The development of language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The advancement of language - Essay Example Today, a large number of individuals talk one of the twenty-eight Mayan dialects as their essential language. Aside from for the Waxtek speakers of Veracruz, Mayan dialects involve an enormous topographical zone in eastern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, western Honduras, and western El Salvador (Sharer and Traxler 23). Mayan language family incorporates 31 dialects spoken in Guatemala, Belize and southern Mexico. As indicated by general characterization, it has five significant branches. It is every now and again accepted that Huastecan split off in the earliest reference point, trailed by Yucatecan and afterward all different gatherings stretched out (Campbell 71-72).Most of the Mayan speakers are incompletely bilingual and their subsequent language is Spanish or English if there should arise an occurrence of Belize(Sharer and Traxler, 23). Different dialects have extraordinary impact on all Mayan dialects. For example, there is syntactic proof for ancient associations between the Mayan and the abutting language family, MixeZoquean. Getting words began between these gatherings in the Pre-great age and was for the most part from Mixe-Zoquea to Mayan. For example, notwithstanding ajaw (master) and kakaw (cocoa or chocolate), many essential Mayan family relationship and body-part terms originated from Mixe-Zoquean. A large portion of the Mayan dialects have scarcely any quantities of loanwords from Nahuatal. Nahuatal is the language of local people groups from Central Mexico, especially post-great Mexica, or Aztecs. Most presumably these loanwords allude to the rising significance of the Central Mexican states in the Post-great period. The Maya obtained as well as impacted different dialects. For example, pretty much terminated language of southeastern Guatemala, Xinca doesn't have a place with Mayan language family howeve r it has countless loanwords from Mayan. Since European contact, the procedure of this trade proceeded with Spanish and English. A generally excellent model is the word kakaw that has entered English as cocoa simply like Mayan word xook as the

Nature Versus Nurture Essay Example

Nature Versus Nurture Essay In The Tempest, composed by William Shakespeare, there are numerous subjects that are created all through the play. So a couple of the subjects that Shakespeare creates in The Tempest are nature versus support, preference and its belongings, and intensity of the craftsman. Shakespeares subject of nature versus support asks what the deciding elements in someones advancement are. The two most deciding components in someones improvement are the people guardians and his objectives, which can be appeared in The Tempest.So the people guardians can be viewed as the most significant factor that assists with choosing the manner in which an individual creates. For example, in The Tempest when Miranda chats with Caliban and says, I felt sorry for thee,/Took torments to make thee talk, educated thee every hour/One thing or other.(I.ii.333-335), demonstrating that Miranda instructed Caliban to talk. In this way Mirandas own benevolence educates Caliban how to talk. Yet, since Prospero raised Mira nda, the generosity as a part of her character and her insight into a language probably originate from the manner in which he raised her. Subsequently, Prosperos sustain permitted Miranda to be pleasant to Caliban, and Mirandas nature had to do with her demonstration of benevolence. Some other time in The Tempest where guardians are a deciding component in a characters advancement is when Prospero raised Miranda and assisted with raising Caliban. So since Miranda and Caliban were both raised by Prospero they ought to be comparative. Be that as it may, Miranda and Caliban are distinctive on the grounds that Miranda is a decent individual and Caliban is a terrible individual. So Miranda and Calibans great and awful personalities show nature as the principle impact onPemberton 2a people advancement. Another model in The Tempest where nature is exemplified is when Prospero loses his seat to his sibling, Antonio. Prospero losing his seat to Antonio is referenced in The Tempest when Anton io and Sebastian, Alonsos sibling, are looking at toppling Alonso and Sebastian says to Antonio, You supplanted your sibling Prospero.(II.i.lns.264). In this way a people nature can influence a people advancement in light of the fact that despite the fact that Prospero and Antonio are siblings and have similar guardians, so they were raised correspondingly, Antonio chose to oust Prospero as duke of Milan and become the duke himself. So guardians can be a significant impact in a people advancement, however even with a guardians sustain an individual can in any case demonstration diversely as a result of their nature.So after guardians, the following most significant factor in a people improvement must be the people objectives. For instance, in The Tempest Sebastian and Antonio need to slaughter Alonso with the goal that they can lead as lords, indicated when they plot to murder Alonso and Sebastian says, As thou gotst Milan,/Ill drop by Naples.(II.i.285-286). Subsequently Sebastian a nd Antonios nature make it so they will slaughter somebody so as to accomplish their objective. Sebastian and Antonio are the two nobles so they would have been educated to be polite and it would not be viewed as respectful to murder somebody, so Sebastian and Antonios nature are conflicting with their sustain. Another model can be found in The Tempest when Stephano and Trinculo talk with Caliban about the island, at that point Stephano and Trinculo conclude that they need to slaughter Prospero and rule the island. Attempting to accomplish their objective, Stephano and Trinculo act simply like Antonio and Sebastian do when they attempt to murder Alonso. Along these lines Stephano and Trinculo show nature being more compelling in theirPemberton 3development than sustain. One more case of an objective influencing advancement can be found with Prosperos objective of vengeance against the individuals that took his dukedom from him. Attempting to accomplish his objective, Prospero shows sustain as the deciding component in a people advancement. Therefore Prospero is unique in relation to Antonio, Sebastian, Stephano, and Trinculo in light of the fact that he utilizes his insight into enchantment to accomplish his objective and information must be acquired from somebody elses support, through instructing, or through a people own sustain. So when somebody, for example, Prospero, sets an objective for himself it can change his turn of events. Objectives can change the improvement in light of the fact that all together for the individual to achieve the objective, they would need to act a specific way or do certain things. Another way an objective can change a people advancement could be in the event that he achieves the objective, at that point he will get something he needs. In this way, there will be a positive effect on his turn of events. One way an objective can change a people improvement could be in the event that the individual falls flat, at that point he shou ld work more diligently to accomplish the following objective he sets for himself. On the other hand, he can have a sentiment of disappointment, which would negatively affect the people advancement. So objectives are the nature part of an individual since it is a people nature to need things and attempt to accomplish them. So objectives are a fundamental piece of a people advancement that isn't nurture.Nature versus support is a significant subject that Shakespeare creates in The Tempest. In The Tempest, Shakespeare makes numerous cases with Antonio, Prospero, and Caliban, which build up the topic of nature versus sustain. As can be found in The Tempest, sustain from guardians and ones own objectives has a similar impact as nature in a .

Blog Archive University of Pennsylvania Wharton School Essay Analysis, 20162017

Blog Archive University of Pennsylvania Wharton School Essay Analysis, 2016â€"2017 *Please note: You are viewing an essay analysis from the 2016-2017 admissions cycle.  Click here to view our collection of essay analyses for the current admissions season.   By today’s standards, the essay questions for the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania are remarkably vast. The school presents candidates with two mandatory essays and, if needed, an optional essay that applicants can use to address any extenuating circumstances. Wharton provides applicants with a fairly extensive opportunity to tell their whole story, which is quite rare these days. So take advantage of it! Brainstorm thoroughly before you start writing, and carefully consider how to optimize your best anecdotes to showcase yourself in full. Required Essay 1: What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words) In many ways, this prompt is asking for a typical MBA personal statement. In a mere 500 words, you must discuss your career goalsâ€"giving very brief context for why they are realistic for youâ€"and then reveal how Wharton will help you pursue these goals by demonstrating a thorough understanding of what the school offers and a well-thought-out game plan for immersing yourself in the Wharton experience. To effectively do this, you must first familiarize yourself with the school’s various resources and pinpoint those that truly pertain to you and the direction in which you hope to go. Simply presenting a list of classes that you think sound interesting is not sufficient. Likewise, avoid vague statements about how great the school is. Focus on showing a clear connection between your aspirations, what you need to achieve them, and what Wharton in particular offers that will enable you to fulfill those needs. A subtle tweak to this essay prompt that distinguishes it from last year’s is that Wharton asks applicants to address only the professional aspectâ€"no longer both the professional and personal aspectâ€"of their business school aspirations. This will allow you to share your career-related stories and goals much more fully, which means you can and should use the other essays to discuss non-work aspects of your life and thereby provide a more complete and well-rounded picture of yourself for the admissions committee. Because personal statements are generally similar from one application to the next, we have produced the mbaMission Personal Statement Guide, which helps applicants write this style of essay for any school. We offer this guide to candidates free of charge. Please feel free to download your copy today. Required Essay 2: Teamwork is at the core of the Wharton MBA experience with each student contributing unique elements to our collaborative culture. How will you contribute to the Wharton community? (400 words)   So, is this question about teamwork or about contribution? Although we see nothing wrong with relating some of your team-related experiences in your essay, what the admissions committee is really interested in learning is what you can contribute to a teamâ€"and these are not necessarily the same thing. You can contribute to the Wharton community and culture in many different ways. For example, perhaps you have specialized knowledge you could offer your Wharton Learning Team that would provide context in analyzing certain business problems and cases. Maybe you have a character trait that has enabled you to bring people together in past communities, such as a good sense of humor or even strong listening skills. You might even have specific experience that pertains directly to a club you would like to lead or join. We can think of almost limitless examples, and the ones we have offered here are possibly even a bit banal, because the key to being effective with this essay is to really own your proffered contribution by sharing your unique personal stories and then relating them to specific resources at Wharton. We suspect that many applicants will discuss a certain trait or skill and then end their essay with a platitude like “And I will bring this skill to Wharton for the betterment of all.” To create a truly strong and compelling essay, you must convincingly show that you fully understand the Wharton experience and are prepared to make a distinct and personal contribution. And for a thorough exploration of Wharton’s academic program/merits, defining characteristics, crucial statistics, social life, academic environment, and other key features, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guide to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Reapplicant Essay: All reapplicants to Wharton are required to complete this essay. Explain how you have reflected on the previous decision about your application, and discuss any updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words) All applicants, including reapplicants can also use this section to address any extenuating circumstances. (250 words) If you are a Wharton reapplicant, this essay is pretty straightforward. Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. Wharton wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the previous year to do so, because a Wharton MBA is vital to you. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts over the past year are presented in the best light possible. However, if you are not a Wharton reapplicant, pay special attention to the last line of this prompt: All applicants, including reapplicants can also use this section to address any extenuating circumstances. Here is your opportunityâ€"if neededâ€"to address any lingering questions that an admissions officer might have about your candidacy, such as a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT score, or a gap in your work experience. In our mbaMission Optional Essays Guide, available through our online store, we offer detailed advice on when and how to take advantage of the optional essay (along with multiple sample essays) to help you mitigate any problem areas in your profile. The Next Stepâ€"Mastering Your Wharton Interview:  Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possibleâ€"the key is informed preparation. And to help you achieve this high level of preparation, we offer our  free Interview Primers! Download your free copy of  The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Interview Primer  today and be sure to check out our one-of-a-kind  Wharton Team-Based Discussion Simulation Sessions. Share ThisTweet 2016-2017 MBA Essay Analysis University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

Persuasive Essay On Rape - 744 Words

Therapists say the worst thing a survivor of rape can do is to remain silent, bottling their story up inside so it sinks like lead into their stomach. But, how do you find the words to possibly convey what has happened? How can there be words for such a feeling as losing your sanctity of self? I have many titles I have gained or earned over the years: college graduate, daughter, writer, dancer. But I am also a survivor of rape. Dancing used to be my sanctuary, whatever I could not place into words, those ephemeral feelings, I could perform through dance. What had once been my solace had become a painful reminder that I did not have control over access to my body. When you dance fully in the moment, you are viscerally aware of your body†¦show more content†¦Rolling it to the side, I can see the red angry mark from the continuous turns. In a few weeks’ time, it will turn into another callous padding my feet. Even when I grasp my hands together they shake from exertion. I think that if I have to walk, my legs might melt into jelly and I will simply sink to the floor. I much prefer the dull throbbing of my muscles and the ache in my feet to the thoughts that circle my mind like wolves, seeking any opening to strike. I do not practice until I get it right, I practice until I cannot get it wrong. I practice past the blisters that have long since popped and shredded the skin of my heels into angry patches of wet skin and blood has stained the toes of my tights red. The journey of healing is not a linear progression, but rather a process. The reality of having anxiety, major depression, or PTSD, or some combination of these, is that we are too often trapped in our own minds, feeling disjointed from the world and disconnected from our own body. Making art as a way to tell one’s story can be therapeutic for anyone struggling with their emotions, but dancing is uniquely suited to help survivors have a means to tell their story while also becoming reacquainted with their body again. I quit dancing for several years unable to be so embodied with this body that I wanted to leave behind. I did not tell my story. But, I should not have stepped away. What the harsh breaths in my chest and the dullShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Rape1023 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Sorry ma’am there just isn’t enough to bring this case to court† a statement that millions of victims of sexual assault, and rape must hear from the justice system. They must live the rest of their lives knowing two truths; first being that they were sexually assaulted and or raped, and the second truth being that the assailant was set free and may victimize more people. It is difficult to believe that even in modern times that this is happening, yet the truth of the matter is that these victimsRead MorePersuasive Essay On Rape1292 Words   |  6 PagesRape also known as sexual assault is having sexual intercourse or any form of sexual penetration against a person’s will or consent. It could be carried out by coercion, the use of physical power or abuse of authority. It is an act many societies, if not all discourage, and attracts different form of punishment in different geographical locations. There are many consequences of rape; some people suffer from depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Suicidal tendencies, and Anxiety Disorder. ItRead MorePersuasive Essay On Rape1081 Words   |  5 Pagesor raped.† This is the all too common issue women go through in their minds, trying to block out the events that are occurring with them. Rape is an extreme issue, affecting over 280,000 Americans each year (RAINN). In numerous cases of rape, alcohol plays a factor in the sexual assault, either altering a victim or the perpetrator. The idea of alcohol and rape has become a controversial topic in society and court, determining the outcome of sexual assault cases. Because of this, the use of alcoholRead MorePersuasive Essay On Rape1456 Words   |   6 Pagesridiculed at an alarming rate. Many students have become increasingly fearful when attending their daily classes. Rape and date rape are serious problems that can lead to possible traumatization, depression, and suicide. Women are the main target of this kind of abuse, but men have also been known to suffer. Colleges have implemented new programs to help educate students about the risks of date rape, but they lack in their effectiveness to keep the students interested. Most of the courses are mandatory toRead MorePersuasive Essay On Rape962 Words   |  4 Pagesafter invading your body without your consent, but that is not love, that is rape. Marital rape is an occurring problem all over the world and is not punished like normal rape. 10%-14% of women in only the US are raped by their husbands. Many people like Donald Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen believe that you can not be raped while you are married. However, according to the US definition (that seems to vary) of marital rape it means any unwanted intercourse or penetration (vaginal, anal, or oral) obtainedRead MoreA Closer Look at Date Rape944 Words   |  4 Pagesin her essay â€Å"Rape: A Bigger Danger than Feminists Know.† The â€Å"them† in Paglia’s statement is referring to women, and she is discussing the topic of date rape. Susan Jacoby, on the other hand, writes in her article â€Å"Common Decency,† that feminism is not responsible for the rising cases of date rape, but that it is the men who are at fault. Paglia’s argument is insightful and accurate, but Jacoby’s writing is flawed and not well-researched. Paglia includes all rhetorical appeals and persuasive techniquesRead MoreA Defense Of Abortion, By Judith Thomson And John Noonan990 Words   |  4 Pagesand John Noonan. Thomson makes many valid analogies in support of abortion in comparison to Noonan who just refutes basic arguments for abortion, and it is for this reason that Thomson is more persuasive. While Thomson makes many different analogies in his essay â€Å"A Defense of Abortion†, none were as persuasive as the famous violinist analogy. In the analogy, Thomas paints the picture of someone being kidnapped and their kidneys being used to support the life of the violinist. Thomson uses this argumentRead MoreThe Importance Of Writing781 Words   |  4 PagesAll throughout my public school education, the majority of my writing consisted of persuasive essays. While I have grown to become confident in my ability to produce this type of writing, when I started college, I felt lost writing research papers. The steps to writing a persuasive essay is so ingrained in my mind that it was hard to break out of that habit when my assignments required a different method. The only significant research paper that I wrote was during junior year of highschool. HoweverRead MoreWomen s Movement During The 1970 S1275 Words   |  6 PagesLiterature Essay During the waves of feminism many influential and significant movements that depicted the representation of women in a patronizing way. Whether it began in the 1970’s or the 1990’s these decades both held its own on the matters of oppression and the exploitation of women. Rape culture as well as women’s clothing options were twisted into making these decades some of the most influential for women of all times. From the way women were dressed, to celebrities standing out, rape cultureRead MorePersuasive Essay Topics1228 Words   |  5 Pages101 Persuasive Essay Topics By: Mr. Morton Whether you are a student in need of a persuasive essay topic, or a teacher looking to assign a persuasive essay, this list of 101 persuasive essay topics should be a great resource. I taxed my brain to create this huge list of persuasive essay topics relevant to todays society, but I believe I am happy with the results. I appreciate any and all comments or feedback. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24

Voltaire s Life And Candide s Distribution Essay

As far back as 1759, when Voltaire composed Candide in criticism of the thought, this is the most ideal of all universes; this world has been a gayer put for readers. Voltaire composed it in three days, and five or six eras have found that its laughter does not develop old. A philosophical movement which dominated the world of ideas in Europe in the 18th century. The principal goals of Enlightenment thinkers were liberty, progress, reason, tolerance, and ending the abuses of the church and state. Also in the 18th century, the insightful development was driven by Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who contended for a general public based upon reason as opposed to confidence and Catholic principle, and for science in light of analyses and perception. Throughout this essay, I will be discussing Voltaire s life and Candide s distribution, the explain of optimism and the female point of view how Voltaire uncovered the absence of ladies rights and the foul play against them. (Cunegonde, t he old lady, and Paquette) stories, Voltaire s assault on prejudice, religious false reverence. Born in 1694, in Paris, France, Voltaire built up himself as one of the main scholars of the Enlightenment. His life was extremely questionable. Destined to a rich family, he surrendered his law considers and an ambassador vocation to seek after composing. He was detained for a year for composing a parody against the Official. He fledShow MoreRelatedWhat Does Organizational Change Mean?17842 Words   |  72 Pagesis change is taken as self-evident. Individualism grants entities subject to change a strong ‘ontology’, i.e. precise and identifiable features, whereas contextualism grants actors a strong ‘methodology’, i.e. social interaction constructs and gives life to institutions with specific characteristics. Both define the uniqueness of the world they seek to interpret: a hard external reality for methodological individualism, and a socially constructed one for contextualism. Both present a uniform and unique

Sound Recording s Evolution Does It Affect The Music...

