Gun Control vs. Crime Rate

Jessica Vickers Dr. Jonne Akens Engl 1302 25 February 2013 Gun Control vs. Crime Rate According to the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. † In this very amendment lies the main issue of gun control. â€Å"To many, the language of the amendment appears to grant to the people the absolute right to bear arms. However, the U. S.Supreme Court has held that the amendment merely protects the right of states to form a state militia. † (Kimberlin) Gun control, or the controlling of firearms, is any act or proposal by any local, state, or federal agency to inhibit, deter, or prohibit the possession of firearms by any law abiding U. S. citizen. Some believe that by controlling the people’s possession of firearms, the violent crime rate will decrease. However, this is not the case. The contro lling of firearms, also known as an infringement of the second amendment, is irrelevant to the reduction of violent crime.Instead, further investigation into the criminals’ motives and state of mind will better resolve the rate of crime in our country. The Second Amendment is a mere twenty-seven words long. However, both campaigns of the gun control debate obtain such different interpretations from those words. â€Å"The gun-control campaign interprets the Second Amendment as if it is specifically referring to militias. The Gun-rights supporters say all the other amendments focus on individual rights, as does â€Å"â€Å"2A. † The Second Amendment helps protect what is promised in the other nine and that it is a line the government is forbidden to cross. † (Kimberlin) Kimberlin also states that, â€Å"not many nations have firearms enshrined into their constitutions, but in 1789 the Founding Fathers thought that guns were important enough to deserve one of 10 amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. † If the possession of guns for our personal protection were not an important factor, they would not be included into such an important document to our country. What the Second Amendment means, more than two centuries later, seems to depend on which side of the gun issue you are on. † (Kimberlin) This being so, further investigation of this amendment is necessary to becoming more informed on this fiery debate. Gun control is a very heavily debated topic at this point in time, especially since the shootings at Newtown and Sandy Hook have taken place. But this has been a topic of debate ever since the Prohibition Area of the early twentieth century. However, these mass shootings have triggered new debates on this controversial issue.In the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, Adam Lanza entered the school carrying multiple firearms and shot at students, as well as teachers, after shooting his mother at their home in Newtown, CT. Th ese shootings prompted further debate on the rising issue of gun control and have brought a proposal to legislation in which the sale and manufacture of certain semi-automatic firearms and magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition would be banned, and reduced access to certain firearms would be enforced.Although this shooting was a very tragic event, are firearms really the problem? Or should we be venturing further and investigating the minds of these criminals before they even pick up a weapon? According to Joe Wicked, â€Å"on the other side of this debate, there are concerns addressing the mental health aspect, addressing the illegal activities associated with firearms and that the law abiding citizens should be left the right to own the types of firearms and magazines that they desire and have the ability to maintain access to both the firearms and/or magazines that they choose. This side of the gun control debate points to a story in which, â€Å"a young man prese nt when a gunman began shooting at the Clackamas Mall in Portland Oregon, Nick Meli, heard the first shots fired and pulled out his concealed weapon and confronted the shooter. He did not fire, as he did not want to risk bystander’s lives. The gunman then ran and took his own life (Benner, 2012). The latter side of the debate shows how civilians are capable of stopping a crime before the police are able to arrive. â€Å"Some even claim that more guns will help to control the crime and prevent mass shootings from occurring. (Wicked) After being subjected to so much information, how is the reader to know which side is right? According to Wicked, â€Å"This can be a difficult question to answer and requires detailed analysis to come to an informed decision. Studies that have been done on the issue of gun control have found many things that gun control affects and many things that it does not affect. One key item that studies have found is that gun control laws affect the use o f specific guns in violent crimes, but do not affect the rate of crime itself. The controlling of firearms by either banning the sale, transfer, importation, or manufacture of, as well as controlling the amount of ammunition available and the storage of that ammunition, is irrelevant to the reduction of violent crime. When debating the effect that a particular law, or ban of item, has on the rate of violent crime, it is beneficial to look back at the effect that laws and bans similar to these have had on the crime rate throughout history. The 1994 Assault Weapons ban which Dianne Feinstein proposed and that of which Congress passed would be a prime example. This ban specifically selected fire arms that looked like the firearms militaries around the world used. These types of weapons are weapons not commonly used in crime. In 2010 handguns comprised 68. 5% of all gun murders in the United States (FBI, 2010). This means that in the remaining 31. 5% of gun murders, shotguns, hunting ri fles, and the banned assault weapons. Rifles constituted 0. 6% of all murders by gun. The banned assault weapons make up a subset of these rifles. We know that less than 0. 6% of all murders were by these weapons that were banned. (Wicked) Another way to look at the effectiveness of prior firearm bans, according to Wicked, is to look at the crime rate after the ban was lifted or, as in the case of the 1994 Assault Weapons ban, the ban expired. â€Å"The FBI data from 2010 shows that the five year trend in crime is that it continues to decline. Further drill downs of the data show that on average the crime rates in all categories are on the decline in the United States. If the ban were effective on reducing violent crime, the expectation would be that the crime rates would increase when the ban is lifted or it expires.Crime rates continuing to decline after the lifting of the ban suggests that factors other than the ban are affecting crime rates. (FBI, 2010). † (Wicked) This i nformation further supports the fact that there is no correlation between the controlling of firearms and the reduction of violent crime. Crime rates decreased after the expiration of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, and the evidence clearly shows that the banning of a certain weapon, causing that particular weapon to be more difficult to purchase, or causing a firearm to be too expensive to purchase will only ffect which weapon is chosen to commit a crime, not reduce the rate of crime. â€Å"Instead of deciding to ban a weapon as a response to a tragedy, the leaders of our country would better serve the people of the United States by conducting a study into the causes in society which create the situations that lead to violent crime and addressing those root causes, whether it be mental health, violent movies and games, lack of access to proper education, or whatever other root factor.Addressing the causes of the crimes will produce better long-term results in reducing violent crimes . † (Wicked) The shooters in these violent crimes were denied from purchasing firearms and in most cases resorted to taking them from a legal owner. How would gun control laws prevent this situation from happening in the future?Perhaps a mental health screening and identifying there might be a problem with these citizens in a mental aspect would be more effective than further gun laws that already denied the shooter the ability to purchase these firearms. We should be focusing on the mental aspect of this situation rather than the firearms themselves. If someone is planning on killing a massive amount of people, they most likely are not concerned with the legality of obtaining firearms. No laws against or banning of firearms have worked in the past, and they will not work now.Taking the politics out of the issue, and researching the true causes behind the crime while addressing them effectively would best serve both sides of the gun control debate. Jessica Vickers Dr. Jonne Ak ens Engl 1302 25 February 2013 Works Cited Kimberlin, Joanne. â€Å"The Second Amendment: two interpretations. † Virginian Pilot. 02 03 2008: n. page. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. Wicked, Joe, ed. â€Å"Does Gun Control Reduce Violent Crime? † Cold Dead Hands. Cold Dead Hands, 30 Jan 2013. Web. 2 Mar 2013.

Argument. Men and particularly princes Essay

Argument Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Men and particularly princes should be very careful when making their decisions and they should not be concerned by the making decisions that always favors their subjects and friends but they should be concerned more on the outcomes of their decisions and whether those decisions will benefit their state. I strongly believe that there should not be procedures and methods set to be used by princes in dealing with their friends and subjects. This is because different situations require to be handled differently since the societies keeps changing and therefore, princes should not follow set procedures and methods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Princes are judged by their subjects through their qualities which will make their subjects either to praise them or to blame them. However, it would be very difficult for the princes to fulfill all the qualities that their subjects expect them to have due to human nature. Therefore, princes should be very careful to escape from bad reputation of those vices which would make them lose the state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I agree with the statement that a quality which seems to be a virtue, if pursued may end up destructing the individual who decides to pursue such a quality; while another quality which appears to be a vice, if an individual decides to pursue such a vice might end up being more beneficial to such an individual and to the society. Therefore, princes should be very prudent when making decisions since a quality which seems to be vice may end up being a virtue, and vice versa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Princes can be generous which seems to be a virtue but may end up giving them a bad reputation among their subjects. This is because such princes maybe generous and end up using up all their resources or overburdening their subjects with excessive taxes and doing everything possible in order to the funds. This quality of generosity may give such princes a bad reputation and his generosity may end up offending their subjects thus hating their princes. Also through not being generous may lead them to appear to be a miser according to their subjects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For instance, Pope Julius II although he used his generosity to attain papacy however he decided to end his generosity in order to reduce the expenditures so as to be able to wage war. Therefore, princes should use any virtue such as generosity in a way that will not harm them. In this regard, princes should avoid overburdening subjects or becoming poor as a result of their generosity. Also, in order for a prince to avoid destroying their rule they should not mind being branded as misers since this would be a key vice that would help them to rule their subjects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although princes should avoid being cruel and should be merciful but they should be very careful not to abuse their mercy. This is because being too merciful may be abused which may lead to disorder in a state resulting to increased crimes thus harming the society at large. For instance, although cesare Borgia was regarded cruel, he was able to restore order, peace and unity in Romagna through his cruelty. Therefore princes should not mind being refereed to be cruel in their attempts to keep their subjects loyal and united. It would be much safer for princes to be feared than being loved by their subjects. In this regard they should do anything to ensure that there is order, peace and unity in their states even if it means taking someone’s life for the benefit of their states at large. This may result to some of their subjects hating them however, this would be less harmful to them and also it would beneficial to their states at lar ge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Princes should not care much on keeping their promises to their subjects and in some circumstances the princes are supposed to manipulate their subject’s mind with shrewdness if this would be more safer for them and also if this would be more beneficial to their state. Princes must be aware of how to deal with different situations since fulfilling their promises in some circumstances would bring harm to them and to their subjects. In such situations such princes should be wise and know how to deceive their subjects to avoid fulfilling their promises where they feel that keeping their words would bring harm to their state or to themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this regard, princes are not necessitated to have all the good qualities but it is very important for them to appear as if they have them. This is because having those all qualities and practicing all of them would bring more harm. For example, appearing being faithful, religious, merciful, trustworthy and humane among other good qualities would be necessary and princes should know how to practice them in different situations, however, practicing all of them would lead to more harm than good as subjects would misuse them to cause disorder which may increase the crime rates which would be harmful to the states. References Machiavelli, NiccoloÃÅ'â‚ ¬. The prince. Belle Fourche: NuVision Publications, 2004. Print. Source document

