Discuss the varying roles of the promotion Essay

This would increase the quality of life to the families living at home dramatically, from living of just one dollar a day to the minimum wage of an employee in an MEDC. Some people believe that you can put large amount of aid into a country, or even create a neo-liberastic situation – however, the countries that are currently regarded as LDCs or even LEDCs will always be in that situation and it’ll never change. This is due to their geographical location, and how so many external factors are taken into consideration such as the climate, the droughts and the inability to grow many things within the climate. Biologist Jared Diamond in his book ‘guns germs and steal’ wrote heavily on this point, in this he effectively believed that the development of a country is completely reliant on their location rather than the people within it. To an extent this is true, 33 out of the 50 countries are just below the Sahara desert in terrible conditions. They have little crops that are able to grow on their land, which used to be the first stage of development many years ago – the animals that graze are few in terms of species and overall are on a complete natural disadvantage. Arguably geography created the countries into what they are today. For example, the harsh conditions led to people unable to make many by selling their crops – this led to crime, as people needed more money to survive. This endless struggle continued and the crime, corruption and civil wars just became out of control. Similarly, economists agree that these countries have too many problems to be able to compete on a global market, such as internal conflicts/ HIV and AIDs. These huge problems all contribute to the unrest of the countries in question. Many companies may disagree with moving their factories to Africa, not only would they have to adapt their designs to fit with the harsh environment. Also with 22. 5 million adults and children who have HIV/ AIDs in sub Saharan Africa, would also contribute to the potentially weak workforce – making the productivity of those factories less. This is mainly why many economists believe there is no way that they will be competitive within the workforce. In many developing countries around the world aid is directly given to the government and the public sector. With the increase in trade, it can directly add to the successfulness of exportesr within the private sector. Many governments have seemed to prefer aid, however it does not necessarily mean this is the best way of improving the quality of life for the people within it. Many LDCs struggle to receive a large amount tax from their people, and having a weak private sector reduces their chances even further in developing – which is why governments of LDCs prefer aid to support their infrastructure. Tony Blair believed that we needed a $25 billion increase, doubling the annual aid, to countries within Africa by 2010 – and an even further $25 billion by 2015. However, this aid only improves the country in the short term – for example Japan’s recent natural disaster of an 8. 9 earthquake on the Richter scale, may need for external aid which may be essential to get them back on their feat. But too much aid and it could lead to a dependency culture, in which countries are just merely reliant on aid without trying to achieve a goal for their country or to increase their countries quality of life. The argument comes into the idea that â€Å"if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you give him a fishing rod, you feed him for a lifetime†; aid is simply just a means to get by it is not a good enough plan for the future. While trade can effectively set you up for the future, and hopefully increase the revenue of that country and thus increasing the quality of life. I believe that the most important provision is trade, however for the trade to be optimized there are many problems which need to be addressed – such as political stability. If a country does not rid itself of some of its problems, the trade that a LDC does will just go straight back into the corrupt leader.

Genetically Modified Foods, Pros and Cons persuasive essay Essay

â€Å"When you light a candle, you also cast a shadow. † – Ursula K. Le Guin. No matter what good some people believe they are doing, everything seems to come with a consequence, and the question is whether or not the good overpowers the bad. Many experts argue that Genetically Modified foods are actually beneficial to, not only people, but animals, plants, and the world overall. Some experts even state that, not only are they beneficial, but that they also protect the environment and aid food productivity. Most farmers actually recommend GMO’s because they are easier to grow, maintain, and tend to be more profitable; however, countless other experts have come to realize that GMO foods are untested, unsafe, and unhealthy. Studies indicate that these â€Å"acclaimed† GMO foods will not, feed the world, end hunger, increase the profit of farmers, or reduce the cost of farming. GMO’s even have long term effects that haven’t been adequately tested, and the effects could be catastrophic if they are not handled with caution. Although some experts claim, â€Å"GM foods reduce effectiveness of pesticides. † However, that is the point. GM foods are created in order to decrease the amount of pesticides. It is a healthier and safer option than the use of chemicals going into your body. For example, members of the Northern Canola Growers Association express, â€Å"GM foods such as BT corn can help eliminate the application of chemical pesticides. † Because pesticides are harmful to humans, GM foods are the better solution; they decrease the danger. This quote shows that GM foods are already being produced in foods such as corn, and nothing has gone wrong yet. They are actually healthier because pesticides aren’t used. In a 2000 Washington Post editorial, Hassan Adamu, Nigeria’s minister of Agriculture, explains to readers that, â€Å"in Africa, GM foods could almost literally weed out poverty. † And, â€Å"many African countries face poor growing conditions that thwart any attempts to grow traditional crops. † Since the world population is growing rapidly everywhere each day, eventually there will not be enough land to feed everyone. GM foods wound not only create more food for people all over the world, but would also create more jobs across the world. GM foods would increase food production and decrease world hunger and unemployment. Contrary to popular belief, most farmers actually recommend the use of genetically modified foods, because they are easier to grow, and are more profitable. An example of how they are easier to grow is that genetically modifying plants can make them more resilient and tolerant to harsh conditions. According to UC Southern California Professor of Biology Terrel Edwards, â€Å"a gene from the grey manganese has been genetically implanted into tobacco in order to make it tolerant to salt and many other ionic stresses. † These recent developments in biotechnology make it possible for plants to grow in places that have harsh conditions such as deserts. This is good for farmers around the world, because they can utilize land that was once useless, and baron land is extremely cheap, so farmers could make more profit. Furthermore, GMO crops have been in use since the early nineties in the United States, and have changed the way farming has been done forever. According to Hembree Brandon, an advisor to the National Research Institute, â€Å"In 2009, GE crops have accounted for more than 80 percent of all soybean, corn, and cotton acres. † Clearly, modified foods have already been in our society for over eighteen years. Also, GE crops are more profitable, because a farmer yields more crops per acre than ever before, like in corn. Farmers are now getting six times more corn out of a crop, making the need for gargantuan farms go down. This downsizing makes room for more homes and different crops. In addition, GE crops are easier to grow. For some crops, it’s not cost efficient to remove weeds by physical means, such as tilling, so famers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides to destroy weeds, a time consuming and expensive process that requires care so that the herbicides don’t harm the plants or environment. A farmer grows these soybeans which then only require one application of weed killer instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste. In initiation, Agribusinesses, who promote their GMO foods, have asserted fallacies about their GMO’s, stating that they will save the world from hunger by generating more food, create more productive crops, and reduce the cost of farming; those of which have all been invalidated by experts. For example, Andrew Kimbrell , the executive director of the International Centre for Technology Assessment, argues that food production is not the problem , and in fact â€Å"The world produces more than enough food to feed its current population†, that the problem is in distribution. The world actually produces so much food that â€Å"enough is available to provide 4. 3 pounds of food to every person, every day† (Kimbrell 1998). Agribusinesses lie to the people claiming that their GMO’s are saving people, and ending hunger in the world to try and convince you to buy their product, when in effect food production is not the problem. Secondarily, GMO’s are said to be more productive, and create greater yields; however Stated by Kimbrell, â€Å"there are currently two principal types of biotech seeds in production: Herbicide Resistant, and ‘Pest’ resistant seeds. And in â€Å"A Two year study by the University of Nebraska† revealed that the GMO â€Å"Soya beans actually resulted in lower productivity that achieves with conventional Soya beans† (Kimbrell 2003). The claims that GMO’s will produce more yields are false and will hurt farmers everywhere. The GMO manufacturers have brought nothing good to the table, and are only deceiving people with fallacies in order to make money. As a final point, GMO’s are supposed to reduce the cost of farming and create cheaper products; all the same, GMO’s have failed to do that as well. GMO companies have created what is called â€Å"Terminator Technology†. â€Å"TT† is when the companies genetically engineer plants to â€Å"Produce a sterile seed after a single growing season† (Kimbrell 2003) ensuring that farmers cannot save their seed, having to buy their seed every year. With â€Å"More than half of the world’s farmers relying on saved seeds for their harvest† this technology can have a cataclysmic impact on food production, the cost of food, and could spark mass starvation. GMO’s have yet to bring a single product to the table that actually benefits consumers, or farmers. These products are only full of risks, more costs, and dangerous effects on the market; therefore they aren’t the solution, only a major part of the problem. Genetically modified foods have long term effects that have not been adequately tested, and in order to assure the consumer that what they’re purchasing is safe, extensive testing is mandatory, otherwise, there could possibly be catastrophic effects in the future no one suspected to occur. For example, Dr. Keith Kantor, who was appointed CEO of Service Foods, Inc. in 1994, all the while working with food sciences for 27 years, expresses that GMO’s have antibiotic features included within them, making them â€Å"resistant to certain diseases and viruses†. At first glance, this fact appears to be a plus side of GMO foods, but Kantor explains how, when humans consume GMO’s, our very own genetic structure changes and the â€Å"antibiotic features persist in our bodies and make actual antibiotic medications less effective†. In addition, Kantor’s own studies with his patients involved with nutrition were observed to have an improved state of being, both in weight and health, when they discontinued the use of all GMO products; therefore, Dr. Kantor does â€Å"not recommend using any GMO foods until more testing is done†. Next, Jeffery M. Smith, world’s bestseller on the topic of GMO foods – â€Å"Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating† and â€Å"Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods† –, has many expert opinions and horrifying facts about these products. Smith reviews the few tests that have been done on rats and mice and produces shocking evidence of genetically modified food dangers; some of the mice and rats who were fed strictly GMO foods ended up developing tumors, widespread organ damage, premature death (50% males, 70% female), most of their babies dying in the womb, the babies that were born were smaller in size and quantity and grew up to have problems becoming pregnant, and some embryos had significant changes in their DNA. Male rats and mice became infertile or had altered sperm during these tests as well. All these signs not only appear in test rats and mice, but in our world’s livestock, such as in the US, where various farmers reported that â€Å"thousands of pigs became sterile after consuming GM corn varieties†. Some of the pigs had â€Å"false pregnancies† while â€Å"others gave birth to bags of water†. Not only have there been effects on animals, but on humans as well; Smith’s research shows that, in the Pacific Northwest, about â€Å"five-hundred people reported allergy or flu-like symptoms†, and some of those same people â€Å"had to go to the emergency room† because the effects were so severe. These same symptoms were repeatedly reported in India in 2008 by farm workers who worked around GMO cotton containing Bt, or a self-produced herbicide built inside the engineered foods. Yes, herbicides are used in organically grown crops, but the built-in herbicides contained in GMO crops are â€Å"thousands of times more concentrated than natural Bt spray†, so it’s basically food covered in poison, and since it is built-in, one cannot wash it off the plants. Not only does this affect humans, but ecosystems; ecosystems are in danger from the pollen coming from these plants since they could perish from all the toxins built inside them to kill weeds, and when the plants start to die out, so do the herbivores who eat them. Moreover, even if the purpose of the built-in herbicides are to kill the weeds, there would be cross-pollination that would create a â€Å"superweed†, continuing to compromise ecosystems as it would overtake other plants and become immune to current made weed-killers. Every story has two points of view; however, it’s up to the individual to decide for oneself what the truth is. Many experts argue that GMO foods are actually beneficial not only to people, but animals and plants as well. Some experts even go as far as to say that not only is it beneficial, but also protects the environment and aids food productivity. With any positive side, there are adverse effects, however. GMO foods have long term fallouts which are somewhat unknown due to lack of testing from agribusinesses, but the ones made clear consist of animal deaths and cancer. GMO foods are becoming part of our society whether we like it or not. Many truths have been stated in this argument, but one has to decide for his or herself what they believe. GMO’s will be on shelves, labeled and unlabeled, whether they are an iniquity to life as we know it, or the cure and wonderful elucidation to all our problems.

