I’m trying to learn for my Writing class and I’m stuck. Can you help?

Students responsible for replying: Replied to each discussion topic posted by classmates by Saturday midnight with substantive relevant postings, adding value to the discussion and demonstrating student’s understanding of the concepts. And, replied more than once to at least one of the topics. In-text citation and references should be use.

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1. ) Social Networks Business Management Issues

Social Networking, according to Investopedia, is the use of internet-based social media sites to stay connected with friends, family, colleagues, customers, or clients. It can have a social purpose, a business purpose, or both through social media. Organizations can engage with their customers through social networking (Kenton, 2020). While connecting with their clients, organizations can also experience issues with social networks, which can have a significant impact on affecting the organization’s reputation. Organizations have to face issues such as the exposure of confidential information of their customers by an employee, and false claims that are about the company on social media.

While employees may or may not intentionally share their customers’/ company’s information on social media, organizations need to educate their staff on what should and should not be shared on social media. According to Chron, it is difficult for companies to monitor employee social media activity and prevent them from speaking on company matters without authorization (Lovering, 2019). Having client information exposed on social media will cause HIPAA violations, and in as such, organizations should educate and have their employees sign an agreement about not sharing any information about the organization. If the contract is violated, employees should face the consequences they were aware of before signing the contract.

The second issue that social media have on any organization is false claims about the organization, which is miss-used due to the increase in customer power. False allegations can create a significant impact on bringing an organization’s reputation down. Organizations can track negative or misleading statements and respond to the claims in a professional approach. According to Chron, organizations can track negative and positive feedback across social media and the web using reputation management software and address the feedback in a proactive manner (Lovering, 2019). It is very important to respond in a professional manner towards negative feedback. While the information may be upsetting, the organization must remember that there would be other potential clients reading the organization’s responses.

Social Networking would benefit Trusty Carpets in many ways, such as making the organization known, which can be done through ads and current clients. It can also allow for the organization to have the opportunity to engage with their customers, which can increase traffic toward the organization’s website and the store. However, the employees of Trusty Carpets need to be trained in ways to address an unsatisfied customer/ex-employee professionally.

Questions:

-Who should set up and maintain Trusty Carpets Social Media accounts?

– What do you consider a great social network(s) for a growing company like Trusty Carpets?

-What are ways to convert social media followers into customers?

-How should organizations penalize an employee that put the company at risk, such as stating work related issues or exposing customers information?

– How would you address a false claim about your organization on social media?

References

Kenton, W. (2020, March 28). Social Networking. Retrieved from

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-networking.asp

Lovering, C. (2019, Mach 1). Negative Effects of Social Media on Business. Retrieved from

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-effects-social-media-business-25682.html

2. ) Privacy in the 21st-century digital world

Privacy in the 21^st-century digital world is something that has been falling apart as time passes by. One of the big reasons for this is that our digital world is a data driven economy. One of the most valuable assets in this day and age is the ability to receive user data (FileCloud, 2019). So, what does that mean? Companies such as Facebook, Google, and Amazon all rely on getting this data in order to create advertisements for the consumer for their various products. Take for example Facebook. Facebook doesn’t require an entry fee or a running subscription and yet Facebook generates $70.7 billion a year. Instead it makes it money by selling digital advertising and doing so by having targeted advertisements (O’connell, 2018).

So, what does this mean for privacy? Data is everywhere from our smart homes, phones, and social media accounts. Gone are the days where privacy was just relegated to someone eavesdropping on you. Users now freely give that information in exchange for services. According to Shah, “81% [of consumers] feel they have very little to no control over the data that companies collect about them” (2020). The government

However, there are some ways to combat this. Things like utilizing a VPN to hide your IP address, encryption keys, and turning off location services are some of the ways to protect your data (Hays, 2019). Even simple things like not posting PII online which can have an effect on your personal life.

Some questions to ask:

How are you protecting your data at home?

How can Trusty Carpets benefit from protecting their data?

What should the Government do to increase data privacy? Should the Government act at all?

