The Perceptions and Preferences of Students towards e-learning Research Paper

The Perceptions and Preferences of Students towards e-learning assessments in Oman - Research Paper Example   The definition of e-learning has been comprehensively put by Carry and Willis (2001, pg 20) that e-learning processes are whichever forms of learning that applies technological network or computerized technology in knowledge delivery, knowledge facilitation, and interaction. As depicted in an array of literature, of particular interest has been to ascertain the actual implications of e-learning and this has been as largely theorized as debatable. On one hand, as documented by Hall and Snider (2000, pg 95), e-learning process has the potential of cutting across culture while opening doors to new ways of thinking, the sense that it is a delivery vehicle that is ideal for education and learning. Secondly, education systems and institutions should adopt e-learning because it is rich in information. Students can access information at any time, regardless of place. Thirdly, e-learning is a way forward to imparting knowledge to marginalized groups, that is, students with physical disabi lities who have to overcome distance barriers and communication barriers to access education. Fourthly, e-learning is flexible. On the other hand, e-learning has also been ascribed certain fears. As asserted by Johnston, Killion, and Oomen (2005), considering how globalization has drastically reduced the knowledge shelf life, e-learning is not an exceptional subject to related setbacks. One way in which students could meet a demand of non-discrete learning curve is to participate in e-learning while keeping into account the time and place variables of the highly globalized world, yet the e-learning framework does not assure this. Moreover, the processes pertaining to the adoption of e-learning process tends to be more complicated than solely suggesting it depends on the teaching staffs and faculties. As if not enough, how are web-based technologies mainstreamed in the cultural-education context and would it be effective for all faculties? According to Cuellar and Dyrbye (2002), all these points add to its complexity, implying the high chances failure. This division has an implication on the popularity of the e-learning by students. Thus, the question is how popular could be e-learning education and assessments. Ascertaining the popularity of e-learning will go a long way in informing the extent that the policymakers will go in qualifying its necessity. This is because the perceptions of e-learning have an impact on the ease at which e-learning can be adopted (Kook, 1997). Ethical Implications The study does not elicit ethical subject or implications. It touches on the aspect of education and simply entails asking the students perception of the topic area. From another point of view, this does not have any ethical sensitivity point. Research Methodology The most appropriate approach to ascertaining the perception of the students towards the e-learning is by conducting a research. The proposed research would entail a questionnaire to students on how they feel ab out e-learning assessments. The questionnaire was designed. Care is taken to ensure that the questions are as objective as possible while, at the same time, it was designed in a way that will enable the questions to turn away from the fatigue social desirability prejudice.  Ã‚  

Management Information Systems IP Four Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Information Systems IP Four - Essay Example The other is flash crash: machines go wild case study where the market equity in a flash, plunged to a historic low. The third is the Piloting the Valero with real-time management case study in which the Valero, a Texas-based oil refinery needed a system that could be able to display real-time data about issues concerning the plant. Reality Gets Better Case study Virtual reality is a three-dimensional space, which is a computer generated interactive space. Virtual reality immerses its users in the virtual world while the augmented reality keeps in touch with the real world. Augmented reality uses any of the three major display techniques to be able to achieve the blend of reality mixed with real-life images and graphic effects. The display techniques are hand held displays, head mounted displays that provide the virtual environment and shut out the real world, and spatial displays that mount graphical information on physical surfaces. It has been used to improve marketing in the sens e that it helps involve the customers and is able to communicate to the customers in an interesting and interactive way with relevance to them. In 2009, Esquire magazine was able to use this in their advertising where they added several stickers, which had designs that had this ability. When held up to a web camera, it started interactive video segments featuring the issue’s cover, Robert Downey Jr. (Ovide, 2009). In image guided surgery, a CT scan and MRI provides the necessary data that is superimposed on the patient in the operating room. In real estate, this has been employed to help the user find information they need on the go, since smart phones have GPS, cameras and internet. Therefore, one can just point their phone on a building and the value of the building per square meter and a small photo accompanied by a live image project from the phone’s camera, hence provide real estate information on the go (Macintosh, 2010). Flash Crash: Machines go wild case study The U.S stock markets on May 6, 2010 experienced a sudden and quick plunge at 2:42 PM, which left Dow Jones 600 points down. Twenty-five minutes later, Dow had gained almost the points it had lost. This flash crash appeared to have happened when a single mutual fund company engaged in abrupt selling activities that caused a chain reaction. The high-frequency traders HFTs are the ones now doing the work that the stock specialists used to do, including the matching of buyers and sellers efficiently, which the market makers did. In a case where the algorithm cannot handle the complexity of the event, a flash crash occurs. The algorithm in the case of Overland park on May 6 dumped 75,000 contracts and was instructed to sell them with disregard to price and time, and continued to sell and the prices dropped sharply. It would normally take five hours to sell them but this took twenty minutes (Bowley, 2010). The NYSE activated circuit breakers where the trading traffic is shifted to human stockbrokers intended to slow the trading process and to avoid the plunge (Bowley, 2010). Electronic trading simply showed that it allows the flash crash to occur over a short period of time and is able to amplify sudden market moves, which can go either side and happen faster with minimal chances of intervention (Henderson, 2009). Piloting the Valero with real-time management Valero energy is one of the largest oil refineries in the US,

