Management of technology Essay Example for Free

Management of technology Essay Explain the term â€Å"Technofact. † How can it be used to define Technology, and Management of Technology? Explain the value and advantage of the term Technofact, compared to other definitions and common agreement about technology. Explain the weaknesses, missing elements, and contradictions in this term. Technofact is a reproducible object created by humans. By reproducible I refer to any product (tangible or virtual) of which the intention of its human creator was to make more of exactly the same, using the same methodology. Once weve defined technofact, we are able to focus the term technology around this entity, and to define it as the capability of creating technofacts (or the human capability of creating reproducible objects). Technology is not the technical object itself but rather the capability of creating it over on over again. Other fields of science concentrate on understanding and gathering knowledge around the entity that is in the center of the science in question while the technology â€Å"science† is a capability, which is more than merely an understanding. On top of the knowledge gathered, the term encapsulates the creation itself, the know-how. The different aspects of the means to establish that capability ought to be coordinated and managed, thus, management of technology can only be defined if we separate the term technology from the objects, the technofacts, as one can not manage objects. Most of the traditional definitions of the term technology are either inaccurate or too broad. Inaccurate when the definition refer to objects (tools, products) as the technology itself. Too broad when the definition refer to any human activity (van Wyk), which might include forms of art that can not be considered as a technology. Another broad approach can be found in definitions that consider any nature manipulation as a technology (is navigation by stars a technology? ). There are three cases in which I find difficulty with the term technofact as the central entity that technology deals with: 1. When the product has an inherited random element: Consider a computer program that creates random melodies (or drawings) pleasant to the human ear (or eye), based on some mathematical rules. The program itself is obviously a virtual technofact, but are the new melodies or drawings created by it can also be considered technofacts? Obviously, they are being created over and over again using the same technology, but each time the program produces something different. 2. When the product is a natural object or resource: For example in agriculture. Carrots cannot be considered technofacts, but there is obviously a technology to grow carrots. The tools which are used in the process (a plow or a combine) are technofacts, which farmers use to produce the crop itself, but they are not the reproducible product the technology deals with. Another examples can be mining technologies. The end product is the extracted material, which can not be considered a technofact. 3. When the product is an action: For example, the capability to lift heavy weights. A crane is a technofact, but it is not the reproducible object this specific technology enable to reproduce. The reproducible object in this case is not an object but rather an action. What is a â€Å"Technology-Based Organization†? Give an example for a TBO and non-TBO. Can a company be a TBO for a limited time? Explain and give an example. A technology based organization is an organization that uses technology to create economic value or to create a competitive business advantage over other competing organizations. The organization can be continuously pursuing technological improvements, manufacturing technofacts or both. This kind of an organization will be perpetually considered a TBO. On the other hand a non-TBO organization can become one for a limited time, if it incorporates a new technology to improve its processes, thus creating an advantage over its competitors. During the process of assimilating the technology and the time that takes other players to use the same technology, a non-TBO organization can be considered a TBO, as it creates economic value using technology. Consider an imaginary traditional dairy that used to produce milk in the old milking fashion, using the farmers hands and a big nice bucket. At some point the farmer decided to acquire a milking machine from his engineer friend that had recently established a milking equipment factory using his own inventions. The farmer installed the machine in his farm and taught his kid how to use it, so he can peacefully retire. During the next couple of years, the farmers kid gained an advantage over his neighbor farmers, bought more cows, made a small fortune and established a new dairy company (which he called after his dad). Few years later, after all the other farmers had done the same, the farmers kid decided to install digital thermometers in the dairy (acquired from the very same milking equipment factory), and became the leading milk provider to the entire region, with the reputation of having the freshest milk around. Again, achieving an economic advantage using new technology. This dairy had become a TBO for short periods of time during its existence, while the milking equipment factory that had invented and manufactured the machinery was a TBO throughout the years. Explain the term â€Å"White Spaces† in the context of technological innovation. How could this term be used in an organization to help planning and decision making about innovation? White spaces are the two optional gaps between technologies and applications. The first gap exists when there is a need in the market but no solution to match it. The second gap takes place when there is a technology out there that has the capability to produce a technofact that no one knows what to do with. A technofact that did not yet find the â€Å"ultimate product† it enables (where theres a way but there is no â€Å"will†). Innovative organization can either fill up the first gap by pursuing new technologies to match the unanswered market needs, or they can focus their efforts around understanding the potential of existing technologies and to use them to develop new groundbreaking applications. Outlines the dangers and risks associated with rapid technological development to society and individuals. Are you pessimistic or optimistic about it? What can and should we do as a society and as individuals to benefit from technology and avoid the risks. The dangers and risks that rapid emerging technologies incorporate can come in many ways, shapes and forms according to the technology domain. From the lose of privacy through health jeopardizing, moral issues and mass destruction weapons, they all have one thing in common – the rate of the technology adoption and development has become faster than the rate of the ability to comprehensively understanding its implications. Successful technologies are spreading swiftly, acquiring life of their own and â€Å"forcing† people to use them in order to survive in the modern society. Even if a certain individual decides to rebel and not to use a specific technology directly, it still might change the environment this person lives in, to affect and endanger im just the same (e. g. cellular phones). The lose of freedom inflicted by some technologies is a big price of its own that society and individuals have to pay. History tells us that panic from new technologies had always existed, and we are probably experiencing the same unjustified fear of the unknown that the car inflicted on society a hundred years ago. But the problem with history is that it can only explain the past, while the present is unlike anything humanity imagined before. I dont believe that governmental regulations aiming to restrain technology can work in the long run, but in order to control at least some of the risks, governments should cooperate globally on some issues to regulate technologies similar to the way new medicines and drugs are treated. As individuals, we must take responsibility for our health and moral values, to deal with it at all times among ourselves, to be aware of the risks we are taking and not to become blind addicts for anything new. Still, Im pessimistic as for the capability of mankind to do that and overcome its basic selfish nature.

