A literature review on electromagnetic transponders in prostate cancer

A on electromagnetic transponders in prostate cancer treatment - Literature review Example The present research particularly involved reviewing a number of recent publications including journals, books, articles, magazines and databases related to the use of electromagnetic transponders in cancer treatment. Electromagnetic Transponder is an emerging high tech system that is increasingly being used to track the movement of prostate glands particularly during external beam radiation therapy. The technique particularly involves implanting three tiny electromagnetic transponders into a patient’s prostate gland in order to enhance the delivery of post- prostatectomy radiation therapy by providing real time tracking required to ensure accurate treatment of prostate cancer through radiation therapy (Kindblom et al., 2009). According to many experts, the technique is particularly preferred for the post-surgical radiation therapy for prostate cancer because it significantly allows for enhanced localization of the specific targeted area thereby allowing for the delivery of maximum radiation dose while at the same time minimizing the exposure of the patients surrounding non-targeted normal tissues to radiation (Foster, Pistenmaa and Solberg, 2012, p.2924). The present literature paper particularly focused on a comprehensive review of relevant recent publications such as journals, books, articles, magazines, databases and other professional manuscripts related to the theory, practice and use of electromagnetic transponders in cancer treatment. Finally, the findings of the literature review were then analyzed and clustered based on the key major themes namely the oncologic and functional outcomes of electromagnetic transponders, placement of electromagnetic transponders in prostate cancer treatment as well as the challenges related to the use of electromagnetic transponders in the prostate cancer treatment. For the last 15 years, development of electromagnetic

Internal External Strategies Essay Example for Free

Internal External Strategies Essay Tradeoffs between an internal and external growth strategy goes together in an organization. The internal organization which focuses on the internal growth of the firm look upon the comforts for the internal people and the facilities are provided internally for the employees. The employees are boosted up and they are encouraged from giving them bonus, over time etc. the internal growth of an organization helps it to groom itself completely but this sets a backward area. The internal growth comprises on the employees moral, the expansion of the organization, more opportunities are overwhelmed for the employees and they are trained in such a manner that they become sharp and confident and boast them in an orderly manner. As a result only the internal growth is focused and the external has to go through a tough time as the only focus becomes the internal growth and the cost is ignored. The production cost gets higher and the demand is affected which leads to a decrease in the sale of goods in the market (Clare Stutely, 1995). On the other hand when the external growth is focused the budget and the cost are kept in view and the people are mainly focused on the output in the market. Cost cutting is observed and this even leads to the suspension of employees from their job. The cost of the product is kept in view and then decisions are taken to avoid any kind of disturbance in the demand of the product. This creates misconception among the employees and the owners and a huge gap is created among relations. Employees are not focused and not considered for increment. These are the tradeoffs between external and internal growth strategy (Triant, 2006). In international strategy external growth is focused as it is more profitable for them. In international trade only the cost and the demand is focused. Profit is only the motive of the international traders and therefore external trade strategy is the best approach.

Ozone :: essays papers

Ozone Ozone is an important molecule in maintaining the homeostasis in the environment. Ozone, the molecule O3, makes a layer in the stratosphere, situated 10 to 15 kilometers from the earth's surface. The dioxide molecule, O2 and Oxygen atom O, collide with each other result in the formation of Ozone, O3. In this reaction, the molecule O3 contains an excess of energy. Once the molecule is formed, it is not stable enough to last long. The energy-rich O3 molecules discards the excess energy by colliding with another atom or molecule and transferring the energy in the form of heat. In the results of the decomposition of ozone into O2 and O in the ozone layer, solar radiation is absorbed. This process of the chemical bond breaking causing the absorption of a photon by a molecule is called photodissociation. Radiation with sufficient intensity, is capable of separating the O3 molecule, resulting in photodissociation. The cyclic process formation and decomposition of ozone provides a shield against ultraviolet radiation that enter the earth's atmosphere. If it were not for the chemical reaction of radiation and ozone in the stratosphere, these high-energy photons would penetrate the earth's surface. The ozone layer absorbers about 99% of the harmful radiation which makes it possible for animals and plants to live on the planet. In 1974, F. Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina of the University of California proposed that chlorine from chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) could deplete the ozone layer. Beginning in 1957 to 1985, the British Antarctic Survey had measured the average ozone concentration over Halley Bay in Antarctica. Up until 1974, the ozone concentration remained stable. Yet after 1974, the team observed a decline of the ozone layer to levels less than 10%. From this study the awareness over the danger of the "hole" and ultraviolet radiation and the destruction being done to the earth. Scientists believe the expanding ozone hole, which is centered over Antarctica was caused by Chloroflurocarbons. CFCs are released into the environment through such sources as spray cans , air conditioners, factories, refrigerants and cleaning products. CFCs are dangerous to the atmosphere because after they are released into the environment, the sunlight breaks down the compound. The chlorine molecules react with the ozone molecules by permanently breaking down the molecule, thus diminishing the ozone layer. This rise poses a major threat environment. In 1985, in Vienna and in 1987 in Montreal, a Protocol was signed proposing the gradual termination of use of CFCs over the decades. A dramatic reduction in the use of CFCs was agreed on. Regulations to limit the production of

Swagg

Sydney Kpundeh Professor Couch Introduction to Philosophy 1101 February 23, 2013 Artificial Intelligence The year is 2013 and technology dominates our day and age. Our society is turning to one that requires some sort of technology to survive. One may argue that a lot of people have cell phones or know how to use one. That can range from a ten year old child, to an eighty-five year old grandmother. One may also argue that most households have either a television or computer or even both in most cases.The use of technology in people’s lives is growing and therefore the demand for technological products. Children are addicted to playing games on their PlayStation or texting their buddies and their parents are busy sending emails and checking stocks on their iPads’. With this steady growth in usage of technology in people’s lives, the demand for these machines is also growing. Competitors selling these machines compete to make their products better than the rest of the sellers, constantly keeping them updated and in tune with what people would want to see in these machines and what they need from them.For example, let us look at â€Å"SIRI,† which is software developed by the company Apple. It is an intelligent personal assistant which is used in Apple products. Siri is given a woman’s voice and uses it to answer questions, make recommendations, and perform actions by delegating requests to a set of Web services. Most machines in this generation are equipped with this personal assistant ability or something very similar. This new recent development in machines has stirred a very interesting debate amongst philosophers.That debate is whether or not machines have the ability to think. Alan Turning, who was a computer scientist, wrote a 950 page paper in the 1950s, about a way to test whether machines can actually think. It became known as the Turning Test for Thinking Machines. In his paper Turning also outlines some objections peo ple had to machine intelligence. Christopher Evans was also a computer scientist and he also wrote a paper entitled, â€Å"Can Machines think† in which he summarizes Turnings objections, comments on them, and also gives his own opinion on the subject. In this paper, I will ocus on two of his objections to the thesis that machines can think that Evans considers and replies to, and I will explain my side on those issues. The first objection is the Theological objection—â€Å"Man is a creation of God, and has been given a soul and the power of conscious thought. Machines are not spiritual beings, have no soul and thus must be incapable of thought† (Evans 221). This argument objects to the thesis that machines can think. Evans leans on what Turning already pointed out in his paper, that this objection puts an unwarranted restriction on God. Why shouldn’t he give machines souls and allow them to think if he wanted to? † (Evans 221). Evan replies by sayin g that this is irrefutable. If we define thinking as something that only man can do and something that only God has the power to grant, then machines cannot think because God created man with the ability to think. Man created machines but since man does not have the same powers as God, they are not able to give these machines the ability to think. Therefore machines cannot think. I am a strong believer in God and I believe he created all living creatures on this earth, along with humans and the ground we inhabit.Everything else that we see now in the world is a byproduct of those 3 things and therefore not a creation by God. That means that they do not have the same functions as the things created by God. Thought is one of those functions. A building was created by man and nobody would argue that a building has the ability to even speak yet alone think. Machines, like computers, iPods, iPhones, PlayStations, etc. , were all created by Man. Therefore just like a building, there shoul d not even be a debate about whether or not they have the ability to think.Just like how building designs have become more sophisticated, machines have also had significant advances from when they were first created. However all of these new developments are additions by humans and they have nothing to do with the primary functions of the building or machine. Buildings are still made to keep things in and keep things out. Machines are made for entertainment and to help our lives as humans run smoother. Nothing has changed. I agree strongly with Evans on this point which rejects the idea that machines can think, and believe he makes a good argument.The second objection is the Unpredictability objection- â€Å"Computers are created by humans according to a set of rules and operate according to carefully scripted programs which themselves are sets of rules. So if you wanted to, you could work out exactly what a