Friday, January 31, 2020

Social Networking on Facebook Essay Example for Free

Social Networking on Facebook Essay Social Networking on Facebook Arlene Pascual MIS Facebook (FB) is one of the latest trends in social networking (Facebook. com). Facebook (FB) is one of the most popular social networking sites among college students. FB started out as a site designed for and available to students at Harvard University to help them get acquainted with other students living in the dorms. But, it is now a public site. FB has become the number one choice of communication with college students, ranking higher than phone and email. FB attracts many students because it provides a place where students can have space of their own to express themselves and communicate freely with peers. This site provides an easy way for students to build their social networks, show the world who they are, make new friends and keep up with old friends. Facebook is not just a tool for only college students anymore. In September 2006, FB went public. Before then, only people with an . edu email address could access the site. Now anyone with a valid email can become a registered user of the popular social networking site. In addition, Computer Mediated Communication is communication that occurs via computer technology. CMC includes participating in chat room discussions, instant messaging, email, virtual teams, virtual communities, and voice activated messaging. CMC is also an excellent way to participate in social networking. Social networking is an important part of everyday life that assists people in planning and cultivating business, social contacts, and personal relationships. CMC is often preferred over face to face communication because it is convenient, easy, fast and highly effective in many situations. Newspapers, news magazines, and television news have highlighted the dangers of Facebook and other social networking sites such as MySpace, such as online predators, dangers of revealing personal information on profiles, and the posting of obscene or illegal activities. Yet the positive aspects of social networking on the internet make these sites so appealing to millions of users. Given the widespread of FB use among college students, the main goal of this study is to explore how students are social networking on Facebook. The following research questions are as follows: 1: How are students setting up their Facebook accounts? 2: How much time are students spending on Facebook? 3: How are students using Facebook? and 4: What kinds of negative experiences have students encountered on Facebook? Despite the negative press surrounding social networking sites, this study revealed that students are using Facebook for positive and appropriate networking. Everyone at their university can view their profiles, which allows more connections and interactions. Students also reported that their profiles were accurate representations of themselves. Since students tend to allow everyone to see their profile information, telling lies about themselves can be obvious. However, some students reported that their profiles only â€Å"somewhat accurately† represent them. Students may think that they are able to stretch the truth about certain areas of their lives. Although data were not gathered about what parts of students’ profiles are less accurate than others, this paper guessed that misrepresentations are most likely to occur in the â€Å"About Me† section. In this section, students write about anything they like, from their favorite things to how they view themselves. In many ways, the â€Å"about me† section is similar to a personal ad whereby students attempt to portray themselves in the most positive light possible. In addition, most students are not much concerned about privacy and they accept new friends request who they don’t know because that is the reason they join FB: to meet new friends. Majority of the respondents spent about 10 minutes a day. The most common uses of FB were sending messages to friends and viewing photos. Students want to keep in touch and get to know others better. On the other hand, one clear finding of this study is that students do not use FB for overt romantic relationship development. Students do not want their dating attempts to be public. Students also did not use FB to advertise academic or social events or to recruit for their organizations. Overall, negative experiences on FB were relatively few and far between given the frequency and variety of student use. In case of â€Å"stalker issue†, although FB is now open to the public, the default (and loosest) privacy setting enables student profiles to be viewed only by people at their own universities. Therefore, students must â€Å"confirm† that others outside their universities are their â€Å"friends† before people can view their profiles. These kinds of privacy safeguards might aid in keeping away stalkers. Concepts from two theoretical frameworks appear to be useful applications for explaining social networking on Facebook. First, Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT) posits that people do not like uncertainty in initial encounters and therefore attempt to reduce that uncertainty through verbal and nonverbal communication in these initial face-to-face meetings. Students on FB definitely attempted to reduce uncertainty with strangers (e. g. other students in their classes, residence halls, sororities, and clubs) through direct messaging on FB and through indirect means such as observing others’ profiles on FB (networks, pictures, and wall posts). Relational Maintenance (RM) provides insight into the strategies that established relational partners use to maintain their relationships. RM can help enhance an existing relationship, repair a conflictual one, or maintain a relationship at its current level of engagement and satisfaction. Relational maintenance was prevalent on Facebook. Sending messages, updating profiles, and uploading pictures helped students feel connected with friends from high school and college. The RM strategies of positivity, self-disclosure, and assurances were all easily accomplished through FB and students perceived FB to be maintaining their relationships in important ways. FB can also foster closeness among users by sharing pictures that make events more personal and immediate.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