FileCloud. (2019). Data privacy in a digital age. https://www.getfilecloud.com/blog/2019/02/data-privacy-in-a-digital-age/#.XwRjpm0zYuU

Hays, C. (2019). How to protect your privacy online. Bloom. https://bloom.co/blog/how-to-protect-your-privacy-…

O’Connell, B. (2018). How does Facebook make money? Six primary revenue streams. The Street. https://www.thestreet.com/technology/how-does-face…

Shah, R. (2020). Why you need a data dragon: top 5 data privacy issues for 2020. The Future of Commerce. https://www.the-future-of-commerce.com/2020/01/06/…

3. )Discussion: 4D Printing

4D printing is based on the same technology as 3D printing but there is one big difference. 4D printing uses special materials and sophisticated designs that are programmed to prompt a 3D print to change its shape (Young, 2019). 4D printing technically does not occur until after the printing is processed; the objects transform on their own with the help of a trigger or stimulus such as heat, water, wind, sound, or other energy sources (Deavall, 2017). With the technology still in the research and development stage, 4D printers are not available just yet for consumer purchase. It is highly likely that you will one day cross paths with a 4D printing without even realizing it; potentially in the form of medical implants or mechanical systems that reshape their configuration with the change of environmental conditions (Young, 2019).

If you are interested in seeing how 4D printing works check out this quick video which portrays the microscale printing process and transformation of a 4D-printed, orchid-shaped hydrogel composite structure (Wyss Institute at Harvard University, 2019) : Click Here.

4D printing is important because there are several industries that are likely to benefit from its use. These industries are; Health and Medicine, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Robotics, Construction, Aerospace and Aviation, and the Food Industry (Flynn, 2020). With so many possibilities 4D printing definitely has the potential to change the world. Below are a few examples of current and possible uses of 4D printing technology (Flynn, 2020):

• Health and Medicine- Used by doctors at the University of Michigan’s CS Mott Children’s Hospital developed an airway splint using 4D printing. This splint stops the baby’s airway from collapsing as it expands when the child grows. The splint was created for use in the neonatal intensive care unit to help babies until their airways are strong enough to support themselves.
• Manufacturing- Discussions are occurring regarding plans to creating boxes that expand on their own for packing and then refold for reuse.
• Aerospace and Aviation- Researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA have developed a metal fabric that is flexible. They have called it space chain mail, and it is intended for use on large antennas that shield spacecraft from meteorites. The antennas can also capture small objects that have originated from the surface of other planets.
• Food Industry- Scientists working in the MIT Media Lab, who have used 2D food to create 3D food, and then advanced the technology further to make 4D food. The 4 D process involves using 2D food strips that fold into different shapes when triggered by water absorption to create 3D shapes. As there is a process of movement involved, these 3D shapes are also considered 4D.

At this present moment it is hard to say if 4D printing would complement for fit in with the primary project. It could potentially be used to improve any packaging utilized for transporting carpet by using a similar process as the plan in discussion in the manufacturing industry to create boxes that expand on their own for packing and then refold for reuse. However, I am not sure that the cost to run a 4D printer will be offset by the savings brought in when using it for packaging purposes, especially since Trusty Carpets does not ship products to consumers.

Thought provoking questions?

1. What are the disadvantages of 4D printing?

2. Can you think of any ways Trusty Carpets could benefit from the use of 4D printing?

3. If you had the opportunity to use a 4D printer, what would you create?

References:

Deavall, S. (2017, December 18). What is 4D printing? Retrieved from https://www.tonergiant.co.uk/2017/12/4d-printing/

Flynn, L. (2020, February 15). What is 4D printing and how will it change the world? Retrieved from https://moneyinc.com/what-is-4d-printing-and-how-will-it-change-the-world/

Wyss Institute at Harvard University. (2019, October 3). 4D printing of Shapeshifting devices [Video]. Retrieved from https://wyss.harvard.edu/technology/4d-printing/

Young, M. (2019, May 13). What is 4D printing? – All you need to know. Retrieved from https://all3dp.com/1/4d-printing/

4. ) Conversational Platform

My topic this week is Conversational Platforms. “Conversational AI is about using messaging apps, speech-based assistants, and chatbots to automate communication and create personalized customer experiences that are infinitely scalable” (Brenier & Prial, 2019). The technology provides customers a different avenue to contact companies in place of email or face-to-face communication. The AI is available 24/7 and can provide customers with rapid solutions to their problems. They efficiently engage the visitor and translate engagements into leads into conversions. Chatbots can become a virtual sales agent for any business which has an online presence and attracts large digital visitors on their websites/Social Media/Apps.

