Curriculum Development and Design Essay

These programs arose from the thinking of a group of pioneers who believed that the educational approach that had been developed by medical education innovators at McMaster University was also most relevant for the preparation of occupational therapists and physiotherapists. Consequently, a group of educators from both institutions, Mohawk College and McMaster University, combined their skills and created a vision that became the diploma programs in occupational therapy and physiotherapy. This approach was problem-based learning, and was used as the foundation for both programs from their inception to the present day, across three different iterations of curriculum. One of the key innovations to the way in which the college programs were taught was the combination of using faculty from both the university and college to teach all courses. In the 1980s, a degree completion program was launched that provided graduates of the diploma program a chance to upgrade their qualification to a bachelors degree from McMaster University. This was particularly important since the minimum credential for entry to practice had been raised to the baccalaureate level by the professional associations. In 1989, the program moved completely into the university setting and the graduates were granted a BHSc(PT) or BHSc(OT), a bachelor degree in health sciences. Ten years later, in 2000, candidates were admitted to the entrylevel masters programs in occupational therapy and physiotherapy. The Pedagogical Framework: Problem-based Learning As briefly referred to above, the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs at McMaster University have a strong history with and legacy of problem-based learning. While the initial curriculum models were strongly influenced by the inaugural undergraduate medical curriculum, time and confidence presented opportunities to create our own models. These models reflect the special nuances of each discipline. Problem-based learning is recognized as having begun at McMaster University, in the medical curriculum, and was in response to critical concerns about the nature of more traditional learning models in medical curricula. The intention was to create an approach to teaching and learning that was learner-centered, yet based upon clear objectives and evaluation criteria. The key difference was the expectation that learners would be facilitated and guided rather than taught (Barrows and Tamblyn 1980; Neufeld 1983; Saarinen and Salvatori 1994). Both the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs at McMaster University have embraced these ideas, although with differing degrees of connection and commitment to the original model. In fact, true problem-based learning models should naturally emerge from each individual context and culture. There is no â€Å"right† way although there is a growing recognition of a common set of principles and elements that can be applied to determine the â€Å"problembased-ness† of a learning environment (Maudesley 1994; Walton and Matthews 1989). Problem-based learning principles tend to become grouped in two distinct categories: first, the values upon which problem-based learning is based and second, some characteristics that are held in common understanding as being critical to the core of problem-based learning. Underlying values include: partnership, honesty and openness, mutual respect, and trust. Core characteristics incorporate: Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 13 i Learning which is student/learner-centered i Faculty roles that are those of facilitator and guide i Learning scenarios which form the basis, focus, and stimulus for learning i New information and understanding that is acquired through self-directed learning (Baptiste 2003 p. 17) Consequently, there is a continuum of problem-based curricula from pure through hybrid models. The masters entry-level physiotherapy and occupational therapy programs at the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University continue to be based upon problem-based principles. Although both programs are very different one from the other, there are also many common elements and approaches that are celebrated. Examples of these similarities are cited throughout this book, particularly in the chapters focusing on evidence-based practice and ethics education. Approaching the Task of Curriculum Renewal Perhaps one of the most overwhelming, yet exciting, tasks with which to be confronted is the opportunity and challenge of developing a new curriculum. This task is made even more daunting when circumstances provide a chance to do something different based on external forces and not a need to change because â€Å"something is broken†. Over the past few years, and in several years to come, many educational programs in rehabilitation science are facing this situation. The changing nature of the entry-level credential for occupational therapists and physiotherapists demands that faculty undertake a detailed review of curricula, to determine the optimal approach to moving toward graduate-level preparation, or, at the very least, complete a review of existing curricula models to identify their responsiveness and congruence with emerging practice expectations and demands. Approaches to such a massive task can vary from ensuring the preservation of what is good from the existing curriculum to making a total shift and adopting a radically Table 2. 1. Principles for curricular change and innovation Rationale should be articulated explicitly Overall goals should be reiterated constantly throughout the process Continuing communication is essential, coupled with a clear rationale Ensure that the intended change is in response to a defined and recognized need or purpose Ensure that the innovation is seen as a high institutional priority Focus on pedagogy and not on resources for implementation Foster strong leadership support Identify incentives for faculty participation Gain faculty buy-in for the curricular blueprint Involve the active teaching faculty throughout the process Anticipate potential barriers to change and develop strategies to address them Recognize the potential need for and value of negotiation Adapted from Guze (1995) 14 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon 2 new approach and design. To have an optimal effect, options to be considered should bear relevance to the pervading culture of the institution and environment within which the curriculum is to thrive. Also, decisions must be made concerning the pedagogical choices of how learner-centered the curriculum should be, and what particular educational modalities are the best for the circumstances. This chapter will address the entire picture of curriculum development and design, from the first conversations about how to engage in the renewal process through making decisions about methods of teaching, approaches to learner assessment, and preparation of entry-level practitioners for the emerging practice contexts. Guze (1995) provided a clear and succinct discussion of several core principles that can guide curricular change and innovation (Table 2. 1). The following is an overview of these principles. Where to Begin? Motivation for curriculum renewal can come from both internal and external forces. External expectations from regulatory and professional bodies are tending to impose standards for new practitioners that require: i Preparation at an advanced level of clinical reasoning and judgment i The ability to assume roles that require autonomy and a strong sense of professional ethics i Engaging in their professional role from the first day of practice, in a conscious nd moral manner that requires reflection and self-awareness Regardless of whether the motivation for curricular change stems from a desire to do something differently or better, or from outside influences, the task is one that requires careful planning. However, it is imperative that any planning process recognizes the need to dream and envision what could be, to create a model that will exemplify those visions, and to produce a graduate who is well prepared to face the complexities and challenges of emerging practice. When developing a curriculum, four general questions must be asked: i What is the purpose of the curriculum? i What educational experiences can be created to fulfill this purpose? What is the most effective manner in which to organize these educational experiences? i How can we determine that the purpose has been fulfilled and the goals attained (Wiers et al. 2002)? Another very critical element of any change is the recognition that the cultural context is a key in managing change successfully. Hafferty (1998), when reflecting upon the realities of a medical school curriculum, discusses the existence of informal and hidden curricula as well as the formal curriculum. He posits that, in order to induce a lasting change, the entire organizational culture needs to be engaged to facilitate stud ents and faculty alike in embracing and working with change. When facing the task of curricular reform, redesign has to occur not only in terms of content, but also in relation to the Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 15 educational processes that enable the learning to take place. This is the difference between reforming the syllabus and reforming the curriculum; the overall learning environment of the educational program and institution is changed (Burton and McDonald 2001). Once the decision has been made to reform the curriculum, a first step is to complete an environmental scan and situational analysis that explore the educational and organizational environment within the institution, to determine what will facilitate the proposed changes. By defining a clear and newly articulated set of riorities and guidelines, changes that are being made within the curriculum will be given the vehicle through which impact can be made upon the surrounding environment (Genn 2001). This strategy is part of the first overall phase, the planning p hase. This is when the need for change is established and the vision for change is designed. It is during this phase of development that the non-negotiable elements of structure and process are determined. For example, within the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University, both the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Programs were already designed as two-year, twenty-four-month, curricula. Also, the province of Ontario mandates that all masters programs are two years in duration. Therefore, the decision was readily made, based on these graduate program regulations and history, that the new masters entry-level curricula would be twenty-four months long. One key commitment was clear and that was to the foundational philosophy of problem-based, selfdirected learning utilizing the application of these principles to small group, large group, and skills-based learning experiences. Wiers et al. (2002) provide a clear and helpful outline of ten general steps of curriculum design within a problem-based learning context (see Table 2. 2). While this rubric is structured around the specific processes inherent within problem-based learning development, most of the guidelines can apply broadly across any curricular development process within any pedagogical framework. From the onset, all faculty members at McMaster University were on board regarding the need to undertake the development of entry-level masters curricula in both occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Both disciplines had undergone dramatic changes in the preceding two decades, largely focused upon the growth of foundational science and evidence for practice. Professional practice models had emerged for both professions and provided a strong backdrop against which to create fresh ap- Table 2. 2. Ten general steps in curriculum design for a problem-based learning (PBL) environment 1. . 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Give rationale for the curriculum and form a planning group Generate general educational objectives for the curriculum Assess the educational needs o f future students Apply general principles of PBL to the curriculum Structure the curriculum and generate a curriculum blueprint Elaborate the unit blueprints Construct the study units Decide on student assessment methods Consider the educational organization and curriculum management model Evaluate the curriculum and revise as appropriate Adapted from Wiers et al. (2002) 16 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon 2 proaches to the preparation of graduates for entering practice. While both the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs undertook curriculum renewal at the same time, the physiotherapy program had engaged in an ongoing process of change across the preceding five years. Many of the issues, concerns, and changes addressed and implemented by the occupational therapy program had already been addressed by physiotherapy. Therefore, this chapter will focus predominantly upon the initiatives inherent within the curricular shift within occupational therapy, although reference will be made to processes within physiotherapy as appropriate. Designing Our New Programs Deciding upon the overarching constructs that would determine the final curriculum model was a complex and dramatic process in many ways, and one in which everyone was eager to participate and have a chance to have input. At the onset of the development of the occupational therapy program, three faculty retreats were held that progressed from a totally unstructured brainstorm of what would be perfect, to a detailed accounting of core curricular elements in the context of a delivery structure. In the initial retreat, all full-time faculty members together with some part-time members participated in a â€Å"blue-skying† day-long session during which everyone spoke of their dreams for the perfect curriculum. What if we could do what we wanted? What if we did not have to be concerned with logistics like room bookings? – and so on. This exercise provided us with a high-level ppreciation of the values and elements that were important to us as a collective. It was from this beginning â€Å"fantasy† that the next level of planning emerged. The second retreat was more structured and focused upon the creation of a continuum for learning that resulted in the overarching framework for the cur riculum, together with the delivery methods. A process was followed whereby we decided upon a central construct around which the whole curriculum would evolve, namely, â€Å"occupation†. To support this core notion, there were several longitudinal conceptual threads that represented continua of thought such as: wellness to illness, simplicity to complexity, local to global, and unifaceted to multifaceted. Through this process, we were able to identify the starting place for the first study term, and to create a high-level framework for the progression of the total curriculum (see Table 2. 3) In physiotherapy, the process began similarly with a faculty retreat; however, the focus varied slightly. Initial discussions identified elements of the curriculum that we Table 2. 