Computerized Enrollment System Essay

Computer now a days have a vital and wonderful effect in all aspects of a human being from a single thing or relating to human beings living in society. This advance technology has been the range or scope of something to influence the society’s modernization. We are therefore enhancing the development of our society through the use of computer. It is also made by computer-based system to lessen the work of the employees in organization. One of the computer-based systems is the computerized enrollment system, in which it is essential in the development of the organization that provides the information needed by the organization for achieving results without waste of time and effort and producing a specified effect. Almost every company and institution here in our country uses a computer based system. This type of system makes their work fast, accurate and reliable. This is the best way of storing and retrieving data on a server or a hard disk rather than using papers and file cabinets. A quick and reliable computer based system is a process wherein an institution can find an easier and better way to implement an enrollment system. In the case of Sto. Nià ±o Academy, it is composed of manual enrollment system, wherein all transactions during enrollment period are done manually and using the traditional way. Computation of payments which is done manually through the use of the usual calculators, and even the generation of reports are very time consuming. Background of the Study The major problem of the Sto. Nià ±o Academy is the slow process of admitting a student when enrolling, especially in the middle of the enrollment period. The proponents decided to develop a Computerized Enrollment system to make the process of admitting student fast and accurate. The system that will developed by the proponents is a great help to the school because it provides efficient and accurate transactions, and also, it provided a security to prevent unauthorized person to access the system. In registration and record keeping, the registrar’s work will be lessen and hustle free. The records no will be more secured than the previous way of keeping the records. In cashier, the time for computing, and checking of balances will be lessen and more efficient. The system is providing a search engine for the student that has a balance remaining. For student, the time in enrolling will be lessen and efficient, accurate, and hustle free. The system is pro viding a module for automatic computation of the average grade of the student, room assignment is also included. Objective of the Study General Objective The study aims to improve the traditional procedures of the enrollment of Sto. Nià ±o Academy by designing and developing a Computerized Enrollment System. This will be a great help in improving the existing enrolment system and will mitigate errors in admitting, assessing students, and computation of payments during enrollment and examination period. Through this way, the proposed system will give comfort to both the students and the staff of the school. It will also make every transaction fast and accurate. It will lessen the errors especially in the assessment and computation of payments and generation of reports. Specific 1. To provide a module that will prohibit access to unauthorized user. The proponents will design and develop a module that will prohibit access to unauthorized users. This module will provide usernames and passwords for the identification of the user. To ensure the security of data, the system will provide levels of access on every data. Only authorized persons can modify the data through the use of database security. Through this, confidential files will be secured. 2. To provide a module that will make the assessment and computation of payments fast and accurate. The proponents will design and develop a module that will automatically compute the tuition of a certain enrollee based on the mode of payment. This module will provide an accurate and faster computation of student tuition fees so that the registrar doesn’t have to double-check her computation to save time and effort. 3. To provide a module that will maintain all the student records in the school. At Sto. Nià ±o Academy, the records of the students are only kept in folders or envelopes. With this, the proponents will design and develop a Database Module that will serve as the storage of all the records about the system because all data are stored in it. Through this module, all files will be organized so that they can easily be accessed and retrieved. This module will also provide the maintenance of records of the students. In this way, it will be easy to update and delete record to provide an up-to-date list of students. 4. To provide a module that automatically computes the average grade of a student. This module will help the registrar in admitting a promoted student during enrollment. Now promoted students can skip registration and evaluation of grades, he can already go to the cashier for assessment 5. To provide an Automatic Sectioning module during enrollment. This module will give the section to a student during enrollment period. This will save time and effort for the students. Based on the manual posting of schedule, students are required to go to their rooms to get their schedule. Now with the help of the proposed system, students will immediately get their schedule after they enrolled. 6. To provide a module that will make the generation of reports fast and accurate. Student Report Sto. Nià ±o Academy is required to submit different reports to the Department of Education. These are the reports of all the students currently enrolled in a particular school year. With the manual way, the registrar is having a hard time of finding and transferring the report to a specific report paper. That’s why the proponents will design and develop a module that provides an accurate, fast, reliable, and easy generation of reports. Student Grade The system is also capable of storing student grades. Through the use of the system, it would be easy for the teachers to encode the student’s grades. The teachers have individual usernames and password in order to gain access to the student’s grades. The error for the teacher to post in accurate grades on the student’s records will lessen. Faculty Information Generation of reports of certain faculty information will be made easier with the implementation of the system. The computerized system is capable of generating reports fast, accurate and error less. Preparation of reports using manual method will be eliminated because the registrar does not need to write everything. With just clicking the print button and selecting the faculty that you want to print his information, the system will print all the necessary information needed. 7. To provide a module that will make the searching of student grade fast. Searching of a student record is also a problem of Sto. Nià ±o Academy, because whenever students go to the registrar to get his grades the registrar needs to go to the file cabinet and look for the name of the student that takes a long time and effort. This module is design for fast searching of a certain student, by means of typing his student number or last name. 8. To provide a module that will retrieve student records. Retrieval of records is also a problem of registrar. Every time a certain record is being retrieved, the process takes a lot of time for the registrar needs to search over files records in order to have the records retrieved. But with the use of the computerized system, retrieval of records will be easier because the system only requires the student number as an input and with just a click of a button, the records being searched will be displayed on the screen and is ready for printing, thus making the retrieval of records easier and faster.

Speaking and listening Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Speaking and listening - Coursework Example He is perhaps the least dynamistic character in the novel that undergoes little or no significant development and growth. However, he is the one of the major characters that fits into the theme of tragedy. Lennie is a loyal and good friend as well as hardworking, but he is incapable of expressing his temper correctly. His anger emanates from him attempting to avoid getting into trouble but this is worsened by his mighty strength. His violent behaviour progresses towards the things he is meant to take care of; he kicks the puppy, for instance, across the barn when he discovers its dead. Lennie’s tragic attributes can be best demonstrated by the fact that is life is not a long one and this is strengthened by the manner he meets his death. His innocent behaviour could not allow him to avoid Curley’s wife and other dangers around him and this resulted to him being shot by George as way of protecting saving him from being lynched by the merciless mob of Curley after killing his wife. Unlike Lennie, George develops as the novel progresses. He is, however, a short-tempered character that together with Lennie protests to life. However, he is loving and devoted to protect Lennie; for instance, he cautions him against drinking too much because he can fall ill. George depended on Lennie who gave him a purpose of life and without him, George had no focus of life. Lennie reminded him always of the firm they would go and live happily without the disturbance of the Curleys. This manifests George perhaps as one of the most tragic characters of the novel whose life would instantly be empty without Lennie. Moreover, his personality of lack of care for others such Lennie during the time, depicts him as tragic character such as when he admitted to Slim that he once abused Lennie for his personal amusement. Additionally, a significant part of his tragic character arises after he has shot Lennie and the predatory nature of life manifests resulting to his downfall. He can no

Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Development - Essay Example Firstly, conflict occurs when one is exercising individual rights and chooses a particular lifestyle, buys products, or thinks of a thought, and thus one is at odds with the society. Secondly, people and communities sometimes believe that the areas of culture, preservation of local culture because of history, traditions, and the desired pass of the heritage used to make a generation successful are short timed. The second tension occurs between the free market and the interventions of the government. The tension occurs when the first aggregate that is because of the free market is for lots of the choices made by individuals. The third tension occurs between the local authority and the extra local authority. In this tension, the decisions made at the level are mostly close to the individual citizens and the decisions made by the authority, and how it affects the citizens. Vietnam is a story based on the success story. Reforms were made depending on the political and economic that transformed the poor countries to middle-income country within the century. Vietnam has been applauded as the equity of development. The pattern for trade is affected by the economic growth and development of regions and countries. The growth of trade is encouraged the creation and diversion of trade by the single market. The significant of the trade is in the geographical pattern of the trade in increasing share of the share of trade. The growth also boosts the exports and provides the advantages of the opportunity export available there. Development describes the expansion of the human throughout the lifespan, from the notion about death. The study made by scientist about the development of human that seeks the understanding and explains reasons as to why people change throughout their lives. This includes aspects of the growth of human, physical, emotional, social and the personal development. Development does not only involve biological and