Capital Structure Essay Example for Free

Capital Structure Essay Capital structure is how a company finances its overall operations and growth by using funds from equity or debt (Investopedia, 2012). Of course, every company must determine its preference on its debt-to-equity ratio and determine which capital structure works best for them. Some approaches to analyzing capital structure are: 1.EBIT – EPS: This analyzes the impact of debt on earnings per share (EPS). Optimizing shareholder’s wealth is the optimum goal and therefore, this approach analyzes the high EPS based on an expected range of earnings before income taxes (EBIT). 2.Valuation: Determines impact of debt use on shareholder’s value by determining the level of debt at which the benefits of increased debt no longer outweigh the increased risks and expenses associated with financing (Wenk, 2012) 3.Cash Flow: Analyzes a firm’s debt capacity by using the weighted average of cost of capital (WACC). The WACC is a calculation of a firm’s cost of capital in which each capital source (bonds, stock and other long-term debt) are proportionally weighted to determine how much interest the company has to pay for every dollar it finances (Investopedia, 2012). Part of Competition Bikes’ (CB) main consideration in the decision to merge or acquire Canadian Biking is working capital. Lets use the EBIT – EPS approach to determine how to maximize shareholder return while minimizing the cost of capital. We currently know Canadian Biking’s moderate sales forecast of EBIT figures for the next 5 years (Year 9 – 13), therefore we can apply the EBIT – EPS approach to choose an optimal capital structure. The total of capital sources in each of the 5 years is $600,000. We will use EBIT – EPS to determine which assortment of bonds*, preferred stock, and common stock is the best option to increase Canadian Biking’s EPS. The five alternative capital structures include: Option 1: 100% Bonds (fully financed) Option 2: 50% Preferred Stock & 50% Common Stock (no bonds) Option 3: 20% Bonds & 80% Common Stock Option 4: 40% Bonds & 60% Common Stock Option 5: 60% Bonds & 40% Common Stock *Annual bond interest rate is 9% After using the EBIT – EPS approach using the forecasted EBIT amounts for Years 9 through 13, we can average the EPS for each of the 5 years to determine which capital structure produced the highest EPS. The EPS averages computed for the capital structure options are: Option 1: Average EPS = .0452 Option 2: Average EPS = .0542 Option 3: Average EPS = .0526 Option 4: Average EPS = .051 Option 5: Average EPS = .0494 Based on the EBIT – EPS approach, the recommended capital structure is option 2, â€Å"50% preferred stock & 50% common stock†. This is the best capital structure mainly because there are two things to consider: 1) long-term debt and associated interest expense and, 2) equity and # of common shares. Option 2 is the best capital structure because there are no bonds and therefore, no interest expense. For example, if we look at option 1 in Year 9, and the bond interest is 9%, then the bond interest expense is $54,000 (.09*600,00). This lowers the income before taxes by $54,000. Although companies can finance debt and use the interest expense deduction to lower their taxable income, it doesn’t make sense for Canadian Bikes to fully finance their capital, because the interest expense costs outweigh the benefit of the tax deduction, resulting in a significant decrease in total income available for common stock. Additionally, because the capital structure consists of 300,000 shares of preferred stock, the company must pay dividends of 5%, reducing the company’s total income available for common stock by $15,000 (.05 * 300,000). Although this reduces the total income available for common stock, the company will maximize its EPS by only having 50% capital in common stock. This reduces the total number of common shares outstanding, which means less shares to divide the total income among. Therefore, Option 2 is the most optimal capital structure that considers minimizing long-term  debt expenses and the optimal number of common shares in order to maximize shareholder return. Competition Bikes’ is considering building a manufacturing facility in a new Canadian location. The total investment for this project would be $600,000 USD. This consists of $400,000 to build the facility and an additional $200,000 in working capital to support operational costs. The company has projected cash flows over the next five years; therefore we can use cash flow budgeting methods such as net present value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) that consider time value of money for long-term investments (Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). Net present value analyzes the profitability of a project by determining the difference between the present value of the project’s cash inflows and outflows followed by subtracting the initial investment. (Investopedia, 2012). The decision rule applied to NPV is fairly simple, if the NPV is positive, invest; if the difference is negative, do not invest. Competition Bikes applies NPV to forecasted low and moderate sales for the next 5 years. After using the forecasted sales for low demand, the total present value (after subtracting cash outflows from inflows) is $560,719. If we subtract the initial investment of $600,000 from this amount, the NPV is -$39,281. This is a significant warning that the company should not proceed in building a manufacturing facility. On the other hand, if we use the forecasted sales for moderate demand, the total present value is $608,447. If we subtract the initial investment of $600,000, the NPV is $8,447. Therefore a positive NPV indicates the company should proceed with building the manufacturing facility. The biggest concern is determining which NPV to lean towards based on low or moderate sales. Unfortunately, the risk of having low sales outweighs the profitability benefit of having moderate sales. It is too risky for CB to move forward with the investment based on the NPV of low sales (-$39,281). In order for the company to profit from this investment, CB would need to have a moderate sales demand at minimum! The present value in NPV is calculated using an interest rate, also known as the required rate of return. CB’s required rate of return is 10%. When this interest rate is altered or calculated to make the total present value equal to the initial investment, the NPV becomes equal to zero; this is called the internal rate of return (IRR) (Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). The IRR is what a company can expect to earn from investing in the project and the higher the IRR, the more desirable the investment. The calculated IRR for low demand cash flows is 8.2% and the IRR for moderate demand cash flows is 10.4%. Based on these IRR figures, the company should not pursue the capital investment because the average IRR between both low and moderate sales is 9.3%. This is below the company’s required return on capital (hurdle rate) of 10% to pursue a capital investment. Again, the company would need to have a moderate sales demand, at minimum for this capital investment to be profitable and should therefore not pursue building a new manufacturing facility. CB must effectively obtain and manage working capital for the expansion of the operation. CB must first look at their operating cycle, cash conversion cycle and free cash flow factors in order to improve production and management of working capital. Let’s discuss the company’s current status of each of the working capital and cash flow factors and determine how the company can improve in these areas. First, the operating cycle involves CB sending the distributor a monthly invoice for all raw materials ordered with terms of net/30 days. This can be improved by renegotiating the payment terms will distributors to net/15 days. This would increase cash flows by improving payment turn around time and accounts receivable collections. Additionally, the company can improve its relations with its distributers to increase effectiveness of its collection process. Another operating cycle factor is ordering and paying for inventory. Currently, the company pays for inventory in the month following production and all inventory ordered for the month is used leaving inventory levels (at the end of each month) at consistent levels. In order  to improve working capital the company should utilize and lower its year ending inventory balance. For example, at the end of Year 8, the company had $91,573 worth of inventory left over. The company should utilize the current inventory on hand before ordering similar raw material items. This will decease cash flows and leave fewer inventories on hand at the end of the year. Currently the average time in inventory is 25 days. This is a substantial turnaround time currently, however in the future, the company can consider replacing labor workers with fixed asset items to improve production time. This will satisfy customer demand by decreasing delivery time and improve cash flows by invoicing customers more frequently than 25 days after production. CB’s cash conversion cycle factors also impact working capital. Currently, the CB’s suppliers invoice at the end of the month for orders that month with terms of net/15. CB does an excellent job of preserving its cash flows by paying the invoices on the 15th of the month following the order.. CB can improve its working capital by negotiating for longer payment terms, i.e. net/30 days, allowing for more time for the company to earn money to pay their invoices. If this is not possible, the company can improve its forecasting measurements for ordering supplies and order the majority of the supplies needed for the month at the beginning of the month. This would increase the amount of time the company has sufficient supplies on hand without having to pay more money, (because the suppliers will still invoice for the orders at the end of the month, regardless of how early in the month the supplies were ordered). This can increase working capital because it acts as a contingency plan, to reduce the likelihood of running out of supplies, avoiding delays, or ordering supplies in excess. Free cash flow factors also affect CB’s working capital. Currently, the company recognizes depreciation in both manufacturing overhead and as depreciation expenses depending on the fixed asset. The company can use their depreciation data to increase management of cash flows by predicting when the company will have to spend a significant amount of money to replace an asset when its useful life expires. This will prepare CB for those unwanted – although necessary – fixed asset costs. Currently the  corporation’s marginal tax rate is 25%. The company can consider obtaining working capital by financing debt. This will leave the company with an interest expense at the end of the year, which is deductible from gross earnings and results in paying lower taxes. After CB improves its working capital, let’s discuss how CB can use its working capital for the lease vs. buy option for a factory building in Canada. CB can use its working capital to cover the $50,000 down payment (or buy out option if they decide to lease) and $200,000 for operational costs of the new factory. According to the data provided for the lease vs. buy option, the lease option will preserve cash outflows of $12,339, (purchase cash outflows are $333,999 and lease cash outflows are $321,660). Therefore, the company should lease the manufacturing facility to preserve cash outflows. Leasing the facility will also allow CB to deduct annual interest payments (6% interest) from the gross earnings to lower their tax payments. This will increase the company’s net earnings at the end of the year, also resulting in higher retained earnings and increased shareholder value. CB should consider many factors when deciding to merge or acquire Canadian Biking. Let’s analyze the pros and cons between a merge vs. acquisition and determine what the best move would be for CB. First off, if the company were to merge with Canadian Biking, the potential EPS would increase by approximately .021. This shows potential for increased ownership earnings, but is it significant enough? At the same token, the price/earnings ratio for Canadian Bikes at the end of Year 8 was 9 and CB’s was 70. This shows that CB’s current investors are expecting greater earnings in Year 9 and are willing to pay $70 for $1 of current earnings. This is not the case with Canadian Biking’s investors. Unfortunately a low P/E ratio of 9 indicates that investors are not expecting a significant growth in company earnings. This raises a concern if the merge will result in a potential increase of .021 in EPS. On the other hand, a merge would result in lower costs because CB would not be purchasing Canadian Biking outright. Canadian Biking also has a lower cost competition bike that can decrease production costs and complement CB’s current bike model being offered. This will result in  greater net earnings and cash flows. If the company were to acquire Canadian Bikes, CB can expect a gradual increase in cash inflows over the next 5 years. However, the current offered sales price for Canadian Biking is $286,000; this is 30% more than what the company was valued at, at the end of Year 8. Although CB has enough working capital to make the purchase, it would take 5 years of gradually increasing cash inflows to recoup the price tag of $286,000. This means it could take approximately 5 years, before shareholders saw a significant increase in earnings per share. Based on the pro and cons, CB should merge with Canadian Bikes to lower their production and delivery costs, increase net income, EPS and cash flows, and preserve working capital. The price to acquire Canadian Biking is simply unreasonable based on predicted cash inflows over the next 5 years. The merger will enhance CB’s market position in Canada by having a local distributer to handle all customer orders and provide cost effective and great customer service to the growing Canadian market. References Investopedia. (2012). Capital Structure.

