Motivation & behaviour Essay

Motivation is seen as an internal state of an organism that drives it to behave in a certain way. The behaviour is seen to be goal directed. The clearest examples of this can be derived from the studies made by Cannon. Cannon (1932) developed a primary or physiological drive theory. This theory is associated with the concept of homeostasis, a term used to describe the stable equilibrium of body systems. Claude Bernard (1956) was the first to emphasis the importance of a constant internal environment to survival. The internal environment of the body consists of such systems as the oxygen content of the blood, the concentration of nutrients such as glucose, the water balance and temperature. All of these systems can only fluctuate within narrow limits if health or even survival is to be maintained. As a system fluctuates from its stable state for reasons such as if we go out in the cold or use up a lot of energy, the body tries to restore homeostatic equilibrium through physiological and behavioural mechanisms. For instance if we have not eaten for a while, we develop a body tissue need for food. This leads to a drive to eat, and eating reduces the drive and restores homeostasis. This sequence is a simple example of behaviour motivated by a primary physiological drive aroused by a tissue need, and the whole class of motivated behaviours is represented by these homeostatic primary drives. Cannon’s drive theory has been developed to explain more complicated behaviours. In these models the behaviour is driven by an internal state of need. For example we go to work to earn money, which in turn buys us food, which satisfies our tissue need. The simple picture of a tissue deficiency leading to a specific need, which in turn arouses appropriate behaviour, is very appealing and many experiments have been carried out to see if this is the case. However, most of these studies have been carried out on non-human animals. Therefore this area of study could be criticised for being unrepresentative and ridged. Some behaviours such as why rats eat saccharin cannot be explained by this model, as saccharin is a not a nutritious, but sweet tasting substance, which does not satisfy a primary tissue need. Humans lead full and complex lives; some researches believe that our motivated behaviour cannot be compared to that of a non-human animal. In the past motivation has been divided up into extrinsic and intrinsic motives. With extrinsic motives you can identify a clear reward or incentive or reinforcement for the behaviour. Behaviourists have shown that almost any behaviour can be learnt on the basis of a reward. Other behaviours seem to have no obvious external reward and these are referred to as intrinsic motives. Humans have many behaviours without a strong link to physiology such as curiosity and manipulation. However these drives are simply descriptions of the behaviour so in theory anyone could make up there own set of motives. Murray (1938) used his Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) to provide a more reliable set of motives. TAT consists of 20 pictures of people in various situations. The participant is asked to use their imagination to write a story about each picture. The stories are then analysed in terms of the types of motivation represented. From these analyses, Murray produces a set of 20 social motives, or psychogenic needs. These include achievement, affiliation, aggression, deference, nurturance, play, and understanding. Murray’s list sounds convincing and is based on the TAT. However this itself is a projective test and relies on Murray’s own analysis. McClelland (1961) supported Murray’s motives. By using a rating scale, he measured achievement imagery in the stories that children write. McClelland’s work has given achievement more validity as one of the central human motives. However, McClelland’s work is not representative of the whole as it only takes into account children. Other motives in Murray’s list have not been studied in great detail and so lack a degree of validity.

AT&T Case Study Essay

1. Introduction In this report we will identify business risk that AT&T experienced due to their divestiture in 1982. We will conduct our analysis based on financial concepts, and finally recommend necessary actions that should have been conducted when the company formulated its financial policy in 1983. 2. AT&T Background AT&T was founded in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell. Prior to the divestiture AT&T had been a force to be reckoned with for over a century within the telephone service industry. Before the divestiture the company served over 80% of the US telecommunications users. The sale of these services took place at their 22 local subsidiaries. AT&T was the largest enterprise in the world with total assets of $137.8 billion and revenue of $58.1 billion. Given the size of the company they had hired a total of 1,060,378 workers. With a total number of 3,055,495 shareholders, where 95.3% held less than 600 shares each. Ever since 1885 AT&T had continued to pay its dividend to the shareholders, they never lowered the payment. The divestiture that AT&T experienced was a result of an agreement of the Justice Department’s antitrust suit against the company in 1982, which required a major rearrangement of AT&T’s capital structure. The agreement lead to several changes in the structure of the company, and one major change that had a significant impact on the company was how they managed their distribution channels. Prior to the divestiture they sold their services through their 22 local telephone subsidiaries, the company would now be spun off into seven independent regional corporations; NYNEX, (N.Y. Telephone and New England Telephone), Bell Atlantic (N.J. Bell, Bell of Pennsylvania, Diamond State Telephone and four Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Companies), Bell South (South Central Bell and Southern Bell), Ameritech (Indiana Bell, Michigan Bell, Illinois Bell, Wisconsin Bell and Ohio Bell), U.S. West (Mountain Bell, Pacific Northwest Bell and Northwestern Bell), Southwestern Bell (Southwestern Bell) and Pacific Telesis (Pacific Telephone, Nevada Bell). 3. Historical Financial Policy AT&T’s overall financial policy, including target debt ratio and interest coverage, was designed to maintain an AAA bond rating, which allowed them to reduce borrowing cost and in addition make sure that funds were available in periods of severe financial dislocation. The dividend policy was relatively conservative for a utility with a target payout ratio of 60% and an actual payout of 58-67%. Their low payout ratio was determined by AT&T’s large capital requirements and the desire to provide some protection for maintaining the stability of dividends. Stockholders reinvested approximately one third of the dividends. Due to the increased competition and the volatile regulatory climate, AT&T returned to a more conservative financial policy. Between late 1970 and 1980 the managers were reluctant to issue more equity through sales of stocks because the company’s market value was below its book value per share. However, the financial history shows that AT&T allowed in vestors to purchase new stocks using their current dividends at 95% of current market price. 4. Principal Problem AT&T’s principal problem was not the need to raise funds to finance investments, but whether the debt and equity ratios were appropriate for the â€Å"new† AT&T. This needs to correspond with the company’s financial and strategic goals, and be adapted to the market and uncertainties that the company is facing. AT&T’s strategic goal has been to please the potential stockholders categorized as widows and orphans. Widows and orphans are used to describe stocks with a relatively high degree of safety and a stable dividend income. Due to changes in the market and uncertainties that the company was facing, their strategic goals needed to be changed. The change  was however not reflected in their balance sheet. We will further discuss what led to this situation, and give a recommendation on the changes that should have been made prior to the divestiture in 1984. 5. Pre Divestiture Business Risk As a consequence of the governments intervention, the AT&T lawsuit settlement, as well as the shift in the telecommunication industry, it was clear that AT&Ts local telecommunication business was slowly moving away from a monopoly franchise environment. It was moving towards a more competitive environment characterized with more consumer choice and greater competition. Companies such as IBM saw the divestiture of AT&T as an opportunity to provide new telecommunication equipment and services, which would allow them to gain a higher market share. AT&T’s stock had up till then been regarded as a stable utility-type stock because of its steady growth and consistent dividend yield. However, AT&T should have kept in mind that they would not have as much market control in the future as they did prior the divestiture, much due to the intensifying competition and regulatory environment changes. Firstly, the antitrust lawsuit followed by a sudden divestiture could cause uncertainties to wards the company’s future and might change the shareholders perception of AT&T in an unfortunate way. Second, the seven new corporations would be highly independent, and therefore a major rearrangement of the capital structure would be vital. It is likely that every corporation would differ in terms of e.g. management style and financial performance. These changes could mean that AT&Ts reputation of being a safe and profitable investment could shift to become more volatile and riskier for its shareholders. Finally, AT&T had relied for a long time on their old and out-dated patents, which included old machinery, equipment and plants in order to create profit. As more and more competitors emerged with new technologies and services, AT&T needed to keep up with all changes in the market. As a result of the divestiture the R&D was reduced at Bell Laboratories and the development-part was eventually intergraded into the Western Electric division. After these changes many concerns arose relating to the future profitability of Western Electric (WE). Firstly, they were concerned that WE might not be able to attain marketing and product development skills that were vital in operating in the  newly competitive markets. The main reason for this is that the workforce was used to working in a captive market, where competitors were almost non-existent. Secondly, WE’s manufacturing labor force had become unionized at the same time, as their plants were old. This meant that WE would have to invest in R&D to make sure that their competitors did not exceed them. Their unionized workforce would lead to a considerable increase in salary and WE would have to follow the regulations that were set by the labor union. As a consequence these factors would most likely affect both the firm’s market share and eventually the stock price in a negative way. 6. Analysis and Recommendation 6.1 The New Capital Structure Spin-offs often provide a unique setting to assess various capital structures, because one observes the initial capital structure of a mature firm. In a spin-off, a subsidiary is fully divested from a parent and becomes a stand-alone entity. Before this happens, the subsidiary is not able to issue new equity, and is dependent on the parent to finance its capital investments. When the divestiture has occurred, the firm’s assets are divided between the subsidiaries followed by a new capital structure of the independent firms. The total outstanding debt would be assumed divided between the seven regional operating companies, hence the sharply reduced total debt that is projected in the 1984 balance sheet. There is also reason to believe that AT&T chose to reduce $725 million of their total outstanding debt in 1982, which lead to the reduction in the debt ratio the same year. When looking at the projected balance sheet one can see that the total debt would be stable at the sum of $9.3 billion from 1983 to 1988, which equals a decrease of $37.8 billon from 1982. However, due to tax deduction the cost of issuing new debt is lower than using equity. This would mean that AT&T should issue new debt in order to create a balance when financing the investment in R&D, and rather use more of the company’s equity to set up an account with emergency funds that will function as a safety net given the unpredictable times ahead. 6.2 The New Distribution Policy When establishing a distribution policy, one size does not fit all. Some  firms produce a lot of cash but have limited investment opportunities. This applies for firms in profitable and mature industries where few opportunities for growth exist. Such firms typically distribute a large percentage of their cash to shareholders, thereby attracting investment clienteles that prefer high dividends. AT&T was in such an industry, but after the removal of the monopoly, the market became more volatile. During periods of market volatility, there are investment opportunities if you know where to look. In such markets the firms generally distribute little or no cash but enjoy rising earnings and stock prices, and thereby attracting investors who prefer capital gains. AT&T should have adapted to the changes in the market, which required more financial flexibility and a stronger balance sheet. A ‘strong’ balance sheet should consist of liabilities that are considerably outweighed by assets. If a company is having problems, the balance sheet (together with the cash flow statement) will tell you whether it can stand the strain. 6.2.1 Dividend Pay-out As mentioned above, AT&T has had a steady increase in dividends payout until the announcement of the divestiture in 1982. The company decided to reevaluate the amount of dividends and keep it steady at $5.40 per share. AT&T had been a market leader in this industry for a long time, yet their equipment and patents were old, as they had not invested in R&D development. In order for AT&T to have a stronger balance sheet and become more financial flexible in the face of the divestiture, AT&T should have cut their dividend payout much earlier. The company might have been afraid to cut the dividend since this often gives a signaling effect that the firm does not expect high earnings in the future. However, given that AT&T was forced into this divestiture, changes had to be made. An alternative measure could therefore have been to make a change in the dividend policy. This could be seen as a risky move, yet if communicated in an appropriate and thoughtful way the shareholders might understa nd that this was necessary for the company’s future growth. Another supporting factor is that approximately one third of the dividends payout were reinvested by AT&Ts stockholders, which shows that the current dividend payout was not very essential to some of the shareholders. 6.2.2 Repurchase of Stock The firm should also have repurchased stock some years after the dividend cut, to bolster the share price. Repurchase have a tax advantage over dividends as a way to distribute income to stockholders. Repurchase provides cash to stockholders who want cash while allowing those who do not need current cash. Moreover, repurchase announcements are viewed as positive signals by investors because the repurchase is often motivated by management’s belief that the firms shares are undervalued. Finally, repurchases is a effective way to produce large-scale changes in capital structures. 6.3 New Investment Plan The company should at the same time start looking for new possibilities and investments in order to overcome these volatile times. An alternative could have been to invest in R&D e.g. by acquiring a small company with the knowledge and expertise that were required in order to compete and be sustainable in the industry. By doing so they would expand their workforce with people who had more knowledge about the newer technology and therefore been better equipped when facing the challenges ahead. Not only would this allow AT&T to gain more human capital, but they would also gain newer equipment. It is also said that more good investments will most likely lead to a lower dividend payout, which supports our recommendation of changing the dividend policy. 6.4 Maintaining a Top-Level Credit Rating AT&T’s overall financial policy, including target debt ratio and interest coverage, was designed to maintain an AAA bond rating, which allowed them to reduce borrowing cost and in addition make sure that funds were available in periods of severe financial dislocation. As mentioned earlier AT&T worked hard to maintain the AAA rating, both through debt ratio and interest coverage. Although it should be noted that AT&T’s debt ratio of 43% was close to fall under the AA ratings. This would have resulted in an increase in average interest cost of 0.7% equal an expenditure of $335.3 million in borrowing cost. Based on this one can conclude that this was a wise decision given the circumstances, and the company should therefore keep their focus on this in the future. A top-level credit ranking will not only give AT&T better conditions when issuing new debt, but also allow them to emerge as a more attractive investment to current and potential new shareholders. Conclusion Due to the antitrust lawsuit and the shift in the telecommunication industry, AT&T needed to adjust their financial and organizational strategy in order to adapt to the changing environment. The main purpose of this report has been to identify the risk involved with the divestiture, and find ways to face the challenges ahead. The report recommends a new capital structure policy, where AT&T should issue new debt for further investments rather than using equity. For the distribution policy, dividends should be cut and thereafter consider repurchasing stocks. Furthermore, the company should invest in a R&D through an acquisition of a small high-technology firm that will enable them to gain knowledge and be more innovative. Finally, AT&T should seek to maintain a top-level credit rating to reduce borrowing costs, to assure better conditions when issuing debt and last but not least to be a preferred firm for investors.

