Role of Public Libraries in bridging the Digital Divide

The United States National Telecommunications and Information Administration popularized the term ‘Digital Divide’ in the mid 1990s to indicate the societal split between those had and those who did not have access to computers and the Internet (Warchauer, 2003). With the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) revolution sweeping across the world, the term has since caught the imagination of social scientists, administrators, media-persons, economists and politicians alike.They have interpreted it in turn as a social, economic and political problem from their respective perspectives, and sought to offer a variety of solutions to ‘bridge’ the Digital Divide. ICT was initially heralded as a great equalizer. The general impression was that by providing interconnectivity and access to information to all, ICT would provide equal opportunities, and therefore reduce inequalities.But it was soon clear that the ‘Mathew Effect’ of Merton (1973) c ould come into play and increase the inequalities even more by translating the initial advantages of those who gained early access to computers and the Internet into increasing returns over time i. e. by widening the Digital Divide. The Social and Community Context The basic problem however lies in defining ‘Digital Divide’. According to Mark (2003) any attempt to bridge the Digital Divide without consideration of the social context could lead to failures and frustrations.He cites a project undertaken by the Municipal Government of New Delhi in India through which computer kiosks with dial-up Internet connectivity were set up for the urban poor children in New Delhi. According to the policy of minimal invasive education adopted in the project, there were no teachers or instructors to guide the children in computer usage. The project could not achieve much beyond children learning to play games and use simple applications to paint and draws.On the other hand, The Gyandoo t Project in rural areas of the state of Madhya Pradesh in India achieved success because of its community orientation. In this case, the use of computers fulfilled social and community needs. The role of public libraries in providing access to computers and the Internet also has to take all these factors into consideration. The responsibility of public libraries does not end with the provision of the equipment for computer and Internet access.Public libraries have to take on the role of the educator and the instructor so that users are able to utilize the ICT services efficiently and effectively. The larger orientation of all such services has to be around the fulfillment of social and community requirements in line with the ideals of social and community informatics. The Five Components of Individual Access The concept of ‘Digital Inequality’ as defined by Hargittai (2003) identifies Technical Means, Autonomy of Use, Social Support Network, Production of Content Acces s and Political Access as the five components of individual access.Public libraries therefore have to concentrate on providing all the five components to the individual. This would imply that libraries provide state-of-the-art equipment so that users are in no way limited or restricted by the state of the facility itself. Ensuring autonomy of use would suggest providing convenient access to a wide range of users taking into consideration the different timings that could be convenient to different categories of users. This could even entail public libraries offering round-the-clock access to their users.Public libraries will have to play an active part in building up social support networks for their users. This will not only help the users in picking up Internet usage skills faster but will also bring in new users into the network. Content is a very vital issue that determines the quality of online access of any user. Any effort to reduce digital inequality will have to ensure that the user is able to locate relevant information on the net. Hargittai (2003) differentiates between ‘available’ information and ‘accessible’ information.The available information may not be easily accessible. The phenomenon of information gatekeepers in the form of search engines and other indexing and searching mechanisms adds complexity to the situation. Commercial interests on the Internet more often than not lead the unwary browser away from relevant sources of information. Public libraries will have to take on the added responsibility coaching the novice user in looking for and locating relevant information.Each library will also have to ensure that they adopt an indexing and searching mechanism linked with their digital subscriptions so that users can find information customized to their requirements. Public libraries will also have to play their part in ensuring that users have access to the institutions that regulate the technologies that they are u sing so that they are also able to participate in policy formulations and decision-making exercises. ConclusionThe role of librarians and library staff will have to undergo vast changes in order to fit into the new responsibilities. Foster (2000) opines that the underlying concerns surrounding the issue of the digital divide are actually more about the nature and future of education than about the current distribution patterns of technology. Librarians and library staff will thus have to don the mantle of technical educators and social activists to contribute meaningfully to the reduction of the Digital Divide.

Understanding of the Flynn Effect

The Flynn Effect, first observed by James Flynn in 1981, is the steady year on year increase in IQ scores on intelligence tests, noting a greater rise in fluid (non-verbal) intelligence than crystallised (verbal) intelligence. There are numerous studies providing evidence for this effect leading to the question; are generations getting more intelligent? There is no universal definition of intelligence, leading many researchers to try and discover common themes around the world.Yang & Sternberg (1997b) found similarities in ideas of intelligence between Western and Eastern cultures but ultimately, along with other researchers such as Baral & Das (2004), concluded that there are great differences between conceptions of intelligence around the world. Due to this, there have been many different methods used to measure intelligence over the years, from Binet & Simon’s (1911) intelligence test, to Gardner’s (1983) multiple intelligence theory.One of the more accepted and univ ersally used methods designed to test intelligence is the intelligence quotient (IQ) test, developed by William Stern in 1912, an idea used by many other intelligence researchers. In 1981, when reviewing intelligence tests to test validity for new versions, James Flynn noticed that whenever participants were given an old test and a new test to complete, they always got higher scores on the newer test. He went on to look at a further 73 studies (Flynn, 1984) and discovered that between 1932 and 1978, white Americans had gained 14 IQ points, supporting his original discovery.In 1987 he published intelligence test data from 14 countries (Flynn, 1987), coming to the conclusion that IQ scores were rising not only in America, but across a number of different countries and cultures, further displaying evidence for his discovery. In attempt to make sense of Flynn’s discovery, it has been proposed that generations are getting more intelligent, an idea that Flynn himself rules out. He argued that if generations were getting more intelligent, we would expect to see an ever rising number of geniuses in the world which we don’t.So why are IQ scores getting higher? In 1998, Ulrich Neisser (Neisser, 1998a) edited a book suggesting some possible environmental explanations for the Flynn Effect. The book was contributed to by Flynn (1998), Greenfield (1998), Lynn (1998), Neisser (1998b), Schooler (1998) and Williams (1998). It covered 5 main areas: schooling, test-taking sophistication, parental rearing style, visual and technical environment and nutrition. However, Lynn (1990) originally broke these ideas down into two opposing hypotheses; the nutrition hypothesis and the cognitive stimulation hypothesis.The Nutrition hypothesis proposes that nutrition is a key factor in generations' increased intelligence, Lynn (1990; 1998). It sees nutrition as increasing intelligence as part of a nurturing environment, including longer life expectancies, improved health and lo wer infant disease. As food has become more readily available to most people, we are inevitably receiving more of the nutrition and food that our bodies and brains require, meaning our bodies and brains are more capable of performing to the best of their ability.Compared with generations ago, when food and water was scarce it is almost expected that we should achieve better results on intelligence tests when our brains are better nourished and equipped to deal with them. Average human height has also risen over the last century, which has been attributed to nutrition. Lynn (1990;1998) suggested that this could be significant, as brain size has been linked to nutrition and also to intelligence. Some researchers began looking at particular nutrients in relation to intelligence.Quian et al (2005) looked at the effects of iodine on intelligence. Findings showed that the children who had received iodine supplements before and after birth scored significantly higher on intelligence tests than children who hadn’t. Iodine is now well known as one of the most important minerals for good health. Benton & Roberts (1988) conducted a study involving 90 children divided into 3 groups of 30. Group 1 were given a supplement which contained a number of vitamins and minerals. Group 2 were given a placebo and Group 3 was not given anything.8 months later Benton & Roberts (1988) found that in Group 1 a significant increase in non-verbal (fluid) intelligence scores was observed, supporting the Flynn effect. However, there was no significant difference between verbal (crystallised) intelligence scores. Further research into understanding the Flynn effect saw Colom, Luis-Font & Andres-Pueyo (2005) test two large samples of Spanish boys with a 30 year gap in a measure of fluid intelligence. A significant rise in IQ scores was observed in the later sample, with findings interestingly noting intelligence gains mainly observed among the lower percentile of IQ scores.Teasdale & Ow en (1989) and Lynn & Hampson (1986) had previously found similar results. These findings, and many other replications, support the Nutrition hypothesis as evidence for the Flynn effect. In general these types of studies have provided plenty of evidence to conclude that IQ is affected by vitamin/mineral supplements on non-verbal measures of intelligence, however, it is becoming increasingly hard to test this as most people are well-nourished these days particularly in Western cultures.Future studies could continue to look at which particular nutrients affect which particular areas of intelligence, and concentrate on broadening the research to a wider variety of cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Many of the previously mentioned studies use a sample consisting of only males, which makes results less representative to the entire population. The Cognitive Stimulation hypothesis, takes into account some of the other ideas mentioned in Neisser’s book (Neisser 1998a), suggestin g that higher intelligence is driven by improvements in cognitive stimulation.In particular, visual analysis and technical advances are seen as causing intelligence to increase. Visual analysis can range between many things, from photographs, messages on cereal boxes, puzzles in a newspaper, to television programmes. One of the biggest changes in the twentieth century was the arrival of visual media such as television and the internet. Nowadays almost every home has a television and many have computers and access to the internet.Children now have much wider access to educational toys, games, television programmes and computer programs, and adults now participate in many cognitively demanding activities such as reading, puzzles, video games and using devices such as television and computers. Johnson (2003) argues that popular television has become more cognitively demanding in recent years. One example is children’s television show Sesame Street, designed to increase childrenà ¢â‚¬â„¢s intelligence and awareness by providing mental stimulation at an early age.Sesame Street is now an award winning show and is recognised as helping to develop children’s understanding and abilities (Palmer, 2003). Even simple things such as adverts provide us with cognitive stimulation, sometimes requiring viewers to work out a hidden or abstract meaning, compared with much more straight forward adverts seen from years ago. Intelligence tests such as Raven’s matrices measure visual analysis, on which the largest gains in IQ have been found providing support for the cognitive stimulation hypothesis.Some of the other ideas mentioned in Neisser’s book include schooling, test-taking sophistication and parental rearing style. Nowadays, we attend school for many more years than our parents and grandparents did. Cahan & Cohen (1989) found that length of schooling influences intelligence, however their results suggested larger rises in verbal intelligence, thus not providing evidence for the Flynn effect. Test-taking sophistication is the idea that we are just generally more aware of intelligence tests than generations ago. IQ tests are something we learn about in school as teaching today is generally geared towards achievement tests.This could potentially explain better scores in intelligence tests by those who know why and what they are doing them for, but it is unknown whether this could explain the emphasis on non-verbal intelligence seen in the Flynn