Lucky Charms and Graphing with St. Patricks Day Math

Myth Gender Based Wage Gap - 2641 Words

Myth – Gender Based Wage Gap Raaga Agraharam Soc 101 Introduction: On January 29, 2016, The White House Press Office released a FACT SHEET on new steps to advance equal pay for women. This FACT SHEET states that, â€Å"the median wage of a woman working full-time all year in the United States is about $39,600—only 79 percent of a man’s median earnings of $50,400† (The White House, 2016). However, many scholars and economists disagree that a gender wage gap exists. In addition, conservative political experts and bloggers promote the notion that gender based wage gap is an idea propagated by feminists, women empowering organizations, and progressives. However, almost all the working women in the United States, and organizations such as Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IRWP), and American Association of University Women (AAAU), strongly believe in the existence of the gender wage gap. This sociological issue of equal pay for women is extremely relevant in today’s environment where women perform equal work as men in many occupations. Furthermore, with almost 50% of the work force being women, women contributing equally to the family income, and a large number of women being the single parents supporting children, lack of equal pay over time could increase the poverty rates for women (White House, 2016). In addition, IWPR’s 2015 report on the status of American women, states that if women receive equal pay for the same work, poverty rate among women will see aShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of Women During The Civil War1595 Words   |  7 Pagesbeing undermined in the work force with the wage gap between women and men. Many argue that a wage gap does exist where women are working hard but getting payed less leading to poverty. On the other hand, others argue that the wage gap is merle a myth and is impractical in today s society. Contributing factors like e ducation, family and job choice is what causing a wage gap. The opposing argument claim is that the wage gap is not discriminate by gender, rather controlled factors contribute to womenRead MoreGender Wage Gap And Gender Inequality Essay1519 Words   |  7 PagesGender Wage Gap Lydia Ogles November 2016 Introduction/Abstract The gender wage gap has been a nationwide problem since women were able to enter the workforce. Women have begun to speak out more about the issue and evaluate what they can do to change the industries and how they personally present themselves to help this change. Currently there is a wide range of opinions on this issue, with some saying it does not exist while others think it will ruin the economy if not fixed immediately. This makesRead MoreGender Inequality Between Men And Women996 Words   |  4 PagesTrying to close the wage gap is a very difficult but not an impossible task, and some argue if it’s even worth it. There are two articles on this issue that represent the different sides very well. In Source A, States Attack the Pay Gay Between Men and Women by Teresa Wiltz, she writes about her experience at a company and how she is still paid less than a new employee. Source B consists of Laura Finley giving scenarios to back up her opinions on why the gender pay gap is a myth in Differences in PayRead MoreThe Wage Gap Between Men And Women1337 Words   |  6 PagesMen and women. Even the name of the female gender is derived from the male species. For years, women have been discriminated against in an array of areas such as politics, at home, and in the workplace. The most debated area of gender discrimination is the wage gap between men and women. After reviewing the following facts, it is obvious women are essentially just as valuable as men, and therefore should be treated equally in the workplace. The pay gap between males and females has been a topic thatRead MoreAmerican Association Of University Women1377 Words   |  6 Pagesmatter is that the â€Å"Glass Ceiling† is very real, and so is the wage gap. The Equal Pay Act was signed into law in 1963 as an amendment of the Fair Labor Standards act. The goal of the Act was to order employers to pay men and women equally for essentially equal work. At that time, women were making around 59 cents to every dollar being earned by a man. In the 52 years that have passed since the Equal Pay Act came into play, the gap has diminished by a paltry 18 cents. President Kennedy said theRead MoreDoes The Gender Pay Gap Actually Exist?1221 Words   |  5 Pages Does the Gender Pay Gap Actually Exist? Lecture Outline: The concept of a pay gap between female and male workers has been around for decades, this is because countless studies seek to justify why women earn less than men, and in many disciplines women are more easily subjected to discrimination in comparison to their male counterparts. This unit exposes many underlining factors that ultimately determine whether the gender pay gap truly exists in the contemporary Western hemisphereRead MoreEqual Pay And The Issue Of Ladybucks Essay928 Words   |  4 PagesEqual Pay and the Issue of â€Å"Ladybucks† No matter your gender, profession or where you live, you are affected by the gender pay gap. Gender inequality refers to the unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. (NYC Gender, 1). According to the report prepared by the Joint Economic Committee in April 2016, â€Å"The ratio of women’s to men’s median earnings – known as the â€Å"gender earnings ratio† is approximately 79 percent. That leaves a difference in earnings of 21 percentRead MoreWorking Toward Closing Gender Wage Gaps866 Words   |  4 Pages IV. Action: In California, they are currently working towards closing gender wage gaps. A. According to Jillian Weinberger, a producer at the Center for Investigative Reporting â€Å"the new law will force employers who pay men more for a same job to prove the pay is based on factors other than gender.†(Takeaway, 2015). 1. It will also eliminate pay secrecy by allowing employers to discuss pay without consequences of retribution (Takeaway, 2015). 2. Contrary to what Thompson stated about career advancingRead MoreThe Equal Pay Act: a Failure?800 Words   |  4 PagesThe Equal Pay Act: a Failure? Women have faced gender wage discrimination for decades. The gender pay gap is the difference between what a male and a female earns. It happens when a man and a woman standing next to each other doing the same job for the same number of hours get paid different salaries. On average, full-time working- women earn just â€Å"77 cents for every dollar a man earn.† When you compare a woman and a man doing the same job, â€Å"the pay gap narrows to 81 percent (81%)† (Rosin). Fifty-oneRead MoreThe Issue Of The Wage Gap1184 Words   |  5 PagesThe wage gap is a major issue that is constantly brought up in the work place. Many people use the term â€Å"wage gap† to state how gender can affect someone’s income. There has always been an understanding that men typically made more money than women. For a long time, women were not allowed to work therefore men were in charge of â€Å"bringing home the bacon†. However, times have changed and there are many sit uations where a household is centered off a women’s’ income. Females can become single mothers

Rembrandt Essay Example For Students

Rembrandt Essay The story of Joseph and Potiphars wife is told in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, chapter 39. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and bought by Potiphar, a high ranking official in the Pharaohs service. The Lord was with Joseph, and gave him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar and before long Joseph was given the highest position in the household, and left in charge when Potiphar was away. Now Potiphars wife found Joseph to be very good looking and had approached him several times saying come to bed with me; and Joseph being a man of God would not sin against his master or the Lord, so he refused her. One day when all the servants were gone, Joseph entered the house and Potiphars wife approached him and while holding on to his cloak said come to bed with me. Joseph refused and left the house leaving his cloak behind. Potiphar Wife screamed for help saying that Joseph had attacked and tried to sleep with her. When her husband came home she told him the same false story. Potiphar was so angry at Joseph he had him locked up in Pharaohs prison. But while Joseph was in the prison, the Lord was with him. This is the subject matter for which Rembrandt choose to do his representational painting by. The content of the painting all reveals Rembrandts interpretation of the story This is the account from the Bible of the accusation of Joseph by Potiphars Wife. Rembrandt Van Ryn chose this particular story as the subject of his narrative painting completed in 1655, under the title of Joseph Accused By Potiphars Wife. Before researching this painting, I noted my fist perception of Rembrandt work of art. I realized through that as a result of my later research, my first perception did not change, but instead were enriched and enlarged by a newfound understanding of the man and his art. I largely concentrated on my first and later perceptions in the design elements and principles of lighting or value, infinite space, color, and focal point. After conducting research, my first perceptions about the value, or relative degree of lightness or darkness, in the painting did not change, but instead I learned that Rembrandts use of light and dark was both purposeful and a technique well- known to the artists of his time. When I first observed this painting, I thought how dark everything seemed. The only exceptions to the darkness are the bed and Potiphars wife, both of which are flooded in light almost as if a spotlight were thrown on her and the bed. Some light shines on Josephs face and from behind him like a halo around his body, but this light is very dim. Potiphar in great contrast to his wife is almost in complete darkness. I first felt there should be more light from perhaps candles to cast the entire room in partial light. But after research I found that Rembrandt liked strong contrasts of light and dark and used them in his paintings all his life, letting darkness hide unnecessary details while using light to bring figures and objects out from the shadows. The high contrast of light against dark changed an ordinary scene into a dramatic one the Italian word for this use of light and dark chiaroscuro Muhlberger 9. Rembrandt must have believed that too much detail in the room would have obscured the primary players of this scene. He uses light to brightly illuminate the most important person in this painting, Potiphars wife. In descending order of importance, Rembrandt places a glow around Joseph and casts Potiphar in a almost total darkness. I now am able to see how the contrast of light and dark demonstrates drastically this crucial turning point in Josephs life. The fact that an Italian word exists for Rembrandts lighting technique only proves the techniques establishment in the art world he lived and worked in. As a result of research, my fist perceptions about the presence of infinite space in the painting did not change, but instead I gained an understanding of why Rembrandt employed this particular technique in his painting. .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 , .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 .postImageUrl , .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 , .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904:hover , .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904:visited , .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904:active { border:0!important; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904:active , .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904 .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u60ede5d168f7725588359336255cf904:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Rare Rembrandt - Rembrandt as Printmaker EssayI first noticed before conducting any research on Rembrandt or this painting how the walls appear to go on indefinitely; there are no boundaries to the room. In addition the artist chose not to add and details to the walls or floor. I believe that the design element of infinite space, endless space as found in nature, best describes this technique. Upon conducting my research I found that, according to Richard Muhlberger, Rembrandt learned to lavish attention on small parts of a painting, leaving the rest without much detail. He knew that details look more impressive surrounded by areas that are plain; they are harder to notice when they cover the entire surface of a painting 16. Obviously in this painting of Joseph Accused by Potiphars Wife, Rembrandts purpose in using the design element of infinite space is to attract the audience to the characters in this story and not so much their surroundings, with the exception, perhaps, of the bed. Therefore, my perception of this design element was only enlarged by the knowledge of Rembrandts motivation in including infinite space in his composition. My first perceptions about the colors in the painting did not change, but instead I gained an understanding of how the colors Rembrandt used contributed to the characters portrayal/depiction. Color, the character of a surface resulting from the response of vision to the wavelength of light reflected from that surface, influences people in various ways. One of the greatest color affects people is through their emotions. When I first studied the painting of Joseph being Accused by Potiphars wife, the dreary, somber colors left me feeling depressed. Ive never really enjoyed Rembrandts painting because of his frequent use of low intensity colors like muddy browns. But then, after reading the passage in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, where the story in the painting is recounted, I began to understand Rembrandts reasoning behind his choice of colors at least for this particular painting. Joseph is being accused by his masters wife, the master he has served with all of his ability, of a crime he has not committed, not even in his mind, despite the many opportunities the woman has given him. For Rembrandt to successfully depict Josephs situation, he had to now the stories he painted and all the characters in them Schwartz 15. Instead of focusing on the luxurious setting of an Egyptian officials bedroom, Rembrandt chose to underscore the seriousness of Josephs situation through color. After researching Rembrandts painting, my first perceptions of the focal point of this composition did not change, but I felt I understand bette r how he created the focal point. Before researching Rembrandts work, I felt drawn to the woman in this painting for the mere fact that she is easiest to see and in the middle of the picture. The design principle, focal point, the point of emphasis that attracts attention and encourages the viewer to look further best explains how I was pulled in by Potiphars wife. Through my research I discovered Rembrandt, in order to heighten the importance of Potiphars wifes action, her fingers pointing to the robe, placed her fingertips in the middle of the canvas Munz 10. Another important placement involves the bed. After a careful look at the picture, I found the bed also is located in the middle of the painting, and covers over half of the canvas. The bed also then another focal point since it dominates the composition while other areas are subordinate to it. Rembrandts focal points work because of the strong contrast between light and dark and because of placement of the characters in this story. Thus, through research I learned how Rembrandt achieves his focal points which my first perception initially discovered. Now without knowing the story of Joseph and Potiphars wife one could piece together the events taking place by the content in the painting. There is a large room partly lit. .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 , .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 .postImageUrl , .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 , .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00:hover , .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00:visited , .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00:active { border:0!important; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00:active , .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00 .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0a5329239d0f406b9080a10bf2220c00:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Rare Rembrandt - Rembrandt as Printmaker EssayIn the center is a bed with snow white sheets fitted perfectly, as if a maid had just finished dressing it. To the side of the bed, seated in an equally large chair, is a most troubled-looking woman. She is adorned with a lavish, bright-colored gown, and wears decorative jewelry, with her hair luxuriously woven. She points with her right hand an accusing finger at a dark maroon cloak draped on one of the bed posts. Her other hand nurses a torn lapel of an under garment, suggesting she has been in some manner violated. She looks, with a creased forehead, at a tall, dark figure to the her left, whom for the lack of lighting shimmers in an elegant uniform, his head donning a turban. He leans on the back of her chair, his hand closed, but his arm pointing in the same direction as the cloak. His other arm is on his hip directly above a sheathed sword. His overall stature and facial expression appears quizzical, as he ponders over the serious situation. The situation of course concerns the accusation his wife makes of the owner of the cloak. The lonely figure in the corner dressed in the drab olive green tunic stands silently listening to the woman, obviously the accused owner of this cloak. His maroon red sash with the keys reveals his importance to the household. Rembrandt clearly brought this scene to life convincinglySchwartz 15. For him to have accomplished this feat, he had to give each figure an appropriate expression, pose, and costumeSchwartz 15. All this Rembrandt has done, leaving us with a tragic moment in biblical history captured beautifully in this awesome painting of Joseph accused by Potiphars wife.