Principles Of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Principles Of Leadership - Essay Example (The Next Generation Responsible Leaders, 2010) In troubled times people tend to seek advice from an effective leader and his forthcoming ideas always seem to take the organisation out of a crisis. However there is a tendency on the part of most researches to turn the leader into a kind of solo hero who is single-handedly charting the organisation out of troubled times. It tries to give a kind of halo to the leader and creates a myth that the leader is taking most of the decisions by virtue of his greatness and his extreme capabilities. However, it fails to address that leaders are not necessarily someone who knows every single detail of a particular task but who is capable of bringing together different minds into sharing a common goal. A leader is capable in delegating the duties effectively to the right person and make sure that the work is completed on time. People seem to thrive under his authority and is seen someone who is capable of getting the job done. (The Next Generation Responsible Leaders, 2010) However with the present day obsession with celebrities and individuals, one tries to glorify leaders and give them more than their due. People always love to see a hero and is always trying to find figures that fit into the description. It is true that leaders play a major role in executing decision since the buck stops there. However, it should also be kept in mind that a major part of decision making process which the leader so very effectively executes is a result of the work done by the other individuals in the group who collectively share responsibility in doing the work and helping the leader have an uncluttered mind when taking decisions. (Rothwell Dan, 2010) A leader is not only one who inspires his followers but the inspiration can happen vice-versa i.e a creative suggestion or input from a follower or group member can inspire the leader likewise. (The Next Generation Responsible Leaders, 2010) Source: The Next Generation Responsible Leaders, 201 0 Most theories suggest a dyadic relationship between a leader and a follower. The path that is usually chartered includes ways and methods in which a leader influences its followers to work with more dedication. It is seeks ways to improve the confidence and trust between a leader and a follower. However the limitation is that it does not seek a more co-ordinated group activity between the followers. Followers blindly repose their faith in actions and instructions from a leader. They are not encouraged to come up with innovative ideas. Information that is available outside the domain of the leader is not accessed and the follower is not interested in honing his skill in other areas where the leader might not necessarily be active. The problem with this kind of one way traffic is that the leader is hailed as a demy-god until all the decisions go their way. However the moment a problem occurs or a leadership vacuum comes up the next person who can take over the reins becomes a rarity . This is because the next rung of leadership has never been cultivated. (Gary Yukl, 1999) Source: The Next Generation Responsible Leaders, 2010 A leadership that tries to glorify its leaders or make them heroes tends to tinker more with the emotional aspect of the follower. The follower is stimulated to make extreme sacrifices without asking for any reason. Any resistance or

Architecture & Construction. Project evaluation & Design. Initial Essay

Architecture & Construction. Project evaluation & Design. Initial proposals, Design Briefs and Feasibility studies - Essay Example The development will be an apartment that will have its own uninterrupted ocean views with access to the site. Each apartment will have 3 bedrooms, all with ensuites, a study, a theatre room, large open living with plenty of room for dining and also 2 spacious balconies. The main balcony will be facing northeast, and the second balcony will be northwest and will accessible via the main and second bedroom. There will be floor to ceiling glass slide away doors hat give way to a wrap around balcony. This should then allow for the living areas to extend to the outdoor area. Having such an expansive living arrangement makes it as intimate or as social as the occupier wishes. This crucial piece of infrastructure in this beach shack suburb will be finished with modern European finishes. Bamboo floorboards will be used for the flooring and morato marble will be used for the paneling and joinery. There will be a basement car park, finished in sandstone to accommodate all residents. The stylish architectural design and the rare beachfront location enables us as developers to offer the ultimate in beachfront living with the motto of 4 levels of elegance, and only 4 metres to the beach. There will be a 10 metre by 3 metre pool on the beachside of the site to accommodate for a more personal environment for the residents of the building. The facility will come with a small BBQ area allowing for a full functioning facility. The pool will be lined with black pebbles to attract the sun so there will be no need for heating. Quality expectations: Goals were set to ensure that the quality of the project in terms of product and process was not compromised. Project planning was done with the consideration of the external environment which included technological changes, customers and competitors, suppliers, geographical location and climate; economic political and social settings The project was planned to run for two years. The stages involved were

Critical Reading and Writing in Developing Skills Personal Statement - 6

Critical Reading and Writing in Developing Skills - Personal Statement Example I realized that part of the learning process is the acknowledgment of mistakes and the ability to reflect on the progress of my writing process. Through time, I gained the needed confidence in writing and revising essays, according to detailed instructions, until these comply with the needed requirements. From the time I wrote my first essay, which detailed my worst reading experience, I am relieved that I would never feel embarrassed, nor inept, in exhibiting advanced reading and writing skills. The progress was evident from the lesser mistakes noted by peers and in more positive comments that were noted. I realized the value of proofreading, of developing my vocabulary through the constant reading of diverse discourses, and infrequently seeking the needed support and assistance from the writing center. The course was instrumental in making the journey to a more skilled reader and writer a rewarding and successful endeavor.  I realized that part of the learning process is the ackn owledgment of mistakes and the ability to reflect on the progress of my writing process. Through time, I gained the needed confidence in writing and revising essays, according to detailed instructions, until these comply with the needed requirements.                  

Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Presentation - Essay Example This, as a result, set path for new ideas about seeking to learn a more universally acceptable language, and my passion for learning English was born. It is widely known that English is the most spoken language in the world today, with a large number of countries worldwide using it as their official language. It is also one of the most used media of communication especially in books, music and films to date. These are some of the notable reasons that made it very easy for me to settle with English as my choice of language that I had to learn. The journey to learn English, just like any other new thing, was not easy. For one, this was a time-consuming and equally challenging task especially considering the vast differences in the structure and elements between my native Arabic language and those in English. The virtual lack of a clear correlation between the two meant that I had to place more effort so that I could excel in understanding the new language. I am glad that today I can stand and address people in English, which could only sound like a fantasy to me sometimes back. Today, I want particularly to revisit one of the most interesting and indeed important part of my English learning journey; my first English presentation in school. As a brief description of my background, I joined an English language learning school in the USA where I believed would provide the best environment for learning the language. It is said that if one is to learn a language quickly, then surrounding yourself with the language is the single most efficient method of learning i.e. spending time with people speaking the language, listening to music and watching movies written in the language among others. USA perfectly provided all of these characteristics. The course outline in the language class consisted of presentations sessions where students were put to task in an attempt to

Effective Assessment Practices Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Effective Assessment Practices Paper - Essay Example Therefore, enrolled medical attendants need to utilize various sources to distinguish answers for clinical practice issues, including perusing through proficient nursing diaries. The following are some of the pros and cons of the various assessment method used in nurse practice: While numerous educators incorporate reflection as part of their practice, fewer use basic steps is crucial to further student’s obligation regarding their learning. High-stake choices incorporate sound appraisal systems that profit both the learner and the clients (Ancess 2000). Once stated, the comprehensive assessment process must approve the information, aptitudes and judgment needed by the student’s medical attendant to practice proficiently and securely. Accessible quantitative and qualitative information has proved that the portfolio might be a valuable and dependable evaluation tool, if the fitting measures and backups are set up also (Ancess, 2000). These backups incorporate furnishing assessors with a sound and comprehensive evaluation tool, and concentrated preparation. Portfolios are suitable as blended reports of their prosperity are developed. Portfolios in post-graduate health awareness instructions are useful in helping intelligent practice, conveying summative appraisal, supporting information administration forms, and are a key association between learning at authoritative and individual levels. However, the length of formal evaluation focuses on the logic of estimation, portfolios are hard to evaluate and require the improvement of similar systems for appraisal (Ancess, 2000). Moreover, they give people a hard time when ranking contributors or certain programs that base on quantity or unvarying processes; all the same, if a person decides to rank nurses’ performance using portfolio, the only way to do it is through judgment, but this

Database Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Database Security - Essay Example These security controls may be technical, administrative, logical or physical. The vulnerability to the database security include unauthorized access by hackers or outside attacks or misuse by authorized personnel which are database users, administrators or system managers. A malware infection may cause unauthorized access to the database and may compromise its integrity and confidentiality via leakage of details deletion or permanent damage. This may also include denial of access to authorized users or a denial of service attack. Overloads or inefficient performance constraint may compromise database integrity and the data might be susceptible to damage physically (earthquakes, fire, flood) and should be provided with adequate physical protection or have proper backup. Design flaws and invalid data entry can also compromise the integrity and reliability of the database servers. Database Reliability Reliability of a database means that the database provides services for a significant ly long period of time without any fail. It is because database may include data from different sources and a reliable access should be prudent for the database users. Key business data and process information is usually stored in databases and it is very important of DBMS users to have the data protected so that the data accessed is reliable. For this several security measures can be made in order to prevent databases from losing important data through damage or loss (Basta & Zgola. 2011). Database Integrity Database integrity refers to the consistency and the accuracy of data within the database and data warehouse systems. Data integrity is often times dubbed as data quality and data with integrity and a whole structure. There are various types of data integrity that is associated with databases. Physical integrity of a database refers to the immunity of a database system to physical damages such as power failures, earthquakes, floods etc. and that the database can easily be recon structed in case of such catastrophe. Logical integrity of a database is equally vital as its physical counterpart and it entails that a database structure must be preserved and it is evident by the logical integrity of the structure when changes to one field do not put a cascading effect on other fields of the database. For example, the data in each element must be accurate, the data is auditable, there is access control for unauthorized personnel, users are correctly identified and the database must be available for the authorized personnel. Auditability of a databases addresses with the monitoring of who or what accesses the data base or has modified the database itself. Other data base integrity constraints include referential integrity and domain integrity. To ensure data integrity, data values are first standardized using specific data models or types. For this it is important that the data is complete in its business relations, functions, rules and dates and it is protected. Data integrity can also be implemented through other ways than database security where different error checking and validations must be checked in order to provide accuracy of data. For example, a numerical value in the in a date of hiring cannot be one that is ahead of the system date. In its realization, data

University Community Essay Example for Free

University Community Essay University is a scholarly institution of higher learning, which provides an opportunity to a well-knitted community of inquisitive students, pioneering researchers, competent staff and distinguished faculty to help one another in upgrading their specific skills. It has been my earnest desire to seek admission in the prestigious University of Massachusetts at Boston, where I could not only acquire professional knowledge and problem solving skills, but also, make a positive contribution towards the growth of its university community. Discussion As a rationalist thinker and pragmatic worker, I would make best use of learning opportunities provided to me by the university community, and I would also get involved in the academic, social, political, and cultural activities of the university community. I shall briefly discuss my ambitious plan of learning from, and contributing to the university community. My Opinion of University Community I would define university community as a cohesive family of knowledge seeking students, promising researchers, proficient administrative staff and distinguished professors. Such a competent community works unitedly with four major objectives, namely, teaching, learning, research and development. The students comprise the majority population of the university community, which aims to impart quality education to the inquisitive students. Experienced and knowledgeable professors help the students to understand the courses taught, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and attain their full potential by the time the students complete their degree programs. Similarly, the researchers endeavor to find cost-effective solutions to the numerous existing problems of the society, whereas, the adept administrative staff ensures that university is always equipped with adequate infrastructural facilities. Excellent Educational Qualifications I completed my school education from the reputed Malden Catholic High School, where I secured good grades in all courses. I always completed my assignments in time, and my teachers appreciated me for my creative and critical thinking skills. At present, I am attending the renowned Fisher College to enhance my knowledge in informational technology. I am well prepared to pursue an undergraduate degree program in the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and I promise to perform equally well in all the courses, projects and seminars through my diligence and commitment to the academic standards of the university community. Voluntary and Commercial Work Experience I have an attitude to help my fellow humans, and alleviate the suffering of humanity. So, I had volunteered my services in Winchester Hospital at a time when the hospital was in shortage of funds and manpower. To support my livelihood, I work as a lifeguard on weekends, and also assist my supervisor in Bonacorso Insurance in day-to-day office operations. I have imbibed useful organizational and time management skills, which shall enable me to effectively manage the exhaustive curriculum load during my studies at University of Massachusetts at Boston. Conclusion I have excellent educational qualifications, diverse work experience in finance and healthcare organizations, and determination to pursue my undergraduate studies from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. I intend to become an integral part of the university community comprising students, researchers, faculty and staff, besides participating in academic, social, political and cultural activities in the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