FITT principle Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

FITT principle - Assignment Example Cardiovascular fitness however, involves activities like walking, biking, skating, jogging as well as rowing. These activities in turns strengthen the heart and lungs of human being and hence; the muscles become more efficient due to availability of enough oxygen. In addition, the activities involved during cardiovascular fitness increases the amount of blood pumped per heartbeat hence; lowering resting heart rate up to an average of 72 BPM. Normal functioning and working of the heart depends on the resting heart rate and when it is low it enable the heart to function well and that why Cardiovascular fitness becomes an essential component of life (Dennis, McCully and Juris, 13-19.). Nevertheless, during cardiovascular fitness process, Aerobics which is an exercise under the process results into long term activity usually termed as cardiovascular endurance. This term is also known as cardio-respiratory endurance and it is the ability of the body of a human being is able to work continuously for a given absolute time frame. The practitioners however, have availed that cardio-respiratory endurance increases ones chances of living longer here on earth since it is a channel of healthier life. In addition, when one fails to engage into cardiovascular fitness, he or she may be affected by cardiovascular diseases such as type2 diabetes and obesity. In adhering to the health principle, one needs to understand the importance of FITT principles which brings about benefits to the health of your heart. The table below illustrates different FITT principles that give us an overview as far as the issue of body health is concerned. It is standardized that maximum cardiovascular benefits are accomplished when one engages into an exercise three to five times per week. This leads to improvement of general fitness but at times one may be engaged

Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Nursing research - Essay Example In line with this, the role of determining the quality of care provided by nurses is dependent on the quality of education that nurse educators provided to nurses. Hence, the rewards and the benefits arrive once trained nurses engage in practice using evidence from research, which they were taught by nurse educators. On the other hand, nurse educators benefit from the wealth of information that they gain while teaching and preparing nurses for practice. The nursing practices, just like many other professions, rely on knowledge from research in order to develop solutions to problems during practice. In line with this, it is crucial to point out that nursing is increasingly relying on evidence-based practice in order to provide care that was high in quality and was obtained while using the current standards and technology. Nonetheless, introducing evidence-based practice in the clinical environment is essential in ensuring that quality was achieved while providing care. In the clinical setting, evidence-based practice can be introduced in various ways. Nurses can introduce evidence-based practice in a clinical environment by ensuring that the care that patients were given was based on the most appropriate approaches that are grounded in research. On the other hand, it is important to point out that incorporating evidence-practice in a clinical setting can be achieved through the process of developing projects that sought to cause cha nge in practice while using research to develop and implement plans that brought changes in practice. Throughout the practicum project, I valued the efforts of one individual who helped me achieve success in this project by the guidance he provided throughout the process. In line with this, it is essential to point out that I had never thought about the important role of a mentor before my practicum project. However, the practicum project helped me appreciate the role a mentor played and

Crimonal law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Crimonal law - Essay Example This free exchange of word and expression was recognized by our fore fathers as one of our fundamental rights. They recognized, all those years ago, the importance of protecting Freedom of Speech and Expression. The importance of Free Speech has not diminished, and it is not for any individual entity to limit any citizen’s right to express himself peacefully save by amending the Constitution itself. That being said let us turn to the case at hand. Upon reading the circumstances surrounding the scenario provided I decided that I would evaluate the merits of the case based on the perspective of that of a defense attorney. In reviewing the case provided, the fundamental question that needs to be addressed is: Did the defendant in this case break any law? The prosecution’s entire case is based on the defendant being arrested for being a public nuisance and causing injury, although indirectly, to Gloria Trek. The state’s entire case rests on the constitutionality of the public nuisance statue and whether or not it infringes on the defendant’s right to free speech, which I will prove it does. Title 46 of the Florida Criminal Statues 823.01 which defines Nuisances states â€Å"All nuisances which tend to annoy the community or injure the health of the citizens in general, or to corrupt the public morals, are misdemeanors of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.083, except that a violation of s. 823.10 is a felony of the third degree.† (Public Nuisance, 2000, n.p.) This statute is very vague in nature and is by this very ambiguity subject to wide interpretation as to what constitutes being ‘annoying’. The phrasing of the statute in that manner allows for far too much discretionary power by individual law enforcement officers in deciding when and whom to arrest which brings into question the equal enforcement of the law and the discriminatory

A case study of Marks & Spencers, critically analysing the marketing Essay

A case study of Marks & Spencers, critically analysing the marketing strategies it employs in U.K and making recommendations for future strategic directions - Essay Example For instance, they engage in new product innovation and creativity, they use information system to understand their customers and keep in touch with their customers. Organizations today focus on value-creation rather than just short-term profitability. Competition has intensified in the UK fashion industry with the supermarkets entering the fashion segment. The consumers too have become price conscious and started looking towards the supermarket for discounts and bargains in the fashion sector. Supermarkets have been successful in extracting value from their existing customer base. Many high street retailers have lost out to supermarkets in the process (Hines, 2001). This has urged the high street retailers to rethink their marketing strategy to remain sustainable. Use of technology, getting the quality and design to match consumers’ desires, needs and tastes, adding value to the services, finding newer ways of reaching the consumer have made fashion marketing for high street retailers a challenge. Fashion leadership means to be a step ahead of competitors. The UK fashion retailers have been operating in an environment characterized by high levels of market concentration, centralized control and market standardization (Birtwistle & Freathy, 1998). Standardization resulted in lack of product differentiation and this led some retailers to bring about a shift in their marketing approach. The UK consumer market is divided between those who value product quality and those who value price. Marks & Spencer’s failed to recognize the moves by its competitors and give due cognizance to the needs and demands of the consumers. Established in 1894, Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) was the leading retailer till the mid 1990s. It started facing a decline towards end 1990s as it failed to keep up with the market demands. Although M&S initiated its recovery plan, it encountered several

