Exploring Web Source Credibility

The Internet is an ever-expanding resource. There is information on almost any subject you can imagine, and it can get overwhelming trying to search for something that can be classified as reliable information. While the following tips may not always work, they can give a general guideline for things to be wary of when scouring the 'net for facts relevant to whatever data or research you are looking for. 

The first question we should ask ourselves is, what makes a credible website? Beginning with a superficial overview and going more in-depth, here are a few key things to pay special attention to:

1) Layout.

If the website looks like it was made in the 90's, it is probably not up to date in its information. The graphics and text should be legible and have no grammatical or spelling errors. If you take a look at this following website, you will note that the design is very dated and that there are numerous mistakes throughout the text. 

http://www.cyborlink.com/

It is important to see that more than one person compiled a website. We are only human, and generally, one person is very capable of making mistakes. There should be some air of collaboration. If no one proofread the information, it will appear sloppy. And who knows what else is inaccurate if such blatant spelling and grammar mistakes are made? Additionally, a clean layout signifies that the source is legitimate enough to hire a webmaster, or at the very least, invest some money in making their site look professional. This by no means proves the legitimacy of the information, but it is a first step in filtering out the most obvious bogus sources. Then we proceed to the next step, which is to look at the

2) Navigation.

A credible website will make information easily accessible. As a general rule, the authors of legitimate sources will want their readers to find whatever they are looking for quickly and easily, without having to scour the website for things that should be out in the open. Ease of use is key.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3033668

Since the topic of this blog is international business, MSN's headlines on overseas markets should provide most, if not all, major developments in the field. There are several blurbs on the front page with different font sizes and placements on the page, which help to distinguish their relevance in relation to one another. This makes it easy to find what you are looking for. And finally, the most important factor in determining the credibility of a web source is to look at the actual

3) Information.

Let us look at the actual information being presented in the aforementioned websites. I searched "international business" through Google, and both came up on the first page of retrieves pages. MSN provides facts and current headlines related to the field of global business affairs, and is updated very frequently. It cites a variety of individuals, firms, and markets as its references. The other website, however, is almost purely made up of opinions. Yes, it does cite sources. But the topic of business etiquette is debatable and, since the website was created in 1998, a lot of things have changed since then. 

It is vital to carefully look at websites in order to determine their general credibility. While some have more subtle discrepancies than others, there are a lot of giveaways, like layout, navigation, and especially information, that can cue you into whether or not it is a good source.

Internet Happiness and Older Adults

The topic of my group's research is web satisfaction, and one of the more expandable areas of this category is how different age groups respond to the Internet. The study I specifically focused on tested to see whether or not the older population of adults felt empowered by learning how to use the Internet. The hypothesis was that yes, being connected to the Web would have a positive impact on their emotional well-being because they would feel more connected to others. This study points out that the Internet and technology in general traditionally interest the younger generation more than the older one. So when an older person becomes involved with the happenings of the Internet, they appear more "youthful" and in touch with modern society. The study assumes that this is what people strive for.


There were some flaws that I noticed in the way the research was conducted. The biggest one was the size of the sample group-- 22 people and 26 in the control group is entirely not enough to make any sweeping statements about an entire generation of individuals. Also, there are numerous other factors that could not have possibly been accounted for that could either boost or decrease someone's level of happiness. These factors may not even be related to technology.


Those conducting the research also wondered whether or not physical well-being would change in regards to increased Internet use, but the results for this were statistically insignificant. It was proven, however, that mentally, the Web does help individuals when tested against a control group. Self-image and self-confidence increased and those who participated in the study stayed connected well after it was over. There could be some interesting developments to this study in the future if it could be conducted with a larger sample size, but from what research was done, it looks like the benefits of being online outweigh the costs.


Source: http://construct.haifa.ac.il/~azy/S333-OlderAdultsInternetShapira.pdf

Soul of the 'Net: A Closer Look

The Times article, Battle for the Soul of the Internet, describes the timeline of how the web became more and more accessible to the average person. It points out that this decentralized network, while allowing for many positive uses, could equally be used for less-than-noble causes. The entire article is a running metaphor of the Internet being like a large city, with its "safe neighborhoods" and dangerous, crime-ridden areas. It gives specific instances of how people have misused the Internet with things like spam and pornography, such as Laurence Canter and Martha Siegel with their green card law service spamming. Even unintentional misuse can cause serious problems, especially in journalism. Spreading falsehoods can easily get a person sued for libel if they do not check their facts carefully.