System Analyst Skills and Knowledge

System Analyst Skills and Knowledge There is no doubt that information system analyst is playing an increasingly important role in most of the successful system project development. To achieve this, information system analyst must possess a wide range of qualities which involves appropriate skills and abilities as well as sufficient knowledge in the implementing system of users supports and functioning of business. It has to be considered that information system analyst carries responsibilities to analyse and understands the complex needs of human resources, people skills, technical understanding and process facilitation and it is basically applied from the first day of the system projects existence. It is crucial for every information system analyst to have dynamic project teams which are not static and unchanging as to ensure that they are able to articulate the needs that are associated with the key problem to be solved or opportunity to be realized. There are also several barriers exist in gathering and interpretin g of project information that needs to be concerned by information system analyst as this will affect the results of the project and the effectiveness of system development. This paper is critically emphasized on the skills and knowledge of an information system analysts and how these skills and knowledge have impacted in the successful in system project development. The structure of the paper will begin with the introduction, terminologies section, most important skills and competencies for a system analyst, other important requirements as well as a conclusion as the summarization of the whole topic. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Initially, information system analyst is highly necessary to run a system project. Without information system knowledge and appropriate skill set, it is hardly to achieve projects goals. There are various formal and informal roles that system analyst play in creating successful. In short, every system analyst in project has their own responsibilities that carry both formal and informal task and sometimes they are also assigned to run in big or small project concurrently based on the project requirements to achieve project successfulness. Essentially, system analyst plays an important role in the process of system development life cycle tasks which involved project planning, analysis, design, implementation and support process. Each process requires system analyst to perform different task and they must possess a wide range of skills with sufficient knowledge. This is important as system development is very difficult activity that needs very careful planning, control and execution. With the emergence of information technology, system has become increasingly role in most of the organization. In fact, a good system becomes the solely sustainable advantage for organizations to gain a winning position in todays highly competitive world. Parallel with that, the task of system analyst becomes more difficult because they have to deal with different organization with different requirements. According to Misic and Graf (2004), system analyst perform their job is characterized by constant change where the change of the environment and uncertainty places forces the system analyst to regularly and consistently update their task and activities. Meaning here, the system analyst should be able to adapt to the environmental changes. For that, a system analyst has to learn the culture or environment for every organization that they assigned to develop a system in order for them to effectively perform their job and meet the projects goals. In addition, they also need to have ful l understanding of system development and try to apply it within the organization with the support of knowledge and skills as it is very important and necessary to ensure the organization gain value and outperform rivals. Numerous articles have been written about system analyst skills and knowledge by many authors. Various authors have expressed different opinions on the skills that should be possessed by a system analyst such as analytical, technical, managerial and interpersonal or communication skills. There are two key skills that are needed to perform system analysis task, fact-finding for the investigation of system requirements and modelling of business process based on the system requirements (Satzinger, Jackson and Burd, 2009). Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide thorough information on the aspects of tasks, knowledge and important skills of todays system analyst as well as to identify the impact of these aspects towards the effectiveness of system development. 2.0 DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS: SYSTEM ANALYST, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS There are several of definition of a system analyst have been identified by many professionals. The meaning of the terms may vary from various authors depending to business process, workflow and discipline where it is used; however, the concept of a system analyst remains the same. According to Dennis and Wixom (2003), system analyst can be defined as the individuals who generate ideas and suggestions for how information technology can improve business processes, define new processes with the help of a business analyst, design a new information system and ensure that all the standard information systems maintained. In contrast, Whitten and Bentley (2007) have defined system analyst as a specialist who are responsible in identifying and study the organization problems and needs as to determine how people, data, processes and information technology can contributes to the business developments. Some people get confused the meaning between system analyst and computer programmer. Basically, system analyst is not a computer programmer; he or she is individuals that decided what form of information technology to be used in the development of a system, whereas a computer programmer is individuals which are responsible in putting appropriate instructions with specific code into computer system. However, both Information System professionals have a similar skills needed in system development, which is emphasized on technical skills (Patrick Chang Boon Lee, 2002). Systems analyst and computer programmer are related in some way or another, but they are not exactly the same. Systems analyst requires different skills. Instead, computer programmer is focused on a particular emphasis of the study. Systems analyst and computer programmer like other professions were forced to have a sense of ethics. As viewed by Kagan and Sobolo (1987), systems analyst job involves analysis of the problem or need information on the organization and resolve the problem through the design of an efficient pattern of information flow from the source data into the computer. In different point of views by Green (1989), system analysts are service providers who are work closely with users as to define, develop and implement computer based system in order to meet business and other requirements. The involvement of users is required to help the system analyst to do analysis and synthesis tasks on a particular system. Almost similar with Misic and Graf (2002) views, system analyst acts as problem solver where they work closely with users and management in collecting and analyzing information on current and/or future computer-based system. Information system knowledge and appropriate skills for effective tasks and duties is needed to be an excellent system analyst. Several authors reviewed knowledge as an actionable or relevant information available in the right format at the right time and at the right place for decision making. In other words, people seek knowledge because it assists them to improve performance and succeed in their work. Knowledge also is the most precious therapy for complexity and uncertainty. Further, the process of system development depends heavily on knowledge so that, by having right knowledge, organization can produce a good decision making with producing good product and services to ensure meet the business requirements. In the case of information systems, knowledge can be referred to as content or technical information needed to do an adequate job and is usually acquired through formal education, on job training and information media such as the manuals (Cheney, Hale and Kasper, 1990). Meanwhile, skills are referred to the specific psychomotor processes necessary to meet the current requirements of job a specific job. Skills also include facilities to choose from between the repertoire of action that may be most appropriate for their specific actions (Cheney, Hale and Kasper, 1990). Environmental projects may differ from organization to organization and project to project, however, some skills will help in almost any environmental project. These skills include understanding the changes and understand how the organization works within the social, political and physical. Important to realize, understanding the importance of system analyst activities and the related skills and knowledge may be critical in successful of system development. 3.0 MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES FOR SYSTEM ANALYST The system analyst needs certain skills to conduct system development. They need the skills to do systems analysis and design, where they have to understand what stakeholders (users, clients and technical staffs) need as to analyze the flow of data or enter data in a systematic, process or transform data, store data, and output information in the specific context of the business (Kendell and Kendell, 2010). Systems analysts aim to improve and develop information systems and information technology to get the best benefits for business especially in solving the business problems. Essentially, job skills support the core information system capabilities to determine the effective exploitation of technology innovation for IT organizations (Lerogue, Newton and Blanton, 2005). There are number of opinions that describe the skills that system analyst should possessed to be successful. Following is the most important skills and competencies for system analyst as pointed by various authors. Analytical skills According to Misic and Graf (2002) in their article entitled System analyst and skills in the millennium, analytical skills were considered the most important skills in the system development. Analytical skills can be defined as the ability to examine things critically and/or minutely, to separate the clear picture into its individual components (Misic and Graf, 2002). As indicated by Misic and Graf (2002), these skills provide the primary basis for an individual to adapt to changes in technology and by focusing on the development of their current employees and / or recruiting new employees that strong analytical skills of focusing mainly on a technical background, management information system will form a team development to be successful today and also in the face of the next wave of inevitable change and stress in their technological procedures. They also indicated that, this skill is applied in defining and analyzing requirements and insuring the fit within the organizations info rmation system environment. In other hand, analytical skills were involved in the analysis process where it is the task to understand the whole of something by breaking it down into important components. By understanding its components and how they fit together in a larger whole, it leads to understand the whole better. Analytical skill requires a system analyst to precisely in defining the problems. It is a fact that, knowing how to define a problem is a tough part. They have to find a way to break things into elements and utilize those elements to understand the real situations. The system analyst tasks might involve visualizing, articulating, and solving complex problems and concepts, and making sensible decisions based on information available. Analytical skills assist the system analyst to figure out the needs of the organizations and then try to satisfy those needs with a new system development. The growing use of technology has become a major part of the organization around the world. This led to the making the task of properly defines the problem ever more difficult. The system analyst has to be more precise in defining the problem besides determining the scope of a new system. This is the task where, system analysts have to properly define the possible problem and the target where they aim to hit. Important to know that, if the problem is wrongly identified it may impact on the system development, such as the new system will not well known, more time needed to do some research on a new system and many possible issues might be occurred. In contrast, if the problems are well identified with the analytical skill is applied to do this; the solutions to the particular problem are usually straightforward. Furthermore, to ensure the problem is precisely identified, systems analysts need to analyze and address the available information, to know what information sources are good, to be able to access and to make effective use in developing a new system. Identifying very clearly defined and specific problem is an important step to successfully implement the first solution. Interpersonal skills and communication skills Interpersonal and communication skills are other skills that required by every system analyst. Such skills are required at various stages of the development process for interacting with the users and try to identify their requirements in order to find out possible solutions to that particular problem. Interpersonal skills are related with individual skills needed to interact with individuals that associated with an IS project. In other words, interpersonal skills also can be referred as a behaviour and attitudes of individual, interpersonal communication and group behaviour in the IS context (Lerouge, Newton and Blanton, 2005). According to Lerouge, Newton and Blanton, (2005) in their study, IS managers have viewed these skills as the most important set skills for a system analyst in affecting IS success, whereas, for CIOs and end users indicated that technical skills were the most vital skills in successful of system development. Several authors indicated that behavioural, social, c ommunication and soft skills are sometimes referred to interpersonal skills as its characteristic represents individual behaviours such as articulating and speaking skills to interact with the users, ability to work in team such as programmers, analysts and other system professionals, personal motivation and working independently, good listener, ability to write and many more. Based on Odini (1991), interpersonal skills are term use to describe variety of social and communicative skills that involve two way communication skills, styles of positive behavior, leadership and teamwork and understanding of human behavior and interpersonal relationships in terms of interaction with relevant individuals. In contrast, Misic and Graf (2004) have distinguished interpersonal and communication skills into two different categories. Interpersonal skills are the ability to interact with other workers including end users, other system analyst, managers and outside vendors, meanwhile, communication skills is referred to the ability of people to effectively write and speak clearly, able to summarize document and that document must be understandable to the users. Most of company IT based found that interpersonal skills or communication skills in both speaking and writing and ability to work in team are very important and necessary to carry out their task. System analyst need to have communication skills as they are required to write users requirements into technical specifications. It is a fact that, good communication skill is significance to help the system analyst to interact with users in order to identify their needs, to interact with system designers to assist them in developing of system interface as well as to communicate with the system developer as to keep track of system development. According to Green (1989), system analysts believe that they must rely on behavioral skills to effectively interact with user during the crucial stages of problem definition and analysis. As indicated by Misic and Graf (2004), if system analyst is able to interact well with users, it shows that he or she has ability to work with members of project team . Moreover, system analyst should spend time getting close to the diverse stakeholders such as users, client and technical staffs in order to obtain information as they are the group of people who will use a new system and will benefit most from it. Generally, interpersonal skill is a significant factor in the success of system analyst in developing system. The excellent system analyst is involved in every aspect of the system development process, and is actively involved in the interaction design for the system. They have an understanding of the various ways the stakeholder need to interact with the system, understand the different needs and to identify the different aspects of design that will work for different stakeholders. Based on Green (1989), management must recognize that successful system development depends on both behavioral and technical skills. He added that, training to improve behavioral skills such as interviewing and listening is needed. This is because they have to interact with many groups of people in various businesses where this group of people provides valuable insights to ensure the system satisfies the business needs. Besides, systems analysts also liaise with almost every department of the business that is involved in solving the system problem. In addition, management must also provide an orientation program for the users involved in new projects. This program is mainly about the specific activities of system development and related skills needs for analysis. This program may facilitate the improvement of interaction skills and promoting greater consumer awareness of the importance of behavioral skills for systems development functions (Green, 1989). Technical skills There is no doubt that technical skills are areas commonly considered major to the computer related profession including system analyst. According to Misic and Graf (2004) technical skills are the ability to use techniques such as the development of systems of functional decomposition, data flow diagrams, process specifications, object-oriented analysis, data modeling, computer programming, hardware and software knowledge and other tools that are recognized to help in the development of system. In different point of views, Gallagher et. al (2010) indicated that technical skills can be divided into three major categories, foundational skills, operational skills and essential skills. Table 1, shows some of the technical skills that need to be possessed by every IT professionals. Table 1: Technical Skills Foundational Skills Operational Skills Essential Skills Programming System testing Desktop Support/ Helpdesk Database Design / Management Operating Systems Voice / Data Telecommunications Operations Service Hosting Continuity / Discovery Planning Mainframe / Legacy Systems Analysis Systems Design IT Architectures / Standard Source: Adapted from Gallagher et. al (2010) Based on the above table, it can be assumed that system analyst requires all three technical skills as to stay competitive with todays dynamic environment especially in the emergence of internet and intranet technologies. This rapid change in technology forced the system analyst to prepare and focuses on the system analysis and development of system by mastering all relevant technical skills. Foundation skills are skills to be obtained in advance by system analysts for their basic knowledge before they can further develop to a higher level of skills. Whereas as indicated by Gallagher et. al (2010), operational skills often in particular, but they are usually not firm-specific. Though, they may be specific to technology providers such as, IBM mainframes or Microsoft server products. These skills are important to solve problems that are related to the computers and both hardware and software. Meanwhile, essential skills are the most important skills in assisting system analyst to perfo rm in analyzing and designing of system development. There are changes in the system analyst technical skill set due to the development of technology. Haga et. al (2007), have defined technical skills set that are listed in the job bank into three major categories, there are, database skills, operating system skills and other miscellaneous skills. Table 2, summarizes the technical skills required for a system analyst listed in the job bank. All these skills are crucial for them to operate and Table 1: Technical skills required for system analyst listed in the job bank. Database Skills Operating System Skills Other Miscellaneous Skills Oracle SQL PL/SQL Database DB2 SQL Server Powerbuilder Sysbase Data Mining/ Data Warehousing Informix Delpi UNIX/LINUX Win NT Win 95/98/2000 AS400/ OS400 Mainframe JCL Novell Sun Solaris DOS MAC OS MS Office Internet/ Intranet Development Networking/Telecom SAP Accounting (pay-roll, etc) Peoplesoft Tech Support/ Help Desk ERP Lotus Notes uml Crystal Reports Vision Source: Adapted from Haga et. al (2007)

