Abstract
This paper is a problem statement for a paper on SMART Board technology as a teaching tool for teaching autistic children. Also included is a rationale for why this will be a qualitative study.

From the Paper
"The focus of the study will be an examination of what new and emerging technologies have to offer in terms of increasing learning comprehension in the classroom. The educational context will be autistic learners in the elementary classroom. The problem to be studied is the need for and benefits of special targeted technologies specifically the SMART Board in a classroom for autistic children and ..."

Tags:SMART Board, technology, autism, autistic, learning, learner, education, problem statement, qualitative, study

Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses a meeting of the Durham District School Board that was held on the 13 October 16, 2006. The writer explains that this meeting was the first such meeting that the writer had attended and considers the structure of the meeting and the interaction between the relevant parties.

From the Paper
"My attendance at the Durham District School Board Meeting, on the evening of October 16, 2006, marked the first time I had ever attended a school board meeting. Thus, even though I had reviewed relevant sections of the Education Act with respect to the duties of boards (s.170) and their powers (s.171), nonetheless I was initially confused as to the structure of the meeting and how the parties involved interacted."

Tags:education, board

Abstract
This paper outlines the Supreme Court judges that heard the "Brown vs. Board of Ed" case in the 1950s. It includes their backgrounds in terms of upbringing, past jobs, and views and how they were expected to vote in what turned out to be a unanimous decision.

From the Paper
"Because of the distinctive backgrounds and dynamics that existed between the justices on the Supreme Court from 1952 to 1954, a unanimous decision declaring segregated public schools to be unconstitutional was issued in the case of Brown v. Board of Education. Although it has been argued that Brown failed to institute actual societal change, it still is considered to be a landmark decision from a legal perspective. However, its legal impact would not have been as enduring if the justices who decided the Brown case had been divided in their decision. Because of this, it is important to understand the factors that resulted in a unanimous decision. The two central factors to be considered are the unique life experiences of each justice and the desires of both Justice Frankfurter and Chief Justice Warren to deliver a united opinion to the American people."

Tags:black, board, brown, burton, clark, court, douglas, education, ferguson, frankfurter, jackson, justices, plessy, reed, roosevelt, supreme, trumon, vinson, warren

Abstract
This paper discusses the landmark "Brown v. The Board of Education" case, discussing its consequences and offering original analysis and independent opinion of the case and its outcomes.

From the Paper
"In mid- 20th century America, racial segregation was an unpleasant fact. African Americans were discriminated against in housing, education, employment and even public services. According to Massey and Denton, and as cited in Ferguson, their segregation indices rose higher than in any past era or group and by mid-20 century, their segregation indices were over ... nearly everywhere and often ... or more in the largest black communities. Although President Abraham Lincoln had freed American slaves during the Civil War with the..."

Tags:Brown v. The Board of Education, Martin Luther King, Emancipation Proclamation, civil rights, stereotype discrimination, school

Abstract
A look at the history and development of the Chicago board of trade over the years.

Tags:chicago, board, trade

Abstract
This research proposal discusses the specific factors that contribute to the perception of a salesperson's or an organization's credibility. It first discusses the impact that the Internet has on the perception of credibility of organizations' online advertising among the consuming public. The paper then looks at what steps salespeople and companies can take to develop an improved perception of credibility among the consuming public. Finally, the paper discusses in which industries and for what products and services credibility is deemed most important.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Review of the Literature
Research Questions
Methodology
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The research showed that the essence of credibility is worthy of being believed and trusted. The research also showed that gaining and keeping market share in an increasingly globalized marketplace is a challenging endeavor, but successful companies are able to do so by ensuring that the consuming public perceives them as credible and their products or services will do what they say they will. In fact, even the absolute best product or service on the market will likely not sell as readily as those that are perceived as having more credibility by virtue of a salesperson's or organization's ability to communicate these sometimes-nebulous values to the consuming public. The proposed study will fill in some existing gaps in the body of knowledge concerning credibility among the consuming public, particularly as it applies to the dynamic online marketing environment today."

Tags:advertising, consumers, public

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
This paper explains that many of the corporate requirements came about because the Amex, the NASDAQ and the NYSE wanted to ensure the high quality management of the Board of Director committees. The paper then discusses how board committees are structured, which ones are the most important or significant and which ones are the most likely to be needed based on the type of company. The paper examines several types of board committees, including the audit, compensation, nominating, and other committees. The paper also examines the functions of members of non-profit Board of Directors.

Table of Contents:
Legal/Statutory Basis and Terms of Self-Regulation of Board Committees in the USA
The Board Committees in the USA
Audit Committees in the USA
Compensation Committees in the USA
Nominating Committees in the USA
Other Board Committees in the USA
Advantages, Disadvantages, and Problems of Board Committees in the USA

From the Paper
"The standards are designed to show not only that the particular exchange is high quality, but also that it is safe and can be trusted . There is some difficulty with this right now because of the various scandals that took place in accounting firms such as Enron, and many of the changes that are taking place has to do with just such problems. Currently, the corporate governance requirements are a mixture of good governance and competition."

Tags:governance enforcement, sarbanes-oxley act, accountability non-profit

Abstract
This paper discuses the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), which was the result of the huge financial scandals of the 20th century and the early 21st century. The objective of this legislation was to beef up the credibility and the framework of publicly held companies. The author of the paper points out that the eleven titles of the act embrace tough corporate board responsibilities, which can lead to criminal penalties. The paper relates the benefits of SOX to the management of corporations, describes the most important titles and suggests procedures for compliance.

From the Paper
"Title II is "Auditors Independence" and it has nine sections, giving rules for how auditors must be independent of the corporations so that conflicts of interest can be avoided. In fact, Section 201 of Title II tells auditing companies that they cannot do other kinds of business with the corporation, which they are providing auditing services for. This would seem to be an obvious thing that good standing companies would follow without a heavy handed federal law hanging over their heads, but in the age of Enron and WorldCom, it was needed."

Tags:enron, due diligence, credibility board

Abstract
The personnel function, also called HRM or human resources management, is seen by more and more companies as having a strategic role to play in improving the company's competitive position in the marketplace. The paper shows that, in order to facilitate this, the role of the personnel practitioner may have to evolve. Certain changes need to be made to make the personnel function fit better with its developing strategic role, including a clearer definition of those functions, a definition accepted more widely, and other changes to give the personnel function more credibility.

From the Paper
"Corporations may find it more advantageous to hire personnel practitioners on a consultancy basis in order to take advantage of an individual's specialized areas of expertise. The needs of a corporation are diverse, some having the problem of hiring more personnel so that they may need someone with more aces to a diverse group of employees, and some may need motivation for the workforce and so will need someone who specialize in being a coach. Still others, especially multinationals, require an expert in intercultural training. Even other corporations may have the problem of building a unique corporate culture in order to get the best from their workers."

Tags:evolutionary, approach, Board, of, Directors