computer was going to do at any particular time† (Evans 223). That b eing said, computers therefore are totally predictable. Humans however, are unpredictable and do not operate according to a set of rules. Therefore because humans are unpredictable, they are capable of error, which cannot be said about the predictable machines.The fact that machines are incapable of error and every one of their moves are predictable means that they do not have the ability to think. Evans replies by rejecting this thought. He says that machines nowadays are more complex and dynamic that they can surprise us and make mistakes. Although they are programmed in most of their actions, some still have the ability to re-program themselves and therefore can be unpredictable. Consequently, Evans argues that in this aspect machines have the ability to think. I disagree with Evans on this reply because I do not think he makes a strong argument.I will use the Siri example mentioned earlier to help support my position. Siri was programmed by Apple and all of Siri’s functio ns and response have been thought out and tested, and therefore predictable. However, it is impossible to predict everything that Siri says. Siri can surprise people because its response, even though they are predicted, caters to the user’s personality, interest, and likes. Siri saves and takes a note of every action you perform on your phone, or Apple product. If you constantly search for close McDonalds in the area and then ask Siri for example, what do I feel like eating today? It is highly probable that Siri is going to respond McDonalds. That does not mean Siri is thinking. It just means that is was programmed to study your search habits and interests. Siri could also say Wendy’s, because it knows you like fast food and Wendy’s has the same type of food as McDonalds, but it knows you always eat McDonald’s and could use something different to eat. That again does not mean that Siri is thinking, it just means it is programmed to sort through your likes and habits, and decided to suggest something which was not what ost people would have predicted. This is just another reason why I believe machines cannot think. This debate is a very intriguing one. Previous generations probably would turn in their graves if they actually knew that we were spending time and money debating and researching the thought of machines having the ability to think. However now the time being the 21st century and with all the technology advances that comes with living in this age, it is a very plausible debate.The thesis and the common belief now is that these new machines, from phones to cars, think on their own but like Evans, I disagree with this argument. Although there can be valid cases for machines thinking on their own, and Evans even agrees with the norm on some occasions, there still is not enough evidence today to turn that claim into a fact. Evans makes very strong cases for why they still cannot think, cases that I have commented on above and s tated my view, but in the end it goes down to the fundamental definition of the word â€Å"think†.Webster’s dictionary defines the word think as –â€Å"have a particular opinion, belief, or idea about someone or something: â€Å"she thought that nothing would be the same again. † Based on that definition alone machines cannot have their own opinions or beliefs about something. A car cannot, for example, not feel like driving today so it refuses to start. Therefore machines cannot think and they will never gain the ability to think because you cannot give someone or something an opinion.

How I Stumbled Across Universal Literacy

I acquired, through being part of many discourses that, eventually, everything connects. I had always heard the same thing, â€Å"Graduate from a good college and find a cent living, and you'll be happy and successful. † Ha! What a capitalistic, factory- produced, fairy tale to tell impressionable children, I thought. Nope, I was smarter than that. I would be the one to take the road less traveled†to go against the grain and live my own life the way I wanted to. After barely graduating high school with a GEED (or a GEED equivalent actually†¦ ), I took off to LA to become a music-producer.I was going to be big. I learned the trade, worked inside multi- million dollar studios, and formed a band. I had It all figured out and I was going to how everybody that school was for fools. As with everything In life. This Intoxicating success did not last. I began to feel something was missing. Here I was, living the dream that I had imagined for myself, and yet, I didn't feel m uch fulfillment. Bills were stacking, the girlfriend was becoming distant, and the excitement of living on my own slowly began to degrade with each passing day.Soon, I could no longer make enough to afford living on my own. And so, I packed up and return home to the Bay Area. Life had defeated me, or so It felt, and I had to reevaluate what I wanted to do with mine. That's when the unexpected happened: I started going back to school again. I began taking courses seriously and I learned that, not only was I pretty good at most of the stuff, I really liked it. I found that an obscure subject like calculus, could be applied to something even more obscure like computer programming. I learned lessons in swimming that helped me learn how to socialize.Hell, if I took an extensive course on rock-paper-scissors, I could find a hidden lesson that could ring true In another study. I guess you could say I slowly realized how to learn, rather than what to learn. After all, James Paul Gee writes in his paper, Ð’Â «owing† is a matter of â€Å"knowing how to proceed† (â€Å"go on†) in specific social interactions† (Discourse and Coloratura Studies in Reading, 196). Once I realized that I had a plethora of knowledge