Konrad Strzalkowski 28 December 2016 Sound Recording’s Evolution Does it affect music industry? Music industry these days is an open world to every one. Building own and expensive music library over the years or spending hours in record stores seeking for your favourite taste of the sound†¦ is over. If anyone decide to hear album by for example: ’The Beatles’ or single called ‘Feeling Good’ by ‘Nina Simone’, it can be found and played within seconds. Music platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, SoundCould etc. gives us possibilities to reach any music at any time and mostly for free. Additionally, these days making or recording music is easier than ever before and commonly available. Every Mac ships with a copy of GarageBand, software powerful enough to let anyone record an album. There is on going and endless argument, where some people say that the new world of music industry has liberated music and grown listeners with wider taste than ever, whereas on the other hand others worry that finding music is too easy and without nee d to save money to by an album we are becoming care less about music. In this essay I am not going through the argument, explaining what is good and bad about today’s music industry. I am going to talk about evolution of recorded sound, what is the very first factor that contributed to the changes of industry and mention eventual changes that appeared. *** Phonograph Middle 1800’s†¦ up in till then the only way to hear a song was to findShow MoreRelatedMusic Industry And Its Effect On The Entire Industry1113 Words   |  5 Pagesusually consider music as the necessity of life because it brings comfortable environment or the resonance of heart. However, with the development of modern computer technology and the industrial regulatory loopholes, the situations mentioned in the article have become a common phenomenon. Although some music fans may get their benefits from the pre-leaked CDs or illegally recorded products, the music smuggling and pirate have made negative impacts on the entire industry. The pirated music creates tortRead MoreThe Music Industrys Digital Revolution4674 Words   |  19 PagesThe record industries have change from the days of buying records to, A-track and now in this digital age of streaming. The supplies and demand business has takeover music industries, it is now, how we get it, how fast you get it and at w hat cost you to the consumers for the music. The demand would be a more convent way of listing to your favorite artist and the supply would be for different companies to stream the music to the consumer to keeping it current, this was the birth of Napster (napster2004)Read MoreIntroduction to Film Cinema and Literature12137 Words   |  49 Pages1) EVOLUTION OF FILM In 1873, Leland Stanford, a former California Governor needed help in winning a bet that he had made with a friend. Stanford was convinced that horse in gallop had all four feet off the ground and was bent on proving it. Since it was impossible to prove such a thing by merely watching a horse race, he employed the services of Eadweard Muybridge, who was a well-known photographer. Muybridge worked on the problem for four years and finally came up with a solution inRead MoreCis 324 Computer Ethics2250 Words   |  9 Pagesdefinition is read, does it imply an impartial connotation or is the definition insinuating that this technology is wrong without some form of centralized system or service? Who knows? This is up to the reader to decide, but much probably depends on the readers personal opinion on the matter. With the textbook’s definition stated, what is actually meant by P2P technology? In Basic English, P2P technology is the ability share / loan / give an electr onic file of any sort, be it music, software, videoRead MoreThe Entangled Political Economy Of Copyright1933 Words   |  8 Pagessanctions against copyright infringement have on how pirate communities choose to self-organize. I conclude with the claim that the entangled framework provides for better analysis than the tradition additive political economy framework because copyright does not work to control the outcome of the system and correct for the market failure associated with creative goods, rather it influences specific nodes in the entangled system in particular ways. KEYWORDS: Copyright, Digital Piracy, Entangled PoliticalRead MoreAnalyzing a Company’s Resources and Competitive Position9588 Words   |  39 PagesSingle-Business Company’s Strategy, shows the key components of a single-business company’s strategy. 3. The first thing to pin down is the company’s competitive approach. 4. Another strategy-defining consideration is the firm’s competitive scope within the industry 5. Another good indication of the company’s strategy is whether the company has made moves recently to improve its competitive position and performance. 6. While there is merit in evaluating the strategy from a qualitative standpoint (its completenessRead MoreBlue Ocean Strategy A Literature Review5808 Words   |  24 PagesBlue Ocean strategy. The articles selected were based on the keywords â€Å"Blue Ocean strategy†, â€Å"Red Ocean†, and â€Å"Strategic planning†, or where the article’s title includes one of these compound terms. In today’s economy where competition in various industries occurs on a global scale, having and sustaining a competitive advantage has become increasingly important for the continuous survival of an organization. This literature review discusses the definition, concepts, tools, and frameworks found withinRead MoreHanson Production18651 Words   |  75 Pagesfailure, yet cost more profit and affect the recoup schedule. Indian Film Production INDEX 1. Chapter One: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Film Production Houses In India 1.2 An overview of Indian film industry 1.2.1 Historical Section - How Bollywood has evolved 1.3 Size and growth opportunities 1.3.1 Current situation 1.4 Aims, Objectives and Research questions 2. Chapter Two: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Corporate Structure Of Production Houses 2.2 Indian Film Industry   2.3 Corporate Production House Read MoreHorror Genre Dissertation6741 Words   |  27 PagesAbstract Page I have researched on the Horror genre, looking at when it begun, the decline in popularity it has foreseen and how it has been able to recreate itself each time. I looked at comedy horror films and what part it plays within the film industry. I found that parody films like Scream are made to reinvent the genre. It quotes previous horror films as well as re-enact a horror story. I also found that pastiche films like Scary Movie are solely to entertain the audience. It is to make the audienceRead MoreMarketing and E-commerce Business65852 Words   |  264 Pages CHAPTER 2 E-COMMERCE BUSINESS MODELS AND CONCEPTS Opening Case: Twitter’s Business Model Insight on Society: Foursquare: Check Your Privacy at the Door Insight on Business: Crowdfunding Takes Off Insight on Technology: Battle of the Titans: Music in the Cloud Case Study: Pandora and the Freemium Business Model CHAPTER 3 E-COMMERCE INFRASTRUCTURE: THE INTERNET, WEB, AND MOBILE PLATFORM Opening Case: Google Glass: Augment My Reality Insight on Society: Government Surveillance and Regulation

Mobile Technologies and Supply Chain Management

Question: Discuss about the Mobile Technologies and Supply Chain Management. Answer: Introduction: The current study aims to discuss the various aspects of the application of the mobile technology in the field of the supply chain management. All the advantages and challenges of the mobile technology, which is being applied in the supply chain management is being discussed along with the ways that can be adopted to implement the latest mobile technology in the supply chain management. A case study of the study of Wal-Mart Company is also mentioned in the report, which helps to discuss the benefits and disadvantages of the application of the mobile technology in the supply chain management. It is essential for a company to have proper infrastructure, which is needed to imply the mobile technology in their respective supply chain management. The proper methods and guidelines, which is needed to apply the mobile based technology in the supply chain management is also discussed in this report. Mobile technology in Supply Chain Management: The supply chain management is one of the key areas of business, which needs to be improved for faster delivery of goods and services. The private business organizations need to improve the performance of the supply chain management for better output yields. It is essential to have better operational and strategy management, of the supply chain management with the help of the latest mobile technology. According to Stadtler (2015), the mobile phone technology is one of the main elements, which is implemented to improve the performance of the supply chain management of the company. Heizer and Barry (2013), have mentioned the importance of integration of the supply chain management that will help to improve the performance of the business. There also need to strong connection within the elements of the supply chain management, which help in the process of coordination and also help to monitor the movement of the products and also track the exact location. According to Brandenburg et al., (2014), there are main eight steps, which are involved in the process of supply chain management. These steps are processed by the Global Supply Chain Forum and include the following steps: Management of the customer relationship Management of customer service management Management of Demand Fulfillment of Order Management of flow of manufacture Procurement Commercialization and Development of product Returns With the application of the mobile based technology it is possible to improve the performance and pace, which is involved in all the process supply chain management. The use of the technology will also help to reduce the cost process, which is involved in the entire process of supply chain operation (Talk, 2016). It is also possible for the company to maintain a good level of relationship with all the clients and therefore helps to improve the satisfaction level. Figure 1: Supply Chain Management (Source: Mangan, Lalwani and Lalwani, 2016) Objective The objective of the mobile based technology in the operation of the supply chain management will help in the process of reduce the time of delivery and also the cost involved in the process of operations supply chain. It also aims at providing fast and accurate information necessary for the operation process. Figure 2: Objective of Supply Chain Management (Source: Greiner, 2015) Benefits of mobile technology in supply chain management The involvement of the mobile technology in the logistics and the supply chain management has become widely popular in all forms of business in the modern days. According to Mangan, Lalwani and Lalwani (2016), the resource of the mobile technology has helped to improve the integration process of the steps, which is involved in the supply chain management. This process of integration of the mobile phone technology will help in the operation process of the supply chain management. All the major business organizations are highly dependent on the use of the mobile technology for the performance of the supply chain management. The major benefits of the mobile technology within the supply and the logistics chain management have helped to reduce the cost and also improve the flow of the product movement. The functionality of the mobile device has also been enhanced due to the improvement of the internet and GPS service. The coverage of the mobile data service also have been widen with the help of the better bandwidth and broadband speed. The availability of the internet service also has been increased in the many remote and local areas. With the help of better internet and bandwidth service, it is possible to track the movement and the exact location of the product. The customer relationship management, which is one of the key elements of the supply chain management. With the help of better tracking and implementation of the mobile technology, it is possible improve the interaction of the between the back-ends of an organization (Greiner, 2015). The management of the schedule and routing process of the movement of the product can be monitored with the help of the application of the mobile technology. The use of the mobile PCs can help to improve the functionality of the business process and also help them to overcome the limitations, which exists in the operation management of the organization. The use of the mobile PCs can also help to make full use of the GPS navigation system, and thereby make accurate track and movement of the companys vehicle. This will help the managers of the supply and logistics department to make plan for the route of movement of the products. This will help to improve the technical ability of the logistics department and also ensure that the response time of action is faster in case of emergency and crisis like situation. Hazen et al.,(2014), have mentioned about the storing of