3. Occupational therapy curricular framework Term 1 2 3 4 5 6 Content theme Wellness, health, and occupation Person, environment, and occupation Development, disability, and occupation Youth and the development of self Adulthood and disability Complexities of contemporary practice Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 17 alued and wanted to maintain and those needing less emphasis. Through ongoing curricular evaluation and feedback, we identified new areas that needed to be included in the emerging curriculum and other areas that needed to be enhanced. These areas were discussed within the context of the changing practice of physiotherapy and the knowledge and skills required by the physiotherapist in the new millennium. The decision was made to use a curricular framework that incorporated a modified â€Å"body systems† design, as current physiotherapy practice and clinical specialties were aligned with this model. Inclusion of a Community Practice/Community Health unit allowed or a focus on emergent health care roles in the community and on integrating health promotion and disease prevention into practice. The faculty recognized that while many physiotherapists identified their practice in an area related to the body systems, increasingly clinicians were faced with more complex patients with multiple system involvement. Hence, the final unit of study focused on integrated practice dealing with clients with complex multisystem health care problems. Following the initial planning process, it is now time to initiate the plan. It is during this time period that the â€Å"unfreezing† of old organizational patterns and the introduction of innovations into the educational environment take place (Burton and McDonald 2001). Often, while there is a strong commitment to engaging in the conversations that lead to the design of a changed reality, it is a very different matter to start â€Å"doing† and actually making that changed reality come to life. A cooperative internal environment is essential for the realization of that initial dream and therefore it is well worthwhile for planners to engage in a transparent and collaborative experience that enables maximum participation and open debate. A process of this nature is characterized by collaborative problem solving, effective communication, abilities in conflict resolution, and a cultural expectation of working together in harmony that guides the overall enterprise (Burton and McDonald 2001). Therefore, it is of importance to determine at the onset the values and behaviors by which the development experience will be approached to set up structures and processes that will ensure that the best attempts at making it so will be expended. During the initiation period, we experienced intense interest and levels of emotion from all participants regarding the manner in which the planning and the visions for the two disciplines would be evolved and realized. As mentioned previously, we had determined that the existing problem-based learning principles would remain but that the key changes would be realized through the manner in which the content was introduced to the students and through which the continuum of learning would evolve. Similarly, we were committed to maintaining a student-centered approach. One core difference was to be the manner in which the experiential component of professional preparation would be integrated more centrally into both curricula. Previously, the curricula were designed in a more traditional fashion whereby the clinical fieldwork experiences were placed at the end of each study term and were linked directly to the area of academic focus for the preceding learning block. By definition, once the overarching concepts of the curricula were determined to be different from the previous models, then fieldwork placements would become less strictly aligned. This was reinforced more heavily in the occupational therapy program which was originally designed around developmental stages and central practice populations. Students would face a more eclectic approach in their clinical learning; therefore, both programs determined that learning around professional issues and practice expectations should be interwoven through the longitudinal axis of the curriculum. 18 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon Redevelopment Within a Problem-based Learning Culture 2 As with any problem-based learning system, the small group learning unit is the nucleus of the whole curriculum. However, the success of problem-based, small group learning is supported by the strategic use of large group interactions for the imparting of theoretical and expert knowledge, while still maintaining a problem-based learning philosophy. Similarly, the application of problem-based learning principles is a critical piece of one-on-one learning and synthesis of knowledge and information throughout the academic and clinical components of the curriculum overall. Both the physiotherapy and occupational therapy programs elected to continue to utilize problem-based learning methods in a manner that celebrated the development already achieved over twenty-five years of curriculum development. This has evolved over time very differently in each program. For example, during the planning process for the occupational therapy curriculum, efforts were made to define new models for tutoring and many were identified and put into place. During the second year of the occupational therapy program, the problem-based tutorials occur only once weekly. This allows additional scheduling time for including the evidence-based practice courses and is also in response to the difficulties many practitioners are experiencing in gaining release time from employers to participate as tutors. In this new tutorial model, tutors are required to participate in only one weekly session with two or three tutors’ meetings across the term instead of weekly. Application of problem-based learning principles in large groups has been maintained and, in fact, enhanced particularly in the clinical skills sessions. Students often are placed in small groups (different groups from their core tutorial group) and provided with opportunities to explore assessment tools and intervention methods. Through these group experiences, the students apply a problem-based learning approach to the identification of learning issues, the uncovering of essential information and resources, and the synthesis of their understanding of the tool or technique. Integration of Experiential Practice Preparation Within a Problem-based Learning Framework As mentioned earlier, both the physiotherapy and occupational therapy faculty groups were committed to ensuring the integration of academic and experiential learning into the curricula from the beginning, and were focused on developing innovative models for the synthesis of practice preparation into the core academic units. It is important to note that the work related to integration commenced at the very onset of the curriculum planning process. In the case of the occupational therapy program, there had always been sessions held throughout the full curriculum that provided opportunities for the Clinical Placement Coordinator (now Professional Practice Coordinator) to inform, advise, educate, and monitor students in preparing for their practice experiences and in checking in with them following these experiences. However, a greater focus on such integration was placed within the masters entry-level curriculum model in order to ensure that students were being prepared to meet the enhanced expectations of a graduate program. Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 19 Evaluation Within a Graduate Problem-based Learning Framework There should be clear and close linkages between how students learn and how that learning is assessed. Therefore, some information will be presented here relative to the evaluation methods developed at McMaster University in the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs. Student Evaluation. In the preceding years, the two programs at McMaster University had been very involved in designing evaluation/student assessment tools that reflected the principles of problem-based learning and provided students with opportunities to integrate their academic learning with their growing professional awareness and identity. Most of these tools are built around the basic problem-based learning process of exploring a learning scenario that has been developed to address the objectives for the particular learning unit. Essentially, problem-based evaluation needs to be congruent with the underlying values and principles of problem-based learning. Traditional methods of assessing students’ knowledge tend to be contradictory to these principles and therefore should not be applied out of context. Problem-based learner assessment should: i Be congruent with the underlying problem-based learning process illustrated by the development of learning scenarios based on real life practice situations i Mirror the problem-based learning process of reflecting on a practice scenario, efining learning issues, researching, synthesizing, and synopsizing the learning with application to the defined case i Involve personal reflection and enhanced awareness of individual critical think- ing and clinical reasoning skills F aculty Evaluation. As with student assessment, the evaluation of faculty is central to the maintenance and enhancement of a problem-based learning culture. And, similarly, faculty evaluation is built into the roles played in any given learning context. In the case of the small group tutor role, faculty members are evaluated by each student and provide a self-evaluation to students during the course of the group process. Following the completion of the small group experience, students evaluate the faculty member as well as the overall course, and these ratings are provided to faculty and placed in their file for attention at times when promotion, tenure, and merit increase decisions are made. For those faculty members, practitioners, and others who facilitate large group sessions in both theory and practical skills, similar evaluations are completed. This process has been in place over many years and has not changed since the advent of the new curricula. However, the items being evaluated have altered to reflect the expected level and scope of graduate teaching. Student Self-assessment: Development of the OTPPI. Students admitted into the occupational therapy program are not expected to have any prerequisite courses completed during their undergraduate education. This has been the case from the very beginning. In the program itself, there are no formal courses that provide students with basic knowledge related to the foundational sciences that underlie occupational therapy practice such as anatomy, physics, biochemistry, sociology, psychology, and anthropology. It has been the long-held belief that in a pure problem-based learning 20 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon 2 environment, the learning is accomplished through the horizontal meshing of various areas of knowledge and information; that through the integration of these sciences and bodies of knowledge, students can gain the understanding they require by using real life situations as springboards for integration and synthesis of all inputs. Consequently, recent efforts were expended to develop the Occupational Therapy Personal Progress Inventory (OTPPI), a tool that was developed from the experience of the undergraduate medical program over the past few years (Blake et al. 1996; Cunnington 2001). The OTPPI focuses on foundational knowledge that our students need in order to become practicing occupational therapists. It is not a test of the application of that knowledge in practice. The examination consists of 90 multiple-choice questions developed with the expectation that a â€Å"star† student would be able to answer by the time of graduation. There are three main domains included in each examination: biology (this includes anatomy, physiology, etc. ), social sciences (this includes psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc. ), and research (this includes statistics, research methods, ethics, etc. ). The breakdown of each examination is 40 percent biology, 40 percent social science, and 20 percent research. The examination is generated each term and students in both years have the same examination, with the expectation that the students in second year will achieve a higher result than those in the first year. Students receive a detailed report with their scores and a profile of how they have progressed over time. They are provided with information about their total score as well as a breakdown on each of the three domains. They also receive a zone score, which is an indication of how well they have performed on the test in comparison to the other members of the class. Students in the yellow or red zones may want to review their scores in more detail and make learning plans to address gaps that may have been identified through the examination. This tool is designed as a self-assessment measure, the individual results of which are known only to each student. We have made a conscious choice that results are not used in the summative evaluation of the students, and are intended to provide the learners with a sense of how they are progressing in accumulating knowledge relative to the basic sciences of their discipline. The students are expected to use that information to set plans in place to address weaknesses (e. g. , through problem-based tutorials, individual assignments, etc. ). The OTPPI has been a pencil and paper test so far, but steps are being taken to convert it to a web-based format. While the occupational therapy program has undertaken this initiative on a pilot basis, initial responses would indicate that students are finding the process helpful to them, although this is very new at the time of publication. Integration of Evidence-based Practice Skills into the Curricula. The integration of skills related to practicing in an evidence-based manner is seen to be critical to both programs. A detailed description of the models adopted by the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs is found in Chapter 5. In both programs, there is a strong commitment to evidence-based practice as a central onstruct for the curriculum and a natural partner for client-centered and problem-based principles. Conclusion Since their inception, the masters entry-level programs in occupational therapy and physiotherapy have presented opportunities to revisit our history and legacy in health sciences education. In order to reflect on the overall process, the general steps for curriculum design offered by Wiers et al. (2002) will be revisited (see Table 2. 2). Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 21 For us, the rationale for the curriculum was clear both from an internal and an external perspective, and the notion of forming a planning group was a natural approach to the task. Our profound commitment to involving our broad academic community was illustrated through the involvement of a wide range of individuals encompassing full-time, part-time, and sessional faculty members as well as members of the wider practice community. Such involvement was realized throughout the planning process and continues through such individuals’ representation on our Education, Curriculum and Admissions committees. The need to define clear general educational objectives for the curriculum was also recognized at a very early stage. We found that being able to determine the goals and directions from the outset served to facilitate the planning that followed. Assessing the educational needs of future students was assisted by our own knowledge concerning the entry-level competencies demanded by our professional regulatory colleges. Also, the connections we have with our practice communities and past graduates were invaluable in providing a background for determining the shifts necessary within the curriculum to fulfill practice expectations. Similarly, the same thoughtful reasoning was used to consider the differences of teaching and learning between undergraduate and graduate approaches to education. Applying general principles of problem-based learning to the curriculum was not a concern for us, given our long history of internalizing this philosophy. Specific difficulties arose when converting the undergraduate courses and assessment tools to the needs of a graduate program. Nevertheless, problem-based learning in many ways is a gift for this transition since it resembles closely the natural proclivities of graduate work – smaller groups, self-directedness, learner autonomy, and a degree of freedom to determine learning directions. Structuring the curriculum and creating a blueprint became different experiences for physiotherapy and occupational therapy. As mentioned previously, while the planning processes looked ostensibly similar, the manner in which the final curricular models were derived was very different (see Tables 2. 3 and 2. 4). However, after the master models were created, the processes for elaborating the blueprints and constructing study units were again very similar. Methods of student assessment tended to remain grounded in the familiar processes and tools that we had developed across our history with problem-based learning. However, as each curricular element emerged throughout the planning (e. g. , evidence-based practice, ethics, clinical skills, fieldwork) so did innovative ways to enhance the student assessment processes that were already strong. Details of these innovations will be discussed in the book chapters relating to these specific areas. Consideration of the educational organization and curriculum management model required particular attention since our lines of accountability had shifted, with the Table 2. 4. Physiotherapy curricular framework Unit 1 2 3 4 5 6 Content theme Fundamentals of physiotherapy practice Fundamentals of musculoskeletal practice Fundamentals of cardiorespiratory and neurological practice Advanced neurological practice Community practice Integrated practice and professional transition 22 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon 2 move to the School of Graduate Studies. Two slightly different models of governance emerged, with the Admissions Committee being the only shared group between physiotherapy and occupational therapy. However, both governance models reflect a central group responsible and accountable for curriculum and another group that oversees general program functioning. Curricular evaluation remains an ongoing responsibility and expectation. Chapter 13 provides a particular model for curriculum evaluation that was used by the occupational therapy program, the Program Logic Model. However, there are many ways in which faculty members can retain a clear image of what makes up a curriculum and what indicators are critical to evaluate for the success of the program overall. The three years of planning and launching the new curricula at McMaster University were years of extremely hard work, high energy and output. As we see each student cohort graduate, and receive feedback concerning our students and graduates in practice settings, we feel heartened that we appear to be on the right track. We know, however, that curriculum development is an ongoing process.