Why drug testing should not be allowed in schools Research Paper

Why drug testing should not be allowed in schools - Research Paper Example The paper discusses briefly on the reasons why drug testing makes apparent sense and then talks in greater detail about why it should not be allowed for the right reasons on issues very closely related to it. The brief digression is intended to highlight the rationale why it should not be allowed at all. It can be safely said that there are always two sides to an issue; debate and arguments can get heated and become divisive as long as people hold opposing views and stands on issues which they think and feel affect them and has an important bearing on their lives. This is the case with issues like abortion, euthanasia (mercy killing), same-sex unions, organ donations, the more recently-repealed DADT (dont ask, dont tell) policy in the military services and many others. A more closely-related legal issue is the use of plea bargains which critics say tends to undermine the whole judicial system by letting criminals off the hook lightly with a suspension or probation. This is the same situation with regards to the use of drug testing, whether voluntary or not. This particular issue resonates with almost everyone concerned, as the problem of drug use is quite a widespread social and health problem, given the proliferation of illegal drugs in society today. The drug problem is certainly a menace and many citizens feel that American society is about to overwhelmed by the enormity of this problem. Various solutions have been proposed to deal with it and drug testing is gaining popularity because it seems to make sense to most people. The idea of drug testing has caught on even among populist politicians, who proposed using it in varied aspects of American life such as applying for welfare benefits, where a welfare applicant has to take the drug test first and if he comes out clean, then he gets reimbursed for the expense and qualifies for welfare. If not, he waits for one year and take the test again (Cohen, 2011, p. 1). The idea has even been

Critically evaluate the extent to which budget hotel brandsrequire Essay

Critically evaluate the extent to which budget hotel brandsrequire effective brand management in the current post recession envi - Essay Example It was during this period that a sandal maker based in Syria mentioned his name on the footwear he was selling so as to keep it distinct from others. During initial years branding was often viewed as naming a good or an article. This follows from the different religious views which stress on naming individuals so as to distinguish them from the rest of the others. The aspect of naming goods has over the years modified itself to what is termed as ‘branding’ in today’s globalised market environment (Jackson & Fulberg, p.51). According to Keller a brand is defined as â€Å"a set of mental associations held by the consumer, which ad to the perceived value of a product or service† (Kapferer, p.10). The importance of brands could be analysed from the fact that well known brands like Coca Cola, Kellogg’s and Apple are being valued in billions just because of the power of their names (or brands). The present study would focus on the importance of branding an d brand image in case of budget hotels especially in the light of the recent financial meltdown and the competitive forces prevalent in the market. Importance of Brand Management The present age of business is being widely debated as the age of consumerism. In this age customers are in the driver’s seat as firms are trying to aggressively woo customers by offering them greater value for every purchase. The competitive environment in the consumer markets has forced organizations to distinguish their product and service offering from the rest of its competitors (Budzinski, p.13). Branding has therefore assumed considerable importance for business organizations as it is being largely used by the customers to distinguish the product and service offering among the wide array of choices available in the market. The importance of branding could be analysed from the fact that branding plays a key role in the positioning of a firm’s product or service in the minds of the consum er. This is important considering the fact that positioning plays a key role in the consumer’s buying behaviour process. Branding assumes significant importance as it distinguishes the product or service offering of different organizations and also gives uniqueness to a particular product or service in the consumer markets. In the present age it has often been argued that consumers are more intended towards purchasing a brand instead of a product. Branding also has a role in the aspect of marketing communication as they are essentially used by firms to promote their product in the market. For example Cadbury uses its famous tagline â€Å"I love Cadbury† to make a connection with its target market audience (Elliot & Percy, p.229-230). Brand equity is a broad term and includes four critical aspects namely awareness of a brand, loyalty towards a brand, quality and image. The combined effect of these four aspects plays a critical role in determining the profitability and s ustainability of a brand in the market. For example the success story of the fast service chain of restaurants could be traced to the effectiveness by which the marketer has handled these four underlying aspects of brand equity to build a formidable brand image (Oh & Pizam, p.103-104). Global Recession and Budget Hotels The global recession had large scale impacts on the business prospects of budget hotels. The financial meltdown resulted in rise of unemployment coupled with decrease in the income levels of the individuals. It

How Does the Iranian Nuclear Program Affect the GCC Countries National Research Paper

How Does the Iranian Nuclear Program Affect the GCC Countries National Security - Research Paper Example The national security also supports inclusion of any environmental threats such as natural disasters and occurrences resulting in damaging the environment of a state. If we go down to the memory lane of the Iranian history that is linked with nuclear arsenal, it is indicative that their nuclear program was initiated in the year 1957, when a proposed agreement for cooperation in research for the peaceful use of atomic energy came into being under the guise of Eisenhowers  Atoms for Peace program. Later in the year 1967, an institution known as  Tehran Nuclear Research Center  (TNRC) was established, run by the  Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). TNRC was comprised of U.S supplied 5 megawatt nuclear  research reactor, fueled by  highly enriched uranium. In 1968 Iran had signed the  Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty  (NPT) ratified in the year 1970 that makes Irans nuclear program subject to verification of IAEA. During the era of Shah, plan was approved to construct 23 nuclear power stations with the assistance of USA to be completed by the end of 2000.  In March 1974, Shah categorically announced that Petroleum is a precious material to burn. In future, we will be producing, 23,000 megawatts of electricity through utilization of nuclear plants as soon as we can just to save the expensive material. U.S. and European companies are beating about the bush, to get the job done in Iran.  The first plant at Bushehr, was established to provide energy to the city of Shiraz. For this purpose, in the year 1975, a contract worth $4 to  $6 billion was signed executed by Siemens AG  and  AEG respectively  to build  pressurized water reactor  nuclear power plant in 1981. Further development that took place at a later stage is that Sweden’s 10% share in  Eurodif  gone to Iran.  Cogà ©ma the subsidiary of French government  and the Iranian Government had established the Sofidif Company with 60% and 40% shares. In return, the Sofidif acquired a

Analysis of managerial functions of an existing company Term Paper

Analysis of managerial functions of an existing company - Term Paper Example The paper is ananalysis of planning and leading techniques that form part of Borla. Planning as a core function of management remains an inevitable recipe in success (Griffin, 2012). The automobile industry remains one of the business opportunities with great challenges. Therefore, managers must make flexible and comprehensive policies, which promote successful delivery of services. Borla’s 25 years of outstanding performance has continually allowed it to expand to different markets. Evidently, no management can effectively expand its operations without succinct management plans. Same to other institutions, the planning process at Borla is top notch. The micro and macro level spectrum takes cognisance of the current market, intended recipients and long-term objectives. Borla’s search for a perfect and accessible manufacturing space has never stopped. Since conception, the company has shifted location from one place to another. Certainly, this is not a sign of weakness, but rather thestrength to find a better location for proficient production. Founded in 1979, it did not stay in New York, NY for long. In 1984, it moved to Oxnard, CA setting camp for 25 years and later moved to Johnson City, TN in 2009. Interestingly, it did not cease operations in the former cities; nevertheless, it facilitated a continuous growth in marketing and sales not forgetting R&D departments in Oxnard. Indeed, this is a clear strategic balance of growth. A good company should not move all of its operations to the next market no matter how promising it looks. Evidently, Borla’s vision is to provide world-class products that surpass customer’s expectations. For many companies, action ends in the promises; however, Borla has given assurance from differen t perspectives. Currently, the company is expanding its markets to China and Russia. Although challenges of

Overview of the Environmental Security Debate Essay

Overview of the Environmental Security Debate - Essay Example The essay "Overview of the Environmental Security Debate" talks about the improving the wellbeing of the environment by including the notion of environmental security to national security policies. The weakening significance of superpower conflict in the past decade has provided an impetus to the emergence of flexibility in the notions of national security. Previously constructed to a set of external military dangers, the concept nowadays frequently emphasizes the importance of concerns such as environmental protection, economic progress, and global sustainability. Environmental security is labeled as a relevant subject matter in international affairs and it is being exploited to define the motives of countries under an array of contexts. For instance, the Kyoto agreement which curtails global greenhouse gasses has been disputed and defended on the basis of its influence on America’s national security. Warren Christopher, the former Secretary of State, proclaimed in his 1996 speech at Stanford University the resolution of the Clinton administration â€Å"to put environmental issues where they belong: in the mainstream of American foreign policy†. Subsequently, President Clinton has branded environmental security as one of the many concerns that America will be confronting in the contemporary times. The fundamental concept of environmental security signifies an attempt to put more emphasis on the issues of environmental degradation through openly fastening them to previous military notions of security.