A Wind from a Foriegn Sky :: essays research papers

A Wind from a Foriegn Sky A Wind From a Foreign Sky is a very interesting novel. It is full of magic, knights, witches and all sorts of unknown evil. In the beginning of the novel, Gaultry, the heroine, is in the town on market day, she's attacked on her way home, but is saved by a knight, sent by her father. Martin, her rescuer, was sent by Gaultry's father to protect her and her sister, Mervion. Gaultry soon finds out that the Chancellor is set to kill Mervion on their holy night, they decide to rescue her. Their travels were plagued by many mishaps, some of which Gaultry's powers provoked. Gaultry begins to notice a strong feeling for Martin, who is also feeling the same for her. They have fallen in love with each other. After many days of travel, they reach the Prince's kingdom in the town of Princeport. Gaultry uses her Magic powers to save her beloved sister, and like any good story, everyone lives happily ever after.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think if I could meet anyone of the characters in the novel, I would like to meet Gaultry. Gaultry reminds me of myself in many ways. She is smart, but she does not always think until it is too late. She always gets herself into trouble by not thinking before acting. Like in the near beginning of the novel when she was attacked by a group of men, instead of using her cunning, she ran. She was almost raped and beaten because of her quick reaction to a situation that might have been avoided. Gaultry is really an everyday hero, she is not stronger, smarter, or braver than any other character in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think I would like to live in the time and setting of this novel. It does not exactly state what time everything occurs, but from passages like the following, I was able to assume it was during a medieval time and place. The worn leather of the scabbard had gone clear as glass and the mighty sword that lay beneath the battered casing could be clearly seen. Six runes power winked out along its blade embossed into the metal like evil, shifting eyes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although this passage does not clearly state what period, using text clues I figured it had to be medieval. The place where everything occurs is not anyplace that ever existed, but a place very similar to England or Ireland.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Extended Marketing Mix Essay

Launched on 3rd of October 2009 by the McLaren’s Group which has been a name with great passion towards improvement of motor sports in Sri Lanka, Speed  Drome (Pvt) Ltd. is every Pro/Go-karter’s heaven on earth. Located amidst green pasture in close proximity to the parliament complex and Buddhadasa play ground in Battaramulla, Speedrome is a fully equipped and professionally fitted race track which includes 19 go-karts, computerized timing and scoring systems, professionally trained staff, designated spectator areas and air-conditioned VIP gallery, all for the sake of providing their customers with the best experience that they can offer. Go-karting may be Speed Drome’s main product but they haven’t stopped there as far as the entertainment aspect is concerned, with a sports bar and a luxurious lounge. These two additional services are provided for customers to host parties or any corporate events. Speed Drome also has taken an initiative in providing a swimming pool to cater to discerning corporate executives and high profile lifestyles. As for the little kids, Speed Drome has taken the liberty of creating a kiddies race track as well. To put it simply, Speed Drome aims to be not only an attraction for Pro/Go-kart lovers everywhere but also to provide the entire family with leisure activities and entertainment. Speed Drome has gained much popularity ever since its launch, with an exhibition kart race in which the participation of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Aravinda De Silva the former cricketer who is a keen fan of motor cars along with the lady racer S.A. Lakshika and Jackson Anthony were noted. Karting championships such as â€Å"Speed Drome All Island Karting Championship Rounds 1-3 † show off exactly what Speed Drome is all about as many professional formula one drivers take part in these competitions exhibiting the real skill involved in Go/Pro-karting, while attracting even more potential customers and leading to other karting championships. Finally the major plus point for Speed Drome is the fact that it is the one and only Go/Pro-Karting facility in Sri Lanka as yet and with its added assets Speed Drome’s future seems very fruitful with all the necessary standards being maintained. The Extended Marketing mix 1. Product In a service organization, the product is referred to the service