This technology has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages of using the technology include reduced cost, 24/7 availability, learning and updating, and management of multiple clients (Gomez, 2018). Cost reduction is obtained because chatbots eliminate the need for online interactions with customers and overall manpower equated with that action. The 24/7 availability allows customer support at any time of the day on the customer schedule. The advantage of learning and updating is the chatbots do this automatically. They learn more each time they have an interaction with a customer. Customer service representatives are limited to supporting one customer at a time. Chatbots can aid multiple customers at the same time. Some disadvantages to utilizing this technology include a complex interface, chatbots get stuck, they can be time-consuming, large initial startup costs, and sometimes chatbots are unable to make decisions (Gomez, 2018). When considering this technology, it is recommended to test it in your business before fully implementing it.

Conversational AI is based on the rise of messaging apps and voice assistant platforms, both of which are increasingly being fueled by artificial intelligence. There are 2 billion active accounts between WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger compared to the 1.94 billion monthly Facebook users (Brenier & Prial, 2019). This technology also integrates into home automation with services like Google Home and Amazon Alexa. “Chat apps have attracted billions of users, and bots are the mechanism that enables organizations to deliver highly personalized interactions at scale” (Brenier & Prial, 2019). This technology can propel a business through proactive and responsive customer support. Trusty Carpets may be able to utilize this technology when creating their own website and social media presence.

A couple of questions:

-Have you had interactions with this technology and what was your thought about it?

-How do you see this technology evolving?

-Would you propose this technology for Trusty Carpets?

-How would you integrate this into the proposed technology solution?

“59 percent of US Millennials and 60 percent of US Gen X-ers have used chatbots on a messaging app” and chatbots have higher long-term retention rates than traditional apps (Brenier & Prial, 2019).

DISCUSSION: IT Jobs

Since this is a Capstone course, the assumption is that you are very close to graduating. And, even if you have a great job, your degree should inspire you to explore opportunities that are now open to you, including graduate school and higher levels of employment. UMGC has some incredible resources to help you find and land the opportunity you want. The following is the announcement from Career Services:

“CareerQuest is UMGC’s online platform, that connects you to the university’s professional community.

Students can utilize this platform in a variety of different ways, including internship/job opportunities or simply finding a mentor in your desired field.You may also use the following link, to view a short video on the opportunities available in the CareerQuest portal: http://tinyurl.com/hactahs.

In order to get started with CareerQuest, please go to the following link, and create your new profile: https://careerquest.umgc.edu/page/students. You may choose from several options when you create your profile, in order to protect your privacy. You can specify that you are either actively looking for a job, passively looking, or not looking at all. No matter which status you choose, you will still be able access all of the tools and resources!”

Since this is such a valuable resource, I would like for you to explore it a bit. It takes just a few minutes to set up your profile and then you have access to many resources. Please do a job search using the industry and job categories available and select an interesting IT-related job, even if it is not one to which you aspire. Then, go to the Tools and Resources link at the top of the screen in Career Quest and review the tools available.

For this discussion:

1. View the short video at http://tinyurl.com/hactahs

2. Set up at least a minimum profile at https://careerquest.umgc.edu/page/students —> I’ll set the profile myself Once you are done

3. Find and describe an IT-related job

4. Pick one of the tools and tell us what it is used for and whether you plan to make use of it.

5. Tell us if you have used Career Quest and, if so, for what purpose(s)?

Your initial posting is due by midnight Saturday. You are invited, but not required to respond to your classmates. You’ll probably get something out of at least reading all the postings.

==============Sample Posted by another student=====================

One job opening that I came across and was particularly interested in was for a full-time, entry-level Technical Writing position at a software engineering company that specializes in the development of security-focused programs. The writer is responsible for preparation, editing, and maintenance of project technical documents; creating installation, configuration, data flow documentation, technical publications, how-to documentation, and end-user guides; and working with developers to produce documentation, briefings, and training materials. Technically speaking, the job requires an associate’s degree, 2-7 years of professional experience, basic grammar comprehension, the ability to create and manage a documentation library, TS/SCI security clearance, exceptional communication skills, and knowledge in document layout and design. Overall, this job posting is only IT adjacent, but I feel as though a background in IT would make technical writing and communication between programmers and clients easier.

An interesting CareerQuest tool is the Resume Preparation Tool – vmock. It is a resume and LinkedIn profile critique/feedback tool. You provide your resume or LinkedIn profile, indicate the career type you are trying to cater to, and you receive broad feedback about how to make your resume better. I have been struggling with how to develop a resume for a non-specific career path or job, so I would like to use this tool once I have a bit more direction.

Finally, I have not used CareerQuest before, but only because I have been focusing solely on my education and not on career preparation or networking.