Key Performance Indicators

Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators are a tool to measure performance. This may be the performance of an organisation or an individual. In the case of an individual’s performance, KPI’s consist of, â€Å"a list of characteristics associated with effective or superior performance in a particular job role† (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010, 20). KPI’s clearly specify to employees what they are required to accomplish and how success will be measured. KPI’s will vary according to the specific roles and responsibilities of a position and the goals and objectives of an organisation.They are generally long-term with few changes made over an extended period of time (Reh, 2013). When writing KPI’s a range of key factors or competences considered essential to job performance should be taken into account. They should clearly explain what is to be done and how it will be quantifiably measured. In this way, an employee has something sp ecific to aim for and is able to track progress and monitor performance (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010). KPI’s should be: S – specific and conciseM – measureable A – ambitious (achievable yet challenging) R – related to overall department and enterprise goals T – time framed T – trackable or easily monitored (Cole, 2010) KPI’s enable individuals to determine how well they are performing and identify areas in need of improvement. This fosters individual accountability for performance and results. Overall, use of KPI’s ensures alignment between employees’ work and the goals and objectives of an organisation (Performance Management and KPIs, 2013). Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators are a tool to measure performance. This may be the performance of an organisation or an individual. In the case of an individual’s performance, KPI’s consist of, â€Å"a list of characteristics associated with effective or superior performance in a particular job role† (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010, 20). KPI’s clearly specify to employees what they are required to accomplish and how success will be measured. KPI’s will vary according to the specific roles and responsibilities of a position and the goals and objectives of an organisation.They are generally long-term with few changes made over an extended period of time (Reh, 2013). When writing KPI’s a range of key factors or competences considered essential to job performance should be taken into account. They should clearly explain what is to be done and how it will be quantifiably measured. In this way, an employee has something sp ecific to aim for and is able to track progress and monitor performance (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010). KPI’s should be: S – specific and conciseM – measureable A – ambitious (achievable yet challenging) R – related to overall department and enterprise goals T – time framed T – trackable or easily monitored (Cole, 2010) KPI’s enable individuals to determine how well they are performing and identify areas in need of improvement. This fosters individual accountability for performance and results. Overall, use of KPI’s ensures alignment between employees’ work and the goals and objectives of an organisation (Performance Management and KPIs, 2013). Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators are a tool to measure performance. This may be the performance of an organisation or an individual. In the case of an individual’s performance, KPI’s consist of, â€Å"a list of characteristics associated with effective or superior performance in a particular job role† (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010, 20). KPI’s clearly specify to employees what they are required to accomplish and how success will be measured. KPI’s will vary according to the specific roles and responsibilities of a position and the goals and objectives of an organisation.They are generally long-term with few changes made over an extended period of time (Reh, 2013). When writing KPI’s a range of key factors or competences considered essential to job performance should be taken into account. They should clearly explain what is to be done and how it will be quantifiably measured. In this way, an employee has something sp ecific to aim for and is able to track progress and monitor performance (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010). KPI’s should be: S – specific and conciseM – measureable A – ambitious (achievable yet challenging) R – related to overall department and enterprise goals T – time framed T – trackable or easily monitored (Cole, 2010) KPI’s enable individuals to determine how well they are performing and identify areas in need of improvement. This fosters individual accountability for performance and results. Overall, use of KPI’s ensures alignment between employees’ work and the goals and objectives of an organisation (Performance Management and KPIs, 2013).

Interpretation poem

Creative Interpretation Interpret one of the poems from the course In a new material form: visual, sculptural, audio, video, and/or digital. Successful creative interpretations will go beyond portraying the thematic content of the poem and represent its formal, historical, and/or material aspects as well. Demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the poem. Rate a meaningful and complex relationship between materiality and meaning. Show that significant thought and effort has been put into the project. Your interpretation should integrate the complete text of your poem into the project in some way so that your Interpretation could be understood by an audience that hasn't read the poem. Please note that a broadside does not meet the â€Å"significant thought and effort† requirements of this project. 2.Essay Write an essay of 900-1200 words that analyzes your chosen poem and articulates how your artistic choices in your creative interpretation respond to specific thematic, formal, h istorical, and/or material aspects of the poem. Successful essays will give relevant background information about the poem. Offer a thesis statement that clearly articulates how the creative interpretation uses material features to respond to the poem. Analyze specific aspects of the poem? quoting where appropriate?that are relevant to the project's artistic choices. Leary describe how the project uses specific material features to construct an Interpretation of the poem. Be written In a formal academic style. You can assume that your reader has seen your project, so you can focus on analyzing rather than describing it. You can use â€Å"l† in this essay to refer to your choices, but the essay should focus on the poem and the project rather than your pinions, beliefs, motivations, etc. Your creative interpretation will be due in person during our final class session on Wednesday, June 4 at 3:30.Your essay will be due online by Monday, June 9 at 3:mom. Please note: the poem yo u choose for this project must be different from the ones you choose for your micro-essay portfolio and your broadside. Final Project Grading Rubric Creative Interpretation poem, including relevant formal, historical, and/or material aspects. Execution. The choice of medium is fruitful for the project; specific material choices are interesting, meaningful, and effective. Effort. The project demonstrates a significant amount of thought and effort.Essay Poem Analysis. The essay offers a compelling analysis of the poem, focusing on aspects most relevant to the project and quoting where appropriate. Project Analysis. The essay analyzes specific material choices of the creative interpretation in detail. Organization & Writing. The essay has a clear organizational structure, including an introduction, paragraphs with topic sentences, transitions, and a conclusion; the essay uses formal academic prose conventions.