the information, which can be achieved with the help of application of mobile technology and mobile PCs. The detail information regarding the movement of the product can also be stored and be used to for future reference. The information related to the inventory of the product is stored immediately after its delivery to the respective clients. The executive of the business organization can get the view of the real-time operation related of the use of the supply chain management. This helps them to get the idea rated to the statics of the company and thereby make necessary changes in the long-term planning process. The level of accuracy of the supply chain management can also be improved by making better planning access. They can also prioritize the tasks related to the level of urgency and also make necessary changes to reduce the time of delivery of the products. Hsu et al., (2013), have mentioned with the help of the application of the mobile technology, it is possible to monitor the statics related to the supply chain from any palace. Hence, the managers can track the movement even after leaving the office workplace. This helps them in the process of making quick and effective decisions and thereby reduces the time of the delivery as all the related issues can be resolved in short span of time. Challenges and of Mobile technology and supply chain management With the help of the mobile technology in supply chain management it is possible improve the reputation of the business. According to Gilmour (2013), the lack of basic level of knowledge within the operational management of an organization, is one of the major barriers and challenges in the process of implementation. There is also the risks, inaccuracy and wrong information, which is involved in the process of mobile data application. The integration process and mobile technology and supply chain department may not be economically helpful for the small and medium scale business firms. Moreover, the lack of collaboration between all the departments of the company can also help to reduce the scale at which, the process of mobile technology is implemented within the supply chain management. Schnsleben (2016), have added the lack of collaboration with the suppliers and malfunction within the distribution system of the company is also one of the major barriers faced by a company. There are also several technical challenges, which are involved in the process software support implementation. This is a major challenge for the older style of business, which is highly dependent on the manual process. According to Jacobs, Chase and Lummus (2014), more than 51% of the large scale companies all across the world have included the application of the mobile based technology as one of the major elements of the Enterprise Resource Planning process. The rate of successful of the integration process of the mobile technology in the Enterprise planning process is merely 33%, which includes the use of mobile PCs in the supply chain department. There is also the risk of failure, while applying change in the supply chain management. The lack of skills within the workers and level of motivation are also few of the main reasons for the cause of failure in the implementation process (Ross, 2016). The challenge faced is also faced during the time of investment at the supply chain management. The risk of financial loss is also one of the major areas of concern at this case. In the rural and the remote areas, the lack of proper technological infrastructure is also one of the major areas of challenges faced by all the major companies. Even after the proper implementation of the mobile technology there are following challenges faced by a company: Decrease in the level of income Reduce of the market share and disadvantage in the competitive market due to the complication involved in the operation management process. The failure of the application of the technology will cause failure in the overall process of the supply chain and thereby the product will be failed to reach the destination. The implementation process can raise the level of expectation of the customers as they expect to get faster delivery of the products. Hence, there is a risk of lowering the level of customer satisfaction (Ellram Cooper, 2014). The failure of the operation of the information system will involve the risks of spreading of false and inaccurate information related to the tracking system. Ways to apply mobile technology in the supply Chain Management Li (2013), has suggested the use of Mobile Resource Management for proper implementation of the process of mobile technology in the supply chain management. The mobile resource management helps to manage the challenges faced by all the major companies to deal with the challenges in the technological infrastructure. Few of the major steps involved in the process of mobile resource management to deal with the elements of supply chain management. Hardware implementation: These steps involve gathering all the major hardware components needed for the implementation process of mobile PC technology. Connectivity: This is the second most important part of the implication of the mobile technology. The internet connectivity is essential for communication and gathering information for the process of supply chain management. Data Server: The companies need to use proper data server, which will help in the connectivity with the internet. The companies can also use the personal server, which will help to get higher bandwidth speed. GIS data: The Geographic Information Data can be used to process data and ensure that the GPS navigation system can work perfectly to track precise location of the data related to the supply chain management. Decision making and Reporting Software: The decision making process in the implementation process needs to be effective, which will help to deal with changes that occurs after the implementation process of mobile technology. On the other hand, the reporting software will help to gather information related to the supply chain management. With the help of correct and accurate information, it is possible make precise decision related to the investment need in the mobile technology application (Adams et al., 2014). Exploring the Impact of radio frequency identification (RFID) in Supply chain of Wal-Mart According to Fernie and Sparks (2014), the RFID technology has the potential to improve the performance of the supply chain management by improving the tracking efficiency and speed of product delivery. The implementation of RFID in the delivery system of Wal-Mart has reported to improve the service at the inventory level by 70%. The supply service also improved by 96 to 99% as the cost of the supply chain has been reduced. The government of the United Sates has invested $1 billion in the implementation of the infrastructure involved in the process of RFID. The Wal-Mart is considered to be one of the major pioneers, who are involved in the process of implementation of the RFID technology and in the year of 2005, the company has implemented the this technology while making negations with first 100 suppliers of the company. The success of the RFID technology has resulted accelerated growth of the supply chain. There was nearly 10% reduction in the total numbers of manual orders after t he implementation of the RFID in the supply chain process. The output stocks of Wal-Mart also reduced by 16% after the successful adaptation of RFID technology. The stocks of the retail stores were also replenished three times faster compared to that of the previous times. The lead time also were reduced with the help of this technology, which has helped in the faster delivery of the products by 15%. The management of Wal-Mart can share the information related to the supply chain with the stakeholders and ensure that they have the authority to make sure that they maintain clarity and thereby improve upon the trustworthy level. The suppliers of the Wal-Mart can also use the information in the RFID in making the decisions related to the supply chain management. Nevertheless, the use of the RFID technology has its limitations and drawbacks due to the lack of proper funding in the mobile technology department. Wal-Mart and all other major companies prefer to use this technology in the form of pilot project which will help them to measure the cost-effective ratio of the implementation of the project. Infrastructure for Information technology The information technologys application in the supply chain depends on the level of infrastructure, which is being provided. The electronic supply chain receives the data required in the process with the help of the latest digital technology. The high level of infrastructure is required to deliver the products as well as to update the information needed for operational management of the supply chain. The synchronization of the payment and the billing information is also an important part of the electronic based supply chain. According to Hofmann et al., (2014), an array of reliable and compatible software is needed to support the hardware components of the supply chain management. Data Security With the rise in the total number of cybercrimes, the data security has been one of the major areas of concern for the supply chain management. It is essential that the sensitive information, which has been passed through the use of the mobile based technology, gets high level of security. The appropriate security measures need to be used by the supply chain experts in order to deal with the increased number of cyber theft in the present days. The high level of security calls, virus protection and firewalls are applied in order to ensure high level of security. Strategy The strategy for the implication of mobile technology in the supply chain needs to be implemented based on the challenges faced by an organization. The main strategy of the business organization involves reduction of the cost, which is involved in the supply chain and also improves upon the level of customer satisfaction and relation. With the help of the appropriate strategy it is possible to create new opportunities for the business by expanding the market share. Considerations The investment in the application of mobile technology in the supply chain department may not produce immediate returns. However, in the long-term planning process, it is possible to overcome all the major challenges, which are involved in the process of integration of IT and supply chain management (Qrunfle Tarafdar, 2014). However, it is essential for all business organization to consider the importance of the use of mobile technology in the supply chain department. Conclusion The use of the mobile technology is one of the significant parts of the supply chain management during the present times. The major benefit of the application is reduction of cost and time, which is involved in the supply chain and therefore helps in the faster mode of delivery. Hence, the lead time involved in the delivery of a product can be reduced. It is also possible to exactly the track the location of the products, and get accurate information. The lack of proper IT infrastructure is one of the major challenges faced by the business organization in the implementation of mobile technology. There is also lot of capital required in the process of implementation and the risks of the failure can decrease the reputation of an organization. It is essential for all the companies to adopt proper measures to ensure that all the major process for the application of the mobile technology is executed in the proper manner. Wal-Mart has been successfully imply the RFID technology in the supply chain department and is one of the leading examples to demonstrate the usefulness of the mobile technology. It is essential for all the major business organization to follow the proper steps involved in the process implementation of mobile technology in the supply chain, which involves setting up the required along with providing proper data security system. References Adams, F. G., Richey, R. G., Autry, C. W., Morgan, T. R., Gabler, C. B. (2014). Supply chain collaboration, integration, and relational technology: how complex operant resources increase performance outcomes.Journal of Business Logistics,35(4), 299-317. Brandenburg, M., Govindan, K., Sarkis, J., Seuring, S. (2014). Quantitative models for sustainable supply chain management: Developments and directions.European Journal of Operational Research,233(2), 299-312. Christopher, M. (2016).Logistics supply chain management. Pearson UK. Ellram, L. M., Cooper, M. C. (2014). Supply chain management: It's all about the journey, not the destination.Journal of Supply Chain Management,50(1), 8-20. Fernie, J., Sparks, L. (2014).Logistics and retail management: emerging issues and new challenges in the retail supply chain. Kogan Page Publishers. Gilmour, P. (2013). Benchmarking supply chain operations.International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management. Greiner, M. (2015).Automotive Supply Chain Management in the Internet of Things. GRIN Verlag. Hazen, B. T., Boone, C. A., Ezell, J. D., Jones-Farmer, L. A. (2014). Data