Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses the issue of online message and discussion boards at Universities. The writer suggests that discussion boards are only effective and secure if they are rigorously moderated, if they are established within a secure professional setting (like an online discussion board for a university English class) and if they have explicit rules and codes of conduct in place to protect people from harm. The writer concludes that online discussion boards bring people together - and that is sometimes a good thing, and sometimes a bad thing.

From the Paper
"In the internet age, it is easier to connect with others than ever before; never in history has it been so easy to develop new long-term relationships or to stay in touch with old friends - even ones who now live in different countries and who are not soon to return to the place they left behind. Still, while the internet and wireless communications can bring people together, it is arguable that bringing people together electronically is not always a good thing. To wit, becoming part of an internet message/discussion board involves opening oneself up to people about whom you may know almost nothing - save for the persona they present online. Additionally, the internet is a place that is rife with the danger of personal information falling into the wrong hands: credit card information can be stolen via phishing technology or through unscrupulous types putting up false store-fronts in an effort to get people to relinquish their personal information in the hopes of buying something online; at the same time, the profusion of discussion boards and message boards means that more people are aware of our thoughts and sentiments - at any one time - than would normally be possible, or desirable. Finally, discussion boards can become places wherein self-destructive or just plain anti-social predilections are enhanced; they can also become places wherein harassment can become a grim reality. "

Tags:privacy, discussion, boards

Abstract
This paper analyzes the group dynamics of school boards through a general understanding of the group dynamics of a school board and a case study example of a particular school board. The writer states that this work is especially important given the current climate of public and institutional demands for sweeping change within the whole public school system.

From the Paper
"It is clear through the evaluation of current local political issues in almost any community that the tasks facing school boards are varied and often extremely challenging. The tasks assigned the group include issues associated with curriculum, safety, infrastructure and last but certainly not least both long and short-term fiduciary concerns. (Hamilton & Reutter, 1958, p. 117) One example is noted in the 1994 Kirst analysis on school board reformation, "School boards play an executive role when they implement policy. Many school boards approve not only the budget, but also almost every expenditure and contract for services?.Many boards approve the appointments of principals, vice principals, categorical program administrators, and even teachers." (Kirst, 1994) This example represents an idea of just one of the seemingly all encompassing functions of the local school board."

Tags:public, system, education, principle

Abstract
Today's boards of directors are driven by far-reaching regulatory reforms and increased corporate expectations, as a result of the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation. Consequently, many feel an ever-growing need for orientation, education and evaluation. This paper shows that corporate directors are currently trying to gain the hands-on knowledge required to become more valuable professionals in the boardroom, with the help of general counsels, financial executives, HR representatives or corporate secretaries. The paper shows that ethics is a very important part of their change, since enforcing business morality is the main objective behind the Sarbanes-Oxley act.

From the Paper
"It would have been difficult for the SEC to implement and supervise the application of the new legislation all by itself. Usually, when a law doesn't make sense and is inappropriate for the current economic or social environment, it is simply rejected by the people who should apply it. The proof that the Sarbanes Oxley act is an example of a good piece of legislation is the fact that, since the act has passed through congress, other organizations have decided to join this movement in order to increase the accountability for board members and make sure that their skills and experiences match the tasks for which they are held responsible."

Tags:Enron, public, trust, legislation, SEC, NYSE

Abstract
This paper explains that a radical affirmative action, which legislated a greater number of women directors on Norwegian corporate boards, was not about achieving gender equality but rather centered on the idea that social justice and diversity would add value and create wealth for the companies. The assumption was that teams mixed by gender, ethnic background, age and experience perform better than homogeneous teams. However, in the short run, the effect of this law was not always profitable to the companies. The paper concludes that simply instituting fair employment mandates, such as positive discrimination for women in the corporate workforce, is not an endgame when it comes to successful leadership.

From the Paper
"Forcing companies to meet large diversity quotas in a limited time period has been shown to be counter-productive. While certain companies may be perceived as unethical with respect to their recruitment practices, the majority are ethical and hire people based qualifications, experience and 'fit'. These companies should not endanger because they have to meet a quota mandated by a third party. In the corporate world, leaders should be wholly responsible for the success of their businesses, the well-being of their employees, and the faithfulness of their consumer bases, not the government. "

Tags:value, delisting, teams, counter-productive, leaders

Abstract
Written in the style of a scientific review article for a journal, this paper compares the sanitation of wood versus plastic cutting boards. One of the main points emphasized is the ability of each material to prevent disease and bacteria.

From the Paper
"Every home, restaurant, and commercial food processing area needs a cutting and chopping surface. The materials these surfaces are made of have been under scrutiny as possible sources of foodborne illness. Most cutting board safety issues relate to cross-contamination, which results from processing ready-to-eat, non-cooked items (such as a salad) on a board previously used to cut animal products (1,6). The residue from the animal product inoculates the non-cooked food with pathogenic microflora. This residue, called biofilm, can be made of any number of food products, but the most common sources of pathogenic bacteria result from a biofilm deposit of chicken or beef extract ("juice")."

Tags:food, foodborne, health, illness, microbiology, preparation, public, sanitation, science

Abstract
This paper is a literature review addressing how SMART Board technology can be used with autistic learners.