being delivered to the consumer which is intangible, inseparable, variable and perishable. The speed Drome (Pvt) Ltd. (Appendix 1) offers a variety of  services which can be explained in terms of entertainment, leisure and experience. Their main focus is on providing their customers with the experience of real Pro-Kart racing (Appendix 2) and in addition to that other entertainment and leisure services are also provided such as the Kiddies track, (Appendix 3) the sports bar (Appendix 4) and the swimming pool (Appendix 5) along with the Luxurious Lounge (Appendix 6). The nature of the service in terms of: Intangibility: True services are intangible. Therefore when you leave Speed Drome there is only one memory or the experience that remains, which is riding a pro-kart at the only available place in Sri Lanka. Some elements are tangible such as the karts used, the swim pool etc., but the core benefit of the purchase is not, and that is the sheer experience of riding a pro-kart and feeling its speed. Inseparability: The service provided by Speed Drome is inseparable as the physical presence of a customer is essential in this service. However, with the help of its physical resources the overall service takes place when only the consumer that is the person interested in riding a pro-kart meets the service provider. Perishability: Karting or any other service provided by the company must be consumed when offered. It cannot be produced now for consumption at a later stage / time nor can they be held or stocked because the value of this service exists at the point when it is required. Variability: This service is highly variable because Speed Drome is the only service provider for kart racing in Sri Lanka currently. It has its very own standardized quality which cannot be competed with another form of entertainment service, as it provides a unique and an incomparable experience. The above mentioned characteristics define the services they provide which attract youngsters and veteran drivers alike. 2. Price Pricing is one of the most important marketing mix decisions and it is the only marketing mix variable that generates revenues. Speed Drome (Pvt) Ltd. is a profit and cost oriented organization. Their main objectives are to: * Maximize their profits, * Achieve a target return on investment, * Recover investment costs over a particular time period And to, * Generate volume so as to drive down costs. Speed Drome doesn’t pursue the status quo or sales oriented objectives as it is the only organization specializes in this certain industry in Sri Lanka. Due to the same reason Speed Drome follows the price skimming strategy. Their prices for all the services are relatively high (even though they don’t have competitors in the same industry) compared to the other entertainment forms in the market. This is due to the service quality, image and to prevent competitors enter the market easily. The following are the current prices attached to the services being provided by Speed Drome: * Pro-Karting/ Go-Karting (10 minutes) – Rs. 750 * Happy Hours Karting (every Tuesday 3pm-8pm) – Rs. 500 * Swimming pool charges (unlimited) per person – Rs. 450 * Membership Benefits: * Membership free Rs.15000 * Rs. 750 tickets for Rs.500 * Kart trainer amount Rs.1500 for Rs.1000 * Members can use pool free, additional guest with members charged only Rs. 250 each * 10% discount for corporate package with fully use of pool and entertainment area. Additionally the race fees, special event fees and training programme fees are charged. 3. Place The place part of the marketing mix is where the customer receives the service or where the service is located. Speed Drome is Located in close proximity to the Parliament Complex and Bhuddhadasa Play Ground, in Battaramulla. It has situated itself around major cities such as Colombo, Rajagiriya, Nugegoda and Pitakotte which are all highly residential areas have all been thought out very carefully by Speed Drome management prior to construction. This is to boost their target market which is basically the upper class of community because although the cost for riding a Go-Kart (which is something very rare to do in Sri Lanka) seems reasonable as far as the cost for maintaining the Karts and equipment needed go, Unfortunately  though for the majority of Sri Lankan’s the price to pay for such an experience is highly unreasonable. The area in which the Arena (or facility) has been built on is extremely large and compliments the Track very well and to add to this the lush scenery surrounding the Speed Drome gives this track a unique feel to it. Speed Dome’s location has one more major benefit which is that it’s just a drive away not only from the cities surrounding it but also from other major cities in the district like Colombo and Dehiwala etc. Over all the decision to build Speed Drome where it is an extremely well thought and strategic move which has shown and is yet to keep bringing in results. 