Myths Surrounding Innovation Free Essays

string(68) " took and killed himself deliberately’ – David Stanley\." â€Å"There are myths surrounding creativity. The intangible nature of creativity does not lend itself to easy definition†. Introduction The intangible nature of creativity does not have a specific definition for it. We will write a custom essay sample on Myths Surrounding Innovation or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, creativity can refer to many things that differ and which also over laps many other elements. Joanna: 2003). â€Å"Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize idea, alternatives, or possibilities that may be used to solving problems, communicating with other, and entertaining ourselves and others†(Robert E. Franken: 2002). It also depends on the nature of the person what are his/her characteristics, hinging power and the artistic ability. It is said that managers equate innovation with creativity, but creativity comes with innovation; creativity is Just an idea and innovation is carrying out the idea and turning it into a business and providing It to the market (Visas governing]an: 2010). There is not a one specific definition for innovation. â€Å"Technically innovation Is defined merely as Introducing something new† (Jeff Dance: 2008), it does not concern how well or admirable the Innovation Is as long it is better than what it was. It is most likely that innovation Is a narrower incept than creativity. I believe If there Is no creativity then there Is no Innovation. It is the human nature than make them feel they are not creative enough that Is why there are different myths and MIS-understanding and have failed to provide one convincing definition. It Is proven that creative people are complex as It also states creativity is complex; people who are complex have the habit of showing thoughts and actions that others set apart (Scoot Barry Kauffman: 2011). The seven myths discussed In this essay are: the smarter you, the more creative you are, If u don’t express creativity ate a certain age It’s too late, alcohol and drugs will make you more creative, time pressure fuels creativity, money Is a creativity motivator, creativity come from creative people, creativity Is Just one eureka moment. The first myth states â€Å"The smarter you are, the more creative you are† (Constantine Indianapolis Patrick Dawson: 2009 peg 19/20) this Is not necessarily true; you don’t have to be smart however you need to have certain knowledge. There Is now Instant access to any Information through the Internet, but to Innovate something ND create something you need to be highly educated and smart they say (Amiable: 1996). An example would be of the greatest clients Albert Einstein who had proved the theory of relativity. He was not from a very educated background and was experiencing speech difficulties In his early days. He used to work SIX days a week on his scientific theories at the age of 26 Kneeler Rosenberg: 20th century). The other example Is of Michael Angelo who was a well known painter, sculpture, architect and a poet; he had no Interest In schooling neither any Interest In his formally financial business. He used to go vaults the church and see the people planting and drawing that gave him some knowledge about It (w. NM. Bibliography. Com/melancholies). These they were doing that made them so creative. Whereas Michael Angelo is concerned he didn’t need to smart to paint all he needed were a little knowledge and an idea to express it through art. The second myth states that â€Å"If you don’t express creativity by a certain age it’s too late† (The ©r ©SE Actor: creative minds). This is clearly not true; there is no age to show what your creative about. Although some people find out their inner ability of being retrieve a little late, but it does not mean they cannot express it when they pass a certain age. For egg: Anna Mary Robertson Moses also known as ‘Grandma Moses’ who was a well-known artist, she became a public attention in 1940 at the age 80, where she has started painting in a natural way, drawing from her memory and painting on Americans rural sceneries. Furthermore, she had no training and did it because she enjoyed doing it, all this started after she had retired from a career in embroidery because of arthritis (Silent Reed: 2013). However I believe people tend to realize their retentiveness after a certain age, when they are free are figure out what they enjoy doing enables them to bring out their creativeness and draw up a picture in their mind. People get De motivated after listening to people saying ‘it’s too late or you have passed that age’ which makes them even more less confidence which does not let them become creative. One is never too old to succeed in life† – Anna Mary Robertson Mosses The third myth states that â€Å"Alcohol and Drugs will make you more creative† (The ©r ©SE Actor: creative minds). I personally don’t believe that’s true: people have a psychological effect that makes them feel that when they are under the influence of drugs and alcohol they becam e creative. It is proven to be shown that