Critical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Critical Analysis - Essay Example this section is that the authors have titled the various sections of information within the abstract with their respective headings which makes it easy for the audience to make an objective assessment about the nature of research and its value. This is unlike most research papers in which the authors present all information under one heading of the abstract. The conventional approach towards writing the abstract is inconvenient as compared to the one adopted by the authors in this research paper. Another strong point of this abstract is that the authors have clearly depicted the audience of this research paper within the abstract, which happen to be the public relations practitioners. This increases the chances of this research paper of being read by the public relations practitioners as they will know right from the start that this is something that addresses their concern even if they may not be able to relate to the title. However, the authors could have used better words to summa rize their findings within the abstract. The statement, â€Å"Korea used a more aggressive strategy than was expected† in a way shows that the authors had preformed perceptions about the Korean strategy which might have kept them a little biased towards its analysis as compared to the other strategy. The biggest weakness of this section is that it is not there in the research paper or even if it is, it is not distinguishable from the literature review. Background of a research and its literature review are two completely different sections with the former developing a framework of thought for the audience and the latter reflecting upon the research done on the topic so far. But in this research paper, the authors have directly put the headings of the various events that have been discussed which puts the audience into confusion about whether it is background or the literature review. Nonetheless, the same point can be considered as a strength in a way because it directly gives the

Canadian Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Canadian Economy - Essay Example Besides the USA, the trade agreements saw an increase in Canadian trade among other countries such as Chile, Costa Rica, Israel, Mexico and other southern American states.(Beltrame) This had profound benefits for the country and the economy growth has been soaring since. Besides those agreements that took place about a decade ago, the country has entered into a free trade agreement with the European Union which has further offered a boost to the already robust economy. The signing of this agreement took place in 2008. The economy of Canada is supported by several sectors which must be looked at as having a better understanding of the economy and the effects of the economy. These include the service sector, the manufacturing sector, the energy sector and the agriculture sector. This is the largest of the sectors in the Canadian economy, accounting for just about two thirds of the total GDP. The largest of the employers under this sector are the retail sector which employs about 14% of the total Canadian work force. Initially, the retail sector was composed of small retail outlets within the urban centers as well as in the suburbs. However, entry of big outlet stores such as the Future Shop and the Wal-Mart stores originally of the US has forced most of the small retail outlets to migrate to the suburbs where they still employ a considerable number of people. Other employers in the service sector include the business services sector which employs about 12% of the Canadian population. The sectors falling under this are the real estate firms and the banks. The other important sectors falling within the service sector are the education and health sectors. Though these are not part of the private sector, they continue to provide reasonable employment opportunities to the rest of the Canadian economy. The last of the service sector includes the hospitality cum tourism sectors which are equally important for the country. (Viera) Though with the recent recession, there has been a decline in the number of tourists visiting the country mainly due to the strong Canadian dollar. The highest numbers of tourists visiting Canada are from the US though the recent times have seen an increase in Asian tourists especially those from China. Manufacturing sector The manufacturing industry in Canada unlike in most other developed countries is not the core business, though this is not to mean it is unimportant. Most of the industries or manufacturing companies in Canada are affiliates of externally founded companies with an example being the motor industry. Most motor manufacturing industries have a manufacturing plant in Canada but none of them are indigenous. The reason for this has been cited to be the cheaper service charges in Canada e.g. lower health care insurance as compared to the United States. Besides this, Canada has a greater population of educated people making labor considerably lower as compared to the US. Canada presents one of the most interesting economies with a minimal reliance on industries the opposite of other developed countries around the world. Agriculture Canada was initially an agricultural nation especially in the 19th century; that is before the service industry gained considerable dominance in the 20th century. Even in current times, the country is a major exporter of wheat globally though most of it goes to the neighboring US. The Canadian government

