Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The Economic Problem of Population Ageing Essay - 1323 Words

In the contemporary world, the economic problem of population ageing caused is revealing gradually. UNESCO provides a standard that a single country or region in the population over 60 years is more than 10% of the total population, which is into the aging of the population. Both of developed and developing countries in recent years have to face more serious aging impacts for economic progress. According to population prospects (2009), the whole world will accelerate the pace of ageing after 2010. More precisely, share of elderly people is 22% in rich countries and 8% in poorer countries, whereas these figures will rise to 33% and 20%, respectively. Why does aging become a problem? The U.S. Census study points out that the worldwide ageing†¦show more content†¦Consequently, in serious countries, some jobs will lack of employees to carry out. Secondly, in order to promptly resolve the shortage of labour caused by ageing, many countries have extended the time of retirement of the elderly. To illustrate, China plans to start gradually raise the retirement age from 60 to 65 from 2010. However, this approach may give rise to many controversies. Provided that the retire time to be late, civil servants will support this resolution. As a consequence, a number of university graduates will more difficult to find a job, and some laid-off workers will face delayed pensions; therefore, that government need to consider a wide ranges of citizen interests. Lastly, Skirbekk of the International Institute (The Economist, 2009, p.10), researched the relationship between age and personal productivity, reached that productivity in various job descends gradually in middle age. As a common sense, when people reach middle age, health and intelligence will begin to decline; thus the production efficiency of the elderly will not be better than young. Particularly, in the use of high-tech skills, the old usually lose young; thus employers may think that the elderly will affect the productivity of workers. The Economist (2009 , p10) put forward a solution that let active young and experienced old man work together Chart 1. country Early retiring age Normal age Employed, 55–59Show MoreRelatedThe Problem Of Ageing Population Essay979 Words   |  4 Pages People are having longer life due to economic well-being, better nutrition and improvement of medical facilities. Ageing population has entailed an increasing share of old persons in the population. However, longer life expectancy has resulted in the ageing of population and has caused worldwide concerns of the problems it may consequently arouse. The two major reasons of the ageing population trend are the rising longevity and the decline of fertility rate. If the proportion of elderly peopleRead MoreAging Population772 Words   |  4 Pagesparticular field of study or interest (e.g. economics, science, medicine, social policy, architecture, psychology, technological inventions). â€Å"Population ageing is both a triumph and a challenge† (Lim, 2008). With the advances in economics and medical development as well as better health systems, Singaporeans now are having longer life expectancy than they used to have in the past. Current research has shown that Singapore is one of the fastest ageing populations among Asia. However, the drop in birthRead MoreThe Ageing Population : A Demographic Problem951 Words   |  4 PagesThe ageing population is a demographic problem that it is caused by the population, which mean getting older. The proportion of the different age groups is unbalanced that the phenomenon that is youngsters is fewer than elderly. It comes as no surprise, the health care system is being optimised, which provides better medical service, improving human life expectancy age. Therefore, that is the reason why I am for the argument. It is the biggest improvement in our world and the world is a better placeRead MoreAging Population : A Social P roblem944 Words   |  4 PagesAging population is now a worldwide issue for both under-developed and developed countries. This has created many implications for health care and government policies. In this essay, I will start with an introduction of what aging population is all about. The next paragraph will highlight why our aging society is seen as a social problem in relation to social, economic and political effects and ways in which the state can respond to this aging population issues. An ageing population is â€Å"definedRead MoreGlobal population ageing means that by 2050 over 60s will comprise 22% of the world population at 2700 Words   |  3 PagesGlobal population ageing means that by 2050 over 60s will comprise 22% of the world population at 2 billion (Banister et al, 2012). A report prepared by the Population Division for the World Assembly on Ageing in 2002 shows that population ageing is unpredecedented, pervasive and enduring, having a wide range of consequences for many countries and governments (UN). This wide spread phenomenon, therefore has many implications and this essay studies these in terms of economic, social, environmentalRead MoreWhat Causes Aging Population Of Hong Kong And How Has It Affected Economics?1200 Words   |  5 PagesGeog 142 Population Geography Professor Goodwin-White Research Paper Louis Chu 17th May, 2015 What Causes Aging Population In Hong Kong and How Has It Affected Economics? Introduction Population ageing is a common social problem that occurs in well-developed countries. Population ageing refers the age of a region increase and a shift of a country’s population towards an older age. In this research paper, the content will mainly focus on the problem of ageing population in Hong Kong, my hometownRead MoreIntroduction Of Late Adulthood And Retirement1659 Words   |  7 Pageshad seen an increase with people age sixty and above. Consequently, this aging population has significant effects on many aspect of society. Life expectancy which was of 50 years in the 19th century had tremendously increase. Indeed the factors contributing to the longevity include; public health measure to many factors such as decrease in infant mortality rate, and the eradication of certain diseases. Population ageing is a global phenomenon that can be expressed by the significant demographic changesRead MoreThe Development Of Australia And Japan1488 Words   |  6 Pagescountries, in food, culture, location, population and many other aspects. But one of the things that brings these two very different countries together is the issue of an ageing population. It is estimated that, with a rapidly increasing elderly population, Japan is well on its way to lose about half its workforce by 2060, which would weaken its status as an economic superpower and weaken its economy to the point of ruin. Australia is also facing a similar ageing population crisis. Although in the past AustraliaRead MoreThe Social Issue of Ageing1031 Words   |  4 PagesIssue of ageing Social issues are controversial issues that relate to the lives of people and their interactions. Some social issues are distinguishable from economic issues while some consist of both social and economic aspects. Social issues are conditions that at least some people view as being undesirable Ageing in humans refers to various changes that include physical, psychological change. Some of the dimensions of ageing might grow and expand over time while others decline. Ageing introducesRead MoreSocial Exclusion for Older People642 Words   |  3 Pagesnutrition and education has resulted in the growth of older persons numerically around the world. (United Nations, 2001a; World Health Organization, 2000). Ageing should be a positive experience. However while some have the chance to more leisure, or spend time with friends and family others experience isolation and exclusion. The process of ageing is taking place in an era in which the traditional systems that support elderly care have been transformed by the processes of modernization and globalization

Monday, December 23, 2019

Catcher in the Rye Holdens Faliure in the Journey of Life

The Catcher in the Rye, by Jerome David Salinger, reveals the hardships that teenagers endure as they mature and enter adulthood. In this novel, Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year -old who has been kicked out of several schools, undergoes a gamut of problems. First, at the beginning of the novel, it is clear that Holden has a difficulty accepting himself and others; he constantly defines people as phony. Secondly, as the novel progresses it becomes evident that Holden does not want to enter adulthood. Both problems lead to Holdens failure in his journey of life. Holdens problem in life is that he is very judgmental of almost everything and everyone; this leads him to become isolated, unhappy and lonely. First, he criticizes people who†¦show more content†¦Moreover, even though Holden sees others as phonies, he, himself, cannot even live up to his own unreasonably high standards and expectations. Since he cannot live up to his own acceptations, he is unable to connect with people, and withdraws into his own world. In other words, even though Holden might try not to be a phony, in actuality, he is. This is a problem in his life because he is very judgmental, and makes snap conclusions without taking the whole person and his/her complexities into consideration. Holden doesnt take into account that he is judging a human being with feelings and emotions. He considers one aspect about a persons personality and portrays it as his/her character. For example, he believes that Ackley is a pimply guy; he doesnt consider that he could perhaps be a nice guy. Overall, Holden is a phony himself, if he doesnt learn to accept himself and others, he will never be happy. His ignorance to make hasty judgments is an issue because Holden distinguishes phonies to be adults, and yet Holden doesnt want to enter adulthood, which is another problem that he encounters. Holdens second problem in life is that he fears change and resists the process of maturity; as a result he remains lost and going no where in life. First, Holden is constantly talking about and revisiting the Museum of Natural History. He says that he loves the museum and he misses

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Issues and Ideas in Social Welfare (4 Article Basis) Free Essays