4. Promotion Promotions have become a critical factor in the service marketing mix. Services are easy to be duplicated and hence it is generally the brand which sets a service apart from its counterpart. As mentioned under the topic ‘Place’ Speed Drome’s marketing mix carters to a selected segment, which is known as Niche marketing. Its service is all about providing entertainment for those who desire the ‘need for speed’. What better way to communicate about this sheer experience which can be gained at only one place in Sri Lanka other than promoting the service? The obvious competitive advantages Speed Drome possesses are: * Service Differentiation The only facility that provides karting experience in Sri Lanka. * Image Differentiation Karts which are only available at Speed Drome in Sri Lanka and the unique logo itself distinguish the service provided. How Speed Drome gets through to the customer The main objective of Speed Drome is to make the potential customers well aware about their new service. Hence the following methods are mainly used to promote their service- * Weekly offered special karting hours * ‘Happy Hours’ Every Tuesday from 3pm-8pm (Rs.750 tickets at Rs.500) (Appendix 7) * Karting competitions * Thank God its Race Day Competition (Appendix 8) * All Island Karting Championship (Appendix 9,10) * Exhibition kart races of celebrities (Appendix 11) * Publications * News Paper advertisements Ex: Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, Sunday Observer * Magazines Ex: Things to do in Colombo, Esteem, Hi etc. * Online Advertising * Social network groups Ex: The official Facebook Group with latest updates. Twitter etc.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Capital City Of Greece Is Athens - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 748 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/08/16 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Ancient Greek Essay Did you like this example? The capital city of Greece is Athens, which was founded in 508 B.C. and made the capital city later on. It is the home of the Parthenon, the temple dedicated to Athena. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Capital City Of Greece Is Athens" essay for you Create order (Parthenon itself means the chamber of an unwedded virgin) Although not a wonder of the world, it is considered a world heritage site by UNESCO. The city and the temple were named after Athena after discovering that an olive tree was there, and that tree, according to Grecian myth, was a gift directly from Athena herself to humanity. The temple was made on an acropolis, which means high city. It was created after the Persians has destroyed the city that was there before Athens was created and named. The city of Athens owes most of its success to Athena (and probably really good luck) and how devoted they were to her. Originally, the residents were deciding on whether to name this new city after Poseidon or Athena. However, where they were deciding to make the temple dedicated to whichever god that was going to be chosen, there was an olive tree, that in a Grecian myth, was a gift from Athena to humanity, or the humans descended directly from the earth as the Greeks believed that they were. Before this, Poseidon had made water come from the earth, but because of how salty it was it would not be of use to humans. Once that was decided, the powerful statesman of Athens: Pericles, had to get the architect to make the temple, and it had to be perfect in honor of Athena since only the best would be acceptable. Pericles was a very powerful and influential man during his time, so much so that a friend of his, Thucydides who was a historian, named him the first citizen of Athens As stated before, they held Athena in high esteem because of the gift that she had bestowed upon them, and everything needed to be of the utmost quality. Phidias was chosen to be the architect because he was a friend of Pericles and had also created the awe-inspiring statue of Zeus in Olympia. The Parthenon was made out of twenty-two thousand tons of marble and is seventy meters long by thirty meters wide, or two hundred and thirty feet long by one hundred feet wide for non-metric users, as well as not having any straight lines because the human eye is faulty and cannot detect all errors that are done. The special thing about this temple was in how they would hold a special festival in honor of Athena every four years. Unlike the temple of Apollo in Delphi, which had an Oracle people would go to, to ask about their future, the Parthenon focused more on this festival that happened every four years. Well, actually it would hold a festival every year on Athenas birthday, but the really spectacular one was held every four years. The procession, the Panathenaia, that would happen every four years was carved into the Parthenon, depicting what would happen during this time, which to typical Greek tradition, were competitions. There were chariots racers competing against one another, and whoever won that race would be given a jar full of olive oil, which was fitting because again, the olive tree that Athena had gifted them would be represented through the olive oil that was won. Along with the chariot racers, there were men that might have participated in beauty contests and could have been the winners of said contests, musicians playing their instruments, men with animals that were about to be sacrificed to Athena and held snacks in their hands. In conclusion, the Parthenon and Athens were the most powerful city-state of Greece not only because of its influencers but because of the devotion the people of this city had to Athena. Without having that olive tree there, Athena might not have ever become the patron deity of the city, and the Parthenon would not have even been named the Parthenon. The question that remains is that had this city been named after Poseidon, as it had the possibility of such a thing happening, would this city have been as powerful or as successful as it was being named after Athena. There are so many what-ifs or maybes to be had. However, that is all they will be because Athens continues to be called Athens to this day, and still remains the capital city of Greece even after all these years.