and life-experiences up my sleeve already, navigating through new areas in life began to be much more comfortable and rewarding.An unexpected part of life had showed up In my life as well: religion. If you had the reasons wrong with the Bible and how there couldn't possibly be a God. Openness eased my stubbornness. I wanted to â€Å"hear out† what all these people in Christianity had to say. As I attended sermons, I checked all Judgments at the door and listened. I remember the words of a wise teacher I had in high school. He told us to empty our cups†to be ready to fill it with more knowledge. I found that what they preached in church was certainly applicable to somebody not religious at all.Instead of seeing the religion as a brain-washing cult, I began to understand it as a form of volunteer-work. These people were here for help, or to help. How could I speak negatively anymore about something that humans should be doing for each other? I kicked up a sense of humbleness from immersing myself in religious-discourse. It was not only Christianity that I researched. I started pouring my curiosities into Buddhism, Shamanism, and Islam. In all these religions, they teach a similar purpose: healing. Heal yourself, heal others, and heal the Universe.Within you, without you. We are all one, yet amazingly unique. All these â€Å"Faceable†-queues pseudo babble started to make sense to me! Trying new ideas had given me a fulfillment that I Just could not describe. I felt like a scientist, and that my field of study had now been shifted to understanding life. The doors that academic and religious discourse opened for me was like staring into a hallway that had even more interesting and unique doors to b e opened. That would never have been available to me had I not looked in their direction and remained open.James Paul Gee puts it very elegantly, â€Å"Analogously, one can deepen the insight by taking successively deeper views of what interpretation means† (Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics, 540). At times, I can still feel dejected, depressed, or Just plain lazy; after having been through these types of situations before, some many times worse, I learned that eventually, everything will urn out okay again†it has to. Physics proves this, religion speaks of this, and there are sayings I'm sure you've heard before like, â€Å"the dawn is darkest before the day. Recognizing this helps me deal with the inevitable problems that we all share, and how to stress out in a healthy way. A big part of life for me is music. I would not have traveled to LA with such reckless abandon, were it not for the passion and fuel that music provides me. I identified heavily with the punk- (counter)culture during my teenage years. I still do, but again, with a fresh perspective on the community. Punks look intimidating to a lot of people. They have messy hair, spikes in every direction on their clothing, and a penchant for destroying things.The irony is, these very people are often the ones who are insecure, bold, and most understanding. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, and some punks are Just dicks, but being surrounded by a culture of misfits where the majority of members inside felt they were not right for the â€Å"mainstream discourse†, led me to take a look at the way things were established. I saw a lot of paranoia in the community, and I had to face my own. Let me explain. Paranoia, on one end of the spectrum, can lead people to believe things like, in 1969, America staged the whole moon landing.Or that the Pope is really a lizard. But on the other end of the spectrum, complete naivetà ©Ã‚ © can lead people to believe that banks have your b est interest in mind, or that marijuana causes death. Somewhere in between them is an inner-balance much like the yin and yang in Buddhism. I learned that I revealed when the people spreading an idea can learn to communicate well enough without offending another's ideas. We must listen to others as well, and learn to be dead to change our own ideas. How can we do this? How can I be sure that the color red looks the same to me, as it does to you?And more importantly, how can we find a .. That reading and writing cannot be separated from consensus? Gee argues, † speaking, listening, and interacting† (Reading as Situated Language: A Cognitively Perspective, 714). He makes a rather elegant point here in that it is not a matter of â€Å"street smarts† vs†¦ â€Å"Book smarts†, rather, it is a marriage of the two that is necessary for communication. â€Å"Eventually, everything connects† was said by Charles Names, a designer. An app on the phone called , â€Å"Dots, A Game About Connecting†, displays his quote prominently.Each time I play this game, I think about the many ways to accomplish one simple goal: connect the dots. There are ups and downs, lefts and rights. But there are also boxes and zigzags. The more unique ways you find to connect the dots, the easier and more fun the game becomes. Learning many tools from hands-on life- experiences greatly increases the fulfillment I feel for them. They boost my confidence, encourage me to eat healthier, to do well in school, and to live happier with family. You can say Vie stopped rebelling like I used to, and to that, I would have to agree.But I'm also rebelling against ignorance. I'm rebelling against preconceived molds society can place on us, and I'm rebelling against egoism. It's a never-ending pursuit, but it's much more preferable to never pursuing. James Paul Gee says, † . .The master discourse is not Just the sum of its parts, it is something also over and abo ve them† (Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics, 537). Perhaps once we've connected all the dots, we are still not done. We may never be done, and to me, that is an exciting thought.