In this paper, I will discuss issues and ideas related to social welfare. They are found and outlined in the following articles: â€Å"Divided We Stand: Why Inequality Keeps Rising† written by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), â€Å"The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better† written by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, â€Å"The Canadian dream is well within Reach† written by Amelia Karabegovic and Charles Lammam, and â€Å"Tackling Inequality Now† written by Sherri Torjman and Ken Battle†. I will also present my view against or for each article that is discussed. We will write a custom essay sample on Issues and Ideas in Social Welfare (4 Article Basis) or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the first article, â€Å"Divided We Stand: Why Inequality Keeps Rising†, we are presented with a negative outlook towards the future of Canada’s society. OECD informs us of a growing division between the rich and the poor that continues to widen, not only in Canada, but in many countries over the world. The OECD (2011) states that in well-off economies, â€Å"the richest 10% of the population is about nine times that of the poorest 10%† (p. ). One of the largest causes of income inequality comes from wages and salaries. Those who are classified as high income earners increase their salaries at a faster rate than those classified as low income earners. A contribution to the increase in income inequality is the technological progression. Workers who are highly skilled benefit with an increase in technology, allowing those with higher education and skill to further their income. Another is the tax and benefit systems. The tax and benefit systems are introduced with tighter rules that do not help or favour the lowest income groups. To solve this inequality issue, OECD suggests that the best thing policy makers need to do is invest in human capital, promote employment, and create policies and tax systems that are supportive. OECD presents important points and suggestions for policy makers and governments in all countries. Though they may be hard to implement, the need for action increases as the divide between the rich and poor widens. Like the author, I agree with these principles. People, especially those in low income groups, need the support of the government through programs and policies. If these programs and policies were created but cannot help those who need it most, one may question why they are in place. To make them effective they may need to be changed or redistributed in a way that works. The next article, â€Å"The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better† provides readers with a distinctive view on how unequal societies create disadvantages and how these disadvantages create a greater inequality. In a study of 33 countries, a small connection was found between income inequality and homicide rates, but no connection was found between public spending on health and education. However, Wilkinson and Pickett shed light on an important growing connection between income inequality and social dysfunction. The greater the inequality, the greater the need is for government intervention. It is easy to assume that the more unequal a society is, the more dysfunctional it may be. To make the most difference with the least well-off, greater equality is needed. Having an unequal society not only affects those in low income groups, but affects those on all levels. Those in well-off groups have the income and ability to spend more on consumer goods, allowing them to â€Å"vote† on what is being produced. As Wilkinson and Pickett said, government intervention is needed. Because they have the power to enforce new rules and regulations, the government should be able to regulate how equal a society should be and eliminate dysfunction when able. The third article, written by Amelia Karabegovic and Charles Lammam, enlightens us with a positive future for Canada. Their studies have found that many individuals start out in low income groups and then climb to the middle or high income groups. Low income jobs are meant to be short-term and a step towards a better paid job. Karabegovic and Lammam found that â€Å"†¦60% moved into a higher income group in one year, 79% did so after two, and nearly 90% after six. † (paragraph 7). Karabegovic and Lammam write with an optimistic attitude for Canada’s future. Though they describe low income groups as â€Å"stepping stones† to higher income jobs, this is not always the case. If greater inequality is rising, as it says in the previous articles, then those in low income groups may find it harder to find a job, or even one with a higher paying income. Yes, Canada’s dream may absolutely be attainable, but that comes after dealing with the difficult problems like poverty and inequality. This cannot be accomplished without hard work and the cooperation of all individuals. The last article, â€Å"Tackling Inequality Now† written by Sherri Torjman and Ken Battle, was published on the Caledon Institute of Social Policy website in January of 2012. Torjman and Battle give readers a perspective to how a Canadian society is perceived today. They say the best way to start change is by recreating and reorganizing the different programs and systems that policy makers create. However, instead of moving society in a positive way, the federal government made expensive changes that moved in a negative direction. Especially during the recession and difficult economic seasons, the programs and policy choices that are meant to help failed to do so. Programs like the Working Income Tax Benefit and Employment Insurance were created to help, but did not provide support to those who needed it. Often, those in low income groups were not qualified for the programs provided. With the Working Income Tax Benefit program, the amount invested would barely make a difference. Torjman and Battle suggest that it is important for the government to focus on bettering the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the Working Income Tax Benefit and to invest in education and work training. This article gives readers an honest insight to how the government and the public need to pay attention, improve, and change one of the main issues in society today – inequality. As previous articles mentioned, these issues are something Canada struggles to fix. I concur with many of the points Torjman and Battle make. It seems as though the government has the money to create, continue, and improve these social welfare projects and policies, but they are not using it in an efficient manner. Torjman and Battle hypothesize and conclude that if the government invested more money in the programs that did work and benefit others, Canada would be heading down a positive road. In conclusion, inequality has grown over the past years causing money to be spent continuously, but not always in the right places. It is easy to talk about changes and think about what can be improved, nevertheless making sure the change happens can be difficult. No one can succeed without the help of someone offering support. This idea of reaching out to each other and supporting those who need it most is what can be the start of changing inequality. Yes, the government plays a huge part in changing and shaping Canada’s society, but so do the Canadians. How to cite Issues and Ideas in Social Welfare (4 Article Basis), Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Value of Change Information and Meaning †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Value of Change Information and Meaning Making. Answer: Introduction: Sony is one of the multinational associations around the globe. Sony Corporation was set up in 1946, in Tokyo, Japan by Mr Ibuka. The basic focus of Sony is in electronics, gaming and fiscal services and is in like manner known for its extended business. The association in like manner made it on top and made an astounding number of offers and total salaries(Sony Global - Sony Global Headquarters). Till the mid-2000s, Sony was a massively advantageous association however in the midst of the late 2000s; it started to experience mishaps as a result of a couple of reasons such broad log stick of the world economy, the ascent of various contenders and general calamities in Japan, for instance, seismic tremor and so on. In this way, the association furthermore need to take off change so that it will remain engaged and strong in the market. The project that had been proposed for change is the FeliCa memory stick in the phone of Sony which is Sony Ericson (Suparta, Wayan). Along these lines, the path toward saving and securing the data ought to be conceivable with the guide of the phone. The project has a movement of making the life of the endorser of being less difficult and viable. Before entering this change, there are numerous components to consider as the lifestyle, the specialists, the earth and the various levelled change. In the use of this sort of venture, the affiliation needs to make its particular picture innovation so that the new item and the new innovation can be all around observed as its induced. The use of the utilizing the chip the memory stick of its items can in like way adds favourable circumstances and income to the affiliation. This can, in addition, make the cell phones of the Sony Products available and has various occupations of utilizing as a bit of advising and calling and moreover to extra records as well (Goetsch, David, and Stanley Davis). The utilization of the Felica in the telephone sparing reports can likewise incorporate making the life less mind boggling to its customers and clients and for degrees of progress of joining to the quick innovation on the planet. In such way, the affiliation can in like way beat its rivals for isolating its items and services too being the top gathering results of in the gadgets and furthermore in the point of confinement contraptions. It has besides the mission of being the essential affiliation which offers services for utilizing one card in the in people all things considered debilitating, in getting to, works and others at last for the point of confinement contraptions. In the usage of this venture, the clients can have a more significant and less asking forever living. In this change management or the proposed extend, it covers all the change of the ways of life of the clients' through subscribing in a memory stick. This must additionally be acknowledged in inside for every one of the zones and results of the affiliation (Alvesson, Mats, and Stefan Sveningsson). Focus on organizational competencies for competing effectively in the market Proper integration Reduction in operating costs Better customer service (Davenport, Thomas) Implementation Approach and Strategies The privilege and right creative work can be the fundamental walk for the execution of the quality services. The change on the proposed venture to the Sony can be critical and make it quick to execute through using the pro in the field of data innovation. This should, in addition, be possible and no more dependable opportunity to come up and be in the present style in the creating scene. After the procuring, the change and the frameworks can then be trailed by making and testing the items before it knew about the market. The advertising should in like way be possible in the specific nation and after that be taken after to showcase generally (Hrebiniak, Lawrence). The re-building should in like way be possible by taking after Lewin's idea and its three (3) arrange model (Cummings, Thomas, and Christopher Worley). Freezing or the defeating of the torpidity and affinities in the specific alliance which is appropriate in the Sony through beating its present services offers and joined additional sections which can be utilized as a bit of their step by step lives as the FeliCa memory stick in the PDA. Moving new structure change for the venture vanquishes the universe of remote with the utilization of the memory stick and change in the method for cell phone can understanding close by that there is in like way a change in the normal styles of utilizing the card which is the record stockpiling Refreezing the change can last which can understanding by the relationship as presenting this item which can keep going for a long time and can also be adaptable which it is so far open for progression The FeliCa is made by Sony which is a Contactless Integrated Circuit card that can enable the client to have an essential and beneficial life. The card gifts to send or even got data in a brisk security besides difficult to copy. It is in like way use in the ticket for the arrangement, for the point card or as the enrollment card, can in like way use as a get the chance to pass, a wallet which is electronically observed, for the ticketing and the e-exchanging or in the online business. It had been extremely observed that the card