The Art of Film Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Art of Film Making - Essay Example To be specific, these film directors utilized historical contexts, themes/ narrative aspects, and stylistic/visual characteristics to create a virtual real world of heroism. Comparison /contrast: After going through the different elements of the art of filmmaking, it is evident that the elements like historical contexts, themes/ narrative aspects, and stylistic/visual characteristics of the films are examinable for the comparison/ contrast section. 1. Historical (political, cultural, philosophical) context of the films: The historical context of the film Spider-Man is related to the growth and development of Marvel Comics. To be specific, the director made use of the fictional character (Spiderman) from the Marvel Comics as the protagonist. Fowkes opined that â€Å"Upon becoming Spider-Man, Peter assumes a dual persona comprised of opposites: brain vs brawn, nerdy vs cool, weak vs strong, ordinary vs extraordinary† (130). One can see that fictional character of Spiderman deepl y influenced the cultural context of America. For instance, the popular culture in America, especially the children/youngsters is deeply influenced by the heroism of Spiderman. Besides, the climax scene in the film is philosophical because Spiderman’s doubt on his dual identity as a normal individual and as a superhero is revealed through his words. One can argue that comic/fictional characters are related to childhood fantasy. Still, the success of the film as a superhero film proves that heroism is acceptable to all. The scene in the film, in which Peter Parker is bitten by a spider (say, genetically engineered) connects the film with the history of genetic engineering. Besides, the superhero image of the protagonist and his involvement in daily life situations helped the viewers to accept heroism as normal. On the other side, the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider represents the development of video games and the adaptation of the same to the context of adventure thriller genre of films. The scenes in Egypt and Cambodia prove the film’s relation with history, especially archeology. One can easily identify that the film represent the philosophical quest of human beings to find out the secret of life. At the same time, the film is symbolic of human attempt to explore history by raiding tombs (say, the ancient pyramids). The first scene in the film, in which the heroine explores an ancient pyramid in Egypt, proves that the director provides ample importance to history and discovery of ancient relics. The film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is symbolic of the growth and development of martial arts in China. The scene in which Li Mu Bai explains the history of his sword (say, the Green Destiny) proves the importance of martial arts in China. One can easily identify that the director provides ample importance to the heroism of the main characters (say, Li Mu Bai and Jade Fox). From a different angle of view, the film is symbolic of the development of Wuxi a genre films in Chinese context. The combat scenes in the film, especially between Li Mu Bai and Jade Fox, represent the historical importance of martial arts in China. For instance, the usage of poisoned needles during martial arts performance can be regarded as the portrayal of vengeance in human life. To be specific, the usage of poisoned needles during martial arts performance is against the ultimate aim of martial arts. In short, the films represent heroism in different historical contexts. Still, the philosophical content is same because these films represent the human search to find out the essence

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Strategy - Essay Example sion plan the company also took a strategic decision to reassess its standard shop formats and sizes from 7000 sq ft to more economical 2400-4200 sqft range outlets. Evidence indicating that these strategies are effective can be identified in the sales increase of over $ 185 million during the period of 1995 – 2001 since the implementation of new strategy. The profits too had reached a record of $ 14.75 million in 2001 from $4 million in 1995.The number of outlets have increased from a total of 88 in 1995 to 174 by 2001. Franchisee outlets have grown from 40 to 111 during this period. The financial performance of the company has been rather unstable over the past 5 years with losses and profits resulting in alternative years. However the year 2000 and 2001 has indicated steady growth with losses being converted to profits. Own outlet sales account for over 70% while franchisee income represent 3%. 26% of the income is from mixes and equipment sales. The most profitable part of the business is the Franchising operation where the GP margin is 62%. The other two business units generate 15% GP. The company’s financial performance during past two years has been outstanding with earnings per share jumping to $ 0.60 in 2001. The sales revenue has grown by 37% in 2001 while net income has grown by 147% over year 2000. This $ 8.76 million net income growth is also facilitated by the reduced interest costs of about $ 1 million for the year 2001 as a result of IPO funding relieving the company of its costly capital borrowings. The statement â€Å" The numbers just d on’t work† has been made pertaining to the company’s targeted 20% sales growth vs. 25% growth in earnings for the year 2002. The statement cannot be supported with the current evidence, as it is most likely that the company will be in a position to achieve such forecasts. The additional 5% growth in earnings are likely to come from reduced costs through increased sales per existing outlets as well as cost

The Watergate Affair Essay Example for Free

The Watergate Affair Essay The Watergate Affair was perhaps one of the greatest political scandals to have affected the Ameican government. Its significance was this scandal involved officials leading up to the highest levels of the government which ultimately led to the White House which was during the incumbency of President Richard Nixon. The immediate cause of this scandal began when several men were arrested for burglarizing the headquarters of the Democratic Party at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC hence the name of the scandal. These men were caught rummaging filing cabinets for vital documents and electronic wiretapping devices were also found in their persons; apparently, they were planinng to bug the office and electronically eavesdrop on any conversation taking place there. The underlying cause behind this operations was the Nixon Administration was concerned on how confidential government reports were being obtained by the Democrats which served as political ammunition against Nixons reelection bid. It was later revealed that the men involved were aides of the Presidents re-election team though initially, President Nixon denied any involvement and subsequent news reports revealed that a massive cover-up was being conducted as an attempt to cover up any involvement by the President. Subsequent investigations by the media revealed that the White House has formed a secret unit called â€Å"Plumbers† for the purpose of spying reporters and government officials who may have been leaking information to the former (Szulc, 1972, p. E2; Rugaber, 1972, p. 220). The media had been faithfully following the events related to what became known as the Watergate Scandal which had by far, overshadowed the achievements of Nixon during his presidency and hounded him all throughout. These revelations of covert government operations within the United States prompted the Senate to form a committee on the campaign activities of the President on February of 1973. Throughout the year, more revelations came out as the pressure on those responsible was intensifying ranging from being sworn to silence and destroying evidence of involvement by the White House. This then prompted the Senate to subpoena Nixon who had repeatedly refused to appear and even release the tapes when demanded, further heightening the suspicion of a cover-up as it was revealed when these tapes had been edited by the time it was released to them (Apple, 1974, pp. 57-58). The constant reporting of the media of what the Senate committee revealed had convinced the American public that Nixon should be impeached and (possibly) made to resign if found guilty (Kovach, 1974, p. 1). Based on the initial investigations by the Senate and its appointed prosecutors, Nixon was charged by the Senate for obstruction of justice, abusing his power and showing contempt of Congress by refusing to appear in the hearings and these became grounds on serving an impeachment against him. Seeing that he had proverbially painted himself in a corner and by the 9th of August, 1974, Nixon went on national television to announce his resignation to spare himself the indignity of being served the impeachment following the availability of more evidence that would furher incriminate him. The Watergate Affair revealed how the government could abuse its power in conducting spying and even conduct political sabotage and it was unfortunate that in its desire to keep certain matters of the state a secret, its agents were caught and led to severe repercussions. References Apple, R. W. (1974, January 5). â€Å"Nixon Rejects Subpoenas from Senate Committee for 500 Tapes and Papers. † New York Times. pp. 57-58. Rugaber, W. (1973, January 14). â€Å"Mystery, Comedy, Etc. Dirty Tricks. † New York Times. p. 220. Szulc, T. (1972, June 25). â€Å"From the Folks Who Brought You the Bay of Pigs. † New York Times.

The gothic horror Essay Example for Free

The gothic horror Essay With particular reference to chapter 5, explore how Mary Shelley has used the gothic horror genre to create a shocking and terrifying story, which is as relevant today as it was in 1818 Even though it is over a century old, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, has continued to sustain public interest for more or less two hundred years. The novel was published in 1818, and is one of the much-admired stories in the history of literature. It has remained a favourite with many audiences, past and present, and has been modified and re-told many times through a variety of types of media, such as; radio programmes, theatre, art, childrens comic books and cartoons, television and film versions. I assume it remains to be so well-liked for the reason that the readers can relate to the characters and situations that occur. The novel contains many shocking and fascinating events some of which may startle or terrify the reader. Mary Shelley is an author who wrote the novel of Frankenstein. She experienced many deaths of close friends and family. When she was first born her mother died. Furthermore Mary had a baby who died 12 days after it was born, and her husband Percy Shelly drowned. Maybe it was these experiences which led Mary Shelley to write such a novel of great horror published in 1818. Frankenstein is called the modern Prometheus. Prometheus in Greek mythology stole fire from Zeus and gives it to humankind, but was then everlastingly punished by Zeus. In the Latin version, Prometheus formed man from clay and water. Victor Frankenstein is seen as a modern Prometheus, as he rebels against nature by making an unnatural man as he would be for the good of mankind and he is then punished by his creation. Frankenstein is about a young student called Victor Frankenstein. He is determined to find the secret of life, and when he does, he creates a living creature. The monster is calm and caring, but is abandoned by Frankenstein because of his hideous looks; this means he has to hide away from society, as everyone who meet him are afraid of him. As the monster is lonely and isolated, it causes him to take revenge on his creator. He doesnt do this by killing him; instead, he kills all the ones he loves and cares about. After having nothing worth living for, Frankenstein pursues his monster to the North Pole with the intention of destroying him. This leads Frankenstein to exhaustion and death. The monster sees Frankenstein die, and with that, he then kills himself as it is the only place he can seek rest. The novel shows the horrible penalties for playing God, and this is what makes the book so captivating as it questions all the main beliefs of religion and the soul. The book is unlike others, as it has three narrators; Frankenstein, Robert Walton and the monster. They all tell the story, and give the reader different insights which is what makes the book very unique. I think this is very effective because it can make the reader feel different emotions for each character. An example of this is when Victor Frankenstein tells us his own story. It makes the reader feel more sympathetic towards him because the reader experiences the tragedies and heartache that Frankenstein feels. We can also see this in the monster, seeing that when he is narrating, the reader understands the emotions that the monster is feeling, when he is talking about how lonely he is. This technique is very effective in Mary Shelleys narrative and helps the reader to get more into the novel. Chapter 5 is a crucial chapter in Frankenstein, as it is when the monster comes alive and its a turning point in the novel. Chapter 5 is the chapter that gives Frankenstein its character, and its the most important piece of writing that has helped the book keep audiences entertained for nearly 190 years. Mary Shelley sets the atmosphere especially well at the beginning of the novel. It was a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. This sets the scene and compares the weather to the mood of Frankenstein, because Frankenstein had been making the monster for about two years so he had become dreary and looking very unwell. This is just like the weather at the start of the chapter, and makes the reader feel the same as Frankenstein, because of the weather being dreary. This sentence also sets the scene very well as it shows it was dark and gloomy, which is perfect in getting the reader in the mood for the chapter. Also, Mary Shelley sets the scene by giving the reader a very clear image. This is shown where it says the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out. This gives the reader a very creepy image and is a very good way to set the scene for bringing a monster to life. During chapter five we see the use of many powerful adjectives and descriptions that make the chapter very detailed. These are used all throughout the book, but even more so in chapter five. These are what have made the narrative effective. as they keep the reader interested in the book. These are also what have horrified readers because it is so detailed; it makes the novel seem more life like especially when describing what the characters look like. The description of the monster is what makes chapter five one of the most important in the novel and why it has horrified many readers. The monster is described in a lot of detail and it gives the reader a clear example of what the monster looks like. We can see this by the phrases used such as his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of the muscles and arteries, his hair was of a lustrous black and his teeth of pearly whiteness. These descriptions give the reader a clear image of what the monster looks like. This makes the narrative very effective because it makes the reader more scared of the monster, because with the more detail we get, the more terrifying the monster seems. Also, because the monster is described in a lot of detail, it entertains the reader more as it makes the book seem more real. I believe this will make them want to continue reading the book.