people under the influence of drugs and alcohol become creative only because the stimulants creates the illusion of creativity (Mark Smith – 2010). This makes people feel that they are creative and this creativity of theirs does not remain for long and can stifle. I believe the idea of being creative after consuming alcohol and drugs tempts musicians and artists to try and instead results in an early loss of life or when they re under the influence of drugs and alcohol their behavior changes and also takes them into deeper thoughts convincing them to suicide or overdose themselves. A clear example would be of the famous Elvis Presley who was known as the king of rock and roll, who had died of overdosing himself with drugs on the 16th of August 1977. At first people thought it was Just a heart attack, later it was found that the reason of his death was because of a massive drug overdose (wry. Unsolved. Com/ Elvis Presley). â€Å"Elvis Presley woke up on the 16th of August, premeditated, planned, took and killed himself deliberately’ – David Stanley. You read "Myths Surrounding Innovation" in category "Papers" Nevertheless, there are celebrities who have overcome these dug problems and are still creative and famous. For instance the famous rapper Ben Hagglers also known as Mackerel who had also started drinking and dabbling into drugs, he also claimed â€Å"l don’t have moderation when using drugs and alcohol. It got to the point where it was hurting my life, my potential†. He then entered rehab and sobered himself up in 2008 and now his having the Auk’s biggest- selling single (Siam Growing: 2013). Celebrities easily get which is clearly untrue, thus a myth. The Fourth myth states that â€Å"Time pressure eels creativity’ (Bill Breed: 2004) this is clearly made up from someone. I cannot think of anything creative when there is time pressure. People tend to take bad decisions in hurry which leads bad consequences and I feel are the least creative. In one of the research it is shown that people who work under great pressure fail to be creative on that day and also the next two days as well (Bill Breed: 2004). This does not allow people to engage in the problem properly and are unable to come up with a better idea. To be creative it is necessary to concentrate on the particular problem, et the problem soak into your brain completely and then let the ideas flow out, thus creativity need preparation time (Bill Breed: 2004). An example to support this myth would be of Sir Isaac Newton who was one of the greatest scientists; he also impressed many people with his knowledge on bible. His most famous theories he discovered was the motion and gravitation, thus known as the â€Å"apple story’. He was able to discover his theories when he had the eighteen months gap when his school was shut due to the plague in the summer 1665 (Chris Pinnate: last visited 2917/13). Therefore, no expert can be creative under time pressure even the world’s renowned scientists took eighteen months to discover his theories on motion and gravity. The fifth myth states that â€Å"Money is a creativity motivator† (Bill Breed: 2004) this myth is also very much untrue. Creativity comes from within one’s self and the only motivation for creativity is by verbal motivation. A person presenting his creativeness and ideas should be recognized by others and supported in order to be motivated. Studies suggest that many people said that money isn’t everything and it is not elevate on a daily basis. For those who want to show their creativeness’s they do not need any money all they need is a little confidence to show what they are capable of. Individuals who work towards money feel that their works performance will affect their compensation are most likely to be less creative. They should be happy with their compensation they receive and research has also shown that workers are more creative when they are interested on their work and are able to extend their skills (Bill Breed: 2004). An example to illustrate this myth would be of the website Flicker. Ludicrous the inventors of flicker had before started a online multilayer gaming software in the year 2002-3, after about an year they realized on the software they had created there was this chat that enables gamers to share pictures and videos and they thought even though they got this big gaming software, they decided to get rid of it and make the sharing of pictures and videos into a big business so that’s how flicker was invented (Scott Bergen: 2008). So the above example clearly states that although ludicrous was making profits out of the gaming business, but still decided to o ahead with their creative idea and started the flicker business with confidence. Therefore money was not a motivating factor that had driven them to start flicker. â€Å"Creativity takes courage† – Henry Matrices The sixth myth state that â€Å"Creativity comes from creative people† (Bill Breed: 2004) is not true at all. Everyone has the capabilities to become creative; it takes knowledge, skills and experience. This specially happens in organizations where the managers feel that only certain