SCUdent Books: A University-Focused Bookselling Platform

As the beginning of each university semester or quarter commences, so does the rush to acquire books for classes. The search for school books is a busy and important task for many students. However, an entire slew of problems and frustrations emerge with this academic race to gather books. To begin, students have to deal with the traditional frustrations of expensive textbooks sold at the university bookstore which is especially troublesome for those on a tight budget. Additionally, required textbooks for classes may not be available at the bookstore or require restocking which can take an unknown amount of time. Because of this, students turn to cheaper, faster, and more efficient alternatives for acquiring school books including online retailers such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble. While the Internet makes book shopping appear easier, there exist issues that come with it. Students have to put in more effort ordering online, pay for extra shipping, and wait for their books to arrive. Also, online shopping for books is incredibly decentralized with no convenient platform to cater to students\u27 needs. Students must first spend time finding out which books are required for each class and then spend even more time comparing prices from multiple online retailers. In addition, once a student completes a class he or she may no longer need the book. As a result, the student has no convenient method of disposing the book and must now sell it, throw it away, or keep it. Overall, the process of acquiring books in university is disorganized, stressful, and inconvenient for students

Was the Federal Reserve Fettered? Devaluation Expectations in the 1932 Monetary Expansion

A key question about the Great Depression is whether expansionary monetary policy in the United States would have led to a loss of confidence in the U. S. commitment to the gold standard. This paper uses the $1 billion expansionary open market operation undertaken in the spring of 1932 as a crucial case study of the link between monetary expansion and expectations of devaluation. Data on forward exchange rates are used to measure expectations of devaluation during this episode. We find little evidence that the large monetary expansion led investors to believe that the United States would devalue. The financial press and the records of the Federal Reserve also show little evidence of expectations of devaluation or fear of a speculative attack. We find that a flawed model of the effects of monetary policy and conflict among the twelve Federal Reserve banks, rather than concern about the gold standard, led the Federal Reserve to suspend the expansionary policy in the summer of 1932.

Power Operation in ISD: Technological Frames Perspectives

This paper investigates the power operation in information system development (ISD) processes. Due to the fact that key actors in different departments possess different professional knowledge, their different contexts lead to some employees supporting IS, while others resist it to achieve their goals. We aim to interpret these power operations in ISD from the theory of technological frames. This study is based on qualitative data collected from KaoKang (pseudonym), a port authority in Taiwan. We attempt to understand the situations of different key actors (e.g. top manager, MIS professionals, employees of DP-1 division, consultants of KaoKang, and customers (outside users)) who wield power in ISD in different situations. In this respect, we interpret the data using a technological frame. Finally, we aim to gain fresh insight into power operation in ISD from this perspective

Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Energy Storage: Toward a Sustainable and Equitable Future

Our world is running out of fossil fuels to burn for energy. Therefore, even if we were not concerned with climate change, we need to be able to produce and store energy sustainably from renewable sources. Sunlight is an abundant energy supply, and the blueprint for sustainable energy creation and storage has long been right under our noses – and on our salad forks. This article draws attention to an emerging solar energy storage technology being developed in labs around the world, called artificial photosynthesis. Artificial photosynthesis can be used to make ‘artificial leaves’ that act like ‘solar batteries’, creating and storing fuel. We describe how artificial photosynthesis works and discuss how it may provide a way forward for renewable energy storage, reduce our negative impacts on the planet, and make electricity accessible to our most vulnerable population

How Information Technology Influence IS/IT Workers\u27 Job Burnout in Chinese Society?

As organizational utilization of information systems and information technology continues to grow in the 21st century, and although job stress is a worldwide problem, the rules, and emotional expression of people differs in different cultural areas. Due to Mainland China not only being the second largest economy in the world, but also is the significant market to all global enterprises. Chinese employees have a higher commitment to organization due to their culture, thus, they will scarifice individual well-beings for group harmony, and this induces having a higher work exhaustion rate and job burnout level. In light of this, this project believes that it is necessary to use a qualitative research method to explore what reasons will induce the job burnout of IS/IT workers in China, and what role Chinese guanxi plays in their job burnout. At the same time, has the contribution from both academics and practice resolved the job burnout research

Do They Pursue the Same? A Cross-culture Research on Career Anchor of IT/IS Personnel

While career anchor has been mainly studied in US society; this study extends research to Chinese cultural context to investigate the implications of career anchor in terms of job/career satisfaction and subsequent turnover intention among information technology/information systems (IT/IS) personnel in Taiwan and United Arab Emirates (UAE) societies. Chinese guanxi culture could be plays key roles in shaping career anchor and in affecting employees\u27 assessing their job/career and turnover decision. A survey study will be used for conducted to validate the hypotheses and compare the different with Taiwan and UAE two societies

How Economic Situation Effect on Career Anchors of IT Personnel?

The paper examines how ITP (IT personnel) turnover intention is influenced by career satisfaction, and perceived job alternatives. What considerations lead an IT professional to switch jobs when they are currently satisfied; i.e. when their career anchors are satisfied

Career Anchors, National Culture and Leave Intent of MIS Professionals in Taiwan

This study focuses on the career anchors of MIS professionals and adopts the well-established career theory, Schein\u27s Career Anchors, as the fundamental theory in this study. The present paper attempts to investigate the relationship between career anchors and leave intent of MIS professionals in Taiwan. The study adds the cultural construct, Chinese Relationalism, into its research model, in order to comprehend the role of Chinese Relationalism in the context of the career anchor model. Three career anchors: technical competence, autonomy, and entrepreneurship, have direct (negative or positive) and significant impacts on the intents of MIS professionals to leave their employment. This study establishes that Chinese Relationalism impacts on the technical competence, geographical security, identity, lifestyle, and various career anchors of MIS professionals and also moderates the relationships between autonomy, entrepreneurship and the leave intent of MIS professionals in Taiwan