Two Types Of Therapies Essay -- essays research papers

There are many different types of therapies or psychological methods used to alleviate problems. First, there are therapies that emphasize the value of gaining insight to personal problems. Then there are behavior therapies and cognitive therapies, which are used to directly change troublesome actions and thoughts. Two therapies I will be describing are rational-emotive behavior therapy and psychoanalysis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to author Dennis Coon of Introduction to Psychology, â€Å"Rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) attempts to change or remove irrational beliefs that cause emotional problems.† Albert Ellis states the basic idea of rational-emotive behavior is easy as ABC. He assumes that people become unhappy and develop self-defeating habits because they have unrealistic or faulty beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ellis analyzes problems in this way: The letter A stands for an activating experience, which the person assumes to be the cause of C, an emotional consequence. For example, a person who is rejected (the activating experience) feels depressed, threatened, or hurt (the consequence). Rational-emotive therapy, however, shows that the real problem comes between A and C. In between is B, the patient’s unrealistic beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many irrational or unrealistic beliefs that we all tend to hold. For instance, certain people I must deal with are thoroughly bad and should be severely blamed and punished for. Thi...

Themes Of Bob Dylans Music Essay -- essays research papers

Bob Dylan was recognized by his poetry and song writing. He usually wrote songs about protesting and religious themes. Although the theme of Bob Dylan’s work is depressing, it is necessary to consider how the events in his life affected his music. Also Bob Dylan had other musicians that influenced him in his early years.Bob Dylan was born in Duluth Minnesota on the date of May 24th 1941. By the time he was ten years old he was writing poems and had taught himself to play guitar. He later changed his name from Robert Allen Zimmerman to the famous name Bob Dylan. In 1962 Bob visited his big early influence Woodie Guthrie in the hospital. Finally Bob Dylan got to meet him and become friends with his lost idol who was slowly dying of Huntington’s disease in Morristown, New Jersey, Dylan had written him a song called song to Woody. A famous quote from this song is â€Å"Bout a funny old world that’s coming along. Seems sick and it’s hungry, it’s tired and it’s torn, it looks like it’s dying and it’s hardly been born.†After he graduated high school in the early 1959 Dylan found himself playing folk music. This is also the time he began to write his legendary folk songs. In the 1960s Bob Dylan had turned the themes of his music to protest what many people consider the wrongs of society. In his songs he writes about the â€Å"luckless, the abandoned and’ forsaken,† as he put it in â€Å"chimes of Freedom.† He condemned the Ku Klux Klan in â€Å"The Death of Emmett Till† and the John Birchites in â€Å"Talking’ John Birch Paranoid Blues.† In Masters of War†he damned the war makers. And in Blowing’ in the wind, â€Å"he created probably his most famous song, though Dylan once stated that he wrote that song just for his friends. In fact, this anti racist, antiwar anthem is, in its deepest sense, a subtitle plea for awareness. (â€Å"How many times must a man look up/ Before he can see the sky? / Yes ‘n’ how many ears must one man have/ before he can hear people cry?†) Dylan had the characteristics of a biblical prophet, but also he had a sense of humor and irony (â€Å"Talking Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues†). One soon started to notice that he was a beginning to write songs that saw the world as consisting not just of heroes and villains but mostly cowardly people caught up in all-to-human situations. In the song â€Å"Who killed Davey Moore?† Dave Moore was a boxer who got killed by another boxer in... ...ngled Up in Blue,† â€Å"Idiot Wind,† â€Å"Simple Twist of Fate† and â€Å"Shelter From the Storm.† Dylan’s greatest album to date.In 1977 Dylan and Sara divorced and in 1978 he acted in the movie â€Å"Renaldo & Clara† and that same year converted to Christianity. In 1985 he performed at â€Å"Live Aid† and â€Å"Farm Aid† and contributed to â€Å"We Are the World.† In 1970 Dylan received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Princeton University. In 1988 Dylan was introduced to the R&R Hall of Fame. In 1991 Dylan received a Grammy Award for â€Å"Lifetime Achievement.† In 1997 Kennedy Center Honors Dylan for achievement in the arts. President Clinton stated, â€Å"He probably had more impact on people of my generation than any other creative artist.† In 1998 he was the winner of three Grammy awards in major categories for â€Å"Time Out of Mind†: The album of the Year, Best Male Contemporary Rock Vocal Performance, and Best Contemporary Folk Album. In 2000 Dylan is awarded â€Å"The Polar Music Prize† by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music for his â€Å"indisputable influence on the development of 20th century popular music as a singer-songwriter. They also nominated Dylan for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