Evaluate Key Developments of the Cold War Essay

Evaluate Key Developments of the Cold War - Essay Example The race for nuclear arms capability dominated the 1950s and 1960s and it led to tension between these two countries, tension which translated to what is now known as the Cold War. This paper shall evaluate key developments of the Cold War from the Truman Administration through the Kennedy Administration. It will discuss whether or not the Cold War was actually inevitable. In addition, this paper will consider the domestic concerns in the United States during the 1950s, including McCarthyism, domesticity, and civil rights. The first part of this paper will present an overview of the Cold War. Secondly, major developments from Truman’s to Kennedy’s administration shall be presented. Thirdly, the inevitability of the Cold War will also be discussed. Lastly, an overall analysis and conclusion shall be established. Body Overview The post war era brought about a time where the US was starting to emerge as a superpower. It also presented a time where democratic principles wer e tested with various civil rights violations. At this point, the need to uphold these civil rights became an important part of American lives (Chafe, et.al., 2011). When the Second World War ended in 1945, journalist George Orwell used the term cold war in his essay â€Å"You and the Atomic bomb.† In his article, he believed that the world was now amidst a threat of a nuclear war, one which had the capability of obliterating human life on the planet (Orwell, 1945). He discussed how world politics seems to be founded on a view or belief prevailing in a state which was powerful and in a constant state of cold war with other countries (Orwell, 1945). Such ‘cold war’ was soon observed with Russia’s attitude towards Britain, including its empire. American economist Bernard Baruch was one of the first to refer to such cold war in relation to the US and the USSR (Gaddis, 2005). Soon enough, the term had a wider usage, especially with the release of Walter Lippma n’s book â€Å"The Cold War.† The USSR has not always been on ideal relations with its neighbors and with the US, mostly because of its socialist political platform (Gaddis, 2005). Although they were allies during the Second World War, it was only a temporary alliance, mostly borne out of the need for self-preservation. As soon as WWII ended however, the Soviet Union returned to its tense political relationship with Europe and the US (Gaddis, 2005). The possibility of gaining military might over other countries also became an added source of tension during the Cold War. Truman to Kennedy In 1947, President Harry Truman was advised to consider major policy changes in response to Russia’s efforts to gain political and military dominance (Chafe, 2003). America’s response was to adopt a containment policy with the primary goal of preventing the spread of communism (Friedman, 2007). Truman’s policy and decisions were all embodied under the Truman doctri ne, a doctrine which also condemned socialist and totalitarian power. Most of Europe was very supportive of Truman’s doctrine, however, some European and American communists being supported by the KGB adhered to the principles which the Soviet Union laid out (Friedman, 2007). In 1947, the US, Britain and France sought to establish an accord with the USSR on how best to handle a post-war Germany. The Marshall Plan was able to establish a working agreement among the countries, eventually dividing Germany and Berlin into four territories to be controlled by each ally (Gaddis, 2005).

Targeting Voters in the Digital Age Research Paper

Targeting Voters in the Digital Age - Research Paper Example Both Obama campaigns of 2008 and 2012 are mirrored images of how voters are targeted in the digital age through social media. A popular opinion is that while the Obama campaign lead because of high interaction with the public and through extensive incorporation of social media and other creative applications, others candidates did not quite manage to adequately engage in dialogue with their voters. The candidates usually go all the way through to make use of the communications technology in the present age to get in the good books of the voters they target which is different from how they used to seek votes in the past age when communications technology and social media were not as powerful as they are now. This research paper basically attempts to scrutinize with the help of research literature how the voters are reached in the digital age, how this digital mania influences campaigns, why the Obama campaigns led over others when delivering their message, and how this whole process i s different from the way campaigns operated some decades before. Like other daily tasks of life are positively influenced by digital technology for example, the ease of depositing bills with our smartphones and listening to the candidates’ speeches online whenever feasible, the political process has also tasted the exciting taste of the digital technology. Both elections of 2008 and 2012 mad extensive use of social media and while â€Å"in 2008, there were about 1.5 million election-related tweets, in 2012 there were 31 million† (Jeffers). It is worth appreciating how through different riveting digital applications the political process is brought into the 21st century and made all the more exciting and comfortable at the same time. The electoral process is made modernized by the digital age and both digital technology companies and political candidates are set out to further modernize this process through employment of latest technologies available. There are many vot ing applications out there in the market presently which allow voters to find the required information about their voters and cast their donations directly to their favorite candidates with one single tap on the touchscreen. According to NYC Votes, voting is a very important ritual and it is their responsibility to bring all facets of the electoral process into the digital age by introducing new applications (Vanhemert). NYC Votes for this purpose has introduced two new applications, mobile web app which is a contribution tool and allows the voters to cast their donations to the candidates and lets the latter collect all donations on their smartphones and Voter Engagement tool which enables voters to find all they want to about the candidates, make donations, and much more. These kinds of things make the political process of elections seem very different to how the candidates reached voters in the past age when nothing was so modernized and all tasks of the electoral process were pa infully time-consuming. Research shows that one of the main reasons Obama presidential campaigns led over those run by Mitt Romney was that people behind the Obama campaigns took the power of digital applications like Facebook and Twitter really seriously and used them to their advantage in any way they could. Social media should not only be considered a change in technology as it is really a change in the public’s tendency to communicate (Jeffers). Research claims that social media was a sure

Explain the Development and Relevance of System Development Life Essay - 1

Explain the Development and Relevance of System Development Life Cycles(IT) - Essay Example ign, implementation, and maintenance.   The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is also known as Information Systems Development or Application Development. Software concept, as the first step, is to identify the need for a new system. It consists of investigative study on whether a business impediment or opportunity exists; carry out a feasibility study to distinguish the cost effectiveness of the solution proposed. The method may employ IT professionals alone or confer with end-users who have the idea to enhance their work. The concept must go along with the organizations strategic plan to ensure compatibility with the overall strategic objectives of the company and must meet management expectations before any budget is allocated for its development. After doing the analysis and requirements fully identified, The IT personnel will perform architectural design and write the applicable specifications for hardware, software, people and data resources. The design must be submitted to the end-users for review to ensure that the design meets their need. The design will act as a blueprint of the new system that would help to identify and rectify flaws before building the final system. Assessed and conforming to the specified requirements, the IT personnel can now start building the final system. If the management decision is to purchase commercial software rather than developing a new customized application, the system development life cycle in most parts remains the same. Evaluation of off-the-shelf software and the process in purchasing the software will replace coding and debugging. Minor coding and debugging maybe required for optional system interface. This will link the existing system to the new system to enable communication between them. Another point to consider in SDLC is the equal importance of the planning stage. A good and precise planning will reduce errors in design stage and save a lot resources. A business and a project plan are formed during the

Critically examine the relationship between war and underdevelopment Coursework

Critically examine the relationship between war and underdevelopment - Coursework Example War has been characterised as an activity involving methodical physical violence and slaughter carried out for political purposes -- to achieve or prolong political power. Within this wide-ranging intention, specific groups also chase economic objectives which can become justifications for prolonging conflict beyond that point when political objectives appear viable (Stewart and Fitzgerald, 2000: 4). Likewise, war must be perceived as an authentic, deliberate and pervasive armed conflict between political communities. Plain awareness for war to erupt or existence of a collective contempt between political communities does not make conclusive indicators of war. Conflict of arms must be real and not merely suppressed; likewise, it must be both deliberate and extensive -- unrepeated collisions between military scoundrels cannot be considered acts of war. Essentially, the inception of war necessitates a premeditated commitment from parties involved considerable recruitment of men. Finally, there is no actual war until the â€Å"fighters intend to go to war† and until they execute such with a heavy quantum of force (Walzer, 1996: 95-112). Is war always regressive? Since war always has a high economic cost attached to it, is there a prudent and impartial manner to instigate such activity or is it all desperate, barbaric massacres? Does war have a role in the development of a nation? More importantly, is there a direct relationship between armed conflict and a nation’s economic underdevelopment? In recent decades, the world has witnessed the surfacing and intensification of an extensive array of fierce conflicts. Regardless of the motivations, brutal clashes are, more often than not, socially and culturally catastrophic, economically shattering and politically disastrous. In many cases, conflict is triggered by lack of development, whether economic, political, social or a

