make him/her buy certain good. That is why, it is possible to say that the main key points of this theory could be used to investigate the problem. To show the possible ways of the implementation of the theory and directions for analysis it is possible to create a conceptual map which takes into account all these issues. With this in mind, it is possible to say that there are at least three important factors which influence decision making and attitude of a customer towards a good.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Emirati Consumers’ Buying Behaviors specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Study Constructs and Variables Talking about different buying behaviors and attitude of people towards certain goods, it is impossible not to mentio n different statistical data and numbers which are able to show the state of affairs peculiar to the sphere under investigation. With this in mind, it is possible to say that one of the main variables of the whole research will be the level of satisfaction of people while buying certain kinds of goods and answers of consumers connected with the most important aspects of the issue. In order to get the needed variable a special survey is created and conducted among people who live in the UAE. It is also important to admit that statistical data obtained from this survey serves as the basis for the whole research as it helps to obtain clear image of the whole sphere and to analyze preferences of the targeted audience. Additionally, hypothesis, created to support the research with a good theoretical basis and show peculiarities of the issue better, are also discussed in the paper and analyzed with the help of different theories and statistical data. Hypotheses Having outlined the main va riables, concepts and theories which are used in the given research, it is possible to show the main hypothesis of our research and main research questions. Research question Which attitude-processing mode (affective or cognitive) typically helps Emiratis consumers between the ages of 25 and 35 to come to term with a product price? How does their high or low level of involvement moderate this process? Hypothesis 1: The more Emirati consumers are involved towards luxury products, the higher the chance they will make decisions based on their emotions and tend to pay more. Hypothesis 2: The Emirati consumer tends to spend more on locally produced luxury products rather than imported luxury goodsAdvertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hypothesis 3: Cultural peculiarities and financial growth of the UAE have led to the rise of level of involvement of Emirati buyers when it comes to luxury. It becomes obvious that the main aim of the given research is to investigate preferences of the group of population of a certain age to understand peculiarities of customers attitude towards certain price and influence of its size on the intention of a person to buy a good better. Method Sample Description To support the work with clear evidence a special survey is created and conducted. The aim of any survey is to collect reliable and credible information. That is why, it is usually organized in the most clear way for respondents to be able to follow it and answer its questions easily. The survey for this research paper is placed online at https://www.1ka.si/a/68474 for the respondents to be able to participate in it in the form which is the most convenient for them. There are 20 questions in the essay which main aim is to inve stigate the main peculiarities of customers behavior of people in the UAE. The total surveyed number is now 42, with 28 total valid and 14 total invalid (The Emirati consumers buying behavior, n.d). The preferable age of people is between 25 and 35 years. This period is chosen not accidentally as usually at this very period people are more likely to buy some thing which is associated with luxury and a certain lifestyle (Vel, Captain, Al-Abbas, Al Hashemi, 2011). It should also be said that the survey is still available on the site and due to this fact it is possible to monitor situation and add the latest changes to the research admitting the latest variations of the results. Design of the study Taking into account the character of the issue under investigation, the decision to use survey as the main tool which can collect the needed data is accepted. There are several reasons for this choice. It is undeniable fact that consumers behavior is a very personal characteristics which va ries and, that is why, only direct questions connected with the issue can help to find a good answer and determine certain regularities Wit this in mind, a certain survey is designed in order to obtain these answers. Special survey tool OneClick Survey is used for these purposes. This survey is rather efficient and provides a great number of possibilities for data processing. It can help to calculate final results and present regularities and statistics connected with the survey. Additionally, great possibilities for the data analysis are also provided by this very tool. That is why, it is chosen as the main service which can help to collect the needed data and process it, outlining certain peculiarities and regularities for their further discussion. Scale and Questionnaire The design of the survey implies the usage of a certain kind of questions. First of all, it should be said that the majority of questions have several variants and a respondent should choose one which fits the be st his/her demands. Additionally, there are also questions which need detailed answer and there