Euripides Support of Women’s Rights Essay -- Biography Biographies Ess

Euripides Support of Women’s Rights      Ã‚  Ã‚   One can hardly deny that in Euripides’ plays women are often portrayed as weak, uncertain, and torn between what they must do and what they can bring themselves to do.   Other women appear to be the root of grave evils, or simply perpetrators of heinous crimes.   In a day when analysis of characters and plot had yet to be invented, it is easy to see why he might have been thought to be very much against women.   However, when looking back with current understanding of what Euripides was doing at the time, armed with knowledge of plot devices and Socratic philosophy, this argument simply does not hold up.   In fact, a very strong argument can be made to the opposite, that Euripides was in fact very much in support of women’s rights, and thought they were treated unfairly.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To begin to understand what Euripides was doing, it is best to understand the medium of his art: the Greek theater.   Theater was a competitive art among playwrights, with several competitions throughout the year, the greatest of which was at the Dionysian festivals in the spring.   Greek drama, tragedy in particular, had little in common with modern acting productions.   There was little or no suspense as to the outcome of the play; most all were based on Homeric tales from The Iliad and The Odyssey.   The skill, therefore, was not in creating a fascinating plot, but in the subtle changes the playwright could incorporate to increase the dramatic effect.   Changing the reasons for conflicts, dialogue, order of events, and sometimes even the outcome of the play were all ways to do this.   With all these devices available to the fifth century playwright, what made Euripides so special that he was almost exclusiv... ... Euripides. Medea. Trans. Paul Roche. New York: Norton, 1974. Euripides. The Bacchae. Trans. Paul Roche. New York: Norton, 1974. Euripides. Andromache. Trans. John McLean. New York: Dial Press, 1936. Euripides. Hippolytos. Trans. John McLean. New York: Dial Press, 1936. Euripides. Trojan Women. Trans. John McLean. New York: Dial Press, 1936. Euripides. Electra. Trans. John McLean. New York: Dial Press, 1936. Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Birth of Tragedy. Trans. Clifton Fadiman. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Perseus Encyclopedia. Revised 1999. Tufts University. www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/encyclopedia?entry=Euripides>. Powell, Anton, ed.   Euripides, Women, and Sexuality.   New York: Routledge, 1990. March, Jennifer.   â€Å"Euripides the Mysogynist?†Ã‚   Euripides, Women, and Sexuality.   Ed. Anton Powell.   New York: Routledge, 1990.

