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Creating Consumer Value through Physical and Digital Product Bundles: One Firm's Approach
Get PDFIn recent years, firms have bundled digital products and physical products to create value and gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. In this commentary, we discuss one such approach to value creation. We present the case of Ganz, who developed and marketed the Webkinz brand of plush toy collectibles. These Webkinz toys create unique value through bundling a physical collectible toy with digital services accessed through the Internet. In this article, we analyze the elements of the Ganz business model that contribute to creating consumer value. We conclude with implications for managers and suggestions for future research
Federalism And The No Child Left Behind Act : An Analysis Using Constitutional Systems And Adaptive Work Frameworks
Get PDF1405 pagesA four-frame analysis of NCLB was conducted. The first frame involved constitutional
federalism as defined by the Guarantee Clause of the Constitution, the Tenth Amendment and its
intersection with the Spending Clause, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Eleventh
Amendment. The historical context of each constitutional component was examined and
presented in the belief that text without context fails to provide full understanding. 135 court
cases, primarily Supreme Court cases, were examined using legal analysis procedures. Peter
Senge’s systems thinking formed the second frame, while the third frame centered on Ronald
Heifetz’s concept of the adaptive work required to close the gap between the vision (no child left
behind) and the reality (achievement gaps). The fourth frame, federalism as a public policy
approach, emerged from writings by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Justice Felix
Frankfurter, and Akhil Reed Amar as well as opinions by Justices Brandeis and O’Connor.
Federalism as a public policy views the federal and state governments as equal partners wherein
states serve as laboratories engaged in experimentation to find solutions to complex problems.
Comparative analysis and rational argument were used for the last three analytical frames.
Historical research and analytical study broke new ground regarding: the thread of America’s
answer to Aristotle’s question regarding a government based on the rule of law or of individuals;
Madison’s activities as reflecting both possible answers to Aristotle’s question; the intertwining
of treaty rights, the status of tribal governments, and citizenship rights for tribal citizens; and the
substitution of argumentative tricks for sound analysis in recent Tenth and Eleventh Amendment
jurisprudence. The following findings were reached: 1) NCLB possibly violates one or more of
the conditional spending tests articulated in Dole v. South Dakota; 2) NCLB does not take a
systems approach to the system of children’s well-being in America; 3) NCLB treats a symptom
(achievement gaps) and ignores the primary cause of those achievement gaps (poverty); 4) by
treating a symptom as a cause, NCLB ignores the adaptive work needed to close the gap between
NCLB’s vision and the reality of achievement gaps primarily caused by inequitable distribution
of incomes and poverty in America; 5) poverty exerts a primary force upon education that is
negative, that acts as a fundamental factor impacting the system of children’s well-being, and
that inhibits a child’s ability to fully benefit from education; 6) NCLB does not utilize a public
policy approach based upon federalism; and 7) until the system of children’s well-being is
addressed, achievement gaps will persist. It is recommended that the amicus curiae brief
submitted by the National Council of State Legislatures in Dole be used as a model for a
constitutional challenge to NCLB. Since NCLB is an exercise in congressional conditional
spending, it needs to be challenged on those grounds. Finally, constitutional challenges to
NCLB will not matter in the absence of a systemic approach designed to confront the negative
influences of poverty on the system of children’s well-being in America
Attributes of Successful School Improvement Teams: Participants' Perspective
Get PDF1 online resource (85 leaves)The Problem:
In light of the current political and economic pressure being placed on school districts, it is imperative for school leaders to implement initiatives which will contribute to the school improvement process. Better utilization of administrators and faculty is key to the efficient and effective implementation of school improvement efforts. Teams have been identified in a wide range of research successfully implemented by business/industry and schools. The purpose of this research was to study the attributes or behaviors of individual team members, as viewed by their fellow team members. These attributes or behaviors were coded to determine whether they helped the school improvement team succeed.
Procedures:
A qualitative collective case study was utilized to gain insight into the perceptions of team members as they reflected on traits they viewed in other members of their school improvement team. Semi-structured interviews, observations, and historical documents were used to gather data from four moderately sized school districts in Iowa. This was a multi-case study in which the interviewees were randomly selected.