New Criticism of Cry, the Beloved Country Essay -- Cry the Beloved Cou

New Criticism of Cry, the Beloved Country   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton can be effectively analyzed using the theory of New Criticism. When beginning to look at the text one must remember not to any attempt to look at the author’s relationship to the work, which is called "intentional fallacy" or make any attempt to look at the reader’s response to the work, which is called the "affective fallacy." First, the central theme of the book must be recognized. In this book the central thematic issue is separation and segregation, that there will always be major problems in society when race or skin color segregates people. This central theme can be seen in every place the characters travel and also in their daily activities. Next, the tone of the book must be identified. The tone throughout the book can be identified as hopeful and also fearful. The balancing tones of hopeful and fearful help balance the central theme. There is a sense that human beings are capable of change and thus one da y all people will become equal. No matter how badly things may be, the tone implies that there is still great hope. The hopeful tone implies that even though segregation and separation is a grim and depressing, there is hope for the future because, if a couple people are capable of change, so is a whole country. The fearful tone implies that South African’s are afraid of what has happened in their country and what may happen. Fear can be seen everywhere, in the land, actions of the people, and they speech of people. These balancing tones are continued throughout the book and serves to balance the outlining themes with the central theme. The next step in applying New Criticism is to examine some of the outlining themes to deter... ...the central theme. In this manner, the book follows the central unifying theme. The themes found in this book are not complex though. They are simple themes that do not require a lot of examination. Therefore, through the lens of New Criticism the book was an above average book that had many paradoxes and irony, a well-supported central theme, but its fault lied in the fact that the outlining theme were not complex. . Works Cited Davis, Robert Con and Ronald Schleifer. Contemporary Literary Criticism: Literary and Cultural Studies. Longman press, New York: 1989. Young, R.V. The Old New Criticism and its Critics. First Things, issue 35. P38-34. August 1993. Formalism. www.cumber.edu/engl230/newcrit.htm The New Criticism. http://130.179.92.25/Arnason_DE/New_Criticism.html Discovering Authors. John Crowe Ransom. Gale Research Inc. 1996   

Employment and Absenteeism Problem Essay

Absenteeism refers to unauthorised absence of the worker from his job. According to Benefits Interface (Edited 2010: 1 of 4) absenteeism can be defined as ‘failure of employees to report for work when they are scheduled to work’. Employees who are away from work on recognized holidays, vacations, approved leaves of absence allowed for under the collective agreement provisions are not included. In South Africa, managers consider absenteeism their most serious discipline problem (Nadlangisa, 2003). Absenteeism is not unique to any particular geographical area or industry. It is a major problem for every organisation, particularly since downsizing and other lean changes have left employers with a smaller workforce (Grobler, Warnich, et al, 2006: 123) According to a recent study conducted by AIC Insurance, companies and the country’s economy are losing more than R12 billion annually due to absenteeism in South Africa. In 2000, 0. 7 million workers were absent from work, which is a fraction compared to the 397% leap it took up until 2012 (Goldberg, 2012). Employees are often considered to be a company’s most valuable asset and according to Hamilton-Atwell (2003: 56-61) one of the best ways to increase profitably is by increasing the returns on this asset. Reducing absenteeism is one of the most overlooked methods of reducing costs According to Goldberg (2012) managing absence is critical for all organisations, as the negative impact that they feel with regards to efficiency, operations and cost- effectiveness is enormous. Whatever the causes, absenteeism is costing the country and its businesses heavily and therefore needs to be addressed. Many employers, however, choose to disregard the possibility that there may be issues in the workplace causing poor performance and absenteeism. It makes sound economic sense to address any such issues and pro-actively encourage improved employee performance. This research framework focuses on a medium-sized local organisation, which has asked to not be mentioned. Therefore it shall be referred to as Organisation X. 3 2. Problem identification The failure to show up for work creates problems of varying degrees for managers and administrators. Excessive employee absenteeism can decrease productivity and profits significantly, creating numerous problems for supervisors and the employees who work regularly (Carrell & Kuzmits, 1992: 735). 2. 1. Problem Statement The motivation for this research will be discussed by highlighting problems related to employee absenteeism as experienced within Organisation X Main Problem Unauthorized employee absenteeism from Organisation X and the actions that might be implemented to reduce this due to the fact that absenteeism causes a liability to the company. Sub-Problems The unauthorised employee absenteeism is leading to an overall decrease in: i. Cost- effectiveness – Profitability ii. Operations – Production iii. Efficiency – Competitiveness 2. 2. Explanation of problems: Financial Costs Overtime and agency costs for replacing workers are incurred. Administrative Costs Staff time required to secure replacement employees and to re-assign the remaining employees. Staff time is required to maintain and control absenteeism. 4 Decrease in Productivity The employees that come to work daily carry an extra workload and support new or replacement staff. Also they are required to train and orient new or replacement workers, which cause them to neglect and disregard their own work. The work group itself has a considerable stake in absenteeism, particularly with respect to morale. People in work groups are very sensitive to equity. If one member takes excessive and perceived inappropriate absences without some equitable cost to that individual, other group members are often affected. They take revenge by going absent themselves, o lowering the productivity of the group as a whole (Furham, 2000: 377). Possible reasons for the absenteeism rate in Organisation X Lack of commitment Employees are simply not interested in their work or concerned about the success of the organization. This can stem from low wages or low employee morale, which might be caused by poor treatment by management or an unpleasant working environment. Also the length of service within the company will determine the commitment to the work and the workplace. Lack of consequence The lack of consequences, e. g. no incentives for strong attendance or no punishment for poor attendance leads to increased absenteeism of the employees. Also employee packages that allow for a lot of absence can lead to workers abusing this. Poor working conditions Employees might feel that they receive poor treatment from managers, work in an unpleasant or stressful working environment, have long working hours a lack of breaks, are given an excessive workload or there is too much strict supervision. Personal factors Although there is a fair bit of absenteeism that could have been avoided, employees are often away from work for ‘valid’ reasons. Examples may include domestic 5 problems (bad housing conditions, family issues) and consequent worries, social and religious causes, problems with transport facilities or accidents/ illnesses (Hamilton-Atwell, 2003: 82-95) 2. 3. Research questions I. What are the main factors causing employees to be absent from work? II. Is one specific group of people more absent than another (e. g. male/female, old/young)? III. What are the current disciplinary actions within Organisation X’s Human Resource Department? IV. What is the behaviour of the employees towards these disciplinary actions? V. What are the possible and most suitable solutions for Organisation X? 2. 4. Possible solutions for the absenteeism problem include, but are not limited to the following: Consequences To avoid absenteeism as much as possible the company should implement positive/ negative consequences for strong/ weak attendance. Examples may include offering rewards and incentives, e. g. monetary bonuses, simple raise or recognition (Employee of the month) for strong attendance and punish employees with poor records and unexcused absence (Gitman & McDaniel, 2008: 248). Work-Life Balance According to Chick (2004: 67) managers should allow employees to be able to have or create a work-life balance, as this can reduce the stress levels they are exposed to. Dual income households have increased over the last decades and longer working hours are expected. Managers need to help their employees to manage the numerous and sometimes competing demands in their lives. Employees need to achieve a balance between their work responsibilities and their personal life (Gitman & McDaniel, 2008: 251). Follow-ups The Supervisors need to sit down with the employees when they return from an absence to discuss the reason for absence, if the absence could have been 6 prevented and the implications of absenteeism on the company (if it is a common occurrence for this employee). 3. Hypotheses I. Females are more absent from work then men II. Individuals in any relationship are more absent than singles III. Employees with children are more absent than those without children IV. Employees below 40 are absent from work more frequently V. Current disciplinary actions are not perceived as a reason for employees to reduce the absenteeism VI. Implementing other stricter disciplinary actions will reduce the rate of employee absenteeism 4. Objectives The Objectives of the project are: To understand and analyze: I. The main causes of absenteeism in Organisation X. II. The current disciplinary actions taken by the HR department for reducing absenteeism. III. The attitude of employees towards these disciplinary actions. IV. The factors to be considered in order to reduce absenteeism. V. Suggestions that can be given to the management to improve the regular attendance of the employees in the company.