quality for data science, predictive analytics, and big data in supply chain management: An introduction to the problem and suggestions for research and applications.International Journal of Production Economics,154, 72-80. Heizer, R., Barry, R. (2013).Operation Management, Sustainability and Supply Chain management(Vol. 11). Pearson, UK. Hofmann, H., Busse, C., Bode, C., Henke, M. (2014). Sustainability?related supply chain risks: conceptualization and management.Business Strategy and the Environment,23(3), 160-172. Hsu, C. W., Kuo, T. C., Chen, S. H., Hu, A. H. (2013).Using DEMATEL to develop a carbon management model of supplier selection in green supply chain management.Journal of cleaner production,56, 164-172. Jacobs, F. R., Chase, R. B., Lummus, R. R. (2014).Operations and supply chain management. McGraw-Hill Education. Li, L. (2013). Technology designed to combat fakes in the global supply chain.Business Horizons,56(2), 167-177. Mangan, J., Lalwani, C., Lalwani, C. L. (2016).Global logistics and supply chain management. John Wiley Sons. Qrunfleh, S., Tarafdar, M. (2014). Supply chain information systems strategy: Impacts on supply chain performance and firm performance.International Journal of Production Economics,147, 340-350. Ross, D. F. (2016).Introduction to supply chain management technologies.CRC Press. Schnsleben, P. (2016).Integral logistics management: operations and supply chain management within and across companies. CRC Press. Stadtler, H. (2015). Supply chain management: An overview. InSupply chain management and advanced planning(pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Talk, O. M. (2016). Operations management. Mobile Technologies and Supply Chain Management Question: Discuss about the Mobile Technologies and Supply Chain Management. Answer: Introduction: This report is about the role of technology and information in the supply chain management of the organization. The mobile technologies and the supply chain management play a very vital role in the success of the organization because it will help to provide the best ways of checking the stock delivered and to find out the best resource available. As we know in todays world the people and the organizations are greatly relied on the computers and software to run their business successfully. Many of the companies are implementing mobile technologies to improve the organizational operations and to increase the response of the customers. In the current report, I will be identifying the issues and the impact of the peoples digital supply chain management. The information technology is adopted by the companies on a very large scale. The main objectives of this report are as described below in some points: - To explain the role of technology in supply chain management and its impact on SCM Mobile technologies in Supply chain Management Impact of mobile technologies on the supply chain and organization operations. This report will cover all the important aspects like the initiatives taken by the IT and their implementation, Impact and challenges of mobile technology on the SCM. The technology has positive as well negative impacts on the business operations. Supply Chain Management A successful supply chain management is very important for the companies to make a different position in the market. The supply chain Management is the process of gaining advantage by making new position in the market in the world of competition. It is very important to understand the concept of supply chain management. The supply chain management is defined by the council of professionals as the process of planning and managing all the operations related to the sourcing and supplying of stock and the activities related to logistics. In simple words, the supply chain management refers to the process of controlling the flow of raw materials from the suppliers to the end users. Information is the key part, on the basis of which the supply chain managers take decisions. The main objective of IT is to provide the information and enables the supply chain partners collaboration and coordination. The decision support is the key role of technology in supply chain management as it contains to ols used to gain and analyze the information to improve the working of the supply chain. Managers must understand how to analyze and use that information because technology consists of hardware and software (Paulraj Paulraj, 2009). The functional roles of technology in Supply chain are divided into 3 parts which are: Transaction execution, Collaboration and coordination and Decision support. Transaction execution is done with the help of knowledge and information between the partners of supply chain though the cost effective flow of information. The collaboration and coordination among the partners is very important and possible because of the sharing of accurate information. It acts as a support to decisions because the analytical skills or powers of the electronic devices used to provide help to take all the important management decisions (Moharana, 2010). For Example, with the improvisation of mobile technology and evolution of various digital techniques, the art of recording has taken a shift. The documents that were earlier stored as heavy paper files and now stored as a PDF and word documents and find their places in peoples laptops, pen drives, hard disks and even their mobile phones. As we know that the model of supply chain involves customers, retailers, distributers, suppliers manufactures and service providers and sharing of the information among all these partners is important for the better performance of the supply chain. There are many initiatives taken by the IT in supply chain management and these initiatives are: Development of smart phones Modern business models Online Transaction on the phone Internet and web services (R.Nair Raju, 2008). Mobile technology and Supply Chain Management Mobile technology plays crucial role as it has changed the lifestyle of people and also make a difference in the everyday business and the mobile technology is used by all the modern business. The performance of business activities is improved because of the increase in the number of mobile phones in the world and internet access regardless of the location of the users. The business is being rapidly replaced by the electronic environment because of the continuous improvements in mobile technology. From the era of 2000, the mobile phone industry has drastically taken a 360 degree change and many new applications and software have been introduced and web interactivity has increased and has reached at a next level to make it convenient for people. It is very easy to access every website on our mobile phones and we dont have to go at every place to get our work done and we can do our transactions sitting at homes through our mobile phones. The advancement has taken place in all the aspects in the mobile industry. The mobile phones were very simple in older days and now they are completely functional and can be used for various purposes. They have become so handy and light. They have all the features which the computers or laptops have these days. In 1990, the innovation of 2G took place, but it did not gain popularity during that year, but in the year 2005, it gained tremendous publicity and then 3G came into a market which has become very important now a days. In 2010, almost 60% of smart phone users use the 3G network as it is fast and convenient. It has become important for faster business transactions and now the trend of 4G has arrived which will take a few more years to gain publicity and for wider usage. This has made communication very easier and every country is focusing on improving its networks and better smart phones so that they can support the latest internet connection. At that point of time it was the first real mobile phone though in todays world, there are a huge number of mobile phones. Initially, the mobile phones were only meant for business, but not very famous for private use, but now it has gained enormous publicity and its use for personal purposes has also been widened. A case study of Lewis using mobile Technology Lewis, who owns a mobile company takes his company to an altogether new level by using advanced technology. It is very essential for any organization, to cope up with the changing environment in order to survive in the market. The introduction of new mobile technology reduces the cost and improves the productivity. Lewis has expanded his business to the next level and has performed phenomenally. He started his business from scratch and grew his business into a chain of eleven retail stores. The first four shops were opened from scratch, but in January 2014, Lewis bought PhoneBits, a group of three outlets, which he intends to operate under the Azzaz brand. Lewis is planning to set his foot in European market and has decided to open a warehouse in East of England and support the business by adding the element of ecommerce. Lewis wants to do this with nominal additional overheads (UES Team, 2013). Lewis plans to add b2c eCommerce functionality in business in order to make the two IT sy stems of Azzaz and PhoneBits work in harmony. Traditional versus modern approach- The traditional approach includes a huge number of intermediaries which makes reaching the product from manufacturer to consumer very slow which leads to wastage of time and customers have to wait for quite some time which is proved frustrating for customers as per the surveys done. On the other side, modern approach has reduced the number of intermediaries which has reduced the time, which is generally consumed in the traditional approach. In the traditional approach of commerce, there are many intermediating people like wholesalers, distributors, retailers between manufacturer and consumer. In B2C approach, manufacturers are able to sell the products directly to customers. This system of reduction of business layering which is responsible for intermediary functions is known as Disintermediation. However, in the business owned by Lewis, he is not the manufacturer he is only a retailer so instead of involving other intermediaries, he can directly b uy the product from the manufacturers which will not add to the cost (Rigby, 2015). Online transactions - The online purchasing in todays era has proved very beneficial. Lewis has planned to add a tint of ecommerce to reduce the time spent by customers on visiting the stores in person. However, Lewis wants to make the system flawless and wants to address all the queries which they face while purchasing the product online. (Addo-Tenkorang Helo, 2011). Impact of Mobile Technology on Supply chain management This report explains how the mobile technology makes the supply chain management more efficient, customer focused and agile. To understand the supply chain management the Micheal porter introduced a model that focuses on the seven dimensions which are customers, production systems, suppliers, logistics, HR and information technology. There are many benefits as well as challenges faced by the organization while adapting the digital techniques. The implementation of technological innovation creates competitive advantage because of the improvement in costs, quality of product as well as the access to information. Digital customers: - The mobile has a great impact in understanding the needs of customers by offering them digital product and customer services. This is possible by generating the online shopping websites through which the buying behavior of the customers can be easily identified. Trend mining becomes very easy with this approach. The challenge faced by this is that there are still some of the people resides who are unaware about the technology so those customers needs cannot be identified (Kearney, 2015). Digital archives and record managements: - There is a need to record the information of day to day transactions. Hence, Azzaz has adopted database management system in order to avoid any overlapping. This system makes the information properly stored and organized so that it can be easily accessed by the people who want the information. The end users have the power to create, edit, modify and delete and update the data. The DBMS takes care of three important elements: the data, the database engine that helps the people to access the data, secure it and edit it and the third is database schema, which explains what the logical structure of the database is. Improves productivity: - The implementation of the digital tools helps to improve the productivity of the goods as the most of the small activities now can be performed electronically like managing the information and data, entering of data of stock, etc. are now easily done by the digital way as a result of which the production houses now can focus more on the quality of product without any burden. Development of Mobile technology leads to tracking of Staff: - The adoption of the mobile technologies helps in improving the performance of the staff members through the various training and development programs to motivate them by informing them about