is flexible, has a multi-application, has the security segments, and it can be utilized as a part of a contactless way. Along these lines, it is the ideal open entryway for the planner to have a change to its items as the FeliCa will make extra parts in its administrations which are the utilization of the item in the memory stick as the breaking point data or use for sparing records (Rothaermel, Frank). This can be demonstrated when all is said in done socie ty after the principal examinations, testing, and evaluation of the item. The item can be endeavored by the endorser of the Sony items as the Sony Ericson with the target that essential should be possible. This will be another to get notification from the clients and support can be required to them. This is in like manner fundamental to the Sony to have the edge over its enemies and for them to use its administration's items. This item is in like way reasonable to give esteem and react in the due request in regards to proceeding with organic and change (Saint-Onge, Hubert, and Debra Wallace). Renewing System and Structure Before looking at changing the management of the alliance, it is fundamental to have an audit on its connection culture. The complete culture takes the vast majority of the encounters, the points of view, the qualities, and sentiments of the association. This is essential in the different leveled change since this is the stage for the workers on the most ideal direct and the considerations which are reasonable for the complete individuals in the wake of accomplishing the goals. By the Sony and the presentation of the FeliCa memory stick use in the PDAs, the agents must consider the alliance and its way of life, and the utilization of the affiliation must be in the perception of the arrangement and the level of change of the affiliation. The basic furthest reaches of the proposed plan is to have a change on the results of the affiliation and to could see its items all around. It had been comprehended that Sony is Multinational Company which works in the entire world, thusly, it is the certifiable wellspring of the relationship to be in like way is see the new item in the market scene as impact by the method for the items and the photograph it had been depicted as far back as years and strengthened by the purchasers. Thusly, the change and the model had been picked all together for the relationship to have progress for its items and for the relationship to see likewise in the field of putting away gadgets (Burke, Warner; Simons, Robert). For the relationship to accomplish an unrivalled outcome in the conclusive change it has been driven, then, there ought to be a huge support for the relationship of the association. The social occasion ought to be in support of the change of plan of the alliance, and it ought to also be in agree to the arrangement of the mind-boggling part. By ethicalness of the Sony, it is not exclusively to portray or to have an enormous change yet just a couple and trap must be done which is as of late the extra part of the FeliCa contraption. To the get the way of life of the relationship and moreover the whole masses of the clients is in like way central accordingly of the way that these individuals are the key pointers for the achievement of the affiliation. This should comparably be possible first to the relationship before it is executed so it can get the considerations and the demonstrations of the buyers in the utilization of the new items. The items are in like way administered by the dedi cation of the top management because of the way that they know the issue much and they are the markers in the connection. The top management then should urge to its accomplices and to its fortifications of putting everything out there on the management change for the entire arrangement movement. This item will empower Sony to remain focused and for the change of the items offers. Subsequently, the supervisors must evaluate the greater part of the zones required before entering the locale of the change management. The management should in like way cautious in the way of life changes occurred in inside and outside of the connection and their reaction toward the start of the new item (Gandomani, Taghi Javdani, Hazura Zulzalil, Abdul Azim Abd Ghani, and Abu Bakar Md Sultan;Wright, Christopher, Andrew Sturdy, and Nick Wylie). Overview of a Timeline Activity Weeks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Initiate Collect data Analyse and develop Test Proposal and approval Prepare installation Conversion forming Programming Equipment Procedures written Training Change over Check out Sign off Table: Gantt chart Source: (Created by author) Evaluation The following attempts are to be made to ensure the change process gets implemented properly in the organization: Educating the labourers as for the change: The agents must be moved to recognize the change. This can happen just in case they feel that the change will be gainful for them. In this manner, positive nature of the changes are to steer to the specialists to drive them Motivating them to take an interest in essential initiative plan with the objective that they feel that the change has improved their motivating force in the affiliation Management support must be extended so that the labourers not understand left and get demotivated Negotiating with the specialists if important to clear certain negative and unscrupulous impediments to change Use of impulse by chiefs with a particular true objective to bring the change if there is too less time for the specialists to get usual to it on account of a fundamental system for achievement (Wilson, Richard, and Colin Gilligan). Underlying Change Management Concepts Kurt Lewin (1951) displayed the three-step change model. This social investigator considers prompting being a lively adjustment of authorities working in binding headings. Main roles enable change as they drive specialists in the coveted bearing. Domineering qualities baffle change as they drive appoints the other direction. Like this, these powers must be investigated, and Lewin's three-step model can help move the modification toward the orderly change (Shirey, Maria). As appeared by Lewin, the hidden stage in the midst of the time spent changing manner is to unfreeze the present condition. The modified situation is viewed as the change state. Unfreezing is fundamental to beat the strains of individual resistance and social event resemblance (Worley, Christopher, and Susan Mohrman). Lewin's second step amidst the time spent changing behavior is an advancement. In this progression, it is imperative to move the target structure to another level of adjusting. Three exercises that can help the improvement step include: beginning agents to agree that current conditions is not valuable to them and asking for that they see the issue from a fresh perspective, arrange on an excursion for new, fitting information, and associate the points of view of the gathering to particularly respected, powerful pioneers that similarly reinforce the change (Cummings, Stephen, Todd Bridgman, and Kenneth Brown). The third step of Lewin's three-stage change model is refreezing. This progression needs to occur after the change has been executed with the objective for it to be kept up or "stick" as time goes on. It is high likely that the change will be brief and the experts will come back to their old congeniality (hones) if this progression is not taken. It is the good 'ol fashioned mix of the new estimations of the social affair qualities and traditions. The illumination behind refreezing is to adjust the new congeniality working out as planned by ethicalness of the change by modifying both the driving and constraining forces (van den Heuvel, Machteld, Evangelia Demerouti, Arnold Bakker, and Wilmar Schaufeli). Thus, Lewin's model addresses the impacts of strengths that either advance or control change. In particular, essential main impetuses impel change while compelling strengths renounce change. Consequently, change will happen when the blended way of one drive is more prominent than the joined way of the revoking set of powers. Strengths, Weaknesses and Limitations Change is regularly ceaselessly mind boggling. It passes on crisp insights to the table and opens up new entries for agents. Notwithstanding, change can in like way be horrendous if a structure is either not set up or productive. Change is central in all affiliations. Regardless, the way change is started can differentiate. It can be obliged upon relationship by outside powers or just begun from an assertion that the affiliation may drop obsolete. Thusly, change management can be to a great degree valuable to a connection. The change enables the relationship to better foe their adversaries and grows new aptitudes or items that will get a higher preferred standpoint. What takes off change management methodology invaluable to most affiliations is that it licenses change management get-togethers or administrator to deal with any proposed new course acceptably. Change management in like way social requests see why the change was basic, so they will comprehend it and progress. Change can be vital for an ace since it will present to them the opportunity to have a go at something new and increment new aptitudes. With the open correspondence and exchanges that change management system drives, individuals (specialists, partners and customers) will have a more clear stake in the outcome since they have executed the course of action. People all around don't set up the strength to things that they have proposed (Brown, Kerry, and Stephen Osborne). There are, notwithstanding, a couple of obstacles to the change management prudence that has more to do with not genuinely taking after its structures. If resistance from experts is not enough regulated through correspondence, it can wreck any wander. Not understanding the lifestyle of your association can allow the discussion technique pioneers to course confused or undermining information about the change. In addition, extras and customers ought to be kept prepared and gotten on the change. If not, they take off other than refute the change, and clients may encounter another connection (Bridges, William, and Susan Bridges). References Alvesson, Mats, and Stefan Sveningsson.Changing organizational culture: Cultural change work in progress. Routledge, 2015. Bridges, William, and Susan Bridges.Managing transitions: Making the most of change. Da Capo Press, 2017. Brown, Kerry, and Stephen P. Osborne.Managing change and innovation in public service organizations. Routledge, 2012. Burke, W. Warner.Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications, 2013. Cummings, Stephen, Todd Bridgman, and Kenneth G. Brown. "Unfreezing change as three steps: Rethinking Kurt Lewins legacy for change management."human relations69, no. 1 (2016): 33-60. Cummings, Thomas G., and Christopher G. Worley.Organization development and change. Cengage learning, 2014. Davenport, Thomas H.Process innovation: reengineering work through information technology. Harvard Business Press, 2013. Gandomani, Taghi Javdani, Hazura Zulzalil, Abdul Azim Abd Ghani, and Abu Bakar Md Sultan. "Towards comprehensive and disciplined change management strategy in agile transformation process."Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology6, no. 13 (2013): 2345-2351. Goetsch, David L., and Stanley B. Davis.Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson, 2014. Hrebiniak, Lawrence G.Making strategy work: Leading effective execution and change. FT Press, 2013. Rothaermel, Frank T.Strategic management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2015. Saint-Onge, Hubert, and Debra Wallace.Leveraging communities of practice for strategic advantage. Routledge, 2012. Shirey, Maria R. "Lewins theory of planned change as a strategic resource."Journal of Nursing Administration43, no. 2 (2013): 69-72. Simons, Robert.Levers of control: How managers use innovative control systems to drive strategic renewal. Harvard Business Press, 2013. Sony Global - Sony Global Headquarters. 2017. Sony.Net. https://www.sony.net/. Suparta, Wayan. "Application of near field communication technology for mobile airline ticketing."Journal of Computer Science8, no. 8 (2012): 1235. van den Heuvel, Machteld, Evangelia Demerouti, Arnold B. Bakker, and Wilmar B. Schaufeli. "Adapting to change: The value of change information and meaning-making."Journal of Vocational Behavior83, no. 1 (2013): 11-21. Wilson, Richard MS, and Colin Gilligan.Strategic marketing management. Routledge, 2012. Worley, Christopher G., and Susan A. Mohrman. "Is change management obsolete?."Organizational Dynamics43, no. 3 (2014): 214-224. Wright, Christopher, Andrew Sturdy, and Nick Wylie. "Management innovation through standardization: Consultants as standardizers of organizational practice."Research Policy41, no. 3 (2012): 652-662.