effect, as it is a very difficult concept to test. Parental rearing styles have also changed, with families getting smaller meaning each child is spending more time with his or her parents. Flynn (1998) and Williams (1998) also suggest that today’s parents are more interested in their children’s intellectual development than in previous generations.However, it could be argued that due to the Flynn effect, today’s parents are simply more intelligent than their own pare nts and grandparents, and therefore better able to guide and educate their own children. If the cognitive stimulation hypothesis can truly explain the Flynn effect, then we should see a rise of IQ scores across generations at all levels of IQ (Flynn, 2003; Lynn (1990) but if the nutritional hypothesis provides the explanation, intelligence gains would appear more so at the bottom end of IQ scores, where nutritional deprivation is at its worst (Flynn, 2003).Neither the nutritional hypothesis nor the cognitive stimulation hypothesis appears to be telling the whole story in relation to the Flynn effect, and there are still many other theories out there. Some suggest natural selection as a cause, such as Deary et al, 2004 who found significant correlation between low IQ score and risk of cardiovascular disease and death. However this could be down to environmental factors caused by lower IQ such as poverty and living conditions which could lead to death and illness Gottfredson 1997. Bra in size has also been proposed as a relevant factor.Tiedmann (1836) suggested a connection between brain size and mental energy, and medical advances allowing tests such as MRI scans have since led to further research in this area. Willerman et al (1991) and Raz et al (1993) went on to find correlations between brain size and general intelligence, supporting Tiedmann’s hypothesis. However, these correlations were found in particular samples, and did not clarify causation. Luria (1968, 1972) conducted two case studies and discovered that injuries to different parts of the brain affected intelligence in different ways.Flynn (1994, 1999) favoured environmental explanations himself, suggesting intelligence gains too rapid to be genetic. Many recent European studies have suggested that the Flynn effect is actually coming to an end, or could possibly be in reverse. Sundet et al (2004) composed intelligence tests from the 1950’s and found that in line with the Flynn effect, n on-verbal intelligence showed higher gains, that is until the 1990’s when IQ scores ceased to increase. Teasdale & Owen (2005) found similar results, with scores rising from 1959 and peaking in the late 1990’s.Teasdale & Owen (2005) noticed that after this peak, intelligence test performance has since declined to pre-1991 level. Many people view these studies as direct evidence for the end of the Flynn effect; however some view it an extension of the Flynn effect, one which can still be explained by the nutritional hypothesis. It is proposed that the rise in IQ scores was a result of the number of low scorers who were dragging the average IQ score down, getting smaller and smaller.Supporters of the nutritional hypothesis argue that this decreasing number of low scorers was due to the decreasing number of people suffering from poor nutrition, and now poor nutrition is not a problem the slow removal of low scorers has levelled out. Three big questions when looking at int elligence testing are the reliability of intelligence tests, the validity of intelligence tests and whether the usefulness of intelligence is overemphasised.One issue with reliability is that IQ scores fluctuate, and if you take the same test a few weeks later it is likely you will achieve a different score, although you are not supposed to retake the same IQ test as your first interaction with it will almost certainly influence your second performance. Researchers question whether we can ever truly know if the first score we get is truly a representation of our intelligence, or if it may be a fluctuation from our real intelligence, questioning the accuracy of such scores. This concern hasinspired plenty of research into IQ fluctuation, with many studies such as Jones & Bayley (1941) suggesting that although scores do fluctuate, they remain relatively stable. Furthermore, while there is plenty of evidence to suggest intelligence tests correlate well with other intelligence tests (Ne isser et al, 1996), these studies are based on the assumption that there is a globally agreed idea of general intelligence when this is in fact not true (Benson, 2003). As mentioned earlier, there are cultural variations of what is perceived as intelligence, calling into question the validity of intelligence testing.It wouldn’t be sensible to dismiss intelligence tests entirely as there is plenty of evidence to support their reliability, validity and usefulness. However, we should not ignore the shortcomings. Both the nutritional hypothesis and the cognitive stimulation hypothesis have contributed somewhat to our understanding of the Flynn effect, but neither appears to be telling the whole story. The nutritional hypothesis views nutrition as increasing intelligence as part of a nurturing environment with plenty of evidence providing support for this as an explanation of the Flynn effect, such as Quian et al (2005) and Benton & Roberts (1988).However it is becoming increasing ly difficult to continue to test this as most people are well nourished these days, particularly in Western culture. The cognitive stimulation hypothesis suggests that the visual revolution is responsible for the Flynn effect, suggesting higher intelligence results from improvements in cognitive stimulation. Again, there is plenty of evidence in support of this; however it does not provide an absolute explanation.Due to the rising number of studies suggesting the Flynn effect is coming to an end, it is possible that any current and future research into the Flynn effect is futile, although many of the evidence to suggest this is predominantly undertaken in Europe, pointing back to the cultural differences in intelligence. Perhaps less developed countries are seeing the Flynn effect? We could benefit from more research across various cultures. There are also the questions of intelligence test reliability, validity and usefulness to consider. Leading to my final question; if we canâ₠¬â„¢t define intelligence, how can we truly test it?

A Biographical Sketch of Arnold Schoenberg Research Paper

A Biographical Sketch of Arnold Schoenberg - Research Paper Example The artist composed music in different styles attracting a mixture of reactions from the audience including students, friends, and other Viennese audiences. Some of his works later contributed to hatred from his musical enemies. The early life and music Arnold Schoenberg was born to a merchant Samuel Schoenberg and Pauline in Vienna, Austria, on September 13, 1874 (ThinkQuest, para.1). Schoenberg was born in a family that had no particular musical history (Rovi Corporation, para.2). His father died in 1890 when he was aged 16 after which he became an apprentice with some bank shortly. As such, he had to learn much of the music styles through self-teaching and reliance on friends. The artist learnt to play violin and began to compose at the early age of eight years (ThinkQuest, para.1). He had shown aptitude for music composition at the early age. He also began to learn and acquire skills from his friends. One of the artists who helped him develop his talents was Oskar Adler, who gave him rudimentary instructions in harmony and counterpoint (Rovi Corporation, para.2). In 1891, Schoenberg joined the orchestra â€Å"Polyhymnia† and met Alexander von Zemlinsky, the conductor of the orchestra; they would be friends throughout their lives (ThinkQuest, para.1). Zemlinsky, who would later be his brother-in-law, taught Schoenberg composition skills. This was the only formal instruction of this nature that the artist received in music. The early works of the artist in this career involved teaching privately and in other institutions and occasionally orchestrating operettas. He was a conductor of the metalworker-choir. Schoenberg got married to Zemlinsky’s sister, Mathilde, in 1901 and he moved with his wife to Berlin. The marriage was shaken at one point whereby Mathilde got married to another artist. They reunited later before her death in 1923. Schoenberg later got married ten months later to another woman, a sister to another artist. Music styles Schoenb erg developed his first original composition, some few piano pieces, at the age of twenty. The early musical compositions by this artist bore the image of the German Romanticism. This was particularly evident in his first composition Verklarte Nacht, Op.4 composed in 1899. This work was romantic and rich in harmony and color making this earlier work to be easy to comprehend and listen to (ThinkQuest, para.7). In the later developments, the artist concentrated in atonal music that did not have the structure of the traditional tonality. This formed the basis of criticism from his detractors. Nonetheless, the style attracted a large faithful following. He became an instructor in music. Some of the active followers would later become his pupils after establishing his private institution. The two most identifiable pupils of the artist are Alban Berg an Anton Webern. The two pupils developed their skills in music and would later match their trainer in style and composition ability. Workin g together, the three musical composers were the corner stones in the development of the atonal and 12-tone music that rocked the music industry in the first half of the twentieth century While in Berlin, Schoenberg was appointed to teach at Stern Academy in Berlin (ThinkQuest, para.3). In 1903, he returned to Vienna and established a private teaching academy. Berg and Webern became his first pupil. Schoenberg received further support from Zemlensky and another friend, Gustav Mahler, towards the real composition of atonal pieces (ThinkQuest) Gustav Mahler was the director of court opera. Schoenberg had now begun to move away from tonality towards atonal composition. He later composed some works and performed in a legendary in

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Ethnographic Study of the Skateboarding Culture - Essay Example The purpose of this essay is to provide an ethnographic description of the language, behavior, values and beliefs of the skateboarders in order to understand their cultural orientation as a group. In this ethnographic study, the culture of skateboarding is described through observing skateboarders in action. The findings suggest ideas of concern for safety, acceptance, progression, self-expression of style and energy & drive. Through the observation of cultural artifacts and styles of communication, the culture of competitive skateboarding is described and all the generalizations encompassed in skateboarding discussed. Using the small sample of skateboarders, data will be collected and analyzed in order to draw conclusions about the culture of skateboarding ethnographically. This essay has revealed that skaters are not rebels or social deviants, as they are normally perceived by the society. They are often banned from certain areas because of this perception and this limits their fre edom. The female skateboarders describe it as comfortable, empowering, adventurers and fun. The males also say the same as everyone seems to be happy with skateboarding because of their love for it. The researcher states that skateboarders should not be judged harshly as the case is because they have a good organizational culture. The culture empowers them into being responsible adults because it encourages cooperation and support for each other regardless of the differences based on age, race or sexual orientation.

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Millstream Hotel and Restaurant - Article Example The elegant sitting room, with its comfortable and luxurious, grand piano, sprinkled with freshly cut flowers and peaceful ambiance, is the ideal place to chat up with friends over afternoon tea or an aperitif. Bosham is an ideal center from which to discover this area of spectacular natural beauty and historical interest.   This beautiful hotel has 35 rooms out of which three are suites and each room is decorated in a uniquely elegant fashion with all the necessary amenities for a luxurious and comfortable stay. The hotel is located close to some good recreational facilities like golf, sailing, squash, riding and water sports which can be easily accessed. The popular restaurant is open all through the year and serves some of the most excellent delicacies in that part of town. There are a few famous historical attractions for the holidaymakers like Chichester Festival Theatre, Fishbourne Roman Palace, and West Dean Gardens. On a sunny day, the lawns can be inviting where you can relax under the shade and enjoy the ducks in the nearby lake. You can enjoy a pleasant evening in the beautiful and well-kept gardens along with your friends and family over a cup of tea and delicious snacks. A well maintained and luxurious spa can add a lot of value to the residents who can relax and enjoy a good massage or get pampered in style. The spa is the latest trend in the hotel industry around the world. You can add on a spa facility or take on a branded spa on the franchise which can boost your hotels' facility outlook to a great extent. Most of the clients now expect a spa in the hotel as they look for a complete relaxation package when checking into a hotel. The wellness tourism has caught on in a big way where health and wellness spas are frequented by tourists who are becoming health and beauty conscious. A well-equipped spa can provide guests with Jacuzzi, steam, sauna, exotic massages and various other treatments that would add on to the luxury of the hotel.  