Case Study On Managing Cultural Diversity Management Essay

Case Study On Managing Cultural Diversity Management Essay Is diversity good for business. The awareness of benefits from managing diversity is becoming more and more explicit during daily human resource management work. The diversity management is an important strategy of the human resource management which to promote the perception, acknowledgement and implementation of diversity in organization and institutions. It may lead to a common interest between employers and employees. The conflict associated with diversity management is inevitable according to its principal. On the other hand such collide would be regarded as a generator of new methods, viewpoints, interests, creativity and way of solving issues as well. Whether diversity is a potential performance barrier or a value-added action is determined by institutions policies. In the first part of this essay, what is diversity management, why it is essential and what would benefit from by organizations will be discussed. In the last part of the essay will analysis cultural change model and present approaches to diversity from practical case before conclusion. The human resource plans and policies are designed by the management to achieve some goal (Alexander Lewer, 1998), such as attracting, retaining and effectively making use of labor resources in all kinds of organizations, from profitable companies to education facilities, from government departments to supermarkets. As a strategy of human resource management, diversity management is a daily increasing perspective of tackling with impacts from employees with different background. Diversity is defined into two dimensions from peoples social and cultural identities. It refers to the ways people differ from each other. The primary dimensions described as peoples fundamental characters, such as age, ethnicity, gender, physical abilities, race and so on. The secondary dimensions refer to persons self definition via educational background, income, marital status, religious beliefs etc. Both of the dimensions may hold the same status of daily cultural impact on a multicultural organization. Cultural diversity is a specific area in diversity, which focus on peoples characters labeled culturally, including gender, age, ethnicity, race, and also lifestyle, immigrant status and language facility. Cultural diversity management is aimed at taking advantage of staffs different cultural background to increase their motivation and creativity, further to bring a successful close to strategy. Increasing diversity management can be a double-edging sword. Although the awareness of cultural diversity in workforce is becoming day by day better recognized by organizations, it is often effectively limited due to the passively abidance of legal compliance and human rights protection. Based on theory and research, inappropriate implementations can create barrier to high performance. Firstly, diversity can increase misunderstanding and conflict among employees from different cultural background. Compared with more homogeneous group, the former group may experience lower levels of social attraction and competitiveness. Secondly, too much diverse leads to harassment and discrimination behaviors. As different managers hold different opinions of managing cultural diversity, different approaches can be implemented. One of the simplest methods is avoiding diversity. However the reality is for most multinational organizations, it is not feasible. How to take advantage of cultural diversi ty without suffering enormous disbenefit is the main issue faced by employers. Another side of the diversity sword is that well managed diversity can catalyze the performance of organizations at different aspect, which means a value-added activity. First of all, well implemented approaches create an image of fairness and respect for all people which is an ideal working environment for staff. These terms are listed in formal statements of policy in every organization in the world, but unless the company has effective and ongoing strategies, those clauses are just another meaningless and hopeful fairy tale without princess. Whats more, employees from different cultural background diversify solutions of problems, decision making, skills and allocation of resources (Gardner Plamer, 1992), which can provide a larger pool of ideas and experiences. The organization can draw from that pool to meet Business strategy and the customers needs more effectively. And also provide individual talents, creativity and experiences (e.g. languages, cultural understanding) from div erse culture. This may allows a company to provide a global service to customers and also improve their marketing strategies. In addition, opinions from diverse cultural background enhance critical analysis in decision-making groups. In a series of research studies, Charlene Nemeth found that groups subjected to minority views were better at critically analyzing decision issues and alternatives than those that were not. The essay will analysis diversity using cultural change model (Taylor Cox Jr, 2001) in the next part. Model for Cultural Change Figure attached reveals a model for organizational implementations to tackle the impacts of diversity (Taylor Cox. Jr , 2001). Every element from this model should be considered as an effective organizational change. Following the flow of the arrows suggests, every element is influenced by the diversity and continually interacts with each other in the process of self learning. Leadership Leadership is a behavior that establishes an objective for improvement which provides a sense of urgency and importance for the vision. The orientation of change is also called vision. Meanwhile it also generates motivation of others, and brings an ideal environment for achievement of the vision. At the same time, a leader should be involved in vision, establish the adequate organization design and integrate the diversity management with the companys business strategy. It is absolutely the most essential element for change. As its vital role of a diversity change effort, leadership is on the top of the list while implementing diversity. Leaders are those who have influence with other members within the organization, such as CEOs, heads of unites of organizations or divisions, HR staff members with diversity assignments and head of labor unions. In order to achieve fully effectiveness of the implementations, the change should satisfy these conditions: (1) leadership starts at the executive; (2) it takes generations of administration to make the effort work, and (3) leadership should present directly without delegate. First of all, to be fully effective, leadership on diversity must start at the top. A change of presidents would produce a noticeable slow-down in progress toward the goals that were laid out for diversity excellence. Although other members of the leadership team below the CEO level, including the head of the HR function and several engineering managers, continue to work on the diversity change effort, the effort lost momentum that was never recovered. Secondly, it takes many leaders to achieve the final goal. In Alcoa, for example, a remarkable progress of cultural diversity owe to leaders at different levels of management chain. In 1999, the executive vice president George Bergeron included an assessment of progress on the diversity goals of the company as part of the incentive compensation formula for all managers reporting to him. Partly as a result of this action, the business units under his authority were all active in working the change model and achieved remarkable progress in the first year of work (Taylor Cox, 2001). Eventually, unless there is someone taking the responsibility of making change, the effort made to diversity would doom to failure. Research Measurement Research is a method of collecting data by which people solve problems about environmental element or phenomenon (Taylor Cox Jr, 2001). In the context of organizational effort on diversity, such problems are specified as: (1) gender distribution which regarded as a question about element and (2) whether an employees job performance is influenced by age is categorized as the relationship between elements. Measurement indicates approaches to record the effectiveness of diversity change. This part of model explains several questions of using data, including how to create criteria to implementation with data, how to use data to improve awareness of diversity, how to evaluate the environment for diversity and how to critic progress has been made. Take Alcoa as an example, there was a significant meeting of managing department in both business unit and resource unit, which regarded as a watershed event in leader commitment. Data presented on diversity of this meeting based on surveys and interviews at around five different locations of the organization. Some quotations were wrote down during the interviews with employees from every grade of job, and written on board and showed around the meeting room. Then the leaders walked around and read the messages, some of which approved to run counter to companys elemental values and policies. This is just a simple experience of using internal data, which became a motivate activity for forming support of the diversity effort at A lcoa. As is shown above, research and measurement are fundamental to the diversity management process, while using data to act on improvements means using data to increase commitment, enhance training, diagnosing the climate for diversity and measure progress (Taylor Cox Jr, 2001). Education Education refers to trainings and practices of any change effort. As a core feature of way to diversity, approaches of learning must diversified to fulfill its original purpose. Employees showed great conscious of diversity during the training period, many of which would not last long after training procedure. In order to deliver a remarkable education on diversity and collect better return from investment on diversity training, an educating design should based on certain ingredients: content, format and logistics, participants, and facilitation. Firstly, the content of training on diversity should be critical hence multidimensional. Each dimension is specified into different substance, for instance, to specify the required subtopics, to indicate the relationship among topics and to illustrate the type of the content. Secondly, the format and logistics of a diversity education are determined by time and approaches of the training. The effectiveness of training is not only influenced by the length of training period, but also affected by the way of using time. For example, instead of a one-day-six-hour exhausting boredom, a two hour well sequenced training program of three days is more effective and efficient. Thirdly, in the participant perspective, how large the trainee group, how many fields and levels of the employee, and the preparation for the participants should be considered before education. For example, a two-hour diversity education practice with an objective of simply understanding the business reasons of investing in diversity improvement was held by a division of General Motors. Based on a clear and narrow objective, and presented by a one-way communication, the training process was highly effective with the large group. Lastly, facilitation is the finial main element affecting education, including way to open and close the training, to handle with sensitive topic, and to create internal expertise. Alignment of management system Management system is the intermedium of managing, such as organizational policy, implement, regulation, or process. This covers main human resource practice, like recruitment, promotion, development, and even work conditions, or the physical design of working environment. These systems must interlink with one another as an organization is a social system. Before implementing alignment assignment, three components: time, space and people should be considered. To start with, time factor is the time which is scheduled for the work performance. It contains length of working period, use of overtime, time-off policies (holiday, leave and vacation), and retirement policies. What is fundamental and simple that, if a company has flexible time-off policies, it would be better to attract, retain, and motivate diverse employees. Muslim could decide whether or not work at their prayer time in a multinational company, and Chinese workers might enjoy their reunion with their families at Spring Festival. Whats more, space factors have to do with the physical working surroundings, including the neatness of working place, the barriers between different individual employees and so on. Eventually the people factor could be expended as recruitment, promotion, bonus, performance measurement, and career trajectories development and succession planning. People factors are designed to retain human resource and achieve the employment outcomes. As described in this chapter, there are large amount of issues in these three areas must be considered under the change for diversity. Nevertheless, any of them should not be tackled independently. Follow-up This factor contains adjusting the learning loop and establishing accountability for the results, so that the action processes become more and more accurate, hence the management system becomes more and more effective on diversity. In order to maintain effective and reasonable follow-up while changing towards diversity, a series of specific activities should be contained in the follow-up procedure, including make use of plan reviews, keep record, provide motivation for good behavior ,and control knowledge retention and transfer. In reality, Alcoa has a motivate reward plan provides bonus besides the base salary. Like many companys, the bonus reward on job performance is yearly issued. For higher-level managers, the bonus from holding stock might generate a fortune of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a CEO. Even middle-level managers would have tens of thousands of dollars according to their performance under the whole organizational strategy. It is a very practical but extremely effective incentive. When efforts towards diversity failed, it would be always traced back to poor following. When the following is poor, the whole orientation would collapse. Conclusion Based on Taylors cultural change model, which indicates a process of changing effort meeting the impacts from managing cultural diversity in a company, the way towards harmonious diverse workplace is brambly. Efforts should be made in each corner of the organization, from line worker to executive of division, from sales people to technical team and marketing staff, from London branch to Delhi branch. Diversity is based on certain intentions: labor force is the most valuable resource, every employee should be treated with respect and equality, and equal opportunities for people of all groups. In order to achieve diversity in organization or even country, it takes not only moral obligation to accomplish their orientation, but also generations of unremitting endeavor, hence the demand of building diversity organization is more than a requirement of maximizing business performance.