Arguments for and against capitalization of all leases Essay

Arguments for and against capitalization of all leases - Essay Example International Accounting Standards no. 17 states that a lease may qualify either as a capital lease or operating lease (http://www.ifrsclass.com/gaap/ias/ias-17.htm). Under capital lease, all the risks and rewards are transferred to the lessee. To resolve the differences between the two international accounting standards, both accounting boards agreed to meet to come up with a common stand on capital lease accounting scheduled in 2011. (Kirk 2005; 85). The proposal to capitalize all leases should not be implemented. The proposal to implement the capitalization of all leases should not be implemented. Capitalization entails ownership. Capitalization means that the company has to depreciation the assets. Thus, it would be illogical to implement the proposal to capitalize all leases. The new proposal states that operating leases should be capitalized. Under the current accounting environment, there are minimum guidelines to be followed before a lease is capitalized. A lease that does not qualify as capital lease is recorded as an operating lease. This is illogical because the lessee is just renting (borrowing) the premises and is not buying. Under the capital lease, the lessee can include the capital lease asset as part of one’s total assets. This will create a better financial picture of the company when compared to not having the leased property capitalized. Second, the company can use the capitalized assets as collateral for the processing of the company’s new long term loans. The banks will scrutinize the financial statements to determine if there are enough assets to cover for possible nonpayment of loans or other payables (Elliot & Elliot). This would be illogical because the company does not own the building or facilities rented. Further, the lessee becomes the owner of the property after fulfilling the requirements set forth under International

Integration of the Grading System Essay Example for Free

Integration of the Grading System Essay I. Introduction Informatics Education Group, founded in 1983, has more than 600 colleges in 52 countries. It is a corporation dedicated to provide quality education to its students. It offers courses in higher education for corporate productivity and Business solutions. Informatics’ commitment to giving quality education encompasses all aspects from course design to student assessment or examination and staff training. This commitment to excel beyond customers’ expectations by providing quality services to its students has pushed the proponents to create a system that will help the school administration and faculty to produce accurate class cards and transcript of records for its students. With the increasing number of students in Informatics college manila also increases the workload of the school administration specifically the registrar’s department and faculty members. In order to provide a better service to the students, the proponents are motivated to create a system that will assist the school administration and faculty to minimize the time spent on managing, submitting and producing the grades of each student. Also, the purpose of the proponents in creating a grading system is to lessen the queue during enrolment with the help of a system that will assist the Informatics College Manila in releasing of the students’ grades. II. Background of the Study This study, which is fundamentally aimed at assisting the Registrar Department of Informatics College Manila, attempts to create a grading system with transcript database system that is integrated in the Informatics College Manila Enrolment System, providing an efficient way of serving the students during enrollment and releasing the grades. The proposed system shall lessen the laborious manual process in student grade assessment, releasing of transcript of records of graduate students and releasing of student class cards. Getting their official transcript of records would then be easy since the database of the grading system will be shared with the database of the transcript database system. The Registrar Department is the only department within the school is in charge of creating, accessing, and processing the releasing of grades and transcript of records. This department headed by the Registrar, who is in charge of supervising the processes. After of enrolling, the student can get there from the registrar. The processes for the grading system are as follows: (1) In the existing grading system, the lecturers will input all the grades of the students using Microsoft Excel, (2) The lecturers will submit the grades of all the students for that term, (3) The registrar will encode the submitted grades in the database for ease of access such as printing if the student wants to have a copy of their grades. Now when getting the transcript of records, the students must fill out the request form. Afterwards, the registrar will summarize the grades of the student who requested for a copy of the transcript of records. III. Statement of the Problem The Proponents would like to enhance the current enrollment system of Informatics College Manila. The proponents intend to include a grading system that would improve the current enrollment system. A. General Problem The Problem that the proponents of this study would like to address is to enhance the current Enrollment System of Informatics College Manila by including a grading system to have a better service to the Informatics College Manila students. B. Specific Problem The proponents have determined the following areas: 1. The workload of the registrar and lecturers are increasing resulting to deficiency in the students grades. 