Progress report on internet abuse and employee productivity case study Essay Example for Free

Progress report on internet abuse and employee productivity case study Essay The internet has able to improve business by increasing productivity because of improved information dissemination and decision-making, however employers are concerned by employees who use it for their personal and social needs during working hours which occurs because the workplace give them a sense of privacy. The monitoring of employee internet use has created tensions between employers, who monitor employee use to protect data leakage and check employee productivity, and employees, who feel a breach of trust whenever monitored, who suggest that casual internet use is not detrimental, and who have felt emotional and physical problems because of monitoring. The internet has had significant impact in the 1995 economic boom despite studies which show that this is only felt in the microeconomic level. A UN report has shown that American employees are less productive than their European and Asian counterparts because they cannot improve side-by-side with the effects of Moore’s Law. Organizations which have put in investments in technology improvements have not felt the supposed exponential increase in revenue and increase in market share because they have not reduced input resources such as the number of employees and that their employees have not increased in knowledge or productivity. It was suggested that to reduce productivity losses non-internet tasks should increase, productivity benchmark methods revised and incentives given to productive employees. IT was also suggested that to avoid employee-employer conflicts, the employer must give ample time for internet use, enforce a written internet and e-mail use policy, forge a company website that will help employees to finish tasks, and keep a friendly working atmosphere. The employees in turn must not use the internet often for personal use and enhance their productivity in line with the company’s premier interests. I have completed the entire research project and found out that employee and employer relations can be resolved following my proposed guidelines which I have made after preceding research from articles in magazines and books. I have found that employees regard monitoring as a beach of trust and had felt emotional tolls during monitoring by their bosses. Employers on the other hand only move to monitor to ensure the security of company data. I have found out that employee productivity has decreased with the increase in IT investments among companies. I have proposed guidelines and suggestions basing on my readings to decrease worker productivity losses. Work Completed I found this survey conducted by Mercer Management Consulting and have gathered that companies though they have invested much on improving technology to increase their business’ efficiency, have not yet felt the projected increase in sales. I have gathered from an article on The Economist that according to the joint research venture between MIT and U Penn the paradox that is the decrease of worker productivity despite increase in IT investments can be attributed to the factors they have laid out. This information I have placed under Technology vs. Productivity. After connecting ideas, and finding the real root of this paradox, I have now searched for references to build a suitable to-do list for employers and employees to resolve the worker productivity losses. I read a New York Times copy dated February 9, 2000, with an article saying that employers who give incentives to productive employees contributed to the increase in US productivity in the 2nd quarter of 1999. I have gathered form a copy of PC week that filtering and monitoring policies increased productivity of employees, from this idea I suggested in my research paper that employers must impose strict e-mail and internet use policy. Conclusion After so much consideration of facts, I have come up with a research paper that will explain the problems of employee productivity and internet abuse and guide employees and employers while joining forces to reduce productivity losses. Reference Gupta, Jatinder, and Sushil Sharma. â€Å"Improving Worker’s Productivity and Reducing Internet Abuse. † The Journal of Computer Information Systems 44. 2 (2004): 75-78.