are no certain variants for a respondent to chose them. These questions are needed to understand what factors can influence a persons consumer behavior as it is impossible to take all these factors into account and include them into the survey. Additionally, there are several questions connected with ratings. A person is given the task to evaluate some element of phenomenon for the researchers to be able to understand his/her attitude towards the issue. A respondent should do it using the scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is not important or used rarely and 5 is the most important of frequently used. With this in mind, it is possible to say that it is the combined survey which uses different kinds of questions in order to obtain the most reliable and credible information which could be used in the following research paper. Results The data obtained with the help of the survey can be processed and certain results connected with the peculiarities of consumers behavior in the UAE could be obtained. It should be said that majority of respondents are females (21 women against 7 men). Additionally, it should be mentioned that according to the survey they buy luxury products once a three month and are ready to spend 20-25% of their income on these products. All these results are obtained with the help of analysis of the data provided by the survey. The tool OneClick Survey is used to calculate the data and present it in the form of a table with understandable numbers and results. It should also be said that logic approach is used to analyze the data. Resting on certain facts obtained from the survey it is possible to suggest some ideas connected with the issue. Discussion The results obtained from the survey provide the possibility to make a certain conclusion. First of all, it should be said that there is a great number of factors which influence the process of decision making of consumers in the UAE. These factors are connected with the price of a good and its origin. Resting on the data, obtained from the survey, it is possible to say that low price is not the guaranty that a good will be bought. Moreover, majority of respondents have neutral attitude towards the price of a good. Nevertheless, it should be said that hypothesis that consumers in the UAE prefer to buy luxury goods which are manufactured in the UAE turned out to be irrelevant. According to the survey, citizens of the UAE prefer foreign goods to local ones because of their quality and popularity. However, it is also possible to assume that blistering growth of the level of incomes of people in the UAE can be taken as one of the main reasons of the growth of interest towards luxury goods. Respondents state that the increase of incomes will lead to the further growth of the interest towards this sort of goods. Besides, the majority of respondents state the fact that very often they decide to bu y a good spontaneously. With this in mind, it is possible to say that two hypothesis of our research paper are true and there is a clear evidence to support them. Limitations It should be said that there are certain factors which influence the research. First of all, a small number of respondents should be admitted as this fact does not allow to obtain more reliable information. Additionally, impossibility to question really rich and influential people adds some limits. Direction for the future Research in this area It is possible to suggest further research connected with the issue of luxury goods and consumers behavior in the UAE as it is very important region with a great potential. That is why, possible aftermath of the growth of interest towards some other kinds of goods should be analyzed. Conclusion Having analyzed the main aspects of the Emirati consumer’s buying behaviors, it is possible to make a certain conclusion. It should be said that citizens of the UAE prefer to buy foreign products, without any occasion and very often for some private needs. Additionally, the price does not play significant role as high level of incomes promotes development of the demand on such goods. References Ligaya, A. (2010). Survey suggests luxuries have become a lifestyle in UAE. The National. Retrieved from http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/survey-suggests-luxuries-have-become-a-lifestyle-in-uae Luxury Goods in the United Arab Emirates. (2014). Marketwatch. Retrieved from http://www.marketwatch.com/story/luxury-goods-in-the-united-arab-emirates-2014-08-26 Luxury Goods in the United Arab Emirates. (n.d.). Euromonitor international. Retrieved from http://www.euromonitor.com/luxury-goods-in-the-united-arab-emirates/report Maceda, C. (2013).  UAE demand for luxury goods slows down. Gulf News. Retrieved from http://gulfnews.com/business/sectors/general/uae-demand-for-luxury-goods-slows-down-1.1192486 Pivac, Z. (2014). GCC’s luxury goods market continu es to grow fast. Retrieved from http://www.bqdoha.com/2014/09/gccs-luxury-goods-market-continues-grow-fast The Emirati consumers buying behavior.(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.1ka.si/admin/survey/index.php?anketa=68474a=analysism=sumarnik Vel, K., Captain, A., Al-Abbas, R. Al Hashemi, B. (2011), Luxury buying in the United Arab Emirates, Journal of Business and Behavioural Sciences, 23(3), pp. 145-160.Retrieved from http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1457context=dubaipapers Worldwide luxury goods continues double-digit annual growth; global market now tops â‚ ¬200 billion, finds Bain Company. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.bain.com/offices/middleeast/en_us/press/press-releases/2013-luxury-market-study-release-bain-middle-east.aspx This research paper on The Emirati Consumers’ Buying Behaviors was written and submitted by user Jaidyn Nolan to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Causes and Effects for College Students Essays