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Pluralism and Urban Regime - Research Paper Example Pluralists believe that direct democracy is unworkable and undesired. They operate under logistical manner where every citizen comes in a meeting to decide on political issues that require continuous and expert attention, which is common among the common citizens. Robert Dahl, a known pluralist, suggested in one of his writing that, the societies that we live in politics are like sideshows in the great circus of life. The common worry in the pluralism is that, common persons lack intelligence and direct democracy that is required in leadership. Urban regime on the other hand is the development of cities in order to provide a range of profound changes in the view of globalization. The urban governance in the modern world is catalyzed by technological and communication development, economic restructuring and the postmodernism reconstruction tendencies (Parker 247). The urban governance theory came to prominence in the publication of the Clarence stone’s study in Atlanta. Since t hen, the urban regime method has had an extensive use to determine the politics of a country both in North America and across the world. The urban regime recognizes the values and insights of the subjects. The urban regime has recognition from most of the countries, including North America, as totally involving the subjects. The system brings together the coalition partners through the available resources in either governmental or non-governmental limits (Davies 98). The system recognizes the political leaders as the channels through which resources can be mobilized to accomplish duties in the society. Robert Dahl is a sterling professor of political science and earned a degree in political science and a subsequent honorary doctorate in law. He contributed a lot in explaining the varieties of governance. He says that urban governance is a multidisciplinary natural phenomenon that describes both innovation and confusion among the majority who are governed. Dahl emphasized on the urba n politics as primarily concerned with urban political power many scholars thereof have also tried to explain what an urban regime is and who actually owns the town (485). The most important factor to put into consideration is whether the power has any relation to the ideal reasoning of the American democracy. Dahl developed the earliest theory about the urban politics. He held the same as an intellectual movement that is philosophical in nature. Dahl raised the main criticism as to why he held urban politics as the appropriate means of governance. He held that the elites at the top levels less remember the desires of the majority they have left behind. Thus, he emphasized the urban regime as the best forms of governance. On the issue of pluralism, Robert Dahl rejected the idea of democracy as an open form of governorship. He said that a dominant paradigm of a majority rule would endorse diverse cultural, economic, racial, and ethnic interest. All these would translate into lack of unity in the country and resulting into a division among the different groups. In addition, policies made by a group of people may conflict at the implementation stage (Smith 257). Generally, Dahl did not back the ideas of pluralist but instead emphasized on urban governorship as the most appropriate form of governorship. Clarence stone also had a say on the urban regimes and pluralism. He once wrote that,

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National Centre for Missing and Exploited Essay With the advancement of technology; Desk top computers, lap tops or note book computers, PDAs, Mobile hand sets etc. and with the aid of wired and wireless networks, access to Internet world or Instant Messaging (IM) opened up a whole new dimension of human experience. Cyberspace has been mentioned so often that it may at this point seem trite and overly commercialised. Cyberspace is currently used in a primarily symbolic sense and is mostly associated with the Internet. When a user sits in front of a computer and switches it on, they can bring up an environment of hypertext. It can seem like there is, behind the screen, an immense reservoir of information, which is also constantly being added to. A user is certainly aware that the people and processes that generate this information, and places where the information is stored, are not behind the screen or in the hard drive, but we nevertheless take the computer as a gateway to another place where other people have done similar things. Conceptually, we tend to envision a non-physical space existing between here and there, and believe that we can access that space by utilizing computer-based technologies. We send messages to others by e-mail, or talk to others in a chat room. Cyber-culture is significant, but it is still non-consequential at the ontological level. The more exciting thing is that cyberspace and virtual reality can go even further. Combining it with the technology of teleoperation, we can enter into cyberspace and interact with artificial objects to manipulate the actual physical process. Cyberspace hasnt yet replaced the telephone, but instant messaging is becoming an indispensable means of teen socialization, according to a study out. Nearly three out of four online teens 13 million use instant messages (IMs), according to the study of kids ages 12 to 17 from the Pew Internet American Life Project. It clearly states that teens are fond of using instant messaging to pass information for various purposes. Cyberspace attracts teens who are between 14 and 16 year old, said Lisa Carlton. Instant messaging, which requires downloadable software (or comes built in with America Online and some other Net providers), allows users to carry on one or more real-time conversations simultaneously in text windows that pop up on a users computer screen. The above report says teens use IMs to communicate with teachers about schoolwork, flirt, ask someone out and even break up. Most of the teens realize that messaging system has become part of their life up to some extent. Some newer concepts of instant messaging try to make a decentralized instant messaging system via peer-to-peer technology. In such a system, a distributed hash table lookup is used to determine if buddies are online or not. This approach tries to make instant messaging independent of a central authority. Everything they talk about in the offline world has migrated online, says Pews Amanda Lenhart, principal author of the study. Some of the most difficult conversations these kids have happen over instant messaging. On average, a teen IM session includes online chat with more than three friends simultaneously, Pew says. This survey provides basis for teens trends of modern living. Instant messaging, a skill, maybe an ability, but its something our young people can do, says Joseph Walther, a communications professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N. Y. , and editor of the Journal of Online Behavior. He says researchers at Cornell University define split or simultaneous attention as the capacity to do two different communication skills at the same time. Among other findings, Most online teens (69%) engage in IM conversations several times weekly; 35% IM every day; 45% IM every time they go online. Close to half of teens (46%) say they spend between a half-hour and an hour on instant messaging each session; and an additional 21% say they spend more than an hour on a typical session. Time span of using instant messaging system by teens reflects their requirement for availing these services to utilise every moment of life purposeful. But theres a flip side to continuous conversation. Cornell found that some students were using wireless devices to IM friends during class while pretending to take notes and had lower grades. Another study released last month found that college students -especially lonely freshmen -who stayed up late to IM friends tended to miss more classes and be unprepared for coursework. This is a drawback of such an advanced technology and students must be trained for proper utilisation of services. (USATODAY. com) Another report published in USA TODAY indicates- Thirteen-year-old singer Brittney Cleary wanted to debut with a song most kids her age could relate to. So she picked a tune about love. Her song is called IM ME, a reference to instant messaging, the online technology that allows computer users to carry on typewritten, private conversations in real time. Cleary, who lives in Nashville, Tenn. , says she and her buddies talk online about everything. David Silver, director of the Resource Centre for Cyber culture Studies at the University of Washington, likens abbreviated instant messaging talk to slang derived from hip-hop music. In some ways, its very clever, Silver says. Like other forms of slang, it allows youth to talk amongst themselves without adults really understanding what theyre saying. Consider, for example, the online term POS: parent over shoulder. Silver jokingly calls Clearys song the fall of Western civilization. But he adds, Actually, Im kind of wondering why it took so long. It really does reflect the rapid mainstreaming of cyber culture into American culture and especially youth culture. From the mundane to the emotionally charged, there are no limits to the ways todays kids connect and bond over instant messages (IMs) those pop-up text windows used for carrying on real-time conversations online. Its not just empty rattle on. Theyre using (IMs) to have difficult conversations- someones talking behind your back and you want to confront them, says Amanda Lenhart of the Pew Internet American Life project. Its survey, finds that nearly three-fourths of online kids ages 12 to 17 rely on IMs to keep in touch with friends. For example-Caroline Barker, 16, is among 35% of teens that use IMs daily; she chats with about 10 close friends and 50 acquaintances in the Bethesda, Md. , area. Its especially good for making plans, or if youre just bored, she says. Teens offer insight to the complex social rules that come with a form of communication that still has many adults bewildered. We see teens up at all hours of the night IM-ing. Thirty years ago, teens were on the phone all night, says Joseph Walther, editor of the Journal of Online Behavior. This could be another step in our own communication evolution. Pews survey of 754 teens finds that face-to-face interaction and phone contact have been partially replaced by IMs. Teens use them to nurture friendships, begin and end romantic relationships and mediate difficult conversations with the emotional distance the Net provides. Pew says 17% of the teens have used IMs to ask someone out, 13% to break up. Sometimes IM misunderstandings (text messages lack body language and voice tone) can spark hurt feelings and feuds, but different fonts and keyboard symbols can make smiley or sad faces, known as emotions. For Barker and her friends, even the subtle difference between Hi and Hey that most adults dismiss sets the whole mood for a conversation. â€Å"Hi is formal, and it means you’re busy and you don’t really want to talk. Or maybe you’re mad about something,† explains Hillary Lowenberg, Hey is more open and informal and friendly, and you’re in the mood to IM. † Many people find instant messages intrusive, and 57% of teens surveyed said they have blocked IMs, and 64% have refused to respond to IMs from someone they were mad at. Still, 48% of online teens believe IMs, warts and all, improve friendships. Among frequent users, 60% say it helps friendships. While 61% of teens agree that the Internet is not ideal for making new friends, they use Net tools to broaden their networks of friends. Pew used several teen focus groups and online discussions to delve more deeply into teen Net use. Some teens say they give out their IM user name instead of phone number to new friends or potential dates. Many believe that instant messaging allows them to stay in touch with people they would not otherwise contact for instance, those who are only casual acquaintances, or who live outside their communities, the report says. More than 90% of teens surveyed said they IM with friends who live far away, such as those they met at camp. The study found a growing number of teens sharing passwords a practice Internet service providers warn against. But more than a fifth of Pew respondents (22%) say theyve done it. Its a new symbol of trust and friendship, says Pew project director Lee Rainie. In the pre-Internet days, one way to show how fond you were of someone was to give out a locker combination. Lenhart notes that parents are a little mystified about why kids find this a satisfying conversation. If you didnt grow up with it, youd think in some way it was less than a face-to-face. But 64% of teens say they know more than their parents about using the Net — and 66% of parents agree. According to BBC NewsUS teenagers prefer instant messaging rather than e-mail to stay in touch with each other, research shows. A Pew Internet and American Life Project study found online teens are increasingly tech-savvy. Nearly nine out of 10 teenagers say they use the net, up from 74 percent in 2000, according to the Pew study. While e-mail is seen as a tool for communicating with adults, instant messaging was proving the most popular way to chat with friends. Three-quarters 75% of online teenagers in the US have used IM, the survey found, with personalised features proving popular. Features such as buddy icons are a popular way for teenagers to express and differentiate themselves. Major activity teens do online are-Send or read e-mail: 89%Visit websites about TV, music or sport stars: 84%Play online games: 81%Online news: 76%Send or receive instant messages: 75% half of these