Nickel-mediated Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate

Nickel-mediated Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Abstract: The Ni(II) complexes [Ni(5-C5H3 R2)(X)(NHC)] 1a–f combined with MAO was tested in methylmethacrylate (MMA) polymerization. The complex 1f, bearing the bulky 2,6-diisopropenylphenyl substituents in the NHC ligand was found to be the most effective in the polymerization of MMA with TOF up to 200 h-1 resulting in a syndiotactic, high molecular weight PMMAs which can be explained by anionic, MAO-centered polymerization mechanism. Introduction: A great deal of attention is currently being paid to polymers containing polar monomers,  which may give rise to new high-performance materials with high adhesion and toughness and good dyeing and moisture adsorption properties.1 Metal-based catalysts tolerant of polar functionalities, which perform homopolymerization, and if possible copolymerization with nonpolar olefins, are being sought. Late transition metal complexes look promising because of their lower oxophilicity,2 and probable tolerance against polar monomers, and against impurities in polar olefins polymerization. Acrylates are polymerized and copolymerized for many different uses including coatings,  textiles, adhesives, and paper.3 Commercial poly(methyl methacrylate) has been produced since 1927.4 Like many other polar monomers, acrylates are commonly polymerized by 18radical5 or anionic mechanisms. In addition, polymerization of acrylates with late transition metal complexes has been studied.6 Metallocene  group IV complexes are known to be excellent for this type of polymerization. Half-sandwich nickel(II) complexes with N heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) of the general formula [Ni(5-C5H4R)(X)(NHC)] (R = H or alkyl, X= Cl, Br, I) was synthesized by reacting nickelocene or its derivatives and suitable imidazolium salts . The diamagnetic property of these compounds helps in showing some C-C bond forming reactions. But, complexes 1 are very active in aryl dehalogenation and aryl amination, hydrothiolation of alkynes and oxidation of secondary alcohols as a precatalyst. Experimental: Materials and synthesis: Methyl methacrylate (MMA) Methyl acrylate (MA), [Ni(acac)2], Toluene, Purified THF, and hexane 1,3-bis(1,1-dimethylbut-3- enyl)cyclopentadiene complexes 1a–d and 1f [Ni(5-C5H5)(CH3CN)(IMes)]+(PF6)− [5] [Ni(5-C5H5)(Cl) (PPh3)] MAO (10% wt. solution in toluene) Synthesis of 1e: A hexane solution of n-BuLi (2.5 mL, 5.1 mmol) and a THF (5 mL) solution of  1,3-bis(1,1-dimethylbut-3-enyl) cyclopentadiene (4.83 mmol) was added and the mixture was stirred for 2 h at ambient temperature. This solution was added to the solution of [Ni(acac)2] (1.199 g, 4.67 mmol) in THF (10 mL) at −78 oC. A color change immediately from green to red is observed and a suspension of 1,3-dimesitylimidazolinium chloride  [12] (1.693 g, 4.96 mmol) in THF (10 mL) was quickly added at this temperature. The reaction mixture was allowed to warm up to ambient temperature and stirred for a further 2 h. The volatiles were removed under reduced pressure. The solid residue was extracted with hexane (20 mL) and filtered through Celite. Complex 1e was isolated by crystallization as a red, microcrystalline solid. Polymerization: 14mg of Complex 1f(0.0255 mmol) dissolved in 15ml of toluene in a schlenk tube with a magnetic stirrer in it. To this solution, MAO ((5.10 mL, 10% wt. in toluene, 7.65 mmol) which is red in color was added by a gas tight pipette which results in a brown solution. The obtained brown solution was stirred at ambient temperature for half an hour. Now MMA(2.72 mL, 0.0255 mol) was added and the apparatus is placed in a oil bath maintaining 50oC with vigorous stirring. The reaction mixture was now quenched with excess of CH3OH (200 mL) and then filtered. PMMA was collected by filteration and washed with CH3OH and kept for over night drying. The obtained polymer is purified with small volume of CHCl3 and stirred overnight with 10% aq. HCl. The organic and the aqueous phases are separated and the organic phase is poured into excess of CH3OH. A white solid PMMA was isolated by filteration. 2.4. Characterization NMR spectr at ambient temperature on a Mercury-400BB spectrometer operating at 400 MHz for 1H NMR was recorded and at 101 MHz for 13C NMR was recorded. EI (70 eV) mass spectra on an AMD-604 spectrometer was recorded. MALDI-TOF mass spectra w with a Bruker Daltonics ultrafleXtremeTM mass spectrometer using HABA matrix was recorded. The average molecular weights were measured on a LabAlliance liquid chromatograph equipped with a Jordi Gel DVB Mixed Bed column (250 mm Ãâ€" 10 m) using CH2Cl2 as the mobile phase at 30 à ¢- ¦C and calibrated with standard PMMAs. 2.5. Crystal structure determination The selected single crystals mounted in inert oil were transferred to the cold gas stream of the diffractometer. Diffraction data was collected at 100(2) K on the Oxford Diffraction Gemini A Ultra diffractometer with graphite-monochromated Mo-K radiation. Cell refinement, data collection, data reduction and analysis were performed with the CrysAlisPRO [13]. Empirical absorption correction using spherical harmonics was applied. The structure was solved in monoclinic space group P21/c by direct methods using the SHELXS program . It is worth noting here that the skew angle ÃŽ ² is very close to 90à ¢- ¦. Full-matrix least-squares refinement against F2 values was carried (SHELXL-97 and OLEX2. Table 1 Crystal data, data collection and refinement parameters for complex 1e. Complex 1e Empirical formula C38H51ClN2Ni Crystal size (mm) 0.07 Ãâ€" 0.07 Ãâ€" 0.40 M ·(g mol−1) 629.96 Crystal system Monoclinic Space group P21/c (no. 14) Z 4 F(0 0 0) 1352 Temperature (K) 100(2) Dcalc. (g cm−3) 1.251 Absorption coefficient (mm−1) 0.688 Radiation Mo-K ( = 0.71073A)ËÅ ¡ range (à ¢- ¦) 3.3–30.0 Index range −20 ≠¤ h ≠¤ 20; −13 ≠¤ k ≠¤ 13; −13 ≠¤ l ≠¤ 13 Reflections collected 37,962 Unique data 9684, Rint = 0.0355 Observed refl. [I > 2ÏÆ'(I)] 8195 Data/restraints/parameters 9684/17/415 Goodness-of-fit on F2 a 1.043 Results and discussion: Synthesis: The series of Ni(II) complexes 1a–d and 1f (Scheme 1) was prepared from nickelocene or 1,1’ bis(allyl)nickelocene and the suitable imidazolium salt. Complex 1e bearing the 1,3-disubstituted cyclopentadienyl ligand could not be obtained by this route. Therefore, it was synthesized form the pentamethylcyclopentadienyl congener [4e] from [Ni(acac)2] by the one-pot two-step procedure intermediate {(5-1,3- R2C5H3)Ni(acac)} (Scheme 2). Scheme 1. Ni(II) complexes used in this study, where R = allyl (1d) or 1,1-dimethyl-but-3-en-1-yl (1e); Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl. Scheme 2. The synthesis of complex 1e, where R = 1,1-dimethyl-but-3-en-1-yl, Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl. From the symmetry of the molecule, it is found that the geometry of the molecule was trigonal planar. The bond angles and the lengths between nickel and its substituents are approximately same compared to the related compounds. Due to week contact between H(29A) hydrogen of mesityl methyl group C(29) and the chlorine ion [H(29A) ·Cl(1) 2.57 and C(29A) ·Cl(1) 3.5346(15)A] it resulted in the formation of a week intra molecular C H ·Cl hydrogen bond. 3.2. Polymerization: Polymerization was performed under the similar environment of the styrene polymerization with an excess of commercial MAO. A toluene solution of complex 1 was treated with an excess of MAO (Al:Ni = 100:1) for 30 min at ambient temperature. Then MMA (MMA:Ni = 1000:1) was added and the polymerization was run in a sealed Schlenk tube for 3 h at 50 à ¢- ¦C. The reaction mixture was separated as a homogenous mixture. Molecular structure of complex 1e. Polymerization of methyl methacrylate with complexes 1–3 and MAOa. The bromide analog 1b displayed slightly higher activity compared to 1a, while complex 1c bearing the alkyl-aryl NHC ligand was somewhat more productive than 1b in the productivity of the [Ni(Cp)(X)(NHC))]/MAO catalytic system. Substiuted cyclopentadienyl ligands was examined and complex 1d with allylcyclopentadienyl ligand gave the same result as 1a. It was reasoned that the allyl group might be too small to induce any effect. Therefore complex 1e with two bulky substituents was synthesized and tested to give the same conversion as 1d. By introducing the more bulky 2,6-diisopropylphenyl substituents in the NHC ligand (complex 1f) the yield of PMMA was 34% and when the excess of MAO was increased (Al:Ni = 300:1), the isolated yield of PMMA was increased to 60%. Changing the solvent resulted in a disappointing yield which was predicted to be due to the solubility problem. 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy were used to determine the microstructure of PMMA. Syndiotactic-rich polymers were resulted toluene where atactic PMMA was obtained with hexane and this was because of the formation of MMA polymers via different mechanism in hexane and toluene. Isolated Methanol soluble oligomeric MMA were studied by MALDI-TOF MS which suggests more than one mechanism was operating the reaction. Scheme 3. Rationale for the formation of poly(methyl methacrylate) with [Ni(Cp)(X)(NHC)]/MAO. The structure of Ni complex had considerable effect on the overall yield of MMA with no influence on the molecular weight distribution or tacticity of the resulting polymer and the Al : Ni ratio do not effect the tacticity of the polymer. It was supposed that MMA polymerized by co ordinative anionic mechanism described in scheme 3. Conclusion: It can summarized that the complexes 1a-f and 2 can initiate polymerization of MMA in the presence of MAO with TOF up to 200h-1. The results of PMMA with GPC, NMR and MS imply a anionic, MAO-centered mechanism of polymerization catalyzed by Ni(II) species. References: 1. H. Martin in Ziegler Catalysis (Eds. G. Fink, R. Mà ¼lhaupt, H. H. Brintzinger), Springer  Verlag, Berlin, 1995, p 15. 2. G. Natta, P. Pino, G. Mazzanti, U. Giannini J. Am. Chem. Soc. 79 (1957) 2975. 3. A. Andresen, H.-G. Cordes, J. Herwig, W. Kaminsky, A. Merck, R. Mottweiler, J. Pein, H.  Sinn, H.-J. Vollmer Angew. Chem. 88 (1976) 689. 4. H. Sinn, W. Kaminsky, H.-J. Vollmer, R. Woldt Angew. Chem. 92 (1980) 396. 5. (a) H. Sinn, W. Kaminsky Adv. Organomet. Chem. 18 (1980) 99. (b) H. H. Brintzinger, D.  Fischer, R. Mà ¼lhaupt, B. Rieger, R. M. Waymouth Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 34  (1995) 1143 and references therein. (c) W. Kaminsky, Makromol. Chem. Phys. 197  (1996) 3907. (d) M. Bochmann, J. Chem. Soc. Dalton Trans. 3 (1996) 255. (e) L.  Resconi, L. Cavallo, A. Fait, F. Piemontesi, Chem. Rev. 100 (2000) 1253. 6. (a) M. R. Kesti, G.W. Coates, R.M. Waymouth, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114 (1992) 9679. (b) X.  Yang, C.L. Stern, T.J. Marks J. Am. Chem. Soc. 116 (1994) 10015. (c) D.J. Crowther,  N.C. Baenziger, R.F. Jordan, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113 (1991) 1455. (d) P. Aaltonen, G.  Fink, B. Là ¶fgren, J. Seppà ¤là ¤, Macromolecules 29 (1996) 5255.

Puerto Rican Cultural And Religion :: essays research papers

Puerto Rican Cultural and Religion I am a member of the Puerto Rican American Families research team. I myself grew up in a Puerto Rican American, or "New Yorican", family. The assignment is a field study. The study is on an observation of the religious community. We visited a Roman Catholic church in Buffalo on the west side, which is a predominantly Hispanic area of the city. I myself am also a Roman Catholic. This is a slightly erred site, because I believe that most Puerto Ricans migrated to New York City. However, we were able to make some interesting observations. The group attended mass at Holy Cross; both an English and Spanish mass. It seemed that the group accepted our presence without any apprehension, however, as I stated before, this probably is a result of I myself being Puerto Rican American. There were some striking differences between the English mass and the Spanish mass. The first noticeable difference was in attendance. The Spanish mass had a considerable higher attendance than did the English mass. Also the appearance of the manner of dress. The attendees of the Spanish mass were more formally dressed than those of the English mass. Another major difference was in the music. The English mass had the "traditional" European "angelica" type singing. The Spanish mass, however, had more upbeat music, along with the use of "traditionally" Carribean instruments like maracas, for example. What does this suggest about the religious community of Puerto Rican Americans? I think that it is a balance between assimilation and preserving the culture. I think it is obvious that Roman Catholicism was not the native religion of Borinquen. Borinquen was the name of the island Puerto Rico before the conquest of the Spanish. So since they had already been forced to assimilate their culture into European culture by the Columbians, they found they could easily assimilate into American culture more readily than other cultures. However, we find in the Spanish mass, the use of Carribean instruments. This suggests an effort by the religious community to maintain the Puerto Rican culture. I personally have experienced the efforts to maintain Puerto Rican culture in the form of Santeria. Santeria is a religion practiced by, I guess, many Puerto Rican Americans. It is practiced in the homes of Puerto Rican Americans when they are not in church. Puerto Rican Cultural And Religion :: essays research papers Puerto Rican Cultural and Religion I am a member of the Puerto Rican American Families research team. I myself grew up in a Puerto Rican American, or "New Yorican", family. The assignment is a field study. The study is on an observation of the religious community. We visited a Roman Catholic church in Buffalo on the west side, which is a predominantly Hispanic area of the city. I myself am also a Roman Catholic. This is a slightly erred site, because I believe that most Puerto Ricans migrated to New York City. However, we were able to make some interesting observations. The group attended mass at Holy Cross; both an English and Spanish mass. It seemed that the group accepted our presence without any apprehension, however, as I stated before, this probably is a result of I myself being Puerto Rican American. There were some striking differences between the English mass and the Spanish mass. The first noticeable difference was in attendance. The Spanish mass had a considerable higher attendance than did the English mass. Also the appearance of the manner of dress. The attendees of the Spanish mass were more formally dressed than those of the English mass. Another major difference was in the music. The English mass had the "traditional" European "angelica" type singing. The Spanish mass, however, had more upbeat music, along with the use of "traditionally" Carribean instruments like maracas, for example. What does this suggest about the religious community of Puerto Rican Americans? I think that it is a balance between assimilation and preserving the culture. I think it is obvious that Roman Catholicism was not the native religion of Borinquen. Borinquen was the name of the island Puerto Rico before the conquest of the Spanish. So since they had already been forced to assimilate their culture into European culture by the Columbians, they found they could easily assimilate into American culture more readily than other cultures. However, we find in the Spanish mass, the use of Carribean instruments. This suggests an effort by the religious community to maintain the Puerto Rican culture. I personally have experienced the efforts to maintain Puerto Rican culture in the form of Santeria. Santeria is a religion practiced by, I guess, many Puerto Rican Americans. It is practiced in the homes of Puerto Rican Americans when they are not in church.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Computers Essay