A Look into the 5 Most Popular Learning Management System for Educators Essays

A Look into the 5 Most Popular Learning Management System for Educators Essays A Look into the 5 Most Popular Learning Management System for Educators Essay A Look into the 5 Most Popular Learning Management System for Educators Essay Essay Topic: Popular Learning management systems are tools that integrate different aspects of learning process into a centralized system. This allows the teachers to track and monitor progress of students’ e-learning courses or training programs. A learning management system can help teachers record student’s performance, track record of student’s progress, report to parents, oversee administration or share content with the students. The system also allows the teachers to prepare a lesson plan and progress reports to the parents. Furthermore, the educators can share knowledge, conduct video conference or even post the whole lessons for the students. Today, there are various businesses offering LMS tools to serve the educators. These companies have products with little variation in their design, function or price but the core function remains the same i.e. providing a centralized management system to the educators. However, there are some popular LMS products that are major stakeholders of the e-learning industry. Based on recent surveys, I will discuss some of the most efficient and reliable products of LMS companies that have the highest share in this industry. 1. Blackboard Blackboard is a leading learning management system among colleges and offers the maximum features for e-learning. It provides a virtual learning environment that can be accessed by the teachers to post comments, receive educational material from students or share information. It has chat forums for teachers or students to interact on any matters and has an integrated mailing system to communicate messages or follow up on issues. Furthermore, it has an online planner for students and teachers to schedule deadlines and agenda. Students can also use course content tool to share information through blogs and videos. Other features include learning modules, media library and grade book. Having over 8.5 million users and 950+ clients all over the world, it tops in the league of leading learning management system currently available. 2. TeacherEase TeacherEase is yet another popular learning management tools used by elementary and high schools. It offers tools for planning lessons and monitoring students’ performance that includes their grades, attendance and behavior. It has centralized database management system that provides access to parents to get their kids progress and teacher’s feedback. A product of Common Goals Systems Inc, TeacherEase was launched in 2001 and has been the most sought-after LMS tool since then. With over 1000 schools and over 300,000 users currently using the system, it has become a major stakeholder in the e-learning industry. 3. Moodle Moodle is another widely-used e-learning platform among educators and students. It offers features like, assignment submission, online chat and discussion forums, online calendar and bulletin boards. Furthermore, it features live video conferencing, mailing system and links to reference resources. With more than 70,000 clients and over 6 million users around the world, it is among the most trusted learning system for the educators. 4. Desire2Learn Desire2Learn is one more popular source of learning management system. It offers the most effective tool for e-learning solutions. It has the fastest growing customer retention rate with more than 700 customers in over 20 countries. This learning management system features a centralized database system that teachers can access to monitor student’s academic growth through their learning pattern. It has similar features to that of other learning management systems with the exception that it can be accessed through Android operating system. Founded in 1999, the company has staff in Canada, Australia, UK and US with headquarters in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. 5. Skillsoft Skillsoft is yet another leading e-learning software for the educators (small to medium sized organizations). Skillsoft provides e-learning experience through various methods that include content sharing, research references, resources management, learning tools and administration system. The company has a strong online presence in the LMS industry with over 700,000 users and more than 2000 customers around the globe.

Social computing in global businesses

Social computing in global businesses Introduction Human beings have always lived in groups and societies from the beginning of their existence on the planet. Being in groups and congregations fulfilled many basic human needs, such as, safety, cooperation in getting food, water or shelter. The presence of societies and groups also helped in getting approval from others. Humans like to interact with one another and be heard, accepted and followed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social computing in global businesses specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This human tendency and need for belonging to groups is what ignited the spark of social computing; the phenomenon will be the focus of this white paper. The establishment of societies, groups and interactions that connect many people online is just an imitation of human behaviour in the real world. The difference is that social computing uses IT and the internet as the main medium of communication rather than face-to-face communication used in real life. During the course of this paper we will try to cover some information about social computing. We will discuss its meaning and definition; then we will briefly talk about its history and how it came to existence in its modern form. The different types of social computing applications and mediums will be mentioned and how they are used to create and promote interactions between people. The use of social computing for businesses takes a different path than the one used for personal interactions. For organisations to utilise social computing, they have to know the benefits they can gain from using such a powerful tool. The different benefits companies can get from using