2. Preparing students’ academic records can be time consuming. 3. Retrieving old records of students who stopped for a long time can be difficult. 4. Releasing of grades during enrolment leads to a long queue. IV. Objective of the Study The proponents of this research have identified the following objective as checklist in the enhancement of Enrollment System by adding a grading system. * To have a grading system so that the students can rely on having an accurate grade and speed up the manual process of releasing the grades. * To build a monitoring system that can keep track of the submission of grades of each lecturer. * To improve the delivery of services especially the issuance of academic records like the transcript of records for those students who are requesting. * To develop an efficient and effective record-keeping and retrieval system of the student records. * To maintain and preserve the academic records of the students of the school. VI. Significance of the Study The Integrated Enrolment System and Student Grading with Transcript Database System will provide Informatics College Manila with a more accurate and timely way of giving out class cards and transcript of records of the students. The results of this study may prove beneficial and useful to the following individuals: REGISTRAR– the system will help him/her release the class cards and transcript of records with ease. This will also help him/her provide a better service to the students by lessening the queue during enrolment. ACADEMIC HEAD – this will assist him/her in compiling the students’ grades. LECTURERS – this project/system will help lecturers focus more on their lesson plan. This will also help them to submit the students’ grades on time. STUDENTS – this system will provide ease in getting their grades. The students will also be assured that their grades are accurate and are properly documented on the database. INFORMATICS COLLEGE MANILA – the system will provide the whole institution with a systematic way of handing out grades and transcript of records. FUTURE FIELD RESEARCHERS – the system may be helpful and useful in providing contribution to future researches. V. Scope and Limitation of the Study In this study, the proponents gathered information regarding the proposed system, which is a Grading System, if it is viable asset to the Administrators, Managers, Professors, and Students of Informatics College Manila in terms of its existing methodology and how it is organized. The study also aims to record all the grades of the students of informatics College Manila into a database. This will provide efficient access of grades for the registrar and an organized, accurate and timely submission of grades of the lecturers. The proposed system will serve as an enhancement of the current enrolment system of Informatics College Manila so that most of the students’ records will be consolidated into one database, keeping it organized and easy to manage. First, the super administrator or database administrator account, which will contain the features of: * Creating of new accounts

Ryanair Company Financial Analysis Report

Ryanair Company Financial Analysis Report Ryanair is an Irish airline company which was launched in 1985 by Ryan family in Dublin. It is the first low-fare airline in European nations. Also it is considered as most successful airline in terms of profit. In addition, it is also famous for number of flights and passengers flown. Moreover its business is expanded to 44 bases, more than 1200 routes, 160 airports and 27 countries. Ryanair Holding Private limited company is leading plan airline in Europe. The aim of this report is to use economic managing formula to give a general idea of Ryanair Holding Plc. It has well financial position in direct to help another company to provide. In this report, given many information of different companies guide to improve the financial position and grooving of managing power of the organization. Also it can useful to give forecast development and future danger difficulty. In recent time, there was a big events happened in the company. Which is effecting on companys profit and loss account that given in the report. So ratio analysis is very important to improve companys financial situation. After the ratio analysis given some recommendations can help to improve organizations strength and growth and also to make batter financial position of the company. BACKGROUND: Europes biggest financial budget airline is mane of Ryanair Holding plc. It has gone a very high distance in space journey a service in the UK. It is follow to operate on the basis of Southwest Airlines system. These airlines always create travel to twice or triple on the way it comes. In this airline, 7m passengers used to fly in a year. Uses of internet which helped mover slice expenses of the sharing part. In the starting, Decan, Cathal and Shane Ryan established Ryanair with  £1m from their father, Dr. Tony Ryan, chairman CEO of Guinness