Despite this, the article predicts that in the near future, the web can have advanced commercial functions, such as verifying signatures. Some people will want to exploit it for money, but the beauty is that no one person or power "owns" the Internet. This article shows both sides of the Internet, the good and the bad. But the conclusion is that it is a useful tool that can be navigated for its benefits by a knowledgeable user. Information found on the Internet can reach a staggering number of people-- this is where the network's power truly lies. As it continues to expand, new problems will surely develop. But with these unforeseeable challenges, there will also be things to make it more user-friendly and easy to navigate.

Historical Overview of International Business

International trade goes back to the earliest days of human history. It was a staple method of one acquiring what one needs without using monetary units. This was brought about by specialization; if someone was good at making clothes, they only made clothes. If someone else was a very good cook, they cooked. The former could trade the latter for their good; this way, each good would be of higher quality than if the same person made both. Soon after this, however, people invented units of trade, such as silks and spices, and these led up to actual money.


It's tough to imagine what life would be like in the business world without modern technology. Bookkeeping, and accounting in general, would be a lot more tedious and difficult. Before, everything was recorded on paper with pencil, using a simple five-function calculator. It required meticulous effort and great attention to detail. If one little mistake was made, whole accounts could be misconstrued and public records would be inaccurate, often resulting in lawsuits and defamation of prominent individuals.


Then came the Internet, and everything changed. Beginning with the late 1980's and moving forward to present day, the Internet has been revolutionizing how all business is done across the entire globe. It has proven to be one of the fastest-developing methods of communication to date, perhaps soon to be overshadowed by cellular technology alone, anyway. It allows a company to reach millions of people and is one of the best methods of advertising out there right now. Leading up to this point, however, it has expanded exponentially. Before, it was considered to be very advanced for a company to advertise their product or service on the world wide web. Later, online banking came around, and people no longer had to leave the comfort of their homes to physically locate and walk or drive to a bank. They could pay their bills online, schedule bills to be paid at automatic intervals, such as once every month, or even view their savings and checking accounts at the same time!


Cell phones took things a step further. Initially, they helped people from businesses talk to one another on the go. If someone was lost and could not find the location of their conference in a foreign country, they could phone the person in charge, or a colleague, and quickly figure things out, rather than having to refer to a map. The smartphone was made popular by prominent business cell phone company BlackBerry, and later Apple jumped on the bandwagon. It allowed people to access the technologies of both the Internet and cell phone, allowing them to call and surf for latest news updates, all at the same time.


Business technology, originally starting from people trading a fur coat for a fried piece of lamb, has developed into an intricate system of international companies expanding and communicating with their customers and partners more efficiently. It will continue to grow, without a doubt, from these very humble beginnings, at an increasingly fast-paced rate.

An Introduction

In our modern technologically-hyperactive society, there is a constant need to stay informed. News events come from a plethora of sources, ranging from television to cell phones and many things in between. Technology links people together across continents and allows them to interact and keep up relationships of all kinds. Families can do video chat on Skype with their relatives overseas, or a person in Cairo can become aware of Hurricane Earl rampaging through the eastern coast of the United States. Technology is unique in this.

The aforementioned reasons describe why I chose to focus this blog on happenings of the world-- it is getting smaller every day with the help of technology. But what role does technology play in the daily transactions of a large, international corporation? For starters, running a business in different countries would be a very challenging task without advanced forms of communication. Conference calls are a thing of the past. Today, people can go into a meeting and sit across the table from a group in China, for example, and feel as if they are all in the same room. 

Another very important reason why technology is necessary for international business firms is efficiency. So much more can get accomplished when people in one time zone have access to information of those in another. It really makes the business a 24/7 affair because when one group is finished working, others are still at it or just getting ready to work. With BlackBerry smartphones and the Internet in general, it is easy to reach colleagues in different parts of the world. 

Aside from communication, technology has made business transactions much more secure and quick. Account information is precise. These things make people want to invest in a firm, and is becoming less of a selling point as the technology spreads, and more of a standard.

Throughout this semester, I hope to cover all of the aforementioned aspects of technology and how the latter helps businesses around the globe operate more smoothly. I am definitely not aware of a lot of the tools that businesspeople are using or planning to use in the future, and I would like to educate myself and my readers on their benefits and downfalls.