Saturday, August 31, 2019

Customer perspectives revisited Essay

When a business loses the drive to pursue and retain customers, it loses its soul and therefore the right to exist. No business can function, thrive or prosper without a reliable customer base. In the customer perspective theory BSC makes it clear that it is not only essential to know who the target customers are and how a business can better serve that customer base. The BSC identifies three primary ways of providing services to customers in the Balance scorecard system. Operational excellence emphasizes low prices, and convenience ( Nevin 2003). Product leadership focuses on providing the  best product in the market. In customer intimacy the business stresses the development of long term relationships with the customer, doing whatever is necessary to know what it is that the customer truly wants. It does so while maintaining as much knowledge as possible of its customers. The reason for these efforts in acquiring superior customer knowledge comes down to the point that the businesses are attempting to provide as much satisfaction to the customers as possible. The other reasons include customer loyalty and the need for more market share. (Balancedscorecard. org. ) INTERNAL PROCESS PERSPECTIVE REVISITED: This area focuses on identification of the things that would need to be done in order to continue to add value to the customers and ultimately to the shareholders (Nevin 2003). The internal process aims to serve the customer and increase the total value of the organization, as well as keep record of the companies progress. The team’s objective is primarily to develop better products, to find better ways of manufacturing better products. To find better ways of delivering their products, and to find better ways of delivering better services after the products had been delivered. LEARNING AND GROWTH PERSPECTIVE REVISITED: This may actually be the most important aspect of the entire process. Organizations would get as far as their employees could take them. A team that lacks knowledge may not be able to provide the necessary services required by the customers. Therefore genuine effort must be made to keep employees abreast of necessary information. And that is what the learning and growth perspective tries to define. It emphasizes that information be made available to the employees. It requires the employees skills be as sharp as necessary. It does not want employees to be ignored. Again the key here is that any organization would only go as far as the employees could take it. With adequate care and education, employees can only do better for the company. It is important to point out that the BSC system does not ignore the financial perspective. But the key is that when a company has satisfied the other objectives, that company stand a pretty good chance of doing well financially. BALANCE SCORECARD AS A STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: Obviously putting a business and management strategy is important, but no strategy will function if it does not actually get implemented. So the first step in resolving the  issue of non-implementation, is to identify what the potential problems towards implementation may be, and then address those issues. According to fortune magazine (1999) about 70% of strategies are poorly executed, so how can it be executed better. Both the team and the management must pay attention to the four barriers: the vision barrier, the people barrier, the resource barrier, and the management barrier. (1) VISION BARRIER: To overcome the vision barrier, employees must not be kept in the dark. The BSC wants management to be very clear as to what the vision is. When possible place a figure on the  vision . For instance if the goal is to manufacture products without defects 90 % of the time, then it may be made clearer by stating exactly that. That figure of 90% translates the vision to a level that could not be misunderstood. Give the employees the appropriate knowledge base and strategic structure, that makes the entire strategic objective easier to follow. Management should facilitate a total understanding of the strategy and the whole structure in order to enable all the team members to fully understand the strategy and therefore work towards achieving it as a unit. (Kaplan & Norton).

Friday, August 30, 2019

Review Strategies Used in Health and Social Care Environments Essay

M2, review strategies used in health and social care environments to overcome barriers to effective communication and interpersonal interactions. D1, evaluate strategies used in health and social care to overcome barriers to effective communication and interpersonal interactions. Introduction There are many differing ideas on the best way to communicate in health and social care and there are many strategies used by the many differing professionals working in health and social care. This assignment will review the different strategies used and then will evaluate the differing strategies and their effectiveness when overcoming barriers to effective communication and interpersonal interactions. M2; There are lots of different strategies used in health and social care and all of these strategies have their strengths and weaknesses this assignment is going to review if these strategies are successful or not. The strategies that will be looked at are staff training, reflective listening, individual preference, the environment and awareness of non-verbal communication. Reflective listening www.skillsforlife.co.uk believe the strength of Reflective listening as a strategy in health and social care is it builds the clients self-esteem and lets them know that you are interested in what they are saying and keeps a conversation going and by repeating what is been said to you lets the client know that you are professional and listening to what they have to say. The weakness of reflective listening is if the client has low self-esteem before the conversation starts or is angry or upset the client may feel that the service provider is not helping by just repeating what is being said to them and this could anger the client further or the client will just refuse to talk. Staff training www.skillsforlife.co.uk suggest that the strength of staff training is that it allows for constant updates in which service provides are always up to date on the latest strategies on overcoming barriers to communication and this leads to a better understanding of how barriers can happen and gives them the tools to take control and remedy the situation. www.skillsforlife.co.uk also suggest that the weaknesses that can arise due to staff training is that the member of staff loses time with clients while attending courses and may not be able to attend all training opportunities so this can lead to a gap in training and the member of staff not knowing all the latest strategies and this in turn can make things difficult for clients as they are not being given correct and up to information. Individual preference www.skillsforlife.co.uk believe the strength of individual preference is that it allows the client to choose the best way for them to be able to communicate that makes them feel comfortable and this in turn makes it easier for the member of staff as they have a client who is open and willing to talk and this also allows for staff to make appropriate arrangements if an interpreter or signer is needed www.skillsforlife.co.uk also believe that the weaknesses of individual preference is that staff may not have time to find someone to interpret or sign for them and they may not know sign language themselves and also not have time to arrange for these needs before the first meeting with the client. Environment www.skillsforlife.co.uk suggest that the positives that come from the environment that the conversation is taking place in are that for example in a counselling session the environment needs to be quiet so the client can communicate with ease and confidence knowing that they are being listened too. This helps the messages to be understood. www.skillsforlife.co.uk also suggest that the negatives can be that staff do not always have the time to assess all situations and as a lot of the space is used by other professionals such as doctors and nurses the environment cannot always be prepared in advance. Awareness of non-verbal communication According to www.skillsforlife.co.uk, making professionals aware of their non-verbal communication is a good way of overcoming barriers and the professional can ensure the proximity between them and client is a good distance but not too far away, and being aware of this is a good a lot of the way be communicate comes from body language and facial expression and professionals who are aware of this can improve their practice and the emotional needs of clients. www.skillsforlife.co.uk also believe that a negative side to this is that not all professionals have time to learn about this and also a lot of the time our emotions, facial expressions and body language is sub-conscious and not controlled. D1; This part of the assignment will evaluate the strategies used in health and social care. It will evaluate the pros and cons of communication and how they are used to overcome barriers to communication and interpersonal skills. Strategies are used in health and social care to give the service users the best possible chance of getting back to full health as soon as possible and provide on-going treatment or care into the future as and when it is no longer required. They are in place to promote independence and to make caring for someone as pleasant and easy experience for both staff and service user, and according to K.Bryan et al, ageing and mental health (2002) Studies suggest that a high proportion of older people in residential and nursing care have communication difficulties and there is some awareness of the need for staff training to allow effective communication to be achieved. Not working in the sector the only experiences to draw on are in the voluntary sector, working with an elderly lady in the early stages of dementia, It will be using these experiences to evaluate the pros and cons as to whether the way strategies are used are effective or not. The strategies it will be evaluating are reflective listening, staff training, individual preference, environment and non-verbal communication. Neil Moonie et al effective communication in health and social care (2012), Reflective listening can both be a help and a hindrance when communicating with dementia patients as it does depend on the service user and the sort of day they are having some days they are in the present and other days they are in the past so the trick is to adjust the way you reflect back to suit the conversation you are having as not to confuse the service user and keep the conversation going, in my opinion reflective listening is an important tool in breaking down barriers as it gives everyone a chance to air their views and be understood as to what they want, need and require. Neil Moonie et al effective communication in health and social care (2012), Staff training as a tool for overcoming barriers to communication is very important as without it staff working in the sector would not be able to serve their clients in the best way possible they would not have the knowledge to look after their patients in a safe and healthy way and this in turn will anger and or scare the patients so that they refuse help which could be detrimental to their health. In my opinion staff training is an effective way of keeping up to date on the latest skills and other ways of making sure all clients are safe and well in your care. Neil Moonie et al effective communication in health and social care (2012), Individual preference is important as a tool to overcome communication barriers as it makes the client comfortable and this in turn helps them to relax and open to talking, for those who have difficulty communicating keeping to their way of doing things also helps the client to relax and not to feel anxious because they are in a strange place and may be feeling confused and unsure of what is going on. In my opinion individual preference is important as it centres care on what is best for the client to make them as happy and relaxed as possible. Neil Moonie et al effective communication in health and social care (2012), Environment is an important tool for both client and staff, for clients it is important that things are familiar and as normal as possible and helps the service user to feel relaxed as with individual preference if they have difficulty communicating they will feel anxious and confused so a familiar environment will put them at easel, for staff the environment is important so they can perform their duties with ease and using the same environment for each client allows the staff member to know where everything is and the repetitive nature will reassure the client that nothing’s changed. Neil Moonie et al effective communication in health and social care (2012), Non-verbal communication the way we communicate non-verbally plays a part in overcoming barriers to communication because if our body language is negative such as no eye contact, this will impact on the client and may make them feel insecure and not willing to communicate, whereas a positive attitude will help the client to open up to you and be more willing to talk. Conclusion Strategies in communication are important as they help to overcome the difficulties some people face on a day to day basis, these strategies also help to decide what works and what dos not when working with service users in a health and social care setting Reference Stretch, B, Whitehouse, M, (2010) Btec level 3 health and social care book 1, Harlow, Pearson Education LTD K. Bryan, L. Axelrod, J. Maxim, L. Bell & L. Jordan Journal: Aging & Mental Health Volume 6, Issue 3, August 2002, pages 248-254 Neil Moonie et al effective communication in health and social care (2012) pages 1-45 http//www.skillsyouneed.co.uk 2012/ips/barriers-communication 20/12/2012

