7(4) July 2002 Margaret McLaughlin and Sheizaf Rafaeli, Editors |
 The argument that individual job seekers could use the revolutionary properties of the Internet to enhance their labor market power was a manifestation of a particular set of economic conditions during the dot-com bubble, a short-lived period in which employers competed with one another for skilled employees.  The dominance of English on the Internet in the medium's early years caused great consternation about a possible threat to local languages and cultures. Though the hegemony of English online has since weakened, there is still concern about how English and other languages interact online. 
Conceptual development occurs through processes such as problem-solving, discussion, and practical experience, mediated through social interactions within particular settings and for specific purposes. Contemporary educators have argued that well-designed online conferencing environments fostering interactive writing may be particularly suited to provide socio-cognitive support for learning. |
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 In contrast to the speculation about the social isolate's benefiting the most from Internet social communication, the authors suggest that it is the person with a large social network and frequent/intimate social communication who is more likely to use the medium for social purposes.  Mass customization, the involvement of the customer in the design, production, or delivery process before the actual sales transactions, using technology to limit the cost, is a strategy that businesses are experimenting with to provide customers with exactly the product they want, at the time they want it. |