Monday, November 25, 2019

STAT 1350, Quiz #4, Summer 2014Name ______________ Essays

STAT 1350, Quiz #4, Summer 2014Name ______________ Essays STAT 1350, Quiz #4, Summer 2014Name _______________________________________ 1. Confounding often defeats attempts to show that one variable causes changes in another variable. Confounding means that A) this was an observational study, so cause and effect conclusions are not possible. B) the effects of several variables are mixed up, so we cannot say which is causing the response. C) we don't know which is the response variable and which is the explanatory variable. D) we would get widely varied results if we repeated the study many times. Ans: B 2. Which of the following are the three principles of experimental design? A) Confound, Randomize, Small Samples B) Confound, Randomize, Large Samples C) Control, Randomize, Small Samples D) Control, Randomize, Large Samples Ans: D 3. The most important advantage of experiments over observational studies is A) experiments are usually easier to carry out. B) a well-designed experiment can give good evidence that the treatments actually cause the response. C) an experiment can compare two or more groups. D) we can use randomization to avoid bias in designing an experiment. E) we can study the relationship between two or more explanatory variables. Ans: B 4. A psychologist recently said that, "For relatively mild medical problems, the placebo effect will produce positive results in roughly two-thirds of patients." The placebo effect is A) the bias due to voluntary response in a sample. B) the effect of a dummy treatment on a patient. C) a violation of comparative experimentation. D) the effect of confounding in an observational study. Ans: B 5. To control for the power of suggestion when a subject takes an experimental drug, use A) a placebo. C) double blinding. B) blocking. D) probability sampling. Ans: A 6. The reason that block designs are sometimes used in experimentation is to A) prevent the placebo effect. B) allow double-blinding. C) reduce sampling variability. D) eliminate sampling variability. Ans: C 7. We say that the design of a study is biased if which of the following is true? A) We suspect racial or sexual prejudice. B) The study assigns subjects at random to a placebo. C) The study systematically favors certain outcomes. D) The study fails to use blocking. E) The study is double-blind. Ans: C 8. The basic ethical requirements for any study of human subjects are A) comparison, randomization, and replication. B) approval by a review board, informed consent, and confidentiality of data. C) subjects are anonymous, subjects are randomly chosen, and subjects cannot be harmed. D) data production, data analysis, and inference. Ans: B 9. The student-run newspaper asks students to visit a web page and respond to questions regarding a proposed tuition increase. Only responses to the questions are recorded. Summary statistics based on the survey responses are used in an article published the following week, and no one outside of the newspaper has access to the individual responses. The newspaper's survey is considered to be A) anonymous. B) confidential. C) both anonymous and confidential. D) neither anonymous nor confidential. Ans: C 10. A psychologist says that scores on a test for "authoritarian personality" can't be trusted because the test counts religious belief as authoritarian. The psychologist is attacking the test's A) validity. B) reliability. C) margin of error. D) confidence level. Ans: A 11. During a visit to the doctor, you are weighed on a very accurate scale. You are weighed five times and the five readings are essentially the same. When being weighed, you are wearing all of your clothes and a pair of hiking boots. As a measure of your weight without clothes, the reading on the scale is A) unbiased and reliable. D) biased and unreliable. B) unbiased and unreliable. E) biased and reliable. C) 95% accurate. Ans: E 12-13. A student's research shows that there were more suicides in 2010 than there were in 1910. He concludes that people were less likely to commit suicide in 1910 than in 2010. 12. Why is it not valid to use these two numbers to compare suicides in these two years? A) People were happier in 2010 than they were in 1910. B) The numbers were compiled by a student instead of by a professional researcher. C) The U.S. population increased substantially from 1910 to 2010. D) One shouldn't compare years that are so far apart. Ans: C 13. What would be a more appropriate or valid measure for this comparison? A) Compare the number of suicides in 1900 and 2000. B) Compare the suicide rates (percentages) for 1910 and 2010. C) Compare the number of suicides in those years, grouped by region. D) Compare the number of people who don't commit suicide

Thursday, November 21, 2019

CHINA Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

CHINA - Assignment Example 244). It is, therefore, vital to find out how China has been able to change its economic geography to become a global economic market. The emergence of China and its transformation has challenged many geographers. They are constantly seeking to find out the forces behind Chinas transformation (Williamson 54). Other questions that intrigue economic geographers are how transition and reforms shape regions and if the diverse regions of this country are getting equal benefits from this economic transition. Regional inequality is an important element in economic geography as it draws attention of the proponents of convergence and divergence economies (Zhang 247). On the other hand, it has been important to socialist countries like China that have gone through numerous transitions and reforms. China’s economic success is much attributed to its diversity in terms of size, identity and history. One of the pioneers in Chinas economic policies is Mao, who developed a unique regional policy for the country (Williamson 53). While emerging as an economic giant, China had to deal with the problem of regional inequality. The citizens were much worried of social stability and equity that made Chinese leaders fully to commit themselves to ensuring that they accelerate economic growth, especially in the most interior provinces (Xu and Tan 68). Thus, the Chinese government has increased infrastructure budgets for poorer provinces almost every year. Besides, the country’s growth after 1 978 indicated an existing gap between income and growth rates in the coastal and inland provinces. The divergent in China’s regional income finds its root from preferential policies (Fan and 299). Though the inland provinces did not benefit much from these policies, China’s economy depends on the coastal towns. By focusing on coastal towns, this country has been able to engage in international trades thus transforming it into a market

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Belmont Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Belmont Report - Essay Example It also offered guidelines for the ethical treatment of subjects, accurate risk appraisal, guidelines for the selection of subjects, and the definition of informed consent. The Belmont report defined practice as an intervention that had a reasonable chance of enhancing the well being of the individual patient involved. Practice has as its objective the "...diagnosis, preventive treatment or therapy" of the patient involved ("The Belmont Report"). Research is the process that is designed to "...test an hypothesis, permit conclusions to be drawn, and thereby to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge" ("The Belmont Report"). Research has a predefined protocol, procedures, and end point objectives. Experimental treatments may be designated as practice if there is a basis for likelihood of improving the patient's condition. The Belmont report was based on 3 ethical considerations. First, the patient's autonomy must be respected. In cases where a patient lacks autonomy such as incapacitation, measures must be taken to protect the individual. Second, efforts must be made to secure the patients well being. The maxim of 'do no harm' must be respected and harm should not be inflicted for the sake of research. It is also recognized that research often involves risk and harm may be the ultimate result. The opportunity for benefit must be weighed against the risk.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Sociology and Me Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sociology and Me - Article Example I was born on the 11th of November,1968 in the house of my uncle, Andrew Golson, a medical doctor in North End, Boston. I am the eldest of three children. My mother is an American while my father is a second generation Italian immigrant. We spoke English and Italian at home. My younger siblings are Andrew and Joan. We all grew up in this area.The North End Boston is a middle-class neighborhood which is dominated by Italian immigrant families who comprise the working class of America. My first dim recollection is that of my mom's pasta dish which she would serve at dinner. This dish reminds me of love, comfort and a feeling of belonging - a feeling of really being home. I attended elementary school at the Michelangelo school in Boston. The school resembles our closely-knit neighborhood. We knew everybody who studied in that school. Most of my relatives also sent their children there. The school presented a very safe and stable environment for growing up.The North End is my personal point of reference. It is where I grew up and where I started enduring friendships. I grew up in a very close family. My parents would always give us a hug, a kiss, a word of kindness or encouragement. Then everyday, we would take a great home-cooked meal which made all the difference in the world.As a young child, I was exposed to Italian classical music performed by Pavarotti and recently Andrea Bocelli. My father would mimic arias by these world famous performers and we would end up in a hilarious situation at home.During week-ends, my parents would take us to partake of great meals in family-run neighborhood restaurants like the Blue Front, Giro's, or Felicia's, or at Grandma's house. I always savor the best ingredients in these 'home-cooked' dishes." Like my younger siblings, I also learned how to cook well.Noise became music to my ears. I grew up with a lot of noise - smoke, beeping horns, a lot of traffic and more noise. We would play near Cross and Hanover streets. We would spend the whole day playing until we can play no more since we were very tired already. My family lived beside two houses which hosted two agreeable and well-to-do Italian immigrant families.My childhood and youth were spent in my parent's house which is a sturdy and well-built house. It has three bedrooms, a huge kitchen and two study rooms, one each for my father and mother. We would study in my father's study room. The house has a small garden filled with flowers in the summer time, which we children helped to tend.I grew up like other healthy and normal kids, my only illness being an attack of chicken pox and German measles. My immunity to disease was evidently greate r than that of either of my siblings. I remained perfectly healthy in spite of the uncertain preventive measures which were prevalent then. My mother would always care for us patiently whenever we got sick. Hence, my siblings felt comforted whenever they got sick. My first training in reading and writing came from my mother, who was a very well-educated woman. My mother is a graduate of Boston University where she took up education. She works in a high school near our home. My father studied engineering at Boston University. However, he decided to take over my grandfather's business after graduation. Thus, he never got the chance to work somewhere else.I am indebted to my parents for my intellectual life. They instilled in me the love for reading and study. They also helped me to think about things in a critical manner. They presented an open environment at home where we can exchange ideas and opinions about anything. They also shared with me the Catholic religion. I became close to our parish priest as I was growing up.My mother had great pedagogical ability which seemed to run in our family. We excelled in grade school and high school. During week-ends, my mother would work as a tutor to some important and distinguished families in Boston a nd her academic abilities were widely

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Mobile commerce | An introduction