Computers are a mainstay in most homes, allowing individuals and families to access the Internet from home and complete a myriad of other tasks through the use of computer software. There are advantages and disadvantages to using home computers depending on how you use them. As computer hardware becomes faster, easier and more cost effective to develop, home computers also become more affordable for consumers. It is constantly becoming easier to put computers in the average American home, since both desktop and laptop computers come in such a wide range of price points. One of the greatest advantages of home computers is that they are affordable by the average family. A great advantages of home computers is that they allow individuals and families to achieve a variety of tasks at home. Families can use word processing programs for homework, spreadsheets to manage bills, and the Internet for social networking and entertainment. While students can use computers at home, and adults at work, the convenience of being able use a computer at home is a great advantage in itself. Many businesses also allow their employees to work from home via computer, thus saving travel expenses to and from the office, as well as saving company resources. Disadvantages With use of the Internet for online shopping and Internet banking, home computers offer the potential for identity theft. If you share your information online, such as your name, address, phone number or banking information, then there always is a chance that your information is at risk. This is an important consideration to make if you plan on using your home computer to access the Internet. The technology industry is constantly changing and evolving, and technology can become outdated quickly. If you are only looking for a system that will get you online and let you do basic tasks, then this is not as much of a concern. If you are looking for a comprehensive gaming system or one that can handle a variety of tasks at once, then it can become expensive to keep up with the latest hardware advances, making some computer systems a money drain.

What is the difference between fat- and water-soluble vitamins?

There is a well of a difference between water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins, the two classifications of the organic nutrient compounds called vitamins. The word vitamin comes from the Latin word â€Å"vita† meaning â€Å"life† and â€Å"amine†, which means â€Å"nitrogen† (â€Å"What’s the difference†, 1996,  ¶ 4). Vitamins are nutrients essential to the human (or any animal) body because their presence in minute amounts enables the completion of important physiologically related metabolic processes. Vitamins are grouped according to the liquid or substance medium that is required for the body to be able to absorb these nutrients. Their grouping into either being soluble in fat or in water is an important determinant of how vitamins act in the body (Doctor's Responses Archive, n. d. ,  ¶ 2). There are nine water-soluble vitamins, namely Vitamin C and the B vitamins B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin or Vitamin P/PP), B5 (Pantothenic), B6 (Pyridoxine/Pyridoxamine) and B7 (Biotin). On the other, there are four fat-soluble vitamins, which are Vitamins A, D, E and K. The fat-soluble group needs lipid or fats in order to be absorbed through the lymphatic system (small intestines) and into the body's general blood circulation before being stored in body tissues. Fat-soluble vitamins, particularly Vitamins A and E, tend to remain in the body such that excessive intake can lead to an adverse condition termed hypervitaminosis (Doctor's Responses, n. d. ,  ¶ 4). Herein, water-soluble vitamins contrasts with the other group because Vitamin C and the B group are easily dissolved in water and the excess of these micronutrients are excreted in the urine. . What are antioxidants and phytochemicals? Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances that prevent the destructive process of oxidation and its adverse effects. Cells in all living organisms feature complex antioxidant systems that inhibit chemical damage wrought by oxidation. Antioxidant chemicals and enzymes in living organisms also help in the regulation and sustenance of various cellular proces ses. Antioxidants have been promoted and advertised to prevent strokes and heart diseases and even cancer. There are antioxidants shown to have delayed atherosclerosis in experiments with animals. Observational studies in humans have established a relationship between lower incidences of heart attacks and the inclusion of Vitamin E in the diet but the more conclusive clinical trial studies have demonstrated otherwise (â€Å"Vitamins & Exercise†, n. d. ,  ¶ 11 & 12). Some foods with high amounts of antioxidants are mushrooms, most berry fruits, peppers and spinach, barley, pecan and pistachio nuts, coffee, teas and chocolate. Phytochemicals or phytonutrients, on the other, chiefly refers to plant-based compounds that are not essential to the normal bodily metabolism but nonetheless promotes good health such as by helping prevent the onset of diseases (Phytochemicals, 2006,  ¶ 1). Phytochemicals are not presently classified under nutrients because they are not indispensable to sustaining life but they are nonetheless associated with the treatment and/or prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and hypertension (Dresbach & Rossi, n. d. â€Å"How are they beneficial†). Phytochemicals and antioxidants intersect somewhat. The former necessarily come from plants but antioxidants can be found in animal-based foods. Also, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals can have antioxidant properties whereas phytochemicals can serve other functions other than their antioxidant features. (Collins, 2005,  ¶ 2). 3. What factors do you consider before taking dietary supplements? The factors I would con sider before taking dietary supplements are safety, substantiation of efficacy, costs, and product quality. Safety should be a primary factor so as not to run counter to the very purpose of dietary supplements, that is, the improvement of one's health. I would first ask around to make sure that the touted product is generally safe and in what dosage. I'd probably also consult with a doctor or medical expert as to whether the particular supplement poses no adverse effects to any existing health condition of mine. Another important factor would be whether the product has at least some measure of substantiated claims of efficacy. Outright recommendations from the medical community would be best but positive results from clinical trials conducted by reputable institutions would do for me. I would also consider whether the supplement has considerable use or history in traditional, particularly Eastern, medicine. After all, a number of important drugs used in modern medicine have been inspired by ancient traditions, including the malaria drug quinine. Costs of course is important–whether I can afford to regularly take it or I'd be better off choosing an alternative supplement. Product quality is another important factor that I could look into by checking on the reputation and manufacturing standards of the company. 4. What should be the role of government, if any, in influencing your dietary decisions? Given the assumption that the safety issue has been covered, in general, the government should at most serve to guide the public when it comes to dietary decisions. Whether the government be democratic or totalitarian, I don't believe people should be directly forced into or against eating or taking in foods and supplements that are not of their choices. I believe in freedom of consumer choice and in the individual right to decide for herself or himself what foods and supplements she or he prefers and what would work best—without need for doctor's prescriptions. However, I also firmly believe in judicious government regulation of food and dietary supplement manufacturers and the regulation of the corresponding markets. The government should monitor companies who make or process foods and supplements, as it does manufacturers in other segments. Government supervision should ensure that the ingredients and processes listed on product labels are accurate and that manufacturing conforms to certain quality standards. The market itself should be meticulously regulated in terms of the health claims advertised or printed on the labels. Permitted health claims should conform to standards based largely on scientific evidence that support said claims. To illustrate, the regulation by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration of dietary supplements not as drugs but as foods (Dietary Supplement, 2006,  ¶ 2) provides the consumers the appropriate guidance to make wise decisions in their use.

Detox your writing - Emphasis

Detox your writing Detox your writing Is your writing feeling a bit flabby and out of shape? Treat it to a one-month detox treatment by following these three rules. Get active The active voice is more direct, dynamic and accountable. The Government took no action is better than No action was taken or No action was taken by the Government. Its far better to have people or organisations taking action than to describe things as mysteriously happening or being done. When you use the active voice, you sometimes find an even simpler way of expressing yourself. A payment was made by the chief executive last week. becomes The chief executive made a payment last week. which you can then change to The chief executive paid last week. Stay structured Few of the people you write for are psychic or have infallible memories. If you put the main part of the sentence at the end, they will have to read to the end before they can start to understand the beginning. This mental back-flip could be all it takes to confuse them, distract them, or put them off. Structuring sentences logically will: keep your readers reading make sure they need to read each sentence only once get your message across. Always put the primary clause first. Or, in other words, put the what before the why. So, rather than In order to achieve these targets within the specified timeframe, we need to begin the training now. write We need to begin the training now, in order to achieve these targets within the specified timeframe. or, even better (see Lose the padding, below) We need to begin the training now, so we can hit our targets on time. Also, try to stick to the rule of one sentence = one idea. Aim for an average sentence length of 15-20 words; an absolute maximum of 35. Remember, there is no limit to the number of full stops you can use. Lose the padding Never mistake the ability to use elaborate phrases for a sign of intellect. Whats the point of using your brain to translate a short word into a long one, so that your readers have to use their brains to translate it back again before they even start to take in your message? Its also a fallacy that short words are somehow lightweight or less useful. In fact, they are often the most powerful. No one is saying that you have to use them all the time that would be boring. But if you want your sentences to have more impact, streamline them by doing these three simple things: cut out redundant words replace long words with short ones replace long phrases with short ones. After the detox Just as with healthy eating and exercise regimes, the secrets of writing well in the long term are to enjoy it and to let yourself experiment. Use this month as an opportunity to clamp down on any bad writing habits youve slipped into by really focusing on these three points. But that doesnt mean that you can never again use the passive voice or your favourite long word. This month, we fast. In the long term, its all about the moderation. Challenge Meanwhile, heres a quick four-point exercise to ponder as you crunch your carrots: 1. Reduce this sentence from nine words to five: It is possible that the Chancellor will cut taxes. 2. Rewrite this sentence without the nominalisation (-tion words): It was his conviction that the provision of bicycles to law officers would lead to a reduction in crime. 3. Cut two words out of this sentence: Sarah Thompson, who is our marketing director, will lead the discussion. 4. Rewrite this sentence without the prepositions (of, on, in, by, to): The recession is of great concern to small-business owners.