say they go online every day, according to the Pew study. The amount of time American teenagers are spending online and the range of things they are doing have both increased. Just over 50% of those online use a broadband connection, 81% play games online, 76% get news online and 43% make purchases. Increasing numbers of teenagers live in a world of nearly ubiquitous computing and communication technologies that they can access at will, said report co-author Amanda Lenhart. Their fondness with being online even extends to when they are physically away from the computer. Instant Messaging away messages, in effect, maintain a presence in this virtual IM space, said co-author Mary Madden. The power users of the online teen world are girls aged 15-17, the survey found. Some 97% of this age range has used instant messaging, and 57% have sent a text message. They are also more likely to have bought something online and used the web to search for information on health, religion and entertainment topics. A representative sample of 1,100 teens between 12 and 17 and their parents in the US were interviewed by phone. Teens and youth are excessively using IMs, It is imperative to develop certain rules and preventive measures to protect them from technology hazards. A Resource Guide for Parents covers a broad range of Internet privacy and safety topics. There are no easy answers to ensure your child has harm-free experiences on the Internet. Likewise, there are no truly effective technology-based solutions. In the final analysis, there is no substitute for parental involvement in childrens exploration of cyberspace. Following are certain measures to be taken care of- -Privacy policy. Read the privacy policy statements on the web sites visited by your children. Teach older children to do the same. -Encourage your children, especially teens, to take responsibility for their online behavior by establishing a contract with them. The Federal Trade Commissions Site seeing on the Internet provides sample language, -Family rules. You can establish family rules for online computer use. Among those suggested by the National Centre for Missing and Exploited- -Tell your children never to give out identifying information such as family information, home address, school name, or phone number in chat room discussions and when visiting web sites, Explain to children that passwords must never be given to anyone else, even someone claiming to be from the online service, Warn your children not to respond to messages that are threatening, suggestive, demeaning, or otherwise make you or the child uncomfortable. Tell them to report such messages to you. The psychological qualities of cyberspace are determined by the hardware and software that constitute computers and the online world. An Op has the power to throw you off an IRC channel; lag can destroy conversation in a chat group; the reply-to in listserv group might send your e-mail to the whole list or just to the sender of the message. All of these factors affect the psychological feel of the environment. With the rapid advancement of wireless network technologies, wireless communications and mobile-based information services are changing people’s life style. How to provide mobile users with cost-effective wireless information services is becoming a hot topic for wireless vendors References: 1) Jon Ippolito (December 1998–January 1999). Cross Talk: Is Cyberspace Really a Space? . Artbyte: 12–24. 2) USA today, 06/12/2001, 2001 The Associated Press 3) Karen Thomas, USA TODAY, 2006 4) Christine Morente, Teen find support in cyberspace, San Malco County Times, January 4, 2005. 5) Malcolm R Parks; making friends incyberspace, Vol-46; 1996 6) BBC News, 28th July;2005 7) Gao, J. ; Modak, M. ; Dornadula, S. ; Shim, S. ; e-Commerce Technology, 2004. CEC 2004. Proceedings. IEEE International Conference on 6-9 July 2004 Page(s):337 341

French Revolution Essay Example for Free

French Revolution Essay Although an autocrat, Napoleon is revered by many as the son of the French Revolution as he single-handedly implemented the ideas of â€Å"Liberty, Equality and Fraternity†. Napoleon implemented the ideologies of French Revolution which were derived from the Enlightenment by introducing the Napoleonic Code, lycee and baculerrate education, constitutions and meritocracy. These reforms could have only been implemented by a strong ruler with the power of the modern state tailored to suit his motives of maintaining his power. During the start of the French Revolution the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen was not really put into complete practice. During the reign of terror, the nation grew weary of terror and turmoil and therefore welcomed Napoleon’s rule. Ten years of upheaval had the firm rule much more appealing. Napoleon seized power and was welcomed by the nation even though he was an autocrat as he brought the end to the terror and started executing various enlightened ideals. During the first few months of Napoleon’s rule were most productive. After seizing power in coup d’à ©tat in 1799 and forming a consulate he passed new constitutions and with popular approval in 1804 became an emperor with absolute power. Napoleon like most autocrats had certain motives for implementing the radical reforms of the French Revolution. It allowed his to maintain his position as an autocrat by giving reforms so people would be happy and continue supporting him. By using meritocracy he rewarded only those that earned his loyalty and by improving society earned the support of people. He used his popularity and charisma to maintain order which was crucial for Napoleon in order to survive being an autocrat. Napoleon used his powerful position as the ruler of France to bring reforms as it was an instrument to maintaining his power. He brought about freedom of religion by the Concordat of Bologna in 1801 which allowed state to control religious affairs and allowed Catholics to practice their religion freely. He bargained with the middle classes and made the famous Napoleonic code which simplified the French laws which used to favour the nobles. He made enlightened laws like freedom of speech, equality before law, protection of property etc. He lowered the feudal taxes on the peasants and granted them liberty. He created meritocracy and education by introducing the baculerrate and lycee and favouring only those that worked harder than being born into a noble family this created more equality. Napoleon executed the ideals of French Revolution not only in France but spread them to countries that he defeated or made allies with. He did this by ended feudalism and manorialism and reformed the political and economic systems by introducing constitutions. He also simplified the complex structure of Germany and Italy and this brought about the rise of nationalism which was the idea of fraternity of the French Revolution. Napoleon is widely accredited to spreading the ideals of the French Revolution to all of Europe.

Demographic Analysis of Software Piracy Users

Demographic Analysis of Software Piracy Users Software Piracy: Most common factors that influence the intention to use among college students in Selangor, Malaysia Abstract Software piracy is one of the worst problems facing the software industry, and the piracy rate around the world is rising and in 2008 alone software industry lost more than US$ 5.3 billion due to software piracy, and in the same time frame Malaysian software industry lost around US$ 368 million. Many previous researches concluded that software piracy is common among college students, preventive and deterrents techniques were no effective in combating the piracy problem, therefore there is a great urgency to identify the factors that leads to software piracy in order to formulate better strategies to overcome the problem. This research identified six variables that influence the intention of college students to use pirated software; they are Gender, Age, Value Consciousness, Attitude, Peer pressure and Novelty seeking. A survey was conducted with students who are attending colleges in Selangor, Malaysia, with a total of 247 respondents participated in the survey. The study found out that Value consciousness, Attitude, Peer pressure and Novelty seeking are the factors that has significant relationship with intention to use pirated software, however gender and age was not found to be significant factors that influence the intention to use pirated software. 1.0 Chapter 1: Introduction: Software piracy can be considered as robbery, an infringement of copyrights, and anything that is copyrighted can be pirated and almost anything worth copying is worth pirating (Honick and Craig, 2005). Independent study sponsored by Business software Alliance (BSA) shows that software piracy is the worst problem that software industry faced, BSA defines software piracy as the unauthorized copying or distribution of softwares. When the end users purchase the software they do not become the owner of the product, however they have the rights to use the software under the terms and conditions oppose by the copyright owner of the software. According to Microsoft there are 5 basic type of piracy, 1- End user copying: Here individuals or organizations copy and distribute unlicensed copies of the software or purchase a licensed copy and use beyond the allowed limits. 2- Hard disk loading: this is practiced by computer manufacturers who use a legal copy of a software to install as many PC they want and sold to end users who are not aware of the wrong doing 3- Counterfeiting: software and its packaging are illegally produced in a large scale. 4- Online: Online piracy occurs when the end user download the software from an online source without the permission of the copyright owner. 5- License misuse: software distributed with a discount rates for the high-volume customers, computer manufactures, and academic institutions that then redistribute these software to others who are not qualified for the software. 1.1 Background of the problem TA study conducted by BSA (200X), shows that piracy rates went up from 38% in 2007 to 41% in 2008 worldwide, however the encouraging news is that among the 110 countries the study was conducted, in 57 counties (52%) the piracy went down and in one third of the countries piracy remained unchanged (35%).The monetary losses for software vendors grew from US $ 5.1 billion to US $ 5.3 billion from 2007 to 2008. Lowest piracy countries according to the BSA(200x), research were the United States Luxemburg, New Zealand and Japan, at around 20% and highest piracy rates were among Armenia, Georgia, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe around 90%. Research conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC 200X) shows that, if piracy is lowered 10% in four years it will create more that 600,000 jobs worldwide. Robert Holleyman, the president and CEO of Business software Alliance stated that in 2008 more that 40% of the software installed worldwide was obtained illegally and cost US $ 50 billion of losses to the software industry. For every dollar of the software sold another 3 or 4 dollars are paid to the local IT farms, in other words software piracy means less jobs in Information Technology Industry, as per IDC (200x) study if piracy is reduced 10%, governments will generate more that US $ 24 billion in revenue without increasing tax. According to Rothken (1998) buyers of legitimate software has to pay an additional 15 dollars to every 100 dollars spent on software, meaning software add 15% to the price of legitimate software because of software piracy. Software piracy will also increase cybercrime and security problems, a study conducted by IDC in 2006 shows that more than 29% of the websites and 61% of peer-to-peer sites offering illegal software infect the computers with virus and other types of identity theft tools. Software piracy is somewhat out of controlled in the real world, Microsoft investigators found pirated software in the computers of a police department who were investigating piracy, and also one out of three software used in business are pirated ( Carbon 1997). The population of Malaysia is estimated at 28 million and spends more than US$ 4.6 billion in information technology, which is 2.9% of the annual GDP. There are more than 6,900 companies employing 222,100 employers in the field of information technology (BSA, 2007). 1.2 Problem statement In Malaysia piracy increased by 1% (from 58% in 2007 to 59% in 2008) and it terms of financial losses, Malaysia lost over US $ 368 million compare to US $ 311 million in 2007. If piracy could be brought down to 10% in next 4 years (2008-2011), Malaysia could create an additional 2,600 jobs, financial gain of US $ 660 million to Malaysian software companies and US $ 144 million in tax revenue for federal, regional and local governments (BSA, 2007). This research aim to find the common factors that influences the intention of college students in Malaysia to use pirated software, as finding these factors will help to combat the issue of software piracy more efficiently. 1.3 Objective of the study: Software piracy has become a worldwide dilemma due to the financial and economic losses the software industry and governments has to face, also extra cost, viruses and other identity theft problems the consumers have to bear. For an issue that has gone out of control, like software piracy, its important to identify grass root problems. In the case of software piracy it is important to identify what factors influence the intention of individuals to use pirated software; this will help the software industry to come up with better strategies in the fight against software piracy. TAs colleges and universities are identified as breeding grounds for software piracy by Hinduja (2007,) and use of pirated software is a common problem in universities and which even happens inside classrooms (Kurger 2003) and college students believe its ethical to use pirated software (Cohen and Cornwell, 1989), its important to find what factors that influence these behaviors in college students in Malaysian context. 