IdeaWazaWiki - User contributions [en]

Archive:Fanboy

2007-06-19T23:19:12Z

142.167.236.131: /* See also */

'''Fanboy''' is a term used to describe an individual (usually male, though the feminine version '''fangirl''' may be used for females) who is utterly devoted to a single fannish subject, or to a single point of view within that subject, often to the point where it is considered an [[obsession]]. Fanboys remain loyal to their particular obsession, disregarding any factors that differ from their point of view. Fanboys are also typically aggressive and hateful towards the opposing brand or competition of their obsession regardless of its merits or achievements.

== Background ==
Fanboys are attributed with a sycophantic devotion to the creators and principles behind a work with which they are currently enthralled, but will quickly move their attention elsewhere once something better or just newer comes along. Fanboys are noted for a very emotional attachment to their chosen subject, often taking negative remarks about it as a personal attack. They will readily engage in debates, but will fall back on emotional responses. For example, a "fanboy" may go out of their way to point out negative and often untrue statements about their obsession's rivals; this is commonly known as [[FUD]].

As electronic entertainment gained popularity, the term became increasingly applied to [[video game]]rs and television addicts. As a result, a subculture emerged which readily labeled itself as fanboys. Within this group, more effort is taken to fit in with a perceived standard, resulting in a more outgoing attitude, even among those with insecurities. This outgoing stance is often felt to be abrasive by those not involved in the culture as deeply.

More recently, especially in the [[video game industry]], fans of a particular video game console manufacturer have begun exhibiting slavish devotion to their brand of choice. Conversely they hold an unreasonable amount of animosity towards the other brands which they consider to be competition. They are extremely rude to fans of the other companies or even people who don’t exhibit complete and utter devotion to the object of their fanaticism. These people seek out every opportunity to annoy others whose opinions differ from theirs. This trend has caused the term “fanboy” to acquire an increasingly negative connotation.

==History of fanboys and the term==
The term originated in [[comic book]] circles, to describe someone who immersed himself in the fictional worlds of comics and the culture of comics fandom. The term is often used in a derogatory manner by other less obsessed fans. In the songs of the fannish [[parody]] [[musician]] [[Luke Ski]], many characters proudly consider themselves ''fanboys''. The term is most commonly associated with adolescent and teen males but can be applicable to any age or sex. Common subjects of reverence by fanboys are [[TV show]]s, [[film|movie]]s, [[music]], [[anime]], [[comic books]], [[Star Trek]]([[Trekkies]]), [[Star Wars]]series, [[car]]s, [[video game console]]s, [[video games]], [[operating system]]s, [[MMORPG]]s, [[Computer Hardware|hardware]] and [[software]] companies.

Popular depictions of Fanboy stereotypes include the [[Comic Book Guy]] on ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and columnist [[Larry Groznic]] from the satirical newspaper ''[[The Onion]]''.

The earliest published uses of the word "fanboy" have been dated to 1982. One reference is to the cover of the "Official Underground and Newave Comix Price Guide". On this cover page are sketched overweight, overzealous comic book collectors wearing T-shirts that state "Fanboys of America," and are describing the extreme measures they would go to, including moving to San Francisco, to preserve their comics. Also published in 1982, a comic strip appeared in Jim Engel and Chuck Fiala's "Fandom Confidential" comic. In the strip, Jim and Chuck met comic artist/writer [[John Byrne]] and collapsed into "mindless paroxysms of adoration." The John Byrne character responded that they were "a couple of fanboys in bondage" which was a play on words referring to a [[List of Monty Python's Flying Circus episodes#8. Archaeology Today|Monty Python skit]] in which an Elizabethan era character reads what she claims to be "'Gayboys in Bondage' by William Shakespeare".[http://www.byrnerobotics.com/FAQ/listing.asp?ID=7&T1=Miscellaneous+Questions#154] Another early use is in a smart-alec editorial reply by "[[Ambush Bug]]" to a letter in his comic in [[1985]].