Findings:
The interviews uncovered eight main attributes. The five main attributes were: bringing something positive to the team, being a team player, life-long learning, clearly defined roles on the team/ground rules, and longevity working together. Important, yet secondary, attributes were identified as: approachability, strong communication skills, and having a vision of the future
Development of a Thermocouple Device to Measure Zebra Finch Nest Temperature During Incubation
No full textMentor: Debora ChristensenDetermination of avian nesting behavior is challenging for a number of reasons: accessing the nest
can be difficult, electronic recording devices are costly and may be damaged by the parents, and presence
of the device may disrupt normal parental behavior. External devices such as video cameras can
be used to record nesting activity, but these are expensive and labor intensive (i.e., every minute recorded
requires an equal amount of viewing time and encoding by the researcher) and so are not feasible
for long-term observations. Because the goal of avian incubation is to maintain the eggs at the
temperature suitable for optimal embryonic development, we investigated whether the use of thermocouples
placed in the nest could as a surrogate for nest attentiveness. We tested three types of thermocouples
for this purpose. Because zebra finches are prolific nest builders and will use any material
available for nest-building, an exposed thermocouple wire is vulnerable and could easily become
damaged. Therefore, we chose to disguise two of the thermocouples by embedding them in dummy
eggs and placing the eggs in the nest at the end of egg-laying. We emptied nonfertile zebra finch
eggs and experimented with filling them with different substances including agarose and a silicone
adhesive compound that, when cured, would secure the thermocouple in the egg and remain thermally
responsive. Testing with breeding zebra finches established that this device was well tolerated and
provided a good measure of incubation behavior.Drake University, College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Biolog
Activity And Localization Of Maltodextrin Binding Site Mutants Of Glycogen Synthase In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae
Get PDFMentor: Wayne A. WilsonGlycogen is a glucose polymer formed by the enzyme glycogen synthase and is used in many organisms
to store chemical energy. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s yeast) was used to study the activity
and localization of glycogen synthase. Genes GSY1 and GSY2 encode glycogen synthase. GSY2 is
responsible for the formation of Gsy2p, whose action accounts for ~90% of glycogen synthase activity;
the remainder of total glycogen synthase activity stems from Gsy1p. Because glycogen synthase
binds to glycogen, it can be used to determine glycogen localization. Glycogen synthase can appear in
distinct patterns throughout the cell. Gsy2p has been shown to be regulated by phosphorylation. Phosphorylation
of Gsy2p leads to inactivation of the enzyme, a decrease in glycogen storage, and a more
localized pattern of glycogen synthase. Conversely, lowering the phosphorylation state of Gsy2p results
in increased glycogen production and delocalization of glycogen synthase throughout the cell.
Glucose-6-P (glucose-6-phosphate) activates glycogen synthase regardless of its phosphorylation
state.
We obtained a set of plasmids from a collaborator, encoding Gsy2p mutated at sites believed to be
involved with maltodextrin binding. Maltodextrin is a chain of 20 or fewer dextrose molecules with α
(1→4) glycosidic bonds. A protein sequence involved in maltodextrin binding likely would also bind
to glycogen. Our task was to discover the localization pattern shown by the maltodextrin binding site
mutants of glycogen synthase using a GFP tag on GSY2. The goal of this study was to determine the
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effects of Gsy2p maltodextrin binding mutants on glycogen synthase activity, localization, and glycogen
accumulation
Re-imagining Shakespeare - Hamlet (program 2)
No full textThis exhibition represents the cross-discipline collaboration of more than sixty of Drake's students. After studying several of the Bard's plays, students in Sarah Hogan's Reading Shakespeare courses (ENG 058) worked in small groups to direct and perform scenes from "The Merchant of Venice", "Hamlet", and "Twelfth Night". They then collectively drafted a series of short essays on their imagined full-length productions. These modern adaptations, explained in the collaboratively-authored programs, ranged from a "Hamlet" set in the impoverished town of Denmark, South Carolina, to a "Twelfth Night" that explores the gender politics of corporate America. Students in the Graphic Design Two courses (ART 116) taught by Hilary Williams then worked in pairs to create theater posters and program covers that drew on these materials for inspiration and interpretation. All along the way, students have shared ideas, debated visions, and re-imagined Shakespeare.William Shakespeare was no stranger to collaboration. More than a few of his plays were co-authored with fellow dramatists or adapted by others in the process of publication, while performances of his works have always depended on the efforts of actors, investors, and even audiences. Indeed, in his time, Shakespeare was part of a commercial company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and later, the King's Men. Bringing his works to both light and life has therefore always required the imaginative labor of many.Drake University English Department, Professor Sarah Hogan, and Drake University Graphic Design Department, Professor Hilary Williams. Funding provided by Drake University Women's Studies. Exhibit hosted by Drake University, Cowles Library
Effective Use of Digital Technologies of High School Teachers as Digital Immigrants in Six Rural Public Schools
Get PDF1 online resource (103 leaves)Problem: A widening experiential gap of effective use of technology in K-12 schools
between “digital immigrants” and “digital natives” (Prensky, 2001) is becoming more
evident as digital natives become classroom teachers and showcase pedagogical strategies
with digital technologies. There is a dearth of research on digital immigrants who effectively
use of digital technology in teaching and learning in high school classrooms.