Mobile commerce | An introduction CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Mobile Commerce (m-commerce) can be widely defined as â€Å"any transaction, involving the transfer of ownership or rights to use goods and services, which is initiated and/or completed by using mobile access to computer-mediated networks with the help of an electronic device†. (R. Tiwari, and S. Buse. 2007)Business-to-consumer (B2C) mobile commerce (m-commerce) refers to consumers sharing information and purchasing products and services from sellers with their mobile devices (Balasubramanian et al. 2002). With the continuous development of telecommunication technology, mobile services ranges from email receiving and sending, shopping for goods and services, playing online interactive games, trading stocks and shares, reserve tickets, conduct banking and monetary transactions and even link to social networking sites to connect with friends.Mobile commerce constitutes payment for such goods, services and information. Users access a website or wireless access protocol (WAP) by entering the web address (URL) of the particular products required via the mobile phone browser. Text messaging (SMS) is another way users can ‘communicate with third party service provider. Depending on the tangibility of the product, the delivery of the product can be in the form of physical collection or downloaded digitally into the mobile devices. 1.1 Evolution of Mobile Commerce Finland is the ‘birthplace of Mobile Commerce. In 1997, the first SMS-activated Coca Cola vending machines was installed in Helsinki. Same year, mobile-based finance and banking service were also launched. Finland is also the place where the first sales of digital content, ring tones were downloaded to mobile phones, were made. In 1999, Philippines and Japan commenced a national commercial platform for mobile commerce, known as SMART and i-Mode respectively. Subsequently, mobile commerce associated services begun to sprout rapidly in other markets, from mobile parking in Norway, to sales of train tickets via mobile phones in Austria to the purchase of airline tickets in Japan. From 2002, public transportation commuters in Helsinki are able to purchase tram and undergrounds train tickets via mobile phones. The cost of the tickets is the same as those bought from a machine but without the queue. In Colorado, it is one of the first few places whereby one can order movie tickets and pay via mobile phone. A dedicated counter is arranged for the pick-up. Mobile vouchers or coupons are visible in many countries from Finland, Spain, Germany, and United States to Japan. The promotional items offered on discounts ranges from laptops to McDonalds. Ring tone and wallpaper downloading have been one of the first widely used mobile commerce services. Some mobile services providers offer mobile news services, such as headlines, sports, weather, sports to mobile subscriber, sometimes free when sponsored by mobile advertiser or at a monthly subscription cost to the user. Small-scaled mobile commerce doesexist in most markets, from SMS voting in reality shows like ‘American Idol to participate in promotion lucky draws to downloading mobile ringtones. External environmental factors do play a part in promoting the mobile commerce growth. Worldwide expansion of digitalisation and automation of sales proceduresin the e-business and e-commerce on the Internet allow easier transference to the mobile commerce environment. 1.2 Technology Mobile commerce is actualised by a series of interlinked technologies such as networking, embedded systems, databases and security. (Siau et al, 2003). Mobile devices, wireless systems and softwares enable a faster transmission of data, along with reliability and security. Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) is the second generation (2G) after the analogue cellular era. It is the basic circuit-switched system whereby users need to dial in to maintain connection. The 2.5G technologies consist of the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Enhanced Data GSM Environment where they make used of existing infrastructure but faster in terms of sending speed. This generation of mobile technology is meant for transference of multimedia and broadband applications. The third generation (3G) uses the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), which strives to provide higher bandwidth, faster transmission of voice, text, video, and multimedia for data-concentrated applications. UMTS allows users to be constantly connected to the Internet and its services worldwide, regardless of the devices (mobile or computers) used. As such, the mobile device can be integrated with functions of other equipment such as television, newspaper, organiser, computer and even credit card. In order to access web information to the mobile devices, the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) was designed. As an open and global standardisation for mobile applications, WAP aimed to connect and communicate mobile devices with other devices over wireless network on an interactive and real-time interface. Global Positioning System (GPS) uses a satellites system orbiting around the earth and is particularly useful location technology. It is essential to location based mobile commerce based applications, as it offers relevant information dependent on location. 1.3 Role of channel provider The roles of the 3G operators are more obvious than the voice-centric 2G. In fact, how these operators facilitate their roles will determine the adoption of mobile commerce. The carrier or Internet Service Provider (ISP) is the entity that delivers the data to and from the user. The initial stage of 3G-standardisation process started with dual layer model, the pure carrier and service and/or connection provider. It is viewed that this model will continue with carriers bring the main subscription provider. The gateway or portal is the entity centred to the services range. It is still unclear whether carrier will control it wholly. Regardless, it is definite that the number of content provider will increase. The role of banks in mobile commerce is considered critical since ease of payment is one of the determinant factors in adoption of mobile commerce. Certification authority is the entity that guarantees the transactions between the origin and destination. In addition to the above mentioned infrastructure requirements, a smartcard called UMTS Subscriber Identity Card (USIM) is compulsory in every device n order to make phone calls. The basic functions for USIM are security via shared secret key, personal information manager, and SIM toolkit applications. USIM is also a platform for applications or features such as public key security content copyright control, specification and cookies, data or application cache, authentication of users and plastic roaming. 1.4 Development of Mobile Commerce The extensive availability of Internet-accessible mobile phones is slowly creating a community of mobile commerce users. It is expected that this community might exceed the PC community. (Ahonen, 2002) With technology such as WAP or 3G, it is believed that electronic commerce information and/or interactive content will be adapted to the mobile commerce environment. While the majority of mobile commerce opportunities and purchases are business-to-consumer (B2C), the possibility of business-to-business (B2B) still stands. It is predicted that business users and their requirements will be fulfilled by the 3G services. A report by Accenture in 2001 â€Å"Future of Wireless†, has suggested that most business activities are easily accommodated for mobile commerce. With the rapid spread of mobile commerce, mobile phone manufacturers such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Motorola and LG had began to develop WAP-enabled smart phones to exploit on the market potential. Interestingly, it was the introduction of Apples iPhone mobile commerce based systems like FanGo that the platform started to move into actual applications instead of SMS systems. The key advantage of mobile commerce services is the mobility of conveniences. Mobile commerce allows users the ability to execute transactions regardless of the location and time. With such uniqueness, mobile commerce has experienced relatively greater success in markets like Japan in regards to individual adoption rate. In comparison, this novelty technology has yet to achieve widespread popularity in other markets like the USA, Australia and Singapore. Mobile commerce actualise the possibility of accessing information at anywhere and anytime. It provides users the chance to access the Internet regardless of location (subject to the network coverage of mobile internet operators), the ability to identify a single mobile devices location (Global Positioning System) and to retrieve and/or update information whenever needed. The features of mobile commerce can be categorised into the following: Ubiquity. The most distinct advantage of mobile commerce is its ubiquity. With internet-enabled mobile devices, users can obtain any information required. Also, the emerging mobile commerce applications allow users to engage in activities such as instant messaging, linking to social networking websites, conducting financial transactions or looking up for weather news. Dissemination: The wireless infrastructure that support instantaneous delivery of data to mobile devices allows an efficient distribution of information to a population. Personalisation. With the massive amount of information available on the Internet, it is important that the content users receive is relevant. Mobile commerce companies can create applications that allow customizable information and services applicable to users. Localisation. Another significant feature will be the ability to identify users physical location with prompted the creation of location-based applications. The Sekai Camera created by Tonchidot is one example of how far such applications can go. (Figure) Source: http://popupcity.net/2009/01/tag-the-world-share-spaces/ CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND 2.1 Mobile Commerce in Singapore Mobile commerce innovations were also introduced. June 2001, Coca-Cola partnered with SingTel on a Dial-a-Drink scheme to enable consumers to buy drinks from the vending machines via SMS, cost of the drinks will be credited to their phone bills. M1 has a similar development with Yeo Hiap Seng too. The largest taxi fleet company, ComfortDelgro, started a free SMS taxi booking service. This service, aimed to better match demand and supply, offers commuters an alternative channel to book a taxi apart from the â€Å"call-a-cab† scheme. Another interested application of mobile commerce will be the audience polling. When television station and/or web-based TV reality contests was newly introduced into the local media scene, audience support through SMS voting was a common trend. Although the hype is fading, SMS voting is still an alternative for media contests on top of online voting. It is evident in the Singapore Blog Awards 2009 where Rednano Mobile, the mobile platform of rednano.sg, powers SMS voting. Increasingly, real-time SMS service like messageLIVE provided by SingTel are used at events where audience can participate in lucky draws, comment, etc via SMS and it will be instantaneously reflected on screen. SMS transaction has been seen in local television charity shows such as the President Star Charity Show. It is observed that mobile payment method plays an important part to the success of mobile commerce. There had been several mobile payment initiatives launched in Singapore. Local banks have started rolling out mobile banking services way back in 2001. TELEMONEY by [emailprotected] Pte Ltd has also implemented mobile payment systems for retail and parking charges at Suntec City. NETS, too, phase in YW8 whereby moviegoers can reserve and purchase Eng Wah cinema tickets. However, the demand for these services was so low that some services ceased to exist. One of the main reasons for the unpopularity then was the complex usage procedure for mobile payments. Users first have to register and remember a sixteen-digit personal identification number. After which, users will be required to either send Short Message Service (SMS) or dial a specific number to confirm any purchase. Such inconveniences make mobile payment schemes difficult to gain prevalence. Nonetheless, there have been ongoing efforts to improve the telecommunication technology such as Near Field Communications (NFC) and mobile scan technology to facilitate mobile commerce. NFC allows users to make payment by tapping their mobile devices against a reader. Mobile scan technology involves the using of camera in mobile phone as barcode reader. Mobile barcodes are commonly used for information or service request or content from a website. It can be promotion details, discount voucher or code via SMS or MMS, or ring tone, MP3, or game download or activation, or click to buy human agent, or purchase concert or travel ticket. The set up costs is usually the responsibility of the products company while partnering with a mobile payment service provider. While Mobile commerce now remains at infant stage, there are a myriad of companies looking into SMS-based applications and WAP. The InfoComm development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has on-going research to identify the current local mobile commerce industry status and thereafter implemented several initiatives to encourage and support companies on mobile applications and/or platform development. At the official opening of imbX 2009, it was announced by Minster Lui Tuck Yew that the government intend to allocate $1.73 billion for new infocomm projects. Part of these projects will include the deployment of contactless point-of-sale terminals via NFC to promote electronic payment adoption and developing of applications on mobile commerce platform, location-based services and novel original mobile services. It is observed that service provider in the mobile commerce value chain, such as the wireless application providers, mobile operators, and other players, have been swift to introduce applications to the mass-market. However, the rate of adoption has been somewhat pale. 2.2 Statistics As of June 2009, Singapore has a mobile penetration rate of 130.6%. It is very common to for consumers to own more than one mobile device each. The mobile penetration rate has been on a steadily increase since 1997. 2009 also indicate an uprising trend lest for the stark drop of 3.2% in June 2009. While the mobile subscriptions averaged around 64000, the number of 3G subscriptions has increased over the past six months. Despite the positive increment, the market share of mobile commerce has yet to pick up similar pattern. Singapore pales comparison to Japan wheremobile commerce is a huge success, attributing more than $400 million in revenues yearly. NTT DoCoMos popular i-mode service allows users to buy soft drinks from vending machine, pay for food at fast food restaurants, and shop at online shops like Amazon.com, and buy most of goods via DoCoMos billing system. Companies like Visa also offer m-commerce services in Japan. Chart 2.1: Mobile Penetration Rate of Singapore, Q1-Q2 2009 Source: Statistics on Telecom Services for 2009 (Jan Jun), IDA Singapore. http://www.ida.gov.sg/Publications/20090304182010.aspx Chart 2.2: Singapore Mobile Market Source: Statistics on Telecom Services for 2009 (Jan Jun), IDA Singapore. http://www.ida.gov.sg/Publications/20090304182010.aspx Chart 2.3: Mobile Penetration Rate of Singapore, Annual, 1997-2008 Source: Statistics on Telecom Services for 2009 (Jan Jun), IDA Singapore. http://www.ida.gov.sg/Publications/20090304182010.aspx CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW 3.1 Mobile Commerce Process Mobile commerce consists of users participation in transactions via mobile terminals. From a users point of view, retrieving and sending information and purchasing products are regarded as the basic steps to mobile commerce. Most mobile commerce studies focused mainly on the purchasing stage but customers are involved in receiving and transferring information at the pre-purchase stage. Receiving information consists of conveying of information from seller to users mobile device. As it is important for customers to know about the products, make comparison between products and then make buying decision. Transferring information represent the directing of information from user to sellers. The information can be used to describe product and services requirements, registering, providing feedback and offering payment and/or delivery details. Purchasing is the act of buying products and services via mobile devices in return of monetary returns. The act of placing orders can be done through Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) properties of mobile device. It does not include making order by calling the seller from mobile phone. 