The Causes and Effects for College Students Essays The Causes and Effects for College Students Essay The Causes and Effects for College Students Essay Everyone in the world has a chance to experience stress, so almost everyone knows what the meaning of stress is. Most people who suffer from stress are college students because they have many things to do at the same time. Students have to balance their course work and family at the same time, and they have to leave their family problems in their home to be able to concentrate carefully on their course work. The university life has become a lot more challenging, and it’s much harder than school. I think being in college can be extremely stressful because students have to do everything by themselves. Furthermore, students have many assignments to do everyday. Therefore, students stay awake late and don’t pay attention to the class because they don’t get enough sleep. Moreover, college students in their first year usually lose or gain weight; this leads to stress. Also, most students have jobs and less time to do homework which makes them stress. An enormous amount of stress affects many academic issues; such as sleep deprivation, changes in weight, and time issues. The first effect of stress that happens for college students is sleeping problems. In addition, college students have many things to do in their day time, so they have to stay up until midnight. Therefore, if they get to sleep late, they will wake up late in the morning. According to Berit, â€Å"deprivation alone is enough to make the emotional brain behave as if an extreme danger were present† (2008, P 11). In my case, every day, I have to study for an exam or do homework for all my classes and write at least one essay. Even though I finish college at 3PM, I sometimes stay until 6pm. Therefore, I can’t sleep well at night, and if I don’t have 8 hours of sleep, I feel tired while I’m in the class, and I can’t pay attention. Some students have to study for more than one test, so they have to spend most of their time on studying, and they need to stay awake until the next day. During the exam, they feel tired, and they can’t do well on the tests. Because of stress they don’t sleep well at night. This stress affects their attention on the class. Another cause of college stress is losing or gaining weight. Sometimes students do not have time to eat because of the work they have to do. According to Scott (2008), in the article about stress for college students â€Å"Some people think that while student study for first year, some of students they lost their weight and other gain because of academic stress† (P7). As a result of not having enough proteins and energy to stay healthy, some students lose weight. For example, before I came here to study my major, my weight was 70kg, but after four months of studying here and the amount of work I had to finish, my weight has become 61kg because I don’t have time to cook, and I feel lazy, so I just eat simple foods and go to the bed. Also, my friend Abdurrahman who came with me to the U. S. , he was 73kg but until now he has gained 9kg because of the stress which caused him to eat chocolate and ice cream when he felt bad. Because of this stress, students would not be able to focus carefully because they are unhealthy, so the brain may not work like some healthy person. Therefore, the stress on college students attributes to weight loss and gain. The third cause of stress that college students deal with is time management problems. Some college students are more independent, and they have to work for themselves. Most of the students have a part time job, so they can pay for their tuitions. Thus, they have to study well in college and do well at their job simultaneously; they need more time to adapt and do well at a new job. For example, my friend John, from Washington, DC, lost his scholarship because he didn’t do well in his course, so he lost his job. He didn’t do well because he didn’t have time to study. Some students can’t manage their time between work and studying which affects them with a lot of stress. As a result, course work and employment is difficult for students which causes the stress because of the lack of time. All of these aspects can cause students to feel like they are overwhelmed. Most students use alcohol, tobacco, or drugs to relieve stress. To conclude, I think most of the university students today are facing three main major effects that have to do with sleeping, weight and time issues. College students have a lot of stress, but we have to balance our lives. Because of the stress that college students face, some students use drugs to reduce the college stress. Moreover, to reduce the stress, we have to balance the college life and social life. Being lazy is taboo in the college life. Students have to sleep early and wake up early and try as much as they can to focus in their classes. Students should budget their demands of college life and social life. Food is very important for the body to get energy and be more active because it contains all the nutrients and vitamins that we need in order for us to function correctly. We also have to balance between work and school. Everyone must study hard and balance life to be a successful person.