My personal experience Essay

This story is from my personal experience where I was involved directly with the central character in this story. This story is about a little girl who had lot of aspirations in life and wanted to make a mark in this world. Though the name doesn’t matter but for the matter of convenience, let us call her Mary. Mary’s only fault, if it was, was getting born to parents who could only afford her education by skipping one meal in a day. Mary was above average and hence scored well in her kindergarten levels. The problem started when she was promoted to 1st standard where the level of difficulty increased for her. Her parents who could not read or write were of little help. In the daily grind of earning, when they could hardly afford the meals and her education, getting a tutor for her was a distant dream. This made the little bud sink as she always wanted to be the best and was ready to work hard as well but the conditions at home and school prevented her from unlocking her potential. On one side while her parents had their own rut to handle, her school teacher was not any considerate. She would hardly teach in the class and yet expect her students to perform the best. Well, her prestige was at stake. Any weak student in the class was a pain for her and she wanted to devise ways and means to expel the student who was not able to score. The first trimester results were declared and as expected Mary flunked in most of the subjects. She was not the worst but she was not above average any more. Mary’s teacher was infuriated with the results of the class, which was not as she wanted. She felt a necessity to teach last 10 rankers a lesson. What else could be better method than to physically torture the tiny tender kids, so that they never forget the lesson the learned teacher was trying to hammer on them. In no time, last 10 rankers were asked to stand outside in the sun which was blazing at the peak summer noon. No prizes for guessing that our Mary was also asked to stand in the scorching heat. The summer sun was too harsh for the slender frame of Mary who could not sustain and passed out on the ground. She was immediately rushed in the shade and nursed. This incidence further aggravated teacher’s indignation. It was difficult for her to believe that kids of Mary’s age can not sustain such punishments. She considered Mary to be faking the whole situation. Teacher remembered the incidence and sought to vindicate it at the right opportunity. It did not take much time for the right opportunity to come in. The Semester exams were going on. Mary was trying her best to prepare for the difficult subjects. Her parents had asked me to take few classes for her as a favor. I agreed and started coaching Mary on the subjects. She was having good grasping power and unique ability to apply the knowledge as soon as acquired. Hence, my effort was quite less in teaching her and the output was beyond my expectation. I started liking to teach her. Mary was working very hard to make up the grades. She was doing well in her exams, she used to tell me. On the day of her last exam, Mary was quietly writing her paper. The paper was easy for her as she was well prepared. The teacher, as vindictive she was, was watching for a slight error from Mary so that she could throw her out of the exam hall. To Mary’s misfortune, the moment arrived. A quick gust of wind flew Mary’s question paper to her fellow students’ desk. As Mary went on to pick her question paper, she was confronted & slapped hard by her teacher who left no stone un-turned in proving that she was cheating. Mary cried, cried and cried but it all went on deaf ears. Fortunately, for Mary, the principal of the school was passing by. She stopped and asked the reason for the commotion. Thankfully, the principal believed Mary and allowed her to complete her exams. This was the last straw for the class teacher to consider Mary her sworn enemy. To rub salt on her wounds, Mary’s result was just excellent in the semester exams. She had topped, though over all she was 3rd ranker but still there were six months to go and Mary hoped that she would be able to regain her original position. And then the fateful day arrived. It was one week, since the school opened and Mary was quite excited to learn the subjects further. She was quick to answer the questions asked in the class and was doing very well. Finally, on that day, the teacher got into an ego clash and asked Mary to explain something which was way beyond Mary’s scope of learning. The teacher, infuriated, threw the duster with full force towards Mary which unfortunately hit Mary directly at her temple. Immediate brain hemorrhage followed resulting in on-the-spot loss of a life which was definitely not meant to be going this way. The teacher was tried in the court but she was released due to lack of evidence and on the ground of accidental but not intended hit. Life is going on usual for me or anyone else in the world, but definitely its’ no more a fair world for me!

Moral Quandary of Race Essay

In his book, â€Å"I am not a Racist, But†¦The Moral Quandary of Race,† Lawrence A. Blum, a professor of Philosophy and Liberal Arts, ventures into unrecognized and little known aspects of racism. His definition and analysis of racism and its implications, projects the vastness of the subject, which had generally been regarded as just a white attitude. Blum describes racism as antipathy towards individuals of a racialized group, stemming from â€Å"inferiorization† or the idea that the group is inferior in relation to other groups. Blum considers a person to be a racist only when he intentionally makes racist comments or jokes, driven by racial antipathy. He feels that the moral significance of the term ‘racism’ seems to be losing its value, as it is being overused or too commonly used. Today, in practical life, any direct or indirect references which affect feelings of racial groups are considered racist. This not only dilutes the very meaning of racism but also weakens its power of ethical condemnation. The word ‘racism’ and its related terminology needs to be more clear, due to its relevance in personal racism, racist, racist beliefs at various levels. The author feels the term ‘racism’ is being more used out of context, like black students intending to sit with other black students for lunch or white teacher being uncomfortable talking with the black parents, which are all regarded as racism. The book also emphasizes the need to report race-based statistical data with greater care and concern as they influence individual perceptions. The statistical differences among the views of racial groups must be projected without any overracialization (p35). Overstating the differences of such views would only reinforce A book review 3 an individual’s racist opinion and close them to persuading arguments or rational conversation. Opposing the general notion that racial groups have a common agenda with regard to their group, Blum emphasizes the need to recognize the existence of internal diversity within social groups. Racial groups with a sizable population cannot have a single opinion or viewpoint. Several factors including age, gender, religion, culture etc. influence the formation of a viewpoint of an individual (p55). Blum therefore attributes it to misrecognition or inadequate recognition rising from ignorance, when any single viewpoint is attributed to an entire race. Although Blum feels that whites should not forget their relevance and association with racism, he adds that racism is not confined only to the whites. For instance Chinese, Japanese, and blacks too exhibit racist attitude to other colored people and whites. The belief of their racial superiority is developed by colored people, which makes them regard other groups inferior (p33). In this book, Blum indicates our hypersensitivity to the word ‘racism’ and suggests that racist insensitivity and subconscious racial intolerance are indeed acts, which need to be eliminated, but need not be tagged as ‘racist’. Blum is of the opinion that racial prejudice is an unavoidable consequence of cultural diversity. Our view and way of life today is associated with racist ideologies, which we have inherited. The concept of race had developed from the sixteenth century, A book view 4 reaching its peak in the late nineteenth century. History holds the key for our present interpretation on human diversity in terms of similarity, differences and superiority among races (p109). Blum explores the idea of doing away with the concept of race, but warns that it should be only after all associated wrongdoings are fully addressed. The book covers all vital aspects of racism including its history and, what we actually mean and think of race. It incorporates much useful information on the topic, carefully thought and reasoned, illustrated by suitable examples. â€Å"I am not a Racist, But†¦The Moral Quandary of Race† is indeed an important book not only to scholars but also to the common man in quest of understanding racism.

School Uniforms Persuasive Essay

In public and private schools, students are constantly being judged on what they wear and how they look. These judgments influence students to pick on others and induce bullying. If schools make uniforms mandatory, this cause of bullying would be eliminated, thus reducing the number of bullying incidents. Therefore, school uniforms should be required for all students because they will reduce bullying, relieve stress and make school a safer place. People are judged on what they say, where they go, and what they believe, but the main form of judgment is due to appearance.With one look, we make inferences on the economic status and background of other people. It is no secret that less fortunate people generally do not have as nice clothing as those who are wealthy. But is the difference in one’s clothing a worthy reason for them to be treated differently? The answer is no, yet it still occurs each and every day for students who are without uniforms. Children should not be treated differently just because their parents are unable to buy them trendier clothes.With the implementation of school uniforms, students can focus more on learning and building social connections based on interests and beliefs and not their societal status. School uniforms are the most effective way to eliminate social and economic differences among students. Because society is incredibly materialistic and money is a power issue, the judgments that are made on how someone appears become a main cause of bullying. Mandatory school uniforms would eliminate this problem and allow students to be judged on personality, not just what they wear.Bullying in general is malevolent; it is not only an unnecessary barrier to learning, but has the potential to make students’ lives unbearable. This sort of torment may not be terminated, but it would surely be reduced with mandatory uniforms. With the new HIB (harassment, intimidation and bullying) laws that Governor Chris Christie passed in New Jersey, and the studies that signify the increased number of bullying incidents within the past few years, bullying has become a larger problem than ever.Along with bullying, theft and gang activity can be reduced by wearing uniforms. In many areas, gangs are identified and encouraged through their clothing. Without the knowledge of who is in what gang, violence will be reduced and the school will be safer. If society insists on doing everything it can to prevent the mistreatment of other students, school uniforms should be made mandatory. There are other benefits of wearing uniforms as well.First, students’ lives would be much easier and less stressful. A great amount of time is usually spent on choosing and worrying about outfits. If students were refunded this time, they could have more time for other daily requirements such as homework. Some students, especially girls, stress about what they are going to wear every day and how they are going to look compared to everyone e lse. School uniforms will eliminate this unnecessary cause of stress.Having uniforms would not only eliminate stress put on students, but stress and pressure put on their parents as well. Some parents just cannot afford the in-style clothing items that other parents can provide. Every parent yearns for their children to fit in and be happy. As hard as they try to accommodate this for their young ones, some parents find this task impossible to accomplish. It must kill a parent to see their child mistreated or bullied because of something they could not provide for them.Adversaries to this argument may dispute being able to choose what to wear is the student’s prerogative and is what allows them to express their individuality, but is what students wear what makes them individuals? What happened to individuality being based on personality, positive attributes and passion? It is not clothes that make us unique. Wearing hand-me-downs because that is all that a family can afford fo r their child does not allow them to express themselves; it is not what makes them an individual and it certainly does not reflect who they are inside.What it does do is make that unfortunate child self conscious and ashamed. Many present conflicts within school systems can be easily solved or at least minimized with school uniforms. They can aid the prosperity of our schools and students, so why not take advantage of this simple answer to our problems? Action needs to be taken to make uniforms mandatory. They reduce the insecurities felt by children as well as their parents. Uniforms allow students to shine and excel for who they really are and not for whom they appear to be.