==Subjects of obsession==
{{list to prose (section)}}
Some current examples of brands and products which have fanboy supporters:
*The competing gaming platforms [[Gaming_PC|PC]], [[Playstation 3]], [[Wii]] and [[Xbox 360]].
*The competing computer hardware and software produced by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]], [[Microsoft]], and [[Linux|GNU/Linux]]. (See also [[Operating system advocacy]]).
*The internet [[web browser]]s [[Mozilla Firefox|Firefox]], [[Internet Explorer]] and [[Opera (internet suite)|Opera]].
*The various technology companies: [[Google]], [[Sony]], [[Apple]], [[Microsoft]], [[Nintendo]].
*The biggest airplane manufacturers [[Airbus]] and [[Boeing]]
*The [[graphics processing unit]]s produced by [[ATI Technologies|ATI]] and [[NVIDIA]].
*The [[computer]] [[microprocessor]] companies [[Advanced Micro Devices|AMD]] and [[Intel Corporation|Intel]].
*The competing [[DVD]] successor formats [[Blu-ray Disc|Blu-ray]] and [[HD DVD]].
*The competing handheld video game consoles the [[Nintendo DS]] and the [[PlayStation Portable]].
*The various [[MP3]] players, notably the [[iPod]] and the [[Zune]].
*The various [[automobile]] manufacturers, such as [[General Motors]] and [[Ford]].
*The long running [[science-fiction]] franchises [[Doctor Who]], [[Star Trek]], [[Star Wars]], [[The Matrix]], [[Godzilla]] and [[Babylon 5]].
*The competing tabletop role play game systems [[D&D]] (and other [[D20 system]] spinoffs), [[World of Darkness]], and [[GURPS]].
*The Japanese style of animation and comics, also known as [[Anime]] and [[Manga]], respectively.
*The comic book brands [[DC Comics]] and [[Marvel Comics]].
*The wrestling companies [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]], [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling|TNA]], [[Wrestling Society X|WSX]] and [[Ring of Honor|ROH]].
*The competing games [[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]] and [[Final Fantasy VII]] (for [[Nintendo 64]] and [[Playstation]], respectively).
*Sports teams that have large, if not bandwagon, fanbases ([[New York Yankees]], [[Boston Red Sox]], [[Chicago Cubs]], etc.)
*Programming languages. Programming language fanboy-ism is particularly common in inexperienced programmers who only know one language well, and therefore holds that this language is superior to all others. Often leads to [[Holy Wars]], e.g. C vs. C++, C++ vs. Java, Perl vs. Python etc.

==Media==
===Comic Book===
*[[Sergio Aragonés]]' ''Fanboy''
*[[Galactic Storm]] ''Fanboy''

===Television===
*''[[The Simpsons]]'''s [[Comic Book Guy]] refers to himself as a fanboy.
*''[[Freakazoid!|Freakazoid]]'''s [[freakazoid!#Other characters|Fan Boy]]
*''[[King of the Hill]]'''s [[Hank Hill]] is a fanboy of [[propane]].

===Radio/Podcasts===
*[[Fanboy Radio]] - [http://fanboyradio.com]
*[[Fanboy TV]] - [http://www.fanboy.tv]
*Drooling FanBoy - [http://droolingfanboy.com]
*ifanboy - [http://www.ifanboy.com]
*[[The Fanboy Smackdown Podcast]] - [http://www.fanboysmackdown.com]
*[[The Opie and Anthony Show]] - [http://www.opieandanthony.com]

===Webcomics===
*Fanboy Almanac (webcomic) - [http://fanboyalmanac.com Fanboy Almanac]
*[http://www.ngeb.net/fanboys Fanboys web comic]
*[http://www.fogclub.net F.O.G.Club web comic]
*[http://www.fanboysonline.com Fanboys!! Beyond Geekdom!!! (webcomic)]
*[http://www.fanboys-online.com Fanboys-Online]

==See also==
* [[Addiction]]
* [[Cyberstalking]]
* [[Editor war]]
* [[Anorak (slang)|Anorak]]
* [[Astroturfing]]
* [[Otaku]]
* [[Chad Warden]]
* [[GodofGTA3]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fanboy Urban dictionary: fanboy]
* [http://www.netjak.com/review.php/1013 Dissecting the Fanboy Mind] - A discussion of the fanboy behavior in regards to video games.
* [http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=6463 The trial of the Fanboy] - A criticism of the fanboy concept and overusage of the term.

[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Anime and manga terminology]]

[[de:Fanboy]]

Master of Business Administration

2006-09-28T02:34:21Z

142.167.45.1: /* Corporate Finance */

Welcome to the Wikiversity '''Master of Business Administration Program''', part of the [[School:Business|School of Business]].

==Introduction==
This document will link and organize the information found here on WikiMedia and elsewhere on the internet to provide a comprehensive business education such as one provided by the top business schools in the world.

A Master in Business Administration (MBA) is unlike many other academic programs. While most Master programs provide a further specialization within a particular school or discipline (such as law), an MBA is typically interdisciplinary, drawing from the fields of psychology, sociology, economics, accounting and finance.

Most of the material found within an MBA program is not unique to business. Rather, an MBA provides exposure to the diverse ideas which are most useful to a person who is interested in succeeding in business within an-easy-to learn two-year bundle. Despite all the drinking and socializing, an MBA can be a lot of work. If you work through all the concepts referenced, it should take you awhile (probably 2,000+ hours). You're also going to have to get good at Excel.

Let's get started.