Peat Aviation, the aeroplane letting huge. Ryanair made routes between Ireland and United Kingdom at starting of flying in June 1985. Entering in Dublin-London area the after that spring, finishing with British Airways and Dan Air moreover Aer Lingus. (www.fundinguniverse.com). In 2009 Ryan airs common cost per traveller was EUR 36 as compared as to EUR 68 for its curve rival Easyiet. From the years of 2007 to 2009 Ryanair arranged low cast to passengers by 13%. Ryanair has raised its numbers of passengers by 14% in 2010 and made more routes. This growth will continue next years. (www.ryanair.com). ANALYSIS: INTRODUCTION OF RATIOS AND IMPORTANCES: Ratios are mostly used as a part in understanding of financial statements. The selected ratios and finding data which are depend on the requirement of the data which are using. When the share price is reach on its higher level, at that situation want to do and choose the very good condition to sell shares. Due to this, the investors will control the performance of organization. Mostly the ratios could be designed from the data given by the financial statements. It is used in evaluate trend. Also it is used to make balance of the financial condition to select of other condition. The ratio analysis may be used in some case of future bankruptcy. (www.netmba.com). RATIOS ANALYSIS: Firstly, in the ratios analysis classified different types which depend on given information. Most important types are given below, Financial ratios Profitability ratios Financial ratios: Current Ratio: The current ratio is defined as the ratio of current assets to current liabilities: Current Ratio = Current Assets / Current Liabilities Years 2010 2009 2008 Current Assets 2,725,515 2,360,059 1,898,175 Current Liabilities 1,378,683 1,279,935 1,238,204 Current ratio 1.98 1.84 1.53 Analysis: The relation between current assets and current liabilities is given in this ratio analysis. Assets is only transformed interested in cash for little period and cash are included in current assets. The ratio was 1.53 in 2008 but after that 1.84 and 1.98 in 2009 and 2010 respectively. It is useful for quality as well as quantity in financial analysis. Liquidity Ratio: Liquidity ratios give the data about an organizations capability to gather its the short term requirements of finance. To the organization, they are take part in interest of that extends small period acknowledgment to the organization. It is defined as the ratio of current assets to current liabilities: Liquidity ratio = Current Assets / Current Liabilities Also in some case, Liquidity Ratio = (Current Assets-Inventory) / Current Liabilities Years 2010 2009 2008 Current Assets 2,725,515 2,360,059 1,898,175 Current Liabilities 1,378,683 1,279,935 1,238,204 Liquidity Ratio 1.98 1.84 1.53 Analysis: It is helpful to known for relationship between current assets and current liabilities. In the comparison of last three, the ratios of the organization were 1.53, 1.84 and 1.98 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. So ratios were increased when passed the years. Shareholders Liquidity Ratio: It shows the relation between shareholder funds and long term debt. It is the defined as the ratio of shareholder funds to long term liabilities: Shareholders Liability Ratio = shareholders funds / shareholders liabilities Years 2010 2009 2008 Shareholders Funds 2,534,407 2,250,537 1,989,677 Long Term Liabilities 2,816,087 2,388,249 1,803,617 Shareholders Liabilities Ratio 0.90 0.94 1.10 Analysis: In this analysis, ratios were decreased when passing the years. Those ratios were 1.10, 0.94 and 0.90 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Gearing : Gearing is defined as the long term liabilities plus overdraft to shareholders funds in percentage. It shows organizations permanents assets shareholders money and fully loan of it. The higher gearing means good borrowed money to self. It is calculated by following formula: Gearing (%) = (Long Term Liabilities + Overdraft) ÃÆ'- 100 / Shareholders Funds Years 2010 2009 2008 Long term liabilities + Overdraft 2,816,087+236,216 2,388,249+188,336 1,803,617+291,670 Shareholders funds 2,534,407 2,250,537 1,989,677 Gearing 120.43 114.49 105.31 Analysis: In the gearing ratio analysis, ratios were increase when passing the years. Those ratios were 105.31, 114.49, and 120.43 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Working Capital Per Employee(Unit): It is defined as the ratio of working capital to number of employees and it is calculated by given formula in bellow, Working capital per employee = working capital / number of employees Years 2010 2009 2008 Working capital 95,367 82,414 74,042 Employee 7032 6369 5262 Proportion -13,563 -12,940 14,071 Analysis: In this analysis, ratios decreased between 2008 and 2009 and then increased between 2009 and 2010. Those ratios were -14.071, -12,940 and -13,563 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Profitability Ratios: Profitability ratios give many different method of the achievement of the organization at make profits. Profit Margin: It is defined as the ratio of profit before tax to turnover in percentage. Throughout the year scope in success on sells will differ since business to business. The reasonably change of the proportion in investigate and sometime may be stable. Purpose for vary could be bargain sells worth or growing in the sales rate. It is calculated by formula which is given bellow: Profit Margin = (Profit before tax) ÃÆ'- 100 / Turnover Years 2010 2009 2008 Profit before tax 303,389 -167,498 349,023 Turnover 2,658,521 2,730,241 2,157,958 Profit margin 11.41 -6.13 16.17 Analysis: In this analysis shows company failed in loss after 2008. Those ratios were 16.17, -6.41 and 11.41 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Return on shareholders funds: It is defined as the ratio of profit before tax to shareholders fund and it is given by following formula: Return on shareholders funds (%) = (Profit or Loss before Tax) ÃÆ'- 100/ Shareholders Funds Years 2010 2009 2008 Profit or loss before tax 303,389 167,498 349,023 Shareholders funds 2,534,407 2,250,537 1,989,677 Return on shareholders funds (%) 11.97 -7.44 17.54 Analysis: In this analysis shows, company faced loss in 2009 financial year. Those ratios were 17.54, -7.44 and 11.97 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Return on total assets (%): It is defined as the ratio of profit or loss before tax to total assets in percentage. Also it is calculated by following formula: Return on total assets (%) = (profit or loss before tax) ÃÆ'- 100 / total assets Years 2010 2009 2008 Profit or loss before tax 303,389 167,498 349,023 Total assets 6,729,178 5,928,14,147 5,031,497 Return on total assets 4.51 -2.83 6.94 Analysis: Company faced loss in 2009 financial year in this analysis. Those ratios were 6.94, -2.83 and 4.51 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Interest cover: Interest cover is the ratio of profit or loss before interest to interest paid. Calculation is given by following formula: Interest cover = profit or loss before interest / interest paid Years 2010 2009 2008 Profit or loss before interest 36,536 46,349 426,225 Interest paid 64,148 121,149 77,202 Interest cover 5.73 -0.38 5.52 Analysis: In interest cover ratio analysis shows loss in 2009. Those ratios were 5.52, -0.38 and 5.73 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Debtors Turnover: Debtors turnover is defined as the ratio of turnover to trade debtors. Its calculation is given below: Debtors turnover = turnover / trade debtors Years 2010 2009 2008 Turnover 2,658,521 2,7157,958 2,157,958 Trade debtors 39,414 38,783 27,177 Debtors turnover 67.45 70.40 79.40 Analysis: In this analysis, ratios were 79.40, 70.40 and 67.45 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Ratios decreased when passing after the years. Net assets turnover: Net assets turnover is defined as the ratio of turnover to total assets less current liabilities. Also it is calculated by following formula: Net assets turnover = turnover / total assets less current liabilities Years 2010 2009 2008 Turnover 2,658,521 2,7157,958 2,157,958 Total assets less current liabilities 5,350,494 4,648,212 3,793,294 Net assets less current liabilities 0.50 0.59 0.57 Analysis: In this analysis indicates ratios decreased in 2010. Those ratios were 0.57, 0.59 and 0.50 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Fixed assets turnover: Fixed assets turnover is defined as the ratio of turnover to fixed assets. It is calculated by following formula: Fixed assets turnover = turnover / fixed assets Years 2010 2009 2008 Turnover 2,6558,521 2,730,241 2,157,958 Fixed assets 4,003,662 3,568,087 3,133,322 Fixed assets turnover 0.66 0.77 0.69 Analysis: In this analysis shows ratios increased in 2009 and then decreased in 2010. Those ratios were 0.69, 0.77 and 0.66 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. The impact of events: The events of the company were flight cancellations by volcanic ashes during18 days in between April May in 2010 and ATC (Air Traffic Controller) strike during the year of 2010. During April May, cancellation of 9400 flights, so cost of company was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬32m and deletion of 1400 flights and more than 12000 flights late, so the loss may be à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 32m Those two events had main impact of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬100m loss in six months. Conclusions: In conclusion, Ryanair Holding plc is low fare and biggest financial budget airline in the world. It has 160 airports, 44 bases business to expanded, more than 1200 routes and 27 countries. It is known as most successful airline in terms of profits, flights numbers and flown of passengers. During the ratio analysis, this company has good financial position in terms of profit, but in 2010 events occurred by volcanic ashes and ATC strike. Due to evens, cancellation of 9400 flights mare than 12000 flights delayed. So events had an major impact of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬100m loss in that 6 months. Also those are affected on companys profit and loss account and net profit of Ryanair Holding plc. Recommendations: Ryanair holding plc has hard period in last year, as the organization was making loss. Now Ryanair is reverse to good position by building profit in the starting of this year. in the analysis their revenues are well financial position in last year but the events were create some effects. It is one of biggest Irish airline in the UK as well as in the world. After making some change in tickets and facilities, it can become more low fare airline and improve its financial position batter than past. It is the recommended part to be Ryanair airline so its future opportunity is bright batter than past situation.