Variations of the Ankle Slasher :: Personal Narrative Urban Legends Essays

Variations of the Ankle Slasher As I was growing up I remember my mom warning me about guys hiding underneath cars and cutting the back of the ankles to steal your car. She told me this so convincingly that I thought it just had to be true. I mean, why would anyone make something up like that. I have since learned that this was meant to scare me, and to help make me more aware of my surroundings. It made such an impression on me that to this day as I walk up to my car I pay attention to what is under it. I even find myself looking in the back seat as I unlock the door. I am not even aware that I do it until I get into my car and lock the doors. Through studying Urban Legends in class, I have become very interested in them. For this field report I decided to take this Urban Legend to see if there was anyone else who heard it, and to see if it was being passed on or if was just my deviant mother. My research consisted of two interviews. I interviewed a few of my friends that go to Indiana University and asked them if they would help me with my research. They agreed to an interview. With the interviews I compared variants of a single Urban Legend. I wanted to see how each individual. s story differed, even though they were the same story. This is what makes an Urban Legend. I asked two people about the Urban Legend, The Ankle Slasher. I asked them if they were familiar with the legend. I also asked whom they had heard it from and when. Then I asked them to tell me the story. After they told me their version of the story, I asked if they had heard another version from anyone else. The first person I interviewed was Brian. He told me how he was familiar with the legend, though he can. t remember whom he heard it from. He also told me the version he has heard. He began by telling me how guys hide under cars in a mall, and then when the owners come out they would cut the ankles, around the Achilles. tendon. Then the guys would steal their packages and the car. He also explained to me when he heard this legend. Variations of the Ankle Slasher :: Personal Narrative Urban Legends Essays Variations of the Ankle Slasher As I was growing up I remember my mom warning me about guys hiding underneath cars and cutting the back of the ankles to steal your car. She told me this so convincingly that I thought it just had to be true. I mean, why would anyone make something up like that. I have since learned that this was meant to scare me, and to help make me more aware of my surroundings. It made such an impression on me that to this day as I walk up to my car I pay attention to what is under it. I even find myself looking in the back seat as I unlock the door. I am not even aware that I do it until I get into my car and lock the doors. Through studying Urban Legends in class, I have become very interested in them. For this field report I decided to take this Urban Legend to see if there was anyone else who heard it, and to see if it was being passed on or if was just my deviant mother. My research consisted of two interviews. I interviewed a few of my friends that go to Indiana University and asked them if they would help me with my research. They agreed to an interview. With the interviews I compared variants of a single Urban Legend. I wanted to see how each individual. s story differed, even though they were the same story. This is what makes an Urban Legend. I asked two people about the Urban Legend, The Ankle Slasher. I asked them if they were familiar with the legend. I also asked whom they had heard it from and when. Then I asked them to tell me the story. After they told me their version of the story, I asked if they had heard another version from anyone else. The first person I interviewed was Brian. He told me how he was familiar with the legend, though he can. t remember whom he heard it from. He also told me the version he has heard. He began by telling me how guys hide under cars in a mall, and then when the owners come out they would cut the ankles, around the Achilles. tendon. Then the guys would steal their packages and the car. He also explained to me when he heard this legend.

Brief Literary Analysis Edgar Allen Poe

15 November 2012 Edgar Allan Poe Literary Analysis Edgar Allan Poe is often regarded as the most skilled American poet and short story writer, and it is no wonder because every literary work created by Poe is written with such proficiency, that even readers today are awe-struck. In Poe’s short stories and poems, one will find the same few themes in his works, such as women, the color red and a variety of horror themes, however one theme that is very repetitive is his employment of death. This theme is used in many novels today, and is also a popular theme in books, television shows and videogames. Read also Edgar Allan Poe DrugsIn fact, since the 1800s, people have become increasingly appealed by death. Death was one of Poe’s favorite themes, and is a big reason why Poe’s literary works are still read today. In Poe’s short story â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†, the theme of death often brought up, such as when the fatal â€Å"red death† sickness was described: when contracted, its host would feel â€Å"sharp pains, and sudden dizziness† (1), and its host would have â€Å"profuse bleeding of the pores† (1). The red death was a widespread disease, but Prince Prospero’s castle was safe from the red death because the disease couldn’t get past the abbey gates.In his happy mood, the Prince organized a ball, this ball was not an ordinary ball, but it was a masquerade, in which the guests would wear masks and costumes. This story ends in an extremely violent manner, in which every masquerader succumbs to the red death. The theme of this masquerade was gruesome; many masqueraders wore very graphic outfits, which foreshadow the horrible end of this story. Another one of Poe’s works, â€Å"Annabel Lee†, was actually based on his wife, Virgiania Eliza Clemm Poe, and in the the poem, Annabel is killed by the angels above that were jealous of the love between Annabel and Poe.So one night, at the peak of their jealousy, the sent out a cloud â€Å"Chilling and killing† (4. 