social computing will also be discussed. This will illustrate to the reader that it is not just individuals who can benefit from social computing, but businesses can also gain enormously from such tools. In order to show how some global businesses have used social computing, we will also include some examples of companies that are actively using social computing to improve their business practices. Focus will also be given to their communication strategies with all members of their value chain. Additionally, since we know that our audience is in the U.A.E., we will discuss how organisations and businesses in the United Arab Emirates can use the power of social computing to improve their profitability and their relationships with customers, suppliers, staff and all the other entities that they deal with. Definition of social computing Social computing started during the 1960’s with the recognition of the idea that computers are used for communication and not just for computation (McDonald 12). Social computing can be defined as â€Å"the shared and interactive aspect of online behaviour† (Rouse 30). Some of the major elements of social computing include blogs, wikis, instant messaging, Twitter, social networking, RSS, and social bookmarking sites (Rouse 9).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Social computing is the practice of expanding the contacts of our business and/or social relations through creating connections with individuals. The supreme potential of the Internet promotes social computing through web-based groups created for that purpose. Social computing creates interconnected Internet communities that help persons to make contacts. Web sites dedicated to social computing are many, such as, Friendster, Linkedin, Spoke, and Tribe Networks, IBM and Microsoft. Social computing is a collection of technologies driving a remarkable evolution of the Web in growth and investment. Social computing is based on digital systems that support online social interaction. Social interactions can occur through email, sharing photos, and instant messaging. Such interactions are typically social for the reason that they are mainly about communicating with people. Also, there are other kinds of online social activities such as creating a web page, offering something on eBayâ„ ¢, following others on Twitterâ„ ¢, and editing in Wikipedia. These activities involve people that one may not know. Social computing is about how digital systems support social interactions. It engages people by providing communication mechanisms for interactions, chatting, sharing information, processing and displaying traces of online interfaces (McDonald 15). History of Social Computing Social computing has been around for quite some time. Some people may say that it dates back to the 1960s. At that time, scientists and experts in IT started to realise that computers can be used for communication as well as computation. In 1961 Simon Ramo discussed the possibility of many people being connected together through the use of computers. He said it is a degree of citizen participation unthinkable today. (Ramo 1) In 1968 a book written by Licklider and Taylor called The Computer as a Communication Device was published. The book spoke about the emergence of interactive communities that joined people from different geographical areas together. They had common interests and were using IT systems as their main method of communicating. Even though the discussion about using computer systems to connect people started in the early 1960s, it wasnt until the 1970s that computer-based communication had started. The earliest systems that utilized computers in communication between people included Emissary and Eis systems. They were used for what experts called computer conferencing. Furthermore, in the 1970s the University of Illinois introduced PLATO Notes. Mailing lists were introduced for the first time ever on ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network). (Licklider and Taylor 2).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social computing in global businesses specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After these programs opened the door, the 1980s saw an increase of IT systems that used computers to connect people. Social interactions through online text conversations increased, and bulletin boards emerged. Also the 80s saw the introduction of Internet Relay Chat and USENET. USENET was started as an online community that users could utilise to communicate with each other. They could discuss different issues of mutual concern through posts and threads on topics. Another way of using computers for communication in the 1980s was bulletin boards. They mimicked traditional bulletin boards used by people to post topics or issues of interest to different members of society. In the 1990s advances continued in IT infrastructure, and so did developments in communication technology. The introduction of the web in the 90s helped to advance social computing greatly. It caused a revolution by increasing connection speeds and bandwidth s. Nonetheless, when the web first started, social interactions and communication between people were limited to content that people used to upload on webpages. Most of them shared links with other users; this is quite different from the social computing that exists today. Webpage uploads were the beginning of dramatic changes in the way people interacted with each other over extended geographical areas. Little regard would be given to distance or natural barriers in this platform. The internet actually made the idea of social computing in its current sense a reality. People didn’t have to be on the same local network or in the same area in order to interact and communicate with each other. In the late 1990s and the beginning of the 21st century, IT systems became more capable of facilitating communication between people and entities in a way that used computational power. Not only did this allow people to interact directly with each other, but it also fed results back into t he system in a way that enriched social interactions. The systems became more tailor-made for individual users. An example of this application is feedback or suggestions that one gets when using search engines like Google, YouTube, Amazon or EBay. Nowadays social computing applications and functions are an essential part of almost any website. Businesses have recognized the importance of such applications and are using them very heavily to increase interactions with customers, suppliers and other members of the value chain. This increased dependency on social computing is causing these websites and applications to become an integral part of people’s daily lives.