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Derivatives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Derivatives - Essay Example Therefore, I would be able to enable the loss in one market to be compensated, either completely or partially, by the gains received in the other (TMXGroup, 2012). In hedging there are a number of risks but the main risk involved is the basis risk. This comes about as a result of futures contract not being perfectly tracked by the bond that is being hedged. In most cases, it is usually greater for bond as the actual price is usually lower than the theoretical value. However, the loss due to the basis risk is the same as the profit gained from arbitrage transactions thus recoverable (TMXGroup, 2012). Explain how you could use options contract to hedge your $10m portfolio of 5-year US BBB-corporate bonds over the next year. State what different types of option you might use to implement this strategy I could use the open swap position to hedge the $10m by following the strategy of hedging a fixed-rate portion of the swap against a rise in interest rates by selling a specific number of contracts. In most cases, receiving a fixed rate on a swap is the same as buying a bond with the corresponding hedge consisting of selling bond futures contracts. The method is slightly different from the one described in question one above as in question one I would concentrate on buy positions and sell position and hedge when the correlation is greater to make the process more efficient (TMXGroup, 2012). You are an investor and hold $10m portfolio of US, BBB-corporate bonds and  £20m in UK, AA-rated corporate bonds. The current spot rate is 1.5$/ £. Over the next year you want to reduce your exposure to UK bonds by  £10m and gain  £10m exposure to UK economy by taking a position such that you earn the return on the FTSE in terms of US dollars. Actually, it is possible to achieve this cost efficiently using interest rate futures instead of cash bonds. Furthermore, it is also possible using Rho as this is the change in the price of an option

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Online Versus Offline Phone Accessories Sales Dissertation

Online Versus Offline Phone Accessories Sales - Dissertation Example The purpose of the study was to establish the level of sales that can be realized for both online and offline phone accessories dealers in UK. Data for the study was collected through questionnaires that were given to 50 participants. The participants were 18 years and above. The study findings showed that despite various challenges that were encountered by numerous participants, information relative to the level of sales was obtained. In addition, there was a positive correlation established between the level of income and the sales level. On a similar note, the study revealed that there is a positive relation between the level of online and offline sales and both short and long-term positive effects attributed to the overall economic growth. Further, study indicated a positive correlation between the price index and the money circulation constraints, which poses a big challenge for those aspiring to own phone accessories businesses. In essence, the results indicate that the variati ons in financing constraints have only limited results on phone accessories sales prices. In the case of the retailers who are poor, the effect of calming down the borrowing challenge on the cost of accessories will be absorbed by the exchange of own phone accessories businesses into public own businesses. Analysis and processing of data involved a number of operations performed with the aim of summarizing the data collected and organizing them to answer the questions of the research (Menard 2008).

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Population Specific Pain Assessment & Management Protocol Essay

Population Specific Pain Assessment & Management Protocol - Essay Example These include: poor sleep, loss of appetite, decreased functioning, elevated levels of depression and anxiety and decreased quality of life (Twycross, 1994). The powerlessness and hopelessness expressed by patients experiencing moderate to severe pain is all too often mirrored by nurses who lack the appropriate knowledge and assessment skills to manage pain effectively (Clements and Cummings, 1991). Common barriers to effective pain management reported in the literature include: knowledge deficits; fear of addiction to opioid medication; and, lack of consistency in the systematic assessment and documentation of pain and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. (McCaffery and Ferrell, 1997) Assessment is widely regarded in the literature as the cornerstone to effective pain management. Nurses spend more time with patients than any other member of the health care team and are thus in an optimal position to perform pain assessment. Through the integration of fundamental physiological knowledge, information on the patient's history and the comprehensive assessment of their pain, the nurse plays a major role in optimizing patient management. In our society, information gathering is viewed almost uniformly as a good thing. (It is the "information age," after all.) Nowhere is this truer than in medicine. For doctors, more information is always better. In the past, most of our information came from the patient. Now it increasingly comes from machines. Doctors like tests because we see them as objective and more reliable than our own subjective judgments. We also see tests as something tangible we can offer the patient at the end of a clinic visit. Patients like tests for the same reasons. Ordering a test validates their concerns and promises concrete information-a definitive diagnosis. Sometimes patients even perceive their care as substandard if they are not given some sort of test. While doctors and patients recognize that treatments may have side effects or lead to complications, both tend to view testing as something that can only help. The prevailing attitude seems to be it can't hurt just to gather a little information. Cancer, however, is a diagnosis made by examining human tissue under the microscope. And the only way to look at tissue under the microscope is to do a biopsy: cut a small piece of tissue and remove it from the body. A biopsy is a small operation, and like any operation, it can be disruptive and painful and can lead to complications. So it's not the kind of test you want to perform on everyone. The job of the cancer-screening test is to determine which patients should be biopsied. In other words, a screening test is a preliminary test. It is not a test to determine who has cancer; instead, it is a test to determine who should be tested further. Can a negative screening test be wrong The answer is almost certainly yes, although it is very hard to prove. That is because we do not biopsy people with negative screening tests. The only way we ever come to suspect that a negative screening test might have been wrong is when a new cancer becomes clinically obvious soon after a person has a negative test. Testing In The Real World In the real world, cancer testing is more complex. Test results aren't just positive or negative; often