How Hersey Portrays the Event in Hiroshima Essay

How Hersey Portrays the Event in Hiroshima - Essay Example All of these individuals had no sense that their life would change few minutes after eight fifteen in the morning of 6 August 1945. As Hersey’s says in his book, Hiroshima, a noiseless flash was the only sign that each survivor would remember as they encounter a tragedy they would not forget in their life. Miss Sasaki was clerk at East Asia Tin when Dr. Masakazu was with his patient in a private hospital, Mrs. Nakamura stood in her kitchen looking outside through the window, and Father Kleinsorge was leading a magazine in his room. Reverend Tanimoto was another victim of the Hiroshima bombing; he as the other survivors was with a colleague pushing a handcart to the man’s house (Hersey 4-6). That day was like any other as Hersey’s records it was a still morning, and the town was pleasant and cool as always. Moreover, within a splash of second, a â€Å"tremendous flash† cut across from east heading west, and from that moment, the life of the people changed i n the city of Hiroshima (Hersey 4-6). Hersey note that the situation that people were just living their life, though terrified by threat of attack, it is worth to note that human being are, in equal measure the same and need to be treated with dignity. Hersey’s story displays the danger that surrounds human being in his action to make a living. In his analysis of the event after the Hiroshima bombing, Hersey displays the location of his six characters that he interviewed. In addition, the mere chance that they survived while many other died is by chance and their unconscious actions. There was spared from death and serious injuries. Hersey portrays a mysterious situation where so many people dies living other with only minor injuries. Hersey also portrays how fast thing can change in the matter of seconds. Before the attack with the atomic bomb, Hiroshima was used to warning of the possible attack. However, in the morning of 6 August 1945, no warning came to caution the peopl e of the attack, and the whole of Hiroshima changed from common to struggle and survival. The life of Hersey’s characters and the city would be different from what they were used to. As noted in the narration of the experiences, Hersey’s works portrays the abuse of human ethics, and the action of the American government. The attack of Hiroshima with something that caused unwarranted suffering is chocking and unbelievable. Such an act ought to be demonstrated to make people aware of what could happen in a situation of war with the kind of weapon such as an atomic bomb. What insight does the book give you into the Japanese perspective, and what do you think of that? In the experiences of the survivors, Hersey work tries to unfold the live after the atomic bomb. First, Mrs. Nakamura, one of the six characters interviewed by Hersey meets her sister in Hiroshima, and she is disappointed to hear from her that Japan has conceded defeat and that the war was done. She wishes Ja pan could win the war even after the attack in the city. Hersey paint a picture of dedicated people who no matter the devastation they had the courage to move on with their life. At time Mrs. Nakamura was meeting her sister, she had gone to the city to bring with her rice she had buried before the attack (50). In other instances, Hersey says that in September of 1945, radiation related ailment, had affected everyone. Father kleinsorge fell sick while going to deposit money in the city while Mrs. Nakamura daughter had fallen sick. Mr. Takimoto by this time had been bedridden (51-55). None of the challenge that the Japanese met deterred them from moving on with their live. Hersey also records that even in the city; Feverfew and Panic grass spring up in the city

Healthy Lifestyle Essay Example for Free

Healthy Lifestyle Essay Regular exercise is essential for good health. It tones the muscles, strengthens the bones and makes the heart and lungs work better. Exercise also helps to relieve stress. The most beneficial type of exercise is aerobics. Aerobic exercises, in the form of jogging, cycling and lap swimming, strengthens the heart. It is important to choose a form of exercise that we enjoy. It could be dancing or just walking. As long as we do it regularly, we will be fit. People who are fit enjoy life more because they can join in any kind of activity. To maintain a healthy life, it is necessary to develop good diet habits. Balance your choices of food. It is not that we have to give up our favourite food. We just have to be smart about how often and how much of it we eat. Our body needs nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. Balancing food choices will help us get all these nutrients. Avoid eating junk food or processed food which is high in sugar or salt content. Developing good health habits are important if we want to keep healthy. Don’t smoke, avoid excessive alcohol intake and keep moderate hours. Go to bed early and wake up early. Work hard and play hard too. Have a positive attitude towards people and work. Half-yearly dental check-ups are also necessary to maintain dental health. Being overweight can lead to a lot of health problems. We can suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure and so on. Weight control requires conscious effort and self control. Diet and exercise play the most important role in weight control. Make sure exercise is part of our daily programme. Watch the amount and type of food we eat. Health is pleasurable; ill health is miserable. There are other threats to health but if we remember the points mentioned above, we should enjoy good health.

How Important Are Sex Education Practices Young People Essay

How Important Are Sex Education Practices Young People Essay Sex education is a broadly used term that can be used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, contraception, and other aspects of human sexual behavior. Some of the common avenues for sex education are parents or caregivers and school programs. The question this essay is going to assess is whether sex education be allowed to be taught in primary schools, this is because nowadays young people do not have a clear understanding about Sex education, therefore the government is now trying to introduce sex education in primary schools .Sex education is about helping to develop young people skills so that they make informed choices about their behaviour, and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices. This essay is also going to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of sex education by looking at parents views on the topic as well as research that has been conducted regarding sex education. First I will start with the aim and strengths of sex education and then move on to its weaknesses. It is important for sex education to begin at an early age and also provided that it is sustained giving young people basic information from an early stage in their lives to offer the foundation on which more complex knowledge is build up over time, for example , when they are very young , children can be educated about how people grow and change over time , how to manage their emotions and the physical changes to their bodies in childhood and how they progress from different stages in their lives, therefore this provides the basis on which they understand more detailed information about puberty provided in the pre-teenage years, they can also at a young age be provided with information about viruses and germs that attack the body , this provide the basis for talking to them later about infection that can be caught through sexual contact. Sex education aims to reduce the risk of potentially negative outcomes from sexual behaviour such as unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and infections with sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Studies show that many teenagers become sexually active before the inclusion of the educational classes. Early inclusion of classes has proven to help students remain either abstinent or to at least be responsible if they are active. It also aims to contribute to young people positive experience of their sexuality by enhancing the quality of their relationships and their ability to make informed decisions over their life time. Effective sex education develops younger peoples skills in negotiation, decision making, assertion and listening. Other important skills include being able to recognize pressures from other peers and to resist them, dealing with and challenging prejudice and being able to seek help from adults including parents, and professionals, through the family, community and health and welfare services. Sex education if taught at early age can also help equip young people with the skills to be able to differentiate between accurate and inaccurate information and discuss a rage of moral and social issues and perspectives on sex and sexuality including different cultural attitudes and sensitive issues like sexuality, abortion and contraception. Sex education also do provide young people with an opportunity to explore the reason why people have sex, and to think about how it evolve emotions, respect for one self and other people and their feelings, decisions and bodies. People who have been in favour of sex education are for example, Jim Knight, the Schools Minister, who said that making time in the national curriculum for these classes, as part of a new personal social and health education (PSHE) syllabus would ensure that young people were better equipped to navigate the complexities of modern life. He insisted, however, that very young children would not be given sexually explicit lessons. We are not talking about five-year-olds being taught about sex . . . What we are talking about in Key Stage 1 (when children are aged 5 to 7) is children learning about themselves, their differences, their friendships, how to manage their feelings. Having to teach sex education to young people can be a disturbing experience as they are still young and their understanding is not yet fully developed. Controversies are abundant when dealing with such delicate issues and there are many disadvantages to sexual education being taught in primary schools. It seems that most parents are either strongly against or strongly in favour of sexual education classes, but very few parents are in the middle ground. And, in fact, there are more parents that are in favour of sexual education classes Some of the difficulties primary teachers might face are that first of all they are not always trained how to properly teach sexual education courses and may transgress their own beliefs or morals into the subject matter rather than stick with the facts. Which will lead to confusion later in life because it might be that secondary teachers are more trained therefore they stick to the facts; this results students to be bewildered about what is actually the right and wrong. Often, sexual education can go against an individuals moral or religious beliefs. Many schools do not teach abstinence only but teach how to have intercourse safely, whereas many religious and family values stress marriage before intercourse. This will result in parents withdrawing their children from classes, especially when it concerns girls; parents tend to be more strict than towards boys. An example of this is from The Times newspaper as a mother explains why she if removing her daughter from sex education classes For her, the horror began with a childbirth video last summer term. I have no idea how graphic it was neither does Ruby, because she buried her head in her hands as soon as she saw the womans face, which was, in Rubys words, twisted in pain. The womans cries scared her and Ruby came home in tears, doubting that she would ever have children. Several ashen-faced boys said that they were sure glad they werent girls. Then came the animated stick people having sex, comple te with zoom- in diagrams. These classes also tend to be gendered due to the fact that their central focus is teenage pregnancy, which means most of the advice they have to offer is on contraceptives. Also the sex education field is mostly dominated by females and as a result boys do not have role models to teach them about everything or have people who have previously experienced what they are experiencing now. Consequently due to the lack of males in the sex education field boys will start to think it does not concern them therefore they will start to lose interest especially at a young age students may still suffer from embarrassment or get excitable by the topic matter. This can cause for out of control classrooms if students take to giggling or making inappropriate remarks. Furthermore, while information about contraception and safe sex is discretionary and discussion about relationships is often neglected teenagers tent to grow up without knowing much about relationships therefore they lack knowledge on how to maintain or work on relationships. In addition some teachers usually discuss students issues in the staff room for example in a 2000 study by the University of Brighton, many 14 to 15 year olds reported disappointment with the content of sex education lessons and felt that lack of confidentiality prevents teenagers from asking teachers about contraception In a 2008 study conducted by YouGov for Channel 4 it was revealed that almost three in ten teenagers say they need more sex and relationships education. The Guardian Unlimited: (2009) Having assessed sex education through its pros and cons, it is however clear that this topic has more weaknesses than strengths. Nevertheless it is also clear that sex education can have both positive and negative effects on peoples lives. For example using the extract from The Times, the child could have come how crying because her knowledge on sex education is not fully developed therefore, for her to see those images scared her. However it could be positive in a way that that video had prepared her for the future, whenever she comes into contact with that circumstance again she will would have already known about it. To conclude it all comes down to how the topic is taught, if it should be taught at age 5 as Jim knight the school minister said then they should be shown the very basic of sex education not too much graphics however the knowledge can gradually be built up as time goes on. Referencing The Guardian Unlimited: (2009) Children under 15 can be withdrawn from sex education(Accessed 14 Dec 2009) Ann Moore (2009)Times, The (London, England) Too much, too young As the Government sets out new rules for sex education , Anna Moore explains why she is removing her daughter from the classes (Accessed 14 Dec 2009) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article4998206.ece