Community Service Project Essays

Community Service Project Essays Community Service Project Essay Community Service Project Essay (a) What does community service/volunteerism mean to you? * I define volunteerism as a service performed for the benefit of others with little or no benefit to the person carrying out the service. One may volunteer for many reasons but these should not include expecting to receive an income or publicity for work being done. One benefit that a volunteer may have however is growing their knowledge base about the activity in which they are participating. One should think about the ways which they can make their community a better place to live for themselves and everyone else. It’s really not that hard, carrying out simple actions like helping an elderly person to cross the road or donating your unworn clothes to persons who have a greater need for it can be classified as volunteerism. (b) Which two of the four goals of Vision 2030 do you think is most closely linked to community service/volunteerism? Why? * Of the four goals of Vision 2030, I think that the first goal- â€Å"Jamaicans are empowered to achieve their fullest potential† and the fourth goal- â€Å"Jamaica has a natural healthy environment† would be the two most closely linked to volunteerism. Through personal empowerment, volunteers may seek to realize their full potential by conveying to themselves tasks which will benefit them as well as the society in which they live. Volunteers may seek to assist persons with additional training they may need as well as school projects. This is done in effort to bring forth well rounded individuals. The final goal of Vision 2030 states that Jamaica has a natural and healthy environment. Volunteers can help Jamaica to achieve this by cleaning up their environment and various communities. By doing so, they will have helped to create healthy and comfortable surroundings for all citizens. c) Select one of the two goals discussed in (b) and suggest ways you can contribute to achieving this goal through your community service. * I believe that I can help to carry out goal four of Vision 2030. The Bible (NIV) says in 1st Peter 4:10 â€Å"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God†™s grace in its various forms† and so I believe that each and every one of us were made stewards of this Earth and that it is our responsibility to take care of the environment and all things in it. Stewardship aids in the development of society and so I will take it upon myself to volunteer at Hope Zoo Preservation so I can develop better work ethics, make good use of my free time as well as help the organization to return to its former glory. This includes participating in cleanup activities, carrying out administrative tasks and doing everything else in my power to facilitate smooth operation so that visitors will always remember Hope Zoo not just as a commodity but as an experience. Lecturer’s Signature________________________ Submission Date___________________________ Reflection Piece #2 a. Identify your agency and briefly discuss the history, goals and objectives of the agency. * The organization that I have been contributing to for a greater cause is Hope Zoo which is located on Old Hope Road, Kgn 6 in St. Andrew, Jamaica. The institution, a section of the Hope Botanical Gardens and Zoo was originally a part of Hope Estate which was owned and operated by Richard Hope- a former commander in the British army- who had been gifted the estate in return for helping Britain take control of Jamaica. What we now know as Hope Botanical Gardens and Zoo is the largest in the Caribbean and is just 200 acres of the estate which was bought by the Government to establish an experimental garden for foreign species in the late nineteenth century. One very important moment in the history of Hope Gardens is Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 1953. Hope Zoo has been undergoing some major restoration changes over the years and in 2005, the Nature Preservation Foundation (NPF) took charge. The NPF intends to â€Å"develop and manage Hope Zoo and the Royal Botanic Gardens as a sustainable facility for environmental education, applied research, recreation, wildlife and flora conservation for Jamaica and the region; and to position the facility as part of the Tourism Product. † b. Bearing the Vision 2030 goal you selected in reflection 1 in mind, identify a set of objectives you aim to fulfill in your assignment at the agency. * I chose the fourth goal of Vision 2030- â€Å"Jamaica has a natural healthy environment†. The objectives I aim to fulfill in my assignment at Hope Zoo include: participating in cleanup activities so that the staff, guests as well as animals can benefit from existing in a clean environment; carrying out administrative tasks in an attempt to lessen the work load of the administrative department as well as being readily available to any visitor who may have questions or need help with something in an attempt to facilitate smooth operation. c. Discuss the specific steps you will take to accomplish these objectives. In order to accomplish these objectives, I will ensure my early arrival to the institution each time I am on duty and immediately report to my supervisor for a list of my duties for the day. I will then proceed to complete my tasks which will revolve around the objectives mentioned above as well as observing my surroundings to see what else needs to be done and how I can make a contribution. These steps will be completed in an effort to make Hope Zoo a better place and in agreement with Vision 2030: Jamaica. Lecturer’s Signature________________________ Submission Date___________________________ Reflection Piece #3 a. Identify some of the problems/issues you experienced during your placement. * This has been a very good experience, however I did not particularly appreciate being harassed by a particular zoo keeper on more than one occasions during my forty hours of service. b. To what extent did problems you encountered/witnessed in your placement reflect problems prevalent in the wider Jamaican society? Being troubled or provoked by persons in the workplace causes discomfort and disagreement. This is mostly done out of envy or jealousy. One worker may do it to get another worker angry enough to react violently, no doubt getting into problems with the manager and possibly losing his/her job. Either way, victims of this are often not very happy with their jobs and so productivity levels tend to decrease. There may also be a lack of interest in completing tasks efficiently as workers would have lost focus. c. What impact do you think these problems will have on our ability to achieve the goals laid out in Vision 2030? * I believe that provocation between workers will have an impact on the country’s ability to achieve goal one -â€Å"Jamaicans are empowered to reach their fullest potential† and goal 3 -â€Å"Jamaica’s economy is prosperous†. Jamaicans will not have reached their fullest potential by 2030 if there is constant workplace harassment or violence as this would have caused their interest and determination levels to decrease. If a worker’s determination and desire to carry out his/her duties effectively decreases, productivity levels will also decrease and so Jamaica’s economy will not be as prosperous we want it to be by 2030. d. What solution did you employ to address the problem? * I addressed the problem by having a private chat with the person about my issue as well as possible implications of workplace harassment on the business itself. I made sure he understood my position and we came to a truce. I can honestly say this worked wonders as up until this point we have not had another conflict. Lecturer’s Signature: Submission Date: ____________________

Automotive Airbag History and Invention

Automotive Airbag History and Invention Like seatbelts, airbags are a type of  automobile safety restraint system designed to mitigate injury in the event of an accident. These gas-inflated cushions, built into the steering wheel, dashboard, door, roof, and/or seat of your car, use a crash sensor to trigger a rapid expansion of nitrogen gas contained inside a cushion that pops out on impact to put a protective barrier between passengers and hard surfaces. Types of Airbags The two main types of airbags are designed for front impact and side impact. Advanced frontal airbag systems automatically determine if and with what level of power the driver-side frontal airbag and the passenger-side frontal airbag will inflate. The appropriate level of power is based on the readings of sensor inputs that can typically detect occupant size, seat position, seat belt use of the occupant, and severity of the crash. Side-impact airbags (SABs) are inflatable devices designed to help protect the head and/or chest in the event of a serious crash involving impact with the side of a vehicle. There are three main types of SABs: chest (or torso) SABs, head SABs, and head/chest combination (or combo) SABs. The History of the Airbag At the dawn of the airbag industry, Allen Breed held the  patent (U.S. #5,071,161) to the only crash-sensing technology available at the time. Breed had invented a sensor and safety system in 1968. It was the worlds first electromechanical automotive airbag system. However, rudimentary patents for airbag predecessors date back to the 1950s. Patent applications were submitted by German Walter Linderer and American John Hetrick as early as 1951. Linderers airbag (German patent #896312) was based on a compressed air system, either released by bumper contact or by the driver. Hetrick received a patent in 1953 (U.S. #2,649,311) for what he called a safety cushion assembly for automotive vehicles, also based on compressed air. Later research during the 1960s proved that compressed air was not capable of inflating the airbags quickly enough to be effective. In 1964, Japanese automobile engineer Yasuzaburou Kobori  was developing an airbag safety net system that employed an explosive device to trigger airbag inflation, for which he was awarded patents in 14 countries. Sadly, Kobori  died in 1975 before seeing his ideas put into practical or widespread use. Airbags Are Introduced Commercially In 1971, the Ford Motor Company built an experimental airbag fleet. General Motors installed airbags in a fleet of 1973 Chevrolet Impalas- for government use only. The 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado was the first car with a passenger airbag sold to the public. General Motors later offered an option of driver-side airbags in full-sized Oldsmobiles and Buicks in 1975 and 1976, respectively. Cadillacs became available with driver and passenger airbags options during those years as well. General Motors, which had marketed its airbags as the Air Cushion Restraint System, discontinued the ACRS option for the 1977  model year, citing a lack of consumer interest. Ford and GM subsequently spent years  lobbying  against airbag requirements, arguing that the devices were simply not viable. Eventually, however, the automobile giants realized that the airbag was here to stay. Ford began offering them again as an option on their 1984 Tempo. While Chrysler made a driver-side airbag standard for its 1988–1989 models, it wasn’t until the early 1990s that airbags found their way into the majority of American cars. In 1994, TRW began production of the first gas-inflated airbag. Airbags have been mandatory in all new cars since 1998.