1.4 Purpose of the study: TA study conducted by Cohen and Cornwell (1989) shows that software piracy is acceptable among the college students, research done by Hinduja (2007) illustrate that colleges and universities are breeding grounds for software piracy. Protecting the intellectual property is a key factor for the copyright holder and for the consumers as well. The financial loss the software companies are facing is due to the casual attitude of the consumers towards intellectual property rights (SIIA KPMG 2001). Unauthorized distribution and use of software without copyright owners permission is illegal. Number of legal cases conforms that copy right and patent laws apply to computer software. In the case of Whelan Association Inc v. Jaslow Dental Laboratories, Inc (1986), Lotus Development Corp v. Paperback software Intl (1990), Plains Cotton Corporative International Inc v. Altai Inc (1992) court ruled that intellectual properties were protected (Lau, 2006). According to the Malaysian copy right act 1987, if an individual or a corporation was found in position with unauthorized software, the user may face criminal charges, they will face a fine of not exceeding RM 10,000 for each infringing copy, or prison sentence of not exceeding five years, or both. Preventives and deterrents are the commonly used techniques in the fight against software piracy (Gopal and Sanders, 1997), preventives makes it difficult for software crackers to crack the software by increasing the security features. The idea behind the preventive concept is that, when it becomes difficult to crack, the software hackers will find cracking softwares are hard and eventually give up. Deterrent uses the laws and regulation to prevent software piracy. The truth is preventives and deterrents are not so effective, the higher security that is placed in the softwares are checked by more advanced tools, its only a matter of time for software crackers to crack the security codes, the fact that deterrents are not working can be seen from the fact that only 1-5% of the computer abuse is detected. This proves the need to find the influential factors that derives individuals towards software piracy, understanding these factors will help to formulate better strategies to deal with the problem of software piracy. 1.5 Justification of the study: There have been number of studies conducted in relation with software piracy among the college students, however a study focused on college students in Malaysia is not found, Since Malaysia also looses enormous amount of revenue and jobs as a result of software piracy, and the fact that colleges and universities are identified as the breeding ground of software piracy and these are the people who are going to be professionals tomorrow, its important to identify the factors the influence the intention of college students in Malaysia to use pirated software. Since most of the current studies are conducted outside Malaysia, there might be some significant difference in the behavior of the college students in Malaysia compare to previous research done in other countries. As there are no researches done on college students in Malaysia, it will be difficult to guaranty that those factors brought in by other literature can we applied to college students in Malaysia. T 1.6 Research questions This study aims to answer following questions. Will factors like Value consciousness, Attitude, Peer pressure and Novelty Seeking influence the intention to use pirated software among college student in Malaysia? Will demographic factors like Age and gender influence the intention to use pirated software among college students in Malaysia? 1.7 Organization of the study: This study has five chapters; the chapter one includes the background of the problem, problem statement, objective and purpose of the research, justification and research questions. The second chapter is a Literature review, which talks about different theories related to behavior and ethics, findings of the previous literature and few models used in articles writing in the subject of software piracy are discussed. Third chapter is the methodology, which talks about the research philosophy, purpose, approach, and strategy and sample selection used in this study. The forth chapter talks about the findings of the study and the fifth chapter is a conclusion of this study, along with the limitation of the study and further research suggestions. 2.0 Chapter 2: Literature Review First part of this chapter reviews different theories related to behavior and ethics, particularly the Theory of Reasoned Actions by Fishbein and Ajzen, Theory of planned behavior by Ajzen and theory of moral development by Kohlberg were discussed, which will be useful in understanding the factors influence an individuals intention to use pirated software. Second part of this chapter is focused on the findings of the previous literatures, specifically the literatures related to factors the influence individuals to use pirated software will be examined and finally the models used in some literatures will be used to explain software piracy. 2.1 Theory of reasoned action Theory of Reasoned Action, developed by Icek Ajzen and Martin Fishbein (1980) were used to explain why an individual behaves in a certain manner. The theory is based on the assumption that humans are rational and information available to them will be used systematically. TRA uses attitude and norms to predict behavioral intentions, that is when attitude leads to certain behavior but the relevant norms suggest something else, then both factors influence the behavior. The Theory of Reasoned Actions (TRA) identifies that behavior is a function of intention and intention is a function of both attitude and subjective norms. Theory of Reasoned Action is an useful tool used in predicting certain behaviors, its has been applied in predicting number of behaviors like dental hygiene, smoking, breast cancer examinations and the use of seatbelts. (Change, 1998) Enker (1987) examined how attitude and normative belief is related to cheating and he found out that theory of reasoned action was a useful tool in understanding moral behavior of an individual. The motive behind explaining the theory of reasoned action is to understand the sequence of actions that leads to a certain behavior such as software piracy. 2.2 Theory of planned behavior In 1985, Ajzen concluded that Theory of Reasoned Action was not fully completed; he explained that TRA was insufficient, as it does not give consideration to situations where behavior is not under the individuals control. To address these restrictions in TRA, Ajzen developed the Theory of Planned behavior (TPB), which was an extension of Theory of Reasoned Actions The new model proposed by Ajzen included the Perceived Behavior Control (PBC) which was not found in TRA. PBC could be easily measured, and identifies the individuals belief on the difficulty level in performing a certain behavior (Ajzen and Madden, 1986). The Theory of Planned Behavior states that an intention to behave in a particular fashion originates from persons attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Similar to the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is used is in wide range of situation to predict a behavior (Flanny and May, 2000) Chang (1998) tested the validity of both Theory of Reasoned Action and Theory of Planned behavior in software piracy. The research was conducted to see the capacity of TRA to explain software piracy behavioral intentions and to see whether TPB can predict software piracy more accurately than TRA. Chang (1998) concluded that perceived behavioral control is the most important factor that influences individuals to used pirated software. Individuals who behave unethically most of the time do not have the full control of the situation. Opportunities must be available to the individual for him to use pirated software. 2.3 Kohlbergs theory of moral development Kohlberg (1969) developed the theory of moral development, which consists of 3 level of moral development and each level contains 2 stages. The concept behind the moral development stages is that, an individual mature morally when they mature intellectually. Preconvention is the first level of moral development, this is the beginning of the moral development process, and in the first stage of preconvention level (Punishment and obedience orientation) an individual will have full respect for the authority and only concentrate on avoiding any punishment. At the second stage of the first level (reward orientation) an individual will focus on achieving personal benefits such and rewards. At this stage an individual will concentrate more on satisfying his or her own needs rather than fulfilling the needs of others or society as a whole. Conventional is the second level of moral development, in this level individuals focus more on a group, this is the level where peer pressure begins to influence the decision of an individual. At the first stage of this level an individual will think in terms of social convention, someone is labeled good or bad based on familial and social norms. If individuals turn to second stage of level two, they mature morally and focus on law and regulations, at this stage the focus is on maintaining social order, so that societies can function in an orderly manner. Post conventional is the final level of the moral development proposed by Kohlberg, if an individual reaches the first stage of post conventional level one should be able emphasize on what could be legally binding, however one should be able to understands that laws can be amended to meet the social demand. When an individual is at the final stage of moral development or the universal ethical principle orientation individuals see himself as a judge for the moral problems. Individuals at this stage are more concern about human rights, justices and equity in decision making. According to Kohlberg, most people are stuck at the conventional level, authority orientation stage, where law and order is the key aspect of moral decision making. A study conducted by Lane and Lane (1996) on the subject of softlifting (pirating software for personal use) found out that many students who participated in their study remained in the conventional level, authority orientation stage, of the moral development, based on their research they concluded that moral reasons behind software piracy was less important to the student compare to the benefit from softlifting. 2.4 Software piracy literature 2.4.1 Age Prior research conduct on software piracy shows that age had a significant influence on software piracy, hence younger responded were found more acceptable to use pirated software (Al-Rafee and Cronan 2006; Peace 1997 and Gopal and Sanders 1997). Research conducted by Liebowitz (2004) on piracy in the music industry showed that 41% of internet users between the age group of 18 29 download music illegally compare to 21% in the age group of 33-44. However a study conducted by Kini et al, (2004) concluded that age has no significant influence on software piracy. 2.4.2 Gender Kini et al.., (2004), suggest that female students have a higher morality than male students, thus female students use pirated software less than their male counterparts. Ford and Richardson in their research in 1994 also concluded that females are more ethical than males; therefore females will use pirated software less than males, as software piracy can be considered unethical. Even thought the research conducted by Weng et al, (2005) explained that gender was not a significant factor in the behavior to use pirated software, and one possible factor that researches shows male use pirated software is because they are more risk takers than female, this explanation seconds the research done by Solomon and OBrien, (1990) Banjerjee (1992) and Sim et al (1996),as they concluded that gender was practically accountable to the decision of an individual to use pirated software. 2.4.3 Consequences of using pirated software Using pirated software could be costly for an organization, even thought their employees used the pirated software without the knowledge of the top management, the management could be held liable for the action on their employees (Robinson and Reithel.., 1994). However individuals do not see the use of pirated software as a crime or unethical behavior (Im and Van Epps, 1991, Reid et al.., 1992). Also risk of been prosecuted was not identified as a significant factor in the study conducted by Hsu and Shiue (2008), because in reality its highly unlikely to get caught and been prosecuted for using pirated software. Kini et al, (2004) suggest that there is lack of recognition and enforcement to intellectual property laws, making software piracy a common phenomenon. 2.4.4 Income and economic conditions related to software piracy The study conducted by Gopal and Sanders, (2000) and Yang et al.., (2009) indicated that ability for an individual to purchase the original softwares is related to his or her income. Countries with higher Gross National Income (GNI) such as United States, Japan and Luxemburg has a lower piracy rate (less than 21%) compare to Georgia, Bangladesh, and Armenia, where piracy rate is more than 92% (BSA, 2008), and for these poor countries software piracy rate remains an economic issue (Moores, 2008). Individuals who earns a high income tend to use pirated software lesser than the individuals who earns a lower income (Wee et al.., 1995). Lamayem et al.., (2004) also backed this concept by stating that economic growth declines the piracy rate in a country; however some individuals might continue to use pirated software due to hobbits. Yang et al, (2009), also stressed that economic improvement tend to reduce the use of software piracy. 