The war of the worlds Essay -- English Literature

The war of the worlds This essay will discuss how chapter four ‘the cylinder unscrews’ is important to the novel as a whole. ‘‘The war of the worlds’’ was written by Herbert George Wells, the novel was written in response to several historical events. The most important one was the unification and militirisation of Germany. ‘The war of the worlds’ was written in 1894 which later in 1983 was aired on radio broadcast by Orson Wells. The novel is about Martians invading earth because they can no longer survive on mars. The people try everything to get rid of the Martians but in the end nature wins against science. H.G. Wells has included a lot of science fiction in this story which makes this story effective. In the 1st chapter the narrator describes how Earth may be seen ‘by greater, more intelligent forces’ same as humans ‘with microscopes scrutinize the transient.’ This novel is still popular today for the wait of a big film coming out next year. The fundamental reason to why ‘the cylinder unscrews’ is important to the novel as a whole is because it’s the first time we seethe Martians, but there are also many other reasons to why this chapter is important to the novel as a whole. as we can see at the beginning of chapter four we see signs of unease and fear arising ‘the voices were raised †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ the first real evidence of actual fear is in chapter four as well, when the narrator passes the young boy as he heads for home ‘I don’t like it.’ At this point the crowd is also getting more worried and closer to the danger. Further on in the chapter we come to the build up of suspense towards the cylinder being unscrewed ‘I had the sunset in my eyes’ revelation delayed by a description of what people expected to ... ...hing of the lungs in a strange atmosphere.’ The science fiction part is again where the author describes the breathing of the Martians the description of the Martians is part of science fiction but is more of a fantasy and is completely imagined ‘tentacles’. The historical fits in with the chapter because the story was most appealing to the Victorian reader Wells used his scientific knowledge to intrigue the reader. The social concept in the story is symbolic and shows cruse characterisation of the mob. In conclusion this chapter is important to the novel as a whole because it is the first time we meet the Martians base on the evidence in this essay. My views about ‘the war of the worlds’ is that although the writer used a lot of science fiction in the first tree chapters it was really effective when it came to the actual description of the Martians.

Is Social Networking Good for Society?

Is Social Networking Good For Society? Irma Barrios Brandman University Is Social Networking Good for Society? With various ongoing debates about why social networking may be bad for society, I have found it to be a positive resource. Social networking comes in many forms. It comes in the form of facebook, twitter, and even professional forums such as Linkedin. In such a fast-paced world, I find social networking to be an invaluable way of sharing ideas and interests that allow me to remain engaged.Although some may debate that social networking takes away from face to face and/or quality interactions, I have found it to be an invaluable tool in building community and networks. In fact, I believe it has given us a more effective way of communicating and engaging with one another especially in our fast-paced society. If I am on a work assignment that requires me to keep abreast of current events, one of my favorite tools to use is twitter. I find it to be a quick news feed and I usual ly learn about news first from there before learning it from the mainstream media such as television or radio.On a professional level, I have found Linkedin to be highly valuable. It has given me the ability to connect with prospective clients or sponsors that otherwise may have never been possible. And of course facebook has been the staple for me as for many in helping us remain engaged and to keep abreast of graduations, weddings, births or other special events regarding our family and friends. Social media continues to make strides to make communication more accessible and easier for all of us.Just this week Mark Zuckerberg, founder of facebook, has announced that it is now offering a Graph Search function in order for the user to have the ability to run queries from one’s network of friends. It allows users to run queries in order to find commonalities or other areas of interest within friend networks. Twitter has allowed many in suppressed countries to organize and make their voices heard to the point of overthrowing oppressive government leaders. Here at home many have opted to use facebook or twitter to raise awareness for their special causes and obtain signatures for legislation they are hoping to pass.On a more critical note, there have been cases where people have found an organ donor match or long lost loved one using social network sites. The deaf and mute have found a voice via their use of twitter and facebook