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Marketing - Essay Example This eventually resulted to creating a need for a good financial market for banking and finance in which the bottom line would be to stimulate needs for certain product or service offerings. This area has become so competitive in which the resulting activity leads to the creation of competitive rivalry. In short, it is important to consider that the presence of new market entrants, power of supplier and buyer and advancement in technology has significantly created an essential force leading to competitive rivalry (Ireland et al., 2007; Hitt et al., 2009). Porter therefore is right on specifying some factors that may essentially lead to the creation of competitive rivalry. Thus, he emphasised that there is a need to go for competitive strategies. This is what the financial market has essentially applied to the extent that there is a point to include economic policy measures just to minimise the presence of competition in the market (Lindbeck, 1973; Lancaster and Reynolds, 2005). The b uilding societies and banks The Building Societies Association (2011) presents some major differences between building societies and banks which include building societies as mutual institutions, are not companies run by their shareholders, and the issue on the limit of proportion of funds. These differences bring forward to some major advantages and even shown in some studies revealing that building societies have outperformed banks implying that mutual organisations may outweigh those stock organisations (Valnek, 1999). There are underlying reasons for this and one of the most significant is the inclusion of rights and privileges for members to receive the right information they deserve to have. The next most important thing about building societies is that they are not considered companies which are highly controlled by shareholders who are influential to maximise profits for increase amount of dividends. The point of this is that there will be low operating cost and other signif icant privileges that will ensure advantage on opportunity cost. In fact, it was found that building societies remain to have constant rates in deposit and mortgage (Heffeman, 2005). This emphasises that building societies are indeed not under pressure of its stakeholders which means further that the needs of consumers are greatly catered to the fullest. The limit of proportion of funds on the other hand would mean further that compared to banks, building societies are highly secured for investment and this is an opportunity for consumers or investors to go. Harpenden Building Society Harpenden’s company website revealed some of important information about its operation which leads to having a better view at its current trends in the market (Harpenden Building Society, 2010). Harpenden is known for its place in the UK building societies. It significantly belongs to the rank of 52 renowned UK building societies because of its 20,000 members having more than 25,000 accounts. As ide from this, Harpenden has no debt because it eliminates its chance for borrowings on the money market. Another good thing about the financial performance of Harpenden is the upward spiralling growth of its deposits and mortgages. Harpenden is also recognised by

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The United States Army Corps of Engineers Essay

The United States Army Corps of Engineers - Essay Example The agency is mainly concerned with public projects as concerns environmental protection, disaster management such as hurricanes control, military technology design, recreational facilities and corporation with other government agencies to ensure a sustainable technology and national security. Besides running and managing most of the nation’s Hydro Electric Power Dams, it is conversely the arm of the federal government acting to support the locals in case of a natural disaster. Every year, the agency responds to more than 30 natural disasters both in the USA and elsewhere, with flooding being the most common disaster faced. One of the main activities the USACE is involved with is the reconstruction of infrastructure in Iraq and Afghanistan. The history of the Corps dates back to the origins of the nation in the early 18th century, mostly during the revolutionary war .It came about as a desire to combat the several challenges facing the forces in terms of technical capabilities and skilled labor. Later in the 19th Century, the Corps resolved to inculcate civilians in to its mission to serve in areas with highly specialized labor as well as to quiet political demands of the locals. Today, the USACE is a large Federal Agency with branches all over and serving more than 130 countries worldwide. Regardless of the noble tasks associated with the Army Corps, coupled with its great success in most of its projects, the USACE has been criticized for mismanagement of funds and environmental risks in the projects allocated to it. Its projects have often subsidized personal interests at the cost of taxpayers’ money. Besides, the Agency has a dark history of blurring its costs so as to justify its projects. One of its projects, the design and construction of levees to curb Hurricane Flooding in New Orleans, was described by the American Society of Civil Engineers as the greatest civil engineering catastrophe in history (Bernhardt & Walsh, 2003). This was after hurricane Katrina cracked the levees and flooded the larger area of New Orleans, destroying property and lives. With other several and similar examples, it is clear