their performance and shortcoming. This is possible only because of the tracking of the workforce by adopting the technologies. In todays era, every second person owns mobile phones and most of them are smart phones which affects the news production as well as news consumption. Every mobile phone has features of videos, photos, etc. to capture the news and disseminate it. The mobile phones are used by public to capture the news and send it to the respective channels to scatter the news worldwide. People have started taking interest in sharing the news with the public at large. The sources explain different types of aspects in which news is produced using mobile phones. The people who are at the site accidently and who are amateur send the data which is raw in nature and not at all refined (Pfohl, Yahsi, Kurnaz, 2015). Decision Making Support: - The Mobile technology in supply chain management helps in taking the best decisions for the optimal outcomes or to achieve the goals of the organization. The decision in the supply chain management is totally dependent on the changing environment and use of mobile technology by the customers. Conclusion The report demonstrates mobile technology initiatives that are currently working in the organization like online transactions, mobile phones and Internet, etc. and these all techniques proved best for the largest organization as they help to reduce the cost, time, efforts. It is vital that the mobile technologies in Supply chain management should be adequately maintained and preserved. Thus, according to my point of view, Shopify is the best software for Azzaz since it has many suitable advantages with fewer disadvantages. These can be summarized. Shopify covers many features and will help Azzaz manage and launch an online store. It also doesn't require any technical or complicated coding skills to get started and the software will grow as Azzaz grows. This also covers one important facility that is offline sales with the Shopify POS system. Shopify also offers telephonic customer support service and that too 24*7 and also through email and live chat. As a result, the implementation of the innovative techniques in supply chain management has made our lives simpler cannot be denied. The similarity between the functioning of the two has made their management simpler. No doubt, with the advancement of technology, preserving ones data has become as simple as any other day to day act. References Addo-Tenkorang, R., Helo, P. (2011). Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): A Review Literature Report. WCECS. Retrieved from https://www.iaeng.org/publication/WCECS2011/WCECS2011_pp1126-1134.pdf Farahani, P., Meier, C. (2015, June). Digital Supply Chain Management 2020 Vision. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301350882_Digital_Supply_Chain_Management_2020_Vision Griffin-Cryan, M., Griffin-Cryan, B. (2011). Digital Transformation of Supply Chains: Creating Value When Digital Meets Physical. Capgemini Consulting. Retrieved from https://www.capgemini-consulting.com/resource-file-access/resource/pdf/Digital_Transformation_of_Supply_Chains.pdf Hanifan, G., Sharma, A., Newberry, C. (2008). The Digital Supply Network: A New Paradigm for Supply Chain Management. Retrieved from https://www.accenture.com/t20150708T025455__w__/fr-fr/_acnmedia/Accenture/Conversion-Assets/DotCom/Documents/Local/fr-fr/PDF_5/Accenture-Digital-Supply-Network-New-Standard-Modern-Supply-Chain-Management.pdf Kearney, A. (2015). Digital Supply chains: Increasingly critical for competitive edge. WHU. Retrieved from https://www.atkearney.in/documents/10192/6500433/Digital+Supply+Chains.pdf/a12fffe7-a022-4ab3-a37c-b4fb986088f0 Li, S., Ragu-Nathan, B., Rao, S. (2006). The impact of supplychain management practices on competitive advantage and organizational performance. OMGA Journal, 107 124. Retrieved from https://mcu.edu.tw/~hyu/paper/4.pdf Martyn, P. (2015, June 23). Risky Business: Cybersecurity And Supply Chain Management. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulmartyn/2015/06/23/risky-business-cyber-security-and-supply-chain-management/#4d7c1081723b Mehta, L. (2017). Cyber Security Risk in Supply Chain Management. Retrieved from https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/cyber-security-in-supply-chain-management-part-1/#gref Moharana, H. (2010). Importance of IT for effective supply chain management. International Journal of Modern Engineering Research (IJMER), 1(2), 747-751 . Retrieved from https://www.ijmer.com/papers/vol%201%20issue%202/BU012747751.pdf Moon, Y. (2007). Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): a review of the literature. Syracuse University. Retrieved from https://surface.syr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007context=mae Paulraj, I., Paulraj, A. (2009). The role of Information Technology in Supply Chain Integration. Cleveland State University , Nance College of Business Administration . Retrieved from https://gebrc.nccu.edu.tw/proceedings/APDSI/2005/SessionIndex/Supply%20Chain%20Management%202/SCM-23.pdf Pfohl, H., Yahsi, B., Kurnaz, T. (2015). The Impact of Industry 4.0 on the Supply Chain. HICL. Retrieved from https://hicl.org/publications/2015/20/31.pdf R.Nair, P., Raju, V. (2008). Overview of Information Technology tools for Supply Chain Management. State University of New York. Retrieved from https://www.csi-india.org/document_library/Overview%20on%20Information%20Technology%20Tolls%20for%20Supply%20Chain%20Management3963.pdf Rigby, C. (2015, February 03). John Lewis Case Study. Retrieved from https://internetretailing.net/issue/iruk2015brand-and-engagement-report/iruk-500-2015-brand-report-john-lewis-case-study/ Smith, R., Smith, M., Oliva, T. (2000). The Role of the Internet in Supply Chain Management. Elsevier Science Inc. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/13cd/5062cc86f614a943d197e68c532748e4b4df.pdf UES Team. (2013). Azzaz and PhoneBits have different IT systems, and in addition to integrating the two parts of the business there is the need to add b2c eCommerce functionality. Retrieved from https://universityessayservices.com/blog/azzaz-phonebits-different-systems-addition-integrating-two-parts-business-need-add-b2c-ecommerce-functionality/ Zigiaris, S. (2000). Supply chain management: dissemination of innovation and knowledge management techniques. Retrieved from https://www.adi.pt/docs/innoregio_supp_management.pdf

Effects of Mmorpg on Students Essay Example

Effects of Mmorpg on Students Essay 2006 By Neils L. Clark Thesis Committee: Ruth Duran Huard, Chairperson Dan Wedemeyer Jonathan Lillie Pete Britos Aknowledgements Harry Partika and Meryl Martin, without whom there would be no data, and Aaron Delwiche, without whom there would be no aspiration. ii Abstract This work begins by providing a comprehensive review of videogame-related literature in fields as diverse as communications, psychology, sociology, and neuroscience; this reading suggested that behaviors noted as detrimental in psychology and neuroscience were being observed in studies of Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) gamers. The current research provides data which suggests that a player’s perceived use of varied structural characteristics within a game is related to differing addiction and engagement levels. In particular, the constructs of negative valence, side activities, and interaction with real life friends within MMO games had distinct relationships with each addiction and engagement levels. When structural characteristics were controlled for, PvP advancement and guild preference appeared to be significant predictors of addiction or engagement. While the primary aim was to offer preliminary data comparing structural characteristics and addiction, this work also discusses the benefits and limitations of sampling respondents within MMO game worlds. iii We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Mmorpg on Students specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Mmorpg on Students specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Mmorpg on Students specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer nbsp; Researchers in fields as diverse as psychology, neurobiology, and communication are all trying to answer this question. So far, all we can assume is that some people play too much, in a pattern that is very similar to many behavioral addictions recognized today. If addiction is operant among gamers, does this then suggest that other media forms might be probed for addictive qualities? Very few scholars have actually investigated addiction to games, however many directions for research can be inferred by comparing studies of games against addiction research. Addiction work in psychology and neuroscience provides criteria on addiction, even as it applies to Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game players (Brown, 1997, Depue Collins, 1999, Charlton Danforth, 2004). Meanwhile Wood, Griffiths, Chappell and Davies (2004) have examined the â€Å"structural characteristics† of single player games, looking particularly at which of these elements were most important to videogame players. Researchers in more humanities-centered approaches, specifically communications, have isolated the major motivations driving players of MMO games (Yee, 2006). These motivations are connected to what may be called structural characteristics of MMO games; in other words, gamers may be motivated to play specific parts of a game. The varied literature does seem to suggest that comparing addiction fundamentals in psychology and neuroscience against studies of game player populations and/or structural characteristics will show certain viii connections. The hope is that by taking a preliminary look at game structures in relation to addiction criteria, it may become clear whether or not game structures have any relationship to addicted players. MMO games are massive graphical game worlds, wherein thousands of players continuously interact with one another in real-time. Gamers slay dragons, attract followers, and gather resources in worlds with complex politics, economies, and physics. MMO games attract millions of players worldwide. Although MMOs are a very new type of game, they already garner billions of dollars for the gaming industry. At least 28 new MMOs are scheduled for release in the next two years (Woodcock, 2005). Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft is currently the most popular, boasting over 6 million subscribers worldwide (Jenkins, 2006). While Warcraft commands a huge market share compared to other MMOs, there is an increasingly steep incline in growth of total active players (Woodcock, 2005). Some people play MMO games for 40, 60, even near 90 hours straight, and then die (Kim, 2006). Still, these may be anecdotal cases. It is speculated that most people can use computers for long periods of time without ill effect, while only a small few cannot remain â€Å"healthy† while doing so (Charlton, 2002). Nonetheless, if games appeal to a broad demographic (Yee, 2005, Griffiths, 2003), then this problem has the potential to affect an expansive demographic. Understanding the potential for addiction in games requires that researchers use better materials and sampling methodologies. Defining populations as â€Å"addicted† is problematic, as most studies fail to describe even their basic criteria. The current work attempts to describe criteria on some key studies in Internet and computer addiction, as they form the ix foundation underlying many studies of video game addiction. A previously tested and used definition of MMO addiction is then selected (Charlton Danforth, 2004). In the theory used, players begin with stages of â€Å"high engagement;† they enjoy play yet experience only lower order negative effects associated with these games: cognitive salience, euphoria, and heightened tolerance. At a point, some gamers enter a stage of â€Å"addiction†, experiencing more severe negative effects: behavioral salience, intra and interpersonal conflict, withdrawal, and relapse/reinstatement. That play degrades in this manner among certain players seems clear (Brown, 1997; Charlton, 2002). Less clear is what factors may prompt the move from enjoyable â€Å"engagement† to deleterious â€Å"addiction†. To this end, Wood and Griffiths et. al (2004) have suggested the importance of the structural characteristics of videogames. While their work does not explore MMO addiction, the notion of a game having inherent structures, even to the degree that different MMOs games may share certain structural traits, is central to this work. Structural characteristics in this paper are, then, meant to measure the perceived amounts of time spent at, frequency of interactions with, and perceived importance a game player puts on interaction with major generalizeable structures of the game world. For instance, whether they prefer adventuring with people they have met online, how much they value a certain type of player organization (guild), if they like to manipulate other players, or whether they want to sew pretty dresses. Within the literature, a number of structural characteristics are