and it has giving them a platform to be on par with the rest of the world. For the elderly, it has given them the ability to remain connected with loved ones. It has given them a way of remaining engaged and a way of overcoming obstacles of face to face interactions especially if they are experiencing physical limitations (Lu, 2011).For those who have been concerned about their online image, they can take control by taking advantage of the resource Linkedin. There you can list professional achievements, build a professional rolodex , and ask for recommendations for visibility on your online profile. Various career sites have mentioned that prospective employers place as much value on Linkedin recommendations as they do on traditional references. It is also thrilling to see that social networking has provided a platform for online learning.It is because of this invaluable resource that many, including myself, now have the opportunity of completing a formal education that otherwise may have been an impossible dream. Yet with all of these positive aspects of social networking, there are many who oppose the idea of it and for their own personal reasons. Michael Bugeja, director of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University, has written a book entitled Interpersonal Divide: The Search for Community in a Technological Age. According to his book, one of Bugeja’s main objections to online social networking is the business models.He argues that the main goal of online social net working is to generate revenue through their ads, not to build a community experience. Another one of his concerns is that online social networking, in particular facebook, can lend itself to creating addiction (Jayson, 2009). But according to Nancy Bayam, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, â€Å"There is not compelling evidence that spending time on social networking sites and expanding our social circles damages the close relationships we have.People think that if you’re hanging out on Facebook, you’re not having quality face-to-face time. That is not supported† (Jayson, 2009). Also, in a study conducted by Robert Kraut, a professor of human computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, in the journal Information, Communication & Society showed that for those who communicated online with someone they knew, experienced a reduction in depression (as cited in Jayson, 2009).Furthermore, Barry Wellman wh o is a sociologist at the University of Toronto stated, â€Å"The mythology we have is that people used to spend whole days hanging around community – like the bar at Cheers. They didn’t. They stayed home. If we switch from television to social networking sites, it’s a switch toward sociability-not away from it† (Jayson, 2009). Some oppose facebook because they believe it is a superficial means of communication. Others oppose it due to the cyber bullying and cyber stalking stories they hear in the news. Others fear it due to a feeling that it leads to an invasion of privacy or identity theft.Some may oppose twitter because they don’t understand how there could be any value of sending messages at 140 characters per tweet. Other critics have the preconceived notion that the time people spend in front of a computer on social sites is time taken away from other positive aspects in life such as exercising or attending events in person. As you can see th ere are many reasons why critics of social networking believe it is bad for our society, yet the powerful effects of online social interaction seem to outweigh what can be misconceptions or fears.Sharon Jayson, the author of the article published in USA Today entitled â€Å"Flocking behavior lands on social networking sites† (Jayson, 2009) finds that social networking influences human behavior regardless of it occurring face to face or online. In her article she quotes Claude Fischer, a sociology professor at University of California-Berkeley, â€Å"Those of us who study social networks believe they matter – that things do spread along social networks. † She adds that Nicholas Christakis, a physician and Harvard University sociologist states, â€Å"In many ways, human beings behave like flocks of birds or schools of fish. She shares the observations by James Fowler, a social scientist at the University of California-San Diego, and Christakis, â€Å"Whether the y’re face-to-face or virtual social networks influence human behavior and shape everything from finance to the way people vote. † Since it is human nature to belong to a group, one can see how â€Å"joining† twitter, facebook or Linkedin groups is a natural part of our human behavior. Some experts state that studying the long-term effects of social networking is still in its early stages since this form of interaction is relatively ew. However, there are experts who are already disclosing positive findings from various studies. Scientific American Mind (as cited in Jayson, 2009) discloses that â€Å"social support and social networking offer benefits, from additional resilience to greater life satisfaction to reducing the risk of health problems. † Apparently, other studies in recent years have found that in a large group the feeling of belonging to a larger group was beneficial for stroke victims in their recovery, and another benefit was that of improvin g memory.A major benefit is that of helping to boost a feeling of well-being. Christakis and Fowler conducted a study based off of the Framingham Heart Study with a group consisting of 5,124 adults within a network of 12,067 people from Framingham, Massachusetts. Their findings indicated that participants had an average of 10. 