Monday, August 26, 2019

Anti- corruption and integrity at a hospital Essay

Anti- corruption and integrity at a hospital - Essay Example Corruption is a global phenomenon, and it has percolated into every aspect of common life. â€Å"Corruption is a global phenomenon that causes poverty, obstructs development and drives away investment. It also debilitates the judicial and political systems that should be working for the public good† (UNODC 2007). Although all these sectors are experiencing corruption and fraud practices for some time now, corruption in healthcare sector only causes repercussion for the common people in a maximal manner. The life saving sector of healthcare is now turning into a corruption encouraging sector. Although, certain individuals working in a hospital may indulge in corruption and fraud practices, and for that entire hospital may not be blamed, the fact is, those individuals may be given the free hand to indulge in corruption because of certain loopholes in hospital’s functioning and processes. Thus, individuals are manipulated as much as they manipulate, and in a way individual corruption masks the structural corruption. So, this paper will focus on and diagnose the corruption and integrity profile in my organization of hospital setting, then will analyse the causes of any fraud practices and/or corruption opportunities that may be visible in my organization, then will discuss and assess the effectiveness of the institutional integrity policies adopted by my organization against corruption and finally will make recommendations for improving the anti-corruption and integrity of my organization. Background As mentioned above, although corruption and fraud activities are visible in many organizational sectors, corruption in healthcare systems is reaching startling levels, negatively impacting various stakeholders. Healthcare industry has spread out throughout the world, and there is no human habitable place in the world, without some form of health care structures or hospitals. All these healthcare structures were established to provide life saving and life caring options to people. However, this corruption is diminishing the efficiency and effectiveness of these centres, and this applicable to maximum countries in the world. That is, corruption in healthcare sector is visible in many countries, irrespective of whether they are rich or poor, developed or developing. â€Å"The hospital sector represents a significant risk for corruption, in both developing and developed countries alike.†(Vian, 2005). For example, in the United States alone, corrupt and fraud activities in health care has been estimated to cost US $11.9 to 23.2 billion per year; much of this expense is attributable to hospital-based care. (Vian, 2005). On similar lines, in the African country of Ghana, there is 50% loss in the health funds due to corruption, and so half of the allocated funds do not reach clinics and hospitals in Ghana. (Lindelow, Kushnarova and Kaiser 2006). Thus, corruption in healthcare sector is not region specific and is visible in all countr ies in maximal hospitals. The reason why hospitals are ‘hotbeds’ of corrupt and fraud activities, is because of the large scale movement of money, thus

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Critically Evaluate the Claim That the Processes of Globalization Are Essay

Critically Evaluate the Claim That the Processes of Globalization Are Undermining the Democratic State - Essay Example The discussion includes the definitions of globalization and democracy and the interrelation between them. It proceeds to discuss the threat caused by globalization to democracy and factors of globalization responsible for this threat. The roles of the governments and individuals with to globalization and its impact on democracy has also been evaluated in the paper along with the role of economic globalization in undermining democratic state. The argument is supported by adequate evidences to support the idea of the discussion. This report makes a conclusion that there are many economists who are of the opinion that globalization has paved the way for the formation of democratic states where there is no democracy. The people of those authoritarian countries have started demanding for democracy and this could have been possible because of the globalization. According to the theories of democracy it is the government of the people, for the people and by the people. If we examine the impact of globalization on these theories we may say that there are democratic governments formed by the people. But according to the moral principles of democracy it can be easily observed that the globalization has undermined the democratic state. The welfare of the common people is totally neglected in this age of globalization and it has also widened the gap between the rich and the poor tremendously.

Courtroom player Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Courtroom player - Essay Example It is no doubt that a judge is a key figure in the courtroom; the two opposing parties in a case usually come before a judge to present their cases. The judge gives both sides the opportunity to present their version of the facts relevant to the case at hand. The judges oversee the trial and make legal decisions which may arise. In addition, they sentence convicted criminal offenders in the case of criminal cases, and make decisions regarding the outcomes of civil cases and the appropriate remedy (Arizona Supreme Court, 2010). The general responsibilities of the judges and how they perform them often raises the ethic and moral questions; the decisions that they make always border on some ethic and moral issues. Since the concept of ethics and morals are central to judges, most jurisdictions have provided ethical and moral codes that should guide the judges (Kay, 1995). That notwithstanding, judges are faced with several legal and ethical issues. The first ethical and moral issue that judges face is the issue of fairness and justice. Judges are required to make decisions that are fair and just. As such, they should use their discretion and abilities to achieve this by ensuring that every proceeding is fair and the subsequent decisions are just as fair and just. In other words, both parties should at the end be satisfied with the decision, or at least see that justice has been done. The second ethical and moral issue that the judges face is that of public confidence. Courts all over the world are considered as the places that uphold the highest level of justice, fairness and equality (Kay, 1995). This explains why individuals who are aggrieved by others use court as the last resort to seek justice, remedy, and fairness. However, factors such as historical injustices in the courts, nepotism, and corruption can greatly dent the perception that the public have about the courts. Therefore, it is very critical for judges to mainta in public confidence

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Design a Human Resources Plan for the Radiology Dept. of a new Research Paper

Design a Human Resources Plan for the Radiology Dept. of a new small-town hospital - Research Paper Example Performance management focuses on under-performers, but it adapts a positive approach by availing the means for employees to advance their performance or efficiently utilize their abilities. Any organization’s overall performance management system has three sequential stages (Armstrong & Baron, 2005). The first stage is planning this involves determining the behaviors and results that will be expected from every member of the organization. The second step is execution which entails providing feedback, coaching, and guidance during the appraisal period to improve performance. The last step is evaluation which entails identifying and discussing strengths and weaknesses during the appraisal period (Grote, 1996). To map out performance management for the radiology department, the manager requires a sample evaluation to determine the different goals and performance towards achieving each of these goals. In this case the sample evaluation will also provide a means of rating individual performance under the different performance measures. The merit plan determines the score under each of the discussed competences. The merit plan provides the final score and position of the employee based on the predetermined goals (competencies) this is essential in determining follow-up action such as training, promotion or rewards. Employee recognition programs can enhance employee relations by communicating that the organization cares about its employees’ ideas and is willing to reward them for their efforts. WorldatWork and RPI carried out a research on employee recognition programs and underlined that companies which employ the programs retain their best and brightest employees. According to RPI, recognition is one of the most effective ways to reinforce an organization’s culture, support its objectives, and retain top performer. Looking at these proven