The Verdict on Albert Camus’s The Fall Essay example -- Literature The

The Verdict on Albert Camus’s The Fall As if to mock the crumbling principles of a fallen era, â€Å"The Just Judges† preside over a solemn dumping ground of earthly hell. This flimsy legion of justice, like the omnipresent eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, casts a shadow of pseudo-morality over a land spiraling towards pathos. But Albert Camus’s The Fall unfolds amidst the seedy Amsterdam underground--a larger, more sinister prison than the Valley of Ashes, whose center is Mexico City, a neighborhood bar and Mecca for the world’s refuse. The narrator and self-proclaimed judge-penitent, Jean-Baptiste Clamence, presides over his subjects every night to â€Å"offer his services,† although partially dissembled and highly suspect, to any who will listen. More artfully than a black widow preying on her unsuspecting mate, he traps us in his confessional monologue, weaving a web so intricate and complete that no one can escape its clutches. Clamence points out that â€Å"Holland is a dream†¦of gold and smoke† whose residents are â€Å"somnambulists in the fog’s gilded incense† who â€Å" have ceased to be† (13-14). Peopled by the living dead, where â€Å"hundreds of millions of men†¦painfully slip out of bed, a bitter taste in their mouths, to go to a joyless work,† â€Å"Amsterdam’s concentric canals resemble the circles of hell,† as in Dante’s Inferno (144, 14). Holland’s lost souls are the forsaken ones, machines who go through the motions of life but never really live, the modern men, who fornicate and read the papers, with good intentions and bourgeois dreams never realized. These are the men capable of tolerating the â€Å"Liebestod† and the Holocaust in the same breath, who wait for something to happen, â€Å"even loveless sla... ...risk your life. You yourself utter the words that for years have never ceased echoing through my nights and that I shall at last say though your mouth: â€Å"O young woman, throw yourself into the water again so that I may a second time have the chance of saving us both!† (147) For Clamence it was too late, will always be †(t)oo late, too far† for him (70). But we are not he. We do not need to suffer from the paralysis of inaction. We need not relive unlucky Hamlet’s indecision each and every day nor question whether to dare disturb the universe. We have a choice—we will always have a choice. It is never too late for us, for we are endowed with freedom, and more importantly, a responsibility to be free. By all means, â€Å"Do not go gentle into that good night,/ Rage, rage against the dying of the light† (Dylan Thomas). Works Cited: Camus, Albert. The Fall.

Discrimination is Everywhere! Essay -- Prejudice Stereotype

Discrimination—Everywhere! Discrimination can be confused with other terms such as prejudice and stereotype. It is important to differentiate between the three terms so that we better understand what we deal with in society. Stereotypes are images held in our minds in regards to certain racial or cultural groups, without consideration of whether the images held are true or false. Stemming from stereotypes is prejudice. The prejudicial attitude occurs when we prejudge a person, good or bad, on the basis that the stereotypes associated with the person/group being prejudged are true. Discrimination is the combination of the terms mentioned above, but involves actually acting out with unfair treatment, directing the action towards the person/group. Prejudice and discrimination do not just occur racially, but it is found among gender, religion, culture, and geographical background. Remember that prejudice is a result of attitude and discrimination is a result of action. At one point in our lives, we have all experienced a type of discrimination. It happens to everyone, even if they happen to be the â€Å"dominating† group of their society. By dominating, I am referring to the stereotype that white, rich men dominate the society. Is it false, or true? I, myself, have experienced discrimination. One example is the wonderful experience of buying a car. It is tough enough to get up the courage to deal with the salesmen at the dealership, but even harder when you are a young female. Mo...

Social Media and Business

Business Horizons (2010) 53, 59—68 www. elsevier. com/locate/bushor Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media Andreas M. Kaplan *, Michael Haenlein ? ESCP Europe, 79 Avenue de la Republique, F-75011 Paris, France KEYWORDS Social Media; User Generated Content; Web 2. 0; Social networking sites; Virtual worlds Abstract The concept of Social Media is top of the agenda for many business executives today. Decision makers, as well as consultants, try to identify ways in which ? rms can make pro? able use of applications such as Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, Second Life, and Twitter. Yet despite this interest, there seems to be very limited understanding of what the term ‘‘Social Media’’ exactly means; this article intends to provide some clari? cation. We begin by describing the concept of Social Media, and discuss how it differs from related concepts such as Web 2. 0 and User Generated Content. Based on this de? nition, we then provide a classi? cation of Social Media which groups applications currently subsumed under the generalized term into more speci? categories by characteristic: collaborative projects, blogs, content communities, social networking sites, virtual game worlds, and virtual social worlds. Finally, we present 10 pieces of advice for companies which decide to utilize Social Media. # 2009 Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. All rights reserved. 1. The specter of Social Media As of January 2009, the online social networking application Facebook registered more than 175 million active users. To put that number in perspective, this is only slightly less than the population of Brazil (190 million) and over twice the population of Germany (80 million)!At the same time, every minute, 10 hours of content were uploaded to the video sharing platform YouTube. And, the image hosting site Flickr provided access to over 3 billion photographs, making the world-famous Louvre * Correspondi ng author. E-mail addresses: [email  protected] eu (A. M. Kaplan), [email  protected] eu (M. Haenlein). Museum’s collection of 300,000 objects seem tiny in comparison. According to Forrester Research, 75% of Internet surfers used ‘‘Social Media’’ in the second quarter of 2008 by joining social networks, reading blogs, or contributing reviews to shopping sites; this represents a signi? ant rise from 56% in 2007. The growth is not limited to teenagers, either; members of Generation X, now 35—44 years old, increasingly populate the ranks of joiners, spectators, and critics. It is therefore reasonable to say that Social Media represent a revolutionary new trend that should be of interest to companies operating in online space–—or any space, for that matter. Yet, not overly many ? rms seem to act comfortably in a world where consumers can speak so freely 0007-6813/$ — see front matter # 2009 Kelley School of Business, India na University.All rights reserved. doi:10. 1016/j. bushor. 2009. 09. 003 60 with each other and businesses have increasingly less control over the information available about them in cyberspace. Today, if an Internet user types the name of any leading brand into the Google search, what comes up among the top ? ve results typically includes not only the corporate webpage, but also the corresponding entry in the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Here, for example, customers can read that the 2007 model of Hasbro’s Easy-Bake Oven may lead to serious burns on children’s hands and ? gers due to a poorly-designed oven door, and that the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company has been accused of using child labor in its Liberian rubber factory. Historically, companies were able to control the information available about them through strategically placed press announcements and good public relations managers. Today, however, ? rms have been increasingly relegated to the sidelines as m ere observers, having neither the knowledge nor the chance–—or, sometimes, even the right–—to alter publicly posted comments provided by their customers. Wikipedia, for example, expressly forbids the participation of ? ms in its online community. Such an evolution may not be surprising. After all, the Internet started out as nothing more than a giant Bulletin Board System (BBS) that allowed users to exchange software, data, messages, and news with each other. The late 1990s saw a popularity surge in homepages, whereby the Average Joe could share information about his private life; today’s equivalent would be the weblog, or blog. The era of corporate web pages and e-commerce started relatively recently with the launch of Amazon and eBay in 1995, and got a right ticking-off only 6 years later when the dot-com bubble burst in 2001.The current trend toward Social Media can therefore be seen as an evolution back to the Internet’s roots, since it retransforms the World Wide Web to what it was initially created for: a platform to facilitate information exchange between users. But does that mean that Social Media is just old wine in new bottles? Probably not! As we will delve into further, the technical advances that have been made over the past 20 years now enable a form of virtual content sharing that is fundamentally different from, and more powerful than, the BBS of the late 1970s.This article discusses the challenges and opportunities that emerge from this evolution for ? rms, and provides structure to better understand the rapidly evolving ? eld of Social Media. We begin by providing a de? nition and classi? cation of Social Media by looking at their historical roots, technical speci? cities, and differences from other entities such as Web 2. 0 and User Generated Content. We then focus on six types of Social Media–—collaborative projects, blogs, A. M. Kaplan, M. Haenlein content communities, social networki ng sites, virtual game worlds, and virtual social worlds–—and present ways in which companies can ef? iently make use of these applications. Based on this analysis, we then derive a set of 10 recommendations companies should follow when thinking about developing their own Social Media strategy, be it with respect to these aforementioned types or other applications which might emerge in the future. 2. What is Social Media–—And what is it not? As highlighted, the idea behind Social Media is far from groundbreaking. Nevertheless, there seems to be confusion among managers and academic researchers alike as to what exactly should be included under this term, and how Social Media differ from the seemingly-interchangeable related concepts of Web 2. and User Generated Content. It therefore makes sense to take a step back and provide insight regarding where Social Media come from and what they include. By 1979, Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis from Duke University had c reated the Usenet, a worldwide discussion system that allowed Internet users to post public messages. Yet, the era of Social Media as we understand it today probably started about 20 years earlier, when Bruce and Susan Abelson founded ‘‘Open Diary,’’ an early social networking site that brought together online diary writers into one community. The term ‘‘weblog’’ was ? st used at the same time, and truncated as ‘‘blog’’ a year later when one blogger jokingly transformed the noun ‘‘weblog’’ into the sentence ‘‘we blog. ’’ The growing availability of high-speed Internet access further added to the popularity of the concept, leading to the creation of social networking sites such as MySpace (in 2003) and Facebook (in 2004). This, in turn, coined the term ‘‘Social Media,’’ and contributed to the prominence it has today. The most rece nt addition to this glamorous grouping has been so-called ‘‘virtual worlds’’: computerbased simulated environments inhabited by threedimensional avatars.Perhaps the best known virtual world is that of Linden Lab’s Second Life (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2009c). Although the list of the aforementioned applications may give some idea about what is meant by Social Media, a formal de? nition of the term ? rst requires drawing a line to two related concepts that are frequently named in conjunction with it: Web 2. 0 and User Generated Content. Web 2. 0 is a term that was ? rst used in 2004 to describe a new way in which software developers and end-users started to Users of the world, unite!The challenges and opportunities of Social Media utilize the World Wide Web; that is, as a platform whereby content and applications are no longer created and published by individuals, but instead are continuously modi? ed by all users in a participatory and collaborative fashio n. While applications such as personal web pages, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, and the idea of content publishing belong to the era of Web 1. 0, they are replaced by blogs, wikis, and collaborative projects in Web 2. 0. Although Web 2. 0 does not refer to any speci? technical update of the World Wide Web, there is a set of basic functionalities that are necessary for its functioning. Among them are Adobe Flash (a popular method for adding animation, interactivity, and audio/video streams to web pages), RSS (Really Simple Syndication, a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content, such as blog entries or news headlines, in a standardized format), and AJAX (Asynchronous Java Script, a technique to retrieve data from web servers asynchronously, allowing the update of web content without interfering with the display and behavior of the whole page).For the purpose of our article, we consider Web 2. 0 as the platform for the evolution of Social Media. When Web 2. 0 represents the ideological and technological foundation, User Generated Content (UGC) can be seen as the sum of all ways in which people make use of Social Media. The term, which achieved broad popularity in 2005, is usually applied to describe the various forms of media content that are publicly available and created by end-users. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, 2007), UGC needs to ful? l three basic requirements in order to be considered as such: ? rst, it needs to be published either on a publicly accessible website or on a social networking site accessible to a selected group of people; second, it needs to show a certain amount of creative effort; and ? nally, it needs to have been created outside of professional routines and practices. The ? rst condition excludes content exchanged in e-mails or instant messages; the second, mere replications of already existing content (e. g. , posting a copy of an existing newspaper article on a personal blog without any modi? ations or commenting); and the third, all content that has been created with a commercial market context in mind. While UGC has already been available prior to Web 2. 0, as discussed above, the combination of technological drivers (e. g. , increased broadband availability and hardware capacity), economic drivers (e. g. , increased availability of tools for the creation of UGC), and social drivers (e. g. , rise of a generation of ‘‘digital natives’’ and ‘‘screenagers’’: younger age groups with substantial technical knowledge and 1 willingness to engage online) make UGC nowadays fundamentally different from what was observed in the early 1980s. Based on these clari? cations of Web 2. 0 and UGC, it is now straightforward to give a more detailed de? nition of what we mean by Social Media. In our view–—and as used herein–—Social Media is a group of Internet-based applicati ons that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2. 0, and that allow the creation and exchange of User Generated Content. Within this general de? ition, there are various types of Social Media that need to be distinguished further. However, although most people would probably agree that Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, and Second Life are all part of this large group, there is no systematic way in which different Social Media applications can be categorized. Also, new sites appear in cyberspace every day, so it is important that any classi? cation scheme takes into account applications which may be forthcoming. To create such a classi? cation scheme, and to do so in a systematic manner, we rely on a set of theories in the ? ld of media research (social presence, media richness) and social processes (self-presentation, self-disclosure), the two key elements of Social Media. Regarding the media-related component of Social Media, social presence theory (Short, Willi ams, & Christie, 1976) states that media differ in the degree of ‘‘social presence’’–—de? ned as the acoustic, visual, and physical contact that can be achieved–—they allow to emerge between two communication partners. Social presence is in? uenced by the intimacy (interpersonal vs. mediated) and immediacy (asynchronous vs. ynchronous) of the medium, and can be expected to be lower for mediated (e. g. , telephone conversation) than interpersonal (e. g. , face-to-face discussion) and for asynchronous (e. g. , e-mail) than synchronous (e. g. , live chat) communications. The higher the social presence, the larger the social in? uence that the communication partners have on each other’s behavior. Closely related to the idea of social presence is the concept of media richness. Media richness theory (Daft & Lengel, 1986) is based on the assumption that the goal of any communication is the resolution of ambiguity and the reductio n of uncertainty.It states that media differ in the degree of richness they possess–—that is, the amount of information they allow to be transmitted in a given time interval–—and that therefore some media are more effective than others in resolving ambiguity and uncertainty. Applied to the context of Social Media, we assume that a ? rst classi? cation can be made based on the richness of the medium and the degree of social presence it allows. With respect to the social dimension of Social Media, the concept of self-presentation states that 2 in any type of social interaction people have the desire to control the impressions other people form of them (Goffman, 1959). On the one hand, this is done with the objective of in? uencing others to gain rewards (e. g. , make a positive impression on your future in-laws); on the other hand, it is driven by a wish to create an image that is consistent with one’s personal identity (e. g. , wearing a fashionable out? t in order to be perceived as young and trendy). The key reason why people decide to create a personal webpage is, for example, the wish to present themselves in cyberspace (Schau & Gilly, 2003).Usually, such a presentation is done through self-disclosure; that is, the conscious or unconscious revelation of personal information (e. g. , thoughts, feelings, likes, dislikes) that is consistent with the image one would like to give. Self-disclosure is a critical step in the development of close relationships (e. g. , during dating) but can also occur between complete strangers; for example, when speaking about personal problems with the person seated next to you on an airplane. Applied to the context of Social Media, we assume that a second classi? ation can be made based on the degree of self-disclosure it requires and the type of self-presentation it allows. Combining both dimensions leads to a classi? cation of Social Media which we have visualized in Table 1. With respect to social presence and media richness, applications such as collaborative projects (e. g. , Wikipedia) and blogs score lowest, as they are often text-based and hence only allow for a relatively simple exchange. On the next level are content communities (e. g. , YouTube) and social networking sites (e. g. Facebook) which, in addition to text-based communication, enable the sharing of pictures, videos, and other forms of media. On the highest level are virtual game and social worlds (e. g. , World of Warcraft, Second Life), which try to replicate all dimensions of face-to-face interactions in a virtual environment. Regarding self-presentation and self-disclosure, blogs usually score higher than collaborative projects, as the latter tend to be focused on speci? c content domains. Table 1. A. M. Kaplan, M. Haenlein In a similar spirit, social networking sites allow for more self-disclosure than content communities.Finally, virtual social worlds require a higher level of self-disclosure tha n virtual game worlds, as the latter are ruled by strict guidelines that force users to behave in a certain way (e. g. , as warriors in an imaginary fantasy land). We will now provide more detail on each of these six different types of Social Media, and discuss the challenges and opportunities they offer companies. 