that the Agency is failing to manage effectively its projects, as well as costing citizens lots of millions. This paper scrutinizes the Agency’s Data Management System, which is core towards an effective system, paying special regard to the causes of the systems lack of integrity. The author will also examine examples where the system has been described as a total failure. The conclusion section will entail recommendations towards implementing a more honest system and how to avoid future failures of the system. In 1802, the Congress created an Army Corps of Engineers to focus on supporting Military activities. With the progress of the century, the Corps became involved with civilian activities mainly flood control and river direction. With the growing demand for humanitarian activities, more and more missions outs ide the military circle crept in, and today’s Corps has faced 200 years of mission creep (Edward, 2012). The expansion go-aheads passed by the Congress since the 18th Century has not been taking clear considerations on the management of the Agency. Rather, the focus was on eradicating the threats posed by natural disasters. Such a process allows for large possibilities of over budgeting. In one instance in 1836, the House Ways and Means Committee discovered that more than a quarter of the Agency’s projects were over budget. Another expansion mishap was seen in the 1930s where flood control projects were seen as a job creation strategy (Edward, 2012). Many government agencies, including USACE worked to drain many wetlands all over the nation. With

Monday, November 18, 2019

Unit 4 DB Introduction to Law Enforcement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 4 DB Introduction to Law Enforcement - Essay Example ction responds to immigrations and customs violations such as smuggling with a frontline service as far as the law enforcement responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security are concerned. CBP combines an integrative border law enforcement effort incorporating the services of other agencies to form a formidable administrative umbrella that facilitates legal, safe travel and trade. Under this framework, the agency absorbs employees from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the Border Patrol, the Customs Service, and the Department of Agriculture with the main mission of preventing terrorists’ activities, especially those touching on weapons of mass destruction from entering the country (DHS, 2012). Based primarily at U.S. border-points of entry as well as ports, the agency duties involves apprehending illegal immigrants, stemming the flow of illegal drugs/chemicals, and protecting the nation’s agricultural interests from external harmful pests and diseases. The agency also collects data on imports and imports for the nation’s control of its strategic trade balance as a player in international economics (DHS, 2012). Basically, law enforcement involves the services of a chain of agencies right from the federal level down to the local sheriffs operating at the community level. Given its operative mechanics cutting across through to the intelligence networks, the agency monitors, collects, analyses and disseminates its intelligence reports to and from the federal, state, local and international links for a proper understanding of illicit international exchanges, which touches but goes beyond immigration issues. Indeed, the engagement between this particular agency and the local law enforcement agencies since the September 11 has been fruitful enough to keep the nation off another deadly attack from its sworn enemies, the al-Qaeda. While it is commendable that information trickling down from the agency helps local organizations to function

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Web Based Information Systems

Web Based Information Systems Abstract This paper aims to present the social and organizational aspects of web-based information systems. Now we are in 21st century. Last century has been considered as the rising of Information and communication technology. Now-a-days there is increasing development of web-based information systems for social and organizational sectors. Web-based information systems based on web technologies which shares different types of Internet protocol and plays an important role for gathering, storing, collecting and communicating data from different sources and spread information at a glance. The speed and efficiency of web-based information system which includes both local and global networks, databases and different types of program for information processing makes social and organizational life easier for people. The web-based applications maintain operations of management. Such applications helps to integrate quality management processes, life cycle of organizational goal, implementing and shar ing production plan This web-based technology has an impact on social relation, social behaviour and various organization issues. Keywords: World Wide Web (WWW), WBIS (Web-based information system), Internet Protocol, Information processing, social networking, social relation and behaviour. Introduction: Information technology is playing a crucial role in the development of modern society and social life. It has transformed the whole world into a global village. Now social life has moved to online. People are using discussion board, blogs and social networking sites through web-based technology to communicate digitally. World Wide Web, digital library, e-commerce and computer based distance learning has made our life easier. Now-a-days