3.2 Mobile Commerce Adoption Activators and Inhibitors There are a significant number of studies carried out to identify and predict the upcoming activators and inhibitors of mass-market mobile commerce adoption. As seen in the review here, different authors have highlighted different factors as key activators/inhibitors to the adoption of mobile commerce. Gillick and Vanderhoof (2000) suggest five broad-natured inhibitors, namely the technology, standardization of industry, the business case, expectations of consumers, security and reliability. The last factor is one of the most commonly quoted. Most authors have quoted the lack of security and privacy could be the main obstacle to the growth of mobile commerce. E-Mori conducted a multi-market study for Nokia Networks and it was found that the lack of perceived need (Signorini, 2001), conservatism, and perceptions relating to the reliability and security of the technology are the main hurdles to adoption of mobile commerce; while convenience and control are found to be the key determina nts of demand. Buellingen and Woerter (2002) emphasize four vital success factors for the use of mobile services transmission rate, personalisation, data security, and user friendliness. Based on a survey by Strong and Old (2000) propose that ease of having ubiquitous Internet access will be the most essential for customers to engage in mobile Internet applications. The authors noticed substantial obstacles to rapid adoption to mobile Internet in the future are lack of awareness in content and application, high operating costs and the unfavourable comparison towards mobile Internet in terms of small screen size, awkward input, poor search functions, unstable or expensive connections, etc. On the other hand, many studies disputed on the fact that mobile commerce may encounter considerable growth with non-Internet adopters because of the lower costs and ease of usage with mobile devices involved. (MÃÆ' ¼ller-Versee, 1999; Vittet- Philippe and Navarro, 2000; Ropers, 2001) Vittet- Philippe and Navarro (2000) and Green (2000) believe that ‘user-friendly is the main point for mobile commerce adoption. As such, the limitations like small screen size, low bandwidth and the basic functions of mobile devices influence the design of mobile commerce applications interface. Likewise, the survey conducted by Carlsson and Walden (2002) noted that slowness in speed of service and small screen size of mobile phones attributed to the hindrance in mobile commerce adoption. On the other hand, Langendoerfer (2002) assumes that technological matters such as technical environment and mobile devices will not be the main reason for the slowness in widespread usage of mobile commerce. Rather, the concerns of users such as privacy and security have a larger influence on the slow take off. Shuster (2001) hypothesize that pricing will definitely have an influence on mobile commerce adoption. â€Å"Improved mobile devices, user-friendly shopping interfaces, effective applications and services, reduced prices, secure transactions, high bandwidth and network coverage† are the list of key success factors for escalating mobile commerce adoption from the online survey by Vrechopoulos et al (2002) It is also highlighted from a consumer survey (Anckar, 2002b) that mobile commerce adoption is driven by â€Å"convenience and flexibility to daily routines rather than excitement and entertainment†. It is also found out that consumers regard the function to fulfill instantaneous and time-sensitive needs as important adoption drivers of mobile commerce. Prior research has somewhat indicated that the main factors influencing the decision to adopt mobile commerce related to the services or device features has gone beyond the traditional function of a mobile phone, i.e. one-to-one voice communication. In line with this theory, consumer will be encouraged towards mobile commerce based on the fact that mobile device in transforming into a personal device, via which various transactions and activities can be carried out. 3.3 Traditional models Several studies have been carried out using conventional adoption theories and models like the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TBP). However, the main conclusion drawn by many authors was that traditional models are lacking to derive significant deduction on the determinants of individual adoption or rejection of mobile commerce. According to the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), the behaviour prior to any act (behavioural intentions) is established by variables like Attitude, Subjective Norm and Perceived Behavioural Control (PBC). A users attitude linking to using mobile device to obtain, transmit information and purchase is believed to influence the users intention to carry out the three behaviours. Subjective norm is believed to have the same effects on users too. PBC is a factor of intended users behaviour via increasing insight of control, assurance and ease of performing act. Based on the research by Pavlou et al, (2007), the model of m-commerce adoption emphasize largely on â€Å"technology adoption (perceived usefulness and ease of use), technological characteristics (mobile device display features, mobile device portability, and mobile site navigability and download delay), information characteristics (mobile site informativeness, information protection, and personalization), and consumer characteristics (mobile users skills)†. TAM has influence many information system based findings (such as Lee et al., 2002; OCass and Fenech, 2003) pertaining to information technology adoption in set or mobile environment. Although many studies are in favor of TAM as a model to explain the decision of acceptance, it is still uncertain if the model is entirely appropriate with regards to different channels. The decisions to adopt mobile commerce are very different from the decision to adopt technology for carrying reasons. Firstly, users adopt mobile commerce as a new channel of commerce rather than as technology per se. Second, mobile commerce may consist of transactional and non- transactional element. This means that adopters intent to engage in mobile commerce should be viewed holistically. (Pavlou, 2002) As such, we need differentiate between the various levels of mobile commerce adoption as we study consumer adoption decision. Third, Eikebrokk and Sorebo (1998) pointed out that TAM is generally applied to singular target situation, based on the assumption that potential users are only faced with one specific technology. It is therefore argued that to acquire valid forecasts and justifications of technology acceptance with TAM since users are presented with situation whereby they can choose among alternative channels. Fourth, it is argued that TAM itself is imperfect as it does no t considered the influence of social factors in the adoption and usage of new technology or system. This shortcoming has to be taken into consideration when examining the adoption factors. Last, TAM assumes that usage is free and voluntary, that there are no obstacles to prevent user from adopting any technology as long as wanting to do so. This has lead to criticism from several researchers (Mathieson et al, 2001) and prompted some authors to supplement TAM with theories that hypothesize perceived risks as a pre-condition to the mobile commerce adoption. Pavlou (2002) emphasizes that the proliferation of the Internet has brought uncertainty and risk in the adoption of system. It therefore require the integration of variables that capture concepts in current technology adoption models by reflecting that trust and perceived risk are directly linked to the intent to transact via mobile devices. One reason for the inadequacy of traditional models is that the relationship between users and mobile commerce has not been clearly defined. Past methods only analysed the interaction between the users and the technology or between people in a network connections. On the contrary, mobile commerce users interrelate in three directions, in technological aspect, as members of networks and as consumers. These three roles need to be incorporated in order to achieve a greater understanding of mobile commerce adoption. The adoption of mobile commerce the interaction of consumers and sellers via mobile transactions is different from the usual electronics commerce due to the nature of location-independence, instantaneous real-time exchanges, the distinctive interface of mobile devices, and the unique aspect of mobile devices like small screen size and low bandwidth. Therefore, mobile adoption is not merely an issue of usability of system or acceptance of technology. It should include several consumer pre-purchase actions such as researching for information, providing details and act of purchasing using mobile devices. This paper will re-examine present literature of voluntary adoption of m-commerce services by individuals to emphasize the need to approach the three aspects of mobile commerce together in order to attain a holistic comprehension. The current mobile commerce industry of Singapore will be evaluated based in this research. It will enable stakeholders of the mobile commerce industry to gain informative insight on the acceptance of mobile services. Hence, this will result in wiser decision-making in terms of business strategies and provision of the product and services. CHAPTER 4: METHODOLOGY 4.1 Survey The self-administered survey was hosted online on speedsurvey.com, under the domain http://mobilecommercesingapore.speedsurvey.com/. The reason for having such an unsupervised survey technique was that the 16 questions were simple to understand and followed a direct logic. The respondents are made up of 12 females and 24 males and all the respondents own a mobile phone. They survey instrument covered 16 questions pertaining to the users insight and purpose associated to mobile commerce and also their experience with the mobile commerce and mobile Internet. In this paper, there is a section in the questionnaire where the respondents were requested to specify to what extent does they agree or disagree with the statement related to the considered significance of different proposed benefits and obstacles to mobile commerce. The data collected were used to identify the activators and inhibitors that cover critical or non-critical factors that impact consumers decision in adoption or not adopting mobile commerce. 4.2 Results and Discussion Over 41% of the respondent have a bachelor degree and about 50% of them holds a master or doctorate degree. All the respondents own a mobile phone and about 75% have Apple iPhone. This will mean that their service provider is SingTel since the Telecommunication Company has a monopoly on the distribution of the Apple iPhone until 2010 when the other 2 Telecommunication Company will also have the distributor rights. Incidentally, it is reflected from the data collection that the most common item purchase via mobile is the phone applications. Also known as widgets, these applications can be downloaded on the iApps or iTunesstore via the phone Internet browser. In terms of frequency, it is has the most recent item purchase. More then 40% of the respondent has purchase widgets for the past 1 week. Out of the 36 respondents, 34 of them has purchased (buy/order/reserve/download) item at least once for the past 12 months. None of them has bought items off the vending machine via the mobile p hone. The purchase of other items such as requesting for information and buying multimedia content by SMSto a specific 5-digit number are rather sporadic. Over 40% of the respondents agree that using mobile commerce saves them time, with the other 30% strongly agreeing. There are about 70% of them who see that using mobile commerce is fashionable and trendy. With regards to the mobile commerce being an invasion of privacy, there are equal responses from those who agree, strong agree and disagree. However, about 80% of the respondents think that it is safe to make purchases using mobile commerce. The majority of the respondents agree that they have the necessary means and resources to use mobile commerce. Same, the respondents also agree that they will seek information about the new product or services. Among those that had never performed a mobile transaction before, the reasons mainly evolved around unawareness. Mostly, they are do not possess enough information to get started or use it, or no idea how much it will cost. It is much preferred to use other devices such as computer or payment kiosks such as SAM or AXS to perform the transaction. It is commonly believe that mobile commerce is expensive and will cost too much. However, it is indicated that they are willing to try to mobile commerce mainly if it was easier to obtain information from the Internet via mobile phone. This will also comprise of ease of access to rich media on mobile devices and user-friendly navigation on their mobile devices. 4.3 Limitations of the survey The data collected from the survey is highly non conclusive for several reason. Firstly, the size of respondents is less than 50; therefore the results are not substantial. Secondly, the profile of the respondents is too skewed towards certain segments; mainly male that has Apple iPhone. Hence, the data is not representative enough. Thirdly, the structure of the survey was not well organised. The lack of logic and guided instructions, which is critical in self-administered survey, may somewhat confused respondent. 4.4 Suggestions for future research It is seen that Apple iPhone may be a boosting factor for the future mobile commerce phenomenon. The intuitive design and ease of navigation of the iPhone may propel more and more users to perform mobile commerce transaction. Also, with the fact that all three Telecommunication Companies are offering iPhone from 2010, it is believe that the market share of iPhone will expand rapidly. It is therefore suggest that an iPhone focus study may be undertaken in the future to better understand the effect of iPhone, iPhone applications, iApps, and iTunes store on mobile com Qualitative and Quantitative Research on Fear of Crime: Rape Qualitative and Quantitative Research on Fear of Crime: Rape Research Portfolio Introduction The beginning of this portfolio will be introduced by two main types of crime data. They come in the form of qualitative and quantitative. They both show and represent crime in different way, and it also gives a clear idea of how crime has a big impact. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, but this portfolio will examine their differences along with their similarities. They both have something to offer researchers and can also be mutually exclusive. Following this, the portfolio will include a personal observational experience that explores the process of effective data collecting. The method of observation has many strengths yet many flaws, and obtain qualitative data. This final part of the portfolio will also examine the sexual violence in relation to gender, with research to support it. It will use statistics to weight up and support the argument. Portfolio Part 1: The Difference Between Qualitative and Quantitate Research. There are two types of data when it comes to research; Qualitative and Quantitate. Quantitative data is the process of managing the natural world through a mathematical formula, especially statistics. Crowther (2007, p.72) suggests that ‘Quantification is, inescapably, about counting the number of cases. There is a belief that the number of cases provides a reliable measure of a particular aspect of the social world’. Quantitate data is fact and cannot be questioned; in contrast to this qualitative data is more difficult to define as it focuses on getting quality rich data that gives great understanding. One major debate of Qualitative research is whether statistics and numbers can tell us anything of important or substantial about social life. Crowther (2007, p.76) proposed that ‘Quantitative data does not capture the complexity of human experience. It is not possible to deal with human emotions and subjectivity. Statistics are not facts that exist independently o f human interpretation: they can only be made meaningful as part of an interpretive process.’ Quantitate research tends to be on a relatively large scale, having large amounts of numerical data and using statistical procedures to analyse the data and reach conclusions; it tries to find ‘representative samples and generalizable finding’. In contrast to this qualitative research tends to have much smaller samples, and therefore is on a much smaller scale (Newburn, 2007, pp.898-899).Qualitative data is ‘large, unwieldy database of transcripts, fieldnotes and/or documents and the aim of this discussion is to explain how these data can be managed and analysed. However, unlike quantitative data, there can be no clear-cut and widely accepted ‘rules’ or procedures for qualitative analysis’ (Crowe and Semmens, 2006, p.176). A Quantitative research method is surveys. They are extremely large scale and can be sent out to almost anyone, most people have participated in a survey in their lifetime. Surveys obtain data through a standardised questionnaire and although they are primarily used for large amounts of quantitative data, they can also have a qualitative element (Newburn, 2007, p.899). One of the most common form of survey is postal survey, they are extremely easy, cheap and simple. Postal surveys are self-completed, which may explain why the response rates are very low; even if someone may be interested in completing the survey they may just forget, as it is not a top priority. In contrast face-to-face interviews have a much greater compliance and also they can sort out any misunderstandings the participant may have about the questionnaire (Newburn, 2007, p.900). Telephone surveys are in the middle postal and interview surveys, as they are more personal than postal but less expensive than face to fa ce. This method has practical issues, such as how will the researcher obtain the numbers to have generalised data? Even after overcoming this obstacle there is still the issue of mobile phones being turned off and going through to voicemail. The last type of survey of internet based surveys, they are also cheap and easy but like telephone surveys if depends on whether the researcher has the appropriate contact information like emails; internet based surveys also compare to postal surveys as the response rate is very low (Newburn, 2007, p.901). Surveys are known for being easy but Crowe and Semmens (2006, p.131) suggest that ‘this apparent simplicity can, however, be deceptive since your chosen means of administration is not guaranteed to produce reliable results, or a high response rate’. There are three types of interviews; structured, semi-structured, and unstructured. Structures falls into the quantitate category whereas semi-structured and unstructured fall into the qualitative category. Structured interviews are planned out with set questions without deviation and are ‘good at finding number of time an individual has been a victim of crime over the past 12 months. But cannot tell the subjective experience of victimisation’ (Crowther, 2007, p.100). Unstructured research allows the investigator an understanding of depth and detail and how participants perceive matters. Each question is open ended with no structure and the interview is very much like a conversation, but with the interviewer steering the interview with a topic guide (Newburn, 2007, p.904). Semi-structured falls in-between structured and unstructured, as t is fairly formal with a basis of questions, but can deviate and explore in further detail; the interviewer does not feel bound and lea ves room for the respondent to talk. Both semi-structured and unstructured ‘give more room to express own values and attitudes’ (Crowther, 2007, p.101). These methods are extremely time consuming and tend to have small samples, making it hard to generalise the findings. Portfolio Part 2: A Reflection on the Experience of Conducting an Observation Crowe and Semmens (2006, p.101) suggested that ‘knowledge of natural world is gathered through systematic objective and repeated observations of naturally occurring phenomena’. This form of data collecting is largely a product of qualitative data. We place ourselves in an environment and simply watch the behaviours of others; taking into consideration the context we detect how an individual in behaving and why they are behaving like that. This gives us incredibly rich and vivid information that simply cannot be oppressed into stats and figures. Kawulich (2005) states that ‘observations enable the researcher to describe existing situations using the five senses, providing a â€Å"Written photograph† of the situation under study’. The observation was conducted in a bus station over a one hour period on the Saturday 2nd May 2015. The main topic of the observation was to examine what behaviours people were doing and scrutinise why. In terms of weather, the afternoon of the 2nd was cold and raining, as a result of this the majority of people were wearing larger winter coats with hoods; a lot of people were carrying umbrellas and had damp clothing and hair. As the bus station is in the centre of Leeds we can assume that the majority of people there did not live in the centre and were possibly having a Saturday shopping day or a ‘day out’; and were travelling home. The bus station was very busy and full with constant movement, and what was interesting was that it seemed quiet from what you would expect of a heavily crowded room. Upon observing the room it was noticed that the atmosphere of the bus station was calm and patient. Many of the individuals were seated quietly waiting for their bus or checkin g the times and showed no elevated emotions, they gave off a sense of cool and composed. There seemed to be a social expectation of behaviour when others entered and exist the bus; Individuals in the bus station waited for those to exit the bus, but always formed a line at the door in a ‘first come first serve’ mentality; it appeared that everyone followed the ‘rules’. Upon arriving at the bus stop it was noticeable that the room was very large and long, so deciding a place to conduct the observation proved to be difficult. In order to try and get a full experience and be in equal distance to everything, the observation was carried out in the centre of the bus station, seated as if waiting for a bus; and as the observation was open and unstructured there was no behaviours that were expected. In the observation it was conducted as the investigator was a participant-as-observer; this included sitting waiting for the bus, but not participating with the behaviour of everyone surrounding, such as getting on an off the bus (Crowe and Semmens, 2006, p.101). Data was collected in the form of note taking, balancing observation and writing equally. To make the note-taking for efficient, abbreviations were used; and only words that were contained necessary information and words that were necessary for the sentence to make sense were used. Because the bus stat ion was so busy it made it impossible to see and record every event and behaviour that happened. Because the room was in constant movement, it was difficult to record certain patterns of behaviour (Crowe and Semmens, 2006, p.110). In terms of success, the method of note-taking proved to be well organised and easy to refer back to, but one thing that could have been improved was how much information could have potentially been recorded. If the observation was to be repeated a possible improvement could be move around the bus station after certain time lapses, to ensure the full bus station was covered and recorded in comparison to sitting in the centre doing a 360 ° surveillance. Another possibility would be to bring an assistant observer(s) that recorded an area designated to them; this method may cover a much larger range of qualitative data. Observation as a data collecting method can be very time consuming, having it been said that to have a valid observational research study, it should have a minimum of a year of research, but meanwhile it does generate rich qualitative data. This method arises certain ethical issues, recording and using information of their behaviour can be seen as an invasion of their privacy; as researches, in an open observation, do not ask for consent. It can be argued that if an individual knows they are being recorded, then they will change their behaviour to what they think is ‘right’ and ‘acceptable’, wanting to please the researcher. This concludes that the data gathered is unreliable and unusable as it is not genuine (Crowe and Semmens, 2006, p.114). Portfolio Part 3: Analysing Crime Statistics Describe Sexual Violence in relation to gender. Newburn (2007, p.818) suggested that men have a much greater risk of being a victim of violent crimes than women do. A survey study in 2004 recorded that ‘women had a 6.3% chance of becoming a victim whereas men had a 14.6% chance’. Although these studies suggest men are more likely to become the victim of all violent crime, it has been found that women have a much greater risk to ‘intimate violence’ (Newburn, 2007, p.819). According to the Office for National Statistics (2013) a CSEW Survey, similarly found that ‘young women were much more likely to be victims of sexual assault in the last year’. The British Crime Survey found 6% of women reported non-sexual partner abuse, 3% reported sexual assault and 9% reported stalking; And in 1991 a survey discovered that one in four women had experienced rape-attempted rape in their lifetime (Newburn, 2007, pp.819-820). The Guardian (2013) states that between ‘2009/10 and 2011/12 there were an esti mated 78,000 victims of rape per year in England and Wales – 69,000 females and 9,000 males’. In the last 30 years there has been a significant increase in the awareness of rape. Studies that were conducted in the 70’s have shown that women who reported rape were seen more as complainants than an individual making a serious claim; Officials were highly unsympathetic. Women were given a list of things not to do, such as ‘don’t go out alone at night’, ‘Don’t use public transport at night’, ‘Don’t take shortcuts’, ‘Don’t cross commons or parks on your way or use alley’, and finally ‘don’t walk down badly lit streets’ (Newburn, 2007, p.822). This advice has been highly criticised with many stating it takes away the woman’s independence and implies that women are the ones at fault if they do not follow the ‘rules’. These rules, although are a precaution, make women feel that if they do any of these things, then they will surely be a victim on sexual assaul t. This can be seen in the SPSS graph below as in both columns ‘very worried’ and ‘fairly worried’, it is significantly higher than in the men’s column; presenting that there is a distress in women that they have been subjected to. In correlation with this theory Russell Pond (1999, p.82) states that victim surveys have opened up a whole new line of enquiry, leading to the fear of crime debate. This concept has become a serious tool of social control, and has become more of a problem than crime itself. One major aspect of the fear of crime is the assumption that men are less likely to admit fear. Maguire et al (2007, pp.387-389) suggested that in terms of society men have a pressure telling then to be ‘masculine’ to be strong and brave and have little fear. This is carried onto the crime world, men are expected to be dominant and reject abuse. This idea can be seen in the SPSS Graph below; the vast majority of males are either not very worried or not worried at all. This can imply that men feel they will be judged if they admit to fear so they chose their answer based on what is expected of them. The Level of Worry That Males and Females Have on Being Raped. One issue with the fear of crime debate is defining fear, how do we measure fear? Fear usually correlated with risk and danger which can be seen with men going out and consuming alcohol; this is a risk, but men will admit to little fear (Pond, 1999, p.82). Men are more likely to act in risk-seeking behaviours than women. Walklate (1995) suggests that fear is a ‘gendered phenomenon’. She states that the fear of crime is ‘†¦rooted in a male defined rationality based risk management view of fear which cannot tap the kinds of experiences that underpin women’s responses’. Pond (1999, p.83) also refers to Farrel et al who suggested that crime was significantly misinterpreted in the way it is recorded. He said ‘Their suggestion is that quantitative methods based on surveys give a greater incidence of fear than qualitative methods based on interview’. In an extremely controversial argument made in Patterns in Criminal Homicide (1958) by Wolfgang, he defined victim-precipitated offences as those ‘in which the victim is a direct positive precipitator in crime’. Amir suggested that one fifth of rapes were victim precipitates where: ‘the victim agreed to have sexual relations but retracted; or did not resists strong enough; or entered vulnerable situations sexually charged’ (Pond, 1995, p.78). At the time was a new emerging feminist movement, of which was highly critical of this approach. Conclusion In conclusion we can see the clear differences between qualitative and quantitative. Quantitative focuses on numeric data and with what is countable, whereas qualitative tends to focus on words and meaning. These two types of data are very different but the measures and methods we use to obtain them can occasionally go hand in hand, complimenting each other. The data obtaining method of observation was very educational as it displayed a personal experience of what went right and also how improvements could have been made, for example moving around and creating a large radius of observation would have improved and made diverse data. The final chapter it was found that women have a much greater chance of rape and sexual violence happening to them. But it also showcases that women are more worried about it; as more pressure and attention is placed upon them to avoid it, creating a slight sense of paranoia. Bibliography Crowe, I. and Semmens, N. (2006) Researching Criminology. Berkshire: McGraw-Hill. Crowther, C. (2007) An Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillian. Kawulich, B. (2005) Participant Observation as a Data Collection Method. Forum: Qualitative Social Research [Online], Vol 6 (2) May, Chapter 2. Available from: http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/466/996> [Accessed 6 May 2015]. Maguire, M. Morgan, R. Reiner, R. (2007) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Newburn, T. (2007) Criminology. Devon: Willan Publishing. Office for National Statistics (2013) Focus on: Violent Crime and Sexual Offences, 2011/12 [Online]. London. [Available from: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/focus-on-violent-crime/stb-focus-onviolent-crime-and-sexual-offences-2011-12.html#tab-Introduction-and-sources> [Accessed 7th May 2015]. Pond, R. (1999) Introduction to Criminology. Winchester: Waterside Press. The Guardian (2013) Rape: crime and punishment [Online]. [Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jan/11/male-female-rape-statistics-graphic> [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Walklate, S. (1995) Gender and Crime. Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