Midea Electronics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Midea Electronics - Essay Example Midea attained RMB8 billion revenue for fiscal year 1999 and has set a sales objective of RMB38.6 billion by year 2005. Although Midea has a leading position in air conditioner exports from China and shown a continuous growth in domestic and international market yet with globalization and rapidly changing business scenario, Midea is facing a number of challenges both in domestic and international market. As for major appliances manufacturers are concerned, Asia, and in particular China seems to be with the most potential growth market and hence they are aggressively investing in Chinese domestic market. Almost all major appliances manufacturers are present in the Chinese market either by setting their manufacturing facilities or by establishing the off shore base centers. Compared to these major players, Midea lacks its presence in international market with its brand name and it has to solely rely on its importers brand name. It does not have a well defined global marketing strategy and a more geographical diversified presence with better marketing skills and dedicated international sales and distribution networks. Also major international players like LG (with 74% revenue from international market), Samsung Electronic (66%), Mitsubishi (51% by 2001), Fedders (50%), Carrier (48%) and Sharp and Whirlpool (each with 46%) have immense financial resources with latest technology and state-of-the-art innovation research centers while Midea only generates 10% of its revenue from international market and has limited financial resources, with traditional technology. ... Also major international players like LG (with 74% revenue from international market), Samsung Electronic (66%), Mitsubishi (51% by 2001), Fedders (50%), Carrier (48%) and Sharp and Whirlpool (each with 46%) have immense financial resources with latest technology and state-of-the-art innovation research centers while Midea only generates 10% of its revenue from international market and has limited financial resources, with traditional technology. Moreover the scenario will become more intensive and competitive with the China's imminent entry into World Trade organization (WTO). These are really major concerns to Midea's management team. As in changing global business scenario, any competition can not be viewed as solely domestic and every organization have to defend its position and have to play a double edge knife role to compete both at domestic and global level. For long term business viewpoint Midea too has to play the same role. Being a major domestic player it has to defend its position in Chinese market and also has to show its presence in the international arena. To achieve this Midea has to review its international business strategy and to go for both branding and private label options. In coming sections we will analyze the Midea's strengths and weaknesses relative to domestic and international competitors. Also an assessment of relative attractiveness of domestic and international markets for air conditioners is presented. Finally an international business strategy is recommended to enter and capture market share. Media Group: An Overview Midea was established in April 1968, in Shunde, Guangdong, the southern Chinese province bordering Hong

Electro magntic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Electro magntic - Essay Example MS Excel once more helped drew the line of best fit and helped conclude that the relationship was actually also linear. The resulting formula has the ability to calculate the exact amount of force in any given length of coil. Even when the length of coil was varied, the resulting relationship was still consistently linear. Here is the formula: 3- The plotted points above show the relationship between the force and the magnetic field when the latter was altered. The graph shows a rather approximate linear relationship, and the general equation or formula is based on the line of best fit that is made through MS Excel. The formula is as follows: 4- Other relationships plotted above the graph of force tended to have nonlinear relationships with the varied angle. Theoretically, current-bearing conductors in magnetic fields with respect to altered angles tend to form sinusoids. The sinusoid is dependent on a number of factors such as current, magnetic field and the length of the coil conductor. Given that every other condition remains constant, the plotted graph assumes the form of a sin graph. Perhaps, the only discrepancy here is that the magnetic field is expressed in the number of magnets and not in SI units. Magnetic field is usually expressed in Teslas (T) and so there was a calculation to determine how much the consistent value of equivalent teslas is on the six magnets. The formula derived from this is as follows: Considering that our current, magnetic field and coil length were all constant from the results table, a specific angle was replaced with a force value in order to determine the constant value of Teslas appropriate for the magnetic field of six magnets, thus, 1. The doubling of the current will increase the value by a factor of 0.0058, which means that the current is actually directly proportional to the calculated force. Thus, it is expected that the force would increase. b. An electrical car that runs on an electrical

Masculinity in commercials Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Masculinity in commercials - Research Paper Example Most movies illustrate that men with a lot of wealth are greatly admired many people in the society (Valentine, 2011). This also associates they power within the society. This makes them become role models within the society. Therefore; most persons would want to get to their levels. Men in successful business are also admired because of several reasons. One of the traits that makes them be greatly admired is the wealth of experience they posses. The experience enables to solve the daily problems they encounter at their work place (Anderson, 2007). The ability to solve problems is a character that is greatly admired by many. The major focus that makes them be admired is because of the wealth they posses. Wealth is admired by all people in the world. Movies and sports constantly display physical attractiveness men display. Physical attractiveness can be defined as the extent at which the physical traits of a person are pleasing aesthetically (Jones, 2010). Physical attractiveness also mean sexual attractiveness the men have. Physical attractiveness demonstrated by men depends on several factors. Some of these factors include the physical aspect of men. Physical attractions encompass perceptions that are universal besides those based on human cultures. In some instances, the term physical attractiveness also depends on the subjective preferences of the person judging a particular scenario. In movies, people have greatly admired males that are not only intelligent but also honest. According to research done in the United Kingdom, the results revealed that there is a stronger relationship between physical attractiveness and male gender attributes. The results showed that men who were physically attractive were equally intelligent. This is one of the reasons as to why people admire males that are physically attractive. They assume that they are also intelligent. Currently; psychologists are also contributing to the debate. They suggest that males that are physically attractive should be intelligent averagely (Little, 2006). According to psychologist, general intelligence, physical attractiveness is one of the contributing factors to genetic fitness in most men. The fitness most men display in sports like Rugby and football is attributed to physical attractiveness. This also makes men be attractive. Women admire men that are taller and are muscular. This guarantees them security from any form of harm. Further, the female genders prefer men that posses’ facial symmetry. Men should have facial dimorphism and a waist that is narrow. Finally, the shape of the torso should be a V-shaped. Sexual dimorphism trait in men is greatly admired in several ways. For example, heterosexual women prefer masculine face traits throughout their developmental stages. The aspects of masculine faces that are greatly admired include a fore head that is broad. A lower face that is relatively longer is equally admired in men. A brow and chin that is prominent is equally admired. Published literature reveals that males that are masculine have higher chances of achieving higher status in the society. Such Socio cultural factors associated with masculine traits also make men be admired (Christian, 2012). Other masculine traits are the perceived attractiveness in the society and conformity to genders. These factors play a great role in the preferences women have towards men. Beautiful women select masculine men with facial dimorphism. Their association with such men increases their

Quality Improvement Issue Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Quality Improvement Issue - Term Paper Example In my organization, appointments are sometimes not planned by nurses in the outpatients department and as a result, patients complain on a daily basis. Prolonged waiting times have also increased patient dissatisfaction and many of them are increasingly opting to seek the services of our competitors whose waiting times are lower. A study cited by Yeboah and Thomas (2009) showed that increasing waiting times for more than thirty minutes conversely increases patients intolerability. Deliberate lack of scheduling appointments by nurses is contributed by heavy workloads that makes the them forget to schedule appointments. Strategies to reduce patient waiting times in my organization needs to be redesigned in order to improve quality of care provided. Most importantly, newly formulated strategies ought to focus on reducing nurses workload s. Ho (2014) reiterates that patient waiting time is contributed by increasing patient loads. In fact, there is a lot of confusion among patients when they have multiple appointments. Some of them spend nearly a day as they wait to be attended to. To reduce the patients waiting time in my organization, there is need for decisive and patient centered planning, restructuring, simplifying, and updating workflows in order to improve efficiency of care provided. Institute of Medicine. (2001). Crossing the quality chasm: A new health system for the 21st century. Retrieved from

The Origins of First Stars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

The Origins of First Stars - Essay Example Investigating how from the universe was created and how this led to the precise moment in time when these first stars could and did evolve was researched and presented. Through a thorough examination of years of research, how first stars were created and when they came into existence was answered. This research also yielded the fact that no first star still exists within our galaxy - the Milky Way. Although, I am satisfied with the findings of this research that the Milky Way contains no Population III Stars, I can not help but sit here and wonder if somewhere in the outermost areas of the universe, in areas we may not even know exist, there sits a first star, a remnant of the very creation of the universe, waiting for me Ever since the dawn of time, man has been fascinated by the stars in the heaven. From a child's first wonder at the twinkling lights in the night sky to throngs of people staying up late to watch a meteor shower, the celestial display never ceases to amaze us. However, there is so much more to stars than the glowing light they project to earth. They are the footprints to understanding the origins of space and time. Scientists have been in the process of unraveling these mysteries for centuries. ... The Big Bang Theory, the accepted theory of the creation of the universe, which will be detailed in subsequent paragraphs, lead to the later creation of first stars, called Population III Stars. Initially thought impossible to still exist, these first stars and the quest to understand them have led researchers to continue to search for their origins. The first detectable signs of these Population III stars have now been found. How were they created and do any still exist Background Understanding what is known about the creation of the universe is necessary consider how Population III stars were born and if they have survived to present day. The accepted theory of the creation of universe is the Big Bang Theory. Astronomers have determined through observation and scientific research that "the galaxies of the universe all seem to be moving away from us. It turned out that they are moving away not just from us but from one another-that is, the universe seems to be expanding." [1] The laws of physics, specifically Hubble's Law told scientists that if the universe is ever expanding. Hubble's Law explains that "the galaxies were receding from us at a velocity proportional to their distance. The more distant the galaxy, the greater its redshift, and therefore the higher the velocity." [2] Hubble's Law The above graph is a depiction of the Hubble constant explaining rate of expansion. [3] "The velocity v could be determined by multiplying the distance R by H, the Hubble constant, given by the slope of the line in the above graph, in units of kilometers per second per million light years. The Hubble constant describes the universe's rate of expansion. The galaxies are not moving away through space, they are moving away with space, as space