Methods: Using a phenomenological (Creswell, 2007) approach to explore “lived
experiences” (Van Manen, 1990) of secondary teachers who use technology effectively in
their classrooms for teaching and learning. I conducted in depth semi-structured individual
interviews with five digital immigrants who fit this description. Using purposive sampling
(Bogdan & Biklen, 2007) participants were selected through nomination from their
administrators. Data collection methods included verbatim transcriptions following each
interview, sample lesson plans from each teacher, field notes, my reflexive journal, and
member checks for data triangulation. Using open coding and recoding strategies (Strauss &
Corbin, 1998) major themes and commonalities emerged from the data. The process of
member checking and data triangulation ensured that participants’ voice, experiences, and
viewpoints were rich descriptions of their technology experiences.
Findings: The participants’ stories revealed four key themes that captured the essence of
their effective technology experiences: (a) motivation for being an effective technology user,
(b) identity as a life long learner, (c) learner focused pedagogy, and (d) effective
mentorships.
Conclusions: Participants focused on effective pedagogy as essential to student learning with
technology as vehicle for instruction, not a stand-alone tool. They exhibited intrinsic
motivation and enthusiasm for continuous learning.
Recommendations: Teachers may benefit from district level professional development
opportunities to collaborate and showcase effective classroom technologies, particularly in
rural areas. Districts should increase administrative support for teacher use and exploration of
digital technologies in order to pique curiosity, build skills, and increase motivation
Copyright For The Rest Of Us: A Guide For People Who Aren’t Lawyers
Get PDFMarcia W. Keyser is the Coordinator of Copyright Services, Instruction and Reference Librarian at Cowles Library, Drake University. She can be reached at [email protected] those who want to teach or learn more about American copyright law, Copyright For The Rest Of Us is the book to use. Eleven chapters, with illustrations, outline concepts such as basic copyright law, where to find it, and how to apply copyright law in many common situations. Each chapter includes a set of scenarios or discussion questions for use on your own or in class. Many chapters, such as “Music and Copyright” can be used on their own. Copyright For The Rest Of Us is licensed under a Creative Commons license, so students or instructors may read, download, or print no charge.A grant from the Drake University Humanities Center provided for illustrations and for student and professional editing
Teacher Attitudes Regarding Interactions With 8th Grade Students
Get PDF1 online resource (120 leaves)The Problem: Classroom management and success of students is difficult to maintain if teachers do not know their students and build and maintain appropriate relationships in the classroom. Very little discussion is to be found on the importance of relationships with students in the classroom and the skills teachers use to foster these relationships. Teachers also spend very little time reflecting upon these relationships and talking with other teachers about the needs of their students.
Procedures: In the following study the behavior referrals of students from their 7th grade year are used to fuel discussion with teachers and administrators about how they interact with students and what, if any, reflection they do regarding their students outside their academic needs. Eight 8th grade teachers and two middle school administrators from the same urban Midwestern middle school were interviewed to determine what strategies were being used and what the needs of the staff were regarding building and maintaining relationships with students.
Findings: Although many strategies emerged throughout the interviews teachers and administrators showed a genuine concern for the well being of their students and teachers, there was little time prioritized for staff dialogue and professional development regarding building and maintaining relationships with students. It was discovered that some form of relationship with each students was important and that families and communication play a role in those relationships.
Conclusions: Teachers and administrators saw the need to get to know students on a personal level and held the strategies to do so in high regard. There is little time, however, to facilitate discussions during planning time or professional development time because of the focus on other academic goals of the building. Each teacher in the sample did show that they used time in class to get to know students and were concerned about the well-being of their students.
Recommendations: Teachers should be allowed professional development time to talk about students and how to build and maintain relationships with them. They felt as though they needed to focus on academic goals during class time, but also saw a benefit in time for reflection and discussion of their students’ needs. Staff development needs to include time for those discussions and the sharing of skills and information to become more cognizant of students and their lives