readily apparent, these being amount of time spent at different in-game activities (Wood, Griffiths, et. al, 2004), guild characteristics (Seay, Jerome et al. , 2004; Jakobsson and Taylor, 2003), performance of socially unacceptable behaviors (Yee, 2006), level of interaction with real life friends versus online friends (Jakobsson and Taylor, 2003), level of immersion (Yee, 2006), and level of individualism (Yee, 2006). Again, at present no study has examined the relationship, if any, between addiction and the structural characteristics inherent to videogames. A number of oversights highlight the need for interdisciplinary research. Gameplay types and motivations that have been cited in psy chological literature as destructively addictive are currently being observed in actual gaming populations within the fields of computer science, informatics, and communications. For example Nicholas Yee, studying MMO player behavior within the field of Communications, had determined â€Å"escapism† and â€Å"manipulation† (i. e. of other players) to be two major reasons to play (Yee, 2006). Meanwhile, in the field of psychology, at least one measure of Charlton’s addiction scale deals with gaming as an â€Å"escape from socialization† (Charlton, 2002). Additionally â€Å"negative valence†, or use of videogames to undergo nonsocially acceptable behavior, relates strongly to addiction, and is very similar to Yee’s measure of â€Å"manipulation† (Charlton Danforth, 2004). Overlap does exist between addiction literature and reported behavior. No empirical data, however, yet explores links between addiction, and preferences towards, performance of, or frequency of performance of general structures within games. While the gaming industry itself has given some treatment to the issue of addiction (Clark, 2006), it is unclear as to whether even game developers take the notion seriously (Adams, 2002). The gaming industry is nonetheless populated with a true melange of development houses, publishers, independent contractors, and other actors. As is evidenced by the major industry publications, they place value on academic work. Gamasutra. com, for instance, lends theses, books, and other academic works valuable web real estate. Industry xi leaders attend a wide variety of conferences on games. At the most recent game developer’s conference (GDC), all manner of game creators flooded a talk given by three major academics discussing upcoming gaming research. While some game developers will certainly protest to discussions of game addiction, many more realize the necessity for understanding the intersect between videogames and addiction. By comparing Charlton and Danforth’s model of MMO addiction (2004), against structural characteristics identified in this research, it may be possible to determine which elements of play, if any, relate to addiction. If any relation exists, it would provide early data on which parts of a game relate most strongly to the preferences of addicted players. It is important to note here that a relationship between structural characteristics and addiction may suggest a number of things. A robust set of relationships between structural characteristics and addiction likely does not imply that games themselves are addictive, nor would it be able to imply that only game players with addictive personalities will have problems. An utter lack of any relationship may indicate that games themselves have no link to addiction. Nonetheless if relationships do exist, the hope would then be that the academy, the gaming industry or others will verify these results for themselves so as to understand why certain structural characteristics may be linked to harmful behaviors. xii Chapter 1: Relevant Literature The â€Å"newness† of games, relative to established media forms, makes analysis of structural elements quite recent. DFC Intelligence estimated that the top 17 video game companies collectively made 24. 5$ billion USD in 2004, (Maragos, 2005) compared to the often cited six or seven billion overall value. MMO games represent a major force in the videogame industry. In China alone, MMO business was forecasted to grow from 580$ million USD in 2005, to 1. 7$ billion in 2010 (Jenkins, 2005). A recent report by the IDC estimates South Korea’s MMO revenues at 551$ million USD in 2004 (Reuters, 2005). Each successive MMO is essentially different. For instance, Star Wars Galaxies occurs within George Lucas’ famous Star Wars Galaxy, whereas Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XI occurs within the established Final Fantasy universe. Each has their own different rules that dictate the play environment. Each are, however, very similar in certain structural characteristics, the theoretical pieces which make up the game world. That these games, and this line of inquiry is so new, studies of gaming populations could be compared to that of movie going, at a time when only a dozen or so major movies had been made. A number of authors, in conducting demographies, ethnographies, and other exploratory studies of MMO populations have examined what could be called structural characteristics (Wood, 2004; Ducheneaut, 2004; Jakobsson and Taylor, 2003; Seay, 2004; Delwiche, 2003). Building on the MMO structural characteristics pulled from their work and explained below, this study seeks to find whether videogame structural characteristics are related to concepts of addiction. 1 Figure 1. Sony Online Entertainment’s Star Wars Galaxies brings to life elements from Lucas’ proprietary world, such as Jedi and rancor beasts It is also important to note that I, as the author, am connected to these videogames in such a way that this work is necessarily ethnographic in many respects. I am part of a generation that has grown up immersed in games, MMO games becoming a part of that for me upon joining some online friends in playing Star Wars Galaxies. Most recently I have been playing World of Warcraft. While this thesis centers on quantitative data, qualitative data is inseparable from this. While the ethnographically inclined researcher will no doubt want more in the way of direct quotes and nuanced situations, this thesis does center on quantitative data. My background will primarily show itself in discussions of MMO games. These discussions are intended for the audience of academics who may otherwise have had little experience with these worlds. 2 Addiction Literature Much of the game addiction research being performed today owes its methods to the foundation laid by early work done in Internet addiction. Ivan Goldberg’s joking 1995 inception of the â€Å"Internet Addiction Support Group† is generally credited with coining the phrase â€Å"Internet Addiction Disorder† (IAD) (Charlton Danforth, 2004), and highlights the tone of the early dialogue on addiction. In the same year, a study of problematic videogame use among first year psychology students (Griffiths and Dancaster, 1995) was conducted using the DSM-III criteria for pathological gambling (American Psychiatric Association, 1987). The following year, â€Å"Internet Addiction† was introduced at the 1996 annual meeting of the American Psychological Association (Young, 2004). Numerous studies followed suit. Most of these studies used no more than ten items in diagnosing what they referred to as computer and Internet addictions. At most, affirmative answers on only 50% of these items were needed to fit operational definitions of addiction (Griffiths, 1999; Griffiths Hunt, 1998; Scherer, 1997; Young, 1998). While Internet and computer addiction should be seen as entities distinct from videogame addiction, the former two are discussed as part of a genealogical progression of research. For better or for worse, a great deal of the research into videogames takes its measures and methodologies directly from these earlier works. In some ways this helped to bring the notion of videogame addiction to light, yet in thers it introduced detrimental misconceptions. While it is possible that addiction to a game may be similar to Internet or computer addictions, should either actually exist, games are distinct from computer applications and the Internet. The goal of this addiction section is to trace the literature regarding non-substance addiction, examining its roots in Brown’s model, 3 addiction’s initial applications by Young in Internet dependence/addiction, then finally to Charlton’s conceptions of engagement and addiction. Despite the serious dearth of academic information regarding the relationship between games and addiction, gamers throw the term â€Å"addiction† about quite readily. Among game players it is colloquial to regard casual play as â€Å"addiction,† regardless of whether a person’s play is healthy or not. Prominent advertisements and reviews for games use the word â€Å"addiction† synonymously with â€Å"quality. † Highlighting the pervasive use of the term as well as gamers’ perceptions of addiction, one player asked to participate in this study noted that it was their first time playing in months. Later they stated, â€Å"but I was addicted like all the rest. † Contacting another player inside the game provoked a strong negative reaction, at first. However, after the researcher apologized and left that player alone for a time, the same player began spontaneously talking about their play, to make this short I no longer work and I play this game almost all day every day for over a year now. The sustained misuse of perceptions and stereotypes on the part of marketers will likely have an increasingly devastating impact on game players that do have problems. Understanding the intersect between addiction and videogames is a necessary precursor toward first, understanding what to regard as addiction, and second, search for clues as to how we might begin to help the people whose play is having a clearly negative affect on their lives. Brown’s Hedonic Management Model of Addiction Iain Brown (1993; 1997) wrote a number of articles regarding his â€Å"hedonic management model of addiction,† a model created to apply to non-substance addiction generally. In the most basic sense, Brown argues that all people use certain activities to 4 ake themselves feel good. Some people, whether through gradual development, or the sudden discovery of a very powerful stimulus, learn to use this one stimulus to keep themselves feeling good all the time, increasingly at the cost of their long term goals. Recovery is a matter of regaining a normal repertoire of activities and realization of an improved long-term rate of reward. Brown additionally di stinguishes addiction as value-free, which means that though an activity has acquired a â€Å"motivational monopoly† (Hodge, p. 4) within an individual, it is rarely without benefit. Two obvious examples would be addiction to jogging or to computer games, possible benefits being physical health and technical knowledge, respectively. Neuroscience Without belaboring Neuroscience, it remains important to give at least a sideways glance toward the established role of dopamine in the brain, and how neurological veins of research may lend greater understanding to MMO addiction. Where Brown’s psychological studies suggested that â€Å"non-substance ingesting †¦activities† could create behaviors very similar to those found in substance-addicts (Brown, 1991), meaning that a strongly psychological concept likely underlies both substance, and non-substance addiction. Goaloriented motivation is based on two major factors, â€Å"the availability of reward, and the effort required to obtain it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Depue and Collins, 1999). Brown reflects this, in saying: â€Å"An addiction develops its maximum power and momentum through the prolonged action of several positive feedback loops. These positive feedback loops begin with a series of cognitive failures which lead to the strengthening of an acquired drive for particular feeling states as a goal associated with the performance of the addictive activity. As the acquired 5 drive strengthens, so the single activity becomes more and more salient as almost the sole source of reward. † (Brown, in Hodge, 1997, P. 29) Considering that MMO games contain nearly pervasive reward, with such rewards immensely easier to obtain relative to RL (The most common abbreviation for â€Å"real life† within a MMO game) goals and rewards, it is then not entirely nreasonable to expect many players to experience greater apathy toward RL goals, as they are not only overshadowed by much more transparent and apparently efficant goals (i. e. slaying a dragon, or crafting a weapon yet unseen on a particular server), but that in-game goals themselves take such an amount of time as to make RL goals all the more difficult to obtain. Here the â€Å"availability of reward† and â€Å"effort required to obtain it† reflect Brown’s concept of â€Å"hedonic gap†, the difference between the strength of a goal, and personal susceptibility. Depue and Collins state that individual differences in dopamine processing can predetermine certain individuals as more likely to develop addictive behaviors. In this way, hard science and Brown’s model both seem to be pieces of a larger