Finance Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Finance - Dissertation Example Islamic banking and finance is the new representation of financial institutions and it is also said to be the answer in looking for a better and fairer way of managing money and in underpinning the real financing activities. Since its origin, just over thirty years ago Islamic banking has been the fastest growing industry in the financial system and financial markets of several countries. It has â€Å"concentrated in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, but they are also present as niche players in Europe and the United States† (Cihak & Hesse, 2008, p.3). For instance, Islamic banking in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is more lucrative compared to conventional or commercial banks of the country (Parker, 2010). Aside from profitability, Islamic banks also are strong in asset growth despite of the abrupt decline of credit ratio compared to the average banking sectors in many countries. However, when global financial crisis had entered the real economy, Islamic banks started to incur more and more lucrative losses than their conventional counterparts, because Islamic investments are more prone to risk. The aim of this paper is to investigate the financial stability of Islamic banks versus conventional banks in the perspective of the global credit crunch. ... The growing literature mostly contained issues of comparison between the role of Islamic and conventional banking in the global credit crunch. When it comes to empirical analysis of financial stability the argument would always be about risk whereas when it comes to empirical papers, most of the arguments are discussing the efficiency of handling risks (Cihak & Hesse, 2008, p.3). The severe deficiency of money or credit which is also known as credit crunch has created a big impact on banking operations and practices around the world. Global credit crunch is a higher form of risk that distinguishes the differences executed by Islamic banks from those executed by conventional banks. Several institutions in various countries are now offering Islamic financial services like Murababa, Ijara, and Musharaka, wherein Muslims and non-Muslims can lend money without interest and no trading debt (Ahmad, 2010, p.38). According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the success of Islamic banks is present in almost all Middle East countries except Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE. Based on the study of Hassan and Bahshir (2005), Islamic banks are said to be efficient when it comes to resources allocation, profitability, liquidity, development of assets, and many more. However, according to Schoon (2009, p.187), Islamic banks are settled in a less efficient and cost effective market as long as the average rate of return is elevated. He said further that Islamic banks are not efficient in terms of liquidity ratios because of an absence of liquid assets and accepted primary liquidity instruments such as cash, bank balances, negotiable instruments, etc. It also

The Origins of First Stars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

The Origins of First Stars - Essay Example Investigating how from the universe was created and how this led to the precise moment in time when these first stars could and did evolve was researched and presented. Through a thorough examination of years of research, how first stars were created and when they came into existence was answered. This research also yielded the fact that no first star still exists within our galaxy - the Milky Way. Although, I am satisfied with the findings of this research that the Milky Way contains no Population III Stars, I can not help but sit here and wonder if somewhere in the outermost areas of the universe, in areas we may not even know exist, there sits a first star, a remnant of the very creation of the universe, waiting for me Ever since the dawn of time, man has been fascinated by the stars in the heaven. From a child's first wonder at the twinkling lights in the night sky to throngs of people staying up late to watch a meteor shower, the celestial display never ceases to amaze us. However, there is so much more to stars than the glowing light they project to earth. They are the footprints to understanding the origins of space and time. Scientists have been in the process of unraveling these mysteries for centuries. ... The Big Bang Theory, the accepted theory of the creation of the universe, which will be detailed in subsequent paragraphs, lead to the later creation of first stars, called Population III Stars. Initially thought impossible to still exist, these first stars and the quest to understand them have led researchers to continue to search for their origins. The first detectable signs of these Population III stars have now been found. How were they created and do any still exist Background Understanding what is known about the creation of the universe is necessary consider how Population III stars were born and if they have survived to present day. The accepted theory of the creation of universe is the Big Bang Theory. Astronomers have determined through observation and scientific research that "the galaxies of the universe all seem to be moving away from us. It turned out that they are moving away not just from us but from one another-that is, the universe seems to be expanding." [1] The laws of physics, specifically Hubble's Law told scientists that if the universe is ever expanding. Hubble's Law explains that "the galaxies were receding from us at a velocity proportional to their distance. The more distant the galaxy, the greater its redshift, and therefore the higher the velocity." [2] Hubble's Law The above graph is a depiction of the Hubble constant explaining rate of expansion. [3] "The velocity v could be determined by multiplying the distance R by H, the Hubble constant, given by the slope of the line in the above graph, in units of kilometers per second per million light years. The Hubble constant describes the universe's rate of expansion. The galaxies are not moving away through space, they are moving away with space, as space

Campbell Soup Essay Example for Free

Campbell Soup Essay Campbell Soup Company (CSC) was a diversified food processor known for its strong brands and product quality. One of its products is produce ready-to-serve soups for customer who is not able to make soup. Formerly, Campbells products spread all over 3 segments of condensed soups, ready-to-serve soups and dry soup, and it is considering to expand its product to microwavable soups to make customer more convenient for preparing soup without container. The following figure showed the foundation of CSC. CSC used its engineering support and diversified production line to support customers with convenient, good taste and quality food. CSC is a decentralized company; its strategy is to diversify its business to product several products, and expand its marketing share. Something behind the diversified production line, used to support its operating system, is its CIRT and CCID department. Those are charged with process RD, product development, packaging and engineering systems. CSC used production line for its operating system. The advantage of it is to reduce WIP among the process, and it required high quality and stable operating system to avoid the unexpected shut down. Symptom CSC is developing a new product of microwavable soup, which is assigned to Plastigon line in the early 1980s. However, the Plastigon line is taking so long for result. Because of this, Elsner was assigned to resolve Plastigons technical problems and make Campbells engineering more effective and efficient. Problem 1.Conflict between organization and development process From the current CSCs product development process of task forces, we know CSC would appoint the appropriate engineer from any department in charge of the new process. The advantage of this way is more flexible and superior because everyone has the suitable skill in charge of the new process.  However, there is no clear assignment of who is responsible to run this project team. That caused nobody took it to be their obligation, they actually wanted less and less to be involved. Their position was, Wait until its a proven process and then CSC will be ready to accept the line for their operation. Otherwise, coordination between engineers form various groups was difficult because often the engineers were not at the plant at the same time. Even when some were present, they had their own tests to run and not usually were not interested in running the line as a whole. This situation caused the other problem that the problem of the other part of production line would occur when the problem of one part was resolved due to incoordination among all parts. 2.Production process As we know, the production process which CSC used is production line, which can be described the products are manufacturing as a continuous flow. Production line requires standard and stable process with good quality to avoid occurring shut-down. If one part was shut-down, that would influence other parts. Suggestion Aiming at conflict between organization and development process, the problem is due to the structure of organization is different from development process. The organization is decentralized, but RD is centralized. However, because different product has different feature, RD should have different knowledge and experiment in charge in different product. For example, microwavable soup can be used by microwave, so it requires different material, and RD has to consider the different point and set up a suitable process for it. At this point, I suggest CSC decentralizes its RD into different product. When CSC decides to produce a new product, they should take appropriate engineers from RD, and make a subgroup for the new product. After that, set up a pilot for this group who is responsible for this production line, and integrate whole engineers. Engineers have different expertise in their area, so how to coordinate them to devote their  knowledge to this production line is also a crucial point. The duty of the pilot is to lead this group and responsible for proving this process. Using this way, the subgroup has to transfer to the new plant, which would reduce the transit times by using centralization. Furthermore, engineers would run their part at the same time, which would improve the efficiency of the process. Second, CSC used production line for its process; however, it would make whole process shut-down if any part was in trouble. Otherwise, the most parts of this process are made by human resources. The efficiency of each person decides the efficiency of whole process. If workers have different efficiency, that would cause the process not continuous. It means idol time would occur between each part. To resolve this problem, I suggest CSC change its process from production line to job-shop. Although job-shop would produce more WIP, the influence would be reduced by using this way, and the process would not entirely shut down. That makes the whole process produce smoothly, and standard. Furthermore, aiming at the point of the most parts of this process is made by human resources. I suggest CSC should prepare Quality System Document and on-the-job training program with handbook which can help workers to familiar with whole process and operation soon. If training program and handbook are more detailed, workers are easy to find answers from them for their questions without the instruction of supervisor, and help them become skillful operators.