6) Poe’s Annabel Lee. The theme of death is very obvious in that Annabel Lee dies in the poem, and the main character is filled with an infinite sadness, that he even sleeps by the grave. What’s ironic about this poem is the fact that Annabel dies from a chilly wind, and Virginia, in her last stage of consumption, dies cold, and Poe, so poor, was unable to afford a blanket for her, a simple luxury that would have brightened her mood just a bit. The Fall of the House of Usher† is a unique short st ory in that it was one of the first â€Å"haunted house† stories of it’s time. This story was about a man who was invited by his friend, Roderick Usher, to cheer Usher up. The main character soon arrives at the Usher manor, which once was beautiful, now is an old run-down mansion. The only two Usher family members that are still alive are the twins, Roderick and Madeline, and both of them suffer from peculiar diseases, Roderick suffers from a â€Å"morbid acuteness of the senses† (3) and Madeline seemingly suffers form a type of immunodeficiency, in which she gets deathly ill often.The first appearance of the theme of death is when Roderick states Madeline as â€Å"dead† and subsequently buries Madeline prematurely. Roderick is aware of this, and near the end of the story, Madeline breaks out of her coffin and â€Å"with a low moaning cry, fell heavily inward upon the person of her brother,† (10) killing Roderick, another appearance of death. At th e very end, the manor disappears, symbolizing the death of the Usher bloodline. The theme of death is apparent in this short story, so this theme is not only a coincidence. Many of Poe’s stories include death, and â€Å"The Black Cat† is no exception.This story is one of his more brutal stories in that the main character first hung his favorite cat, Pluto, and then â€Å"buried the axe† (4) in his wife’s head. The final death is that of the main character, when he is sentenced to hang for his atrocious deed of murder. This theme of death is proved as a common theme now, as it is in at least four of Poe’s literary works, and these stories aren’t the only ones that include the theme of death. Death is not a happy event. A funeral is usually a time of sadness, and there is depressing atmosphere that is fueled by this sadness.Poe recreates this atmosphere in many of his works in the mood of the story or poem. For example, in â€Å"The Fall of t he House of Usher† this depressing mood is heightened when the reader becomes aware that the only remaining Ushers alive are Roderick and Madeline. Another instance of heightened mood is in â€Å"The Black Cat† when Pluto is brutally executed by the main character. This mood is even evident in â€Å"Annabel Lee† when Poe writes â€Å"A wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my beautiful Annabel Lee† (4. 25-26). Poe is a master at creating this theme, as he effectively depresses the reader with the depressing mood of death.Poe is also proficient at symbolizing death. The symbolism of death takes many different forms in Poe’s works ranging from very simple symbols to rather complex ones. An example is the clock in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† in which the clock chimed every hour with a â€Å"dull, heavy, monotonous clang† (2). A clock is a symbol of death because it constantly reminds the limited life span of a h uman being. A rather blunt symbol of death is a coffin, like the one Madeline Usher broke out of in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher. † The reason a coffin is a symbol of death is because a corpse is put in a coffin prior to the burial of the body.The color black is also a symbol of death, which is the color of the velvet tapestries, hung in the seventh room in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† which is the room Prince Prospero and his fellow masqueraders are killed. In many of Poe’s works, the story takes place in an old house, or castle, the reason behind this is that an older house usually means it has survived several generations, which can also be related to death, because a generation is defined as a group of people born at approximately the same time, and since a human being has a defined life span, the end of a generation is when the group of people die.The old Usher manor has survived several generations of the Usher family, and it is also the plac e where several of the Usher family members are buried. At the end, it is the resting place of Madeline and Roderick. Ultimately, the house mysteriously disappears when Madeline and Roderick die. Another old building is Prince Prospero’s castle in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†, and that also has seen many generations of mankind, but it also sees the death of Prospero and his friends when the Red Death sneaks into the masquerade and swiftly kills them all.A very large amount of Poe’s works take place at night, rarely does one of Poe’s works take place in the daytime. The night has always held superstition for mankind because it is first of all, a time when humans sleep, and aren’t very active, and second of all, the human eye cannot see in the dark well. As stated before, rarely does one of Poe’s works take place in the day, in fact, the four works referenced all take place at night. One may wonder why many of Poe’s works were vio lent, gloomy, and why many of his stories included a lot of death.The explanation is because Poe had a very depressing life. His father was an alcoholic that left after Poe was a year old and eventually died of alcoholism. His mother cared for Poe until she died of consumption. After Poe’s mom had died, Francis