The Impact of Social Media in US Elections.6 Research Paper

The Impact of Social Media in US Elections.6 - Research Paper Example Being a social network, application of social media has spread with a high momentum because of social interconnectivity that links friends and relatives. The Diffusion of innovation theory explains the trend that the social media has adopted and offers a basis for forecasting its future orientation. According to the theory, invention gains popularity and commands the society’s attention until a time when such attention fades. Rogers, the theory’s developer, proposed four stages that are expected of the social media, and its effects on US elections, in the future. The first stage of the model involves adoption by a small section of the society, innovators, who are willing to venture the innovation immediately after its development. The population section embraces possible risks that may discourage others. Following the innovators’ initiative is the adoption of a technology by early adopters whose population is higher than that of innovators. The population segment identifies leaders who do not need persuasion into a technology’s application and are flexible to implementing innovations. A larger percentage of the population into an innovation is the early majority who relies on evidence of the technology’s effects before adoption and an approximately equivalent proportion, the late majority, follows them. New users of the innovation then reduce as the model gets into the laggards’ phase (Boston University 1; Baran and Davis 282). The model therefore offers an insight into the possible trend and effects of the social media in the United States and two perspectives apply. If the people who adopt the social media technology at its earlier stages continue with its application then a cumulative impact can be derived over time because the social media will have a continually expanding audience. This however identifies the role of determining the media’s ability to retain users. Established rate of users’ retention also offers a basis for understanding trend of application and knowledge of the current stage of the innovation, based on the Diffusion of Innovation theory. The model’s variability with time can then offer insight into the future effects of social media on the elections. The theory further suggests an innovation’s effect of diminishing old media forms as the society adopts a new media application (Boston University 1). Shaw’s curve of the old media also offers a basis for understanding the trend in effect of the social media on US elections. Like in the diffusion theory, Shaw explains that an innovation gains popularity until a maximum level of audience before the number starts to decline and the time for the cycle depends on the scope of a preceding innovation or a newly developed innovation. Development of a better innovation may for example facilitate the cycle as the society moves to operate the new development. These concepts therefore offers the basis fo r understanding possible trends of the effect of social media on the elections that can be forecasted with knowledge of previous innovations and speculations of development of new applications for mass communication. Existing data over internet use that indicates high percentages suggests that application of the social media for communication is in advanced stages of the diffusion theory model. Application beyond 60 percent of the adult population indicates possibility of a late majority stage

Globalization and International Relations Essay

Globalization and International Relations - Essay Example However, since globalization, the global economic environment has undergone tremendous changes. According to Devetak and Hughes (2008, p. 34), globalization connects nations through a global network, and it assists a nation to get access to foreign markets and customers. Since the nations got ranges of benefits from globalization, governments adopted a liberal approach towards international trade. As Slaughter & Swagel (1997) point out, the removal of trade barriers promote import and export activities by which a government acquires foreign investments (IMF). In order to take advantages of liberal international trade laws, a number of corporate global giants spread their business across the globe; this practice greatly promoted international relations. For instance, Starbucks Coffee Company transplanted its business operation from the United States to China. The improving unemployment rates in third world countries can also be clearly referred to the fruitful effect of the globalizat ion. The global interconnectedness helped these nations to attract more and more investors to complete their capital accumulation process successfully. In addition, multinational companies started their production activities in developing and underdeveloped countries and this practice created ranges of employment opportunities in those countries. Globalization has also intensified the immigration processes. Even though the ultimate cause of immigration is not globalization, this concept has considerably increased the number of immigrants (‘Migration and globalization’). Before the 21st century, traveling from one’s home country to a foreign destination was expensive and time consuming. In addition, inter-communication between countries was... This essay approves that the productive elements of globalization contributed to the development of a new technological era that restructured the living standards and business concepts of the modern world. The increased application of technology in productive activities also augmented the volume of production. It was necessary to employ more and more workers in order to efficiently operate machineries and other technical systems. This situation also created wide ranges of job opportunities for skilled individuals. Similarly, even technologically underdeveloped nations got access to improved technologies as a result of globalization and this situation in turn improved international cooperation. The explosive growth of information technology (IT) is one of the major outcomes of globalization and industrial revolution. Globalization has also intensified the immigration processes. Even though the ultimate cause of immigration is not globalization, this concept has considerably increased the number of immigrants. This report makes a conclusion that globalization has greatly added value to international relations as this concept facilitates international trade transactions. Increase in export and import trade encourages nations to function cooperatively. The globalization also amplified immigration by which nations could resolve their staffing shortage issues. Moreover, developments in IT sector have greatly restructured the ways nations communicate today.