The Subjectivity of Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Subjectivity of Ethics - Essay Example How I view the world depends on my perspective, and there are as many perspectives as there are people. My perspective is a unique creature born of a combination of factors like where I was born (my cultural background), my personal experiences, my gender, my mental make-up and even my physical make-up. My perspective could definitely alter from time to time, and with it so could my ideas of what is right and what is wrong. However, since personal values do not change so fast, or are subject to change only if I experience a major transformation in my own life, we may say that personal ethics do not change - they evolve - over a period of time, in response to my maturing outlook on life. Since each person views the world differently, it is virtually impossible to have a uniform code of conduct for people. Since morality depends on beliefs, we would have to conclude that there are as many systems of morality as there are people upon this earth, as each person comes ensconced in his own cocoon of beliefs. However, even if ethicality and morality are subjective, there still are certain universal human values. There are some basic rules of conduct that are binding on all persons at all times. Let us try and identify some of these basic values, which are accepted across cultures, and over the centuries as necessary for the continuation of human life. They are respect for human life, respect for the person and basic dignity of a human being, and respecting certain mores of sexual conduct and behavior, to mention a few. There are circumstances where transgressing universal human values would not be wrong, and may even become necessary. Let us examine the afore-mentioned permanent human values. Respect for human life. In all cultures, in all ages, it has been agreed that human life should be treated with the utmost respect. Are there any circumstances where the taking of a human life is morally defensible Definitely, there are. If I am attacked, and the only way to protect myself is by counter attack, would not this counter attack be morally defensible Those who advocate pacifism of a Gandhian variety may not agree. But most others would. How about euthanasia - aiding someone to die Aiding someone who is terminally ill, suffering a lot, and is even perhaps old and has already lived a long and fulfilling life. I may speed that person on her way, out of love and compassion for her. Coming to another example - respect for human life is enshrined in the taboo against eating human flesh. Now suppose, jus t suppose someone is drifting on the ocean, or trapped somewhere with nothing to eat. Suppose he has a companion who dies, and he is left to battle for life against hunger and cold and the wilderness. Suppose that this person transgresses a fundamental human value, and actually eats the flesh of a dead companion to keep alive, would he be doing a wrong It is easy to discuss the rightness or the wrong of such actions, theoretically, and even denounce them. But going even for a day without food or drink is so difficult for most people, how can we judge what happens to a person when he is tested in extreme situations of hunger and deprivation, and pass judgment

Free Movement Of Person in EU ( EU LAW ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Free Movement Of Person in EU ( EU LAW ) - Essay Example cle 45 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) deals with free movement of workers this freedom of movement and residence is also available to the nationals of third countries as envisaged by the Treaty establishing European Community. It is the fundamental right of any one who is legally present in a State to move within the State and the right of residence in that State is but a logical extension of right of movement. The issue sought to be reviewed in this paper is whether the current liberal trend of right of freedom of movement can be reversed in the near future. The EU law on free movement of persons and allied rights which had been scattered on the various treaty provisions, secondary legislations was only recently consolidated into one Act. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) had always felt that rules regarding the free movement of persons in the EU had been narrowly drafted giving no room for the increasing demands of the enlarging Union. The ECJ in its judicial activism reflecting the EU’s objective of ensuring full mobility of persons has at times given decisions contradicting the treaty provisions. Originally, the ECJ had been concentrating on the narrow area of right of workers in regard to freedom of movement. After the introduction citizenship rights in the Union, the court is broadening its approach in safeguarding the rights of free movement of citizens thus resulting in land mark decisions relating to students’ rights, job-seekers and non-union family members. This culminated into the promulgation of Community dir ective 2004/381 which incorporated some of the important decisions of the ECJ in this area. To predict the trend of continuation of these rights, historical background and legal framework in this regards have to be reviewed. Article 2 of the EC envisages that the community should promote economic activities, a high level of employment and social protection, enhancing the standard of living and quality of

Case 8 Battle Of The Beers Beer Essay Example for Free

Case 8 Battle Of The Beers Beer Essay Introduction This case is about the intense battle between beer rivals in the United States, particularly between Anheuser-Busch (A-B), the world’s largest brewer, and SABMiller, the world’s second largest brewer. It discusses about how the companies used advertising in their brand positioning in order to compete with each other and increase the sales. This case starts by describing the strategies used by the both company when the battle began since the South African Breweries (SAB) purchased Miller Brewing Company in 2002. The 2 leading beer brewing companies uses different strategies to fight with each other in order to communicate how its beer differ from competition to draw in more consumers. First, Miller emphasized on the light beer, taking advantage of the health conscious trend where consumers were looking for low-carb beer by using comparative advertising campaign claiming that the Miller Lite has half the carbs than Bud Light. This prompted counteroffensives from A-B that mock Miller Lite’s low-carbs claims and challenge beer drinkers to choose on taste. To counter that, Miller then attack back by emphasizing also on the taste of the light beer. Things become worse when Miller also launched a new offensive campaign which lampooned Budweiser for its self-proclaimed title as â€Å"King of Beers† and Budweiser lashed back by labelled Miller Lite as â€Å"Queen of Carbs†. Miller filed a lawsuit against Budweiser asserting the false and misleading claims by Budweiser to Miller Light which will definitely affect the image of SABMiller. Then, Miller used blind taste tests and shifted to emphasizing taste and flavour instead of stuck with a carb positioning. In 2004, the companies used comparative advertising, where Miller launched new advertising campaign attacking Budweiser, and A-B also launched direct counterattack, and this made the battle become even more intense that others are being pulled into the fray. Television networks were refusing commercials on both sides because their unduly disparaging or appear to contain taste claims that are unsubstantiated and misleading. While Miller continue to press on the taste issue, A-B introduced a new product promoting as having no lingering aftertaste and also emphasizing the freshness of its beer. The battle between the 2 companies goes back and forth. Questions: 1. What attributes are most important in determining beer purchasing decisions? How does this vary by market segments? There are many important attributes that need to be considered in determining beer purchasing decisions. As described in the case, these includes taste, aroma, and appearance. (i) Taste/Flavour/Aroma Taste is the most important attribute in determining beer purchasing decisions as consumers buy beer for the taste. As evident in the case, Miller spent huge amounts on advertising the taste advantage they hold over Budweiser. They held blind taste tests where consumers were seen to choose Miller over Budweiser in the tests. Their success in providing good taste led to Miller recording a 2.6 % increase in sales volume in 2003 as consumers felt that Miller beers were better in taste. Aroma is extremely important to beer’s overall taste and it determines the purchase decision of a beer. The market segments that emphasize on aroma in their beer purchasing decision are mostly experienced beer drinkers. The repeat beer purchase will takes place when the taste of the beer suit the customers. Health-conscious consumers who are looking to reduce their carbohydrate intake might opt for beer which are less sugar. Consumers who give more preference to the aroma of beer might look for strong aroma beer or beer which suit his or her taste. Some market segments might prefer beer with no lingering aftertaste. (ii) Appearance The process of purchasing a beer begins with its visual appearance. Many people make hasty judgments of taste (food or beverage) based entirely on sight alone. In terms of beer appearance, what consumers looking for are colour, clarity, and head retention. Although one colour is not necessarily better than the others, and none indicates directly how the beer will taste, but many beer drinkers will just have their own preference and perception of beer colour. Also, if a beer can’t form a head, either it’s improperly carbonated or the vessel into which it’s poured is dirty. Many beer drinkers will most probably emphasize on the appearance of the beer and are obsessed with beer clarity; if the beer is not crystal clear, they would not drink it. Some markets segments might prefer darker beers like stouts whereas others might prefer lighter beers such as wheat beers. (iii) Price Many people judge or determine a product quality based on the price. This is also true for beer purchases, and is especially true for those non-experienced beer drinkers. Higher price could have one of two effects on consumer preference: it could cause the product to seem higher in quality, or it could make the product less desirable because of the extra expense. Although most of the time price may reflect the quality of the beer (higher quality, higher price, and vice versa), but this is not all the time. For those who are emphasize on the quality of the beer, they might probably prefer to buy the higher-priced beer. Higher-income beer drinkers also might choose the higher- priced beer which they perceived that the beer has higher quality. For those market segments who just drink beers for enjoyment for example peers gathering, they might just buy the cheaper beers. (iv). Brand name Brand is the most important non-sensory factors affecting consumers’ choice decisions of products. It seen as a promise, a guarantee or contract with the manufacturer and a symbolic mean and sign of quality. Beer drinkers will choose their beers based on their own beer brand preferences too. Researchers had found that ultrapremium beer was rated higher than inexpensive beer when brand names were unknown, hence shows that brand name do affect beer purchasing decision. In the market segments which earned a higher-income might prefer branded (usually higher-priced) beers. Younger generation might also choose those cheaper but well-known brand due to the exposure of the advertisements and they tend to follow the trend. 2. How would you construct a valid taste to determine beer buyers’ preferences? The methods used to construct a valid taste to determine beer buyer preferences based on different attributes would be as follows: Based on taste/flavour/aroma: Conduct blind-taste tests by providing the participants the cups of different beers to be tested which labelled A through E. Participants will be asked to taste each of the beers, and then spit out the beer into an empty glass. Between each beer taste, participants will rinse out their mouths with water to avoid cross-contamination among trials. After tasting all the beers, participants will rank order the five beers on the basis of the quality of their taste. Based on appearance: Conduct tests by providing the participants different beers with differences colour and level of clarity. For example by providing the participants different cups of beers with different colour and clarity labelled with A, B, C, D, and so forth without the acknowledge the participants what type or brand of the beers are. Differences in preferences across the samples will demonstrate whether consumers prefer one colour (eg. darker colour) than the others. The preference of beer based on the label colour, design, logo, or the shape of the packaging can be tested as well. Based on price: Conduct tests by providing the participants different selections of beer with different prices to assess whether consumers use price to disambiguate taste. For example, the beers selected varied in price, from $7. 99 per six-pack to $2. 69 per six-pack. The prices per six-pack were as follows: Brand A: $7. 99; Brand B: $5. 99; Brand C: $3. 99; Brand D: $3. 49; and Brand E: $2. 69. Participants will rank the different beers according to their own preferences and on the basis of their prior knowledge about these beers. Based on brand name: Conduct tests by providing the participants different selections of beer with different brand names. For example, different beer brands such as Anchor Steam, Samuel Adams, Budweiser, Miller Genuine Draft, and Schlitz will be provided to participants. Participants will be asked to rank the different beers according to their own preferences and on the basis of their prior knowledge about these beers. Conclusion: Consumers’ attitudes, beliefs, and feelings play important role in deciding if they are going to purchase the Anheuser-Busch or SABMiller beer brand such as Budweiser or Miller respectively. The beer marketers need to be able to identify the target markets’ shopping, purchase, spending, and consumption patterns in order to predict what consumers want from such product. Consumer intention acts as a helpful indicator to the types of marketing activities to carry so that they are able to attract the right market segment, thus leading to high profits. In conclusion, understanding consumer behaviour is significant because marketers want to attract the right consumers to purchase their brand.