people are becoming more interested in online communities to share interests and activities. Most of the social network services are web-based and these sites are providing different ways to interact with others such as instant messaging and email. More over WBIS can be used in many ways in our social life such as educational institutions, new and media organizations, government services etc. Business organizations are using this WBIS to develop their business and to run their business globally. Business organizations can select various range of product from product database. That technology let the organizations to know the price list of the product and they can order various products online. So it works as a buying and selling media all over the world. The organizations can track orders and update the information through internet. Moreover now-a-days all the multinational business organizations are using web-based information system to maintain communication to other branches. So this technology is playing an important role in business development. Web-based Information system: Web-based information system is an information system which uses Internet web technologies for delivering information and services to users. This technology is a software system and is used to publish and maintain data by hypertext principle. Web-based information system is the combination of one or more web applications, specific functionality-oriented components. Basically in this type of information system web browser is used as a front end and all the databases are used as a back end. Key features of web-based Information System: Web-based information systems have evolved significantly over recent years with its improvement. Web-based applications have several advantages over traditional software based applications. Some of the core features of web-based applications are given below: Cross platform compatibility: Most web-based applications are compatible in different platforms than traditional installed software. The minimum requirement would be a web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape etc.). You can use different OS such as Windows, Linux or Mac to run the web applications. More Manageable: WBIS only need to be installed on the server placing minimal requirements on the end user workstation, which makes the system easier to maintain and update as usually it can all be done on the server. Multiple concurrent users: Web-based applications can indeed be used by multiple users at the same time. Its not necessary to share screen or send a screenshot when multiple users see and even edit the same document at the same time. Web conferencing and online collaboration companies regulate some key transformations and users only explore what they really need to work effectively and co-edit documents together. Reduced cost: Web-based applications can reduce cost due to support and maintenance, lower requirements on the end user system and simplified architecture. It doesnt require any distribution or marketing infrastructure. Secure live data: These applications can decrease the risk of losing data due to an unexpected disk crash or computer virus. Companies of web-based applications provide extensive data backup service either as an integral part or basic service or sometimes as a paid service. Social aspects of web-based information system: In the view of Karl Marx, human beings are intrinsically, necessarily and by definition social beings who beyond being gregarious creatures cannot survive and meet their needs other than through social co-operation and association. Their social characteristics are therefore to a large extent an objectively given fact, stamped on them from birth and affirmed by socialization processes; and, according to Marx, in producing and reproducing their material life, people must necessarily enter into relations of production which are independent of their will. Social life is affected by web-based information system in different ways. Some of them are given below: Online community: An online community is a virtual community which exist online and can take the form of information system where any one can post content by using bulletin board system or weblogs. Online community is used by various social and professional groups interacting via web-based technology. Its not necessary to have a strong bond among the members. The social network based online community arrived in early 2000s which is called social networking services contains different category divisions to connect with people. Social networking services allow people to create their own profile. Now Facebook and twitter has been using widely worldwide. More than 30 million and 18 million people are using Facebook and twitter respectively at the end of 2009. Myspace and LinkedIn being most widely used in North America. There are many others social networking website such as hi5, LinkedIn, orkut, tagged etc which is using all over the world. Some social networking sites are created for the benefit of othe rs, such as parents social network service Gurgle which talks about pregnancy, birth and bringing up children. So social networking services are being popular in society day by day. Educational Institutions: Now-a-days WBIS is used by most of the educational institutions for communicating with students. Students can find their course material, class schedules or any updated information through the WBIS. This technology has enabled researchers to access a wider source of information though internet. Moreover it is helpful for distance learning. News