3. The challenges and opportunities of Social Media 3. 1. Collaborative projects Collaborative projects enable the joint and simultaneous creation of content by many end-users and are, in this sense, probably the most democratic manifestation of UGC.Within collaborative projects, one differentiates between wikis–—that is, websites which allow users to add, remove, and change text-based content–—and social bookmarking applications–—which enable the group-based collection and rating of Internet links or media content. Exemplary applications within this category include the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, a wiki currently available in more than 230 different languages, and the social bookmarking web service Delicious, which allows the storage and sharing of web bookmarks.The main idea underlying collaborative projects is that the joint effort of many actors leads to a better outcome than any actor could achieve individually; this is similar to the ef? cient-market hypothesis in behavioral ? nance (Fama, 1970). From a corporate perspective, ? rms must be aware that collaborative projects are trending toward becoming the main source of information for many consumers. As such, although not everything written on Wikipedia may actually be true, it is believed to be true by more and more Internet users. This may be particularly crucial as regards corporate crises. For example, Classi? ation of Social Media by social presence/media richness and self-presentation/self-disclosure Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media when online book retailer Amazon started to test the idea of dynami c pricing, comments declaring such a practice as unfair showed up instantaneously under the Wikipedia entry on ‘‘time-based pricing. ’’ Yet, collaborative projects also provide some unique opportunities for ? rms. Finnish handset manufacturer Nokia, for instance, uses internal wikis to update employees on project status and to trade ideas, which are used by about 20% of its 68,000 staff members.Likewise, American computer software company Adobe Systems maintains a list of bookmarks to company-related websites and conversations on Delicious. 63 3. 3. Content communities The main objective of content communities is the sharing of media content between users. Content communities exist for a wide range of different media types, including text (e. g. , BookCrossing, via which 750,000+ people from over 130 countries share books), photos (e. g. , Flickr), videos (e. g. , YouTube), and PowerPoint presentations (e. g. , Slideshare). Users on content communities are not required to create a personal pro? e page; if they do, these pages usually only contain basic information, such as the date they joined the community and the number of videos shared. From a corporate viewpoint, content communities carry the risk of being used as platforms for the sharing of copyright-protected materials. While major content communities have rules in place to ban and remove such illegal content, it is dif? cult to avoid popular videos–—such as recent episodes of comedy dramas–—being uploaded to YouTube only hours after they have been aired on television.On the positive side, the high popularity of content communities makes them a very attractive contact channel for many ? rms; this is easy to believe when one considers that YouTube serves over 100 million videos per day. In 2007, Procter & Gamble organized a contest for its over-the-counter drug Pepto-Bismol, whereby users were encouraged to upload to YouTube 1-minute videos of themsel ves singing about the ailments Pepto-Bismol counteracts, including heartburn and nausea. In a similar spirit, kitchen appliances manufacturer Blendtec became popular for its bevy of inexpensive ‘‘Will it blend? ’ videos, which have been watched by millions of people. Other ? rms, such as Cisco and Google, rely on content communities to share recruiting videos, as well as keynote speeches and press announcements, with their employees and investors. 3. 2. Blogs Blogs, which represent the earliest form of Social Media, are special types of websites that usually display date-stamped entries in reverse chronological order (OECD, 2007). They are the Social Media equivalent of personal web pages and can come in a multitude of different variations, from personal diaries describing the author’s life to summaries of all relevant information in one speci? content area. Blogs are usually managed by one person only, but provide the possibility of interaction with others through the addition of comments. Due to their historical roots, text-based blogs are still by far the most common. Nevertheless, blogs have also begun to take different media formats. For example, San Francisco-based Justin. tv allows users to create personalized television channels via which they can broadcast images from their webcam in real time to other users. Many companies are already using blogs to update employees, customers, and shareholders on developments they consider to be important.Jonathan Schwartz, CEO of Sun Microsystems, maintains a personal blog to improve the transparency of his company; so does automotive giant General Motors. Yet, as is the case with collaborative projects, blogs do not come without risks. These generally present in two fashions. First, customers who–—for one reason or another–—turn out to be dissatis? ed with or disappointed by the company’s offerings may decide to engage in virtual complaints in the form o f protest websites or blogs (Ward & Ostrom, 2006), which results in the availability of potentially damaging information in online space.Second, once ? rms encourage employees to be active on blogs, they may need to live with the consequences of staff members writing negatively about the ? rm. Microsoft’s former ‘‘technical evangelist’’ Robert Scoble, for example, had a tendency to ? ercely criticize the products of his employer–— before he decided to leave the Redmond-based software company in 2006. 3. 4. Social networking sites Social networking sites are applications that enable users to connect by creating personal information pro? les, inviting friends and colleagues to have access to those pro? es, and sending e-mails and instant messages between each other. These personal pro? les can include any type of information, including photos, video, audio ? les, and blogs. According to Wikipedia, the largest social networking sites are U . S. -based Facebook (initially founded by Mark Zuckerberg to stay in touch with his fellow students from Harvard University) and MySpace (with 1,500 employees and more than 250 million registered users). Social networking sites are of such high popularity, speci? cally among younger Internet 4 users, that the term ‘‘Facebook addict’’ has been included in the Urban Dictionary, a collaborative project focused on developing a slang dictionary for the English language. Several companies are already using social networking sites to support the creation of brand communities (Muniz & O’Guinn, 2001) or for marketing research in the context of netnography (Kozinets, 2002). To promote the movie ‘‘Fred Claus,’’ a 2007 Christmas comedy ? lm, Warner Brothers created a Facebook pro? le via which visitors could watch trailers, download graphics, and play games.Likewise, the Adidas custom soccer community on MySpace allows visitors to asso ciate themselves with one of two brands of elite soccer cleats produced by the German sports apparel manufacturer, and to access product reviews and information on professional soccer players who play using ‘‘their’’ shoes. Some ? rms even go one step further and use Facebook as a distribution channel. Consider U. S. -based ? orist 1-800-Flowers. com, which offers a widget on Facebook called ‘‘Gimme Love’’ whereby users can send ‘‘virtual bouquets’’ to friends or, with a click of the mouse, be directly transferred to the company’s website to send real ? wers. A. M. Kaplan, M. Haenlein hunter–—starts to more and more closely resemble their real life personality. Besides their use for ingame advertising (similar in idea to product placement in blockbuster movies), the high popularity of virtual game worlds can also be leveraged in more traditional communication campaigns. Japanese automo tive giant Toyota, for example, used pictures and mechanics from the World of Warcraft application in its latest Tundra commercial to reach the 2. 5 million players in the U. S. lone. 3. 6. Virtual social worlds The second group of virtual worlds, often referred to as virtual social worlds, allows inhabitants to choose their behavior more freely and essentially live a virtual life similar to their real life. As in virtual game worlds, virtual social world users appear in the form of avatars and interact in a three-dimensional virtual environment; however, in this realm, there are no rules restricting the range of possible interactions, except for basic physical laws such as gravity.This allows for an unlimited range of self presentation strategies, and it has been shown that with increasing usage intensity and consumption experience, users of virtual social worlds–—or ‘‘residents,’’ as they prefer to be called–—show behavior that more and more closely mirrors the one observed in real life settings (Haenlein & Kaplan, 2009; Kaplan & Haenlein, 2009a, 2009b). Arguably, the most prominent example of virtual social worlds is the Second Life application, founded and managed by the San Francisco-based company Linden Research Inc.Besides doing everything that is possible in real life (e. g. , speaking to other avatars, taking a walk, enjoying the virtual sunshine), Second Life also allows users to create content (e. g. , to design virtual clothing or furniture items) and to sell this content to others in exchange for Linden Dollars, a virtual currency traded against the U. S. Dollar on the Second Life Exchange. Some residents are so successful in this task that the virtual money earned that way complements their real life income.Virtual social worlds offer a multitude of opportunities for companies in marketing (advertising/communication, virtual product sales/v-Commerce, marketing research), and human resource and internal process management; for a more detailed discussion, see Kaplan and Haenlein (2009c). 3. 5. Virtual game worlds Virtual worlds are platforms that replicate a threedimensional environment in which users can appear in the form of personalized avatars and interact with each other as they would in real life.In this sense, virtual worlds are probably the ultimate manifestation of Social Media, as they provide the highest level of social presence and media richness of all applications discussed thus far. Virtual worlds come in two forms. The ? rst, virtual game worlds, require their users to behave according to strict rules in the context of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). These applications have gained popularity in recent years, as standard game consoles–—such as Microsoft’s X-Box and Sony’s PlayStation–—now allow simultaneous play among a multitude of users around the globe.Examples of virtual game worlds inc lude the cod-medieval ‘‘World of Warcraft,’’ which counts around 8. 5 million subscribers who explore the virtual planet of Azeroth in the form of humans, dwarves, orcs, or night elves, to ? ght monsters or to search for treasure; and Sony’s EverQuest, in which 16 different races of players (e. g. , wizards, clerics) travel the fantasy world of Norrath. The rules of such games usually limit the degree of self-presentation and self-disclosure possible, although some users spend so much time with these applications that their character–—be it a warrior, a wizard, or a dragon . Ten pieces of advice for companies deciding to use Social Media Social Media is a very active and fast-moving domain. What may be up-to-date today could have Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media disappeared from the virtual landscape tomorrow. It is therefore crucial for ? rms to have a set of guidelines that can be applied to any form of Social Media, whether they are part of the aforementioned list or not. Next, we provide such a set of recommendations. Given that Social Media have both a social- and a media-component, we split our advice into two sections: ? e points about using media and ? ve points about being social. 65 4. 1. Five points about using media 4. 1. 