Friday, August 23, 2019

Migration Experience from the west Indies ti the US Essay

Migration Experience from the west Indies ti the US - Essay Example once they reach here are faced with challenges which they have to conquer if they are to have an easy life and eventually succeed in their new environment. This research examines the challenges immigrants go through with the discussion focusing on a family from Haiti. The paper will expound on how immigrants go about in settling in their new homes, general receptiveness of neighbors, race discrimination, jobs, deciding whether to assimilate or acculturate and young ones schools life. Marie Lafont, who is my aunt, migrated to the United States of America from Haiti in 1976, she settled in Brooklyn New York with her husband and three children. The area was predominantly black with a large Haitian community therefore the general reception they got was a warm one. Portes and Rumbaut state that once here, some immigrants enjoy better conditions than back home (18). This is demonstrable in my aunt’s case where the house they were to live in was bigger than what they had been accustomed to back in Haiti. In their new home they had a front yard and the rooms were much larger than what they were used to. Transitioning into their new way of life was not easy with things like speaking English with a French accent being an issue but with the help of the community around them, transitioning was made simpler. Upon their settling down in Brooklyn, my aunt discovered that the race factor was a major problem in the US, an issue that had not crossed her mind back in Haiti and was a major defining factor in her new home. She found out that due to her skin color, certain barriers were erected for example being discriminated against when applying for her nursing job. This new dimension added on to the everyday difficulties she was starting to face. All of a sudden the complexion of her skin became a problem and to make matters worse, this was an issue she had no control over. Through her interaction with her neighbors, she found out that Haitians who had preceded her had faced and

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Solution Manual for Fundamentals of Investing Essay Example for Free