2.4.4.1 Top 10 high and low piracy rates Countries with high piracy rate % Countries with low piracy rate % Georgia 95 United States 20 Bangladesh 92 Japan 21 Armenia 92 Luxembourg 21 Zimbabwe 92 New Zealand 22 Sri Lanka 90 Austria 24 Azerbaijan 90 Belgium 25 Moldova 90 Denmark 25 Yemen 89 Sweden 25 Libya 87 Switzerland 25 Table 2.2: Top 10 High and Low piracy rate Source: BSA piracy report 2008 Moores (2008) in his study on â€Å"An Analysis of the impact of economic Wealth and National Culture on the rise and fall of software piracy rates† found out that Software Piracy Rate (SPR) in a country is related to its economic wellbeing and Individualism-collectivism (IDV) of a country. 2.4.5 Cost of original software At an individual level, the cost of original software is considered as prime factor that influences the decision of an individual to use pirated software or not (Cheng et al, 1997). Moores and Dhillion, (2000), Rawlinson et al, (2007,) in their research found out that most university students do not have much discretionary income with which to purchase original software, they also point out that reduction of the price of the original software will reduce the software piracy rate. Studies conducted by many researchers in the subject of software piracy identifies that financial gain that an individual gets from using pirated software is the most common reason to use pirated software (Cheng et al..,1997, Moores and Dhillion, 2000; Traphagan Griffith, 1998; Wee et al.., 1995). According to Al-Rafee and Cronan (2006) many users believed that original softwares are overpriced, this concept was also supported by the studies conducted by Albert-Miller (1999);Block et al.., (1993); Cheng et al.., (1997). 2.4.6 Software piracy in an ethical context Banerjee et al.., (1998,) developed a research framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to model the ethical behavior intentions of Information system (IS) professionals and found that individual and situational characteristics do influence ethical behavior intentions. Loch and Conger (1996) in their study found that attitude and social norms play an important role in ethical decision making situation which can be related to the use of pirated software. Researches done on the subject of software piracy found that software piracy was a normative and accepted behavior, (Cohen and Cornwell 1989), and many individuals do not consider software piracy as a moral issue and use of pirated software is widely common among the business students (Soloman and OBrien 1990) Simpson et al.., (1994,) examined factors influencing softlifting, and identified five factors that influence and individuals decision making process, they are, stimulus to act, socio- cultural factors, legal factors, personal factors, situational factors. They found out that personal and situational factor influence the softlifting behavior. Thong and Yap .., (1998,) also attempted to explain soft lifting behavior using ethical decision making theory (the theory suggest that individuals are influence by deontological[1]F and teleological[2]F consequences of behavior) study showed both were found to influence the decision to use pirated software. Peace et al.., (2003,) generated a software piracy model using Theory of Planned behavior (TPB) as a framework to explain the intention to use pirated software. The study concluded that attitude (which is affected by the cost of original software, punishment severity and punishment certainty), subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were found to be significant factors that influence the intention of and individual to use pirated software. Zhang et al.., 2009 used the general theory of crime and deterrence theory to explain behavior that leads to digital piracy and they found out that only risk taking and punishment certainty leads to digital piracy. Simpson et al.., (1994,) found out that, Academic institutions are increasingly including ethical education in their curriculum. However many studies done on software piracy suggest that ethical education in academic institution had no or minimal effect on the intention of the students to use pirated software (Simpson et al.., 1994; Taylor and Shim.., 1993). Even though, individuals who felt a moral obligation or guilt towards software piracy have less intention to use pirated software (Cronan and Al-Rafee.., 2007). Logsdon et al.., (1994) and Al-Rafee and Cronan (2006) in their studies tested the assumption that individuals with higher level of moral development, are less likely to use pirated software, however they did not find a strong relationship between level of moral judgment and attitude towards using software piracy. The researchers also warn the software developers that even individuals with higher moral reasoning may engage in software piracy. Its believed that culture of a country influences the development of an individuals moral judgment and on understanding of moral intensity regarding software piracy. Christensen and Eining (1990) indicated that individual do not see piracy as inappropriate behavior and they do not believe their friends and superiors believe its inappropriate behavior. Researches concludes that use of pirated softwares in colleges and universities are more common than the general public (Kini et al, 2004). A study conducted by Taylor and Shim (1993) found out that professors use pirated softwares more than business executives. With a sample size of 243 college students , Kuo and Hsu (2001) conducted a research based on Banduras social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1982) and they discovered that self-efficacy was an important element in software piracy, subject with higher self-efficacy were more likely to engage in piracy. The famous psychologist Albert Bandura defines self-efficacy as â€Å"over belief in our ability to succeed in a specific situation†. Kini et al (2004) studied the cultural differences between the students of United States and Thailand in relation to software piracy, and they found out that students of United States has higher moral understanding towards software piracy compare to the students in Thailand. Swinyard et al (1990) in their research suggested that Asians have a more casual attitude towards software piracy than Americans, they are more likely to copy or buy software and less likely to criticize anyone who uses pirated software. Ferrell and Gresham (1985) emphasized the importance of peer group working supervisors in affecting ethical behavior. Christensen and Eining (1991), identified that the decision to use pirated software are influenced by the attitudes of friends and organization, these researchers also indicated that students do not perceive software piracy as inappropriate since they also believe their friends and superiors share this same view. 2.4.7 Problem of software piracy Softwares were the first product thats copied electronically in a large scale (Swinyard et al.., 1990). According to Yang, (2009) software piracy is a huge problem for policy makers and consumers alike, due to the uncertainty involving cross border conflicts, business losses and consumer exposing to virus and different kind of identity theft. McDonald and Roberts (1994) also considered software piracy as a very serious problem though out the world and the reason that it has become so hard to deal with this problem is the easiness in duplicating a copyrighted product. Tang and Farn (2005) concluded that supply to the pirated software will exists as long as there is a demand for pirated software, enforcement of laws and regulation and awareness programs may minimize the piracy rates, but it will not stop people from using pirated software. 2.4.8 Software piracy from a different angle Researchers who try to take the use of software piracy positively suggests that, software piracy can be seen as a form of product sampling, and that sampling can aid in the diffusion of a good (Gupta et al, 2004).As per Mahajan and Muller 1995, the success of excel over lotus 1, 2, and 3 was due to the high tolerance level towards software piracy. Givon et al, (1995), in their paper, â€Å"Software Piracy: Estimation of lost sales and impact on software diffusion† used a diffusion modeling approach to estimate the sale of software piracy, and they concluded software piracy creates shadow diffusion of the software same as the diffusion of original software in the market, the shadow diffusion is a major influential factor on the diffusion of the original software. They argue that the sellers of the pirated softwares may influence the potential buyers to adopt the pirated software, and some of these adopters might even purchase the original software. However, Solomon and OBrien.., (1990,) had a different view; they think software piracy will de-motivate the software developers to bring quality products to the market. Also the consumers have to pay a higher price to use original software; because the price of the legitimate software is inflated in order to make up to the loss of revenue from software piracy (Eining and christensen.., 1991; Taylor and Shim, 1993,). In the fight against software piracy, Germany has started enforcing a charge on every CD burner that is sold to compensate the loss of revenue due to piracy (Cronan and Al-Rafee.., 2007,) 2. 5 Models used in literatures of software piracy In this section, previous research models are discussed in order to explain software piracy. Five models related to software piracy will be examined here, as shown below. 2.5.2 Tim Goles et al Model Tim Goles et al.., 2007 proposed a model to identify the intention to softlift, their model is shown below: The model shows that there is a significant positive relationship between Perceived usefulness, past behavior, technical personal identity, and risk taking personal identity towards attitude to softlift. And negative relation between awareness of the law, moral personal obligation, and legal personal identity towards attitude to softlift. Furthermore the past behavior and attitude towards softlifting has a positive relation with the persons intention Demographic Analysis of Software Piracy Users Demographic Analysis of Software Piracy Users Software Piracy: Most common factors that influence the intention to use among college students in Selangor, Malaysia Abstract Software piracy is one of the worst problems facing the software industry, and the piracy rate around the world is rising and in 2008 alone software industry lost more than US$ 5.3 billion due to software piracy, and in the same time frame Malaysian software industry lost around US$ 368 million. Many previous researches concluded that software piracy is common among college students, preventive and deterrents techniques were no effective in combating the piracy problem, therefore there is a great urgency to identify the factors that leads to software piracy in order to formulate better strategies to overcome the problem. This research identified six variables that influence the intention of college students to use pirated software; they are Gender, Age, Value Consciousness, Attitude, Peer pressure and Novelty seeking. A survey was conducted with students who are attending colleges in Selangor, Malaysia, with a total of 247 respondents participated in the survey. The study found out that Value consciousness, Attitude, Peer pressure and Novelty seeking are the factors that has significant relationship with intention to use pirated software, however gender and age was not found to be significant factors that influence the intention to use pirated software. 1.0 Chapter 1: Introduction: Software piracy can be considered as robbery, an infringement of copyrights, and anything that is copyrighted can be pirated and almost anything worth copying is worth pirating (Honick and Craig, 2005). Independent study sponsored by Business software Alliance (BSA) shows that software piracy is the worst problem that software industry faced, BSA defines software piracy as the unauthorized copying or distribution of softwares. When the end users purchase the software they do not become the owner of the product, however they have the rights to use the software under the terms and conditions oppose by the copyright owner of the software. According to Microsoft there are 5 basic type of piracy, 1- End user copying: Here individuals or organizations copy and distribute unlicensed copies of the software or purchase a licensed copy and use beyond the allowed limits. 2- Hard disk loading: this is practiced by computer manufacturers who use a legal copy of a software to install as many PC they want and sold to end users who are not aware of the wrong doing 3- Counterfeiting: software and its packaging are illegally produced in a large scale. 4- Online: Online piracy occurs when the end user download the software from an online source without the permission of the copyright owner. 5- License misuse: software distributed with a discount rates for the high-volume customers, computer manufactures, and academic institutions that then redistribute these software to others who are not qualified for the software. 