1. Choose carefully There are dozens–—if not hundreds–—of Social Media applications, and new ones are appearing on the horizon every day. If you still need time to run your core business, you simply cannot participate in them all, especially since ‘‘being active’’ is one key requirement of success (see below). Choosing the right medium for any given purpose depends on the target group to be reached and the message to be communicated.On the one hand, each Social Media application usually attracts a certain group of people and ? rms should be active wherever their customers are present. For example, if your main target audience is book lovers, a content community via which users share self-written novels or poems is likely better suited to your purpose than a virtual world which centers on ? ghting dragons and ? nding treasures. On the other hand, there may be situations whereby certain features are necessary to ensure effective communication, and these features are only offered by one speci? c application. For example, when the U. S.Army undertook an initiative in 2007 to reach the Hispanic community, it decided to utilize the social networking site Univision rather than the more popular Facebook. This choice was driven in part by the fact that Univision–—a Spanish-language television network in the U. S. and Puerto Rico–—is the social networking application with the largest Latin American audience, due to an extensive range of telenovelas and Mexican programs produced by Grupo Televisa. However, another reason Univision was chosen is becau se it offers a moderating service which checks comments from users for appropriateness before posting them on the site.In contrast, other applications, including Facebook, allow users to post messages without supervision. 4. 1. 2. Pick the application, or make your own Once you know which game you’re playing, the next decision involves whether to make or buy. In some cases, it might just be best to join an existing Social Media application and bene? t from its popularity and user base. After all, there is no need to reinvent the wheel if somebody has already done it, especially given that Social Media show positive network externalities in the sense that they get more attractive to join the more participants they already have.But in some cases, the right application might just not be available yet. Japan’s Fuji? lm, for example, recently launched its own social network to build a community of photo enthusiasts. In a similar spirit, U. S. -based department store ? rm Se ars collaborated with MTV music television to create a social network around back-to-school shopping. Yet, whatever the ultimate decision–—to buy, make, or both–— it is vital that there is an understanding of the basic idea behind Social Media. It’s all about participation, sharing, and collaboration, rather than straightforward advertising and selling. 4. 1. 3.Ensure activity alignment Sometimes you may decide to rely on various Social Media, or a set of different applications within the same group, in order to have the largest possible reach. In this case, it is crucial to ensure that your Social Media activities are all aligned with each other. A prime example in this context is computer manufacturer Dell and its ‘‘Digital Nomads’’ campaign. Dell uses a combination of social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn), blogs, and content communities (YouTube videos) to show how its range of laptop computers enable individuals to become a nomadic mobile workforce.In a similar spirit, Chrysler’s Jeep brand connects with its customers by combining photos shared on the content community Flickr, with groups on social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. Using different contact channels can be a worthwhile and pro? table strategy. But remember: one goal of communication is the resolution of ambiguity and reduction of uncertainty, and nothing is more confusing than contradicting messages across different channels. 4. 1. 4. Media plan integration What is true for different types of Social Media also holds for the relationship between Social Media and traditional media: Integration is key!While you may consider these two arenas to be completely different, in customers’ eyes they are both part of the same: your corporate image. Consider the actions of soft drink giant Coca-Cola. In June 2006, a pair of performance artists shot a video featuring a series of geysers they created by dropping Mentos brand mints into 2-liter bottles of Coke; the clip became a major hit on YouTube. Realizing customers’ enthusiasm for this performance, Coca-Cola fostered the sensation by airing the video on late-night television and ensuring broad digital distribution across different content communities.Besides the advantage of 66 high impact/low cost media coverage, the campaign also resulted in a measurable sales uplift. 4. 1. 5. Access for all Although this might sound elementary, once the ? rm has decided to utilize Social Media applications, it is worth checking that all employees may actually access them. Commonly, ? rms block Facebook, YouTube, and Second Life on corporate PCs for fear that staff might spend too much time networking instead of working. While this is certainly a consideration, it cannot imply that employees must have special permission to be able to access the company blog.At the same time, there is a need to curtail the possibility of the entire organization spending all its time producing funny videos and uploading them to YouTube. One possible approach involves de? ning groups of employees whose primary objective is the management of corporate Social Media; all other staff members are treated as occasional participants. Under this scenario, the ? rst group is given administrator rights–—which allows the opening of new discussion threads and deletion of inappropriate posts–—while the second group is not.Also, at some point, it will be necessary to develop certain guidelines for Social Media usage; as done, for instance, by ‘‘Big Blue’’ IBM, which has a corporate charta for appropriate behavior within Second Life. For example, it is important to highlight that every employee needs to identify himself or herself as such when posting a comment on the corporate blog. Otherwise, end-consumers could get the impression that anonymous accounts are used to enable employees to post fake messa ges and overly-positive feedback, which could severely damage the credibility of your whole Social Media campaign. A. M. Kaplan, M.Haenlein else’s than it is about engaging others in open and active conversation. Participants on Social Media applications have the desire to actively engage and to become both producers and consumers of information, so-called ‘‘prosumers’’ (Tof? er, 1980). Be considerate of this need and act accordingly. 4. 2. 2. Be interesting Let’s face it: nobody is interested in speaking to a boring person. As such, if you would like your customers to engage with you, you need to give them a reason for doing so–—one which extends beyond saying you are the best airline in town, or manufacture the most robust kitchen blender. The ? st step is to listen to your customers. Find out what they would like to hear; what they would like to talk about; what they might ? nd interesting, enjoyable, and valuable. Then, devel op and post content that ? ts those expectations. Coffee powerhouse Starbucks, for example, created the ‘‘My Starbucks Idea’’ platform, via which customers can submit new ideas for the company. These ideas are subsequently voted on by other users, with the winners being considered for implementation by Starbucks top management. As stated by Oscar Wilde in his novel, The Picture of Dorian Grey: The one sin for which there is no forgiveness is ennui. . 2. 3. Be humble Never forget that Social Media existed before you decided to engage in them; indeed, in many cases, even before you knew about their existence. In this light, do not expect that you know better how to use them than others who have spent countless hours on Facebook or Second Life, for example. Before you enter any application, ? rst take some time to discover it and to learn about its history and basic rules. Only once you have gained the necessary understanding, start to participate. When aerosp ace and defense ? rm Boeing decided to launch its ? st corporate blog, the site was designed such that users were not allowed to comment on what they saw. Yet, interaction and feedback are critical elements of all Social Media, blogs included. Hence, many readers perceived the Boeing blog as a fake, and simply corporate advertising in disguise. If there is one certain path to failure, it involves thinking that Social Media is just about posting existing TV spots on YouTube or putting prefabricated press announcements on corporate blogs. 4. 2. 4. Be unprofessional Have you ever noticed that in Hollywood blockbuster ? ms, it’s not usually the handsome guy who ends up with the girl, but rather the clumsy, charming one? The same goes for Social Media, and ? rms 4. 2. Five points about being social 4. 2. 1. Be active If you want to develop a relationship with someone, it is always advisable to take the lead and to be active. Social Media are all about sharing and interaction, so e nsure that your content is always fresh and that you engage in discussions with your customers. Consider the aforementioned blog kept by Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz. Via this outlet, the ? urehead discusses–—on an ongoing basis–—his corporate strategy, new product development projects, and company values, and replies directly to correspondence received. In considering your Social Media efforts, be aware that ? rm involvement must extend beyond responding to negative comments and defending product offerings. Social Media is less about explaining why your baking mix, detergent, or shampoo is better than anyone Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media would be wise to avoid overly-professional content offerings.There’s no need to spend $100,000 to design the perfect MySpace presence, or hire a professional writer to manage your corporate blog. Instead, try to blend in with other users and don’t be a fraid to make mistakes! Bill Marriott, Chairman and CEO of the Marriott International Hotel chain, uses his blog, for example, to post regular updates and stories from his travels to Marriott properties around the world–—very much in the same way as would a work colleague when describing her last vacation. Social Media users are people like you, who understand that things do not always go smoothly.And, if you’re nice to them, they may even give you free advice on how to do it better the next time. 4. 2. 5. Be honest Last but not least, be honest and respect the rules of the game. Some Social Media–—such as Wikipedia–— may not allow companies to be involved, so do not try to force your way in. Consider Anheuser-Busch, owner of SeaWorld marine mammal parks. Anheuser-Busch tried to ‘‘rectify’’ misleading information on Wikipedia through the use of PR ? rms, and failed miserably at it. Never expect that other par ticipants may not ? d out who stands behind some anonymous user account; after all, you’re dealing with some of the most technologically sophisticated people on the planet. 67 5. Nothing to lose but their chains Today, everything is about Social Media. Some industry gurus claim that if you do not participate in Facebook, YouTube, and Second Life, you are not part of cyberspace anymore. Social Media allow ? rms to engage in timely and direct end-consumer contact at relatively low cost and higher levels of ef? ciency than can be achieved with more traditional communication tools.This makes Social Media not only relevant for large multinational ? rms, but also for small and medium sized companies, and even nonpro? t and governmental agencies. Using Social Media is not an easy task and may require new ways of thinking, but the potential gains are far from being negligible. Dell, for example, states that its use of Twitter–—a micro blogging application that allows se nding out short, text-based posts of 140 characters or less–—has generated $1 million in incremental revenue due to sales alerts. Some ? ms may even be too successful for their own good, as illustrated by Burger King’s ‘‘Whopper Sacri? ce’’ campaign: In December 2008, the fast food giant developed a Facebook application which gave users a free Whopper sandwich for every 10 friends they deleted from their Facebook network. The campaign was adopted by over 20,000 users, resulting in the sacri? cing of 233,906 friends in exchange for free burgers. Only one month later, in January 2009, Facebook shut down Whopper Sacri? ce, citing privacy concerns. Who would have thought that the price of a friendship is less than $2 a dozen?A new trend is on the horizon, though; Watch out for Mobile Social Media! Mobile Web 2. 0 is very similar to Web 2. 0, as discussed earlier. In contrast to its predecessor Mobile Web 1. 0, which relied on proprietary pr otocols (e. g. , WAP) and use-based pricing, Mobile Web 2. 0 is characterized by open standards (e. g. , a transition to the TCP/IP protocol, the technical foundation of the World Wide Web) and ? at-rate systems. Even the manual entry of web addresses using small and dif? cult-to-handle keyboards is becoming history.Soon, all items around you will be equipped with Radio Frequency Identi? cation (RFID) tags that will be able to automatically connect to your mobile phone and send URLs to them, similar to today’s text messages. This technical evolution is laying the groundwork for moving Social Media applications away from desktop PCs and laptops, toward mobile devices. Why log into Facebook if you can easily update all your friends using Twitter? Why wait until you return home to watch the new YouTube video if you can do so conveniently on your iPhone? According to Jupiter Research, the market for Mobile Web 2. evolutions will grow from a mere $5. 5 billion today to an impressi ve $22. 4 billion by 2013. Mobile Social Media applications are expected to be the main driver of this evolution, soon accounting for over 50% of the market. In one way, this surge toward Mobile Social Media can even be seen as another step toward Internet democratization and closing the digital divide between developed and emerging countries. In India, for example, mobile phones outnumber PCs by 10 to 1. In Thailand, only 13% of the population owns a computer, versus 82% who have access to a mobile phone.It is therefore not surprising that the Pew Research Center–—a Washington-based think tank–—estimates that by 2020, a mobile device will be the primary Internet connection tool for most people in the world. Making Social Media applications mobile is likely to tap a currently unexploited base of new users. Even if percapita spending in these countries may still be low, vast population numbers make them relevant for virtually any ? rm. Obviously, Mobile So cial Media does not come without a price. Some would argue that while it enables the detailed following of friends half-way across the world, it can foster a society where we don’t now the names of our own next-door neighbors. Be that as it may, and independent of 68 whether or not one approves of such an evolution, it seems undisputable that (Mobile) Social Media will be the locomotive via which the World Wide Web evolves. Businesses, take note–—and don’t miss this train! A. M. Kaplan, M. Haenlein Kaplan, A. M. , & Haenlein, M. (2009b). Consumers, companies, and virtual social worlds: A qualitative analysis of Second Life. Advances in Consumer Research, 36(1), 873—874. Kaplan, A. M. , & Haenlein, M. (2009c). The fairyland of Second Life: About virtual social worlds and how to use them.Business Horizons, 52(6), 563—572. Kozinets, R. V. 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