Conflict :: essays research papers

Jack London’s â€Å"To Build a Fire† and John Updike’s â€Å"A&P† were very different, but interesting stories. Both authors chose a different approach to their chosen tone. Updike wrote in a more laid back and entertaining way, while London, on the other hand, chose to write in a more formal and serious way. The authors also developed much different characters. London’s main character was much older and rugged than the complicated teenage girls and grocery clerk that Updike chose to focus his story around. The most significant difference, however, is the choice of conflict. Updike’s conflict was a simple one focusing on man versus man, but London’s story had many conflicts that dealt with much more serious issues like, for example, life and death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the beginning of both stories one can get an immediate sense of where each story is headed. The author’s very appropriately set the tone to each of their stories early on. The first sentence in London’s â€Å"To Build a Fire† said, â€Å"Day had broken cold and gray, exceedingly cold and gray, when the man turned aside from the main Yukon trail and climbed the high earth-bank, where a dim and little- traveled trail led eastward through the fat spruce timberland† (561). From that very first sentence the audience can immediately tell that this is going to be a dramatic story. The strong and descriptive language prepares us for the rest of the story. The beginning of Updike’s â€Å"A&P† sets a much different tone for the story to follow. He wrote, â€Å"In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits. I’m in the third checkout slot, with my back to the door, so I don’t see them until they’re over by the bread. The one that caught my eye first was the one in the plaid green two-piece† (612). The beginning of this story has a relaxed and enjoyable tone. We, the audience, are now prepared for some easy reading.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next, focusing on the characters, we see another big difference. London’s story had very few characters. London took his time and very descriptively developed his main character throughout the entire story. The story is periodically filled with bits about how the unnamed man feels and what he’s thinking. London paid very close attention to how his main character physically felt. For example, he wrote, â€Å"After a time he was aware of the first faraway sensation in his beaten fingers.

The Silo Strangler- Creative Writing :: Creative Writing Essay

Slowly trudging through the swampy field silhouetted by the moon, was the fifth victim of the Silo Strangler. He was 15 years old, 5ft 6 and was the usual teenager who thought that the world revolved around him and that nothing could hurt him. His father laid down the rules in his house and the one he, made a point of most was that Andy should not sneak out of his bedroom and night to go and drink with his friends. Not only was it illegal for him to be drinking, the Silo Strangler was lurking around and had already killed four people in the vicinity of the village. It was violating this rule that got Andy killed. It started as soon as he climbed out of his bedroom window at 10:30PM. He shuffled down the cast iron drainpipe down the side of his house to the ground, he sneaked around the house in total stealth making sure nobody saw him. He crossed the well-lit main road, which spoiled the serenity of the village, bringing more people to the village who bought houses for obscene amounts of money and the Buttermilk Bluebeard. Then he climbed awkwardly through the barbed wire fence trying his best not to damage himself or his clothing as his parents would know he had been out if he did. Now he was in the field he could not run through it, he had to slowly walk, down the edge of the field, as there was corn on the cob growing in it so he had to take care not to stand on or trip over one of the corn plants. When he came to the end of this field he had could run through the next field then he had to walk through the woods to the other side of the village. The woods were strange place, especially in the dark when everything seemed to change. Trees looked like people. Branches looked like arms and normal noises like and owls hooting, or a bird setting of to fly made you feel like you were being watched.

Prokaryotes :: science

Prokaryotes Abstract/Summary: Changing our focus from the properties and functions that take place within the cell to the actual cell itself, we observed three specific bacterial types within this lab: Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and cyanobacteria. We closely observed the features of cyanobacteria and were able to differentiate them from other bacteria. We specifically observed gloeocapsa, merismopedia, anabaena, and oscillatoria. In addition to this we observed the different characteristics of prokaryotic organisms referring to size, form, color, elevation and texture, which helped us to understand the diversity of these cell types in the kingdom Monera. Through culturing samples from both the toilet and our own mouths, we were able to observe Gram-negative bacteria. We also sketched our two examples of Gram-negative bacteria. Though we failed to observe Gram-positive bacteria, this may have been due to our sampling and staining procedure. Because of the concentration of the sample towards the center, bacteria within this region are hard to see under oil immersion microscopy. If Gram-positive bacteria had been present, it was covered by layers of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria making it extremely difficult to differentiate while viewing under a light microscope. Introduction: Most of the experiments thus far in this laboratory have covered many of the functions carried out within the cell such as enzyme activity, photosynthesis, reproduction, and genetics. This experiment gave us a chance to examine the overall single prokaryotic cell in its entirety instead of just the functions it can carry out. We will encounter 4 groups under the kingdom Monera: archaeobacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and Mycoplasms. We will also examine the diversity of prokaryotic cell types. For example some are pathogenic, causing diseases, while other are saprophytic, breaking down organic material, and further still some bacteria are autotrophs, making their own food through photosynthesis or chemiosmosis (Lab Manual, 2001). We will also examine the characteristics of these prokaryotic organisms such as the visible size, form, color, elevation, and texture of a colony or colonies. To get detailed observations of these various organisms we will view their occurrence through the culturing of samples by adding microbes onto a sterile medium within Petri dishes and allowing them to multiply. Finally we will also examine the features of cyanobacteria that distinguish them from other bacteria, and their role in nature. Materials/Methods: First examine the plates prepared in the previous week and observe as many of your other classmates plates as possible.