media organizations: As WBIS is used to store, manipulate, distribute or to create information, news and media organizations are intimately familiar with each of the elements of information technology. This technology helps us to get the updated news from all over the world. We can also get early information about weather and natural disaster, stock exchange, fashion etc. So this technology is playing an important role in our social and day to day life. Governments: The development of WBIS has helped the government to improve their service to their citizens. Citizens can get current and accurate government information from e-government websites. Government can publish different types of information through websites such as budget of the country, tourist spots of the country, results of examinations, vigilance information etc. Income tax department is doing online tax accounting for collecting income tax now. So government can get various advantages from WBIS. Moreover WBIS can be used for References Boyd, Danah; Ellison, Nicole (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Eric Gleave, Howard T. Welser, Tomas M. Lento, Marc A. Smith A conceptual and operational definition of social role in online community-Proceedings of the 42nd Hawaii International conference on system science-2009. Gianluca, Zanutto and Alberto, D.T Web-based information success: A measurement model of acceptance and fit. Linda Askenas and Alf westelius (2003) Five roles of an information system: A social constructionist approach of analysing the use of ERP system, journal vol3. Nabil Adam and Yelena Yesha, eds, Electronic Commerce: Current Research Issues and Applications, Springer, 1996. Morrison, Ken; Marx, Durkheim, Weber (2006). Formations of modern social thought.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Feng Shui in the Far East Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Feng Shui has been practiced in China for centuries. Throughout ancient China, masters of Feng Shui â€Å"were highly respected meteorologists, astronomers, and other scientists and who were charged with sustaining the good fortune and prosperity of the royal court. It has been guardedly passed down the generations through very specific lineages† (Feng Shui Advisors). It was widely practiced in modern-day China until the Cultural Revolution when Chairman Mao utilized mass force to destroy those with different ideas (Craze 9). It has evolved to be both a science and/or an art, depending on whose opinion is being given or taken. The science comes from the calculations and methodology used to analyze the space/site that one lives or works in. Some consider it an art because there are many aspects to it, and, ultimately, it is up to the person living/working in the space to determine whether it â€Å"feels right† for him/her. Chuen states, â€Å"It is an analytical system developed, not by one person, but by a centuries-old cumulative tradition based on meticulous observation and experimentation† (8). Feng Shui is also described as an â€Å"art of arranging one’s life in accordance with the forces of the universe,† and it â€Å"stretches back over at least 7000 years and probably far further† (Chuen 14). Feng Shui literally stands for wind and water: two of the most bas ic forms of life’s energy. â€Å"Without air we die within seconds.† â€Å"While we can live weeks without food, without water we soon perish† (Chuen 14).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The I Ching, or â€Å"Book of Changes† is an ancient Chinese divination manual and book of wisdom. It is a sacred text that ancestors of ancient China received through their meditative and spiritual practices. Made up of eight trigrams, or gua (kua) and sixty-four hexagrams (combinations of two trigrams) the symbols of the I Ching are known for its oracular qualities (Chuen 24). Each of the eight trigrams, or gua (kua) is associated with an element and a set of specific qualities, polarities, colors, etc. The I Ching, combined with the five elements theory, form the foundation of many Chinese arts, including martial arts, medicine, music, and of course Feng Shui. The I Ching is important to Feng Shui because it contains the â€Å"64 hexagrams [that] are important as they combine the eight house directions ... ...earchers and authors of Feng Shui literature. This was an enormous problem for me because half of what I read said one thing, and half said something different. I believe that the discrepancy may have come when the principles and rules of Feng Shui were translated from Chinese to English. For future study, one could compare all of the different discrepancies, and try to find the original belief or principle. References Chuen, Master L.K. (1996). Feng Shui Handbook: How to Create a Healthier Living and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Working Environment. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. Craze, R. (1999). Feng Shui Made Easy: An introduction to the basics of the ancient are   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  of feng shui. New York: Godsfield Press. Feng Shui Advisors. (1999). What is Feng Shui: A brief Feng Shui introduction. Internet   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Source. Last Modified 03/09/2002. Internet Explorer April 2, 2002. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.168fengshui.com/Articles/whatis.htm Weightman, B. (2002). Dragons and Tigers: A Geography of South, East and Southeast   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Asia. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc