Roman Dictators

Roman Dictators The behavior of the Roman dictators- or Magister populi  Praetor Maximus- changed over time, eventually turning into the ruthless, murdering heads of state we now think of (e.g., Sulla), but thats not how they started. The first of the Roman dictators may have been T. Lartius in 499 B.C. His master of the Horse was Sp. Cassius. Consulship and Limited Government After the Romans expelled their kings, they were well aware of the problems of letting a single man hold absolute power for life, so they created a split appointment with a set time period, one year. The split appointment was to the consulship. Since consuls could cancel each other out, it wasnt the most efficient type of government leadership when Rome was in a  crisis caused by war, so the Romans developed a very temporary position that held absolute power in cases of national emergency. Roman Dictators and Imperium Roman dictators- the Senate-appointed men who held this special position- served for 6 months at a time or shorter, if the emergency took less time, with no co-dictator, but instead, a subordinate Master of the Horse (magister equitum). Unlike the consuls, Roman dictators didnt have to fear retribution at the end of their terms in office, so they were free to do what they wished, which was, hopefully, in the best interests of Rome. Roman dictators had imperium, like the consuls, and their lictores carried fasces with axes on either side of the city walls, instead of the usual fasces without axes within the city of Romes pomoerium. UNRV notes that there were 12 lictors for dictators before Sulla and 24 from his day. Source H.G. Liddells A History of Rome From the Earliest Times to the Establishment of the Empire

Does music work on the mind or the body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Does music work on the mind or the body - Essay Example The most obvious property of music is its sound and this, in turn, is caused by actual occurrences in the physical world. Rodeway sums it up neatly when he writes: â€Å"The auditory sense is primarily physical rather than chemical. The sound is concerned with motion or activity, that is with vibration and resonance of substances (air, water, solids). (Rodoway: 1994, p. 90) The human ear is the main receiver of sound and is able to detect the movement of air and distinguish variations in the sounds that are produced. There are, however, other parts of the body that are involved in listening to music, because the ear is part of a perceptual system, involving the whole human organism and elements of the environment which the listener and the music share. Anyone who has attended a rock concert is very aware of the physical sensation of vibration which occurs when base sounds are emitted from huge speakers with great intensity: the whole upper body feels the vibrations. Some high pitche d sounds are painful, causing the eyes to tighten up and the body to cringe. Observation of humans and animals as they react to music and other sounds reveals that movement of the head and shoulders towards the source of a sound often occurs so that both ears can be used to help locate the distance and direction accurately. Some animals like foxes and dogs have ears that face forward and can be swiveled left and right to focus more closely. The physical properties of the space in which music occurs are also important in determining how sound is received.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Summary - Essay Example Gruwell soon finds out that the students she was stranded with were far different from her expectations. Her class is categorized into four groups – whites, Latinos, Cambodians and blacks. She resorts to unconventional teaching approaches despite the disagreement with her departmental head Margaret Campbell (enacted by Imelda Stauton) and her colleagues. In the course of her determination and campaign she ends up working more in the school and spending less time with her husband which later becomes a source of constant complain from his side, finally leading to their separation. She pulls up money from other part time jobs to buy books for them instead of abiding by the conventions. She begins her campaign by teaching lessons from the Holocaust, which even involves a trip to the Museum of Tolerance. The idea was to generate feelings of harmony irrespective of races. She arranges meetings with the survivors of the Holocaust and reads through The Diary of Anne Frank. Later she i nvites to the class the lady named Miep Gies (enacted by Pat Carroll) who once gave shelter to Anne Frank. Meanwhile parallel to these lessons the boyfriend of a Cambodian student names Sindy gets killed accidentally by Eva’s boyfriend. ... This brings about the climax of the movie (after the first 90 minutes run) where Eva takes a decision, which would bring a twist to the lives of her family and friends. Eva therefore considers saying the truth and gives the right testimony to the rage of several onlookers. The members of her gang initially decide to kill her but owing tot heir respect for their father they back off. A racial discrimination was broken as Eva takes back her decision of defending the criminal boyfriend form her race and instead does what she feels is morally right. This is an evidence of the transformation, which Gruwell was able to embed amongst his students. During her classes Erin always encourages the young students to make entries in their notebooks on a regular basis. The best part of the lessons delivered by Gruwell includes her asking the students to write their notes taken down in their diaries in the form of a book. She alter combines all these documents into a single book known as The Freedom Writers Diary. Later she was asked to stop teaching her students but Gruwell goes on to assure the superintendent of her ways of teaching. Certain distractions like Gruwell’s pearl necklace initially cause interest but later the film takes us to more sublime themes. The movie succeeds in delivering the note of hope along with emotional and intellectual fulfillment. It also exploits the potential of the young performers adequately, especially that of Hernandez. The movie also manages to retain the touch of originality by quoting verses from students’ diaries in order to give rise to the complementary themes or stories. The movie in general has a lot to offer to the audience who look out for something to identify themselves with rather than complete fiction.

Womem and men and media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Womem and men and media - Essay Example Consequently, many young girls often adopt approaches that jeopardize their health to attain skinny and or curvy figures that flush across television screens and also take center stage in the cover of many magazines. Moreover, the portrayal of female bodies in the media has significantly sexualized both male and female teenagers at tender ages leading to high moral decadence in the society. As such, this topic deserves much attention, especially at this time of high technological advances and emergence of technology savvy generation. Over the past decades, the media has been tirelessly working to construct the ideal image of what a beautiful woman should look like. Television channels, movies, and magazines among other media platforms have brainwashed young girls with misinformation about certain features that they must acquire in order to be considered beautiful. Deviating from the traditional definition of beauty, the media features pictures of models with thin bodies and other features that fit the media’s definition of beauty. Young girls often want to associate with television anchors or models they usually see in advertisements that plague the media. In order to be as close to the perfect woman, young ladies have taken to risky approaches to attain the shape and color of the images that keep hitting their eyes and filling their imaginations of what a beautiful woman should look like. In order to attain the body sizes that the media uphold as beautiful, young women have resorted to unhealthy eating habits. Some of the skip most meals in order to reduce their body weights so that they can match the size of a â€Å"perfect woman† while others use skin lightening products so that they can achieve the complexion of â€Å"perfect women† that they see more often in the televisions, magazines, movies and even social websites. Skipping

Communication Media for Banking Industry

Communication Media for Banking Industry Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction Todays world is world of technology. Everyday a new technology is introduced that can assist people in order to do their daily works easily and finally increase the quality of their life. These new technologies help their users in different aspects of their life, by saving time, doing works faster and better with lower level of error. The rapid development of information technology has brought unprecedented influence on the life of millions of people around the globe. Various activities were handled electronically through the adoption of IT in the workplace or at home, for example, e-mail, e-commerce and e-government (Guriting and Ndubisi, 2006). One of these technologies that effects most people around the world is Internet, which was born in the last years of 20 century and rapidly broke boundaries, time and place. It brought more easily communication ways from usual daily activities to high level official activities. Online shopping and paying is a symbol of developing internet te chnology. People can stay at home, be at their work place, or their car or any other place, and order their food, clothes , shoes and pay online and receive their orders without spending time for going to the shopping center or finding parking .so online paying helped its users saved their time and their money. Next generation of online paying is internet banking, which means doing transactions online without going to the bank, staying in long queues, and without direct face-to-face interacting. The terms of PC banking, online banking, Internet banking, and mobile banking refer to a number of ways in which customers can access their banks without having to be physically present at a bank branch. PC Banking relates to every banking business transacted from a customers PC. This can be done through online banking, in which bank transactions are conducted within a closed network, or via Internet banking, which permits the customer to perform transactions from any terminal with access to the Internet. Mobile banking is the implementation of banking and trading transactions using an Internet-enabled wireless device. (Mobile phones, PDAs, handheld computers, etc.). Thus mobile banking (m-banking) is a subset of Internet banking, I banking, (Hazell and Raphael, 2001) The banking industry is using the new communication media to offer its services to the customers with convenience. Using Internet banking and its nearest technology, mobile banking, is increased during these years around the world. Malaysian penetration of Internet banking and mobile banking, as the base infrastructure for this paper, is mentioned as below: In all five continents, penetration of internet and mobile banking are rapidly increasing. Especially in most developed countries, trend of internet banking is increasing, also using mobile banking, is increasing. Most of Europe has embraced GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) as a format for wireless technology. This more standardized wireless telecommunications infrastructure has yielded a higher level of acceptance and penetration, which has led to speculation that Europe will drive innovations in wireless communications, this technology can use to do both internet banking and mobile banking. Although still need time to adapt the mobile banking. In most countries this service is available but Because of its price and some uncertainty about its security, mobile banking is not popular yet. North America represents the flip side of the European situation. Wireless communications, though far from rare, lag behind Europes penetration levels, while participation in the wired I nternet is the highest in the world. The North American wireless infrastructure is not as widespread as standardized as its European counterpart. In the Middle East, has secured 15 wireless infrastructure contracts in regional markets over the last 12 months, most recently in Kuwait. Motorolas work in Kuwait involves a $14 million contract with wireless GSM operator MTC to implement a countrywide capacity enhancement. The dual-band network implementation will enable cell phones to utilize the most efficient network route and frequency, thus optimizing network performance. In spite of the fact that internet and mobile banking has rapidly growth in all countries, but still there are people from developing countries that do not interest in use this facility. People of these countries are concerning about their personal information, privacy and security, and these are factors that will increase their uncertainty level of using internet banking(East African and West African countries in Malaysia interviewing). This anxiety can refer to their cultural background. culture can refer to the customs and beliefs of a nation that stay with people for years, and changing of fundamental of this culture is not possible easily. So culture of a country can affect the culture of sub-societies in that country, such as organizational culture, educational culture and etc. So each nation and country has especial fundamental in order to go to the technology world and use technology as an assistant in their life. Statement of the Problem According to the previous discussion, although there is rapidly increasing in internet banking penetration but still there is some unsafe feeling towards it. That means there are factors that can affect acceptance and adaption of a technology, beside existing factors such as usefulness, ease of use, subjective norm and etc. While essential research has been directed toward understanding the adoption and diffusion of IT (Prescott and Conger, 1995), there have been a few studies that specifically examine possible cultural effects on the adoption and dispersion of new information technologies (Raman and Wei, 1992). Research on the impact of corporate culture on IT acceptance provides a useful viewpoint (Cooper, 1994; Kydd and Jones, 1989) but ethnic or national culture research undoubtedly has a special character. The problem to be investigated is that there is no enough research that works on the effect of national culture on acceptance a technology. Thereafter This study examines the role of culture on technology acceptance model (TAM) adaption and tries to give an in depth view of Hofstede Cultural Dimensions towards acceptance of a technology (Power distance index:PID, Individualism/collectivism, Uncertainty avoidance). It is hoped that conclusions can be drawn and opened a window for managers and all who want to bring world of technology to their life and work. Research Objective The main aim of this paper is finding the role of culture in acceptance a new technology. That can be interpreted to culture role on the Technology Acceptance Model. Beside the main objective this study pursues following objectives: Giving the overall view of Hofstede Cultural Dimensions in different countries base on their Power Distance Index, Individualism/Collectivism and Uncertainty avoidance Opening a new window for all who work in IT and IS implementing, to bring technology in multinational and international organizations. Handling the problem that faced in multi-cultural society according to each person cultural background. Research Questions Main question can be draw as below: Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on TAM This main question can be expended as below: Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Perceived Usefulness (PU)? Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU)? Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Subjective Norm (SN)? Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC)? Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Behavioral Intention(BI) to use internet banking? Scope of the Study In order to achieve the best results in finding different attitude towards technology acceptance (Internet banking) among different people from different nations, student of four universities in Malaysia have been selected to administer the questionnaire in order to examine attitude towards internet and mobile banking. Because of large scope of this study and necessity of collaboration of more than 30 countries from the five continents in Malaysia, embassy of ten countries and their referees took part in this research by filling up questionnaires that was distributed by hand and by e-mail, also staffs of some international organizations in Malaysia cooperate in this research, and the last one, social networks such as facebook came to assist this paper by finding the different others countries communities in Malaysia. Significance of the Study As firms internationalize, there is a growing need to understand how cultural factors might affect a multinational organizations ability to adopt and utilize IT. Further studies may lead to knowledge that will help IT researchers and practitioners in improving the technology transfer process. Such knowledge will be worth to practitioners, because it could spell the difference between achievement and collapse in implementing IT. In the movement toward globalization of markets and corporate multinationalism, the value of more cross-cultural research is clear (Cash, McFarlan, McKenney and Applegate, 1992). In a large survey of information systems more than half of the respondents felt that global IT issues were keys to their firms future success (Ives and Jarvenpaa, 1991). As firms grow their operations in the international arena, there is a need to exploit the power of IT to communicate among these widespread locations and to coordinate activities both within and across countries. Henc e, it is important for the managers of these firms to learn, as much as they can, about the cross-cultural adoption and use of IT (Couger,1986; Kumar and Andersen,1990) Such understanding can make the distinction between success and failure in executing information technology and system. The study will be clear the differences and similarities between countries cultures, and will give nations attitude towards technology acceptance. This study will be the first one that combines culture and TAM across the five continents. The result can assists managers and technology developers around the world in order to apply IT through international organization. The unique results of this study can be a base for future research and open a window to work on TAM as viewpoint of culture. Summary and Organization of the Remaining Chapters The main part of the dissertation is divided into five Chapters, which will be briefly introduced: Chapter1: Introduction The introduction section a projects a brief overview of the study is provided. Chapter 2: Literature Review In this section, selected academic literature related to Technology acceptance model, related theory and Hofstede cultural dimension and its related academic literatures. Then conceptual framework and steps to developing the hypothesis are discussed. Chapter 3: Methodology The methodology section critically examines a range of research approaches and techniques. Sample and the size of samples, also one of the most important for this study, finding the sample from different countries who stay in Malaysia for study or work. The research technique that is selected for this study is Design of Experiment. Chapter 4: Analysis and Results In the analytical section, the research findings are explained briefly according to the data collection and analysis. Chapter 5: Discussion In discussion section the further interpretation and explanation the findings is provided and comparisons is made between the findings with other literature in the area of the study. Then the findings are summarized; recommendations for future research and the practicing manager are made. Chapter 2: Literature Review Introduction This chapter is included of backgrounds and literatures in Technology acceptance Model, Hofstede cultural Dimensions and previous researchs including of cultural role on TAM. This chapter will prove the unique work of this paper. Framework, definitions and hypothesis development for this study, will mention and discuss in this chapter. Technology Acceptance Model Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is one of the most influential extensions of Ajzen and Fishbeins theory of reasoned action (TRA) that has been widely used to predict user acceptance and use based on perceived usefulness and ease of use. According to TRA, an individuals behavioural intention, which results in actual behaviour, is influenced by person subject norm and attitude, and the attitude is influenced by individual beliefs (Ajzen Fishbein, 1980). According to the Davis (1989), TAM hypothesizes that behavioural intention is a significant determinant of actual system use, and that behavioural intention is determined by two relevant beliefs, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. In TAM, an individuals principle determines the attitude toward using the system. The attitude develops the intention to use. Perceived usefulness is related to productivity but perceived ease-of-use is related to effort (Venkatesh, 1999). This intention influences the decision of actual technology usage. These causalities were largely studied and accepted (Suh and Han, 2002; Morris and Dillon, 1997; Teo, Lim, Lai, 1999). The most significant results of Davis study was the strong relation between Usefulness and Usage. Users of a technology try to cope with difficulties of a system, although difficulty of use can discourage adoption of a useful system, no amount of ease of use can give back for a system that does not perform a useful function.TAM used in several IS studies and proved useful determining technology acceptance, especially to explain computer usage behaviour. This justifies why TAM is suitable for studies in computer acceptance. Given the rising popularity of Electronic_ Commerce technology such as Internet banking and Mobile Banking and the dynamic user behaviors identified above, the TAM is a suitable framework for this study. There are other widely used and well known frameworks, such as uses and gratification or diffusion of innovation, but the TAM is considered the best fit for this study because other frameworks focus on different levels of analysis (macro, mezzo, or micro) or differ ent topics of emphasis (diffusion mechanisms, etc.). If modified appropriately, the TAM is the most effective tool for a study like this one, which investigates factors relating to usage and adoption, such as cultural dimensions. (Suh et al., 2002; Morris et al., 1997; Teo et al., 1999). The TAM was stimulated by the theory of reasoned action(1980), which argues that both the attitude toward an action and subjective norms have an impact on behavioral intention, which in turn affects how people perform an action. The TAM was an early attempt to apply psychological factors to information systems and computer adoption. It assumed that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were major influences on an individuals attitude toward using technology and, thus, ultimately, were related to actual use (Davis, 1989). Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been widely used to predict user acceptance and use based on perceived usefulness and ease of use (Davis, 1989). TAM conceives that behavioural intention is a significant determinant of actual system use, and that behavioural intention is determined by two main beliefs, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The perceived usefulness refers to the degree to which an individual believes that using a particular system would enhance his/her job performance. The perceived ease of use refers to the degree to which an individual believes that using a particular system would be free of physical and mental efforts. In TAM, an individuals belief settles on the attitude toward using the system and, in turn, the attitude develops the intention to use. This intention influences the decision of actual technology usage. With the bang of the Internet and convergence technologies, researchers have modified TAM to demonstrate the empirical evidences of it in the convergence context. In fact, many researchers have proposed various extended TAM. For instance, Moon and Kim (2001) suggest a model where perceived playfulness was described as one of the antecedents of attitude toward Web surfing. They noted that most prior TAM research had focused only on extrinsic motivation, not on intrinsic motivation. Morris and Dillon (1997) found that TAM contributes to the prediction of individual usage of software. The motivational model that was adapted by Davis, Bagozzi, Warshaw (1992) employs two key constructs: extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. According to Venkatesh and Speier (1999), extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity. Extrinsic motivation is perceived to help achieve valued outcomes that are distinct from the activity itself, such as improving job performance, pay, etc. Intrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity for no reason other than the process of performing it. In the case of technology a cceptance studies, perceived usefulness is an example of extrinsic motivation. Davis et al. (1992) found that perceived enjoyment was significantly related to the perceived ease of use. In the research on the usage intentions for information systems, Heijden (2004) adds perceived an enjoyment to TAM model. Cheong and Park (2005) also develop a more comprehensive version of TAM to better reflect mobile Internet context. Their model employs perceived playfulness, contents quality, system quality, Internet experience and perceived price level, in addition to perceived usefulness and ease of use. For the mobile services, Nysveen et al. (2005) investigate the consumers intention to use mobile services, which shows the four overall influences on usage intention: motivational influences, attitudinal influences, normative pressure, and perceived control. Similarly, Fogelgren-Pedersen (2005) found that connection stability and geographic coverage are one of the significant variables of perceived relative advantage in mobile Internet. Also, in the worldwide mobile Internet user survey, Fife (2005) found that perceived enhanced utility of mobile services are the strong value motivating use of mobile technology. While these studies found the significant perceived variables, they still do not find variables specific to mobile Internet. Viswanath Venkatesh, Morris, B.Davis, D.Davis (2003) worked on this issue an d eight prominent models are discussed, the eight models and their extensions are empirically compared, a unified model is formulated that integrates elements across the eight models, and the unified model is empirically validated. Using data from four organizations over a six-month period with three points of measurement, the eight models explained between 17% and 53% of the variance in user intentions to use information technology. Next, a unified model, called the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), was formulated, with four core determinants of intention and usage, and up to four moderators of key relationships. UTAUT provides a useful tool for managers needing to assess the likelihood of success for new technology introductions and helps them understand the drivers of acceptance in order to proactively design interventions targeted at populations of users that may be less inclined to adopt and use new systems. Theory of reason Action(TRA) Drawn from social Psychology.TRA is one of the most fundamental and inflectional theories of human behaviour. It has been used to predict a wide range of behaviours .Davis et al.(1989) applied TRA to individual acceptance of technology and found that the variance explained was largely consistent with studies that employed TRA in context of other behaviours Technology Acceptance Model(TAM) TAM is tailored to IS contexts, and was designed to predict information technology acceptance and usage on the job. Unlike TRA, the final conceptualization of TAM excludes the attitude construct in order to better explain intention parsimoniously. TAM2 extended TAM by including subjective norm as an additional predictor of intention in the case of mandatory settings (Venkatesh and Davis 2000). TAM has been widely applied to a diverse set of technologies and users. Theory of Planned Behaviour TPB extended TRA by adding the construct of perceived behavioural control is theorized to be an additional determinant of intention and behavioural .Ajzan(1991) presented a review of several studies they successfully used TPB to predict intention and behaviour in a wide variety of settings. TPB has been successfully applied to the understanding of individual acceptance and usage of many different technologies (Tailor and Todd, 1995). A related model is the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB). In terms of predicting intention, DTPB is identical to TPB. In contrast to TPB but similar to TAM, DTPB decomposes attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control into its the underlying belief structure within technology adaption contexts. Combined TAM and TPB It is a combination of TPB TAM to provide a hybrid model (Taylor and Todd,1995) Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) Grounded in sociology, IDT (Rogers 1964) has been used since the 1960s to study a variety of innovations, ranging from agricultural tools to organizational innovation (Tornatzky and Klein 1982). Within information systems, Moore and Benbasat (1991) adapted the characteristics of innovations presented in Rogers and refined a set of constructs that could be used to study individual technology acceptance. Moore and Benbasat (1996) found support for the predictive validity of these innovation Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) One of the most powerful theories of human behavior is social cognitive theory (Bandura 1986). Compeau and Higgins (1995) applied and extended SCT to the context of computer; while Compeau and Higgins (1995) also employed SCT, it was to study performance and thus is outside the goal of the current research. Compeau and Higgins'(1995) model studied computer use but the nature of the model and the underlying theory allow it to be extended to acceptance and use of information technology in general. The original model of Compeau and Higgins (1995) used usage as a dependent variable but in keeping with the spirit of predicting individual acceptance, In 2008, Ima, I., Kim, Y., Han, H. did a revising research on Venkatesh work. They claimed that in previous study there seem to be two critical factors that are overlooked or have received inadequate attention—perceived risk (PR) and technology type. PR has been recognized as an important factor and was modelled as a precursor of perceived usefulness (PU), and a sub construct of others, such as trust (or as its precursor). In their study PR and technology type, consider as additional to the moderating variables in UTAUT and was tested how they moderate the effects of PU and PEU on users intention to use a technology. It was shown the PR and technology type were moderating variables. Kim (2006) added two new constructs, Perceived Cost Savings and Companys Willingness to Fund, and two causal relationships, Job Relevance and Experience, as moderating effects to previous existing model and proved that there is a strong significant relationships between PCS and CWTF and behaviral i ntention to use a technology. also moderating effects of job relevance was proved , also found that an individuals intention to use mobile wireless technology was significantly affected by CWF. Kim claimed that a company must provide technology to their employees to help them perform their jobs. Finally, the individuals adopt a technology if it is within their prior experience, which was found to be significant moderator between CWF and BI. Prior studies based on TAM did not examine the direct link from self-efficacy to behavioral intention assuming the full mediation of perceived ease of use but Khalifa (2008) integrated the theory of planned behavior (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975; Ajzen and Madden, 1986) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) (Davis, 1989) to explain the adoption of m-commerce as a new technology. He added subjective norm to the main block of TAM as an factors that have positive direct effect on the individuals intention and Self-efficacy as a positive direct effec t on the individuals intention to adopt m-commerce. During the years researchers examined different items and their relations with TAM models, they have used original framework of TAM and found relation between them. In paper by June Lu at el.(2008) was worked on different aspects of new technology in china, such as WMDS, these items are type of technology ,functionality of that technology, interface design, Personal innovativeness in information technology (PIIT), Facilitating conditions, Social influences ,security, trust , privacy and reliability of that technology. The result of this paper showed that intention to use WMDS via mobile phones in China was dependent on an individuals perceptual beliefs about the target services in terms of their usefulness and eases of use, and also relied on PIIT and mobile trust belief. According to Dong-Hee Shin(2007) , who work on Wi-Bro acceptance in Korea, users perceptions are significantly associated with their motivation to use Wi-Bro. Specifically, perceived quality and perceived availability are found to have significant effect on users extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. These factors play as enhancing factors to attitudes and intention. In 2005, Kim et al. Work on a Value-based Adoption of a technology such as mobile banking. A Value-based Adoption Model (VAM) would be able to capture the monetary sacrifice element and present adoption as a comparison of benefits and costs. By combination of Value-based Adoption Model (VAM) of M-Internet and by integrating the most relevant findings of the technology adoption and value literature, Kim(2005) designed its framework by dividing it to benefits and sacrifices. He suggested that customers evaluation of a product includes both cognitive and affective elements, and that products are purchased for their utilitarian and hedonic benefits, so it can be proved that usefulness and enjoyment as the benefit components of perceived value. Perceived sacrifices are both monetary and non-monetary. Monetary spending includes the actual price of the product, and it is generally measured based on customers perceptions of the actual price paid. Non-monetary costs usually include time, effo rt and other unsatisfactory spending for the purchase and consumption of the product. Yang (2004) did a research that examines different items that could affect technology acceptance. Innovation, past adaption behaviour, knowledge, technology cluster, age, gender and specialization were items that were tested in relation with technology acceptance in Yang study. He provided insights into the relationships between PU, PEOU, AT, consumer innovation adoption behaviour, and demographic variables and also offers empirical data to support the suitability of the TAM through examining the emerging M-commerce technology and application. PU is found to predict consumer adoption of M-commerce. Consumer innovativeness introduced into the TAM research to expand the scope of TAM applicability to M-commerce that is yet to accumulate a critical mass in the diffusion process. According to the Lo ´ pez-Nicola ´ s, Molina-Castillo, Harry Bouwman (2008), social factors are the important factors that influence on peoples decision to adopt a new technology such as mobile services. They try to evaluate the impact of different determinants on Behavioural Intention in the adoption of advanced mobile services, by combining acceptance models with diffusion theory models theory. In particular, we assumed that social influence may be a key element in peoples intention to use the services and applications. Social influence was defined as the degree to which individuals believed that others thought they should use advanced mobile services. The views of friends and relatives have a significant impact on using mobile services, Lo ´ pez-Nicola ´ s et al. proved that as a manager, that PEOU and behavioural intention depended significantly on social influences, so for bringing new services and technologies for organisations, notice to the employees cultural backgrou nd is important. In a study by Amin (2008) who used original TAM model to finding factors affecting the intentions of customers in Malaysia to use mobile banking, proved that bank managers should create favourable perceptions concerning the usefulness and ease of use among mobile phone credit card customers. Creating these positive perceptions might be achieved by offering free seminars to customers about the ease of use of the system Malaysian consumers often take up marketing initiatives of this type. Additionally, the banks should provide a mini-guide at all branches that provides succinct and cogent information concerning the efficiency, effectiveness and risk-free attributes of the mobile phone credit card system. In 2009 GU, Lee, Suh, integrated the fragmented models such as the extended TAM and the trust-based TAM into a unified model of mobile banking. They found that self-efficiency is the strongest antecedent of perceived ease-of-use, which directly and indirectly affected behavioural intention through perceived usefulness, also was found the structural assurances are the strongest antecedent of trust, which could increase behavioural intention of mobile banking. Gu et al. research was listed most important work on technology acceptance that used TAM as base. For example Taylor and Todd (1995) selected computing resource center and worked on usefulness, ease of use, attitude and behavioural intention, they worked on Subjective norm and Perceived behavioural control as their study antecedence (complete list of work on TAM was brought in Appendix A) Hofstede Cultural dimensions: Culture has been defined according to several perspectives. Definitions go from the most complex and the most comprehensive (e.g. Kluckhohn, 1962) to the most simple (e.g. Triandis, 1972, Hofstede, 1997). According to Kluckhohn (1962), Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts (p.73). Hofstede cultural dimensions served as the most influential culture theory among social science research (Nokata and Sivakumar, 2001). In addition, Hofstede cultural framework has also received strong empirical support by Sondergaard work (1994).Geert Hofstede research gives insights into other cultures so that it will be more effective when interacting with people in other countries. If understood and applied properly, this information should reduce level of nuisance, concern, and distress. But most important, Geert Hofstede will give the edge of understanding which translates to more successful results. In 1980 Hofstede offered his famous description of cultural dimensions. Geert Hofstede collected and analyzed a large data base of employee values scores of IBM between 1967 and 1973 .it was included more than 70 countries. He first used the 40 largest countries and then extended the analysis to 50 countries and 3 regions. From t Communication Media for Banking Industry Communication Media for Banking Industry Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction Todays world is world of technology. Everyday a new technology is introduced that can assist people in order to do their daily works easily and finally increase the quality of their life. These new technologies help their users in different aspects of their life, by saving time, doing works faster and better with lower level of error. The rapid development of information technology has brought unprecedented influence on the life of millions of people around the globe. Various activities were handled electronically through the adoption of IT in the workplace or at home, for example, e-mail, e-commerce and e-government (Guriting and Ndubisi, 2006). One of these technologies that effects most people around the world is Internet, which was born in the last years of 20 century and rapidly broke boundaries, time and place. It brought more easily communication ways from usual daily activities to high level official activities. Online shopping and paying is a symbol of developing internet te chnology. People can stay at home, be at their work place, or their car or any other place, and order their food, clothes , shoes and pay online and receive their orders without spending time for going to the shopping center or finding parking .so online paying helped its users saved their time and their money. Next generation of online paying is internet banking, which means doing transactions online without going to the bank, staying in long queues, and without direct face-to-face interacting. The terms of PC banking, online banking, Internet banking, and mobile banking refer to a number of ways in which customers can access their banks without having to be physically present at a bank branch. PC Banking relates to every banking business transacted from a customers PC. This can be done through online banking, in which bank transactions are conducted within a closed network, or via Internet banking, which permits the customer to perform transactions from any terminal with access to the Internet. Mobile banking is the implementation of banking and trading transactions using an Internet-enabled wireless device. (Mobile phones, PDAs, handheld computers, etc.). Thus mobile banking (m-banking) is a subset of Internet banking, I banking, (Hazell and Raphael, 2001) The banking industry is using the new communication media to offer its services to the customers with convenience. Using Internet banking and its nearest technology, mobile banking, is increased during these years around the world. Malaysian penetration of Internet banking and mobile banking, as the base infrastructure for this paper, is mentioned as below: In all five continents, penetration of internet and mobile banking are rapidly increasing. Especially in most developed countries, trend of internet banking is increasing, also using mobile banking, is increasing. Most of Europe has embraced GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) as a format for wireless technology. This more standardized wireless telecommunications infrastructure has yielded a higher level of acceptance and penetration, which has led to speculation that Europe will drive innovations in wireless communications, this technology can use to do both internet banking and mobile banking. Although still need time to adapt the mobile banking. In most countries this service is available but Because of its price and some uncertainty about its security, mobile banking is not popular yet. North America represents the flip side of the European situation. Wireless communications, though far from rare, lag behind Europes penetration levels, while participation in the wired I nternet is the highest in the world. The North American wireless infrastructure is not as widespread as standardized as its European counterpart. In the Middle East, has secured 15 wireless infrastructure contracts in regional markets over the last 12 months, most recently in Kuwait. Motorolas work in Kuwait involves a $14 million contract with wireless GSM operator MTC to implement a countrywide capacity enhancement. The dual-band network implementation will enable cell phones to utilize the most efficient network route and frequency, thus optimizing network performance. In spite of the fact that internet and mobile banking has rapidly growth in all countries, but still there are people from developing countries that do not interest in use this facility. People of these countries are concerning about their personal information, privacy and security, and these are factors that will increase their uncertainty level of using internet banking(East African and West African countries in Malaysia interviewing). This anxiety can refer to their cultural background. culture can refer to the customs and beliefs of a nation that stay with people for years, and changing of fundamental of this culture is not possible easily. So culture of a country can affect the culture of sub-societies in that country, such as organizational culture, educational culture and etc. So each nation and country has especial fundamental in order to go to the technology world and use technology as an assistant in their life. Statement of the Problem According to the previous discussion, although there is rapidly increasing in internet banking penetration but still there is some unsafe feeling towards it. That means there are factors that can affect acceptance and adaption of a technology, beside existing factors such as usefulness, ease of use, subjective norm and etc. While essential research has been directed toward understanding the adoption and diffusion of IT (Prescott and Conger, 1995), there have been a few studies that specifically examine possible cultural effects on the adoption and dispersion of new information technologies (Raman and Wei, 1992). Research on the impact of corporate culture on IT acceptance provides a useful viewpoint (Cooper, 1994; Kydd and Jones, 1989) but ethnic or national culture research undoubtedly has a special character. The problem to be investigated is that there is no enough research that works on the effect of national culture on acceptance a technology. Thereafter This study examines the role of culture on technology acceptance model (TAM) adaption and tries to give an in depth view of Hofstede Cultural Dimensions towards acceptance of a technology (Power distance index:PID, Individualism/collectivism, Uncertainty avoidance). It is hoped that conclusions can be drawn and opened a window for managers and all who want to bring world of technology to their life and work. Research Objective The main aim of this paper is finding the role of culture in acceptance a new technology. That can be interpreted to culture role on the Technology Acceptance Model. Beside the main objective this study pursues following objectives: Giving the overall view of Hofstede Cultural Dimensions in different countries base on their Power Distance Index, Individualism/Collectivism and Uncertainty avoidance Opening a new window for all who work in IT and IS implementing, to bring technology in multinational and international organizations. Handling the problem that faced in multi-cultural society according to each person cultural background. Research Questions Main question can be draw as below: Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on TAM This main question can be expended as below: Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Perceived Usefulness (PU)? Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU)? Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Subjective Norm (SN)? Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC)? Is there any effect by Hofstede cultural dimensions (PDI, IND/CLV, UAI) on Behavioral Intention(BI) to use internet banking? Scope of the Study In order to achieve the best results in finding different attitude towards technology acceptance (Internet banking) among different people from different nations, student of four universities in Malaysia have been selected to administer the questionnaire in order to examine attitude towards internet and mobile banking. Because of large scope of this study and necessity of collaboration of more than 30 countries from the five continents in Malaysia, embassy of ten countries and their referees took part in this research by filling up questionnaires that was distributed by hand and by e-mail, also staffs of some international organizations in Malaysia cooperate in this research, and the last one, social networks such as facebook came to assist this paper by finding the different others countries communities in Malaysia. Significance of the Study As firms internationalize, there is a growing need to understand how cultural factors might affect a multinational organizations ability to adopt and utilize IT. Further studies may lead to knowledge that will help IT researchers and practitioners in improving the technology transfer process. Such knowledge will be worth to practitioners, because it could spell the difference between achievement and collapse in implementing IT. In the movement toward globalization of markets and corporate multinationalism, the value of more cross-cultural research is clear (Cash, McFarlan, McKenney and Applegate, 1992). In a large survey of information systems more than half of the respondents felt that global IT issues were keys to their firms future success (Ives and Jarvenpaa, 1991). As firms grow their operations in the international arena, there is a need to exploit the power of IT to communicate among these widespread locations and to coordinate activities both within and across countries. Henc e, it is important for the managers of these firms to learn, as much as they can, about the cross-cultural adoption and use of IT (Couger,1986; Kumar and Andersen,1990) Such understanding can make the distinction between success and failure in executing information technology and system. The study will be clear the differences and similarities between countries cultures, and will give nations attitude towards technology acceptance. This study will be the first one that combines culture and TAM across the five continents. The result can assists managers and technology developers around the world in order to apply IT through international organization. The unique results of this study can be a base for future research and open a window to work on TAM as viewpoint of culture. Summary and Organization of the Remaining Chapters The main part of the dissertation is divided into five Chapters, which will be briefly introduced: Chapter1: Introduction The introduction section a projects a brief overview of the study is provided. Chapter 2: Literature Review In this section, selected academic literature related to Technology acceptance model, related theory and Hofstede cultural dimension and its related academic literatures. Then conceptual framework and steps to developing the hypothesis are discussed. Chapter 3: Methodology The methodology section critically examines a range of research approaches and techniques. Sample and the size of samples, also one of the most important for this study, finding the sample from different countries who stay in Malaysia for study or work. The research technique that is selected for this study is Design of Experiment. Chapter 4: Analysis and Results In the analytical section, the research findings are explained briefly according to the data collection and analysis. Chapter 5: Discussion In discussion section the further interpretation and explanation the findings is provided and comparisons is made between the findings with other literature in the area of the study. Then the findings are summarized; recommendations for future research and the practicing manager are made. Chapter 2: Literature Review Introduction This chapter is included of backgrounds and literatures in Technology acceptance Model, Hofstede cultural Dimensions and previous researchs including of cultural role on TAM. This chapter will prove the unique work of this paper. Framework, definitions and hypothesis development for this study, will mention and discuss in this chapter. Technology Acceptance Model Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is one of the most influential extensions of Ajzen and Fishbeins theory of reasoned action (TRA) that has been widely used to predict user acceptance and use based on perceived usefulness and ease of use. According to TRA, an individuals behavioural intention, which results in actual behaviour, is influenced by person subject norm and attitude, and the attitude is influenced by individual beliefs (Ajzen Fishbein, 1980). According to the Davis (1989), TAM hypothesizes that behavioural intention is a significant determinant of actual system use, and that behavioural intention is determined by two relevant beliefs, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. In TAM, an individuals principle determines the attitude toward using the system. The attitude develops the intention to use. Perceived usefulness is related to productivity but perceived ease-of-use is related to effort (Venkatesh, 1999). This intention influences the decision of actual technology usage. These causalities were largely studied and accepted (Suh and Han, 2002; Morris and Dillon, 1997; Teo, Lim, Lai, 1999). The most significant results of Davis study was the strong relation between Usefulness and Usage. Users of a technology try to cope with difficulties of a system, although difficulty of use can discourage adoption of a useful system, no amount of ease of use can give back for a system that does not perform a useful function.TAM used in several IS studies and proved useful determining technology acceptance, especially to explain computer usage behaviour. This justifies why TAM is suitable for studies in computer acceptance. Given the rising popularity of Electronic_ Commerce technology such as Internet banking and Mobile Banking and the dynamic user behaviors identified above, the TAM is a suitable framework for this study. There are other widely used and well known frameworks, such as uses and gratification or diffusion of innovation, but the TAM is considered the best fit for this study because other frameworks focus on different levels of analysis (macro, mezzo, or micro) or differ ent topics of emphasis (diffusion mechanisms, etc.). If modified appropriately, the TAM is the most effective tool for a study like this one, which investigates factors relating to usage and adoption, such as cultural dimensions. (Suh et al., 2002; Morris et al., 1997; Teo et al., 1999). The TAM was stimulated by the theory of reasoned action(1980), which argues that both the attitude toward an action and subjective norms have an impact on behavioral intention, which in turn affects how people perform an action. The TAM was an early attempt to apply psychological factors to information systems and computer adoption. It assumed that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were major influences on an individuals attitude toward using technology and, thus, ultimately, were related to actual use (Davis, 1989). Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been widely used to predict user acceptance and use based on perceived usefulness and ease of use (Davis, 1989). TAM conceives that behavioural intention is a significant determinant of actual system use, and that behavioural intention is determined by two main beliefs, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The perceived usefulness refers to the degree to which an individual believes that using a particular system would enhance his/her job performance. The perceived ease of use refers to the degree to which an individual believes that using a particular system would be free of physical and mental efforts. In TAM, an individuals belief settles on the attitude toward using the system and, in turn, the attitude develops the intention to use. This intention influences the decision of actual technology usage. With the bang of the Internet and convergence technologies, researchers have modified TAM to demonstrate the empirical evidences of it in the convergence context. In fact, many researchers have proposed various extended TAM. For instance, Moon and Kim (2001) suggest a model where perceived playfulness was described as one of the antecedents of attitude toward Web surfing. They noted that most prior TAM research had focused only on extrinsic motivation, not on intrinsic motivation. Morris and Dillon (1997) found that TAM contributes to the prediction of individual usage of software. The motivational model that was adapted by Davis, Bagozzi, Warshaw (1992) employs two key constructs: extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. According to Venkatesh and Speier (1999), extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity. Extrinsic motivation is perceived to help achieve valued outcomes that are distinct from the activity itself, such as improving job performance, pay, etc. Intrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity for no reason other than the process of performing it. In the case of technology a cceptance studies, perceived usefulness is an example of extrinsic motivation. Davis et al. (1992) found that perceived enjoyment was significantly related to the perceived ease of use. In the research on the usage intentions for information systems, Heijden (2004) adds perceived an enjoyment to TAM model. Cheong and Park (2005) also develop a more comprehensive version of TAM to better reflect mobile Internet context. Their model employs perceived playfulness, contents quality, system quality, Internet experience and perceived price level, in addition to perceived usefulness and ease of use. For the mobile services, Nysveen et al. (2005) investigate the consumers intention to use mobile services, which shows the four overall influences on usage intention: motivational influences, attitudinal influences, normative pressure, and perceived control. Similarly, Fogelgren-Pedersen (2005) found that connection stability and geographic coverage are one of the significant variables of perceived relative advantage in mobile Internet. Also, in the worldwide mobile Internet user survey, Fife (2005) found that perceived enhanced utility of mobile services are the strong value motivating use of mobile technology. While these studies found the significant perceived variables, they still do not find variables specific to mobile Internet. Viswanath Venkatesh, Morris, B.Davis, D.Davis (2003) worked on this issue an d eight prominent models are discussed, the eight models and their extensions are empirically compared, a unified model is formulated that integrates elements across the eight models, and the unified model is empirically validated. Using data from four organizations over a six-month period with three points of measurement, the eight models explained between 17% and 53% of the variance in user intentions to use information technology. Next, a unified model, called the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), was formulated, with four core determinants of intention and usage, and up to four moderators of key relationships. UTAUT provides a useful tool for managers needing to assess the likelihood of success for new technology introductions and helps them understand the drivers of acceptance in order to proactively design interventions targeted at populations of users that may be less inclined to adopt and use new systems. Theory of reason Action(TRA) Drawn from social Psychology.TRA is one of the most fundamental and inflectional theories of human behaviour. It has been used to predict a wide range of behaviours .Davis et al.(1989) applied TRA to individual acceptance of technology and found that the variance explained was largely consistent with studies that employed TRA in context of other behaviours Technology Acceptance Model(TAM) TAM is tailored to IS contexts, and was designed to predict information technology acceptance and usage on the job. Unlike TRA, the final conceptualization of TAM excludes the attitude construct in order to better explain intention parsimoniously. TAM2 extended TAM by including subjective norm as an additional predictor of intention in the case of mandatory settings (Venkatesh and Davis 2000). TAM has been widely applied to a diverse set of technologies and users. Theory of Planned Behaviour TPB extended TRA by adding the construct of perceived behavioural control is theorized to be an additional determinant of intention and behavioural .Ajzan(1991) presented a review of several studies they successfully used TPB to predict intention and behaviour in a wide variety of settings. TPB has been successfully applied to the understanding of individual acceptance and usage of many different technologies (Tailor and Todd, 1995). A related model is the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB). In terms of predicting intention, DTPB is identical to TPB. In contrast to TPB but similar to TAM, DTPB decomposes attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control into its the underlying belief structure within technology adaption contexts. Combined TAM and TPB It is a combination of TPB TAM to provide a hybrid model (Taylor and Todd,1995) Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) Grounded in sociology, IDT (Rogers 1964) has been used since the 1960s to study a variety of innovations, ranging from agricultural tools to organizational innovation (Tornatzky and Klein 1982). Within information systems, Moore and Benbasat (1991) adapted the characteristics of innovations presented in Rogers and refined a set of constructs that could be used to study individual technology acceptance. Moore and Benbasat (1996) found support for the predictive validity of these innovation Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) One of the most powerful theories of human behavior is social cognitive theory (Bandura 1986). Compeau and Higgins (1995) applied and extended SCT to the context of computer; while Compeau and Higgins (1995) also employed SCT, it was to study performance and thus is outside the goal of the current research. Compeau and Higgins'(1995) model studied computer use but the nature of the model and the underlying theory allow it to be extended to acceptance and use of information technology in general. The original model of Compeau and Higgins (1995) used usage as a dependent variable but in keeping with the spirit of predicting individual acceptance, In 2008, Ima, I., Kim, Y., Han, H. did a revising research on Venkatesh work. They claimed that in previous study there seem to be two critical factors that are overlooked or have received inadequate attention—perceived risk (PR) and technology type. PR has been recognized as an important factor and was modelled as a precursor of perceived usefulness (PU), and a sub construct of others, such as trust (or as its precursor). In their study PR and technology type, consider as additional to the moderating variables in UTAUT and was tested how they moderate the effects of PU and PEU on users intention to use a technology. It was shown the PR and technology type were moderating variables. Kim (2006) added two new constructs, Perceived Cost Savings and Companys Willingness to Fund, and two causal relationships, Job Relevance and Experience, as moderating effects to previous existing model and proved that there is a strong significant relationships between PCS and CWTF and behaviral i ntention to use a technology. also moderating effects of job relevance was proved , also found that an individuals intention to use mobile wireless technology was significantly affected by CWF. Kim claimed that a company must provide technology to their employees to help them perform their jobs. Finally, the individuals adopt a technology if it is within their prior experience, which was found to be significant moderator between CWF and BI. Prior studies based on TAM did not examine the direct link from self-efficacy to behavioral intention assuming the full mediation of perceived ease of use but Khalifa (2008) integrated the theory of planned behavior (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975; Ajzen and Madden, 1986) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) (Davis, 1989) to explain the adoption of m-commerce as a new technology. He added subjective norm to the main block of TAM as an factors that have positive direct effect on the individuals intention and Self-efficacy as a positive direct effec t on the individuals intention to adopt m-commerce. During the years researchers examined different items and their relations with TAM models, they have used original framework of TAM and found relation between them. In paper by June Lu at el.(2008) was worked on different aspects of new technology in china, such as WMDS, these items are type of technology ,functionality of that technology, interface design, Personal innovativeness in information technology (PIIT), Facilitating conditions, Social influences ,security, trust , privacy and reliability of that technology. The result of this paper showed that intention to use WMDS via mobile phones in China was dependent on an individuals perceptual beliefs about the target services in terms of their usefulness and eases of use, and also relied on PIIT and mobile trust belief. According to Dong-Hee Shin(2007) , who work on Wi-Bro acceptance in Korea, users perceptions are significantly associated with their motivation to use Wi-Bro. Specifically, perceived quality and perceived availability are found to have significant effect on users extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. These factors play as enhancing factors to attitudes and intention. In 2005, Kim et al. Work on a Value-based Adoption of a technology such as mobile banking. A Value-based Adoption Model (VAM) would be able to capture the monetary sacrifice element and present adoption as a comparison of benefits and costs. By combination of Value-based Adoption Model (VAM) of M-Internet and by integrating the most relevant findings of the technology adoption and value literature, Kim(2005) designed its framework by dividing it to benefits and sacrifices. He suggested that customers evaluation of a product includes both cognitive and affective elements, and that products are purchased for their utilitarian and hedonic benefits, so it can be proved that usefulness and enjoyment as the benefit components of perceived value. Perceived sacrifices are both monetary and non-monetary. Monetary spending includes the actual price of the product, and it is generally measured based on customers perceptions of the actual price paid. Non-monetary costs usually include time, effo rt and other unsatisfactory spending for the purchase and consumption of the product. Yang (2004) did a research that examines different items that could affect technology acceptance. Innovation, past adaption behaviour, knowledge, technology cluster, age, gender and specialization were items that were tested in relation with technology acceptance in Yang study. He provided insights into the relationships between PU, PEOU, AT, consumer innovation adoption behaviour, and demographic variables and also offers empirical data to support the suitability of the TAM through examining the emerging M-commerce technology and application. PU is found to predict consumer adoption of M-commerce. Consumer innovativeness introduced into the TAM research to expand the scope of TAM applicability to M-commerce that is yet to accumulate a critical mass in the diffusion process. According to the Lo ´ pez-Nicola ´ s, Molina-Castillo, Harry Bouwman (2008), social factors are the important factors that influence on peoples decision to adopt a new technology such as mobile services. They try to evaluate the impact of different determinants on Behavioural Intention in the adoption of advanced mobile services, by combining acceptance models with diffusion theory models theory. In particular, we assumed that social influence may be a key element in peoples intention to use the services and applications. Social influence was defined as the degree to which individuals believed that others thought they should use advanced mobile services. The views of friends and relatives have a significant impact on using mobile services, Lo ´ pez-Nicola ´ s et al. proved that as a manager, that PEOU and behavioural intention depended significantly on social influences, so for bringing new services and technologies for organisations, notice to the employees cultural backgrou nd is important. In a study by Amin (2008) who used original TAM model to finding factors affecting the intentions of customers in Malaysia to use mobile banking, proved that bank managers should create favourable perceptions concerning the usefulness and ease of use among mobile phone credit card customers. Creating these positive perceptions might be achieved by offering free seminars to customers about the ease of use of the system Malaysian consumers often take up marketing initiatives of this type. Additionally, the banks should provide a mini-guide at all branches that provides succinct and cogent information concerning the efficiency, effectiveness and risk-free attributes of the mobile phone credit card system. In 2009 GU, Lee, Suh, integrated the fragmented models such as the extended TAM and the trust-based TAM into a unified model of mobile banking. They found that self-efficiency is the strongest antecedent of perceived ease-of-use, which directly and indirectly affected behavioural intention through perceived usefulness, also was found the structural assurances are the strongest antecedent of trust, which could increase behavioural intention of mobile banking. Gu et al. research was listed most important work on technology acceptance that used TAM as base. For example Taylor and Todd (1995) selected computing resource center and worked on usefulness, ease of use, attitude and behavioural intention, they worked on Subjective norm and Perceived behavioural control as their study antecedence (complete list of work on TAM was brought in Appendix A) Hofstede Cultural dimensions: Culture has been defined according to several perspectives. Definitions go from the most complex and the most comprehensive (e.g. Kluckhohn, 1962) to the most simple (e.g. Triandis, 1972, Hofstede, 1997). According to Kluckhohn (1962), Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts (p.73). Hofstede cultural dimensions served as the most influential culture theory among social science research (Nokata and Sivakumar, 2001). In addition, Hofstede cultural framework has also received strong empirical support by Sondergaard work (1994).Geert Hofstede research gives insights into other cultures so that it will be more effective when interacting with people in other countries. If understood and applied properly, this information should reduce level of nuisance, concern, and distress. But most important, Geert Hofstede will give the edge of understanding which translates to more successful results. In 1980 Hofstede offered his famous description of cultural dimensions. Geert Hofstede collected and analyzed a large data base of employee values scores of IBM between 1967 and 1973 .it was included more than 70 countries. He first used the 40 largest countries and then extended the analysis to 50 countries and 3 regions. From t

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Essay -- Jekyll Hyde

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson This novella, although unapparent, is intertwined with many allegorical undertones. Stevenson uses the book to criticise Victorian society and its hypocritical existence. The most significant thematic concern of the novella is the continually revisited theme of the duality of man and the camouflaged evil that lies deep within the human race. Stevenson was writing before the period in which the great psychologist Sigmund Freud was researching the human mind, so in some ways Stevenson was ahead of his time in resolving the 'mystery of the mind'. Stevenson's novella, after being added to by his wife on the book's revision, contained much evidence of these theories of the human psyche. Armed with this weapon, Stevenson used the novella to attack the hypocritical ways of the Victorian society he lived in. The theme plays on the idea of a part of the unconscious, the 'id'. The id is the Hyde part of a human, which is of course repressed, undeveloped and primitive, with the taste for hunting and sex. Then on the other hand is the 'superego', your conscience and morality, with the "floater" between the two, the 'ego'. Jekyll stresses that, "man is not truly one, but truly two." This all links to the theme of hypocrisy in Victorian society. Jekyll admits, "...and it was as a secret sinner that I at last fell before the assaults of temptation." Stevenson tries to reveal the double lives that were being lived around this era. Some critics believe that this is a self-confession of Stevenson's sinful past. Jekyll is the perfect representation of hypocrisy, as he is described as the "spotless Jekyll" yet continuously lying to Utterson and one could argue, soci... ...en to partake in his, "scientific balderdash". One more symbol is apparent. The key to the laboratory is a symbol of power and authority and in this case, the key holds satanic power, therefore Hyde is the one who has the power to change back into Jekyll. When Utterson and Poole search for the key and fail to find it, they cannot overcome evil. This also means that they do not have access to evil, as they are sinless in the story. It is clear that Jekyll started with selfish intentions when he strived for a better self, this is why the experiment only stripped Jekyll of the Jekyll veneer, leaving the Hyde interior. And that Jekyll is in fact a host for the constant bombardment of metaphors, especially with hypocrisy as Jekyll represents hypocrisy and the Victorian society itself. "In Hyde, you have no Jekyll but in Jekyll, you always have some Hyde"

Succubus Shadows Chapter 13

I woke up next to Seth, and for the space of heartbeat, I thought I truly was waking – waking up from an awful, awful dream about the Oneroi and everything else that had happened since Seth and I had broken up. He lay asleep in bed with the sheets tangled around him, his light brown hair glinting reddish in the morning sun. He slept only in boxers, and his chest looked warm and smooth and perfect for cuddling against. His breathing was even, his posture still and relaxed. I drank it all in, all the little Seth details I'd been missing for months. I swore that I could even smell him. Did dreams have smells? This one did, I was certain. That soft woodsy-apple scent wrapped around me like an embrace. After a few moments, he began to stir and sleepily open his eyes. He squinted at the light and rolled onto his back, stifling a yawn. I wanted to roll right over to him and snuggle against his warmth, telling him all about the nightmares I'd been having. Then, I realized there was no way I could go to him. I couldn't move. Well, that wasn't exactly true. There was more to it than that. I just didn't have a body. I was an observer only, like the invisible camera I'd been with Roman and Jerome. This apparently was not a dream I was active in, and the realization of that drove home the terrible truth: this was still an Oneroi dream. I hadn't imagined them. I hadn't imagined Seth and me breaking up. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. It was such a familiar, nostalgic sight. Getting up was always hard for him, largely because of the bizarre writing hours he kept. He glanced over at the clock, which was near the direction from which I was â€Å"watching.† His eyes passed right over where I would have been. Yes. I was just a ghost in this. But what was â€Å"this† exactly? Truth or lie? The time on the clock – nine in the morning – must have been motivation enough for him to drag himself out of bed. Still in boxers, he stumbled into the bathroom, miraculously not walking into anything in his sleepy state. While brushing his teeth, he noticed a note on the counter. I immediately recognized the writing because I saw it all the time at the bookstore. Went in early today to get a few things done and should be done by six. Bring Brandy by, if you can, to try on those shoes. Love, Maddie Seeing Maddie's name jolted me out of the Seth Fantasyland I'd been living in as he went through his morning routine. Expanding my vision now, I saw changes to his bathroom – things that hadn't been there when we'd dated. Another toothbrush, for one thing. Makeup in the corner. A pink robe on the bathroom hook. On the books, Maddie was still sharing a place with Doug, but we all knew what the reality was. That pain that hadn't really left since my last dream grew tighter within my chest. She was all over this place. She had left her mark everywhere, everywhere in this space he and I had once shared together. I had been replaced. Seth went through the rest of his routine, including a remarkably fast shower. He was notorious for staying in there forever while plotting some story line. I tried hard not to focus on the sight of him naked and wet and instead pondered where he might be going today. If it was just to write at the bookstore, he wouldn't have been moving so briskly. He easily found clean boxers and jeans, but the hardest part of his day came next: what T-shirt to wear? When we'd been together, I'd loved watching this. I'd lie in bed – after all, I had no urgency to ever get ready – laughing while he deliberated and deliberated over his massive T-shirt collection. Each had its own hanger, displaying some bit of retro or pop culture novelty. Vanilla Ice. ALF. Mr. T cereal. He flipped through them all, studying each one carefully as his hand touched each sleeve. Then, his fingers suddenly brushed against a sleeve longer than the others. His closet wasn't all T-shirts. There were a few sweaters and pullovers crammed into the sides. There was also a flannel shirt; it was what he'd stopped and noticed. Pushing the other shirts aside, he took the flannel off of its hanger and held it up, his motions almost reverent. Even without physical form, I had the sensation of my heart going still. I knew this shirt. It was one he'd given me to wear a long time ago, the night I'd passed out at his place from too much alcohol. I'd met his family the next day, looking ridiculous with the flannel over my strappy party dress. Even while dating, I'd totally forgotten all about that shirt. He held it there between his hands, and the look on his face†¦there was so much there, I didn't even know where to start. Seth was so good at keeping his expression neutral and could be extremely short-spoken when he chose. But here, alone, he was unguarded. There was sorrow on his face. Sorrow and regret. And when he held the shirt up and rested his head on it, I saw longing as well. The whole mood was rounded out with a sort of helpless resignation. He inhaled deeply and then hung the shirt back up. As he did, I caught the faintest whiff of tuberose blossoms – the leftover scent of my Michael Kors perfume. Seth had never worn or washed it again, I realized with a start. He'd just kept it like some sort of treasured artifact. After that, he simply grabbed the first T-shirt his hand came across, without even looking. It was an old favorite of his, showing the Tasmanian Devil from Looney Tunes. Seth's mood had shifted considerably, down to something a little more solemn and thoughtful than when he'd gotten out of the shower. My observations didn't go into his head, though. I could only judge by outside signs. His reason for getting up turned out to be a trip to his brother's house. Like always, the elder Mortensen's home was chaotic, with small adorable blond girls running around, many of them shrieking when they saw their favorite uncle. He'd barely stepped inside when Andrea, his sister-in-law, came out to greet him. She wore a corduroy jacket with her jeans and T-shirt, her blond hair slicked back into a neat ponytail. She gave Seth a startled look. â€Å"You didn't bring your laptop?† Andrea was as cheerful as always but appeared tired. He gestured over to where his twin nieces, McKenna and Morgan, were playing tug of war with a string of Christmas lights. It was odd because Christmas was over a month away and also because the lights were plugged in, which seemed like some sort of electrical risk to me. Apparently Seth felt the same way because he hastily intercepted them and removed the string of lights altogether, amid much protest. â€Å"I don't think I'll get much work done with these guys,† he said dryly. â€Å"Yeah,† she admitted. â€Å"I can see that.† She glanced at her watch. â€Å"Okay, gotta go. I don't know how long this'll take.† â€Å"No problem,† he said. â€Å"Do what you need to.† She scurried out the door. I wanted to ask where she was off to but had no means. Again, I was reminded how out of the loop I was from the Mortensen world now. Once I would have known every detail. Kendall, a precocious nine-year-old, solemnly walked up to Seth. â€Å"Uncle Seth,† she said, â€Å"will you play Loan with me?† Seth arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Loan? What's that?† â€Å"It's where I'm the mortgage broker, and you come to get a loan for a house but don't have the money for a down payment.† She paused. â€Å"We'll have to make a pretend income fax for you.† â€Å"Tax,† he corrected. â€Å"And how about we go to the bookstore instead?† She frowned. â€Å"I want to play Loan.† â€Å"They have real estate books there,† he said. â€Å"I don't think we can play Loan without sufficient background.† â€Å"Okay,† she conceded. â€Å"We can go.† Brandy strolled into the living room just then with her four-year-old sister in her arms. Kayla looked like she'd woken up from a nap and sleepily had her head against Brandy's shoulder. I loved all the girls, but something about Kayla always affected me more strongly. â€Å"Go where?† asked Brandy, shifting Kayla's weight. Although she held her sister tenderly, Brandy had a dark cloud around her. â€Å"To Emerald City.† Brandy sighed. â€Å"Don't you spend enough time there?† â€Å"Maddie got a few pairs of shoes for the dress and needs you to try them on.† Brandy gave him a look that exquisitely expressed all of her feelings on that topic. â€Å"Don't start,† he warned, in as chastising a tone as I'd ever heard him use. Welcome to adolescence, Seth. â€Å"Is Georgina working?† she asked. Kendall looked up from where she'd been starting to color. In orange crayon, a blank piece of paper read â€Å"IRS.† â€Å"Yeah, can we see Georgina?† Kendall piped in. Seth looked pained. â€Å"I don't know if she's there or not.† I didn't know either. I didn't know if this was a true or false dream. It felt true so far, but I didn't trust the Oneroi. Being an observer, I had to think I wouldn't be there. Certainly I wouldn't if this were true. I wondered what would happen at the store when I suddenly stopped showing up. â€Å"I can just stay here while you're gone,† Brandy said. â€Å"Mom doesn't mind if I'm alone.† â€Å"Then you can't try on the shoes. Which defeats the whole purpose.† After a carefully worded â€Å"discussion,† in which Brandy suggested he just bring the shoes to her, she finally conceded. With the whole gang along, they had to take the Mortensen van, which Seth didn't seem overly thrilled about. But there was no other way to transport five girls, one of whom needed a car seat. The troop arrived at Emerald City. Seth left the four younger ones in the kids' section, which was a wonderland of picture books, puzzles, and stuffed animals. Janice was working that area today and told him she'd keep an eye on the girls. Seth also put Kendall in charge of her sisters, with the bribe that he'd buy her some finance books. That left him and Brandy to find Maddie, who was holed up in an office. Her face lit up when she saw them, and she practically flew from her seat to give him a quick kiss. Brandy scowled, and a troubled feeling burned within me. The love on Maddie's face was so obvious, so strong†¦anyone could see it. She made no attempts to hide it, even at work. I hated their relationship, but how could I resent her feelings? How could I resent her loving the man who meant the world to me? â€Å"How's work?† he asked her, smiling fondly. Was that his way of showing love too? How had he looked around me? For some reason, I was certain he'd been different†¦hadn't he? I couldn't remember. Maddie gestured to the desk she shared with Doug. â€Å"A little crazy. Yet strangely boring. I'm stuck on paperwork all day. Performance reviews.† â€Å"Hey, I'm stuck on paperwork every day.† She rolled her eyes. â€Å"Bad joke. And not the same at all.† â€Å"Try putting some sex and violence into the reviews, and they might go faster.† I was too disturbed by their banter to pay much attention to the fact that Maddie was doing my job. Brandy looked equally pained by the conversation. As Maddie and Seth spoke, I studied him further, trying to read his feelings. Yes, there was affection†¦yet, it reminded me a little of the warm indulgence he showed his nieces. At last, Maddie produced a shopping bag full of shoes. Brandy's dress was hanging in the office, and Maddie ordered Seth to leave while his niece changed. Just before he was shooed out, Maddie remarked to Brandy, â€Å"I'm glad this color looks good on you. I decided to do everything purple because of how great it looked on Georgina. I found some awesome flowers that go with it all too.† Oh, fucking fantastic. I had influenced the color scheme for their wedding. Seth left, and I went with him. He wandered through the store, browsing through books – an activity he never tired of. Several employees said hello to him as they passed by. Including me. Seeing as the Oneroi had put me in dreams a couple times now, I shouldn't have been surprised. Except, whenever I was a character in the theatre of these dreams, I'd always had awareness of it. I'd watched me and felt me. Now, I saw myself approach Seth exactly the same way I'd seen Maddie and Brandy approach him. I was still objective. No inner connection. Again, just like watching a movie. I didn't entirely understand it, but nothing the Oneroi did should really shock me anymore. â€Å"Hey,† I (she?) said, shelving a couple books. They were copies of The Scarlet Letter, and I'd set them in new releases. â€Å"Hey,† said Seth, a weird mix of shyness and familiarity in his manner. â€Å"How's it going?† â€Å"Not bad,† I said. â€Å"Quiet day. Mostly just putting away books.† â€Å"You've got Maddie doing reviews.† â€Å"Yeah, well, I thought she could handle it. Besides, this dress is new. It'd be a shame to keep it hidden.† My watching self had already noticed the dress because that was second nature to me. It was a great dress but not necessarily one to wear to work. It was a silk sheath that stopped high on the thigh, with straps tying around the neck and a scoop neckline that showed a considerable amount of cleavage. There was no bra anywhere. I looked like I should have been clubbing, not shelving. Seeing as this whole vision was no memory of mine, the dress only furthered the fact that this was one of the lies. I wasn't afraid to tart it up, but even I had boundaries at work. Seth seemed surprised at the dress but not unappreciative. â€Å"You should be hand-selling,† he said. â€Å"Go outside with a book, and I bet you could push it on anyone.† â€Å"This dress might not work on everyone,† I pointed out. He gave me one of those little smiles of his, and I wondered if the other Georgina melted like I did. â€Å"The dress is only half of it. You're charming enough to talk anyone into anything.† I gave him a smile in return, one that was both cheery and sly. â€Å"Anything?† The innuendo didn't progress because Kayla suddenly pranced over and wrapped her arms around Seth's legs. He scooped her up and glanced around. â€Å"What happened to Kendall? No finance books for bad babysitters.† My alter ego peered over toward the magazines. â€Å"Is that her?† I sounded uncertain, which was odd because when Seth turned to see, it was perfectly obvious it was Kendall. She was reading Forbes. Seth sighed and called her over. She brightened when she saw me. â€Å"Hi, Georgina! You're so pretty today.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said, beaming. â€Å"You were supposed to be in charge,† said Seth. â€Å"Go get the twins. Hopefully they haven't wandered out into traffic.† Kendall shook her head. â€Å"They're playing with puzzles.† But she raced off nonetheless. Kayla was staring around the store in that distracted way children her age had, watching the people and sights. Seth gave her a slight nudge. â€Å"What about you? Aren't you going to say hi to Georgina?† Kayla glanced in the direction he indicated, looked me over, and then continued her survey of the store. It wasn't so much she shunned me or was repulsed by me; it was more like she was disinterested. I didn't stand out to her more than any other patron or even one of the shelves. â€Å"One of her moods,† said Seth apologetically. Brandy surfaced, still annoyed by the shoes, but immensely happy to see me. The rest of the girls were rustled up, and after a bit more chatting, Seth and the nieces left me to my bad shelving. He'd continued holding Kayla in his arms, and she suddenly turned to him in all seriousness. â€Å"When are you going to find Georgina?† she asked. Her voice was small and sweet. She rarely spoke, so I always loved the sound of it when she did. He frowned, trying to open the van door with one hand. Brandy helped him. â€Å"We just saw Georgina,† he said. â€Å"Inside.† â€Å"No, we didn't,† said Kayla. â€Å"We did. You snubbed her,† he teased. â€Å"I told you to say hello.† â€Å"That wasn't Georgina. You have to find her.† â€Å"What have you been smoking?† Brandy asked, taking over to buckle Kayla into her booster. â€Å"That was Georgina.† Seth sighed. â€Å"Be careful with your choice of expressions.† The topic dropped after that, but as they drove back to Terry and Andrea's, a chill ran through me. Kayla knew. Kayla knew I was gone. This must be a true dream after all. We'd learned recently that she had the faintest stirring of psychic powers and the ability to perceive some things on the supernatural plane. She had a vague sense of my aura, and she'd realized that it wasn't me in the store. That's why she'd been so disinterested. It was also why I hadn't been inside that Georgina. It wasn't Georgina. Then who was it? With a sinking feeling, I immediately answered my own question. Who else would have an interest in looking like me and flirting with Seth? Simone. Simone was impersonating me in my absence, I was certain of it. Son of a bitch. I couldn't feel her aura in this dream form, and no mortal could, period. Except for Kayla. Fuck. This was not what I needed. The rest of Seth's day was uneventful, though he thankfully never ran into â€Å"me† again. Andrea returned, and it was then I learned she'd been at a doctor's appointment. She thanked Seth for his help, though it took a long time for him to leave, due to all the younger girls' good-byes. Seth finally returned to his condo and spent the day writing, which was boring for me to watch. I didn't get why the Oneroi hadn't pulled me out yet. Sure, it had been disheartening to see that no mortal knew I was gone, but this dream hadn't had the devastating effects of the others. Evening fell, and Maddie returned home. Seth, engrossed in his work, stayed at his desk until she found him and spun his chair around. She climbed onto his lap, wrapping her legs around him in a way very similar to what I used to do. He smiled at her, wrapping his arms around her as well and returning her hello kiss. â€Å"How was your paperwork?† he asked. Maddie ran her fingers along the side of his face, that love radiating off of her. â€Å"Nonstop. Georgina left it all on me today. I don't know what was up with that.† â€Å"She said she thought you could handle it.† Maddie pulled a face. â€Å"More like she wanted to take the day off and prance around. Did you see that dress she was wearing? I mean, yeah, she can pull off anything she wants to wear, but that wasn't really work appropriate.† He laughed and pulled her closer. â€Å"I think Georgina thinks her wit and charm can let her get away with anything she wants.† â€Å"Yeah, well, she's not as funny as she always thinks she is,† grumbled Maddie. â€Å"And all she got away with today was looking like she was trying to pick up some guy at the store.† â€Å"Wouldn't be the first time,† said Seth with a shrug. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You didn't know? She sleeps with Warren all the time. Usually in his office.† I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Not only were the two of them mocking me, Seth had also told Maddie about my on-again off-again affair with the store's owner Warren. Doug had always had his suspicions, but other than Seth, no one else knew. I had never expected Seth to betray that secret. â€Å"I had no idea,† said Maddie. â€Å"And yet†¦I don't know. Maybe I did. I mean, everything she wears is kind of slutty.† â€Å"She sleeps around a lot. She'll pretty much go home with anyone.† He paused. â€Å"She even tried it with me once.† â€Å"Really?† Maddie's eyes went wide. â€Å"What'd you do?† â€Å"Nothing. I have no interest in that. I couldn't handle being with someone so easy. She'd probably sleep with all my friends while we were dating.† He cupped Maddie's face in his hands. â€Å"Not that it matters. I have no reason to even go looking, not when I have the best thing right here.† He drew her to him, and they kissed again. It wasn't the earlier hello kiss either. It was deep and ardent, both of them eagerly trying to get as much of the other as they could. His hands gripped hold of the bottom of her tank top and jerked it over her head, revealing a black satin bra I was pretty sure I'd helped her pick out. Never breaking the kiss, his hands then went around her waist as he half-carried, half-stumbled out of the office and into the bedroom. They fell onto the covers, hands moving all over each other's bodies and kisses starting to spread beyond lips. No, I thought, unsure if the Oneroi could hear me or not. No. I don't want to see this. Take me back. Take me back to the box. Send me to another dream. But if they were there, they weren't listening. I had no eyes to close. I couldn't look away. There was no way to unsee what I was seeing. I'd experienced a lot of heart-wrenching things in my relationship with Seth, things that had hurt me so badly that I swore I wanted to die. But nothing, nothing could have prepared me for seeing him have sex with another woman. And it wasn't just watching the act itself, the way their naked bodies intertwined with one another and the cries of pleasure elicited in the height of orgasm. It was the look on his face as he did it. There it was. The love I'd been searching for earlier. I'd thought before he only regarded her with a strong affection, similar to the fond love he had for his nieces. No. This was passion I saw on his face, the kind of love that burned so deeply, it connected two people's souls. He was looking at her the way he'd once looked at me. I had never thought it was possible. Somewhere, somehow, I'd been convinced that he loved her in a different way from me. Maybe their love was strong, but I'd felt certain it could never match what he felt for me. Ours was different. Yet, seeing them now, I saw that wasn't true. And when, at the end, he told her she was his world – just as he'd once told me – I knew that I really was nothing special. The love he had for me was gone. And in the terrible, excruciating pain of that moment, I no longer wanted to die. There was no point because I was certain just then that I had died – because surely, surely, Hell couldn't be worse than this.

Into the World: The Story of Tom Brennan and Ort Essay

Both the novel The Story of Tom Brennan by J. C Burke and the film Forrest Gump by Robert Zemeckis explores the experiences various characters have that result in change and transition in realistic way. Both Burke and Zemeckis explore these experiences by using a variety of techniques, particularly flashbacks and many forms of imagery that relate to their fears, the way people deal with crisis and friendship in a in which the viewer can relate to them making it more realistic. In The Story of Tom Brennan, Burke explores the experiences many characters have that relate to fear and the various barriers in their lives that result in change and transition. Burke uses a metaphor when Tom describes his room as ‘a cave’ which strongly suggests the idea that as a result of his fear he changes by becoming isolated from everyone and finds it difficult to move into the world from past experiences. Burke uses an accumulation of negative memories from Tom’s perspective ‘the fear in Fin’s eyes, the empty stare of Luke, the way Nicole looked like she was sleeping’ to accentuate the negative experiences Tom has encountered and unsettle the viewer as well as to stress the difficulty he has in his transition in which the viewer can relate to. She also uses a flashback that was triggered from Tom’s memories to explore his past experiences of negative events on the night of the accident as well as create empathy in the viewer towards Tom. Likewise, in Forest Gump we are shown similar aspects of fear through the various experiences characters have had and how it results in the change and transition. In a similar sense to Burke, Zemekis uses a flashback to explore the negative experiences Jenny had as a child when she got harassed by her father. Like The Story of Tom Brennan, the flashback encourages a sense of empathy from the audience towards Jenny and explores her fear in a realistic way by allowing the viewer to connect their own fears with Jenny’s and create tension in the audience. In the present, Zemekis uses an element of familiarity when there are a series of still shots taken of Jenny and her old house which draws a remembrance between the two. The house triggers the horrors of Jenny’s childhood and suggests she finds it difficult to put away her past and move on due to her negative experiences as a child. The flashback is essential as it underlines the idea of fears causing change and effecting transition in a realistic way. Burke also explores the ways various characters deal with hardships in their lives that result in change and transition of the individual in a realistic way. The motif of black is used to symbolise the state of despair of the characters which is evident in the flashback when Tom says ‘I felt the darkness grow inside me. ’ This effectively emphasises the negative experiences Tom had encountered in the past and shows how it contributed to his feelings of despair and a change in individual. Burke uses a metaphor in ‘The St. Johns game was a hill, just another hill to climb in my journey; then life would plateau for a while’ to show a positive change in Tom’s attitude and to competently emphasise how Tom has learned to deal with difficult events due to his previous hardships, which is something many young people can link to their own lives. Burke uses listing to explore Tom’s previous experiences when he says ‘he taught me how to kick and pass, how to rise my eyebrow, how to ride a bike†¦ which develops a forgiving tone towards Daniel showing the change in Tom who previously felt despaired and distant from his brother due to his foolish and irresponsible act but now however developed and changed as a result of his positive response to his hardships. In a similar way, Zemeckis uses the same motif of black when there is a mid range shot to capture the negative change in Jenny’s life when she is using illicit drugs with her frien ds. It effectively demonstrates how her experiences have made her act this way. In contrast when Forrest has to deal with Jenny’s death, Zemekis uses a close up shot in a flashback on Forrest and his son to capture the close proximity of the two as well as to emphasise a positive change in Forrest. It also shows how Forrest’s relationship with his son is built upon through this experience by learning to proceed with his transition as an individual. During The Story of Tom Brennan, Burke explores the various friendships certain characters have between each other and how they result in change and transition for the individuals in a way that the viewer can relate to. Through the use of symbolism when Tom gives a series of photographs to Daniel, it allows Burke to explore the relationship they have between each other in the past as well as to allude to the strong friendship they once had. Despite Daniel’s reckless behaviour, Tom learns to move forward in life nd to leave the past behind. When Matt’s mother says ‘How are you Tom? How’s it going? We’ve been thinking of you’ it develops an affectionate tone towards Tom which encourages a sense of relief. This is significant as it shows how Tom’s friend and family are becoming closer with Tom in order to help him move forward despite any shame his family may have caused. The motif of hills is used to symbolise the difficulties each charac ter goes through. This metaphor is shown when Brendan is jogging with Tom to show the strong friendship they have developed as well as to symbolise how Brendan helps Tom put away his past in order to move on into the world. In a similar way, Zemeckis uses the metaphor of a tree when Forrest says ‘Jenny taught me how to climb’ which is symbolic of the strong friendship they have developed from an experience and shows how Forrest is able to proceed with his transition in life due to the help of Jenny. In flashback, when Forrest is just a kid we are shown how Jenny encourages Forrest when Zemeckis uses as tracking shot to capture how Forrest tries to run away from the kids chasing him on bicycles. The use of a slow motion shot captures the symbolism of Forrest’s leg braces breaking which stresses how Forrest has learned how to break past the things that are stopping him from moving forward in life from his transition due to the encouragement of his great friend Jenny. This is significant as it competently demonstrates to the viewer how breaking past the things that are stopping you from moving into the world can prove to be beneficial. In conclusion, Burke effectively explores the experiences humans have and shows how thy result in some sort of change or transition through the use of a variety of techniques such as flashbacks and many forms of imagery in a realistic way. Likewise, Zemeckis explores the experiences various characters have to demonstrate how they change and proceed with transition in their lives in a way in which viewers can relate to it.