employees in the organization are creative like in marketing and research and development departments and the rest of them aren’t like in the retrieve enough then there are barriers to creativity in which the employees are unable to tap their creative potential, thus reducing the success of the business (Bill Breed: 2008). People also Judge people in not being creative if they are not from a creative background and not anywhere in the creative field. There instances where somewhere is doing something creative and a very negative comment is given towards that creativity which results in that persons potential being dropped and loses confidence, but not all people lose hope after being rejected some keep trying until they where they want to be An example to challenge this myth would be Steve Jobs who is a university dropout and was not anywhere creative neither had a creative background until he started at Hewlett-Packard. While working there he came up with this idea of personal computers and shared his idea with Hewlett-Packard and wanted them to build the personal computer unfortunately they had rejected his idea. What so ever, he never gave up on his idea and started with his friend Steve Waking to build the personal computer and came up with apple (Scott Bergen: 2008). Therefore, no matter how negative comments and rejections you get about your creativeness or idea , Steve Jobs never gave up on his idea and passion and had his company apple bigger and better than Hewlett-Packard. â€Å"Be a yardstick of quality, some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected† – Steve Jobs. The seventh myth â€Å"Creativity is Just one eureka moment† (Harold Evans: 2005) this is the type of myth that people have a strong belief in. They tend to wait for an eureka moment to come rather than tapping their creative side and bringing out the artistic within them. When an individual is working on a particular work and is unable to solve it, working for days and keeps thinking about the work in order to find a solution to it and finally when the brain realizes what that work process was all about and in the end the solution for that work problem is all clear in your mind, that is when the eureka moment happens (Wisped). Although Archimedes did have is eureka moment that was not true, he was already an intelligent person and he was already working on finding a solution. He simply kept his mind open and was thoughtful and observing and taking time to connect the puzzle when he finally unconnected the puzzle he screamed eureka (Andre Duran: 2013). An example to confront this myth is Henry Ford although he did not have his eureka moment, but he was creative enough to come with the assemble line idea after failing twice with two automobile companies (Robert Greene: 2012). How to cite Myths Surrounding Innovation, Papers

HRIS at Qantas-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Identify how technology is currently being utilised in your chosen HR functions, how it may be used in the future, and apply your findings to the Organisation of your choice. Answer: HRIS at Qantas Human Resource (HR) is an important component of every organization that contributes to its overall success. In order to continuously improve the processes that are part of HR, technology is increasingly being embraced. This gives rise to Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) that are technologically driven. Qantas is the leading airline in Australia with more than 28,000 employees as of the year 2015. The airline undertook several HR changes in its recruitment and selection of staff and in managing its occupational health and safety. Qantas used a HRIS system from Taleo to manage its recruitment and selection of its flight engineers and RMSS Suite to manage its occupational health and safety. Background of Qantas Qantas was founded in 1920 by three aviation pioneers in Australia: Fergus McMaster, Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness (Qantas Case Study, 2014). The airline started as a passenger and mail courier company within Australia and was later nationalized in 1974. The company was operating globally by 1999 and joined the global airline alliance, Oneworld in the same year. The company experienced varying operational challenges from 2000 to 2010 and posted fairly weak earnings during this period. The airline currently offers the most comprehensive international and domestic coverage in Australia with over 70 international destinations. HR is important within the company and covers everyone from cleaners to the pilots. Current Use of Technology in HR Qantas currently uses Cloud based talent acquisition human resource software provided by Taleo to manage its recruitment and selection process (Oracle, 2017).This replaced the earlier approach which was based on paper work. This system makes the recruitment and selection process smoother as well as directly accessing the labour market. Recruitment times have been cut in half while time taken to make the decision to hire has gone down by a third. The Oracle Taleo Cloud service allows Qantas to manage the recruitment