Modes of Observation an Example by

Modes of Observation In deciding the subject matter for a research paper, there are more than a few factors that must be well thought-out. One is that the subject must envelop an issue or field which has copious resources so that researching can be made proficiently and effectively so that difficulties in pursuing the research will be minimized or eliminated. Identifying which topic has wide resources enables the researcher to have a better domination of selecting the particular topic which fits the interest of the researcher (Babbie, 2008). Need essay sample on "Modes of Observation" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Although identifying a topic which has broad resources such as references can be a hefty task, it nonetheless gives the researcher a lot of space to write about. As Barbara and John McKenna point out, "without a conceptually sound beginning, the middle and end of any process will probably hang about a muddle (McKenna generalizability of research findings to evaluation research and practice is relatively strained. A critical research issue for the field is the deep chasm between research and practice on most deliberative issues as well as its possible findings will frustrate an evaluator for the not all results may thoroughly incorporate with certain aspects. Analysis on Methodological Predispositions In essence, as stressed in the research output of Dantzker and Hunter, the perception of internalizing the four main levels of research methodologies helps individuals accomplish the following: discuss tradition and authority as sources of human learning hence giving side on contrasting the possible strengths and weaknesses; present and discuss errors that plague casual observations; comparison on deductive and inductive logical processes; and the establishment of a sturdy deliberation on the factors which influence research decisions for the benefit of obtaining precise retorts on certain inquiries. Conceivably, following the basic steps in conducting researches such as (1) identifying the research problem (2) establishing the research design (3) data collection (4) data analysis and (5) reporting of results is perceived to be insufficient thus, needs the rather more specific adept of data collection analysis. Quantitative measurements are but considered as the fundamental backbone of a quantitative research hence, giving researchers the ability to build a strapping ounce of data needed for comprehensible outcomes (Dantzker & Hunter, 2006). Conclusions and further remarks Further, in considering the credibility of sources for the research, it is expected that the researcher should take note and make use of journals and other references which have underwent peer-reviews from scholars and other academic institutions. Another indicator that a source is credible is if it has been widely referenced and published by a considerable number of publications (Dowdall, Babbie & Halley, 1998). In evaluating the research, the researcher must objectively contrast the final research with the objectives identified. Assessing the research includes not only mere identification of the weak points of the research and improving them but also the task of evaluating if the research has faithfully and objectively followed the guidelines for academic honesty. While having a couple of other individuals assess the research in order to have an external opinion of the research, it is expected that the researcher will also consider feedbacks from these people and incorporate necessary changes to the research so as to arrive at a substantial research paper. Works Cited Babbie, E. R. (2008). The Basics of Social Research. Wadsworth Publishing Dantzker, M. L., & Hunter, R. D. (2006). Research Methods for Criminology and Criminal Justice. Sociology, 237. Dowdall, G. W., Babbie, E., & Halley, F. (1998). Adventures in Criminal Justice Research. Expert Evidence, 6(3), 241-242. McKenna, B. J., & McKenna, J. J. (2000). Selecting Topics for Research Writing Projects. The English Journal, 89(6), 53.

Writing with SMEs

WRITING WITH SMES As a marketing specialist, you recognize that SMEs (subject matter experts) are critical to effective content marketing. They’re authorities on your company’s products and services. Without them, your company couldn’t run—and it would be nearly impossible to create detailed content that showcases your company’s expertise. But if you’ve ever had to collaborate with one of these experts to produce a piece of thought leadership content, you might know that convincing them to share their knowledge—especially in writing—can be challenging at times. Whether you are planning a new marketing campaign, seeking to raise your company’s digital profile, or venturing out on your own as a thought leader, you need SMEs on your team. Developing a strong partnership with your SMEs can help you write valuable content that benefits both you and your customers. There is a wealth of online information about working with subject matter experts. Here is a compilation of some best practices that have helped other marketers, and may help you, generate more SME and SME-enabled content. Meet them where they are—literally and figuratively. You may be familiar already with SMEs who are very active communicators within your company and on social media. Seek them out! You’ll already have insights on their interests and areas of expertise, and they might be more receptive to a writing project than other SMEs. For the less active, you will need to exert a bit more effort to get a feel for their comfort level with writing and their preferences for working collaboratively. Before starting, or deepening, your efforts to partner with SMEs to write, you might want to seek out other teams in your company—sales, public relations, training—who have experience working with SMEs. Some members of these teams no doubt will have tips that might prove useful to you. A guide to working with SMEs to develop e-learning materials, for example, notes that a SME could be heavily vested in content that already exists. They may resist new ideas about how to present information, a possibility you’ll need to address before launching a project with them. Get to know your SMEs and the issues that matter to them. This will help you target topics that they can elaborate on for your customers. Ask to be copied on the SMEs’ emails and collect other examples of their writing, such as documentation related to their work, their LinkedIn profiles, and any formal presentations they’ve given recently. Attend their working meetings, or just hang out in their spaces to get a sense of their immediate priorities and what they see coming in their field and for the company. From there, you’ll need to communicate directly with the SMEs to explore those topics in more detail. Daniel Burstein of MarketingSherpa suggests five questions that content marketers can ask SMEs to get the ball rolling, with the goal of gathering information your customers will want to consume and share: How will the [a new product or service] help [target audience]? What challenges have you helped customers overcome recently? How have [industry developments] affected [target audience], and what should they do about it? A [job title] in our LinkedIn Group wanted to know [question?]. I’ve heard a lot of people in the industry talking about [target keyword]. For example, [other thought leaders in the industry] said [something you’ve read while doing industry research]. What is your take on this? These kinds of questions can form the basis of impromptu chats or informal idea-sharing sessions. Providing brief written summaries of these encounters for your SMEs to review might relieve some of their writing burden while engaging them in the creation of useful content. Asking SMEs to react to and edit your own high-level attempt to explain your company’s product or service could be another form of burden sharing. Conduct formal interviews. Be sure you to do your homework and prepare thoroughly for interviews so that you do not waste your SME’s time. Preparation should include conducting keyword searches on the SME’s area of expertise, gathering information on the SME’s professional background and experience, and sending out the interview questions ahead of time. Brendan Cottam, writing for B2B marketers, provides a good example of keyword research and questions aimed at making the most efficient use of your expert’s time. Maximize, Maximize, Maximize! Once your expert has provided writing, or data, start maximizing their contributions to create content that your target audience will want to read and share. The Content Marketing Institute defines content marketing as: â€Å"A strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience—and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.† To this end, be creative in finding ways to convert your experts’ contributions into useful information for your customers. Identify the superstars. In cases where your SMEs already are competent communicators, convert their written products into formats that you can promote inside and outside the company: Share slides from their conference presentations. Edit their oral presentations into short online videos. Post the executive summary and excerpts from their white papers. Give the less confident a gentle nudge. Some SMEs may just as soon let you do the heavy lifting. These less enthusiastic writers may be willing to provide content—qualitative or quantitative—that you can then edit, reformat, and post. For the poorest writers, you might consider using the editing process as an informal tutorial or providing more formal tutorials, taking care to focus on the mechanics of communicating the message while respecting them as substantive experts. The concept of prewriting—the thinking and planning that precede drafting a written product—can help overcome anxieties about writing and boost reluctant writers’ confidence. You can draw upon the wealth of online college-level instructional material available today, material that walks you through pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Resources such as Duke University’s Writing Studio and MIT’s Comparative Media Studies/Writing will help you tailor your tutorial to the needs and preferences of your SMEs. For example, outgoing, talkative types might enjoy brainstorming sessions, while the more quietly cerebral SMEs might enjoy a hands-on mapping exercise. Check out images of pre-writing for inspiration. In partnering with SMEs, especially reluctant writers, it will be especially important to mine  your conversations and interviews for nuggets of valuable content. In her article on working with SMEs, Jessica Miller of PR 20/20 lists â€Å"20 marketing opportunities from 20 minutes with a SME,† including: Sharing key points from interviews with your company’s blog authors, customer service representatives, and sales teams. Recording podcasts featuring SMEs’ answers to interview questions. Using content from interviews to draft high level one pagers, including infographics and tip sheets to share across marketing, sales, and service teams. Measure and Reward Before launching any major initiative to get your in-house SMEs to write more, think about how you will measure your efforts. You also might want to consider how, within your company’s culture, you will recognize outstanding contributions from these experts. Once you’ve uploaded content that your SMEs have authored or inspired, Gillin recommends: Putting tools in place to measure views, shares, comments, likes, downloads, and other metrics of engagement. Making sure everyone on your team is actively upvoting, sharing, commenting, and retweeting. Featuring SMEs’ writing in company blogs and company publications. Whether you’re starting fresh or building upon existing strategies, coaxing your SMEs to write more, giving them a shout-out when they do, and putting in some additional effort yourself could well produce results that both you and your customers will value.

Managing Technology Synthes Inc

Managing Technology Synthes Inc Introduction Synthes Inc is a Switzerland-based company that specializes in manufacture of innovative equipment, instruments and implants used for surgical treatment of bone disease and trauma (Synthes, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Technology: Synthes Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company has established itself as a market leader and innovating company that specializes in the production and marketing of products for surgical fixation, correction, and regeneration of skeleton and related soft tissues (Synthes, 2010). The company has a partnership dealing with AO Foundation, where the two organizations collaborate in product development and manufacture. The bedrock upon which success of Synthes Inc rests is innovation and adoption of appropriate technology in product development. Some of the competitors of the company include DePuy Company, Stryker Company and Zimmer Holdings, which also b oost vast market niche (Synthes, 2010). Should Synthes develop â€Å"bio-resorbable internal fixation devices? Synthes Inc has undoubtedly grown into a vast company that manufactures and distributes internal fixation devices. Currently, Synthes Inc has a market share of about 50% and remains a leader in many regions of America and Northern America (Synthes, 2010). The decision to venture into manufacture of bio-resorbable internal fixation is a risky undertaking that everybody wants to be cautious and strategic in decision making. The presence of potential market is overshadowed by fear, uncertainty, and hold-back attitude. But can Synthes Inc embrace this risk? The market for bio-resorbable products in America and Europe is promising. In 2000, it is estimated that there were six million fractures in the United States, whereby, 80% constituted adults while 20% constituted children (Gourville, 2002). At the same time, the potential of the market is exhibited in the growing number of key players’ making investment opportunities in the market. For example, there are three categories of players who have established their presence in the market: heavy weights such Johnson Johnson; the specialist such as the Bionx and Macropore; and the potentials such as Smith and Nephew (Gourville, 2002). One aspect that guides these investors involves existence of potential and market prospects in the market.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At the same time, Synthes Inc has developed some core critical aspects that can aid the company into success, if it was to adopt manufacture and market of bio-resorbable. The company has established a close working relationship with surgeons and other specialists, which makes it possible to tailor-make bio-resorbable equipment that meets the desire of surgeons more appropriate. In the past, surgeons have pointed to t he lack of function of bio-resorbable devices, since did not meet requirements and needs of practitioners. Close work relationship and interaction with practitioners is likely to enable the company to capture the needs of customers than other competitors, and as such, have the ability to excel faster than competitors. Another strength that the company possesses, which in turn makes it necessary to venture into bio-resorbable market, has to do with presence of high skilled and dedicated research and development team. RD remains the bastion upon which innovation of market-moving products rests. RD team possesses the ability to develop products that have ability to meet customer needs in the most appropriate ways. Given its past experience, Synthes Inc has put in place one of the excellent RD teams and can utilize the expertise of the team to venture in the development of bio-resorbable (Gourville, 2002). Moreover, market experience in the use of bio-resorbable devices as evidenced thr ough research appears promising, and exhibits potential for growth. Many surgeons and practitioners express the ability to use or have used bio-resorbable devices in the past and would in future have the desire to use it (Gourville, 2002). The major areas the company can pay attention to in order to make this market experience increase positively include the key features that surgeons have proposed on the bio-resorbable devices. Synthes Inc. on the other hand possess experience in the manufacture of generation-two bio-resorbable devices, and this very aspect gives the company an upper hand as compared to competitors who have had to start from scratch hence increased costs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Technology: Synthes Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The established ties of cooperation and collaboration between Synthes Inc. and AO Foundation provides Synthes with opportunity to utilize AO Foundati on market acumen experiences in education, product development, research and development, and sales force to penetrate the market (Gourville, 2002). AO Foundation is a great asset to Synthes Inc., and this is an opportunity the company can utilize to exert an upper hand as compared to competitors. What are the tradeoffs between the 4 options? The first option Synthesis is to totally ignore the proposal to venture into the bio-resorbable market. This option may well sound cute, especially in terms of preserving resources on technologies that remain uncertain. The company may not realize loss in case the technology flops, and it would have acted wisely if the market acceptance for the technology was not appropriate. But given that the future is unpredictable, Synthes Inc finds itself in dilemma. By totally disregarding the technology, Synthes will be giving its competitors an upper edge in the competition front, as the market become dynamic and saturated. Future prospects exist in the market and it might just be a matter of time before new future grounds for competition shift to this technology. Therefore, Synthes cannot afford to ignore the opportunity to venture in this market. Second option involves Synthes Inc adopting wait and see strategy, and let its competitors taste waters first. At the same time, adopting this strategy, Synthes will be able to save on costs pertaining to education and market advertisement and it will only venture when market already exists. The strategy may be appropriate if the company has a clear picture of competitors’ future strategic marketing and advertisement roadmap. The competitors may taste waters first, and in the process, create a market niche that Synthes may find it difficult to unblock in future. In most cases, initial steps that sometimes include education and practical demonstrations usually endeavor a lot to customers and create long-lasting impression that subsequent latecomer competitors find hard to snatch a way.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The third strategy for the company constitutes developing and marketing a line of bio-resorbable products using current available polymers. Through this, the company has the opportunity to develop a line of plates and screws designed specifically for fractures before gradually venturing into concrete market of bio-resorbable products. Again, this strategy may be appropriate but its applicability and final maturation may take a long term, thereby giving competitors time and opportunity to progress. Further, resources in the long-run may be more as to when compared if the company was to venture directly into the technology. The last strategy for Synthes involves turning efforts to more research and development of generation-3 bio-resorbable products. The strategy may be the most appropriate for the company given its established RD team. At the same time, the company has for a long time succeeded in innovating products that satisfy market needs in the most appropriate way. Further, hav ing close associations with AO Foundation, Synthes research and development capabilities are likely to results into innovation of bio-resorbable products that for a long time may remain market leaders. Therefore, it is prudent for Synthes to adopt this strategy. Synthes Inc influence on the development of bio-resorbable product market Technology innovation is one area that market leaders exert their market dominance and subsequently influence the market (Gourville, 2002). Synthes Inc. has a large market presence estimated at 50% as compared to competitors. The company possesses some core values and elements that competitors lack. At the same time, Synthes has an insightful research as to how market operates and behaves given its close presence and associations with key players in the market. In other words, Synthes Inc. interact with opinion leaders in the market. The company has a combination of expertise, technology, resources and human capability, all of which endeavor the compan y to the market in the most powerful way than competitors. Therefore, the presence of Synthes in the market, its subsequent activities in the market, its behavior with regard to technology adoption and later distribution of products for consumption are all likely to influence the market and also determine growth of the market, although relative powers of other competitors cannot be ignored. How might Synthes introduce resorbable? Introduction of resorbable products in the market may be achieved through adoption of new-product development cycle concepts and strategies (Verburg, Ort and Dicke, 2006). There must be prior research to establish needs, competitors, market share, consumer behavior over the product, costs and all information pertaining to the product. The company should further adopt product penetration strategies that include price cut, heavy promotion, multiple-unit packaging and enhancement of distribution locations (Pangs, 2004). At the same time, piloting pre-launch of products should be carried out to test the acceptability of the product and subsequently introduce necessary changes and improvement (Mohr, Sengupta and Slater, 2009). Moreover, identification of target market should be the prior strategy, and this should be followed by efforts to carry out heavy product advertisement, role demonstration, education and learning strategies about the product and brand creation and promotion (Pangs, 2004). Conclusion Synthes Inc understands that excellence in the market, especially with increasing competition rests on the ability to remain innovative, technologically alert and market focused. Research and development therefore remains the key area the organization should earnestly put more emphasis into. Market needs should constantly be transformed into appropriate and technological-adaptive products that have ability to endeavor to the market. In this case, it is advisable for the company to venture into bio-resorbable products market that presents future growth. To win the market, the company has to incorporate education, promotion, and demonstration strategies, while remaining focused on improvement of product features. Reference List Gourville, J. Y., 2002. Synthes. Harvard College Publication. [Attached notes]. Mohr, J. J., Sengupta, S. Slater, S. F., 2009. Marketing of high-technology products and innovations. NJ: Pearson Education. Pangs, P. N., 2004. Essentials of manufacturing engineering management. NE: iUniverse. Synthes. 2011. Dedicated to health. Web. Web. Verburg, R. M., Ortt, J. R. Dicke, W. M., 2006. Managing technology and innovation. NY: Routledge.

Management decisions and ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management decisions and ethics - Essay Example The company’s responsibility to the environment also has stayed undeterred over the years. Being a steward of our natural resources, the company has been and will continue being committed to environmental sustainability to ensure that our home is protected and taken care of (Korhonen 25-39). It has always been our commitment to leave a positive impact on the environment our mining operations takes place. This environment includes the people or the community with which we interact. The people around us have for a long time been employed in the company and their families and the community enjoying the company’s contribution in healthcare and education. By striving to do what is right always, Massey Energy has always been venturing into deals that bring aboard personnel and equipment that are supportive in attaining the vision of protecting the workers and the environment. These activities among others are based on the long-held principle by the company of maintaining focus on the fundamentals of the mining activities while still making sure that these activities are within the sound ethical and legal business practices. Our safety strategy popularly known as â€Å"S-1† (safety first) instills in the company a culture of safety. This strategy has brought into play a well-developed process that involves training, mentoring and monitoring risk reduction and innovation. Through a regular and comprehensive assessment of the safety situation, the company has been in a position to ensure a stable and safe workforce. Currently, the corporate culture of the company is based on the priorities of safety, ethics and excellence, having treasured the people for the last fifty years. First, the company has always sought to be the employer of choice in the region. By considering the workers as an integral part of the company, we choose to refer to them as â€Å"members." We also ensure that we

Interpretation of Regression Results Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Interpretation of Regression Results - Essay Example For the hypothesis to be true, the signs of the coefficients are expected to be positive. The positive coefficient signs would indicate the positive relationship between the independent variables (temperature, humidity, wind and dummy variables) and the dependent variable (bundled load). Coefficients: The signs of all coefficients of variables are positive whereas, that of intercept is negative. The negative value of coefficient of intercept means that the regression line intersects with Y-axis below zero. The positive signs and significant values of coefficients reflect a positive relation between the dependent and independent variables. The value of coefficient of temperature is 47.64. It means that if temperature or x1 variable increases by 1 degree Fahrenheit, the bundled load will increase by 47.64 Megawatt/hour provided all other variables are constant. If humidity increases by 1 percent, the bundled load will increase by 11.52 Megawatt/hour. Similarly, if wind speed increases by 1 mph, the bundled load will increase by 10.15 Megawatt/hour. Moreover, the coefficient of dummy1 is zero, showing no relation between the dummy1 and bundled load whereas; the coefficient of dummy2 is 49.73, showing a positive relation between dummy2 and bundled load. The standard error shows the amount of variability of the data points around the regression line and in this regression analysis, the standard errors for all the variables is very small. The small values of the standard errors show that the data points are closely distributed around the regression line. The value of p is greater than 0.05 for three independent variables including temperature, humidity and wind speed. However, for the dummy1, it is zero and for dummy2, it is less than 0.05. If the p-values for all the variables would have been equal or less than 0.0, then the null

Representation of Racism in Gone With the Wind Essay

Representation of Racism in Gone With the Wind - Essay Example It is from media that we learn how to dress, talk and act appropriately. The impact media has on our lives is so enormous that it is necessary to learn to understand the message it’s trying to portray, the right way. Media is also a means of integrating cultural values in us. It increases a person’s power with respect to the culture and gives him an upper hand in his culture (Douglas Kellner). Cultural studies have given a lot to the criticism of media and to increase knowledge about it. The University of Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies has built up a number of ways to carry out critical experiments to analyze, interpret and criticize cultural pieces. After a series of struggles, the center of focus of Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies is class, race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and nationality as represented by cultural media. They study the effect of media and how different groups interpret the media differently and what was the cause of the difference in their interpretations. Cultural studies have made it easier to analyze and inspect the whole culture without having prejudices beforehand regarding some other cultural medium. Studies being conducted about Hollywood movies of mid 20th century show how they are more political rather than cultural (Douglas Kellner). A dumb blonde is one of the many common stereotypes. A blonde is by default assumed to be dumb, yet wildly attractive with a great body and she gets special treatment from men everywhere. This stereotype is highly offensive yet still holds true in almost all scenarios. The act of stereotyping is not a new one neither is the accusation of it being offensive and nor is the defensive blow that it is what the truth is. But the question is why is stereotyping an object of protest even though it is not completely false and why is it different from other simplifications and classifications (Judith Andre). Stereotyping refers to the firmness and the ina bility to change of an object (such as metallic plates, from which the word ‘stereotyping’ originates) being used metaphorically. Concerning modern era, the stereotype is taken to mean an easy oversimplified assumption, which a certain group falls under without any change. Psychologists use this term to define an unyielding personality trait in a person. Stereotyping does not take into account proofs that negate the stereotyping. Stereotypes are made because of the human mind’s resistance in face of change. Color-blind racism was the type of racism which prevailed after the civil war. Colorblind racism is making one look like he’s not racist yet his action says otherwise and having doubts about the blacks anyhow. This type of racism is based on a number of factors. After the civil war, whites had stopped discriminating the blacks directly and with their words, but they strategically used deep meaning words to express their views to discriminate the blacks. Media also helped in projecting colorblind racism and there were some other small factors as well (Eduardo Bonilla-Silva). In the modern times, when whites talk about black with respect to their race, their words are marked with doubt. T

Integration of Technology in Higher Education

Integration of Technology in Higher Education Abstract The potentials of mobile phone technology are huge and it has opened possibilities and avenues for enhancing knowledge sharing activities among academics in Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs). However, it was found that there was lack of academic research on the use of mobile phone technologies for knowledge sharing purposes in IHLs. In IHLs, technologies of mobile phones such as cell phones, smart phones, and PDAs provided with interesting features like camera, video, memory, player of MP3, internet approach and finally, presence in a device, by allowing study anywhere, anytime. This paper aimed to understand academics general attitudes towards the use of mobile phone technology in IHLs, to explore the academics perceived usefulness to use mobile phone technology in IHLs, to determine academics perceived ease of use of mobile phone technology in IHLs, to understand academics behavioral intention to use mobile phone technology in IHLs, to identify how will mobile phone technologi es change the work situation of academics, and to identify the possible services that, in their opinion, can improve mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in IHLs. The overall findings revealed that there were at least four factors could lead to the adoption of mobile phone technology among academics in an Institution of Higher Learning. These factors were; attitudes towards the use of mobile phone technology, perceived usefulness to use mobile phone technology, perceived ease of use of mobile phone technology, and behavioral intention to use mobile phone technology. Keywords: Mobile Phone Technology, Institutions of Higher Learning, Academics 1.0 Introduction In recent years, information technology (IT) usage in universities and colleges is broadly increasing for the purposes of enhancing the administration and teaching and learning efficiencies. As the population of campuses raises, so does the improvement of technologies. In Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs), technologies of mobile phones such as cell phones, smart phones, PDAs and telephone provided with interesting features like camera, video, memory, player of MP3, internet approach and finally, presence in a device, by allowing study anywhere, anytime (Wilen-Daugenti, 2007). Junior et al. (2008) defined mobile technologies as mobile technologies are exactly what its name refers, i.e., portable technology that can be moved from one place to another without any loss. There are several advantages of mobile technologies. Few of them are the independence in learning at anywhere and anytime, faster and convenient communication as well as rapid access to variety of different sources. Moreover, the ability to conduct impossible experiments in authentic way is truly pleasant. It is safe to experiment with them because the error will only affect in simulation environment (Smidts et al., 2008). According to Naismith et al. (2005), â€Å"mobile technologies are becoming more embedded, ubiquitous and networked, with enhanced capabilities for rich social interactions, context awareness and internet connectivity† (p.6). Additionally, Anderson and Rainie (2008) concluded that the mobile phone technologies will be the most fundamental and compulsory connection device to the internet for everyone in 2020. 2.0 Mobile Phone Technologies in IHLs Academics find mobile phone technologies as their big savior when comes to managing the working tasks. Plenty of important features such as address books, devices of storage of file, cameras, recorder of video and internet added to the working flexibility in IHLs. Todays mobile phones are as influential as computers. According to Nokia (2007), â€Å"Its what computers have become†. Its increase to ubiquity is explained as a †¦stealthy but rapid shift from a telephony device towards a portable, personal media hub that enables an increasing range of personalized and customized communication, entertainment, relationship management and service functions. Its reach is pervasively global and trans-cultural, possibly more so than any other media form including the internet and World Wide Web (Cameron, 2006). Nowadays, it is impossible to resist mobile phone. Each and every aspects of life demand the importance of mobile device. As the international barriers are getting smaller due to globalization, the need of communication is inevitable. Consequently, mobile phone is becoming more and more compulsory and necessary to have. All walks of life celebrate the use of mobile phone technologies, so does the academics. Undeniably, there are myriad of activities for both academics and students provided by mobile phone technologies such as; uploading and downloading of songs, movies and videos to cell phone, MP3 player, iPod, sending and receiving e-mails, instant messages (IMs), short text messages (SMS), transferring files, photos or other data , interactive games, searching for information or services on the web, making video calls, personal organizer (e.g. diary, address book), in-class surveys/questions, in-class media sharing, attendance monitor, distant privileges of library, peer locator, free or inexpensive VoIP phone as well as notification of the security. Academics who have experienced dealing with mobile technologies in working possess several reasons to continue using them. Firstly, to be able to communicate with other people, to seek information, to take pictures and create clips and sharing with others is what most people have become used to (Smidts et al., 2008). The following studies have examined some of the activities of the mobile phone in the IHLs. Corbeil and Valdes-Corbeil (2007) have explored mobile phone activities engaged in by academics and students in their study. According to their findings, these technologies can be applied in many activities such as: uploading and downloading songs/movies/video clips, sending and receiving e-mail, Instant Messages (IMs), Short Text Messages (SMS), transferring files, photos or other data playing the interactive games, transferring photos or other data, downloading Podcasts of appropriate instructive material along with audio and video lectures, reading e-books, reconsidering coursework and getting ready in exams, showing their jobs and sharing plan results, providing visual, adding a microphone to their mobile to capture material for educational use, using an MP3 player to download and listen to Podcasts and audio lectures, and reconsidering the material of courses and studying for exams, audio books and, with some devices as well as the most widely used nowadays which is recording le ctures. Furthermore, findings from studies conducted by Whilst Kennedy et al. (2008a) and Kennedy et al. (2008b), mobile phone technologies allowed users to conduct 9 activities in Institutions of Higher learning as the following: To send pictures or movies to colleagues. To use mobile phone as MP3 player. To access information or services on the web. To make video calls. To take digital photos or movies. To send or receive email. To use mobile phone as a personal organizer (e.g. diary, address book). To send or receive SMS to colleagues. To call the colleagues or others. Besides, according to studies done by Wilen-Daugenti and McKee (2008), mobile phone technologies could be used for many applications for academics and students in both inside and outside the IHLs as example field below; In-Class Surveys/Questions: Students may submit the answers to questions or surveys given by an academic through their mobile phones. In-Class Media Sharing: During lectures, students are able to share interesting pictures or videos to their friends by emailing the files to the lecture halls projector. Attendance Monitor: An academic may demand students to do a virtual â€Å"roll call† by transmitting a message from their mobile phones. Course Materials: During lecture, an academic can directly send the course materials to students phones. Remote Library Privileges: The private privileges of library are also granted to students who can use their mobile phones to search articles without need to use a proxy server  · Peer Locator: Based on networks accuracy, peers may be alerted when their contacts are close by the mobile phones.  · Free or Inexpensive VoIP Calling: Universities may offer cheaper international or local calls made within the campus for students who might really need to do so. Position System: By sharing information contextual about the users actual place, mobile phone serves as a guide of virtual turn which assists the presence of students around the campus. Notification of the Security / Emergency: Depending on the users location, a warning notice is sent immediately to every mobile phone via email and voicemail, by informing the best way to leave the campus or a particular building in case of emergency. Moreover, a study carried out by Duke University (2005) has outlined the major categories of mobile devices employment by the academics as follows: The Instrument of Broadcasting of Lesson Contents- Mobile phone provides access to lessons content such as lectures, songs, historical speeches, conferences and meetings. Tool of Classroom Recording mobile phone can be used as a tool to capture lectures, class discussions and feedbacks. Tool of Supporting Study mobile phone allows academics for repetition of commercial and original audio content, such as music and audio books. Transfer and File Storage mobile phone is able to transfer or backup all sorts of files. Digital Portal: Both academics and students may no longer depend on physical materials. Flexible Location mobile phone provides accessing of digital materials at anywhere and anytime which also contributes to a decreased dependency of library. Digital Recording mobile phone allows convenient digital recording of interviews, field notes, small group discussions and oral assignments. Convenient Tool mobile phone makes students engagement in class discussions, labs, field research, and independent plans much easier.  · Improved Support for Personality Knowledge Preferences and Needs In addition, Duke University (2008) has widened their outlines as follows: Text Messaging: University may send text messages to students to notify them about examination dates for instance. Flexible, Delivery of Mobile Content: students are able to access classes by using their mobile phones in distance learning. Practice Exercises for Study and Review: students may be able to review the materials or quizzes created by the academics in anytime and anywhere. Mobile Creation and Media Publication: students could use their mobile phones to capture images or videos and share them with the entire world by uploading them directly into the Internet. Social Learning in Mobile Network: Facebook, Friendster, and other social networking tools allow users to share their life updates. Students get to interact with the members of a study group across the world.  · Gaming and Simulations: mobile phone is equipped with a feature to keep the academics and students in the games of simulation. Use of Mobile Phone Technologies in the Classroom: students can select answers out of multiple choice questions created by the academics in the classroom. Subsequently, Abilene Christian University (2008) pointed out that mobile phone technologies possess many interesting benefits and have become a standard tool in IHLs. Some of the benefits are summarized as follows: Digital Syllabus: dynamic changes of an individual, the activities of a student or status are allowed Clicker: real-time dynamic class polling or free-form answers are allowed Classroom Communicator: an improved flexibility in classes content and release is allowed Document Reader: an e-Book Internet Communicator: the aggregation of content on the sites of class is facilitated Alert System: a receiving automated information of courses Notes Taker: recording aggregation device for audio recordings is allowed Location Reporter: a college grounds map with active location is reported when needed Attendance Tool: dynamic comment about a users position anywhere anytime is given Business Purposes: wireless communication for bill paying, ticket-buying and bookstore buying or any business related matters are enabled Registrars Office Extension: easy course employment, communication with academic records, and dynamic scoring access are made easier Besides, benefits proposed by Cisco (2008) of a mobile system solution for colleges and universities are as follows: a) easy and convenient communication between academics and students, b) a study is developed beyond a class, by becoming more in collaboration, interactive and dynamic, c) both parties may seek new opportunities to connect resources and training, and d) academics can use context of a study based on interactive mode in managing the approach for students daily. Additionally, by using mobile phone technologies, Lefoe and Olney (2007) and Lefoe et al. (2008) reconsidered academics activities by in IHLs as follows: a) making interview with visiting speakers and return it back to the speaker for editing, d) audio comments, c) setting up mobile phone as database for others to use, d) recording interviews for re-evaluating of issues, e) collecting of thoughtful obviousness of the own teaching of academician to plan for future teaching, f) preparing and carrying the necessary articles needed, g) tutorial roles, h) easier sharing of information to students. Apart from that, Nie (2006) pointed out the potential use of mobile technologies in IHLs as follows: Recorder: students may record their works, interviews, presentations and lectures. Audio: students get to listen to genuine audio materials such as interview, audio book, music, speech and vocabulary. Multimedia: students can access multimedia materials such as film, picture, snap, visual vocabulary etc. Pre-class Resources: academics can create pre-class listening resources containing academic news, review of papers and journal articles, week activities, comments on assignment, etc. Podcasting: allows students to share their own ideas with others. Moreover, Jocelyn et al. (2008) condemned that mobile phone technologies possess many interesting benefits in IHLs as follows: a) academics can access the internet in any time and at any where, b) PDAs enable flexible and timely access to e-learning resources which would lead to empowerment and effective learning, c) academics are enabled to access training resources any time, anywhere, d) academics may hold question and answer sessions via conferences, seminars, workshops, and e) both academics and students can get a real opportunity to make a link between field and college. Finally, BlackBerry (2006) concluded that there are potential benefits of providing mobile access to few applications used by the colleges different departments such as: a) academics may stay in touch and schedule appointments on-the-road, b) healthy data security and remote device management, c) very useful for emergency communications during university trips and d) remote network maintenance via web interface. 