Allan adopted Poe and Francis sent him to a peculiar school in England. What made this school peculiar was how the taught math and physical education. Math was taught using dates on tombstones, while physical education was taught by digging graves. This school could be a possible influence on Poe’s works, because he got to do graveyard work.Later, when he grew older, Poe had taken a romantic interest in his friend’s (his friend’s name was Richard) mother. Sadly, Richard’s mother developed a tumor, and died. Soon after Poe had finished college, Francis Allan died of consumption, and she was the only reason John Allan hadn’t evicted Poe yet, so once Francis died, Poe was evicted. After this event, Poe found a new romantic interest, in his adopted sister, Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe. Poe married her when he was twenty-six years old. Unfortunately, Virginia also died from consumption. Now it can be seen why Poe wrote so much about death, because he was surrounded by it.Poe’s life was a short-lived and very unfortunate one. Many of his loved ones died from either consumption or other causes, and Poe was always poor. Poe became an alcoholic, just like his father, and he died at age forty. There was no rest for Poe, so most of his feelings went into his poetry and short stories, and that was what made him a successful writer. In the time Poe lived, there was common a terrible disease called consumption, or more commonly known today as Tuberculosis. This disease would attack the victim’s lungs, and slowly kill the victim.The common symptom of consumption is coughing up blood, but there are other symptoms such as a fever, chest pains, a cough with increasing mucus and a nightly sweat. This disease is could have been a big influence on Poe’s writing, because this disease killed many of Poe’s beloved and in a rather violent manner. Another thing people of Poe’s time were scared of was being buried alive, so much that devices that rung bells were attached to coffins so in the event someone was buried alive, person in the coffin could ring the bell and be rescued from their earthly prison.This fear was so great, that Poe had the idea to put it into one of his stories â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† in which Madeline Usher was buried before she was dead, by Roderick Usher. This fear had an apparent influence on Poe’s literature, and people loved the thrill of reading Poe’s â€Å"tales of terror. † In â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† Poe accomplishes several points, that death is unavoidable; Prince Prospero could not escape the i nevitable Red Death disease by simply hiding in his Abbey until it went away. Poe also states that death is an eternal law. If there is a beginning, there is an end, and life is no exception.Even time dies alongside the masqueraders, for time, one of humanity’s fears, will cease to exist as well. These points are surprisingly true, for each thing that has a beginning comes to an end, no exceptions. Poe blends morals and lessons into a brutal story of a man who tried to evade death, but he was foolish, for no mortal can escape death. Science states that everything was created, and everything will be destroyed, in due time, so this eternal law of death that Poe creates is so incredibly accurate to science, that Poe was a genius to secretly incorporate this law into a short story.Edgar Allan Poe is perhaps one of the greatest American writers of all time. His short stories and poems are still read by the world, and for good reason, what makes his stories so good are his well-wri tten story plots, and his themes of death, blood and gore which still ones that even people today can enjoy and be thrilled by. Poe had a depressing life, and it is unfortunate that he lived only forty years, who knows what else could have been produced.

The Life and Writings of Jack London Essay - 860 Words

It appears that many famous people lived through a poor childhood. Jack London had an immensely rough childhood stricken with poverty and uncertainty, yet he is one of the most famous writers of the twentieth century. London’s lack of stability in his life and the various stages he lived through such as being a sailor, hobo, Klondike Argonaut, and self-made millionaire colored the pages of his writing. Lack of stability in a child’s life can be a detrimental factor in a youth’s ability to succeed. London was an illegitimate child of an astrologer and Welsh farm girl (Jack London Encyclopedia of World Biography). Unfortunately, when London’s birth father received word of London’s conception, he fled. London’s mother, Flora Wellman, was†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"I always could read and write, and have no recollection antedating such a condition. Folks say that I simply insisted upon being taught† London once recalled (London). In addition to living in extreme poverty, London’s family also moved quite frequently. Daunting financial problems affected him his whole life. One of the most significant factors in London’s development was his conscious rejection of the occult, the supernatural, and the mystical- all of which he associated with his mother’s cold spirituality (Jack London). His childhood provided many top ics which London could give first hand accounts on. He could write accurately about growing up without ‘T.L.C.’, growing up in poverty and loneliness in childhood. Sailors, hobos, Klondike Argonauts, social crusaders, war correspondents, scientific farmers, self-made millionaires, global travelers and adventurers. What do these diverse traits all have in common? Well, Jack London filled each position at least once in his life. London’s childhood consisted of great amounts of toil. So why would anyone be surprised that he ran off and took a job that is physically tough? At the youthful age of seventeen, London took a daunting position on a seal ship where he sailed