Solution Manual for Fundamentals of Investing Essay Key Concepts 1.The meaning of the term investment and the implications it has for individual investors 2.Review the factors used to differentiate between different types of investments 3.The importance of and basic steps involved in the investment process 4.Popular types of investment vehicles, including short-term vehicles, common stock, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, fixed‑income securities such as bonds, preferred stock, and convertibles 5.Derivative securities such as options and futures 6.Other popular investments such as real estate, tangibles, and tax-advantaged investments 7.Investment goals including income, major expenditures, retirement, and sheltering income from taxes; the latter includes analysis of tax-advantaged retirement vehicles 8.Building a diversified portfolio consistent with investment goals 9.Sources of taxation, types of taxable income, and the effect of taxes on the investor 10.Developing an investment program that considers differing economic environments and the life cycle 11.The use of short-term securities in meeting liquidity needs 12.The merits and suitability of various popular short‑term investments, including deposit accounts and money market securities Overview This chapter provides an overview of the scope and content of the text. 1.The term investment is defined, and the alternative investment opportunities available to investors are classified by types. 2.The structure of the investment process is examined. This section  explains how the marketplace brings together suppliers and demanders of investment funds. 3.The key participants in the investment process—government, business, and individuals—are described, as are institutional and individual investors. 4.Returns are defined as rewards for investing. Returns to an investor take two forms—current income and increased value of the investment over time. In this section, the instructor need only define return, since there will be another opportunity to develop the concept of return in Chapter 4; also, providing information about recent investment returns always engages students’ attention. 5.Next, the following investment vehicles available to individual investors are discussed: short-term vehicles, common stock, fixed‑income securities, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, hedge funds, real estate, tangibles, tax-advantaged investments, and options and futures. The text describes their risk-return characteristics in a general way. The instructor may want to expand on the advantages and disadvantages of investing in each, although they will be treated in greater detail in subsequent chapters. It is vital for any investor to establish investment goals that are consistent with his or her overall financial objectives. 6.Once the investment goals have been well specified, the investor can adopt an investment plan consistent with these goals, select suitable investments, and build a diversified portfolio and manage it. 7.Personal taxes are discussed in terms of types of income and tax rates. The investment process is affected by current tax laws. Examples of tax shelters, especially tax-advantaged retirement vehicles, and tax planning are provided. 8.Once investment goals are established, it is important to understand how the investment process is affected by different economic environments. The chapter talks about types of investments such as stocks, bonds, and tangibles as they are affected by business cycles, interest rates, and inflation. 9.Liquidity is defined, and short-term securities that can be used to meet liquidity requirements are described. The discussion includes a look at short-term interest rates and the risk characteristics of various short-term securities. 10.The next section covers the various types of short-term vehicles available to today’s investor. The text provides enough detail about everything from passbook accounts to money market funds to commercial paper that students should get a good grasp of the differences between the vehicles. Information on current rates brings realism into the classroom and enhances student perception of the lecturer as a knowledgeable instructor. Answers to Concepts in Review 1.An investment is any asset into which funds can be placed with the expectation of preserving or increasing value and earning a positive rate of return. An investment can be a security or a property. Individuals invest because an investment has the potential to preserve or increase value and to earn income. It is important to stress that this does not imply that an investment will in fact preserve value or earn income. Bad investments do exist. 2.(a)Securities and property are simply two classes of investments. Securities are investments, commonly evidenced by certificates, that represent a legal claim. For example, a bond represents a legal claim on debt, and a stock represents a proportionate ownership in a firm. An option, on the other hand, represents the legal right to either buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price within a specified time period. Property constitutes investments in either real property (land and buildings) or tangible personal property (Rembrandt paintings, Ming vases, or antique cars). (b)With a direct investment, an individual acquires a direct claim on a security or property. For example, an investment in one share of IBM stock directly provides the stockholder a proportionate ownership in IBM. An indirect investment provides an indirect claim on a security or property. For example, if you bought one share of Fidelity Growth Fund (a mutual fund), you are in effect buying a portion of a portfol io of securities owned by the fund. Thus, you will have a claim on a fraction of an entire  portfolio of securities. (c)An investment in debt represents funds loaned in exchange for the receipt of interest income and repayment of the loan at a given future date. The bond, a common debt instrument, pays specified interest over a specified time period, then repays the face value of the loan. (Chapters 10 and 11 cover bonds in detail.) An equity investment provides an investor an ongoing fractional ownership interest in a firm. The most common example is an investment in a company’s common stock. We will study equity instruments in greater detail in Chapters 6 through 8. Derivative securities are securities derived from debt or equity securities and structured to exhibit characteristics different from the underlying securities. Options are derivative securities that allow an investor to sell or buy another security or asset at a specific price over a given time period. For example, an investor might purchase an option to buy Company X stock for $50 within nine months. (d)Short-term investments typically mature within one year while long-term investments have longer maturities, including common stock, which has no maturity at all. However, long-term investments can be used to satisfy short-term financial goals. 3.In finance, risk refers to the chance that the return from an investment will differ from its expected value. The broader the range of possible values (dispersion), the greater is the risk of the investment. Low-risk investments are those considered safe with respect to the return of funds invested and the receipt of a positive rate of return. High-risk investments are those that have more uncertain future values and levels of earnings. 4.Foreign investments are investments in the debt, equity, derivative securities of foreign-based companies, and property in a foreign country. Both direct and indirect foreign investments provide investors more attractive returns or lower-risk investments compared to purely domestic investments. They are useful instruments to diversify a purely domestic portfolio. 5.The investment process brings together suppliers and demanders of funds. This may occur directly (as with property investments). More often the investment process is aided by a financial institution (such as a bank,  savings and loan, savings bank, credit union, insurance company, or pension fund) that channels funds to investments and/or a financial market (either the money market or the capital market) where transactions occur between suppliers and demanders of funds. 6.(a)The various levels of government (federal, state, and local) require more funds for projects and debt repayment than they receive in revenues. Thus, governments are net demanders of funds. Governments also demand funds when the timing of their revenues does not match their expenditures. The term net refers to the fact that, while governments both supply and demand funds in the investment process, on balance they demand more than they supply. (b)Businesses are also net demanders, requiring funds to cover short‑ and long‑term operating needs. While business firms often supply funds, on balance they also demand more than they supply. (c)Individuals are the net suppliers of funds to the investment process. They put more funds into the investment process than they take out. Individuals play an important role in the investment process—supplying the funds needed to finance economic growth and development. 7.Institutional investors are investment professionals who are paid to manage other people’s money. They are employed by financial institutions like banks and insurance companies, by nonfinancial businesses, and by individuals. Individual investors manage their own personal funds in order to meet their financial goals. Generally, institutional investors tend to be more sophisticated because they handle much larger amounts of money, and they tend to have a broader knowledge of the investment process and available investment techniques and vehicles. 8.Short‑term investments usually have lives of less than one year. These vehicles may be used to â€Å"warehouse† temporarily idle funds until suitable long‑term vehicles are found. Due to their safety and convenience, they are popular with those who wish to earn a return on temporarily idle funds or with the very conservative investor who may use these short‑term vehicles as a primary investment outlet. In addition to their â€Å"warehousing† function, short-term vehicles provide liquidity—they can be converted into cash  quickly and with little or no loss in value. This characteristic is very useful when investors need to meet unexpected expenses or take advantage of attractive opportunities. 9.Common stock is an equity investment that represents a fractional ownership interest in a corporation. The return on a common stock investment derives from two sources: dividends, which are periodic payments made by the firm to its shareholders from current and past earnings, and capital gains, which result from selling the stock at a price above the original purchase price. Because common stock offers a broad range of return-risk combinations, it is one of the most popular investment vehicles. 10.a.Bonds are debt obligations of corporations or governments. A bondholder receives a known interest return, typically semi-annually, plus the face value at maturity. Bonds are usually issued in $1,000 denominations, pay semi-annual interest, and have 20- to 40-year maturities. Bonds offer fixed/certain returns, if held until maturity. b.A convertible security is a fixed-income security, either a bond or preferred stock, which has a conversion feature. Typically, it can be converted into a specified number of shares of common stock. Convertible securities are quasi-derivative securities, as their market value would depend on the price of the common stock and the conversion ratio. c.Preferred stock is very much like common stock in that it represents an ownership interest in a corporation. But preferred stock pays only a fixed stated dividend, which has precedence over common stock dividends, and does not share in other earnings of the firm. d.A mutual fund is a company that invests in a large portfolio of securities, whereas a money market mutual fund is a mutual fund that solely invests in short-term investment vehicles. Investors might find mutual funds appealing because a large portfolio may be more consistent with their investment goals in terms of risk and return. As we will see later, a mutual fund offers the investor the benefits of diversification and professional management. Mutual funds do not offer fixed/certain returns. Mutual funds are quasi-derivative securities, as their market value would depend on the price of the assets that make up the fund’s portfolio. Exchange-traded funds are similar to mutual funds but are traded throughout the day on exchanges and priced continuously. e.Similar to mutual funds,  hedge funds pool the investors’ funds to invest in securities but are open to a narrower group of investor than mutual funds and may employ high-risk strategies. They do not offer a fixed return and are most often not based on derivatives. Hedge funds usually employ a professional manager. f.Options are derivative securities that provide holders the right to buy or sell another security (typically stock) or property at a specified price over a given time period. Factors like the time until expiration, the underlying stock price behavior, and supply and demand conditions affect the returns. g.Futures represent contractual arrangements in which a seller will deliver or a buyer will take delivery of a specified quantity of a commodity at a given price by a certain date. Unlike an option, which gives the investor the right to purchase or sell another security, futures contracts obligate the investor to deliver or take delivery. Factors affecting returns on commodity contracts include changes in government policy, unpredictable weather, trade embargoes, and other events. 