process with software that has rich data on talent management which is socially engaging. AHB (2012) states that this streamlines the resource allocation for the process and cuts down costs associated with hiring. The company engaged Risk Management and Safety Systems (RMSS) to develop an enterprise safety management system (RMSS, 2014). This system covered the components covering safety such as occupational health. The new technology based system replaced the manual paper based system which was cumbersome. The earlier system used Microsoft spreadsheets databases based on Access. This format was unintuitive and complex, expensive to track and not easily accounted for. The new system was customized to fit in-house specifications and reduced identified hazards from 300 to 20. The new technology availed more data once operational and has reduced the injuries that were occurring at Qantas. Future Application Fehling (2014), states that the future application of the current technology systems of HRIS will be Cloud and App based and Software as a Service Applications (SaaS). This will result in a hybrid relation in employment that is agile and improve organizational performance (Sarina Wright, 2015). The current trend will require greater use of Cloud services in order to make the system cost effective and easy to manage. Apps will be the main format of targeting potential employees through mobile devices. This will require leveraging on Social Media sites in order to post vacancies. SaaS applications such as LinkedIn will provide a rich data base from which the company can recruit professionals that require technical competencies such as engineers. Google Docs and Forms will also be increasingly important for the HR department in collecting and collating feedback from employees. Effect of HRIS on flight engineers. The recruitment and selection process has been shortened and made easier for flight engineers as most of the requirements are posted online (Qantas, 2017). The application is done using the company website and this eliminates the paper work of attaching certificates and testimonials and posting them through the mail. Essential requirements of citizenship and age are posted through the company portal. Criminal checks and pre-employment medical check requirements are also shown and this concisely and unambiguously spell out the requirements. Interlinking the website with different social media and professional websites makes the application process much easier. Screening on behavior and technical competency is done online and is followed by a telephone interview for shortlisted candidates. This reduces the time taken for the potential employee to know whether they are successful or not. The system on the portal is able to grade the results of the candidate doing the online technical competency test without bias. This helps to make the recruitment process fair without human input that is biased. This improves the chances of successful application by minority group applicants. This has the effect of making the recruitment process meritorious and transparent. Organizational loyalty is therefore enhanced by the process that is open and fair using technology. Selection is done after a one-on-one interview at the 4hr Assessment Center and is then followed by the training process. The interview process follows on the core requirements of technical and behavioral competencies. The web based process simplifies the whole format of interviewing and gives real time results and feedback to the potential employee. The flight engineer benefits by knowing beforehand the full job description required in terms of technical competency and certifications needed. The detailed requirement helps the flight engineer to pinpoint the daily tasks they are expected to undertake and this prepares them in advance to fit in within the department they will eventually join. The flight engineers have benefited from the RMSS safety management system in several ways. Preflight audits can be done by the engineers and logged into the system. The data that has been input into the Crew Resource Management system helps to reduce human error before flight (MacLeod, 2016). The safety department can then track the logs for purposes of accountability in cases corrective action is not taken. The personnel responsible for taking action can then be held accountable for not undertaking the appropriate actions as recommended in the log. This reduces incidences likely to result in catastrophe due to individual errors (Hampson, Junor Gregson, 2012). This reduces the probability of the flight engineer missing to perform important preflight checks. Human Resource is a component that plays an important role in the management process of most organizations. New technology in the form of software is important in improving this process through appropriate information systems. Qantas has embraced technologies that have improved and changed its recruitment, selection and safety management processes. The recruitment and selection process enables the company to directly access the labour market and provide the procedure that is transparent. Then safety management system has helped in reducing injury at the workplace and providing accountability that is easily tracked. These sets of information system usage have had an overall positive outcome in managing human resources at Qantas References AHB. (2012). Airline Crew Resource Management Systems. Airline Buzz Hub. Retrieved from https://www.airlinehubbuzz.com/airline-cabin-crew-resource-management-systems/ Fehling, C. (2014).Cloud computing patterns: Fundamentals to design, build, and manage cloud applications. Wien: Springer. Hampson, I., Junor, A., Gregson, S. (2012). Missing in action: aircraft maintenance and the recent HRM in the airlines literature. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(12), 2561-2575. doi:10.1080/09585192.2011.633278 Howarth, B. (2010). AHRI: Send in the Cloud. People Management. Retrieved from https://www2.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2013/01/29/ahri-send-in-the-cloud-2010-08.aspx MacLeod, N. (2016). Building Safe Systems in Aviation : A CRM Developer's Handbook. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Oracle. (2017). Oracle Taleo Cloud Service. Retrieved from https://www.oracle.com/applications/taleo.html Qantas Case Sudy. (2014). Qantas. Business Studies Resources. Retrieved from https://www.acehsc.net/wp-content/uploads/Business_Studies_Resources_-_Case_Study_-_Qantas_Operations.PDF Qantas. (2017). Qantas Careers. Retrieved from https://www.qantas.com/travel/airlines/careers/global/en RMSS. (2011). Qantas. Retrieved from https://www.rmss.com.au/upload/RMSS%20Case%20Study%20-%20Qantas.pdf Sarina, T., Wright, C. F. (2015). Mutual gains or mutual losses? Organizational fragmentation and employment relations outcomes at Qantas Group. Journal of Industrial Relations, 57(5), 686. doi:10.1177/0022185615590905

What History Is To A Nation, Memory Is To The Individual. Both Serve T

What history is to a nation, memory is to the individual. Both serve to locate us, to tell us who we are by reminding us of what we have been and done. And both, as Kazuo Ishiguro suggests, are open to selection, repression and revision. The Remains of the Day, Ishiguro's third novel, examines the intersections of individual memory and national history through the mind of Stevens, a model English butler who believes that he has served humanity by devoting his life to the service of a great man, Lord Darlington. The time is 1956; Darlington has died, and Darlington Hall has been let by an American businessman. As Stevens begins a solitary motor trip to the west country, traveling farther and farther from familiar surroundings, he also embarks on a harrowing journey through his own memory. What he discovers there causes him to question not only Lord Darlington's greatness, but also the meaning of his own insular life. The journey motif is a deceptively simple structural device; the far ther Stevens travels from Darlington Hall, it seems, the closer he comes to understanding his life there. But in Stevens's travel journal Ishiguro shapes an ironic, elliptical narrative that reveals far more to the reader than it does to Stevens. The butler believes, for instance, that he makes his trip for professional reasons, to persuade a former housekeeper, Miss Kenton, to return to Darlington Hall. But through deftly managed flashbacks and Stevens's naive admissions, the reader sees instead that the matter is highly personal: Stevens had loved Miss Kenton but let her marry another man; he now wishes to make up for lost time, to correct the mistakes of his past. More important than that veiled love story--but intimately connected with it--is the matter of Lord Darlington, and the degree to which Stevens's sense of self is founded upon his belief in Darlington's greatness. It becomes clear enough to the reader, though Stevens is long in admitting it to himself, that Darlington h ad been a political pawn of fascism and the Nazis--unwitting perhaps, misguided no doubt, but hardly the great man that Stevens had deceived himself into believing he served. These revelations are made through a delicate and powerful process: as Stevens's journal shifts between travelogue, personal memoir and reflections on his profession, his memory slides continually between Darlington Hall in the ruined, empty present, the height of Darlington's influence (and Stevens's pride) in the 1920s, and the tense, disturbing pre-war 1930s. Carefully elided from consideration, repressed and hidden, are the war years themselves and their immediate aftermath. We know they are there, of course, and we may guess what they meant at Darlington Hall, but Stevens's memorial archaeology leaves that particular tomb unexcavated. In the end, Stevens must come to some sense of resignation and resolution, both about Darlington and about himself. The source of Stevens's pride is also, after all, potentia lly the source of his shame. He was willing enough to shine in the light of Darlington's greatness, and now must either share in his disgrace, or--what is perhaps more difficult--admit that his own dedicated and deeply considered professionalism has had no real part to play on the stage of world history. Like all great novels, The Remains of the Day is an organic work, its parts perfectly integrated, every scene imaging the whole. In his carefully controlled prose, so perfectly suited to his narrator, in his effortless movement among several different time settings, in his almost magical evocation of simultaneous humor and pathos, Ishiguro proves himself a masterful artist in full command of his elements. And in this novel, those elements combine to form a profound psychological and cultural portrait that reveals the author's great abiding theme: the art and artifice of memory