1.1 Background of the problem TA study conducted by BSA (200X), shows that piracy rates went up from 38% in 2007 to 41% in 2008 worldwide, however the encouraging news is that among the 110 countries the study was conducted, in 57 counties (52%) the piracy went down and in one third of the countries piracy remained unchanged (35%).The monetary losses for software vendors grew from US $ 5.1 billion to US $ 5.3 billion from 2007 to 2008. Lowest piracy countries according to the BSA(200x), research were the United States Luxemburg, New Zealand and Japan, at around 20% and highest piracy rates were among Armenia, Georgia, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe around 90%. Research conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC 200X) shows that, if piracy is lowered 10% in four years it will create more that 600,000 jobs worldwide. Robert Holleyman, the president and CEO of Business software Alliance stated that in 2008 more that 40% of the software installed worldwide was obtained illegally and cost US $ 50 billion of losses to the software industry. For every dollar of the software sold another 3 or 4 dollars are paid to the local IT farms, in other words software piracy means less jobs in Information Technology Industry, as per IDC (200x) study if piracy is reduced 10%, governments will generate more that US $ 24 billion in revenue without increasing tax. According to Rothken (1998) buyers of legitimate software has to pay an additional 15 dollars to every 100 dollars spent on software, meaning software add 15% to the price of legitimate software because of software piracy. Software piracy will also increase cybercrime and security problems, a study conducted by IDC in 2006 shows that more than 29% of the websites and 61% of peer-to-peer sites offering illegal software infect the computers with virus and other types of identity theft tools. Software piracy is somewhat out of controlled in the real world, Microsoft investigators found pirated software in the computers of a police department who were investigating piracy, and also one out of three software used in business are pirated ( Carbon 1997). The population of Malaysia is estimated at 28 million and spends more than US$ 4.6 billion in information technology, which is 2.9% of the annual GDP. There are more than 6,900 companies employing 222,100 employers in the field of information technology (BSA, 2007). 1.2 Problem statement In Malaysia piracy increased by 1% (from 58% in 2007 to 59% in 2008) and it terms of financial losses, Malaysia lost over US $ 368 million compare to US $ 311 million in 2007. If piracy could be brought down to 10% in next 4 years (2008-2011), Malaysia could create an additional 2,600 jobs, financial gain of US $ 660 million to Malaysian software companies and US $ 144 million in tax revenue for federal, regional and local governments (BSA, 2007). This research aim to find the common factors that influences the intention of college students in Malaysia to use pirated software, as finding these factors will help to combat the issue of software piracy more efficiently. 1.3 Objective of the study: Software piracy has become a worldwide dilemma due to the financial and economic losses the software industry and governments has to face, also extra cost, viruses and other identity theft problems the consumers have to bear. For an issue that has gone out of control, like software piracy, its important to identify grass root problems. In the case of software piracy it is important to identify what factors influence the intention of individuals to use pirated software; this will help the software industry to come up with better strategies in the fight against software piracy. TAs colleges and universities are identified as breeding grounds for software piracy by Hinduja (2007,) and use of pirated software is a common problem in universities and which even happens inside classrooms (Kurger 2003) and college students believe its ethical to use pirated software (Cohen and Cornwell, 1989), its important to find what factors that influence these behaviors in college students in Malaysian context. 1.4 Purpose of the study: TA study conducted by Cohen and Cornwell (1989) shows that software piracy is acceptable among the college students, research done by Hinduja (2007) illustrate that colleges and universities are breeding grounds for software piracy. Protecting the intellectual property is a key factor for the copyright holder and for the consumers as well. The financial loss the software companies are facing is due to the casual attitude of the consumers towards intellectual property rights (SIIA KPMG 2001). Unauthorized distribution and use of software without copyright owners permission is illegal. Number of legal cases conforms that copy right and patent laws apply to computer software. In the case of Whelan Association Inc v. Jaslow Dental Laboratories, Inc (1986), Lotus Development Corp v. Paperback software Intl (1990), Plains Cotton Corporative International Inc v. Altai Inc (1992) court ruled that intellectual properties were protected (Lau, 2006). According to the Malaysian copy right act 1987, if an individual or a corporation was found in position with unauthorized software, the user may face criminal charges, they will face a fine of not exceeding RM 10,000 for each infringing copy, or prison sentence of not exceeding five years, or both. Preventives and deterrents are the commonly used techniques in the fight against software piracy (Gopal and Sanders, 1997), preventives makes it difficult for software crackers to crack the software by increasing the security features. The idea behind the preventive concept is that, when it becomes difficult to crack, the software hackers will find cracking softwares are hard and eventually give up. Deterrent uses the laws and regulation to prevent software piracy. The truth is preventives and deterrents are not so effective, the higher security that is placed in the softwares are checked by more advanced tools, its only a matter of time for software crackers to crack the security codes, the fact that deterrents are not working can be seen from the fact that only 1-5% of the computer abuse is detected. This proves the need to find the influential factors that derives individuals towards software piracy, understanding these factors will help to formulate better strategies to deal with the problem of software piracy. 1.5 Justification of the study: There have been number of studies conducted in relation with software piracy among the college students, however a study focused on college students in Malaysia is not found, Since Malaysia also looses enormous amount of revenue and jobs as a result of software piracy, and the fact that colleges and universities are identified as the breeding ground of software piracy and these are the people who are going to be professionals tomorrow, its important to identify the factors the influence the intention of college students in Malaysia to use pirated software. Since most of the current studies are conducted outside Malaysia, there might be some significant difference in the behavior of the college students in Malaysia compare to previous research done in other countries. As there are no researches done on college students in Malaysia, it will be difficult to guaranty that those factors brought in by other literature can we applied to college students in Malaysia. T 1.6 Research questions This study aims to answer following questions. Will factors like Value consciousness, Attitude, Peer pressure and Novelty Seeking influence the intention to use pirated software among college student in Malaysia? Will demographic factors like Age and gender influence the intention to use pirated software among college students in Malaysia? 1.7 Organization of the study: This study has five chapters; the chapter one includes the background of the problem, problem statement, objective and purpose of the research, justification and research questions. The second chapter is a Literature review, which talks about different theories related to behavior and ethics, findings of the previous literature and few models used in articles writing in the subject of software piracy are discussed. Third chapter is the methodology, which talks about the research philosophy, purpose, approach, and strategy and sample selection used in this study. The forth chapter talks about the findings of the study and the fifth chapter is a conclusion of this study, along with the limitation of the study and further research suggestions. 2.0 Chapter 2: Literature Review First part of this chapter reviews different theories related to behavior and ethics, particularly the Theory of Reasoned Actions by Fishbein and Ajzen, Theory of planned behavior by Ajzen and theory of moral development by Kohlberg were discussed, which will be useful in understanding the factors influence an individuals intention to use pirated software. Second part of this chapter is focused on the findings of the previous literatures, specifically the literatures related to factors the influence individuals to use pirated software will be examined and finally the models used in some literatures will be used to explain software piracy. 2.1 Theory of reasoned action Theory of Reasoned Action, developed by Icek Ajzen and Martin Fishbein (1980) were used to explain why an individual behaves in a certain manner. The theory is based on the assumption that humans are rational and information available to them will be used systematically. TRA uses attitude and norms to predict behavioral intentions, that is when attitude leads to certain behavior but the relevant norms suggest something else, then both factors influence the behavior. The Theory of Reasoned Actions (TRA) identifies that behavior is a function of intention and intention is a function of both attitude and subjective norms. Theory of Reasoned Action is an useful tool used in predicting certain behaviors, its has been applied in predicting number of behaviors like dental hygiene, smoking, breast cancer examinations and the use of seatbelts. (Change, 1998) Enker (1987) examined how attitude and normative belief is related to cheating and he found out that theory of reasoned action was a useful tool in understanding moral behavior of an individual. The motive behind explaining the theory of reasoned action is to understand the sequence of actions that leads to a certain behavior such as software piracy. 2.2 Theory of planned behavior In 1985, Ajzen concluded that Theory of Reasoned Action was not fully completed; he explained that TRA was insufficient, as it does not give consideration to situations where behavior is not under the individuals control. To address these restrictions in TRA, Ajzen developed the Theory of Planned behavior (TPB), which was an extension of Theory of Reasoned Actions The new model proposed by Ajzen included the Perceived Behavior Control (PBC) which was not found in TRA. PBC could be easily measured, and identifies the individuals belief on the difficulty level in performing a certain behavior (Ajzen and Madden, 1986). The Theory of Planned Behavior states that an intention to behave in a particular fashion originates from persons attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Similar to the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is used is in wide range of situation to predict a behavior (Flanny and May, 2000) Chang (1998) tested the validity of both Theory of Reasoned Action and Theory of Planned behavior in software piracy. The research was conducted to see the capacity of TRA to explain software piracy behavioral intentions and to see whether TPB can predict software piracy more accurately than TRA. Chang (1998) concluded that perceived behavioral control is the most important factor that influences individuals to used pirated software. Individuals who behave unethically most of the time do not have the full control of the situation. Opportunities must be available to the individual for him to use pirated software. 2.3 Kohlbergs theory of moral development Kohlberg (1969) developed the theory of moral development, which consists of 3 level of moral development and each level contains 2 stages. The concept behind the moral development stages is that, an individual mature morally when they mature intellectually. Preconvention is the first level of moral development, this is the beginning of the moral development process, and in the first stage of preconvention level (Punishment and obedience orientation) an individual will have full respect for the authority and only concentrate on avoiding any punishment. At the second stage of the first level (reward orientation) an individual will focus on achieving personal benefits such and rewards. At this stage an individual will concentrate more on satisfying his or her own needs rather than fulfilling the needs of others or society as a whole. Conventional is the second level of moral development, in this level individuals focus more on a group, this is the level where peer pressure begins to influence the decision of an individual. At the first stage of this level an individual will think in terms of social convention, someone is labeled good or bad based on familial and social norms. If individuals turn to second stage of level two, they mature morally and focus on law and regulations, at this stage the focus is on maintaining social order, so that societies can function in an orderly manner. Post conventional is the final level of the moral development proposed by Kohlberg, if an individual reaches the first stage of post conventional level one should be able emphasize on what could be legally binding, however one should be able to understands that laws can be amended to meet the social demand. When an individual is at the final stage of moral development or the universal ethical principle orientation individuals see himself as a judge for the moral problems. Individuals at this stage are more concern about human rights, justices and equity in decision making. According to Kohlberg, most people are stuck at the conventional level, authority orientation stage, where law and order is the key aspect of moral decision making. A study conducted by Lane and Lane (1996) on the subject of softlifting (pirating software for personal use) found out that many students who participated in their study remained in the conventional level, authority orientation stage, of the moral development, based on their research they concluded that moral reasons behind software piracy was less important to the student compare to the benefit from softlifting. 