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Types of social computing applications One of the types of social computing applications that create the aboves of successful use of social computing As discussed earlier, social computing leads to staff improvement. A company that demonstrated these abilities was IPC Inc. It is a healthcare institution that used social software to harness distributed knowledge. Physicians in this company faced daily challenges that were new to them. Many of these professionals used social software to contact other physicians. Through this avenue, they could converse about clinical matters or patient challenges. Their version of social software provided them with access to about 1000 doctors in real time. If a physician had to make a critical decision about a certain patient, and was uncertain about it, all he had to do was communicate with the other physicians. The hospital improved its response times as well as its quality of care. Besides, it led to greater physician satisfaction because doctors were not working alone (Miller et al. 19). Some companies embrace social software in order to increase business performance or boost financial revenue. One organisation that enjoyed this reward was OSIsoft. The company identified a challenge that social networking could solve; poor problem resolution. Prior to implementation of enterprise social computing, the customer support department was unable to respond quickly and accurately to customer inquiries. This minimised customer satisfaction and hence business outcomes. After the adoption of social software, OSIsoft easily accessed experts based on relevant topics. Customer support staff could also engage in ongoing discussions with engineers about technical issues that customers needed to know. All learning was documented through wiki articles. Some of the information came from call logs while others stemmed from experts. Employees took on the responsibility of creating knowledge as it was not just a duty assigned to a small team. I n the end, problem resolution improved dramatically. Customers were satisfied and this increased the amount of business they brought to the company. OSIsoft reaped tangible financial results because of social media use (Miller et al. 27). Most firms utilise social computing in order to boost their marketing strategies. In fact, when one talks about social technology, most people will automatically think about Twitter and Facebook. While consumer driven applications are vital in organisations, deeper analyses of collaborative tools need to be done (O’Driscoll 29). However, it is still necessary to look at case studies of companies that harnessed these consumer-driven technologies. One company that demonstrated the power of social networking in marketing was Toyota. In 2010, the company had quality control issues with their automobiles. They needed to recall a vast number of units, and this took a toll on their brand image. The company decided to target social networking websit e users in order to minimise this damage. At any one time, there were almost a dozen Toyota employees monitoring Facebook and other social networking websites for commentaries about the company. The workers would respond to complaints and comments as soon as they arose thus ensuring that Toyota would not fall prey to negative publicity. After about 6 months, not only had the firm managed to salvage its reputation, but it expanded its Facebook fan base by about ten percent (Messinger et al. 190). Therefore, social computing allows companies to target consumers directly concerning various aspects of marketing, such as, branding. Educational institutions have also used social computing to improve marketing performance. One such entity was Phoenix University. It has several online programs that it offers students all around the world. In order to enhance their experience, the institution created documentaries that talk about the institutional rules and regulations. Furthermore, the firm needed to reach a vast pool of potential clients. It did this by publishing reviews and video testimonials on YouTube. These allowed interested individuals to access information at their fingertips. Furthermore, it placed the firm at the top of search results about online tertiary institutions (Messinger et al. 220). Retail organisations can also use social computing in order to learn about and meet client needs. Best Buy is an example of a company that successfully did this. It asked Facebook members about their best vampire movies. The company acted on those responses by placing all the popular ones on sale. As such, Best Buy demonstrated that social computing can be a low-cost strategy of getting feedback from customers. This enables firms to meet their needs directly and more effectively. Aside from the marketing function, some firms have used social computing in order to facilitate communication. As Peter Kim explains in a YouTube video on the power of people, a certain restau rant in Texas utilised its Facebook page as a platform for strengthening its ties with staff members. The area in which the restaurant was located was burnt by a huge fire. Many of the company’s employees lost their belongings and homes as a result. Employees used the restaurant’s Facebook page to air out their grievances. It was a place where they could get solace from colleagues. The organisation leveraged on social computing to enhance its business-to-employee relationship (Kim). How to use social computing to improve business practices in UAE Social computing can revolutionise the way companies carry out businesses in the UAE. It is not enough for companies to use social media in order to market new products or reach new clientele; firms need to create sustained value through this phenomenon. UAE companies need to use social computing to develop their business