11.Before developing and executing an investment program, an investor must ensure the following: ï‚ ·Necessities of life such as funds for housing, food, transportation, taxes, etc. are fully provided for. The investor is adequately insured against the losses resulting from death, illness or disability, property damage, etc. Retirement goals are established. The seven steps in investing are as follows: (1)Meet investment prerequisites. Provide for the necessities of life, adequate protection against losses, and setting retirement goals. (2)Establish investment goals. Investment goals are the financial objectives that one wishes to achieve by investing. Common investment goals are: Accumulate retirement funds Enhance current income through interest income and dividends Save for major expenditures like home, education, etc. Shelter income from taxes (3)Adopt an investment plan. An investment plan is a written document describing how funds will be invested. The more specific your investment goal, the easier it will be to establish an investment plan consistent with  your goals. (4)Evaluate investment vehicles. In this step, the measures of risk and return are used to estimate the perceived worth of an investment vehicle. This process is called valuation. (5)Select suitable investments. This step involves careful selection of investments that are consistent with established goals and offer acceptable levels of return, risk, and value. (6)Construct a diversified portfolio. Diversification is the concept of forming a portfolio using different investments to reduce risk and increase return. This concept is central to constructing an effective portfolio. (7)Manage the portfolio. Portfolio management involves monitoring the portfolio and restructuring it as dictated by the actual behavior of the investments. 12.Investment goals are the financial objectives you wish to achieve by investing in any of a wide range of investment vehicles. Common investment goals are as follows: (1)Enhancing current income means choosing investment vehicles that regularly pay dividends and interest that can provide all or some of the money needed to meet living expenses. This is a common goal of retired persons and sometimes an important part of a normal family budget. (2)Saving for major expenditures includes money set aside for such things as the down payment on a home, college tuition, and even an expensive vacation. The amount of money needed and the time period over which one can save will determine the amount set aside and, frequently, the investment vehicle employed. (3)The single most important reason for investing is to accumulate retirement funds. The amount that must be set aside is determined by the level of expected expenditures, expected income from Social Security and other sources, and the amount of interest expected to be earned on savings. (4)Sheltering income from taxes involves taking advantage of certain tax provisions that permit reduction of the income reported to the government or direct reductions in taxes. Investments in certain assets, such as real estate, may be attractive due to their tax advantages. 13.Federal income taxes are charged against all income individuals receive from all sources (with the exception of interest received on some bonds issued by state and local governments). a.Active (ordinary â€Å"earned†) income is the broadest category and includes income from wages, salaries, bonuses, tips, pension income, and alimony. It is made up of income earned on the job as well as most other forms of noninvestment income. b.Portfolio (investment) income is earnings generated from various  types of investment holdings. For the most part, it consists of interest, dividends, and capital gains earned on most types of investments. Passive income is a special category that consists of income derived chiefly from real estate, limited partnerships, and other forms of tax shelters. c.Capital gains are the profits earned on the sale of capital assets—pleasure or investment. They are measured by the amount by which the proceeds from the sale of the capital asset exceed its original purchase price. Currently, long-term capital gains are taxed at preferential rates to ordinary income. Capital gains are appealing to investors because they are not taxed until they are actually realized. d.A capital loss is the amount by which the proceeds from the sale of a capital asset are less than its original purchase price. Up to $3,000 of net losses can be applied against ordinary income in any one year, with the unused portion carried forward to offset future income. e.Due to the opportunities and challenges created by the tax laws, tax planning is an important part of the investment process. Tax planning involves looking at an individual’s current and projected earnings and developing strategies that will defer or minimize the level of his or her taxes. Tax plans involve current income, capital gains, or tax-sheltered investments. For example, one strategy is to take losses as they occur and to delay taking profits in order to minimize current taxable income. f.In general, tax-advantaged retirement plans allow individuals to defer taxes on the contribution and/or portfolio earnings until some future date when retirement withdrawals take place. There are employer-sponsored plans (such as 401(k) accounts), individual-created plans (such as Keogh plans), and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). 14.Investors tend to follow different investment strategies as they move through different stages of their life cycle. a.Young investors, ages 20 to 45, tend to prefer growth-oriented investments that stress capital gains rather than income. These investors have little investable funds, and capital gains are seen as the quickest way to build up investment capital. b.By middle age, ages 45 to 60, there is a consolidation taking place as family demands and responsibilities change. While growth-oriented securities are still used, investing becomes less speculative. Quality-growth vehicles are employed, and more attention is given to current income. The foundation is being set for retirement. c.As the investor moves into the retirement years, age 60  on, preservation of capital and current income become the principal concerns. High-quality stocks and bonds and money market instruments are used as the investor’s objective is to live as comfortably as possible from the investment income. During retirement, one tries to reap the rewards of a lifetime of saving and investing. 15.Stocks and equity-related securities (such as mutual funds and convertibles) are highly responsive to the economic cycle. During recovery and expansion, stock prices are up. As the decline approaches, stock prices begin to decline as well. Growth-oriented and speculative stocks tend to do especially well in an expanding economy. Bonds and other fixed-income securities are sensitive to movements in interest rates. Bond prices also move in the opposite direction of interest rate changes. This means that if interest rates are expected to rise, bond prices would fall, and bonds would not be a good place to hold investment funds. Interest rates generally shift with the economic cycle. Rates rise during normal recovery and fall during economic declines. 16.An asset is liquid if it can be converted to cash (sold) easily and quickly, with little or no loss in value. You would want to hold liquid assets as emergency funds or to accumulate funds for some specific purpose. IBM stock is not considered a liquid investment even though it can be easily sold. As with stocks in general, you can never be sure that, when funds are needed, you can quickly sell the stock without taking a loss. 17.Purchasing power risk for short-term investments occurs when the rate of return on these investments falls short of the inflation rate. This generally happens to fixed-rate investments such as passbook savings accounts. Most other short-term investments have managed to provide rates of return about equal to the inflation rate when one looks at these short-term rates over long periods of time. Default (nonpayment) risk is very small with most short-term investments. The deposits in banks and other federally insured savings institutions are protected up to $100,000 per account by agencies of the federal government. U.S. Treasury bills are perfectly safe and sometimes called a risk-free investment. Commercial paper and repurchase agreements are extremely safe, based upon p ast experience, even though there have been rare instances of problems. These latter two instruments are also not insured. Money market mutual funds have also had an  exceptionally safe history. Of course, the safest money market funds are those that invest solely in government securities and are virtually default-risk-free. 18.Passbook savings accounts and NOW accounts (a checking account), offered by banks, generally pay a low rate of interest and have no minimum balance. Passbook savings and NOW accounts are primarily used by investors as savings accounts, providing the investor with a highly liquid pool of funds. MMDAs are bank deposit accounts with limited check-writing privileges. Central asset accounts are comprehensive deposit accounts and combine checking, investing, and borrowing activities. MMDAs and asset management accounts are more likely used by investors to earn a competitive short-term return while maintaining liquidity. Each type of account, except for asset management accounts, is insured. All but the passbook account typically require a minimum balance, which varies. 19.a. I bonds are savings bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury. They earn interest at a rate that varies with inflation. Interest is exempt from state and local taxes. They are issued in denominations that make them affordable to everyone and mature in 30 years but can be redeemed after one year. b.U.S. Treasury bills are short-term (less than one year) debt obligations of the federal government. T-bills are exempt from state and local income taxes, and federal taxes are deferred. They are regarded as the safest but generally lowest yielding of all investments, and the secondary market for T-bills is highly liquid. c.Certificates of deposits (CDs) are savings vehicles in which funds must remain on deposit for a specified period. Premature withdrawals incur interest penalties. Because of the requirement that they remain on deposit, CDs are less liquid than T-bills, but they are convenient to buy and hold, offer highly competitive returns, and have federal insurance protection. d.Commercial paper is unsecured short-term debt issued by corporations with very high credit standings. The secondary market for commercial paper is very limited and yields are comparable to yields on large-denomination CDs. Typically, only larger institutions deal directly in this market because the denominations range from $25,000 to the more commonly issued $100,000. Commercial paper is not federally insured. e.Bankers’ acceptances are short-term credit arrangements between business firms and banks. Firms use  banker’s acceptances to finance transactions, most often involving firms in foreign countries o r firms with unknown credit capacities. Banker’s acceptances typically are denominated in $100,000 units, are low-risk securities, and have active secondary markets. Yields are slightly below CD yields and commercial paper and above T-bills. f.Money market mutual funds (MMMFs) pool capital of many investors and invest it exclusively in high-yielding, short-term securities, such as T-bills, large CDs, commercial paper, and other similar securities. Because these high-yielding securities are in denominations of $10,000 to $1 million, the MMMF makes them available in a format that is affordable to individual investors. MMMFs are convenient, offer check writing privileges, and yields are based on the ability of the fund manager to invest in various short-term securities. Although they are not federally insured funds, their default risk is nearly zero because the securities they invest in are very low risk and the fund is relatively diversified. 20. The senior managers in a corporation, such as the chief financial officer (CFO), have the primary responsibility of managing the firm’s capital resources and investments. Because so much of the CFO’s primary responsibilities require an understanding of investment principles, a CFO must understand market forces but more importantly communicate in such a way that investors understand the value of the firm and the securities the firm has issued. 21.Because insurance companies have large sums of investment capital under management, they require the skills of a highly trained finance person in investment principles. Since this person is asked to manage risk for individuals as well as businesses, the decisions they make and the strategies they devise will assist the insurance companies’ customers in the creation of their individual successful asset and risk management strategies.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