4 ties to others and totaled 53,228 ties (as cited in Jayson, 2009). The results of this study are telling in that they demonstrate the community building that has taken place via these social sites.With a all of the hustle and bustle and stresses of the world, achieving a feeling of well-being is priceless. Note The Australian Psychological Society in 2010 conducted a survey that disclosed some interesting findings. Participants stated some of the reasons they used social network sites were to check up on their kids, receive event invitations, and for business, promotional and professional networking purposes. Surprisingly, more than 50% of the participants s tated they felt they would lose touch with friends if they were not actively using a social network site.Some participants valued the use of social network sites especially if they had issues with being shy or for matters related to the heart. Nearly 80% had a date with someone they had met online and 82% had formed an intimate relationship with someone they had met online. The use of social network sites have also proved to be effective in the political arena. There was a telling study conducted by Matthew James Kushin, Department of Communication-Utah Valley University and Masahiro Yamamoto, from The Edward R.Murrow College of Communications-Washington State University. It analyzed the online media use by college students for political purposes during the 2008 election. Facebook users could express themselves politically in various ways such as by making online donations, encouraging their friends to vote, and posting graphics or status updates expressing political attitudes and o pinions. Twitter and blogs were used by candidates and voters alike to comment on social and political issues, share information, and encourage participation. – Kushin and Yamamoto, 2010Twitter has proved to be such an effective means of communication for political activists that it is banned in China. Ai Weiwei a Chinese activist explains that in China twitter is used differently compared to other countries. In China 140 characters lends itself to writing a novel. This allows activists to share deeper ideas as they relate to democracy and freedom (Ladhani, 2011). All in all, there appears to be a consensus among experts in the social studies, communications, and other relative fields who have discovered that there are many benefits that come from social networking, even if it is via a computer.As Christakis said, â€Å"So many things we normally think of as individualistic – like what our body size is, or what we think about a political topic, or whether we are happy – are actually collective phenomena† (Jayson, 2009). In conclusion, social networking sites have in fact given us additional tools to nurture our relationships, build community and professional networks. It has provided an avenue for people in the world including those in oppressive countries, to have a voice and create positive change on important political matters.In essence, it has provided an equal platform where regardless if you are someone who has a physical or social impediment, you can remain engaged and be heard, even in this fast-paced world. References APS National psychology week survey 2010, The Australian Psychological Society, Retrieved January 18, 2013 from http://www. psychology. org. au Bugeja, M. (2005). Interpersonal divide: The search for community in a technological age. Retrieved from www. amazon. com Christakis and Fowler (2011). The surprising power of our social networks and how they shape our lives.Retrieved from www. amazon. com Jayson, S. (2009, September 28). Flocking behavior lands on social networking sites. USA Today. Retrieved January 28, 2013 from http://www. usatoday. com Kraut, R. (n. d. ). Information, Communication & Society. Retrieved from http://www-bcf. usc. edu/~wdutton/ics_journal. html Kushin, M. J. and Yamamoto, M. (2010), Did social media really matter? College students’ use of online media and political decision making in the 2008 election. Mass Communications and Society, 13, p. 608-630. doi: 10. 1080/15205436. 2010. 16863. Ladhani, N. (2011). The organizing impact of social networking. Social Policy. Retrieved January 16, 2013 from http://www. socialpolicy. org Lu, X. A. (2011), Social networking and virtual community. Proteus a Journal of Ideas, 27, p. 51-56. Retrieved February 1, 2013 from http://www. ship. edu Rosenquist, J. N. (2011), Social network determinants of depression. Molecular Psychiatry, 16, p. 273-281. doi: 10. 1038/mp. 2010. 13. Scientific American Mind (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. nature. com/scientificamericanmind/index. html