==Core Course Overview==

Some MBA programs have core course requirements in the fields listed below. For examples, please refer to the core requirements of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INSEAD INSEAD],
[http://mba.sciences-po.fr/us/deroulement.htm Sciences-Po],
[http://www.hbs.edu/mba/academics/required.html Harvard Business School], [http://mba.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/academics/curriculum/core.php Wharton Business School], and [http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/students/affairs/courseinfo/core.HTML Columbia Business School].

Many MBA programs also have coursework on advanced topics based on these core subjects. In addition, there are diverse subjects that make-up an MBA curriculum.

==Coursework==
===Basic Probability and Statistics===

The grounding for many futher concepts in business, as in other applied disciplines, is a thorough understanding of [[Wikibooks:statistics|statistics]]. A good free source for understanding probability is [http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7Echance/teaching_aids/books_articles/probability_book/amsbook.mac.pdf Introduction to Probability]. In particular [[Wikipedia:Regression_analysis|regression analysis]] is going to be useful. Regression is fundamental to the concept of Beta in Finance and conjoint analysis in Marketing. In addition, the statistical concepts of standard deviation and variance are the fundamental concepts which underly the concept of pooling risk in operations management.

The directions on how to perform a regression analysis in Excel can be found online at [http://www2.hpu.edu/mlane/FIN640/Regression_in_Excel.htm Regression Analysis Using Microsoft Excel]. Once you have completed a few regressions in Excel, you have performed the highest level of statistical analysis which most MBA's become familiar with. Congratulations! You are ready to move on.

===Financial Accounting===

A good place to start is [[Wikibooks:Accounting|Accounting]]. While most MBA's are not a big fan of double entry book keeping, finance starts with accounting. Understanding what [[Wikibooks:depreciation|depreciation]] (the spreading of the cost of an <em>tangible</em> asset over time) and [[Wikibooks:Accounting/Amortization|amortization]] (the spreading of the cost of an <em>intangible</em> asset over time) are is going to be essential to understanding corporate finance (if only because you are going to need to reverse out the effects from GAAP Income Statements to get cash flows).

===Managerial Accounting===

[[Wikipedia:Management_accounting|Managerial Accounting]] refers to the broad application of accounting concepts to financial data to create reports to be interpreted by management. Such financial data, in contrast to [[#Financial Accounting|Financial Accounting]], does not have to comply with GAAP, the FASB, or the filing requirements of the SEC, since it is meant only for internal consumption within an organization.

The major subjects to learn include:

*[[Wikipedia:cost accounting|cost accounting]]
*[[Wikipedia:activity based costing|activity based costing]]
*[[wikipedia:project costing|project costing]]
*[[Wikipedia:budgeting|budgeting]]

===Microeconomics===
A good place to start is the Wikibooks course on [[Wikibooks:Microeconomics|Microeconomics]]. Particularly, the concept that in an industry where there is high competition between firms that those firms will theoretically make zero economic profit should be thoroughly understood; that fact of life is the foundation of much of cooperate strategy, and the root to how to make excess profits (that is, profits greater than your [[Wikipedia:Cost of Capital|Cost of Capital]]).

===Macroeconomics===
Read the Wikibook on [[Wikibooks:Macroeconomics|Macroeconomics]]. In particular, the working of currencys, current account deficits, and the relationship between economic performance, monetary policy, and interest rates will be useful for finance and (ultimately) [[#Capital Markets|Capital Markets]].

===Decision Models===

Decision models are part of the core curriculum of many business schools. The reason why is probably because "average" performance of a firm is distinct from the implied performance of the averages, if the components which combine to create that average performance have differing distributions or deviations.

Decision models will typically cover the following concepts and software packages:
*[[Wikipedia:decision tree|decision trees]]
*[[Wikipedia:linear programming|linear programming]]
*[http://www.decisioneering.com/crystal_ball/index.html Crystal Ball] or [http://www.palisade.com/risk/ @Risk] simulation software. Download yourself a free trial, play with it for a month, working through the tutorials. You'll do alright.

===Corporate Finance===

[[Wikibooks:Finance|Finance]] is among the most stereotypically MBA things an MBA will learn.

If you want to understand corporate finance, learn thoroughly:
*what the implications of the [[Wikipedia:Modigliani-Miller_theorem|Modigliani-Miller theorem]]
*the [[Wikipedia:time value of money|time value of money]]
*how to calculate the [[Wikipedia:Net Present Value|NPV]] of a project
*how to calculate the [[Wikipedia:WACC|WACC]] of a project or company
*how to do a decent [[Wikipedia:Discounted Cash Flow|DCF]]

Putting it all together, you'd get something called a model. That model will tell you how much any asset that generates cash flows (such as a stock) is worth. People in business think that this might be useful to know.

More specifically, these tools are useful for evaluating the potential returns on various courses of action, including but not limited to capital investments.