3.0 Mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in IHLs The literature evidenced that mobile phone technologies playing important role in Institutions of Higher Learning. Mobile technologies have opened the door to possibilities and avenues for knowledge sharing by providing a new platform via wireless communication or other ICT applications. Mobile technology may enhance academics functionalities in Institutions of Higher Learning by supporting Externalization and Combination activities. Subsequently, mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in Institutions of Higher Learning could be demonstrated as follows: Academics can send and receive short text messages (SMS) from each other. The great advantage of using SMS is that it offers just-in-time information Academics can send and receive instant messages (IMs) from each other. Mobile phone offers a way to send instant messages at a much lower cost than traditional SMS messaging. Messages are sent and received by the use of the Internet means that the cost of messages depends only on the quantity of data sent Academics can send and receive e-mail from each other. Mobile phone offers a way to send to receive emails E-mails are sent and received by the use of the Internet means that the cost of mail depends only on the quantity of data sent Academics can share administrative information with colleague. Mobile phone technologies enhance communications among academics on campus. Through mobile devices, academics can receive administrative information such as announcements and urgent messages from faculty or university Academics can share and listen to Podcasts/audio books with colleague Academics can share downloads and view streaming movies/video clips Mobile phone technology can be used as peer locators, alerting academics when their contacts are nearby. Mobile phone technology represents a classroom communicator that enables increased flexibility in course content and delivery among academics. Academics can create pre-class listening resources containing academic news, review of papers and journal articles, week activities, comments on assignment, etc Academics can create memos which can be sent to colleague from mobile or saved onto his/her office computer Academics have ability to read work related documents via PDF, HTML, and Microsoft Office files Academics can record conferences, seminars, workshops, symposiums , interviews, lectures and sent it to his/her colleague through mobile device Academics can share e-books, journals, or other academic materials Academics can publish e-books and e-papers University can set up mobile phone technologies as database for academics to download documents, applications and university roles Academics can share with colleagues research findings Academics can use the micro web browser for conducting quick research online Academics can stay connected to social networking sites in mobile environment Academics can use a mobile phone technology to send pictures or movies to each other. Mobile technology provides an opportunity for the new generation of people with better communication and activities without taking into account the place and time. This section has outlined the potential use of mobile phone technologies among academics in IHLs. The benefits of mobile phone technologies have been broadly discussed in general. Additionally, this section has evidenced most studies related to the benefits of mobile phones usage among students. Ultimately, this section shows that there are a few studies to examine the benefits of the mobile phone technologies among academics. Despite the advantages of mobile phone technology are clear, only a small number of Institutions of Higher Learning are equipped with integrated mobile phone technologies in their environments (Joan John, 2007; Kim et al., 2006; New Media Consortium, 2007). Figueira (2007) pointed that as of August 2007, however, there are no universities or degree awarding programs with a website designed for downloading on a mobile device (p.1). Sufficient technological means to access mobile devices are not widely used by the academics in Institutions of Higher Learning (Junior et al., 2008). In 2007, Peters conducted a research to 29 manufacturers of mobile devices, businesses and education suppliers and found that mobile phone technologies are in general used in some commercial organizations, but found limited adoption for Institutions of higher learning use. The purpose of this study is to understand academics general attitudes towards the use of mobile phone technology in IHLs, to explore the academics perceived usefulness to use mobile phone technology in IHLs, to determine academics perceived ease of use of mobile phone technology in IHLs, to understand academics behavioral intention to use mobile phone technology in IHLs, to identify how will mobile phone technologies change the work situation of academics, and to identify the possible services that, in their opinion, can improve mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in IHLs. 4.0 Research Methodology Both primary and secondary data were collected for this research. The primary data was collected by distributing questionnaires to the academics in University Utara Malaysia (UUM). UUM is a public Institution of Higher Learning located n the northern region of Malaysia. The sample of this study was the academics that come from Public Institution of Higher Learning (PIHL). Those academics are different in terms of their academic designation: Tutor, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, and Professor. A total of 290 questionnaires were distributed to all academics in UUM. The sampling was based on convenience and 153 participants successfully responded, giving a response rate of 52.7 %. The analysis of the survey results is presented based on a valid response of 153 academics of University Utara Malaysia. Data collection for this study was undertaken during the month of May 2009. In gathering information pertaining to the study; a questionnaire was used as the main instrument for data collection in this study. a questionnaire was prepared divided into seven sections as follows: Section 1 was not containing any personally identifiable questions. The demographic and background variables used in this study are gender, status, age, designation, availability of devices, period of time in using device, academics opinion about devices price, academics opinion about devices, usefulness and effectiveness role in the work, connecting to internet through device, and academics preferences for mobile phone functions. This section was adapted from Avenoglu (2005) and Trifonova (2006). Section 2: contains questions that targeted at attitudes towards the use of mobile phone technology in Institutions of Higher Leaning. The respondents were given a list of six items to assess their opinions and attitu des to use mobile phone technology. Questions were adapted from Kurnia et al. (2008) and Avenoglu (2005). Section 3: contains questions concerning the perceived usefulness to use mobile phone technology. Five items were used to measure the respondents perception toward the usefulness to use mobile phone technology. Questions were adapted from Kurnia et al. (2008) and Trifonova (2006). Section 4: contains questions that targeted at the perceived ease of use of mobile phone technology. Three items were used to measure the respondents perception that used mobile phone technology and found it easy to use. Questions were adapted from Kurnia et al. (2008) and Trifonova (2006). Section 5: contains questions about behavioral intention to use mobile phone technology in Institutions of Higher Leaning. Four items were used to measure behavioral intention of the respondents towards using of mobile phone technology. Questions were adapted form Kurnia et al. (2008). Section 6: contains questions that are related to how can mobile phone technology change the work situation of academics in Institutions of Higher Leaning. Ten items were used to measure the respondents opinions about how can mobile phone technology increases the flexibility and the ability to work on the move. Questions were adapted form Dye et al. (2003). Section 7: contains statements that targeted to mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in Institutions of Higher Learning. The respondents were given a list of eighteen statements to assess their opinions and potential use of mobile phone technology for knowledge sharing among academics in Institution of Higher Learning. All Questions in this section were chosen from the interview with academics. A five point Likert scale type was used in this study and the academics were required to state the extent to which statements in their point of view were important or not important for them as academics. The Scale was (SD= Strongly Disagree, D = Disagree, N = Neutral, A = Agree, and SA = Strongly Agree). In this study, the questionnaire was pilot tested with 30 UUM academic staff. The table 1 shows the Cronbachs alpha coefficient for section 2, section 3, section 4, section 5, section 6 and section 7. Table 1: Reliability Cronbachs Alpha (ÃŽ ±) for Questionnaires Six Sections The Item Cronbachs Alpha (ÃŽ ±) Reliability Results Section 2 0.891 Good Section 3 0.840 Good Section 4 0.820 Good Section 5 0.805 Good Section 6 0.894 Good Section 7 0.883 Good 5.0 Data Analysis and Results 5.1 Respondents Profile and Background Information Based on the demographics and other personal background information obtained, out of 153 respondents 61.0 % were females. The most of the respondents were married 74 %. 36.4 % of the respondents were 41 to 50 years old and 30.5 % were 31 to 40 years old. Most of the respondents were Lecturers position 39.0 %, following by Senior Lecturers 26.0 %, Tutor 18.2 %, and Associate Professor 16.9 %. Table 2 below gives respondents demographic profile: Table 2: Respondents Demographic Profile Respondents Profile Classification Frequency % Gender Male 60 39 Female 94 61 Status Married 114 74 Unmarried 40 26 Age 20-30 33 21.4 31-40 47 30.5 41-50 56 36.4 Above 50 18 11.7 Designation Tutor 28 18.2 Lecturer 60 39.0 Senior Lecturer 40 26.0 Associate Professor 26 16.9 5.1.2 Availability of Devices The study (refer to 1) shows that 98 % of academics had Cell phone, 36 % PDA, 10 % Smart phone, and 2 % Pocket PC. The study also shows that there were more that 40 % of academics had more that one device, for instance, 33 % of academics had Cell phone and PDA device, 9 % of academics had Cell phone and Smart phone, and 3 % of academics had Cell phone, Smart phone and PDA in one time. 5.1.3 Period in Using Device The study (refer to 2) shows that 50.6 % of academics had Cell phone for more than 8 years, 30 % had Cell phone between 6 to 8 years, 13.6 % had Cell phone between 3 to 5 years, and 0.6 % had Cell phone less than one year. As well, it shows that 2.6 % of academics had Smart phone between 3 to 5 years, 5.2 % had Smart phone between 1 to 2 years, 2.0 % of academics had Smart phone less than one year. In addition, it shows that 3.2. % of academics had PDA device between 6 to 8 years, 7.1 % of academics had PDA device between 3 to 5 years, 19.4 % had PDA device between 1 to 2 years, and 6.5 % of academics had PDA device less than one year. Finally, only three participants 2.0 % had Pocket PC between 1 to 2 years. 5.1.4 Opinion about the Price In view of academics opinion about prices of devices, the general opinion was that Cell phones had reasonable price, were 77.8 % preferred that Cell phone had normal price and 22.8 % refer that Cell phone had low price. In addition, Smart phone, PDAs, and Pocket PC were considered costly price (for Smart phone 58.44 %, for PDAs 61.04 %, and for Pocket PC 64.94 %). Furthermore, a few academics had no opinion on the prices for smart phones, PDAs, and Pocket PC (for Smart phones 4 %, PDAs 5.19 %, and Pocket PC 2.60 %). 3 and shows the academics opinion about devices prices. 5.1.5 The Usefulness and Effectiveness Role of Mobile Phone Technologies in the Work The study (refer to 4) shows that the majority of respondents 97.4 % considered that mobile devices can play a useful and effective role in their daily work. While 0.6 % considered that mobile devices cannot play a useful and effective role in their daily work, and only 1.9 % were not sure about the usefulness and effectiveness of mobile device role in their work. These results indicate that academics had positive opinions regarding using mobile phone technologies in their work, and these results can support researchers opinion about the importance and usefulness of this study in IHLs environment, and to stand up to the factors that could help passing mobile phone technologies in IHLs. 5.1.6 Connecting to Internet though Mobile Phone Technologies 5 shows that the majority of respondents 75.3 % were connecting to internet though mobile phone technologies, and only 24.7 % were not connecting to internet through mobile phone technologies. As evidenced by various studies mentioned above, mobile phone technologies give opportunity to academics to connect to internet and to the world any time anywhere. In addition, mobile phone technologies could able to increase the range of personalized and customized communication, entertainment, relationship management and service function 5.1.7 Academics Preferences of Mobile Phone Functions The academics in this section were given a list of fifteen mobile phone functions and they had to choose one or more of these functions. The results are shown in table 3. Today mobile phone technologies provide a wide range of services. Among these services, a researcher can demonstrate; browsing the Web, MMS, games, alarm/reminder, calling, listening to music, voice recorder, chatting, calendar, camera, phone book, SMS, sending e-mail, dictionary, audio file storage. According to the findings, 100 % of respondents preferred that the function of calling was the most important function, where 98 % preferred that the second important function was SMS. In addition, the findings show that the respondents who choose calendar were 79 %, camera 77 %, alarm/reminder 75 %, phone book 70 %, listening to music 61 %, browsing the Web 53 %, games and sending e-mail 42 %, MMS 41 %, voice recorder 38%, dictionary and audio file storage 29%, and chatting 21 %. Table 3: Academics Preference of Mobile Phone Functions No. Mobile Phone Functions % 1 Calling 100% 2 SMS 98% 3 Calendar 79% 4 Camera 77% 5 Alarm/reminder 75% 6 Phone book 70% 7 Listening to music 61% 8 Browsing the Web 53% 9 Games 42% 10 Sending e-mail 42% 11 MMS 41% 12 Voice recorder 38% 13 Dictionary 29% 14 Audio file storage 29% 15 Chatting 21% 5.2 Attitudes towards the Use of Mobile Phone Technology in IHLs The respondents were given a list of six items to assess their opinions and attitudes toward using mobile phone tec