Issues with Business-to-consumer E-commerce

Issues with Business-to-consumer E-commerce Introduction: The long-term prosperity of business-to-consumer e-commerce depends upon the existence of consumers confidence and the availability of adequate supporting legal framework with effective means of enforcement. Because of the technological development e-commerce industry is growing with enormous speed. Majority of consumers prefer to buy products online and make electronic transactions with companies situated outside their national boundaries. The expansive use of e-commerce and the existence of complex legal framework necessitate that efforts should be made to introduce new means of enforcing Business to Consumer e-contracts and disputes resolution across state borders. This research work will mainly concentrate upon the existing issues in enforcing business to consumer e-contracts across national borders. These include the issue of jurisdiction, the issue of applicable law and the issue of enforcement. Furthermore it will evaluate thoroughly the need for new means of disputes resolution in cross border B2C e-commerce transactions. It will further assess the potentials of B2C e-commerce disputes resolution through internal complaint handling mechanism and direct contact with business. It will also evaluate the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms, such as facilitative ADR, Advisory ADR, Determinative ADR, Combined ADR etc and will recommend how these forms of disputes resolution can be effectively implemented on national level and to be of binding nature. basic principle such as equality, fair treatment, affordability, Awareness about the ADR principles, accessibility to ADR mechanism, finality and rapidness of ADR process, and objectives of ADR. The research work will further analyse the concept of ADR in legal perspective and will suggest that what efforts should be made on international, regional and national level to promote the use and development of ADR, particularly in disputes arising out of cross-border transactions. It will take into consideration various legislative and other legal instruments i.e. European Union Directive on Electronic Commerce, OECD E-commerce Guidelines, European Commission Recommendations 1998, European Commission Recommendations 2001, International Chamber of Commerce best practices, ADR Guidelines 2003, International Consumer groups and International Businesses groups, and EEJ-NET etc and will suggest if necessary amendments are needed. The research work will also focus on the current obstacles in the expansion of ADR mechanism, such as unawareness of businesses and consumers of ADR process and its benefits, Lack of trained and educated specialist in dispute resolution, cultural and linguistic issues Due to cross-border nature of e-commerce, and jurisdictional and procedural issues resulting from the multi-national nature of e-commerce etc. Moreover this research will propose certain recommendations that how the current obstacles may be removed to paved a way for an effective dispute resolution system, compatible with the need of time, such as making of legislation on international, regional and national level to determine the issue of jurisdiction, applicable law and enforcement of judgement, making efforts by the governments to create awareness and educate people about the effective means of enforcing their rights and resolving disputes, the creation of independent bodies and institutions on international, regional and national level to deal with e-contracts enforcement and disputes resolution, the encouragement of both traditional and modern mechanisms of disputes resolution, the availability of internal complaint handling department in every business etc. Aim and objectives: The main aim of this study is to evaluate the existing issues in cross-border Business-to-Consumers ecommerce transactions. Specifically the research focuses on judicial obstacles, such as the issue of jurisdiction, applicable law, and enforcement. This study further suggests that what could be the best alternatives to address these issues and increase consumers confidence in online shopping. Hypothesis: According to my hypothesis the following are the main issues inherent in resolving business-to-consumers cross-borders ecommerce disputes. Issue of jurisdiction: The first and the most important issue in B2C ecommerce dispute is the issue of Jurisdiction. When a consumer in one country purchase a product online in another country and subsequently a dispute arises between the parties and consumer wants to seek judicial remedy, than in such case a question arises that which court is having territorial jurisdiction to entertain the matter. Applicable law: The matter of applicable law in ecommerce is another considerable issue. It is very difficult to determine that under which legal system or under what law the matter should be dealt with. Issue of enforcement: The issue of enforcement also needs to be addressed. In resolving business-to-consumers ecommerce dispute it is unclear that how and where the judgement may be enforced. Literature review: Literature review literally means a review of whatever has already been written by different scholars about the existing research topic, and than to demonstrate that the existing research is deficient and needs some supplementing. In todays advance technology the use of ecommerce is increasing. â€Å"Between 2004 and 2008, in EU the use of shopping through internet increased from 22% to 34%. In the UK in 2008, 57% consumers did online shopping, in Germany, Denmark and Netherlands the figure remained above 50%. In Estonia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Portugal the figure was respectively 10%, while in Romania and Bulgaria it was about 4%†. Although e-commerce is increasing at national level, it is still comparatively unusual for consumers to participate in cross-borders transactions. Consequently the gape between interstate and cross-border e-commerce is expanding. From 2006 to 2008, in EU the figure of online consumers increased from 27% to 33% while cross-border e-commerce remained still at 6% to 7%. On national level â€Å"laws that apply to traditional or off line commerce apply equally in an electronic environment. For instance laws governing business incorporation, registration, taxation, consumer protection, deceptive advertising, product safety and standards, criminal code, inter-provincial trade treaties, intellectual property and liability apply on the internet†. But when the matter goes beyond the territorial boundaries and involves another state than the situation changes completely and gives rise to uncertainty and ambiguity. In an ordinary civil matter the territorial jurisdiction of civil court may be determined on three factors i.e. where the parties reside, where the cause of action arises or where the property is situated. But when any dispute arises out of any electronic transaction that takes place across national borders, the first question arises that which court is having jurisdiction to entertain the matter. So it is very difficult to decide the jurisdiction and competency of the court. For instance, it is if an issue arises out of cross-border e-commerce transaction and the consumer wants to seek judicial remedy than in that case whether the court of consumers country will entertain the matter or it will come under the territorial jurisdiction of the court where the business is situated. According to Scott Cooper, â€Å"in resolving cross-border complaints it is very difficult to determine the matter of jurisdiction. Consumers are confident to resort to the courts of the countries where the businesses are based and in return the businesses will not be keen regarding trans-border transactions that could subject them to the reach of every country where there online customers resides†. Scott Cooper further states that â€Å"different levels have been established by different governments to protect and enforce consumer rights, but there are no international documents or agreements to determine the fact that which country is having jurisdiction to deal with cross-border B2C dispute†. Furthermore it is also very difficult to determine that under which legal system or under what law the matter should be resolved. There is no apparent legislation to conclude that whether the law of consumers state will apply or the matter should be governed by the law of the state where the business is based or it should be dealt with by an international legal system on uniform basis irrespective of geographic location. Similarly it is also unclear that how and where the judgement regarding the subject matter may be enforced. According to Chin Eang Ong â€Å"in a traditional marketplace, consumers knows means of enforcing their rights, but in electronic marketplace in an online transaction, delegating liability and providing access for redress might be a problem for consumers. A transaction is curable when it takes place within a single jurisdiction i.e. access to local court, but e-commerce is borderless and recourse to courts in any cross-border electronic transaction is complicated by difficulty jurisdiction over such dispute and the applicable law†. According to Mohamed S. Wahab because of technological advancement transactions are taking place in an online environment across national borders, where disputes are inevitable. Some of these disputes are unique to the e-commerce environment. Therefore it needs an effective mechanism of dispute resolution. Keeping in view the existing obstacles in resolving business-to-consumer cross-border e-commerce disputes resolution it is inevitable to consider substitute means to protect the rights of the parties and encourage them to participate in cross-border e-commerce. Some international and regional organizations have proposed that cross-border e-commerce disputes should be resolved through internal complaint system. For instance â€Å"the OECD ecommerce guidelines†, â€Å"the UN guidelines†, and â€Å"the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation Voluntary Online Consumer Protection guidelines† recommend the establishment of fair, effective and transparent internal mechanisms for businesses and consumers representatives in order to address consumer complaints and resolve their queries in fair and timely manner without imposing undue burden or cost upon consumers. When dispute between the parties can not be resolved through internal complaint handling mechanism than the parties should be given access to Alternative Dispute Resolution, as it can offer timely, efficient and cost-effective instrument to resolve cross-border disputes. Alternative Disputes Resolution is a mechanism other than judicial determination, whereby disputes are resolved through the medium of impartial third party by adopting different ways and means. When ADR takes place through internet than it is called Online Disputes Resolution. There is an extensive choice of ADR mechanisms. The most commonly used mechanisms are â€Å"arbitration†, â€Å"mediation† and â€Å"negotiation†. National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council (NADRAC) uses the term ADR in a broader sense. According to NADRAC submission â€Å"ADR mechanisms is consist of facilitative ADR, advisory ADR, determinative ADR, and some time the combination of these mechanisms†. According to UN report, the main challenge in e-commerce industry is how to resolve cross-border e-commerce disputes. Traditional methods of resolving disputes may not provide an efficient and effective remedy; therefore there is a need for considering alternative means that would provide speedy and cost efficient redress to the parties. Dr. Moira Patterson has adopted the same view. She states that there are two issues involved in e-commerce i.e. which law should govern cross-border transaction and that such transactions should either be subjected to national laws or should be dealt with by international instruments. In such circumstances Alternative Disputes Resolution offers a cost-effective and speedy solution through the medium of third party. According to Lilian Edwards and Caroline Wilson, â€Å"Online Dispute resolution introduces very powerful and efficient tools for dispute resolution and increases access to redress mechanisms. ODR is an efficient, fast, and cheap way of dispute resolution, Court costs are beyond the means of most consumers and takes twenty to thirty months, while ODR process may take few hours or days†. To look at the concept of Alternative Disputes Resolution in legal perspective, efforts have been made on international, regional and national level to encourage the use and development of Alternative Dispute Resolution, particularly in disputes arising out of cross-border transactions. But they do not have any binding effects. It is a discretionary option for the states to apply and adopt them in their national laws. For instance, Art 17 of the EU Directive on Electronic Commerce deals with out-of-court dispute settlement. â€Å"The Article imposes responsibility upon member states to support those bodies that are responsible for out-of-court disputes settlement of consumer to operate in a way which provides sufficient practical guarantees for the concerned parties. And that the member states shall ensure that their legislation does not obstruct the use of out-of-court methods, accessible under the state law, for dispute settlement†. According to OECD E-commerce Guidelines, â€Å"consumers should be given access to fair and timely ADR and remedy without undue cost or burden. And that Businesses, consumer representatives and governments should work jointly to continue to use and develop just, efficient, and transparent self-regulatory and other strategies and measures, including ADR