How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior Essay

Social media has increasingly become a constant in our lives. Many people reach out to friends or family through social media, sometimes on a daily basis. Through Facebook, people can view pictures and read status updates. Twitter allows others to read status updates that are limited to 140 characters. Each of these social media tools has its advantages and disadvantages but each opens up the doors to creating an online community with others that may not be possible offline. George Herbert Mead’s theory of symbolic interactionism states that our interactions with individuals and communities shape our identities and influence our actions. Is it possible that his theory could apply to the ways in which a persons’ social media community influences his or her purchase decisions? This paper will seek to find the answer. The following thesis will include an analysis of Mead’s theory of symbolic interactionism, a literature review about communities in social media, the method used to collect data, an analysis of the data, and implications from the study. Importance of the Study As a professional marketer, I have always been fascinated with social media. At the very essence of human nature is a desire to be social. Social media has provided humans an outlet to create online communities making it easier to network with others, which satisfies some of our deepest social wants and needs. Additionally, social media has allowed users to increase the amount of people included in their personal communities, as social media is both viral, which is to say that information travels rapidly between social media users, and transparent. Social media can be considered transparent as users of sites such as Facebook and Twitter post their thoughts, pictures, and locations to their followers, which often consist of people who are not close friends or family. Social media tools have become superb channels for marketers to reach consumers. The article titled, â€Å"Expand your Brand Community Online† states that social media is important for marketers because it allows them to dialogue directly with consumers, which in turn engages consumers directly with company brands (Hanlon, Patrick, Hawkins, & Josh, 2008). Many companies, such as Audi and Dunkin’ Donuts have used social media very effectively to reach consumers. According to Wasserman (2011), out of all other brands on Facebook, Audi’s fans are the most engaged of all major corporate brands on Facebook. That consumers can reach out to companies and their personal communities via social media has created a power shift between companies and consumers. Lee (2010) contends that social media has become vastly popular for â€Å"normal people† because it allows anyone to interact with content or deliver it (p. 112). This model of communication is vastly superior to the traditional format of one-way communication between major media and its intended audience (Lee, p. 112). A company that uses social media is more likely to create relationships with members of its target demographic rather than traditional media where conversations between the medium and the audience are unlikely. Now, social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter have made it easy for consumers to post product reviews and reach out to other like-minded individuals in their communities. As social media infiltrates our lives as consumers, before people make purchases, they are increasingly reaching out to their social media communities for opinions (Drell, 2011). Goal Consumers often want others’ opinions about items before they make a commitment to purchase. For example, they may ask about the color of a shirt, or if they should purchase a large or small purse. Social media communities provide an outlet for consumers to seek opinions, but how often and at what point in the purchase process do consumers reach out to their online communities for advice? Do the opinions provided by social media communities actually impact consumers’ purchases? These are among the key questions I will seek to answer in this thesis, including the overarching question of whether social media communities impact consumers’ purchase behavior. An exploration of Mead’s concept of the â€Å"self† reveals how it can help a company realize its brand identity and ensure the â€Å"self† portrayed on Facebook remains consistent with its understanding, and the public’s understanding of the brand. In Mead’s theory of symbolic interaction he suggested we create our â€Å"self† by figuratively peering through a looking glass to see ourselves as others do, which leads to the creation of an identity (Griffin, 2009, p. 63). As we interact with others, the â€Å"self† is constantly changing and adapting to further shape our identities, which, Mead contends, are ultimately based on how others view our â€Å"self† (Griffin, p. 63). Mead’s concept of the â€Å"self† is an apt metaphor for the process in which a Facebook profile is created and refined through communicative engagement with consumers in a digital marketplace. Using Mead’s theory of symbolic interactionism, this thesis will attempt to identify how social media communities affect consumers’ online purchasing behavior. To help answer the question of how people’s social media communities affect their online purchases, I will use numerous research methods to gather data relevant to my thesis topic. For the collection of literary sources, I will use two primary sources. First is the online databases offered through the Foley Center Library at Gonzaga. There, I will discover and collect academic peer-reviewed journal articles about the history of social media, the psychology behind the creation of personal communities and how people interact with them, and current trends in consumer purchase behavior. Another resource I will use is the online magazine Advertising Age, a primary resource for marketing professionals that includes articles about trends in digital marketing. From Advertising Age, I will search for articles about new technologies that help consumers more efficiently reach out to their social network communities. ProQuest will be my main literature database source as it contains a wide variety of academic journals suited for a thesis. Advertising Age will be a complementary source while the databases Business Source Complete and Communication & Mass Media Complete will likely serve as complementary sources. I will employ survey research to help collect data. I will create a survey instrument with a list of questions that pertain to people social media communities and how these communities affect their purchases. The survey will include a Likert-like scale of 1-3, and will allow for collection of data regarding people’s rankings of the influence their social media communities have over their purchases. Additionally, the survey will include situational questions, i.e., â€Å"If you were to buy a large purchase, would opinions from your Facebook friends impact your purchase?† Lastly, the survey also will gather information that could have an impact on the thesis question, including respondents’ age, other demographic data, and item amounts purchased online vs. offline. Organization of Remaining Chapters The following thesis will be organized into the following chapters. The second chapter will be the literature review. This chapter will cover Mead’s theory of symbolic interactionism and its relation to the creation of online communities. The literature review will also review the theory of hyper-symbolic interactionism as well as the benefits to online communities, how social media has transformed the power dynamic between companies and consumers, the differences in millennials’ and non-millennials’ use of the Internet, and gender differences in relation to Facebook. The third chapter of this thesis will introduce the scope and the methodology used to gather data. The scope of the project will be limited to people who live in Western Washington, use social media, and purchase products online. The methodology will be a Likert-like survey distributed through the survey tool Surveymonkey.com. The fourth chapter will analyze the data gathered from the survey. Lastly, the fifth chapter will conclude the thesis. It will contain method limitations as well as future studies that should be considered. How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, 10 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Introduction Symbolic interactionism theory was created by Mead to describe how humans form their identity and construct a reality of social norms through interactions with others. Although human interaction methods have changed over time, most recently with the digital age, Mead’s theory remains relevant in today’s world. Applying the theory of symbolic interactionism to online networks, it can be hypothesized that online communities shape individuals’ identity and reality, and provide a vast network with which to create relationships. This literature review will further explore Mead’s theory of symbolic interactionism and its application to online communities within social networks. It will also explore how social network users create relationships that can influence their online purchasing decisions. Overview of Symbolic Interactionism Theory The theory of symbolic interactionism includes three core principles that describe how humans interact with each other through meaning, language, and thought to create our â€Å"self† (Griffin, 2009, p. 60). Mead believed that interactions are â€Å"central to the development of one’s social identity and functioning according to shared norms and values† (Tormey, 2007). Meaning is found in how a person constructs a social reality (Griffin, p. 60). The way one interacts with others, verbally or nonverbally, derives from the meaning one assigns to various interactions (Griffin, p. 60) For example, a person may see a protestor on the street picketing very loudly. This person may view the protestor as obnoxious and intrusive, whereas another person may view this person as progressive and inspirational. Each of these people has assigned a meaning to the protestor, which in return constructs a reality. The protestor’s true meaning, however, cannot be concretely defined, for each person will assign a different meaning to the protestor and interact based on the meaning he or she has constructed. The meanings one assigns to another is created through the use of language (Griffin, 2009, p. 60). When the first person sees the protestor, he or she uses language to assign a certain meaning to the protestor. Calling the protestor obnoxious assigns a negative meaning to the protestor through language. To Mead, â€Å"naming is the basis for human society† (Griffin, p. 61). Lastly, thought occurs when we refer to our inner dialogue to interpret symbols and their meaning (Griffin, p. 62). According to Mead, a person needs language to create this inner dialogue (Griffin, p. 62). Without symbolically interacting, one cannot think and create this inner dialogue, which in turn allows a person to assign meaning to others (Griffin, p. 62). When the three principles of meaning, language, and thought occur, the idea of a â€Å"self† begins to emerge (Griffin, p. 63). Mead believed we had to look outwardly to truly understand our inner selves (Griffin, 2009, p. 63). This occurred when the concept of the looking glass self was used (Griffin, p. 63). When the looking glass self is applied, people construct their identity based on how others view them (Griffin, p. 63). One’s â€Å"self† is created through interactions with others involving the use of language (Griffin, p. 63). Thus with each new interaction, a person’s self can change, which is how we evolve and create our identities. When we interact on a one-to-one basis with another we create a self based on how another views us, but when people interact within an entire community, their self is created based on the expectations and responses of the community (Griffin, p. 65). When interacting with a community, a person creates a â€Å"generalized other† based on what expectations and responses the community is perceived to have, Mead noted (Griffin, 2009, p. 65). This generalized other is our guide to behavior when interacting with community members (Griffin, p. 65). It helps a person assign meaning to actions, and to act based on the meaning one wants to assume within the community (Griffin, p. 65). As interactions become more frequent within communities, norms and boundaries are created (Lynch & McConatha, 2006, p. 89). To Mead, a community consists of, â€Å"individual actors who make their own choices. Yet they align their actions with what others are doing to form healthcare systems, legal systems, and economic systems† (Griffin, p. 65). Although Mead formed this theory long before the Internet was created, it also applies to online social network interactions. Using Mead’s concept of the lookingglass, one can see how a Facebook page is actually a creation of our â€Å"self.† Symbolic interactionism theory plays an important role in the creation of Facebook profiles and how individuals identify themselves through engaging in online communication. â€Å"When Facebook users communicate ‘what’s on their mind’ or update their status, they are offering a representation of the ‘self,’ which is based on their social interactions with others† (Ellis, 2010, p. 39). According to Ellis, there is a three-step process in which a Facebook profile reflects one’s identity in light of Mead’s theory of symbolic interactionism (p. 39). First, a Facebook user, through actions, allows other Facebook users to become aware of his or her intentions. These intentions are made clear in a person’s Facebook profile picture and profile name (Ellis, p. 39). Secondly, communication occurs, as the profile picture becomes the user’s â€Å"self.