THE PROGRESSIVE ERA

THE PROGRESSIVE ERA THE PROGRESSIVE ERATo many, it seemed as if America's development was too good to be true. Immigrants flooded in hoping for a better life and a new start. Politicians ran for office all with a better platform than the last. By the early 1900's though, reality struck American cities. Labor in the cities was tough, with unsafe conditions and long hours, all for a minimum wage that could only afford for the increasing slum apartments. Different companies took advantage of the same working class of the cities, usually overcharging them for services and lying to them whenever possible. With all this going on, the public turned to the government, but realized the corrupt system would never be able to help much. The government was filled with unqualified officials whom, after being banned from the spoils system, were still being bribed by companies, criminals, etc. for special treatment. Americans desperately waited in disappointment for the change they needed.English: Jane Addams in a carT he laborers for these large businesses worked in poor conditions filled with safety hazards and minimal pay. The laborers also crowded to these factories in the overpopulated cities such as New York City and Chicago. When fired immigrants would take over the job for less pay. Such events brought upon great strikes and violence. Something had to be done. When all of American society was affected in the way businesses the people banded together to stop the chaos. The progressive movement was all about the regulation of business, no labor exploitation, federal intervention to help out the rest of America.Inventors, philosophers, social theorists, and historians led the progressive movement laying down the groundwork for the future. They believed that intelligent disciplined people should lead America into its new age. Being methodical in their ways, they used scientific methods to solve...

Common Spelling Mistakes Should You Use Lose or Loose

Common Spelling Mistakes Should You Use Lose or Loose Do you know the difference between the words â€Å"lose† and â€Å"loose†? Do you wonder each time you write one of these words whether you’re spelling it right? Today I will not only give you examples of how to know whether to use lose or loose, but I will also give you a trick to remember forever which spelling is correct. Lose is Always a Verb Some of the most common meanings for the word â€Å"lose† are to come to be without something, to fail to keep track of something, to have someone die, or to fail to win. Here is a list of some things you can lose: keys; money; a job; 25 pounds; loved ones; a game of pool, your virginity, or your mind. Before you get lost in thought about all the things you might lose, let’s move on to our next word. Loose is Usually an Adjective â€Å"Loose† can mean free, unfettered, unbound, or lacking in restraint; a few of its antonyms (opposites) are firm, bound and tight. It can also be used as a VERB meaning to let go of, let shoot or fly, or set free. Examples of Things that Can Be Loose Some things that can be or get loose are: Hair, knots, zoo animals, a sexually promiscuous person, a structure, an interpretation, vegetables in the grocery store, and teeth. There are many idioms that use the word â€Å"loose† such as â€Å"let loose,† â€Å"break loose,† â€Å"cut loose,† â€Å"hang loose,† â€Å"turn loose,† and â€Å"on the loose.† And are any of you â€Å"footloose and fancy free†? I hope the difference between â€Å"lose† and â€Å"loose† is clear. Now, how will you remember which is which? Knowing When to Use Lose or Loose It’s easy. Whenever you find yourself loosely throwing a double letter â€Å"o† into the word loose, ask yourself, â€Å"Should I *lose* the â€Å"o†?† Here are a few tricks to help you remember which word to use. Lose If you want a verb that means â€Å"to be without something,† then be without the extra â€Å"o†! If you want to say you â€Å"didnt win,† imagine the loser paying the winner the extra â€Å"o.† If you misplace something, misplace the second â€Å"o.† Loose If on the other hand, if you want your word to mean free, unbound, or anything loosely in that category, be free with your â€Å"o†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s! Dare I say, â€Å"Use them or lose them?† If you have questions about this or any other spelling/grammatical issue, ask The Essay Expert. You can also sign up for Brendas Grammar Writing Tips List for tips on how to communicate more professionally.