mechanisms, to address consumer complaints and resolve their disputes arising out of Business-to-consumer electronic commerce in cross-border transactions†. Similarly the European Commission issued recommendations in 1998 which prescribes principles of independence, transparency, adversarial proceedings, effectiveness, legality, liberty, and representation for out-of-court consumers disputes settlement. Furthermore â€Å"Recommendations issued by European Commission in 2001 governs out-of-court procedures which lead to a settlement between the parties by common consent. It prescribes four principles i.e. impartiality, transparency, effectiveness, and fairness of procedure in-order to encourage consumers confidence in e-commerce and to ensure easy access to practical, effective, and inexpensive means of redress†. Moreover the International Chamber of Commerce has issued best practices for ODR. It provides guidance for online businesses and for ODR providers. It encourages businesses to resolve consumer disputes through the medium of Online Disputes Resolution mechanism when the matter can not be resolved internally. ADR Guidelines 2003 agreed between Consumers International and the Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce. â€Å"These guidelines prescribe recommendations for ADR providers on impartiality and qualification of personnel, accessibility and convenience, speed, cost, transparency, representation, applicable rules and consumer awareness. It also recommends to governments to address international rules on jurisdiction and applicable law and to adopt different measures to promote increased use and development of ADR†. Methodology: In research methodology I will pursue triangulation method by adopting both quantitative (questionnaires) and qualitative (interviews) research methodologies. The main reason behind using various methods of research is that â€Å"it facilitates the validation of data through cross verification from more than two sources. In particular it refers to the application and combination of several research methodologies in the study of the same phenomenon†. Sampling: In selecting my respondents I will use both probability sampling method and non-probability sampling method. In probability sampling method I will choose my respondents from a list of potential people that I will use for primary data collection. Such list will be obtained from an existing database of a research organization such as IPSOS MORI. In non-probability sampling method I will question or interview any one who is available. This method is very quick and cost efficient. Method of data collection: For collecting primary data I will use two methods, which are questionnaire and interviews. I will also consult a research organization such as IPSOS MORI, for collecting data for my research work. Questionnaire: For collecting data through questionnaires first of all I will select my target group to be examined through questionnaire. For this purpose I will adopt probability and non-probability sampling methods as mentioned above in sampling section. For questionnaire distribution I will use three methods i.e. sending emails, using postal services and onsite distribution by going to particular places i.e. supermarkets, travel centres to distribute the questions among randomly selected individuals. I will also get in touch with various businesses that are involved in cross borders E-commerce and will analyse their procedure for resolving B2C E-commerce disputes through the medium of questionnaire and conducting interviews. In current research work I have conducted a pilot research to make sure that the questions that will be asked in my actual dissertation are answerable and that the methods that will be used are workable in practical sense. I have distributed 50 questionnaires among the students in Bradford College. The response of the participants was very high and positive. The questions used in questionnaires were quite simple, which I will improve further by making amendments and improvements in my dissertation stage. A sample of questionnaire is attached at the end of this research proposal in appendix 1. Interviews: Interview is the most popular technique of qualitative research. It is very useful because of its flexibility, both in terms of content and time and can be tailored to suit the research questions, respondents, and the researchers own life style much more effectively. The use of interview can help the researcher to gather valid and reliable data that are relevant to the research question and objectives. For collecting data I will use face-to-face interviews, as it is a useful method of data collection and is used by most of the researchers because body language and emotions of the participant can also be studied which is a fundamental factor for a qualitative researcher. I will also use phone interviews and e-mail interviews. Interview will be semi structured and unstructured, and the questions may either be already prepared on a peace of paper or they may be generated during the interview process. There will be in-depth interviews with the participants in order to collect as much information as possible regarding the research topic. If the participants are having any difficulty in understanding the questions I will clarify and explain the question. I can also use opinion poll method to find out public opinion, by making a random selection from the general public. In my current research proposal I have interviewed 15 people in order to check the response and effectiveness of conducting interviews. The response I got from the participants was high but the result obtained from interviews was different from questionnaire although the interview questions were almost similar to the questionnaires. In order to get similar results I will make changes in interview questions to improve the quality and response rate and to make it more attractive for the respondents. A summary of interviews is attached at the end of this proposal in appendix 2. Secondary Data: I will also use secondary data in my research work. In order to conduct my research work effectively I will use different library services to access books, scholarly articles, journals and magazines relating to the research topic. For collecting relevant data I will use internet to access online libraries, electronic books and other online materials. I will also make efforts to study case law in the field of E-commerce to find out that how the courts deal with the matters and to look at the courts procedure about resolving e-commerce disputes and will compare them with out of court settlement methods. Data analysis: Data analysis is a continuous procedure during the whole research. The analysis starts from the point where the researcher and the participants are in close relation for the first time during a research process. For data analysis previous knowledge and experience of the researcher is of vital importance in order to get effective results. Data analysis is an important part of the research, where the researcher prepares the data for analysis. Once a data is analysed it is interpreted and than converted into a final report. The traditional methods of data analysis are now replaced by computer software available in the market. As I have selected questionnaire and interview as my primary data collection process, therefore the questionnaire and interview questions will be prepared in such manners that the acquired result obtained from them is valid and reliable, so that the same results can be gained when the research is repeated subsequently. Triangulation method is used in this research methodology because the data collected can be compared from different angles to get the accurate results for the research. Conclusion: After a detailed study of e-commerce and the existence of certain problems i.e. problem of jurisdiction, applicable law and enforcement of judgement, it is therefore apparent and inevitable for building up consumers confidence and e-commerce development that new means of enforcing B2C e-contracts should be adopted. As obvious from the literature review there are no uniform legal principles and legislation on international, regional and national level regulating disputes arising out of e-commerce transaction that takes place across state-borders. There are no binding principles to compel the parties to perform their part of obligation. Similarly literature review further indicates that efforts have been made by different governments and organizations to escalate the problem of enforcing B2C e-contracts and to resolve disputes that arising out of cross-border transaction, but they are only guidelines and voluntary principles of non-binding nature. Although new means of enforcing B2C e-contracts and disputes resolution across state borders are in practice i.e. ADR/ODR, but there are a number of obstacles in developing these mechanisms, such as non-awareness of consumers about ADR, non-availability of independent ADR practitioners, linguistic and cultural differences, distance between the parties. All these barriers need proper and positive response from governments, different organizations and private sector. New ways and means need to be introduce in order to increase consumers confidence in cross-border e-commerce because traditional means of dispute resolution such as court proceedings and other administrative actions are very expensive and time consuming, particularly in small value claims. Therefore it can be concluded that to resolve cross-borders e-commerce disputes it is inevitable to adopt, strengthen and support new means of disputes resolution on international, regional and national level to provide an effective, timely and cost-effective system to build up consumers confidence and develop e-commerce. References Lee, N., Lings, I. (2008) Doing Business Research, A Guide to Theory and Practice. SAGE Publications, 2008, p80 Commission Of The European Communities, Report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 5.3.2009, SEC(2009) 283 final, p5 Commission Of The European Communities, Report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 5.3.2009, SEC(2009) 283 final, p6 Key e-commerce Regulatory Issues, An EBC Guide to Taxation, Security and Privacy, E-export and Legal Issues Commission Of The European Communities, Report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 5.3.2009, SEC(2009) 283 final, p5 Commission Of The European Communities, Report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 5.3.2009, SEC(2009) 283 final, p5 Ong, C.E. (2003) B2C E-commerce Trust in Redress Mechanism (Cross Border Issue) Monash University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia A new Dawn for dispute resolution, the Global Information Society and online dispute resolution, 9/21/2006, Muhammad S. Wahab OECD Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce (1999) United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection, United Nations New York, 2003 Asian-pacific, Advancing Free Trade for Asia-pacific Prosperity, Economic Cooperation, Electronic Commerce Steering Group The term Arbitration refers to a process or a legal technique whereby a dispute is resolved outside the court through the medium of arbitrators. This mechanism is very useful in resolving disputes arising out of international commercial transaction. Mediation is a process whereby an impartial third party facilitates communication between consumer and business. Mediator tries to enable the parties to reach a settlement. Negotiation is an interaction of influences. It includes the process of resolving disputes, agreeing upon courses of action, bargaining for collective or individual advantage, or crafting outcomes to satisfy various interests. Submission on ADR in e-commerce, by National Alternative Disputes Resolution Advisory Council, p2 E-commerce and Development Report, 2003, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Internet edition prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat, United Nations, New York and Geneva, 2003, UNCTAD/SIDTE/ECB/2003/1 Dr. Patterson, M. (2001) An Australian Free Trade Agreement- Opportunities Challenges, Hyatt Hotel, Canberra, Session 4b, Infoeconomy issue, E-commerce Law, Law School Monash University Edward, L., Wilson, C. (2006) Redress Alternative Dispute Resolution in Cross-Border E-commerce Transactions, Briefing Note, IP/A/IMCO/IC/2006-206, p3 Directive 2000/31/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of June 2000, on certain legal aspects of information society services, in particular electronic commerce, in the internal market (Directive on electronic commerce), Article 17 OECD Guidelines for consumer protection in the context of electronic commerce, p 18 98/257/EC: Commission Recommendation of 30 March 1998 on the principles applicable to the bodies responsible for out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes, official journal of European Communities Commission Recommendations of 4 April 2001 on the principles for out-of-court bodies involving in the consensual resolution of consumer disputes, Official Journal of European Communities ICC best practices for Online Disputes Resolution for B2C and C2C transactions, Department of policy and business practices, commission on e-Business, IT and Telecom Alternative Dispute Resolution Guidelines, May, 2003, Agreement reached between Consumers International and the Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce Bogdan, R.C. Biklen, S.K. (2006) Qualitative Research in Education: An introduction to theory and methods, Allyn Bacon Lee, N., Lings I. (2008) Doing Business Research, A Guide to Theory and Practice, SAGE Publications, p 217 aunders, M et al. (2007) Research Methods for Business Students, Prentice Hall, 4th Edition, p310