Integration of Technology in Higher Education Integration of Technology in Higher Education Abstract The potentials of mobile phone technology are huge and it has opened possibilities and avenues for enhancing knowledge sharing activities among academics in Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs). However, it was found that there was lack of academic research on the use of mobile phone technologies for knowledge sharing purposes in IHLs. In IHLs, technologies of mobile phones such as cell phones, smart phones, and PDAs provided with interesting features like camera, video, memory, player of MP3, internet approach and finally, presence in a device, by allowing study anywhere, anytime. This paper aimed to understand academics general attitudes towards the use of mobile phone technology in IHLs, to explore the academics perceived usefulness to use mobile phone technology in IHLs, to determine academics perceived ease of use of mobile phone technology in IHLs, to understand academics behavioral intention to use mobile phone technology in IHLs, to identify how will mobile phone technologi es change the work situation of academics, and to identify the possible services that, in their opinion, can improve mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in IHLs. The overall findings revealed that there were at least four factors could lead to the adoption of mobile phone technology among academics in an Institution of Higher Learning. These factors were; attitudes towards the use of mobile phone technology, perceived usefulness to use mobile phone technology, perceived ease of use of mobile phone technology, and behavioral intention to use mobile phone technology. Keywords: Mobile Phone Technology, Institutions of Higher Learning, Academics 1.0 Introduction In recent years, information technology (IT) usage in universities and colleges is broadly increasing for the purposes of enhancing the administration and teaching and learning efficiencies. As the population of campuses raises, so does the improvement of technologies. In Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs), technologies of mobile phones such as cell phones, smart phones, PDAs and telephone provided with interesting features like camera, video, memory, player of MP3, internet approach and finally, presence in a device, by allowing study anywhere, anytime (Wilen-Daugenti, 2007). Junior et al. (2008) defined mobile technologies as mobile technologies are exactly what its name refers, i.e., portable technology that can be moved from one place to another without any loss. There are several advantages of mobile technologies. Few of them are the independence in learning at anywhere and anytime, faster and convenient communication as well as rapid access to variety of different sources. Moreover, the ability to conduct impossible experiments in authentic way is truly pleasant. It is safe to experiment with them because the error will only affect in simulation environment (Smidts et al., 2008). According to Naismith et al. (2005), â€Å"mobile technologies are becoming more embedded, ubiquitous and networked, with enhanced capabilities for rich social interactions, context awareness and internet connectivity† (p.6). Additionally, Anderson and Rainie (2008) concluded that the mobile phone technologies will be the most fundamental and compulsory connection device to the internet for everyone in 2020. 2.0 Mobile Phone Technologies in IHLs Academics find mobile phone technologies as their big savior when comes to managing the working tasks. Plenty of important features such as address books, devices of storage of file, cameras, recorder of video and internet added to the working flexibility in IHLs. Todays mobile phones are as influential as computers. According to Nokia (2007), â€Å"Its what computers have become†. Its increase to ubiquity is explained as a †¦stealthy but rapid shift from a telephony device towards a portable, personal media hub that enables an increasing range of personalized and customized communication, entertainment, relationship management and service functions. Its reach is pervasively global and trans-cultural, possibly more so than any other media form including the internet and World Wide Web (Cameron, 2006). Nowadays, it is impossible to resist mobile phone. Each and every aspects of life demand the importance of mobile device. As the international barriers are getting smaller due to globalization, the need of communication is inevitable. Consequently, mobile phone is becoming more and more compulsory and necessary to have. All walks of life celebrate the use of mobile phone technologies, so does the academics. Undeniably, there are myriad of activities for both academics and students provided by mobile phone technologies such as; uploading and downloading of songs, movies and videos to cell phone, MP3 player, iPod, sending and receiving e-mails, instant messages (IMs), short text messages (SMS), transferring files, photos or other data , interactive games, searching for information or services on the web, making video calls, personal organizer (e.g. diary, address book), in-class surveys/questions, in-class media sharing, attendance monitor, distant privileges of library, peer locator, free or inexpensive VoIP phone as well as notification of the security. Academics who have experienced dealing with mobile technologies in working possess several reasons to continue using them. Firstly, to be able to communicate with other people, to seek information, to take pictures and create clips and sharing with others is what most people have become used to (Smidts et al., 2008). The following studies have examined some of the activities of the mobile phone in the IHLs. Corbeil and Valdes-Corbeil (2007) have explored mobile phone activities engaged in by academics and students in their study. According to their findings, these technologies can be applied in many activities such as: uploading and downloading songs/movies/video clips, sending and receiving e-mail, Instant Messages (IMs), Short Text Messages (SMS), transferring files, photos or other data playing the interactive games, transferring photos or other data, downloading Podcasts of appropriate instructive material along with audio and video lectures, reading e-books, reconsidering coursework and getting ready in exams, showing their jobs and sharing plan results, providing visual, adding a microphone to their mobile to capture material for educational use, using an MP3 player to download and listen to Podcasts and audio lectures, and reconsidering the material of courses and studying for exams, audio books and, with some devices as well as the most widely used nowadays which is recording le ctures. Furthermore, findings from studies conducted by Whilst Kennedy et al. (2008a) and Kennedy et al. (2008b), mobile phone technologies allowed users to conduct 9 activities in Institutions of Higher learning as the following: To send pictures or movies to colleagues. To use mobile phone as MP3 player. To access information or services on the web. To make video calls. To take digital photos or movies. To send or receive email. To use mobile phone as a personal organizer (e.g. diary, address book). To send or receive SMS to colleagues. To call the colleagues or others. Besides, according to studies done by Wilen-Daugenti and McKee (2008), mobile phone technologies could be used for many applications for academics and students in both inside and outside the IHLs as example field below; In-Class Surveys/Questions: Students may submit the answers to questions or surveys given by an academic through their mobile phones. In-Class Media Sharing: During lectures, students are able to share interesting pictures or videos to their friends by emailing the files to the lecture halls projector. Attendance Monitor: An academic may demand students to do a virtual â€Å"roll call† by transmitting a message from their mobile phones. Course Materials: During lecture, an academic can directly send the course materials to students phones. Remote Library Privileges: The private privileges of library are also granted to students who can use their mobile phones to search articles without need to use a proxy server  · Peer Locator: Based on networks accuracy, peers may be alerted when their contacts are close by the mobile phones.  · Free or Inexpensive VoIP Calling: Universities may offer cheaper international or local calls made within the campus for students who might really need to do so. Position System: By sharing information contextual about the users actual place, mobile phone serves as a guide of virtual turn which assists the presence of students around the campus. Notification of the Security / Emergency: Depending on the users location, a warning notice is sent immediately to every mobile phone via email and voicemail, by informing the best way to leave the campus or a particular building in case of emergency. Moreover, a study carried out by Duke University (2005) has outlined the major categories of mobile devices employment by the academics as follows: The Instrument of Broadcasting of Lesson Contents- Mobile phone provides access to lessons content such as lectures, songs, historical speeches, conferences and meetings. Tool of Classroom Recording mobile phone can be used as a tool to capture lectures, class discussions and feedbacks. Tool of Supporting Study mobile phone allows academics for repetition of commercial and original audio content, such as music and audio books. Transfer and File Storage mobile phone is able to transfer or backup all sorts of files. Digital Portal: Both academics and students may no longer depend on physical materials. Flexible Location mobile phone provides accessing of digital materials at anywhere and anytime which also contributes to a decreased dependency of library. Digital Recording mobile phone allows convenient digital recording of interviews, field notes, small group discussions and oral assignments. Convenient Tool mobile phone makes students engagement in class discussions, labs, field research, and independent plans much easier.  · Improved Support for Personality Knowledge Preferences and Needs In addition, Duke University (2008) has widened their outlines as follows: Text Messaging: University may send text messages to students to notify them about examination dates for instance. Flexible, Delivery of Mobile Content: students are able to access classes by using their mobile phones in distance learning. Practice Exercises for Study and Review: students may be able to review the materials or quizzes created by the academics in anytime and anywhere. Mobile Creation and Media Publication: students could use their mobile phones to capture images or videos and share them with the entire world by uploading them directly into the Internet. Social Learning in Mobile Network: Facebook, Friendster, and other social networking tools allow users to share their life updates. Students get to interact with the members of a study group across the world.  · Gaming and Simulations: mobile phone is equipped with a feature to keep the academics and students in the games of simulation. Use of Mobile Phone Technologies in the Classroom: students can select answers out of multiple choice questions created by the academics in the classroom. Subsequently, Abilene Christian University (2008) pointed out that mobile phone technologies possess many interesting benefits and have become a standard tool in IHLs. Some of the benefits are summarized as follows: Digital Syllabus: dynamic changes of an individual, the activities of a student or status are allowed Clicker: real-time dynamic class polling or free-form answers are allowed Classroom Communicator: an improved flexibility in classes content and release is allowed Document Reader: an e-Book Internet Communicator: the aggregation of content on the sites of class is facilitated Alert System: a receiving automated information of courses Notes Taker: recording aggregation device for audio recordings is allowed Location Reporter: a college grounds map with active location is reported when needed Attendance Tool: dynamic comment about a users position anywhere anytime is given Business Purposes: wireless communication for bill paying, ticket-buying and bookstore buying or any business related matters are enabled Registrars Office Extension: easy course employment, communication with academic records, and dynamic scoring access are made easier Besides, benefits proposed by Cisco (2008) of a mobile system solution for colleges and universities are as follows: a) easy and convenient communication between academics and students, b) a study is developed beyond a class, by becoming more in collaboration, interactive and dynamic, c) both parties may seek new opportunities to connect resources and training, and d) academics can use context of a study based on interactive mode in managing the approach for students daily. Additionally, by using mobile phone technologies, Lefoe and Olney (2007) and Lefoe et al. (2008) reconsidered academics activities by in IHLs as follows: a) making interview with visiting speakers and return it back to the speaker for editing, d) audio comments, c) setting up mobile phone as database for others to use, d) recording interviews for re-evaluating of issues, e) collecting of thoughtful obviousness of the own teaching of academician to plan for future teaching, f) preparing and carrying the necessary articles needed, g) tutorial roles, h) easier sharing of information to students. Apart from that, Nie (2006) pointed out the potential use of mobile technologies in IHLs as follows: Recorder: students may record their works, interviews, presentations and lectures. Audio: students get to listen to genuine audio materials such as interview, audio book, music, speech and vocabulary. Multimedia: students can access multimedia materials such as film, picture, snap, visual vocabulary etc. Pre-class Resources: academics can create pre-class listening resources containing academic news, review of papers and journal articles, week activities, comments on assignment, etc. Podcasting: allows students to share their own ideas with others. Moreover, Jocelyn et al. (2008) condemned that mobile phone technologies possess many interesting benefits in IHLs as follows: a) academics can access the internet in any time and at any where, b) PDAs enable flexible and timely access to e-learning resources which would lead to empowerment and effective learning, c) academics are enabled to access training resources any time, anywhere, d) academics may hold question and answer sessions via conferences, seminars, workshops, and e) both academics and students can get a real opportunity to make a link between field and college. Finally, BlackBerry (2006) concluded that there are potential benefits of providing mobile access to few applications used by the colleges different departments such as: a) academics may stay in touch and schedule appointments on-the-road, b) healthy data security and remote device management, c) very useful for emergency communications during university trips and d) remote network maintenance via web interface. 