The Hot Topics section of this library guide contains information and resources on current subjects that are of interest to many of our students. Many of these topics are inter-related and share common resources. Additional topics will be added in the future. Many of the library databases listed elsewhere in this guide can provide useful information.
goblin.tools is a collection of small, simple, single-task tools, mostly designed to help neurodivergent people with tasks they find overwhelming or difficult. Most tools will use AI technologies in the back-end to achieve their goals. Currently this includes OpenAI's models. As the tools and backend improve, the intent is to move to an open source alternative.
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TrevorAI
Trevor.ai is a planner and task scheduling app that offers the ability to connect to your calendars and create a plan of your tasks, due dates, and appointments. It offers AI tools to help with scheduling and with creating action plans related to specific tasks.
"How Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I." | The New York Times
"Sports Illustrated Published Articles by Fake, AI-Generated Writers" | Futurism
"Here lies the internet, murdered by generative AI" | The Intrinsic Perspective
"AI Spam and the Bot Economy: The Rise of Zombie Content" | Prototypr.io
"ChatGPT Glossary: 42 AI Terms That Everyone Should Know" | CNET
"Inside the secret list of websites that make AI like ChatGPT sound smart" | The Washington Post
"You Are Not a Parrot (And a chatbot is not a human.)" | New York Magazine
"‘It’s destroyed me completely’: Kenyan moderators decry toll of training of AI models" | The Guardia
"Who Is Making Sure the A.I. Machines Aren’t Racist?" | New York Times
"How Nations Are Losing a Global Race to Tackle A.I.’s Harms" | New York Times
Private Equity is capital that is not listed or traded on a public exchange. PE are funds and investors who directly invest in companies. It is favored by startups and companies because it offers access to liquidity as an alternative to traditional funding sources like high interest bank loans, and doesn't require quarterly performance reports. Venture Capital , Leveraged Buyouts, Distressed Funding, and Real Estate Private Equity are types of PE. There are many library resources available to assist your research on this topic. The following list offers some additional suggestions.
Venture Capital is money used to support new or unusual business ventures that exhibit above-average growth rates, significant potential for market expansion, and are in need of additional financing to sustain growth or further research and development; equity or equity-type financing traditionally provided at the commercialization stage, increasingly available prior to commercialization. Cash infusion is frequently why a startup looks at venture capital funding. It can also be a source of marketing expertise and management and legal assistance. There are many library resources available to assist your research on this topic. The following list offers some additional suggestions.
Corporate Social Responsibility is a business model that helps companies be socially accountable - they are conscious of the economic, social, and environmental impact their business has on society. CSR is beneficial to the company and its consumers. It can create a stronger bond between the company and its employees, and help all of them feel more connected to the world. It can be used by any company, but is usually a strategy of larger corporations. It can increase productivity, grow the business, strengthen the brand, and enable the company to set standards of behavior for industry peers. ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, has created the standard ISO 26000 Social Responsibility as guidance on how businesses and organizations can operate in a socially responsible way. There are many library resources available to assist your research on these topic. The following list offers some additional suggestions.
Socially Responsible Investing, or SRI, is investing in companies that have a positive social impact - those engaged in social justice, environmental sustainability, or alternative energy and clean technology - and not investing in companies that produce or sell addictive substances or harmful technology.
Environmental, Social and Governance are three factors used to measure the sustainability and social impact of an investment or business. They are designed to identify potential core ethical and social risks that can impact corporate performance. Environmental risks created by businesses can have negative impacts on our water, air, land, health, and the ecosystem. Topics include managing resources, climate impact, pollution, and disclosure. Positive outcomes can include minimizing environmental liabilities, decreased operating expenses, reduced litigation and reputational risk. Social risks are the impact of business activities on society. Topics include labor-management relations, protecting human rights, health and safety, and product integrity. Positive outcomes can include improved moral and productivity, reducing absenteeism, and increased brand loyalty. Governance risks are about how the business is operated. Topics include diversity and inclusion, board membership, board compensation, accountability, shareholder rights, disclosure of information about company activities. Positive outcomes can include better alignment of shareholders and management/ownership, reduced financial risk, and brand strength. There are many library resources available to assist your research on these topic. The following list offers some additional suggestions.
Sustainability is defined as meeting the needs of the present without negatively impacting the needs of future generations. It is a methodology for increasing long term stakeholder value by focusing on the ethical, social, environmental, cultural, and economic aspects of doing business. It focuses on three areas that have been accepted by the United Nations as an accounting framework - the TBL, or Triple Bottom Line: economic, environmental, and social (or profits, planet, and people). Economic is at its core the concept that a business needs to be profitable to be sustainable. Not simply financially profitable, but that it has economic value to the community that it is a part of. Topics include business ethics, governance, risk management, and compliance. Environmental is about the impact the business has on the environment. Topics include natural capital, carbon neutral, cradle to grave, zero-waste, recycling, wastewater, land reclamation, and packaging. Some industries focus on benchmarking. Social is about securing and managing support - of their employees, community (both local and global), and stakeholders. Topics include social equity, human capital, employee retention, benefits, pay, training, sponsorship, local public projects, supply chain and goodwill. There are many library resources available to assist your research on these topic. The following list offers some additional suggestions.
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