cakes making :: essays research papers

Sugar You have to handle sugar with care because can be dangerous. Also sugar can explode. At 315 degrees sugar should be clear. Sugar boils at 215 degrees. Corn syrup helps the sugar not to crystallize Dark Chocolate For dark chocolate the melting point is 118 degrees to 128 degrees White Chocolate For white chocolate the melting point is 100 degrees to 105 degrees, then you must take off the heat and whip. Types of meringue French: is plain egg whites and sugar. But this method is not for buttercream. Italian: is made with egg whites, sugar and water. The difference is that the water and sugar are cooked to 240 degrees, and then added into the whipped egg whites. Swiss: is made from egg whites and sugar. But the egg whites and egg are heated over a Water bath to 110 to 120 degrees, and then put in the machine to whip. If fresh egg whites are used, heat meringue to 150 degrees. 01/09/02 Chocolate: Should be never refrigerated, for chocolate moose you should heat the chocolate to 150 degrees. Chocolate can be good up to one year, and should be stored at 50 to 70 degrees. In order to temper chocolate you must first cut the chocolate in thin slices. For European chocolate the heating temperature is 120 degrees maximum, but you should always read the package. All chocolate is made different. Tempering is to melt all the crystals and ingredients in the chocolate to the right temperature. There are three methods. Tabling method: chocolate holds up to 60 days. Melt chocolate to 118 degrees. (American Chocolate) Pour to marble slab and chill to 84 to 85 degrees. Then you handle the chocolate with a scraper and a pallet knife. Then you reheat the chocolate to 105 degrees. Then you pour it on the marble slab and repeat the handling until it reaches between 85 and 87 degrees. Seeding method: Melt chocolate to the temperature of 118 degrees. You melt two pounds and you chop one pound on the side. After heating the two pounds on the stove to 118 degrees, you take off the stove and add the other pound and reheat until it is 85 to 87 degrees, and make sure all chocolate is melted and no lumps. Use this method for chocolate that will be used the same day. If you see white spots on a chocolate decoration, you can put the chocolate in the oven for two seconds, and they will disappear.