Ethnographic Reseacrh

Ethnographic Research Ethnography is a type of social science research that investigates the practices and life of a community, by becoming one of its members. It is based on learning about a context and the people living in it, by understanding their values, needs and vocabulary. It requires faithful reporting of what is experienced or observed, avoiding any interpretation or evaluation as far as possible.Within the field of experience design, ethnography or video ethnography are methods used to capture human ehaviour in the context of the person's natural environment, as a means of gaining insights about people's behaviours and unarticulated motivations, drivers, needs, in order to create innovative solutions. Design ethnography helps answer questions like what is necessary to innovate with success; what are the key social actors and roles to take into account; and which are the limiting factors? Educated observation and participation are the main methods that enable our team to un derstand user requirements and context of use.Two examples of the ethnographic design pproach are shadowing and self-observations. Shadowing is an ethnographic technique to understand a person's real-time interactions with products, services or process and their shifting contexts and needs over the course of a day. Shadowing often focuses on particular events or tasks participants are willing to share. Talk Aloud and closure interviews are used to clarify questions. Self-observations/ Diaries is a method used when it is difficult or impossible to directly access a certain place (like people's homes) or access is too time consuming.It consists of asking eople to provide self-observations about their activities in the form of log reports or diaries, for example. Although this method involves the subjectivity of the participants in the data collected, it can be valuable to get a glimpse of life through the eyes of the people that are being studied. How ethnographic research works Ethno graphic research relies on techniques such as observation, video diaries, photographs, contextual interviews, and analysis of artifacts such as for example devices, tools or paper forms that might be used as part of a person's Job.Observations can be made at home, at work, or in leisure environments. People can be studied with their family, on their own, with work colleagues, or as part of a group of friends. Often one participant may be recruited, but several more may be studied as part of that person's family or friends. Data collection can range from a 4-5 hour contextual interview, through to following a participant for several days, or even a longitudinal study over several weeks or months to investigate, for example, how a particular product or service might be used over time.It doesn't necessarily involve full immersion' in a person's life: it can involve a depth interview in a person's home or it might involve a person simply maintaining their own video diary over a period o f time. Where and how you might use it Ethnographic research can provide extremely rich insight into ‘real life' behavior, and can be used to identify new or currently unmet user needs. This approach is most valuable at the beginning of a project when there is a need to understand real end particular audience. When not to useEthnographic research can provide a significant amount of qualitative data, and analysis can be time consuming. NOTE: The term ‘ethnographic' can be misused; it's currently a bit of a ‘buzzword' with some agencies who may not fully understand the approach. It is recommended that a specialist agency is used, who can demonstrate successful case studies (collecting and analyzing the data). Participants In principle, anyone could participate in this type of research. As with any user research, the recruitment of suitable participants is key.The full implications of the research should be fully explained to potential participants, as some may not fe el comfortable with this level of intrusion in their lives. Timescales Depending on the study needs and the approach, but 6-8 weeks from briefing to results can provide rich insight. It may take time to build trust with participants, and the analysis period needs to be sufficient to be thorough. Ethnographic research can be expensive and time consuming, but this depends on the needs of a particular project. The benefits derived can be extremely valuable.

Political Participation - 2355 Words

POLI0094 Political Participation: Why and How? 1st Semester, 2010-11 Term Paper From Twitter Revolution to Internet Censorship in China – a discussion on the Internet and political participation Introduction Politics could be defined very broadly as the adjustment efforts of humans attempting to coexist in an interdependent relationship. In defining a political system, we refer it to a system which is a persistent pattern of human relationships that involves, to a significant extent, power, rule, or authority. Politics concerns about the process in which a government outcomes or decisions on public affairs is made. The course of action or behavior people conduct to influence in the process of negotiation, bargaining and compromising†¦show more content†¦First of all, it basically enlarges the public sphere in which the members of public take part in discussing and exchanging ideas. Public sphere is a discursive space in which individuals and groups congregate to discuss matters of mutual interest and, where possible, to reach a common judgment. In a modern society, it is seen as a theater where political participation is enacted through the medium of talk and a realm of social l ife in which public opinion can be formed. It is argued that the Internet greatly altered the public spheres and scholars termed the phenomenon as the Public Sphere 2.0 in the sense that contrary to the traditional mass media, the Internet is open for interactive exchanges and for a wide plurality of voices. The feature of anonymity of identity perhaps best explains the revolutionizing nature of political participation on internet. Without revealing one’s true identity, the threat of getting traced and exposure to public condemn are lacking and people are willing to freely express their opinion with fear or any shyness. This in effect facilitates the public’s participation of political affairs and encourages the aggregation and exchange of idea without interference. In restructuring of public spheres on the Net, it is as well suggested that the Internet creates an opportunity to remove the oldShow MoreRelatedIs Electoral Participation Necessary For Political Participation?1538 Words   |  7 Pagesfull potential, citizens must participate in the decision-making process. However, for a large part of the public, political participation does not go beyond electoral participation. Nonetheless, even the most common form of political engagement, namely voting, is in decline (Whiteley, 2012, pp.37-38). Although electoral participation is not the ultimate measure of political participation, it is one of the most significant and easiest to measure. 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