to Japan and the Bearing Sea. Further more, he picked up the job of oyster pirating but quickly reconsidered since a majority of his comrades were being caughtShow MoreRelatedEssay on Jack London: A Biography721 Words   |  3 PagesJack London: A Biography      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John Griffith London, better known to us as Jack London, was born to Flora Wellman January 12, 1876, in San Francisco. (Ranch Album)   His father was presumably W.H. Chaney, who left Flora after finding out she was pregnant. (Stasz, 9)   Flora met and eventually married John London on September 7, 1876 bringing Johns two other children, Ida and Eliza, into the family. (Ranch Album) Flora enlisted the help of a wet nurse and, with the help her and Eliza,Read MoreJack London and His Call of the Wild1150 Words   |  5 Pagesof the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time. - Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 3 (Jack London Quotes). This quote summarizes the success of Jack London’s writing career in one simple sentence. London’s success and inspiration for his naturalist style can be accredited to the way in which he was raised, and his experiences during his lifetime. Jack London, was born John Griffith Chaney on January 12, 1876 near San Francisco, California. His motherRead MoreAnalysis Of Jack London s The Call Of The Wild 1306 Words   |  6 PagesHave people ever thought about writing style? Or about different literary movements? There are many different kinds of writing styles, along with many different literary movements. Authors choose the writing style they want, and whether or not to be in a movement. Jack London was one of these authors. He chose to be a part of the naturalism movement. Naturalism is a literary movement with the belief that humans and animals being shaped by their environment. He then chose to use indirect discourseRead MoreJack London : The Cinderella Man Of Literature1186 Words   |  5 PagesI shall use my time,† Jack London was a novelist, journalist, and social activist; he is also recognized as a remarkable American author who gave his readers a different type of experience in literature during his time and layed down a foundation for other authors to pursue.. Although Jack London had a traumatic upbringing, his efforts in writing earned him numerous appraisals, and made a humongous influence on American literature. Jack London had a very comprehensive life filled with numerous experiencesRead MoreThe Sea Wolf by Jack London1219 Words   |  5 Pages 1 The Themes of â€Å"The Sea Wolf† The Sea Wolf by Jack London can often be seen as a controversial book. It mentions several highly disputed topics such as: morals, religion, and death. Throughout his life the aim and strategy that he used for his books often reflected his past life experiences. His once hard life enabled him to gather extraordinary details into his books that authors were often not privileged to use. The characters one encounters through the various novels, and especially â€Å"TheRead MoreJack London Biography1301 Words   |  6 PagesJack London : Biography         You cant wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club (BrainyQuote). This is one of Jack Londons more well known quotes. Jack London was born as John Griffith Chaney  on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco(Jack London). His mother was Flora Wellman and his father was suspected to be astrologer William H. Chaney, who denied his paternity and abandoned Londons mother(Wilson). London was suckled, or nursed, by an ex-slave named Virginia Prentiss, whoRead MoreInto the Wild: an Analysis of Who Jack Londonwas to Chris Mccandless1113 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Jack London is King† this was carved in to a block of wood found at the bus where Chris McCandless’s body was found. Chris McCandless admired Jack London as a man and a writer. Chris went into the wild’s of Alaska to prove that he could live off the land, with no modern conveniences, and no human contact. Jack London wrote stories about men and animals experiences against the environme nt, and survival against hardships, which were written from his own life. His works included individualism and theRead MoreCall Of The Wild By Jack London1448 Words   |  6 PagesWild is a novella written by Jack London that is ironic about life and the way we look at it. We look at life as humans and other things are just living in our world, that nothing else has a say in the world because we do not speak the same languages. Example of this is how we â€Å"own† dogs, cats, horses, etc; we do not â€Å"own† them, they are their own being with goals of their own. We may not be able to understand what they are saying or what they are thinking, but as London explains throughout his novellaRead MoreJack London : An Oyster Pirate1204 Words   |  5 PagesJack London was born in 1876, and died in 1916. He was born in San Francisco, California, and was the son of Flora Wellman Chaney. When he was a child, he would sometimes living with the Prentisses. Mr. and Mrs. Prentis ses were African Americans who served as London’s surrogate parents. When Jack turned 15, he sailed the San Francisco Bay as an oyster pirate. During his time on the water, London developed an alcohol problem, which would eventually become alcoholism. In 1894, London was arrested asRead MoreMartin Eden by Jack London825 Words   |  4 PagesJack London is among the many prolific writers from the United States of America who possess great artistic works ranging from great time novels ,short stories to plays just but to mention a few. He is fondly remembered for his great novel, ‘Martin Eden’ published in 1909. In the novel he tries to express the challenges faced by young writers who try to exploit their talent and passion in an area where little opportunities present themselves. This novel has stood the test of time with its relevance