The Life in Thailand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Life in Thailand - Essay Example My native country is Thailand, which means â€Å"freedom†, and we call our country â€Å"Prathet Thai†. Buddhism and other religions and beliefs have a great influence on Thai art and way of life. In Thailand, the two main cultures are the ‘court one’ and ‘Ramvong.’ The court one culture is based on Buddhist values with the elements of Hinduism. Ramvong, on the other hand, is a folk culture with traditional songs and dances about the belief in spirits, tales, ceremonies of the agricultural cycle and the cycle of human life. This type of culture also includes crafts like the manufacture of household goods, wood processing, home silk weaving, wickerwork, rattan, and many others. The court culture is represented by Thai classical theater also known as "Khon". The performance is accompanied by traditional Thai music orchestra called "Phi Phat†. Typical Thai architecture is represented by Buddhist monasteries, frescoes in the temples and statu es of the Buddha. The culture in Singapore resembles a mixture of primarily British, Chinese, Indian, and Malay cultures. For a long time, Singapore was a colony of Britain, because of this the European culture got a great prevalence within this land. There are four state languages in Singapore: English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin), and Tamil. The most interesting and unusual thing about Singaporeans is their obsession with food. Food is the main topic that people discuss during small talks. A lot of festivals, exhibitions, and excursions are devoted to food.

Internet and Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internet and Technology - Research Paper Example As such, this paper shall briefly discuss the functional and social benefits of the Internet, and then move on to elucidating its social disadvantages. In the end, this paper aims to reinforce its thesis that while the Internet has its positive social benefits, it should not be replaced with real, face-to-face social interactions. Benefits of the Internet The primary advantages of the Internet are rooted in its nature as a digital communication medium. In this regard, it can be claimed that the common benefits of the Internet may be grouped either as functional or social. There are three common functional benefits of the Internet. Firstly, the Internet allows for an easier and more comfortable access to a vast number of information second (Brey 4). As an example, through the presence of various search engines like Google and Yahoo! Search, people from all over the globe can access pertinent information about any topic in less than a second. This helps in enhancing people’s cog nitive skills. Secondly, The Internet makes it possible for people to efficiently and effectively transfer information (Brey 4). For example, with the increasing popularity of blog sites and social networking sites, almost anyone can create or disseminate online contents to their contacts or subscribers. Such maintains high level of awareness and interest on the most pressing societal issues. Lastly, the Internet facilities various communication formats among individuals from all parts of the globe. Examples of these formats include one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many communication. Through this, freedom of expression is protected and practiced by giving every user a chance to impart his or her insights on the common societal happenings. On the other hand, there are four common social benefits of the Internet. Firstly, it helps develop and maintain good social relations. This usually happens when the Internet is used as a tool of communication for those who wish to maintain th eir closeness with their loved ones. For example, Skype is bridges communication gap by ensuring real-time communication. Secondly, the Internet contributes in the community formation and social organization by uniting people with same interests and likes. For example, there are various websites that cater to ‘passion groups’ like dancers, painters, and what not. As such, it often provides a fresh new approach for individuals to build and enhance social movements. Thirdly, the Internet also assists in one’s identity formation and psychological development by helping them ‘be what they really are’. In this sense, Internet’s capacity to allow for anonymity gives more freedom to the users. Lastly, the Internet paves the way for a better understanding not only of one’s culture, but of the culture of others, too. In this regard, through the vast information that are present in the Internet, anyone can search about history and art, allowing o ne to appreciate various cultural symbols and norms. Disadvantages of the Internet The Internet also has its share of negative effects to people and societies at large. Obviously, depending on the intention of its users, the Internet may be used to destroy one’s reputation and dignity. The primary disadvantage happens when online interaction is being replaced with tangible, face-to-face relationships. For example, when a person decides to engage more in online communication rather than real communication, he will slowly develop