Impact of Social Media on Youth and their Relations

Impact of Social Media on Youth and their Relations Introduction In todays modern era, complete with digitization and technological advancements, social media such as online networking sites have been successfully integrated into the everyday lives of almost every individual on the planet. Social media has embedded itself in the foreground of this digitized age and has defined its place by attracting people, both laymen and researchers, due to their increased affordability and reach. Since the introduction of these sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, these online worlds have become so popular among the newer generations that they have been completely integrated as a basic part of their everyday lives. This warrants the need that is commonly seen in todays youth, where checking the notifications or news on online social platforms has become as necessary and integral as buying groceries or going to school. To understand the way in which social networking sites affect personal relationships and offline social life of the youth in todays generation, we first need to understand the core aspect and defining features of social networking sites and online social media in general. According to Ellison Danah (211), social networking sites can be defined as online platforms that help individulas by allowing them to create a profile, which may be public or semi-public. This profile can then be used to construct a list of other users with whom they share some kind of relation or connection. They can further traverse through numerous lists and build their social profile by creating more connections and strengthening their network of interconnected profiles. Social networking sites can also be differentiated on the basis of some subtle nuances that separate one particular site from another. The most basic difference is on the basis of the social culture that a particular site creates among its use rs. Some sites encourage and enable the strengthening of pre-existing connections by empowering people to connect with their loved ones, such as friends and family, on a social platform. Other sites encourage interaction between strangers on the basis of common interests and influences. These sites provide a platform for discussion and sharing of points of similar interests between total strangers. On the other hand, social networking sites also differ on the basis of the audience that the site caters to. Some sites cater to a wid and diverse population of audiences, while others are restricted to individuals belonging to a certain cultural or racial background (Ellison and Danah 210). By listing the basic aspects that make up online social platforms, we can now proceed to analyze the various means by which these sites affect the interpersonal relations of youth in an offline scenario. This area of analysis can be approached by dwelling into the basic reasons due to which the youth join social networking sites in the first place. Areas of Impact Of Social Networking Sites There have been numerous questions which have been raised in terms of the adverse and detrimental effects which social networking sites have on interpersonal relationships of the youth in today’s world. The major question that has been gnawing at the conscience of researchers, scholars and laymen is whether social media is becoming more of a tool for limiting and degrading the lives of the youth instead of just being a public forum or platform of discussion. Some of the areas in which social media has a high degree of impact are enumerated below. Privacy of the Individual Since the advent of the age of social media and social networking sites, there is only a fine line of difference between the public and the private life of an individual. According to Das and Sahoo (223), following the upload of any type of image, video or any other type of information, an individual is not at the liberty to control the distribution and reach of hat particular piece of information. On one hand, the person can fine-tune the privacy settings of his/her profile in order to ensure unwanted exposure, but nevertheless, any piece of information that is shared on social media is shared with an unknown web administrator. In today’s modern era, any aspect of your personal information may be accessible to your employer, teacher, parents, friends, marketing firms and cyber criminals. According to a research conducted by Gross and Acquisti (7), A thorough analysis of the facebook profiles of 4000 students belonging to the Carnegie Mellon University found several loopholes and threats which had stemmed from the result of extensive posting of personal information on the social networking site. The study found that only a meagre 1.2 percent of students made the effort to change the default privacy settings if their online profiles on social networking sites. It has been seen that there is a vast array of personal information, such as first name and last name of the individual, personal image, date of birth, ZIP code etc, which can be easily used for estimating an individual’s social security number and other types of sensitive information such as medical history and so on. This vast reservoir of personal information is now being used as a tool to determine an individual’s eligibility for jobs by several employers. According to Mooney (120), assessment of the facebook profile of one of its potential employees by a consulting company in Chicago led to the revelation of several aspects of the candidate’s personal life, with increasingly noticeable references to marijuana, obsessive sex and misanthropic disposition. This assessment proved to be dear for the candidate as it resulted in complete rejection by the company. Psychological Dependence Due to increased usage of social networking sites and other forms of social media, there are several risks related to dependence and addiction that can arise due to the same. Extensive usage of social networking profiles cosiderably reduces everyday face to face interactions between people and draws people them towards the virtual world of relationships. Due to easy accessibility and the need for instant gratification that becomes inherent in an individual once he/she joins a social networking site, there is very high potential for addiction. The ease and convenience associated with approaching people on nline platforms is something which cannot be replicated in real life interactions between individuals. Due to this , more and more youth are drawn towards the idea of forming virtual relationships on online platforms. According to the The Economic Times, 53 percent of the people in US check their profiles on facebook immediately after getting out of bed. They have been reported sayin g that checking their respective social profiles and news feed on social netwroking sites is one of the most essential ways for them to know the morning news. Further surveys also reveal that about 35 percent of people in the US check their social networking profiles or accounts several times a day. It has been said that the advent of social media and social networking sites has made accessibility much more simpler and convenient in today’s world, making it much easier for people to connect with friends, families and strangers on an online platform, in order to discuss similar interests and several issues that plague the world today. On the other hand, the advent of digitization and the boom of social media prevalence has also become the cause of some of the major instances of social isolation ever recorded in the history of mankind. Due to the ease and convenience that social networking offers in terms of social relationships and the responsibilities associated with it, people are finding it more and more difficult to keep up social relationships in an offline mode of life. Individuals are more attracted towards the life and relationships which are prevalent on social online platforms and prefer to interact on these social networks than on a face to face basis with peopl e in everyday life. This can have several problems for people who may be faced with several anti-social feelings when asked to interact on an offline basis of life. It has been observed repeatedly that electronic media has been detrimental to the aspect of social interactions in everyday life, which has seen a huge fall since the advent of the former. Addiction to Social Networking Sites The phenomenon of addiction to social media and social networking sites is widespread and surpasses boundaries, race, ethnicity and cultural background. This aspect proves the fact that social media has in turn contributed to a large scale social isolation in all parts of the world. The addiction caused due to social media is directly related to the psychological dependence that people feel towards social online platforms. This widespread addiction disorder has been the cause of several discrepancies in terms of social relationships and responsibilities. It has in fact been the cause of a scenario where people are so immersed in their online and virtual social life that they do not have the time and patience to appreciate and introspect on the physical world around them. In certain advanced cases of addiction to social networking sites, chronic users of social networking sites loose all perspective about the physical world around them, making it increasingly difficult for them to pur sue social relationships in an offline scenario on a daily basis. An article in The Economic Times gives several references to the degrees of addiction which people exhibit towards social networking sites. As study found that individuals under the age of 25 were most likely to loose sleep over a particular post or discussion that is facilitated over a social online platform. Other interesting statistics which were garnered by the study include the finding that 17 percent would willingly check their social profiles during acts of sexual intimacy while 63 percent would do so in the toilet. Day to Day Relationships Social media and social networking sites were once thought to be the epitome of unity and integrity. The basic ideals behind social and electronic media was that these easily accessible forms of communication and information were a perfect way in which people around the world could connect to each other on the basis of similar interests and thought processes. Though most of the aforementioned principles and ideals have been implemented to a great extent due to the subsequent rise of social media, there have been several factors related to the same that have been the cause of social isolation and have resulted in the severing of numerous relationships all over the world. A survey was conducted by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), whose major finding revealed that Facebook was one of the major reasons behind one out of five divorces in the US. The survey further accentuated the fact that approximately 80 percent of divorce lawyers use the social networking profiles an d accounts of their clients and the other party in order to gather substantial evidence in case of infidelity. Extensive analysis of personal messages, images and online relationships which a person shares on an online networking site can be used as potential evidence in order to prove infidelity in a case. According to Grohol (1), there was an extensive survey conducted on 308 participants and their social networking profiles. The results of the survey estimated that a majority of the candidates, which amounted to about 74.6 percent of the total candidates present in the survey, were likely to add previous sexual partners or individuals with whom they shared personal and intimate relationships with as friends on social networking sites. This reinforces the fact that social media is being used as a platform to facilitate illicit sexual relationships and has become a sort of online dating portal or platform. This can be further lead to several complications and misunderstanding betwe en married partners if one (or both) of their friend lists contains their previous sexual partner or friend. Conclusion There is a good as well as a bad side to every aspect of our lives. The only thing that matters is how we choose to utilize these aspects and in what way we choose to approach them. Instead of being psychologically dependent on social networking sites and other forms of social media, we can limit our usage of online platforms in order to strengthen social bonds and to connect with people with similar interests and passions. There should be enough awareness among people in order to understand the various effects that psychological dependence on social media can have on interpersonal relationships on an everyday basis. People should strive to appreciate the physical world around them and give as much importance (if not more) to relationships and social responsibilities in an offline and face to face scenario. After all, it is not our Facebook profiles or status that defines us, it is the personality which we exhibit on an everyday basis in the physical world that gives us substance. Works Cited Das, B and J, S. Sahoo. Social Networking Sites- A Critical Analysis of Its Impact on Personal and Social Life. International Journal of Business and Social Science (2011): 222-228. Ellison, N, B and M, B. Danah. Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication (2007): 210-230. Grohol, J, M. Facebook reinforces relationship jealousy. 2014. psychcentral.com. Document. 15 August 2014. Gross, R and A. Acquisti. Information revelation and privacy in online social networks (the facebook case). Proceedings of the Acm workshop on privacy in the electronic society (wpes) (2005). Mooney, C. Online Social Networking. Gale Cengage Learning, 2009. The Economic Times. Peoples addiction to networking sites on rise: study. The Economic Times 25 March 2010.