† This image is what they would like others to perceive to be their identity (Ellis, p. 39). For example, if a How Socil Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, 13 veterinarian laboratory chose a picture of a smiling veterinarian and a happy dog, this lab is portraying to the world via Facebook that the company is not only a veterinarian laboratory with happy veterinarians, but one that caters to dogs, and in return, the dogs will be happy. Lastly, in the three-step process the profile picture means something to Facebook users who use it to decide what their identity will be (Ellis, p. 39). The user has created a â€Å"self† through this profile picture as it brings about an identity utilizing the symbolic act of communication (Ellis, p. 39). Hyper-symbolic Interactionism Theory Hyper-symbolic interactionism is a revised theory of symbolic interactionism for online networks (Lynch & McConatha, 2006). Theorists like Mead who used symbolic interactionism to describe socially constructed worlds did so before the invention of the Internet. The classic application of symbolic interactionism theory needs to adapt and evolve to fit today’s digital society (Lynch & McConatha, p. 88). Additionally, advancements in sciences require symbolic interactionism theory to be re-analyzed (Lynch and McConatha, p. 88). Advancements in such subjects as neuroscience and psychology have allowed us to learn more about the human mind than Mead knew when he created symbolic interactionism theory (p. 88). The generalized other, as Mead explained, forms when one creates his or her â€Å"self† based on a community’s expectations and responses (Griffin, 2009, p. 65). Thus, the â€Å"self† one creates is constantly changing and evolving based on interactions with others (Griffin, p. 65). One can assume that the creation of online communities, which use different means of interaction, allows one’s â€Å"self† to evolve even more than Mead ever thought one could (Lynch & McConatha, 2006, p. 89). Lynch and McConatha propose that the creation of a generalized other still exists, but exists differently online vs. offline (p. 89). While the generalized other still helps one form a â€Å"self,† the generalized other in the digital space is different than the one Mead described (Lynch and McConatha, p. 89). Lynch and McContha (2006) claim that the generalized other humans perceive today is different than Mead’s because of technology (p. 90). Due to the decrease in varying methods of human interaction, such as phone calls and verbal communication, and an increase in similar digital interactions, we are creating our self based on a different generalized other than Mead described (Lynch & McConatha, p. 90). The generalized other that impacts one’s self in the digital age is based more on consumerism than the generalized other described in the classic theory of symbolic interactionism (Lynch &McConatha, 2006, p. 90). Hyper-symbolic interaction is Lynch and McConatha’s (2006) solution to the immediacy of the Internet (p. 91). Hyper-symbolic interaction theory explains the creation of a new type of reality based on symbols found digitally. The theory â€Å"comprises the smallest symbols such as the l’s and O’s of computer language and the tiny pixels of digital imagery, as well as the complex contemporary imagery of advertisements and commercials produced daily† (Lynch & McConatha, p. 91). The larger symbols and imagery that these details create lead to new values and norms different than other nondigital communities (Lynch & McConatha, p. 91). This digital community is filled with marketers and advertisers, which in turn affect the reality humans’ construct, including the norms and values we abide by, as well as the meaning we give to symbols. We socialize very differently in digital reality than we do in real life (Lynch & McConatha, p. 91). Additionally, the increase in digital advertising causes us to perceive marketers and ads as reality (Lynch & McConatha, p. 92). Neuromarketing is a new term to describe marketing that has emerged from this shift in reality. Neuromarketing involves the study of how consumers react to marketing messages and is based on the idea that we have three brains, the new brain, the middle brain, and the old brain (Lynch & McConatha, 2006, p. 93). There are claims that neuromarketing actually drives consumers to purchase more products through a process of discovering consumers’ needs and then integrating them within their reality (Lynch & McConatha, p. 94). Neuromarketing also taps into what is believed to be a human’s old brain, the decision-maker that makes choices based on what will help one survive (Lynch & McConatha, p. 94). A human’s reaction to the decisions made by the old brain creates a constructed reality of what we essentially need and should react to (Lynch & McConatha, p. 94). Recently, Delta Airlines used neuroscience marketing to create a budget airline called â€Å"song.† The word â€Å"song† had no meaning to the airlines, but they used neuroscience marketing to discover the word â€Å"song† produces a pleasant feeling for consumers (Lynch & McConatha, p. 94). Delta Airlines is tapping into meaning consumers associate with symbols. Do consumers realize this or is it so engrained within our newly digitally created realities? Social Network Communities The article â€Å"Consumer Behaviour in Social Networking Sites: Implications for Marketers†(2011) identifies how humans use social media and how marketers should approach users of social media (Diffley, Kearns, Bennett, & Kawalek, p. 47). Its authors assert there are two methods marketers can use to reach consumers via social media: push THE STUDY Introduction For a week, I collected survey results through Surveymonkey.com. After asking co-workers in Seattle, people on Facebook and Twitter, and others in the Gonzaga community to take the survey, I amassed 154 responses. The survey responses came from Western Washington residents who use social media, and purchase items online. Survey questions asked were specific to Facebook and/or Twitter to gain more insight into how the two social media tools affect consumer behavior online (Appendix A). Data Analysis Of the 154 total individuals who answered the survey, the majority of people were 30-39 years of age (34%), 64% were female, 57% used both Facebook and Twitter, 55% used Facebook daily and 53% never used Twitter. The majority of individuals had 200299 Facebook friends (24%) and 52% of individuals had met all of their Facebook friends. In comparison, 40% had 1-99 Twitter followers and 40% had never met their followers in person. From these data it can be deduced that those who use Facebook typically â€Å"friend† others (meaning they are added as friends in their Facebook profiles) they also know offline while those who use Twitter tend to follow or be followed by strangers. Of all Facebook and Twitter respondents, 60% responded they purchase items online and offline at the same rate. These respondents noted they typically purchased clothing and accessories online (70%). Additionally, 68% of respondents bought travel accommodations online, 50% bought housewares, 32% buy electronics, and 10% buy insurance online. When asked if they would be more likely to listen to a stranger’s online review over that of a friend, 65% said they would be somewhat more likely while 30% said they would not be likely. To determine whether a person’s Facebook or Twitter community impacts their likelihood of online purchases, I asked a series of questions in the survey regarding Facebook and Twitter. From the results of these questions, I was able to gather enough data to indicate that Facebook communities have a higher impact on how consumers purchase products online than Twitter users. These results vary slightly from my hypothesis, which posited both social media tools would influence consumer behavior. Fifty-four percent of Facebook users said that they sometimes reach out to their Facebook communities before purchasing a product. This is a large percentage of Facebook users who view their Facebook communities as a trusted source for product opinions. Overall, How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, based on the survey results, the majority of Facebook users sampled in this study said they are open at times to the influence and opinions of their Facebook communities, while Twitter users say their communities rarely influence their purchase decisions. When asked how often they reach out to members in their social media communities for opinions about products before they purchase them, 47% of respondents said they never reach out to Facebook friends before purchasing an item. Ninety percent said that they never reach out to Twitter followers before purchasing an item. Two sets of questions asked in the survey reveal the point in the purchase funnel in which people reach out to others on Facebook or Twitter. Fifty-two percent of individuals never gather opinions from Facebook friends at any point during the purchase funnel. However, 20% reach out to Facebook friends before researching products to buy, 26% while they are comparing products after the initial research phase, and 2% directly before purchasing a product. How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, 30 Ninety-two percent of Twitter users never reach out to followers during the purchase process. Only 2% of Twitter users reach out to followers before researching products to buy, 5% before comparing products after the initial phase and 0% directly before making a purchase. When asked how likely it was that Facebook friends would influence one’s online purchases, 48% said that it is not likely, while 51% said that it is sometimes likely. Only 1% said that it is always likely. How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, 31 Twitter appears to have significantly less of an effect on one’s online purchasing behavior as 92% said that Twitter is not likely to affect their purchase decisions. Six percent of Twitter users said that other Twitter followers will sometimes influence their purchase decisions and 1% said that other Twitter followers almost always have an influence. How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, 32 Fifty-seven percent of Facebook users said that they have later purchased an item they heard about on Facebook, while only 17% of Twitter users said the same. The majority of Facebook users (54%) believe that Facebook is sometimes useful when looking for opinions about what products to purchase while 41% said it is not useful. Twitter is even less useful according to respondents as 79% said Twitter was never useful when looking for opinions about what products to purchase and only 19% said it is sometimes useful. When filtering the data to discern the difference in millennials (younger than 30 years of age) and non- millennials (30 years of age and older) it appeared that millennials were more open to influence from Facebook communities than non-millennials. The majority of non-millennial respondents used Facebook everyday but never used Twitter. Sixty-four percent of millennials used Facebook every day and 27% also used Twitter on a daily basis. Millennials were more likely than non-millennials to have both a Facebook and Twitter account (61% of millennials have both compared to 53% of nonmillennial). Sixty-one percent of non-millennials purchase about the same amount of products online as they do offline and 73% of their purchases are for travel accommodations. In comparison, 57% of millennials purchase about the same amount of products online as they do offline and the majority of their purchases (77%) are for clothing and accessories. Fifty-four percent of non-millennials say that they never reach out to Facebook friends for opinions before they purchase products online, while 51% of millennials said they sometimes reach out to Facebook friends for opinions. A large majority of both millennials and non-millennials said that they never reach out to Twitter followers for How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, opinions before purchasing a product. Millennials were more likely than non-millennials to reach out to Facebook friends before researching products to buy. Additionally, 24% of non-millennials stated that they reach out to Facebook friends to compare products after the initial research phase, and this was around the same amount for millennials (29%). Seventy-eight percent of millennials said they hear about products on Facebook that they later buy 51% of non-millennials said the same. Forty-eight percent of nonmillennials believe that Facebook is not useful when looking for opinions about products to purchase online while only 35% of millennials believed that it is not useful. The majority of millennials (61%) believe that Facebook is sometimes useful when looking for opinions about what products to purchase. Both millennials and non- millennials agreed that Twitter is not useful when looking for opinions about what products to purchase. The majority of male and female respondents who took the survey were 30-39 years of age. Sixty percent of males used both Facebook and Twitter while 36% only used Facebook. In comparison, 54% of women used both Facebook and Twitter while 43% used only Facebook. Forty-seven percent of males used Facebook daily while a large percentage (50%) never use Twitter. Women tend to use Facebook and Twitter more often. Sixty-two percent of women use Facebook daily while, like males, a large majority never use Twitter. When asked the question, â€Å"About how many of your â€Å"friends† on Facebook have you met in person?