An Individuals Identity Is Formed By Society Media Essay

An Individuals Identity Is Formed By Society Media Essay An individuals identity is formed by society in which media plays a predominant role. There is a daily interactive relationship between the subject and the object, that is, human agents and the conditions of their subsistence, respectively. Theories of the individual emphasize on differences between people and deem these differences as natural. Individuals are constituted as the possessors of positions throughout the effects of social relations. Alternatively, other theories of the topic concentrate on peoples general experiences in society through watching TV, surfing the internet or reading the newspaper. It is these general experiences that are the most significant way of distinguishing who we are. Thus, subject identity is a social construction, not an ordinary one. When we connect with the media, we act and are acted upon, use and are used by the system. Ideology is not precise, but implicit in images, structures, and sign systems evident in the media which task is to establish the individuals as subjects. We have social identities conferred unto us, mainly through the mass media. For example, take the popular medium of magazines. Magazines are an easy way of targeting the exact audience that has been set out to be. This is important as not only are individuals capable to choose which magazine they would desire to read but they are also capable of utilizing it to assemble their own identity. One of the most outstanding images found in magazines is that of the thin and beautiful model, numerous females would glance at these images as a source of inspiration as to what their bodies should look like and would think that they were inadequate if they do not look like the models featured. For example a perfume by Giorgio Armani called Sensi, saying that I sense, therefore I am and a model lying across a table giving the impression that one must need this perfume in their everyday life, and the emphasis on womens fragrance. Our society today has been affected in such a materialistic world that it is so easy for advertisers to promote any old debris and still be assured that consumers will buy into it, regardless of the cost of the product. The media has us brain washed very well, and know how and what to promote to us in a very effective way. It is through the modern media apparatus that people achieve a sense of identity. There is no doubt that contemporary media is a culture possessed with the self. Via the mass media we are told ways in which to develop the self. We buy books, read articles in the newspaper, and we watch lifestyle programs. The mass media supply us with the talent to transform, create, re-create and mass produce identity. The media permits us to transform the very way we think of ourselves, for that reason it allows us to become and be seen the way we desire to be. A popular contemporary medium for transformation is found in the ability of an individual to build a web page on the internet. It offers a unique opportunity to write ones self on a global stage and for the author to believe about their identity. Generating such pages offers an exceptional chance for self-presentations in relation to several dimensions of social and individual identity to which one chooses to allude. We seek to be as straightforward as we would like to present ourselves to the human race. This technology is greatly about viewing ourselves a certain way, as it is about having other people view us. By abstracting oneself onto a web page, one sets a target to which one must stand true. It is understandable that due to the contemporary media with which we engage it is more likely that instead of achieving, experiencing and learning our identity, we are more likely to purchase and use our identity. Since personality is largely a subject of outward behavior and appearance, individuals begin to use consumption as a means of creating a social self. Thus identity becomes constructed, rather then exposed and variable, rather than preset. A fundamental support in the construction of identity is fashion. The problem with this type of construction is that by dressing a certain way, the fashion industry offers a new you. In acquiring certain styles of fashion and particular brands, people consequently relate themselves with the meanings embedded in those goods. These modified meanings thereby become piece of the perceived self. It creates a fake ideology, a mask for one in which one can change who they are by means of changing the way they dress. For example, Jerry Seinfeld i s backing up American Express Michael, Paul Reiser wants you to use ATT, and Jordan is selling you Gatorade. Why do these famous stars emerge on commercials and show up in ads? The idea is to subliminally give the product traits that it never even deserves, like wealth, fame, and even success. When you see Michael Jordan drink that Gatorade and then go for a 360 slam-dunk, they desire you to think that, Hey maybe if I drink Gatorade, I can turn into as great a basketball player as Michael Jordan. Now when you see someone like Jerry Seinfeld with American Express, they want you to think, If somebody as prestigious and successful as Jerry Seinfeld adores American Express, then it MUST be a great card to have. Besides the less obvious, there is just the fact that someone needs a famous celebrity to present and sell their product, rather than some ordinary person who holds no social figure in society. Society and mass media are primarily split between different desires, interests, and engagements, and so is the subject. There is an essential lack between personal identity and identification with the mass media: a gap that prevents identification from ending up in a state of clean identity. Identity is a case of building and articulation because as individuals we do not have a definite position in our social structure. We create identity in relation to those surrounding us and much of the cause for our own uncertainty about our identity is because the nature of society is endlessly changing. As beings that innately desire to be accepted, the way in which other people view and judge us has become of great importance. Hence as individual we all try to be as well as manage to conform to the ideas extended by the media. This is due to the detail that there is a need to feel part of a group, a want to feel as though one belongs, and to improve ones identity in the eyes of others. Studies report that communication allows young people to facilitate social involvement and thereby make a recognizable identity. Contemporary society and mass media produces the end of the individual, and encourages conformity. The mass media are responsible for brain washing the people of the paradox, your identity is only individual when it is the same as everybody else. The media operates as a needle which injects attitudes, ideas, and beliefs into the viewers who as a defenseless mass have little choice but to be influenced. As an outcome identities are assembled from the material generated by the media. The mass media establishments do have the authority to set the agenda, to select, to frame, to classify and to define appropriate issues. Consequently, media communication is a prearranged activity, which frames the social reality in accordance with the dominant ideology. The meanings that are collected from the media do not have to be final but are open to refashioning and reshaping. Ultimately we only get to choose from a selected few issues which reflect the interests of capitalists and large corporations. It is from these narrow issues that an individual assembles their identity. Certain standards and ideologies are imposed unto us, with no opposing views to counteract their influence. Thus, we can only illustrate from the cultural collection accessible to us. Mass communication can influence cognitive change amongst individuals, mentally order and manage the world for us and also plainly create conflict or violence between people in society. Therefore, authorities or interest groups who have enormous control on media especially the government, newspaper and television program producers need a proper consideration for media use as well as being accountable for consequences. Evidently the modern media penetrates everything that we bump into in our everyday life. The author of Understanding Power the Indispensable Chomsky, Chomsky showed how the conventional press is run by the political economy and how the spectator is made into a pawn. The author constructs a propaganda model in which he exposes how the government exploits the media to implement control over the people. The mass media, therefore, is a business tool that is used to program the population. The spectator is told what kind of desire he/she must have. The messages we obtain are selective, diverse, and contradictory. It is through the magazines, television, news papers and the internet that, at its disposal, society has a great deal of resources accessible to them. There is no such thing as a set identity; it is negotiable and constantly being altered in order to keep up with the altering nature of society as identity is assembled in relation to others. The media supplies us with tools, allowing us to develop into the person we want to be, and fit in with those around us. In my opinion media is a reflection of society, not the other way around. So if we want to really deal with violence, we should to start with ourselves, not with the media that is basically showing us the world as it is. You cant blame TV and music for all the unconstructive things that people do. Its the persons responsibility to be interpreting the message the correct way. You cant deny the fact that media does project wrong images towards young people but its how they interpret the messages and act in response to them thats important. Parents should explain to their kids that most of the stuff on TV is fictional. The majority of us watch TV; but most for people, these messages and images do not elicit nor drive impulsive behavior. However, because media has a huge impact on society, whatever is displayed and conveyed has a great effect on people, especially on younger minds. I think that violence and sex on TV and in music is used as the lone scapegoat as crime arises. The crime can only be blamed on the individual. Eminem and Marilyn Manson have the right to speak what they wish, people have the right to listen or not listen. But, no one has the right to murder. And if someone does commit murder, I dont think music, or violence that they see or listen to can or should be solely responsible for their crime. Is censorship the response to the problem of violent entertainment? Should we tell people what they can or cant read or watch? The simple respond to this question is no, we cant censor violent entertainment. Because of freedom of speech but there is a fair ratings system which works most of the time. Rappers, writers, performers, and singers write based on their life and what has gone on in it. A rapper raps with reference to poverty, shootings, and robberies, why? Because thats what the majority of them lived through. Eminem raps about things that board his nerves. Why? Because he lives with those feelings and emotions. People who use these artists as reasons to be brutal are wrong. Music and TV do not commit crime its the society and the people themselves. Thus I believe that although the media plays an essential role in defining who we are and establishing our identities, it does not govern our actions. 1. Parenti, Michael. Inventing Reality- Politics of News Media: St. Oartins Press, 1993. 2. Chomsky, Noam; Mitchell, Peter. Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky, 2002. 3. Lorimer, Rowland. Mass Communication in Canada, 1996. 4. Kilbourne, Jean. Killing Us Softly. (Video)