Online Shopping Internet

Online Shopping Internet Have you ever tried buying your apparel or appliances thru internet? Online shopping is the process of purchasing and selling products or services over the internet. (Akary, 2005). It has gain popularity because of its convenience. There are some factors that are important in online shopping such as the security and the privacy of the consumers. Online shopping has replaced the traditional process of consumers buying goods from a retailer or mall that they must physically go into. (Akary, 2005). Online shopping is one aspect of electronic commerce. Online shopping is important because it offers buyers convenience that has never before been achievable. (Sneddon, 2004). The technology that is now available allows customers to shop on the internet 24 hours a day and seven days a week, without having to leave their homes or offices. Shoppers are provided with an abundance of merchant sites where almost any goods on earth can be bought. Consumers can also compare prices from a variety of different retailers with greater ease, compared to them physically going to shop in a built shopping centre to check prices. Online shopping popularity started in 1990, only few users are using the system. At the same time, the popularity of the Internet also grew at a phenomenal rate. Rifkin (2004, p. 34). History of online shopping and how it became famous will be discussed in the first part of this paper. The disadvantages and advantages of online shopping will be presented. The objective of this paper is to be able to present to the readers the pros and cons of on-line shopping. Another objective of the study is to evaluate the e-business that has been gaining the popularity. Most articles that I encounter about e-business presents one conclusion, that a company would not make it in the international market if they were not able to penetrate the online shopping. The paper will also discuss the complexity of the design. This will include the effectiveness and safety of the said design. The project aims to present a secured and protected online shopping. The main concern of the user of online shopping is their anonymity. Some website promised that they are being protected but actually they are not. This project will present the prototype design using the Multi-agent system (MAS). The MAS will make online shopping much more easily. Traditional shopping involves saleslady or agent that will assist you during your tour in the mall. The MAS will act as your guide in choosing the item you need. This will make online shopping much more convenient than traditional shopping. In the Literature review, the study done by Sinmao (1999) in the use of intelligent agent is discussed. The analyses done by Giles Malliford (2007) on the problems encountered by online shoppers are enumerated. He presented the reasons why shoppers abandoned their shopping carts. The shop.org (2007) shows the statistics of online users. The primary concern of the user is their security that is why utexas.edu presented the checklist to consider for making your online purchases as safe as possible: (www.utexas.edu). Also in the literature review the psychological effect of online shopping are discussed. (Smith, Swinyard, 2001). The benefits of online shopping are enumerated to help the user understand why such program is done. Disadvantages and advantages of using the internet in shopping will be discussed. At the end of this paper the reader will be able to decide whether they will choose to shop the traditional way or the online shopping History of Online Shopping Online shopping belongs to the so called e-commerce. It started in 1970 wherein invoices and orders are sent thru the internet. And then in 1980 the acceptance of credit cards and automated teller machine where accepted online. When dot com era arrived electronic commerce include activities termed as web commerce purchases of goods and services over the world wide web, in a secure connections with e-shopping carts and payment where done thru the use of credit card. Online shopping began in the early to mid 1990s. First online bank was opened in 1994 and Pizza Hut was the first to offer pizza online on their Web page. Further development of online shopping was done and later that year Netscape introduced SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) that make most transactions secure. In 1995 Jeff Bezos launched Amazon.com and in 1996, e-Bay was founded. By the end of 1997, an estimated 41 million people were shopping online. (Kary, 2005). 1999 saw the UKs first graphical Internet shopping mall called The Virtual Mall. In 2003, Amazon.com became the first ever full-year profit online shopping merchant. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Shop). From here the online shopping has become popular. Now dresses, foods, medicines and others can be purchased online. Safety of the customer is important even in the early years of online shopping. Netscape SSL purpose is to secure the identity of their customer to prevent cyber crime which is common in transactions involving ones identity in the internet. It has been the medium of transaction of businesses. The future is now pointing its direction to new technologies. Literature Review Several studies are involved in online shopping. The use of an intelligent agent is important in e-commerce specially in online shopping. (Sinmao, 1999). Intelligent agents are a major evolution toward solving this difficult problem.   Intelligent agents empower both buyers and sellers to accomplish e-commerce transactions by enabling efficient, precise, and comprehensive searches on the vast web community and information repository. . (Sinmao, 1999). Intelligent agents are software applications that have a predefined knowledge base and/or learning system about their users goals and wishes and, through adaptive reasoning, use this information to execute their users request. The continuum of intelligent agents may be characterized along three dimensions:   agency, intelligence, and mobility. In Appendix 1 the three dimensions of intelligent agents are presented to show how intelligent agents work on online shopping. Statistics (Table 1) shows the problems encountered during the first year of online shopping. Since online shopping during the first years is not yet fully developed problems are piling up. These problems were being resolved as the year goes by. Studies and reaches were done to enhance and improve the e-commerce. Table below shows problems encountered by Canada during the earlier years of online shopping. Table 1 Stat Source Date Around 21 percent of Canadians sited comparison-shopping as the main reason for online cart abandonment, while 17 percent reported that high shipping costs were a cause for aborting their purchases. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 40 percent of Internet users in Canada report that they abandoned at least one shopping cart on a Canadian retail website during a three month period in early 2002. The findings also found that for every purchase Canadians made online, another was not completed. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 Although Canadians spent CAD2 billion (USD1.2 billion) at retail websites during the first half of 2002, many online shoppers abandoned their carts due to poorly designed sites, shipping costs, and privacy concerns. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 2.2 million Canadian households spent close to CAD2 billion (USD1.27 billion) on online shopping in 2001. In 2000, 1.5 million households spent CAD1.5 billion shopping on the Internet. Canadian households placed a total of 13.4 million orders over the Internet in 2001, up from 9.1 million in 2000. Statistics Canada 09/18/2002 Source: http://www.shop.org/learn/stats_intshop_canada.asp In the study done by shop.org, 2007 online sales (including travel) rises 18 percent to $259.1 billion. Sales excluding travel will reach $174.5 billion. This strong growth will come off of an impressive performance in 2006. Online sales last year rose 25 percent to $219.9 billion. Excluding travel, online retail sales rose 29 percent to $146.5 billion, representing six percent of total retail sales in 2006. ( Grannis, Davis, 2007). According to Mulpuru, Sucharita, (2007) senior analyst of Forrester Research, online retail is moving full speed ahead, the consumers flood the web to purchase merchandise and research products. This strong growth is an indicator that online retail is years away from reaching a point of saturation. The profitability through the sector has stabilized, this is a good indication that e-commerce is gaining success. The study done by shop.org and Forrester shows the following profitability result: Eighty-three percent of respondents to the survey reported profitability and 78 percent said they were more profitable than 2005. Profit as a percentage of revenue did not change, the report notes, because revenue and expenses grew as well. In the article â€Å"The Top 10 Reasons Why Online Buyers Abandon Their Shopping Cart† by Miles Galliford (2007), he mentioned the reasons why shopping carts are being abandon by shoppers. Research undertaken by MarketingSherpa (www.marketingsherpa.com) and E-Tailing in 2006 discovered that average abandonment rates were 60% and 47% respectively. This means that the average commercial website is losing as much as half of  its potential revenue. (Galliford, 2007). Based on the article the reasons why they abandon their cart during online shopping: Hidden charges at the checkout Having to register before buying The buyer was comparison shopping and found a better deal The shipping costs were too high The buyer didnt have time to complete the checkout process The product was out of stock There were no clear delivery details No phone number was provided The checkout process was too long The buyer was uncomfortable with the checkout process From the above reasons it seems that online shopping is not yet perfected. That is why study and researches are being done to satisfy the customer. Among other studies done on online shopping includes one that provides several tips on how to make sure that the web site you are purchasing your items are secured. One of the main concerns of the shopper is their security. That is why most of the website offering online shopping states that security is their main concern. However there are some websites that does not really have a security program. As a result of this the data of the customer is easily accessible by others. This is where cyber crime takes place. In order to ensure that you are on a safe website below is the checklist to consider for making your online purchases as safe as possible: (www.utexas.edu). Only shop at online stores of reputable companies (companies you already know from retail stores, mail order catalogs or other sources). Know how to contact them offline if there is a problem with your purchase. If you are unsure of the company, do a little research with the Better Business Bureau. Secure your Web browser. Check the security settings of your Web browser to increase the security of your transactions. Check for security icons before giving your personal information. Before you type in your credit card number or name and address, check for security icons on the Web site. This includes looking for â€Å"https† in the Web address or URL. Https indicates the Web site is equipped with an additional security layer. If its not there, the site or page is not secure. Create unique passwords. Dont use the same password for all of your online accounts and applications. If