puzzle. Internet Addiction As recently as 1996, Internet addiction was brought up as a potential disorder among mental health professionals. Criteria for â€Å"Internet Dependence† was made to be based off of the DSM-IV, the American Diagnostics and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders’ criteria for problematic gambling (American Psychological Association, 1994; Young, 1996), provided as Appendix D. As seen in Appendix E, the â€Å"Diagnostic Questionnaire† forwarded by Young used eight criteria, rather than ten, yet maintains a cutoff of five affirmative responses in order to define â€Å"dependents† as Internet-addicted. While she defends five of 6 eight as a â€Å"rigorous cutoff,† she does state that â€Å"It should be noted that while this scale provides a workable measure of Internet addiction, further study is needed to determine its construct validity and clinical utility. † (Young, 1996). More recent versions of her diagnostic questionnaire for Internet addiction are larger, and scaling. For instance currently, her website offers a 20 item questionnaire, scaling from 20-100 points. It segregates Internet use into three categories, causing: no real problems, some problems, or significant problems. Charlton (2002) has suggested that checklist-type questionnaires are likely to overestimate the number of people addicted, and has otherwise questioned her work. That she provides no real theoretical framework is troubling, especially considering that so many studies, be they for Internet, computer, or even gaming addiction, have imported her framework verbatim into their studies. Engagement and Addiction Though this conception of Internet addiction is likely to overestimate the number of individuals who require clinical help (Charlton Danforth, 2004), it was the first attempt at forging criteria for over-use. Brown’s six criteria, covered later, have been used by Mark Griffiths, another psychologist active in the field of computer, Internet, and even video game effects. But what of claims that videogame playing lends itself to learning skills which can prove beneficial in the contemporary marketplace? John Charlton makes an attempt at determining whether his concept of â€Å"high computer engagement†, merely enjoying a large amount of computing, relates to Brown’s framework of addiction. More specifically, do any of Brown’s six criteria relate to a non-pathological enjoyment, while others relate to a more deleterious addiction? 7 Brown and Charlton Though Brown does present his model in layers, meaning that certain activities are by nature more destructive, Charlton’s factor analysis allows us to see which layers are in actuality most destructive in terms of computer use (Charlton, 2002). This is especially relevant when computers act as an almost necessary gateway to jobs, communication, and regular leisure for many people. Charlton found moderately high use to relate to the less harmful of Brown’s elements, which he calls â€Å"engaging† qualities. These include tolerance, euphoria, and cognitive salience (thinking about an activity a lot). The â€Å"addictive† qualities are behavioral salience (engaging in the activity a lot), conflict (arguments within yourself and with others over the extent of your usage), withdrawal, and relapse/reinstatement. Engagement and Addiction in MMO Play Charlton’s method has been applied to Massively Multiplayer Online games, with additional factors having been found to relate to the concept of â€Å"addiction† (Charlton Danforth, 2004). The three additional factors are â€Å"negative valence† (a respondent’s indulgence in societally unvalued activities), â€Å"attractiveness† (whether a respondent perceives themselves as attractive), and â€Å"emotional stability†. The specific questions used to survey MMO gamers are provided in Appendix B, Part Two: Personality/Gaming Behavior. Player Populations and Structural Characteristics of MMO games While we may not know a great deal about addiction as it relates to these games, there has nonetheless been a great deal of work exploring these worlds. The methods of these studies may not be perfect, yet they nonetheless give strong hints as to who is playing and why. Even if many demographic variables have yet to be sampled scientifically, what 8 exists can be compared against information on addiction in order to garner information regarding these worlds. Figure 2. Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft Each MMO, for instance EverQuest or World of Warcraft, is a different game, with different mechanics. Within games there can be large differences as well, as each game will, on average run one, 20, or even 100+ servers, depending on the popularity. Blizzard’s World of Warcraft, currently the real world’s largest MMO, runs at least 108 servers, which they call â€Å"realms. † This number increases as World of Warcraft gains popularity, yet may collapse if newer games grow in favor. A server is a single copy of the game world, with its own internal mechanics; likely variations between servers are community, economy, or nationality. To be more specific, after purchasing an MMO and creating a billing account, one will have to choose which particular â€Å"server† of this game world they would like to play in. The bulk of player population studies do not explicitly explain how they treat sampling 9 with regard to servers or games, though this is not the major downfall to such studies so far. A major sampling downfall is that the bulk of studies looking at player populations have been elicited through outside websites, particularly â€Å"community websites† for particular games. Two major concerns with this are (1) the sheer volume of such popular community websites, and (2) the low likelihood that those seeking community outside the game will be representative of those playing within (especially those pathologically addicted). Structural Characteristics as a Theoretical Concept Though literature pertaining to videogames is growing rapidly, few have stopped to actually define videogames or analyze their structure (Wood, Griffiths, et al. , 2004). In a study of more traditional single-player games, Wood et al. et out to assess video game structure by way of asking which structural characteristics were most salient among game players (Wood et al. , 2004). Many of his structural characteristics were not entirely applicable to MMO play, for instance ‘duration of game’ and ‘mapping’ (creating custom levels for a single player game). Other characteristics apply to MMO games, such as interface options, use of humor, and brand assurance, ye t were omitted from this study in order to restrict its size. 10 Figure 3. Structural characteristics map the structures available for interaction within these games, and include exploring new areas. Yee’s MMO Motivations Nicholas Yee, one of the more recognizable names in the study of MMO effects, in a 3 year period surveyed over 30,000 players from the MMO games Ultima Online, EverQuest, Dark Age of Camelot, and Star Wars Galaxies. In a paper set to be published in 2006, he explores positive and negative effects of MMO playing. Qualitatively, Yee identified five factors of MMO motivation: achievement, relationship, immersion, escapism, and manipulation. It is important to differentiate motivations for play from structural characteristics, the actual structure within the game that is being manipulated. This distinction notwithstanding, the criteria used by Yee can be modified and clarified so that these motivations may be measured as if they were structural characteristics. For instance, Yee’s concept of 11 manipulation includes the questions, â€Å"I scam other people out of their money or equipment†, and, â€Å"I like to taunt or annoy other players. † His questions do not have to be changed drastically for a successful query of MMO structures. The wording of some measures taken from Yee remain unchanged. In â€Å"immersion†, for example, creating a back-story for one’s character can be entirely in the mind of the game player, or it can be an integral part of the game. Eve Online and City of Heroes are two games where players are encouraged to enter information about their character’s history, in a structure that allows other players to then read that information and/or back-story. World of Warcraft has no structure for this, but it is not uncommon to hear a player talking about their created back-story on an RP, or role-playing server. The same structure is here operating in radically different ways, sometimes even within a single game. Demographics of MMO game players What we know about gaming comes primarily from Yee’s studies, particularly his Daedalus Project. While nearly all of the information collected by Yee came by way of selfselected respondents seeking out his surveys, the many thousands of people attracted for his studies have made his data likely the most widely cited in academic work on game player demographics. In terms of employment, 50. % of respondents were shown to work full time, 22. 2% were full-time students, and 13% of female players referred to themselves as â€Å"homemaker. † Additionally, the number of female MMO players seems to increase with age, surpassing the number of males in the 23-28 age range, and in each subsequent age range (Yee, 2006). Yee argues that this data dispels the notion that all gamer players are unemployed, male, and young; rather games have a universal appeal. 12 Other findings from Yee are that 60. % of respondents had played for at least 10 contiguous hours, this effect being roughly equivalent along age groups. 15. 8% of men and 59. 8% of women play MMOs with a romantic partner, while 25. 5% of men and 39. 5% of women play with a family member, suggesting that women are primarily being introduced to MMO games by a spouse or family member. Most importantly, Yee points out, â€Å"†¦the data demonstrate that MMORPGs appeal to a very wide demographic and that this appeal is strong and elicits high time investment from users. † (Yee, 2006). Comparing the Social Networks within MMOs with those of the Mafia â€Å"†¦the mafia initially grew out of an ancient honor system where elders were entrusted to negotiate in conflicts and pass judgments that the others were obliged to adhere to. The fact that Sicily historically has been targeted by outside interests such as the Spanish and fascists has also contributed to a need for organized resistance against outside oppression. The transition into a criminal organization came later, possibly more or less because the mafia realized that they could use their powerful organization to achieve fortune for themselves. This pattern is repeated in EQ [EverQuest]. The strong emphasis on reputation in the creation of social networks grows out of a need from the players to self-govern their gaming environment in order to secure a positive experience in the presence of potential disturbances and a simultaneous absence of an effective and reliable governing system. But ultimately these networks are also used to take shortcuts through, or trick, the formal rules of the system. † (Jakobsson Taylor, 2003) Comparing EverQuest’s prominent framework for social structure, the guild, to the social structure of the mafia should seem laughable at first. The above quote however illustrates and contextualizes ways in which play style shifts strongly within MMO games, 13 favoring these social networks as players approach the highest levels of in-game achievement. Put another way, where a player’s guild, online friends, and real-life connections at early stages of play provided the support required to succeed, at the end-game they become the connections that allow a player to dominate. Figure 4. The members of both social and goal-oriented guilds will occasionally line up for group photographs. Here it begins to become apparent that Yee’s (2006) conceptions that deal with interaction (how much a person talks, shares feelings, etc. ) and perhaps also individualism, a person’s preference toward playing on their own, may need to be expanded. In the mafia, family provides a strong foundation for commitment. You stick with your family, and they stick with you. Jakobsson and Taylor are here arguing that MMO games work similarly, where people who know each other outside of the game have a much higher commitment to each other than to friends that they know strictly through the game. The idea here was then 14 to split up communication between these two types of connections; real-life friend, and strictly online friend (individuals or guildmates), and then to rework these criteria in order to better reflect levels of interaction. Individualism was expanded from Yee’s group/solo criteria in part due to this emphasis on interaction. If some players prefer playing with reallife friends, and others with online friends, then perhaps those that prefer no interaction at all differ in equally significant ways. Project Massive and Guild Communication The self-effacingly named Project Massive sampled from five MMO games in order to â€Å"investigate how players play, communicate, and organize. † Tracking players via guilds, the study reinforced what many others have said: that the social