===Marketing Strategy===

Key concepts to learn in [[Wikipedia:Marketing|Marketing]]:

* [[Wikipedia:Marketing Mix|Marketing Mix]]
** the 4 C's (Company, Context, Customers, Competition)
** the 4 P's (Product, Place, Price, Promotion)

===Marketing Implementation===

Key concepts to learn:
* [[Wikipedia:Customer lifetime value|Customer lifetime value]]
* [[Wikipedia:conjoint analysis|conjoint analysis]]

===Corporate Strategy===

Key concepts to learn:

* [[Wikipedia:Porter%27s_five_forces|Porters Five Forces]]
* [http://amadeus.management.mcgill.ca/~mark.mortensen/orgweb/summaries/mse/content/Porter.html Positioning]
* [[Wikipedia:Game Theory|Game Theory]]
* [http://globecareers.workopolis.com/servlet/Content/fasttrack/20051012/CABOOKS12?section=ManagingBooks Sustainable Competitive Advantage]
* [[Wikipedia:Strategy maps|Strategy Maps]]

Good thing to read when the summaries of the concepts won't do:

* [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=9&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffaculty.washington.edu%2Fcastlej%2FENTRE475%2FArticles%2520of%2520interest%2FWhat%2520is%2520Strategy-Porter.pdf&ei=ZFdmRMWYCMHqaMvUzd4J&sig2=Cd8RuCoZbnd4QDmLvILozA Porter, What is Strategy?]

===Organizational Behavior and Structure===
Organizational behavior classes cover concepts such as:
*[[Wikipedia:Taylorism|Taylorism]]
*[[Wikipedia:Hawthorne Effect|The Hawthorne Effect]]
*[[Wikipedia:Social network|Social Networks]]
*[[Wikipedia:Organizational Behavior|Organizational Behavior]]

===Leadership===
Leadership classes might cover:
*the ideas of [[Wikipedia:Robert Cialdini|Robert Cialdini]]
*the results of your [[Wikipedia:MBTI|Myers-Briggs test]]

Generally, understanding yourself and influencing other people is the focus of a leadership class. A fair bit of [[#Negotiations|Negotiations]] content might be thrown in as well.

===Operations Management===

Operations classes typically cover:

* [[Wikipedia:Supply Chain management|Supply chain management]], in particular the [[Wikipedia:Newsvendor|Newsvendor]] model
* [[Wikipedia:Six Sigma|Six Sigma]] and other quality management concepts
* Risk pooling-that is, the managerial signifance of the fact that when you combine two processes the deviation increases by the square of the summation (because variances are additive, standard deviations are not). Risk pooling is often the root cause of [[Wikipedia:economies of scale|economies of scale]].
* [[Wikipedia:Queueing theory|Queueing theory]] which is helpful if you want to optimize business processes.
* [[Wikipedia:Management information system|Management Information Systems]]

===Negotiations===

[[Wikipedia:Negotiations|Negotiating]] is important for business at many levels. [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140157352/sr=8-1/qid=1147551981/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-9077880-7298216?%5Fencoding=UTF8 Getting to Yes] seems to be the core text to understand how to sucessfully achieve good outcomes from negotiations. A good summary of Getting to Yes can be found many places online (such as: [http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/example/fish7513.htm Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In]). Read that and you're all set.

===Ethics===

Probably read up on [[Wikipedia:Sarbanes Oxley|Sarbanes Oxley]]. Also, reading [http://www.peace.ca/kindergarten.htm these important tips] would probably be useful.

==Additional Coursework==

===Capital Markets===
The two central concepts in capital markets are:
*[[Wikipedia:Arbitrage|Arbitrage]]
*[[Wikipedia:Risk Premium|Risk Premium]]

With those concepts, (and the ideas learned in [[#Corporate Finance|finance]]), you can price:
*[[Wikipedia:Fixed Income|Fixed Income]]
*[[Wikipedia:Swap|Swaps]]
*[[Wikipedia:Forward price|Forward Rates]]

==Further Reading==

[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591840570/qid=1147720345/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/102-2363331-7851323?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 Competition Demystified] by Bruce Greenwald

[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425098478/qid=1147720399/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-2363331-7851323?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 The One Minute Manager] by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson

[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142000280/qid=1147720483/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-2363331-7851323?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 Getting Things Done] by David Allen

[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471733067/qid=1147720524/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-2363331-7851323?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 The Little Book that Beats the Street] by Joel Greenblatt

[http://www.gettingtogradschool.com/MBA-Business_School Getting To Grad School] More info regarding MBA & GMAT

==About the Contributors==

One of the first contributors to this curriculum overview was John O'Brien. John received his MBA from Columbia Business School in 2006. He can be contacted online at [http://www.pulplit.net/contact-us/ pulplit.net].

[[Category:Master of Business Administration]]