you do this, you risk having all of your accounts compromised if only one account is breached. Remember to never use your university passwords for other online accounts. Dont enable the â€Å"Save Password† option if prompted to do so. If you are using a shared computer, pre-saved passwords will make it easy for others to access your accounts. Use only one dedicated credit card for online purchases. Monitor your monthly statements closely for any unusual activity. Dont use a debit card for online purchases. You are more protected using a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit card companies offer some degree of fraud protection and may be able to reverse charges to your account. Check the Web sites privacy policy. Only shop with online stores offering privacy policies that you agree with. They should provide information about how they will protect your personal information and whether it will be provided to other companies. Always log out of a Web site when you are through. Again, this will protect your accounts on a shared computer. Review your monthly credit card and bank statements. Check for any unauthorized purchases or errors. Notify your bank or credit card company immediately if you suspect someone is using your accounts without your permission. Because of these threats on online shopping, the enhancements of websites are being done to ensure that every single person and data is protected. In the study done by IBM and BYU (Professor William R. Swinyard and Professor Scott M. Smith) online shopping reveals attitude and lifestyle of the user. (2001). The attitudinal study of 4000 Web users reveals the shopping behaviour of eight online consumer types and which types would respond to marketing efforts designed to increase e-commerce sales. The study also suggests what form those efforts should take. Heres how each group looks and how Swinyard and Smith think they should be approached: With 11.1 percent of the market share, Shopping Lovers enjoy buying online and do so frequently. They are competent computer users and will likely continue their shopping habits. They also spread the word to others about joys of online shopping whenever they have the opportunity. They represent an ideal target for retailers. Adventurous Explorers (8.9 percent) are a small segment that presents a large opportunity. They require little special attention by Internet vendors because they believe online shopping is fun. They are likely the opinion leaders for all things online. Retailers should nurture and cultivate them to be online community builders and shopping advocates. Suspicious Learners (9.6 percent) comprise another small segment with growth potential. Their reluctance to purchase online more often hinges on their lack of computer training, but they are open to new ways of doing things. In contrast to more fearful segments, they dont have a problem giving a computer their credit card number. Further guidance and training would help coax them into online buying. Among the most computer literate, Business Users (12.4 percent) use the Internet primarily for business purposes. They take a serious interest in what it can do for their professional life. They dont view online shopping as novel and arent usually champions of the practice. Fearful Browsers (10.7 percent) are on the cusp of buying online. They are capable Internet and computer users, spending a good deal of time window shopping. They could become a significant buying group if their fears about credit card security, shipping charges and buying products sight unseen were overcome. Shopping Avoiders (15.6 percent) have an appealing income level, but their values make them a poor target for online retailers. They dont like to wait for products to be shipped to them, and they like seeing merchandise in person before buying. They have online shopping issues that retailers will not easily be able to overcome. Technology Muddlers (19.6 percent) face large computer literacy hurdles. They spend less time than any other segment online and show little excitement about increasing their online comfort level. They are not an attractive market for online retailers. Fun Seekers (12.1 percent) are the least wealthy and least educated market segment. They see entertainment value in the Internet, but buying things online frightens them. Although security and privacy issues might be overcome, the spending power of the segment suggests that only a marginal long-term payback would be possible In the study done by KCB336 New Media Technologies students, they have come up on reasons why many people are still hesitant in using online shopping. Their study resulted in 69% of internet shoppers felt that online retailers should do more to make them feel secure, yet only 15% reported to know others who had experienced credit card misuse advocated her trust for online shopping when she claimed. Because of the concern of the customer in the security measures, retailers employ a number of security measures, including cryptogrpahy and authentication to help the online transactions safe. Cryptography can provide authentication and integrity for electronic transmissions if properly implemented. Authentication is defined as goal of knowing that a particular user is authorized to take an action. Personal identification numbers (PIN) and passwords are the most widespread types of authentication. Based also on the study done by the New Media Technology (2004), another key issue aside from the security is the privacy. To further ease customer apprehension, many online retailers provide privacy statements which state their stance on sharing customer information with other businesses. Many companies stated that they did not share customer details. In addition to this, online retailers also employ cryptography to ensure that computer hackers cannot easily obtain any stored personal information that companies keep regarding their customers. Some companies only installed privacy and security measures after problems had occurred. Their lack of preventative methods was attributed towards the difficulty of implementing security measures, the high costs associated with these measures, and the continual need to update programs as new technologies and threats emerged. Internet-based transactions expect to make up 25 percent of all retail transactions in the next decade according to the study done by the New Media Technology (2004), therefore it is imperative for online retailers to continue to provide a secure, private and trustworthy shopping environment for their customers. Those who can best provide this climate for online shoppers will be the retailers who attract the most customers, and ultimately enjoy the most profits. According to Changchit, Douthit, and Hoffmeyer (2005), the success of online businesses relies heavily upon their ability to attract and retain customers. The better an online business understands the needs of these shoppers, the higher the chance that they can attract and retain customers. Their study includes factors that are important for the consumers. A study compared the experiences that customers have at a brick-and-mortar store versus online shopping. A main difference in the two experiences is that traditional storefronts are able to provide customers with the immediate sensory experience of touching and feeling proffered products whereas online storefronts are more limited in offering physical experiences with their products. Internet customers may have the visual experience of seeing what they are interested in purchasing. They are limited in their ability to touch or feel the merchandise until after delivery. The lack of the physical experiences touching and feeling avail able in traditional brick-and-mortar storefronts may be a reason why an online business has not risen to the level that some thought possible in the early 1990s. To overcome this obstacle, online businesses need to focus on satisfiers outside physical experiences with products. They need to convince customers that touching and feeling the merchandise are less important than what they can offer via an online shopping. This study intends to explore which factors are perceived as important to online customers when shopping on the Internet. (Changchit, Douthit, and Hoffmeyer 2005). Presented in table 3 below are the demographics of online user. The most common user of online shopping belongs to the Caucasian (4.9%) group with ages ranging form 22-25 years old (31.7%). Table 4 shows the factors that are important on online shoppers. TABLE 2: SUBJECTS DEMOGRAPHICS Age (in years) Under 18 18-21 22-25 26-30 31-35 Over 35 0 % 16 (15.8%) 32 (31.7%) 16 (15.8%) 13 (12.9%) 21 (20.8%) Nationality Ethnicity African Asian American Caucasian Hispanic Other 8 (8.2%) 7 (7.1%) 46 (46.9%) 32 (32.7%) 5 (5.1%) Annual Income (US$) >10K-30K >30K-50K >50K-70K >70K-90K >90K 22 (22.5%) 17 (17.4%) 26 (26.5%) 12 (12.2%) 6 (6.1%) 15 (15.3%) Highest Education High School 1-3 year college Associate Bachelor Master Doctorate 7 (7.1%) 18 (18.4%) 10 (10.2%) 38 (38.8%) 20 (20.4%) 5 (5.1%) Own a Computer Desktop Laptop 82 (83.7%) 59(60.2%) Employment Status Unemployed Full Time Part Time 12(12.2%) 58(59.2%) 28(25.6%) Marital Status Single Married Widow Divorce 60(61.2%) 38(38.8%) 0(0%) 0(0%) Source: Changchit,   Shawn J. Douthit,   Benjamin Hoffmeyer (2005) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0OGT/is_3_5/ai_n16619676/pg_6 TABLE 3: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO VISIT A WEBSITE I will visit the website more often if . Average 1. a picture of the product is displayed 5.85 2. the website offers free shipping 5.76 3. it is easy to return the products 5.51 4. the website accuracy of the order is high 5.42 5. the website has a brand reputation 5.41 TABLE 4: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE FROM A WEBSITE I am more likely to purchase products/ Average services from the website if . 1. the website offers free shipping 5.86 2. the website offers a discount 5.79 3. it is easy to return the products 5.74 4. a picture of the product is displayed 5.70 5. the website offers tax free shopping 5.51 TABLE 5: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE MORE ITEMS I will purchase more items if . Average 1. the website offers a discount 5.71 2. the website offers free shopping 5.67 3. it is easy to return the products 5.64 4. a picture of the product is displayed 5.59 5. I received tax free shopping. 5.57 TABLE 6: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE AT A HIGHER PRICE I am willing to pay more if . Average 1. the website offers free shipping 5.20 2. if the item is not available offline 5.14 3. if I can t the product out before-paying 5.10 4. if offered tax free shopping 5.05 5. if the website offers next day shipping 4.94 TABLE 7: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACKS I would provide feedback on my shopping Average experience for 1. free shipping 5.61 2. discount 5.41 3. gift card 5.32 4. product sample 5.17 5. discount coupon 5.09 Disadvantages and Advantages of Online shopping Online shopping has its own set of disadvantages and advantages. Not all online shoppers agree to shop online, they would rather shop at the mall than sit in their living room and search for the item they want. As presented on the first report the following are the disadvantages and advantages of online shopping: Table 3 Advantages and Disadvantages On line shopping Traditional Shopping Time Unlimited you can purchase online anytime you want. No closing and opening hours You can shop at limited time only. Availability One will be able to know right away if the item is