† Forty-four percent of men responded that they knew all of them, whereas 53% of females stated that they knew all of their Facebook friends offline. How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, Sixty-four percent of men said that they typically purchase the same amount of items in store and offline with 65% of purchases being travel accommodations. On the other hand, 59% of women typically purchase the same amount of items in store and offline with 73% of purchases being clothes and accessories. When asked how often they reach out to Facebook friends to provide opinions about products they may purchase online, 57% of men and 51% of women said they never do. Fifty percent of men also said that it is sometimes likely their Facebook friends will influence their purchases and 53% said that they often hear about products that they later purchase on Facebook.. Whereas, only 47% of women said that it is sometimes likely their Facebook friends will influence their purchase decisions but 59% said that they hear about products on Facebook that they later purchase. Both genders saw Twitter followers as having only a small influence on their purchase decisions if any at all. Results of the Study Mead’s theory of symbolic interactionism states humans are influenced by community members (Griffin, 2009, p. 65). Using Mead’s idea that communities impact our perception of what is a norm, I hypothesized that social media communities would impact consumer online behavior. My belief was, that if Mead believed that communities impact our perception of reality and what is normal, then by default social media communities should influence what one purchases online. One would purchase based on what the community believes to be the best purchase. The survey results showed that Twitter communities tend to not significantly impact social media users’ online purchase behavior, but Facebook communities typically do and have the potential to become even more of influencers for consumers. How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, Facebook results seem to fall right in line with Mead’s idea of communities as influencers. While for Twitter, the survey results indicate that Twitter communities behave differently than offline communities and Facebook communities. As the majority of Twitter users stated that their followers are strangers, they may not feel the same type of intimacy and companionship as those who use Facebook feel. This is something Lynch and McConatha (2006) touch on when introducing the theory of hyper-symbolic interactionism. Lynch and McConatha believe that due to the marketing-based reality constructed on the Internet, we no longer have the same type of community interactions as we do offline (2006). If this is so, then it is plausible that one’s Twitter community has less of an influence, especially for those who are avid Twitter users. For marketers, this study can be interpreted in two ways. First, it implies that marketers who focus on the sharing of products among social media communities to boost sales should rethink their strategy, especially if they use Twitter more than Facebook. Second, the results of the survey should inspire marketers to find a marketing method that will increase the influence online communities have on other social media users. My study showed that Facebook communities typically influence some users and have the potential to influence even more in the future. Many Facebook users surveyed seemed to value their Facebook friends’ opinions when it came to purchasing items online, and sometimes these opinions impacted their purchases. Marketers should use community influence on Facebook users as a way to increase sales and/or brand awareness. Another takeaway for marketers is the difference between Facebook and Twitter. Most of the respondents use Facebook on a daily basis and Twitter was not used nearly as How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior,   much, if at all. Out of the two social media platforms, Facebook communities are more of a community than Twitter. More people on Facebook know their Facebook friends offline, while many Twitter users did not know most of their Twitter followers offline. When comparing all of the questions pertaining to Facebook and those pertaining to Twitter, it is apparent that those who use Facebook have more of a relationship with their friends than Twitter users do with their followers. For marketers, this information is beneficial when deciding what channel would be the best to focus their attention on. CÄÆ'rtÄÆ'rescu (2010) stated that online communities create places for members to â€Å"share a sense of belonging, have a specific culture, a specific set of norms (‘netiquette’), affective ties that bind them together and a sense of shared history† (p. 82). These elements appear to be lacking in Twitter as most respondents to the survey answered that their Twitter communities were typically comprised of strangers who did not impact their purchasing decisions. Based on CÄÆ'rtÄÆ'rescu’s definition of an online community, and the lack of survey participants that use Twitter, it is questionable if Twitter constitutes a community, especially one that influences. Rather, it can be identified as a communication tool to reach out and converse with strangers but probably is not able to build relationships like Facebook does. In my opinion, Facebook feels more like a community than Twitter. Answers from the survey support this notion, as many of the respondents stated that they knew Facebook friends offline, while Twitter followers are comprised mostly of strangers. Based on Mead’s concept of a community as an influencer, I assumed that people would reach out to their Facebook communities to help shape their opinions, more than they would on Twitter. What my survey discovered was a good portion of Facebook users felt How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, like Facebook was a good method of gathering opinions before purchasing a product, as 50% of survey respondents used Facebook communities this way. Respondents seemed to regard Facebook as a community full of influences, which could help shape not only the Facebook users’ identities, but their purchasing opinions. Greenleigh (2010) found that 84% of millennials turn to online communities before purchasing an item. The survey results from my study found the opposite. On average, 50% of millennials who responded to my survey said that Facebook influenced their purchasing decisions. In particular, when asked how often they turn to Facebook communities before purchasing an item, only 51% of millennials said that they sometimes do and 47% said that they never do. Greenleigh also found that millennials were 51% more likely to trust strangers when purchasing products, over family and friends. Again, my study contradicts Greenleigh’s notion. Sixty-five percent of millennials said that they would sometimes listen to a stranger’s online review of products over their friends. While 29% said they would not be likely to and a small margin of 6% said they would always listen to a stranger’s online review. According to Thompson and Lougheed (2012), women are on Facebook more often than men and due to this have increased anxiety. While my study did not measure the amount of anxiety one feels from social media, it did find that women tend to spend more time on Facebook than men much like Thompson and Lougheed stated. Forty-seven percent of males used Facebook daily while 62% of women use Facebook on a daily basis. What is surprising about the results when comparing men and women’s Facebook tendencies, is the smaller influence Facebook communities have on women than men. Although women said that they used Facebook more often than men on a daily basis, they How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, were less likely to be influenced by Facebook communities when purchasing a product online than their male counterparts. However, women tend to contradict this statement when they are later asked how often they purchase items after hearing about it on Facebook and 59% say that they sometimes do. In comparison, a smaller percentage of men say the same. How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, SUMMARIES AND CONCLUSIONS Limitations of the Study While my study produced interesting results, I believe there is room for my improvement within my study that would have produced better results and more reliable data. One such issue that I would have changed was my desire to limit the location of participants in the survey. My study focused solely on Western Washington individuals with the belief that they would believe an adequate sample size to study. While my sample size provided reliable data and provocative insights, I am curious whether a larger sample size would have impacted the results I received. Would people in Eastern states view Facebook and Twitter differently than people in Western Washington? I think my sample size was drawn too narrowly to make a conclusive statement. A second problem with my study is due to time constraints. I was only able to gather data using one method. With more time, I would have implemented an additional method. Another data source would have provided more insights on how social media communities impact consumer behavior online. While my survey, provided adequate enough data to analyze and make a prediction, a method, such as an in-person user research study, would have provided additional results to analyze. Further Studies or Recommendations For further evaluation of how social media impacts consumer behavior online, other studies should be explored. While my thesis only looked at the impact of social media communities on consumer behavior online, another avenue I would have liked to pursue would have been the impact of a company’s Facebook page on consumer behavior How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, online. For instance, if an online consumer likes or interacts with the Nordstrom Facebook page, are they then more likely to purchase from Nordstrom online? Additionally, another study that could provide interesting results would be how Facebook advertisements impact consumer behavior online. Many companies purchase these ads hoping that they will entice Facebook users to visit their company page, purchase their product, or recommend the product to others. While data are available on these advertisements to the companies that purchase them, such as number of clicks on ads, a study could help indicate if they actually influence Facebook users to perform the wanted action. The data only show numbers, but a study could help identify the psychology behind the numbers and why a person may click on one company’s Facebook ad over another. Conclusions Social media continues to play a role in many people’s lives. From finding information about friends to perusing a company’s Facebook page to gain insight into their products, many of us use social media constantly. While our purposes for using social media may vary, we all have created communities we interact with within our social networks. According to Mead’s theory of symbolic interactionism, the way we interact with individuals shapes our identity. Thus, it can be thought that how we interact with others on social media also can shape our identity. Mead also described the importance of a community’s influence. My thesis seeks to understand if a social media user valued their social media communities’ influence when it came to purchasing products online. I hypothesized, based on Mead’s rationale, that if offline communities How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, 41 impact our identities and actions, then social media communities should perform the same way. To obtain this information I distributed a survey to respondents in Western Washington who use Facebook and Twitter as well as purchase items online. When analyzing the results, many interesting insights were noticed. The respondents of the survey interacted more with friends and family on Facebook than they did on Twitter. The majority of Twitter followers one had were strangers. Thus it can be deduced that Facebook is more like an offline community that Mead describes than Twitter. When it came to answering my overall thesis question of whether or not social media affected consumer online behavior the survey showed surprising results. It was found that Twitter had very little influence on consumers and more than likely they never reached out to Twitter followers at any point during the purchase process for opinions. Facebook friends, on the other hand, had more of an influence on Facebook users. Around 50% of Facebook users reach out to their Facebook communities before purchasing an item. Thus, results for Facebook align with Mead’s theory of symbolic interactionism. In conclusion, the survey I distributed found that social media communities in general, do have an influence on what products social media users purchase online, with Twitter having a very minimal amount of influence and Facebook communities having a relatively high level of influence. How Social Media Communities Impact Consumer Behavior, 42 References Budzanowska-Drzewiecka, M. (2011). Social conditioning of purchasing decisions of 9-11 year-old consumers. Journal Of Customer Behaviour, 10(2), 143-160. doi:10.1362/147539211X589555 CÄÆ'rtÄÆ'rescu, I. (2010). Utility of online communities — ways one can benefit from one’s online life. Journal Of Comparative Research In Anthropology & Sociology, 1(2), 79-91. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu/ehost/detail?vid=54&hid=110 &sid=9a83f789-ffbb-4d09-ad3369f906fba08e%40sessionmgr14&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d# db=sih&AN=55558221 Dellarocas, C., Gao, G., & Narayan, R. (2010). 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