in all realms; that is, in supplies, human resources, operations, marketing and public relations (Dachis G roup 5). Firms in this country need to apply the concept when dealing with collaboration between two or more employees. They should also embrace it when optimising their supply chains. Social computing can also lead to better business to customer engagement. The phenomenon can contribute to organisational strategy in the area of connections, analytics, culture and even content exchanges. Companies in the UAE need to realise that social computing will cause them to harness market trends that can drive their business models into the future (Parameswaran Whinston 765). Employees and consumers have altered their power over brands as well as IT processes. Workers are using social computing to get past the chain of command inherent in previous technological tools or processes. Customers are taking control of how their brands are perceived, so organisations in the UAE need to embrace this business-transforming idea (IBM 8). In order to understand how social computing will gain relevance i n the UAE business climate, firms need to demonstrate certain features after its adoption. Social business can assist firms in becoming engaged. They will become deeply connected to employees, partners, and most importantly, customers. As a result, most of these organisations will become more efficient and productive. Social computing will also increase transparency in an organisation by elimination of boundaries that may exist in a company. Sometimes these boundaries can prevent a business from sharing information or utilising certain assets. Lack of transparency may also minimise access to experts, social computing would eradicate that problem. Social business would also improve business practices in the UAE by eliminating boundaries in the above mentioned areas. Companies will also increase their rates of doing business if they take on social computing. They can anticipate problems and address them early on. Firms can also harness new opportunities that will give them an edge ove r their competitors (Schwartz 1). Social computing enables businesses to capture knowledge, and hence boost their financial outcomes. For UAE organisations to compete favourably, they need to harness as much information as possible. However, the business climate in the country has changed; a lot of companies exist and transactions take place virtually. This calls for a different approach to harnessing knowledge from stakeholders in order to boost a company’s competiveness (Schwartz 1). Social computing can improve communication within UAE organisations and outside. Companies can reach their customers, suppliers and partners in real time in order to have conversations with them. Workers can share ideas and insights about certain challenges and thus boost organisational outcomes. Furthermore, the phenomenon will also assist UAE firms in improving staff performance. First organisations can attract appropriate talent through collaborative media. They can also retain talent by all owing their staff to mix work priorities with social needs. This creates a community that has high levels of organisational loyalty. Perhaps one of the most direct and obvious benefits of social computing is strengthening marketing efforts in the UAE. These applications will allow companies to reach customers in new and exciting ways. They will facilitate relationship marketing and also expand consumer pools (Parameswaran Whinston 765). Conclusion Social computing empowers businesses to increase creativity, organise business strategies and strengthen social interactions. This means that they can reach new clients, facilitate better internal communication, keep up with industry trends, increase business outcomes (financial returns), strengthen employee commitment and communicate with partners more easily. Social computing leads to better financial, human resource, marketing and communication outcomes. Bughin, Jacques, Angela Byers Michael Chui. How social technologies are extendin g the organisation. Nov. 2011. Web.. †¹mckinseyquarterly.com/High_Tech/Strategy_Analysis/How_social_technologies_are_extending_the_organization_2888†º Dachis Group. The definition of social business. June 2012. Web. †¹dachisgroup.com/2012/06/the-definition-of-social-business/†º Fun, Rachael Christian Wagner. â€Å"Weblogging: A study of social computing and its impact on organisations†. IT and value creation 45.2(2008): 242-250. Print. IBM. IBM social business. 2012. Web.. †¹ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/socialbusiness/overview/index.html†º Kim, Peter. The power of people. 2012. Web.. †¹https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIMR3uHMWz4†º Licklider, Jack Taylor Robert. The computer as a communication device 1968. Web.. †¹comunicazione.uniroma1.it/materiali/20.20.03_licklider-taylor.pdf. †º McDonald, David. Social Computing, 2011. Web. †¹interaction-design.org/encyclopedia/social_computing.html†º Messinger, Paul, Eleni Strou lia, Kelly Lyons, Michael Bone, Run Niu, Kristen Smirnov, Stephen Perelgut. â€Å"Virtual worlds – past, present and future: new directions in social computing.† Online communities and social network 47.3(2009): 204-228. Print. Miller. Megan, Aliza Marks Marcelus DeCoulode. Social software for business performance.2011. PDF file. Web.. †¹deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/TMT_us_tmt/us_tmt_%20Social%20Software%20for%20Business_031011.pdf†º O’Driscoll, Tony. â€Å"Transforming collaboration with social tools.† Technology Forecast 3: 1-68. 2011. Web. Parameswaran, Manoj Andrew Whinston. â€Å"Social computing: an overview.† Communications of the Association for Information Systems 19(2007): 762-780. Print. Ramo, Simon. Teaching machines and programmed learning: a source book. Washington, DC: NEA, 1961. Print. Rasmus, Daniel Rob Salkowitz. Social computing in the enterprise 2009. PDF file. 22 Jun. 2012 †¹ http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/3/A/83A83256-4BC7-4512-9C73-2B6AB50F144E/Social_Computing_in_the_Enterprise.pdf†º Rouse, M. Social computing. 2010. Web.. †¹http://searchwinit.techtarget.com/definition/social-computing-SoC†º Schwartz, Jonathan. â€Å"If you want to lead, Blog.† Harvard Business Review Nov. 2005: 1. Print.