3.0 Mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in IHLs The literature evidenced that mobile phone technologies playing important role in Institutions of Higher Learning. Mobile technologies have opened the door to possibilities and avenues for knowledge sharing by providing a new platform via wireless communication or other ICT applications. Mobile technology may enhance academics functionalities in Institutions of Higher Learning by supporting Externalization and Combination activities. Subsequently, mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in Institutions of Higher Learning could be demonstrated as follows: Academics can send and receive short text messages (SMS) from each other. The great advantage of using SMS is that it offers just-in-time information Academics can send and receive instant messages (IMs) from each other. Mobile phone offers a way to send instant messages at a much lower cost than traditional SMS messaging. Messages are sent and received by the use of the Internet means that the cost of messages depends only on the quantity of data sent Academics can send and receive e-mail from each other. Mobile phone offers a way to send to receive emails E-mails are sent and received by the use of the Internet means that the cost of mail depends only on the quantity of data sent Academics can share administrative information with colleague. Mobile phone technologies enhance communications among academics on campus. Through mobile devices, academics can receive administrative information such as announcements and urgent messages from faculty or university Academics can share and listen to Podcasts/audio books with colleague Academics can share downloads and view streaming movies/video clips Mobile phone technology can be used as peer locators, alerting academics when their contacts are nearby. Mobile phone technology represents a classroom communicator that enables increased flexibility in course content and delivery among academics. Academics can create pre-class listening resources containing academic news, review of papers and journal articles, week activities, comments on assignment, etc Academics can create memos which can be sent to colleague from mobile or saved onto his/her office computer Academics have ability to read work related documents via PDF, HTML, and Microsoft Office files Academics can record conferences, seminars, workshops, symposiums , interviews, lectures and sent it to his/her colleague through mobile device Academics can share e-books, journals, or other academic materials Academics can publish e-books and e-papers University can set up mobile phone technologies as database for academics to download documents, applications and university roles Academics can share with colleagues research findings Academics can use the micro web browser for conducting quick research online Academics can stay connected to social networking sites in mobile environment Academics can use a mobile phone technology to send pictures or movies to each other. Mobile technology provides an opportunity for the new generation of people with better communication and activities without taking into account the place and time. This section has outlined the potential use of mobile phone technologies among academics in IHLs. The benefits of mobile phone technologies have been broadly discussed in general. Additionally, this section has evidenced most studies related to the benefits of mobile phones usage among students. Ultimately, this section shows that there are a few studies to examine the benefits of the mobile phone technologies among academics. Despite the advantages of mobile phone technology are clear, only a small number of Institutions of Higher Learning are equipped with integrated mobile phone technologies in their environments (Joan John, 2007; Kim et al., 2006; New Media Consortium, 2007). Figueira (2007) pointed that as of August 2007, however, there are no universities or degree awarding programs with a website designed for downloading on a mobile device (p.1). Sufficient technological means to access mobile devices are not widely used by the academics in Institutions of Higher Learning (Junior et al., 2008). In 2007, Peters conducted a research to 29 manufacturers of mobile devices, businesses and education suppliers and found that mobile phone technologies are in general used in some commercial organizations, but found limited adoption for Institutions of higher learning use. The purpose of this study is to understand academics general attitudes towards the use of mobile phone technology in IHLs, to explore the academics perceived usefulness to use mobile phone technology in IHLs, to determine academics perceived ease of use of mobile phone technology in IHLs, to understand academics behavioral intention to use mobile phone technology in IHLs, to identify how will mobile phone technologies change the work situation of academics, and to identify the possible services that, in their opinion, can improve mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in IHLs. 4.0 Research Methodology Both primary and secondary data were collected for this research. The primary data was collected by distributing questionnaires to the academics in University Utara Malaysia (UUM). UUM is a public Institution of Higher Learning located n the northern region of Malaysia. The sample of this study was the academics that come from Public Institution of Higher Learning (PIHL). Those academics are different in terms of their academic designation: Tutor, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, and Professor. A total of 290 questionnaires were distributed to all academics in UUM. The sampling was based on convenience and 153 participants successfully responded, giving a response rate of 52.7 %. The analysis of the survey results is presented based on a valid response of 153 academics of University Utara Malaysia. Data collection for this study was undertaken during the month of May 2009. In gathering information pertaining to the study; a questionnaire was used as the main instrument for data collection in this study. a questionnaire was prepared divided into seven sections as follows: Section 1 was not containing any personally identifiable questions. The demographic and background variables used in this study are gender, status, age, designation, availability of devices, period of time in using device, academics opinion about devices price, academics opinion about devices, usefulness and effectiveness role in the work, connecting to internet through device, and academics preferences for mobile phone functions. This section was adapted from Avenoglu (2005) and Trifonova (2006). Section 2: contains questions that targeted at attitudes towards the use of mobile phone technology in Institutions of Higher Leaning. The respondents were given a list of six items to assess their opinions and attitu des to use mobile phone technology. Questions were adapted from Kurnia et al. (2008) and Avenoglu (2005). Section 3: contains questions concerning the perceived usefulness to use mobile phone technology. Five items were used to measure the respondents perception toward the usefulness to use mobile phone technology. Questions were adapted from Kurnia et al. (2008) and Trifonova (2006). Section 4: contains questions that targeted at the perceived ease of use of mobile phone technology. Three items were used to measure the respondents perception that used mobile phone technology and found it easy to use. Questions were adapted from Kurnia et al. (2008) and Trifonova (2006). Section 5: contains questions about behavioral intention to use mobile phone technology in Institutions of Higher Leaning. Four items were used to measure behavioral intention of the respondents towards using of mobile phone technology. Questions were adapted form Kurnia et al. (2008). Section 6: contains questions that are related to how can mobile phone technology change the work situation of academics in Institutions of Higher Leaning. Ten items were used to measure the respondents opinions about how can mobile phone technology increases the flexibility and the ability to work on the move. Questions were adapted form Dye et al. (2003). Section 7: contains statements that targeted to mobile phone technology and knowledge sharing among academics in Institutions of Higher Learning. The respondents were given a list of eighteen statements to assess their opinions and potential use of mobile phone technology for knowledge sharing among academics in Institution of Higher Learning. All Questions in this section were chosen from the interview with academics. A five point Likert scale type was used in this study and the academics were required to state the extent to which statements in their point of view were important or not important for them as academics. The Scale was (SD= Strongly Disagree, D = Disagree, N = Neutral, A = Agree, and SA = Strongly Agree). In this study, the questionnaire was pilot tested with 30 UUM academic staff. The table 1 shows the Cronbachs alpha coefficient for section 2, section 3, section 4, section 5, section 6 and section 7. Table 1: Reliability Cronbachs Alpha (ÃŽ ±) for Questionnaires Six Sections The Item Cronbachs Alpha (ÃŽ ±) Reliability Results Section 2 0.891 Good Section 3 0.840 Good Section 4 0.820 Good Section 5 0.805 Good Section 6 0.894 Good Section 7 0.883 Good 5.0 Data Analysis and Results 5.1 Respondents Profile and Background Information Based on the demographics and other personal background information obtained, out of 153 respondents 61.0 % were females. The most of the respondents were married 74 %. 36.4 % of the respondents were 41 to 50 years old and 30.5 % were 31 to 40 years old. Most of the respondents were Lecturers position 39.0 %, following by Senior Lecturers 26.0 %, Tutor 18.2 %, and Associate Professor 16.9 %. Table 2 below gives respondents demographic profile: Table 2: Respondents Demographic Profile Respondents Profile Classification Frequency % Gender Male 60 39 Female 94 61 Status Married 114 74 Unmarried 40 26 Age 20-30 33 21.4 31-40 47 30.5 41-50 56 36.4 Above 50 18 11.7 Designation Tutor 28 18.2 Lecturer 60 39.0 Senior Lecturer 40 26.0 Associate Professor 26 16.9 5.1.2 Availability of Devices The study (refer to 1) shows that 98 % of academics had Cell phone, 36 % PDA, 10 % Smart phone, and 2 % Pocket PC. The study also shows that there were more that 40 % of academics had more that one device, for instance, 33 % of academics had Cell phone and PDA device, 9 % of academics had Cell phone and Smart phone, and 3 % of academics had Cell phone, Smart phone and PDA in one time. 5.1.3 Period in Using Device The study (refer to 2) shows that 50.6 % of academics had Cell phone for more than 8 years, 30 % had Cell phone between 6 to 8 years, 13.6 % had Cell phone between 3 to 5 years, and 0.6 % had Cell phone less than one year. As well, it shows that 2.6 % of academics had Smart phone between 3 to 5 years, 5.2 % had Smart phone between 1 to 2 years, 2.0 % of academics had Smart phone less than one year. In addition, it shows that 3.2. % of academics had PDA device between 6 to 8 years, 7.1 % of academics had PDA device between 3 to 5 years, 19.4 % had PDA device between 1 to 2 years, and 6.5 % of academics had PDA device less than one year. Finally, only three participants 2.0 % had Pocket PC between 1 to 2 years. 5.1.4 Opinion about the Price In view of academics opinion about prices of devices, the general opinion was that Cell phones had reasonable price, were 77.8 % preferred that Cell phone had normal price and 22.8 % refer that Cell phone had low price. In addition, Smart phone, PDAs, and Pocket PC were considered costly price (for Smart phone 58.44 %, for PDAs 61.04 %, and for Pocket PC 64.94 %). Furthermore, a few academics had no opinion on the prices for smart phones, PDAs, and Pocket PC (for Smart phones 4 %, PDAs 5.19 %, and Pocket PC 2.60 %). 3 and shows the academics opinion about devices prices. 5.1.5 The Usefulness and Effectiveness Role of Mobile Phone Technologies in the Work The study (refer to 4) shows that the majority of respondents 97.4 % considered that mobile devices can play a useful and effective role in their daily work. While 0.6 % considered that mobile devices cannot play a useful and effective role in their daily work, and only 1.9 % were not sure about the usefulness and effectiveness of mobile device role in their work. These results indicate that academics had positive opinions regarding using mobile phone technologies in their work, and these results can support researchers opinion about the importance and usefulness of this study in IHLs environment, and to stand up to the factors that could help passing mobile phone technologies in IHLs. 5.1.6 Connecting to Internet though Mobile Phone Technologies 5 shows that the majority of respondents 75.3 % were connecting to internet though mobile phone technologies, and only 24.7 % were not connecting to internet through mobile phone technologies. As evidenced by various studies mentioned above, mobile phone technologies give opportunity to academics to connect to internet and to the world any time anywhere. In addition, mobile phone technologies could able to increase the range of personalized and customized communication, entertainment, relationship management and service function 5.1.7 Academics Preferences of Mobile Phone Functions The academics in this section were given a list of fifteen mobile phone functions and they had to choose one or more of these functions. The results are shown in table 3. Today mobile phone technologies provide a wide range of services. Among these services, a researcher can demonstrate; browsing the Web, MMS, games, alarm/reminder, calling, listening to music, voice recorder, chatting, calendar, camera, phone book, SMS, sending e-mail, dictionary, audio file storage. According to the findings, 100 % of respondents preferred that the function of calling was the most important function, where 98 % preferred that the second important function was SMS. In addition, the findings show that the respondents who choose calendar were 79 %, camera 77 %, alarm/reminder 75 %, phone book 70 %, listening to music 61 %, browsing the Web 53 %, games and sending e-mail 42 %, MMS 41 %, voice recorder 38%, dictionary and audio file storage 29%, and chatting 21 %. Table 3: Academics Preference of Mobile Phone Functions No. Mobile Phone Functions % 1 Calling 100% 2 SMS 98% 3 Calendar 79% 4 Camera 77% 5 Alarm/reminder 75% 6 Phone book 70% 7 Listening to music 61% 8 Browsing the Web 53% 9 Games 42% 10 Sending e-mail 42% 11 MMS 41% 12 Voice recorder 38% 13 Dictionary 29% 14 Audio file storage 29% 15 Chatting 21% 5.2 Attitudes towards the Use of Mobile Phone Technology in IHLs The respondents were given a list of six items to assess their opinions and attitudes toward using mobile phone tec