From the Paper
"The research question that this literature review will explore is "How do SMART Boards affect the learning of autistic children". This question leads to a study of the role of new technologies in teaching those with autism, an examination of the SMART Board as an educational tool in the autistic child's classroom, an assessment of the technology as it relates to teaching autistic children and the specific uses to which SMART Boards can be put in the classroom for..."

Tags:SMART Board, autistic, education, learning, literature review

Abstract
This research paper focuses on a fundamental element of the corporate governance process, the board of directors. In particular, the research addresses the question whether boards of directors as the "apex" of the organization increase firm value.
This paper also outlines the research proposal which seeks to explore whether good board governance leads to higher common stock returns for Swiss companies. The research involves the construction of a survey-based "Board Index" using provisions based on a Code of Best Practice portfolios consisting of companies that conform with the code and others that do not conform to best practice are constructed and then stock-returns are compared.



1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Literature Review - Part I
3.1 The Concept of Firm
3.2 The Agency Problem
3.3 Definition of Corporate Governance
3.4 Mechanisms of Corporate Governance
4. Literature Review - Part II
4.1 Board of Directors - Introduction
4.2 Models of Boards
4.2.1 One-tier vs Two-tier Board Model
4.2.2 The Case of Switzerland
4.3 CEO Duality
4.4 Outsider Directors / Board Independence
4.5 Board Size
4.6 Board Committees
4.7 Interlocking Directorates
4.8 Multiple Board Appointments
4.9 Frequency of Board Meeting
4.10 Board Diversity
5. Literature Review - Part III
6. Regulatory Development
6.1 Overview
6.2 The Case of Switzerland
6.3 Conclusion
7. Objectives of the Proposed Research
8. Research Design
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Data
8.3 Board Index
8.4 Board Impact on Firm Valuation
8.4.1 Performance Measure
8.4.2 Long-term Equity Return
8.5 Current Board Structure
8.6 Potential Research Problem
8.7 Ethical Issues of the Proposed Research
9. Expected Research Outcomes

From the Paper
"Nevertheless, corporate boards are the focus of many attempts to improve corporate governance. Regulators and shareholder advocates in the US have called for smaller boards with greater outside representation among US corporations (The Business Roundtable 1997). This movement toward specific board guidelines, typically calling for greater independence, independence outside representation, and requirements that boards have audit committees that consist only of independent outside directors, is a characteristic of the Codes of Best Practice issued in many countries (Denis & McConell, 2003). In Switzerland, for example, the "Directive on Information Relating to Corporate Governance" and the "Swiss Code of Best Practice" have become a listing requirement on the Swiss Stock Exchange as of July 1, 2002. Yet despite the extensive research, there is no clear empirical evidence that shareholders benefit from these regulations.

The proposed research addresses a number of important issues relating to corporate governance, board of directors, firm value and the relationship between these in Switzerland. Foremost, among these research questions is: Do well-governed boards of directors, measured in regulator's terms, increase long-term equity returns?

A test can be carried out in order to evaluate the hypothesized relationship between board governance quality and firm valuation; a board-index may then be constructed based on a survey of all listed companies on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SWX) (Beiner, p. 3). Based on this index, portfolios can be built, consisting of companies with well-governed or poorly governed boards. In addition, following the portfolios, a comparison of their long-term equity returns may be done (Beiner, p. 3)."

Tags:firm, corporate, audit, CEO, committee, valuation, structure

Abstract
The paper discusses the PCAOB that was created to give oversight to the AICPA. The paper explains how while this was a blow to the accounting profession, the AICPA chose to work positively with the oversight board. The paper relates that now, some EU countries are considering oversight boards of their own.

From the Paper
"The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) was created by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, passed by the U.S. Congress after the major company Enron declared unexpected bankruptcy. In the investigation of that company's downfall, it came to light that the Public Accounting Company that was supposed to be auditing their financial statements was actually advising them on how to get around the rules and falsify their financial statements. Apparently, the professional peer review system was inadequate to the task..."

Tags:aicpa, pcaob, sarbanes-oxley, international, business, europe, union

Abstract
This paper reviews two for-profit corporations, AC Moore Arts & Crafts, Incorporated and Albertson's, Incorporated. The specific purpose of this paper is to report on the extent of the role that women play in the governance and management of each corporation and what contrasts may be drawn between them.

Outline:
The Case
Albertson's, Incorporated
History and Background
Organizational Culture
Financial Performance
Women
A.C. Moore, Inc.
History and Background
Organizational Culture
Financial Performance
Conclusion

From the Paper
"In the 2003 report, Women on Boards, Albertson's was ranked second among 120 public companies in the Philadelphia region for the percent of women on their board of directors and 17th for the percentage of women holding executive positions in management. Women represent over 30% of the membership of the board of directors and hold 21.4% of the company's executive positions. (FEW, 2003, p. 11).
Among the positions held by women at Albertson's are Vice President and CFO; Executive Vice President of Human Relations; and recently instituted Senior Vice-President of Customer Service. This last position, according to information on the company website, "...underscores Albertson's transformation to a customer focused company." (Albertsons, 2004)."

Tags:management, diversity

Abstract
Racial segregation in the 50s was a problem in public schools. "Brown vs. Board of Education" was the beginning of the Supreme Court recognizing that all people are equal.

Tags:brown, vs, board