2.4 Software piracy literature 2.4.1 Age Prior research conduct on software piracy shows that age had a significant influence on software piracy, hence younger responded were found more acceptable to use pirated software (Al-Rafee and Cronan 2006; Peace 1997 and Gopal and Sanders 1997). Research conducted by Liebowitz (2004) on piracy in the music industry showed that 41% of internet users between the age group of 18 29 download music illegally compare to 21% in the age group of 33-44. However a study conducted by Kini et al, (2004) concluded that age has no significant influence on software piracy. 2.4.2 Gender Kini et al.., (2004), suggest that female students have a higher morality than male students, thus female students use pirated software less than their male counterparts. Ford and Richardson in their research in 1994 also concluded that females are more ethical than males; therefore females will use pirated software less than males, as software piracy can be considered unethical. Even thought the research conducted by Weng et al, (2005) explained that gender was not a significant factor in the behavior to use pirated software, and one possible factor that researches shows male use pirated software is because they are more risk takers than female, this explanation seconds the research done by Solomon and OBrien, (1990) Banjerjee (1992) and Sim et al (1996),as they concluded that gender was practically accountable to the decision of an individual to use pirated software. 2.4.3 Consequences of using pirated software Using pirated software could be costly for an organization, even thought their employees used the pirated software without the knowledge of the top management, the management could be held liable for the action on their employees (Robinson and Reithel.., 1994). However individuals do not see the use of pirated software as a crime or unethical behavior (Im and Van Epps, 1991, Reid et al.., 1992). Also risk of been prosecuted was not identified as a significant factor in the study conducted by Hsu and Shiue (2008), because in reality its highly unlikely to get caught and been prosecuted for using pirated software. Kini et al, (2004) suggest that there is lack of recognition and enforcement to intellectual property laws, making software piracy a common phenomenon. 2.4.4 Income and economic conditions related to software piracy The study conducted by Gopal and Sanders, (2000) and Yang et al.., (2009) indicated that ability for an individual to purchase the original softwares is related to his or her income. Countries with higher Gross National Income (GNI) such as United States, Japan and Luxemburg has a lower piracy rate (less than 21%) compare to Georgia, Bangladesh, and Armenia, where piracy rate is more than 92% (BSA, 2008), and for these poor countries software piracy rate remains an economic issue (Moores, 2008). Individuals who earns a high income tend to use pirated software lesser than the individuals who earns a lower income (Wee et al.., 1995). Lamayem et al.., (2004) also backed this concept by stating that economic growth declines the piracy rate in a country; however some individuals might continue to use pirated software due to hobbits. Yang et al, (2009), also stressed that economic improvement tend to reduce the use of software piracy. 2.4.4.1 Top 10 high and low piracy rates Countries with high piracy rate % Countries with low piracy rate % Georgia 95 United States 20 Bangladesh 92 Japan 21 Armenia 92 Luxembourg 21 Zimbabwe 92 New Zealand 22 Sri Lanka 90 Austria 24 Azerbaijan 90 Belgium 25 Moldova 90 Denmark 25 Yemen 89 Sweden 25 Libya 87 Switzerland 25 Table 2.2: Top 10 High and Low piracy rate Source: BSA piracy report 2008 Moores (2008) in his study on â€Å"An Analysis of the impact of economic Wealth and National Culture on the rise and fall of software piracy rates† found out that Software Piracy Rate (SPR) in a country is related to its economic wellbeing and Individualism-collectivism (IDV) of a country. 2.4.5 Cost of original software At an individual level, the cost of original software is considered as prime factor that influences the decision of an individual to use pirated software or not (Cheng et al, 1997). Moores and Dhillion, (2000), Rawlinson et al, (2007,) in their research found out that most university students do not have much discretionary income with which to purchase original software, they also point out that reduction of the price of the original software will reduce the software piracy rate. Studies conducted by many researchers in the subject of software piracy identifies that financial gain that an individual gets from using pirated software is the most common reason to use pirated software (Cheng et al..,1997, Moores and Dhillion, 2000; Traphagan Griffith, 1998; Wee et al.., 1995). According to Al-Rafee and Cronan (2006) many users believed that original softwares are overpriced, this concept was also supported by the studies conducted by Albert-Miller (1999);Block et al.., (1993); Cheng et al.., (1997). 2.4.6 Software piracy in an ethical context Banerjee et al.., (1998,) developed a research framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to model the ethical behavior intentions of Information system (IS) professionals and found that individual and situational characteristics do influence ethical behavior intentions. Loch and Conger (1996) in their study found that attitude and social norms play an important role in ethical decision making situation which can be related to the use of pirated software. Researches done on the subject of software piracy found that software piracy was a normative and accepted behavior, (Cohen and Cornwell 1989), and many individuals do not consider software piracy as a moral issue and use of pirated software is widely common among the business students (Soloman and OBrien 1990) Simpson et al.., (1994,) examined factors influencing softlifting, and identified five factors that influence and individuals decision making process, they are, stimulus to act, socio- cultural factors, legal factors, personal factors, situational factors. They found out that personal and situational factor influence the softlifting behavior. Thong and Yap .., (1998,) also attempted to explain soft lifting behavior using ethical decision making theory (the theory suggest that individuals are influence by deontological[1]F and teleological[2]F consequences of behavior) study showed both were found to influence the decision to use pirated software. Peace et al.., (2003,) generated a software piracy model using Theory of Planned behavior (TPB) as a framework to explain the intention to use pirated software. The study concluded that attitude (which is affected by the cost of original software, punishment severity and punishment certainty), subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were found to be significant factors that influence the intention of and individual to use pirated software. Zhang et al.., 2009 used the general theory of crime and deterrence theory to explain behavior that leads to digital piracy and they found out that only risk taking and punishment certainty leads to digital piracy. Simpson et al.., (1994,) found out that, Academic institutions are increasingly including ethical education in their curriculum. However many studies done on software piracy suggest that ethical education in academic institution had no or minimal effect on the intention of the students to use pirated software (Simpson et al.., 1994; Taylor and Shim.., 1993). Even though, individuals who felt a moral obligation or guilt towards software piracy have less intention to use pirated software (Cronan and Al-Rafee.., 2007). Logsdon et al.., (1994) and Al-Rafee and Cronan (2006) in their studies tested the assumption that individuals with higher level of moral development, are less likely to use pirated software, however they did not find a strong relationship between level of moral judgment and attitude towards using software piracy. The researchers also warn the software developers that even individuals with higher moral reasoning may engage in software piracy. Its believed that culture of a country influences the development of an individuals moral judgment and on understanding of moral intensity regarding software piracy. Christensen and Eining (1990) indicated that individual do not see piracy as inappropriate behavior and they do not believe their friends and superiors believe its inappropriate behavior. Researches concludes that use of pirated softwares in colleges and universities are more common than the general public (Kini et al, 2004). A study conducted by Taylor and Shim (1993) found out that professors use pirated softwares more than business executives. With a sample size of 243 college students , Kuo and Hsu (2001) conducted a research based on Banduras social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1982) and they discovered that self-efficacy was an important element in software piracy, subject with higher self-efficacy were more likely to engage in piracy. The famous psychologist Albert Bandura defines self-efficacy as â€Å"over belief in our ability to succeed in a specific situation†. Kini et al (2004) studied the cultural differences between the students of United States and Thailand in relation to software piracy, and they found out that students of United States has higher moral understanding towards software piracy compare to the students in Thailand. Swinyard et al (1990) in their research suggested that Asians have a more casual attitude towards software piracy than Americans, they are more likely to copy or buy software and less likely to criticize anyone who uses pirated software. Ferrell and Gresham (1985) emphasized the importance of peer group working supervisors in affecting ethical behavior. Christensen and Eining (1991), identified that the decision to use pirated software are influenced by the attitudes of friends and organization, these researchers also indicated that students do not perceive software piracy as inappropriate since they also believe their friends and superiors share this same view. 2.4.7 Problem of software piracy Softwares were the first product thats copied electronically in a large scale (Swinyard et al.., 1990). According to Yang, (2009) software piracy is a huge problem for policy makers and consumers alike, due to the uncertainty involving cross border conflicts, business losses and consumer exposing to virus and different kind of identity theft. McDonald and Roberts (1994) also considered software piracy as a very serious problem though out the world and the reason that it has become so hard to deal with this problem is the easiness in duplicating a copyrighted product. Tang and Farn (2005) concluded that supply to the pirated software will exists as long as there is a demand for pirated software, enforcement of laws and regulation and awareness programs may minimize the piracy rates, but it will not stop people from using pirated software. 2.4.8 Software piracy from a different angle Researchers who try to take the use of software piracy positively suggests that, software piracy can be seen as a form of product sampling, and that sampling can aid in the diffusion of a good (Gupta et al, 2004).As per Mahajan and Muller 1995, the success of excel over lotus 1, 2, and 3 was due to the high tolerance level towards software piracy. Givon et al, (1995), in their paper, â€Å"Software Piracy: Estimation of lost sales and impact on software diffusion† used a diffusion modeling approach to estimate the sale of software piracy, and they concluded software piracy creates shadow diffusion of the software same as the diffusion of original software in the market, the shadow diffusion is a major influential factor on the diffusion of the original software. They argue that the sellers of the pirated softwares may influence the potential buyers to adopt the pirated software, and some of these adopters might even purchase the original software. However, Solomon and OBrien.., (1990,) had a different view; they think software piracy will de-motivate the software developers to bring quality products to the market. Also the consumers have to pay a higher price to use original software; because the price of the legitimate software is inflated in order to make up to the loss of revenue from software piracy (Eining and christensen.., 1991; Taylor and Shim, 1993,). In the fight against software piracy, Germany has started enforcing a charge on every CD burner that is sold to compensate the loss of revenue due to piracy (Cronan and Al-Rafee.., 2007,) 2. 5 Models used in literatures of software piracy In this section, previous research models are discussed in order to explain software piracy. Five models related to software piracy will be examined here, as shown below. 2.5.2 Tim Goles et al Model Tim Goles et al.., 2007 proposed a model to identify the intention to softlift, their model is shown below: The model shows that there is a significant positive relationship between Perceived usefulness, past behavior, technical personal identity, and risk taking personal identity towards attitude to softlift. And negative relation between awareness of the law, moral personal obligation, and legal personal identity towards attitude to softlift. Furthermore the past behavior and attitude towards softlifting has a positive relation with the persons intention