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Technology During World War 2

Technology During World War 2 As the battle advanced into a fatal war so did the technology around us. The knowledge most people lacked during the war involved the advantage of the World War. The war carried on as the technology warfare complexed day by day. From Naval to Aerial warfare new weaponry was introduced by each side of the war. Countries around the world revolutionized. The war had finally come to an end however the creation and distribution of new weaponry was never put a halt. Rapid advances in bombs and guns proved deadly, it came very clear to the people that there was much more deaths in WWll then in WWI. Till date the weaponry business strives to introduce further innovation that modernizes our earth as a whole. The weaponry industry determined which opponent of the war had an advantage over the other. It seems like a bad way of advertisement but thats what went on during the war. One side advertised a new weapon or piece of technology and soon was recreated by the other side to be sold in bulk. The war really turned into a game of I can do anything you can do better. Ground Warfare at the time was where the real action took place and where most of the thinking went towards. New advances were pioneered at the battlefield. The Machine Gun being one of the most important pieces of expertise in that time! The Machine Gun was introduced at first as very expensive and hand reloaded. The Machine Gun allowed the biggest advantage to the Germans for quite some time until the allies finally realised what a imperative piece of machinery the machine gun was and hence invested in providing their own military with it. Eventually the Machine Gun surpassed its own incredible ability and was fully automatic. This was a startling time in history; the gun being light, requiring less than 2 people to man the machine and easily portable. Aerial warfare was also a big part of the war. The advantage of being of being able to give a high birds eye view was crucial during the war. At first this was the only goal of the airplane in war. The aerial conflicts werent as well known as ground warfare because becoming a part of the Air Force meant facing the fact that people die on their very first days. Many others live to tell their story. Aviation didnt have an immense effect on the outcome of the ground battles of World War 2 because it was still in its developmental stages. It finally occurred to the Military leaders from both sides and they studied and planned to take advantage of the Airplanes features. ON April 1, 1918 the RAF (Royal Air Force) was finally structured by an amalgamation. When World War I ended, France at the time had the most powerful air force established. Airplane bombings annihilated one coordinate on the map effectively and fairly easily. Aerial warfare was essential during the war however the leaders soon realised there was still one more point where the army was weak; Naval Warfare. Naval warfare had changed significantly during World War II. Limitations were in place when developing new ships because of the short amount of time given for expansion. However a lot of modifying took place during the war that took old working machines and improved them with recent additional features (Also known as retrofitting). More advances arrived for German Submarines nonetheless majority of the experienced and skilled crews had been killed off. The Germans used the U boat in order to primarily stop and/or destroy resources being shipped across the Atlantic Ocean. This was a clever way to make the other side less stable and physically dominant. Submarines were critical in the Pacific Ocean as well as in the Atlantic Ocean. The most important naval advances were preventing submarines in the first place. While others built and developed new technology in the naval field some forces created machinery that destroyed/prevented them. The use of ASDIC (SONAR) became common and so did the fixing of airborne radar which cautioned the troops of imminent attacks. Technology during the world war not only influenced and determined the outcome of the war but changed peoples lives all together. The technology being introduced all through the World War brought many widespread intellectual people who wanted to take these ideas and build upon them. The progress was influential for many future ideas and development in technology that we see today. This meant the war had an impact on any ordinary human being. Furthermore, we wouldnt see the vast growth in Aerial, Naval, and Ground warfare like we do up till now. As a common individual in our society I find it hard to morally justify death as a good thing. The war was a tragic event in our history books nevertheless the consequences of the war also brought us with great innovation we would not have seen so quickly the way we did. Cited List.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Dealing with Transformation in The Metamorphosis Essay -- Papers

Dealing with Transformation in The Metamorphosis In The Metamorphosis Gregor Samsa is forced to deal with his transformation from a human being into an insect. After his transformation Gregor is no longer able to do everyday ordinary things. He now has to depend on someone to do these things for him. His younger sister, Grete, makes herself responsible for Gregor. She takes it upon herself to make sure that Gregor is fed and his room is cleaned. This leads to the question; why does she place such a huge responsibility on herself? An optimist like Gregor who only sees the good side of people would say it is because she is a loving and caring person. That her brother’s current condition makes her feel sorry for him and she wants to help him in any way possible. However a pessimist would see an ulterior motive to his sisters’ actions. Since the narrator of the story is Gregor the reader is introduced to Grete through the optimist’s point of view. Gregor portrays Grete as a nurturing and caring person who se actions are solely based on what is best for Gregor. However, what if the narrator was not Gregor but a neutral person who had no prior relationship to Grete? Would Grete’s motives for helping Gregor appear to be purely unselfish? There are many points in the story that the reader is left with the feeling that Grete might have ulterior motives. If the narrator were an impartial character Grete’s intentions would not appear to be so pure. Grete’s motives from the beginning of the story are questionable. Why does she make herself responsible for Gregor? Gregor believes that she â€Å"had perhaps taken on so difficult a task merely out of childish thoughtlessness† (100). However there is another .. ...ghout the novel. Gregor throughout the book constantly misreads his sister’s actions and misinterprets her motives. Since the story is told through Gregor’s point of view we perceive Grete through most of the novel as someone who is unselfish and helpful. However at the end we find ourselves wondering if Grete’s intentions are really as pure as Gregor thinks. Did Grete plan from the beginning to get rid of Gregor? The truth is once Gregor was out of the picture Grete became the needed and helpful child. Grete had a lot to gain and nothing to lose by getting rid of Gregor. Gregor is not impartial when it comes to his sister and he is unable to perceive her bad intentions because he thinks so highly of her. Therefore it can be said that if the narrator of the story was a detached character Grete would not appear to be so harmless and innocent.

The Hard Life of Samuel Coleridge :: Biography Biographies Essays

The Hard Life of Samuel Coleridge      Ã‚  Ã‚   Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born on October 21, 1772 in Ottery St. Mary, Devonshire. He was the youngest of ten children and was often teased and bullied by the others. When he was 7 years old, Coleridge ran away from home. He was found unharmed the next morning. This event has recurred, in a literary sense, in a large portion of his writings. Many of his poems, sketches, and notebooks contained pictures and descriptions of his night spent outdoors. Although it was evident that Coleridge was a prodigy, he did not do well at a young age because he lost himself in women, drugs, and alcohol. He turned to the army, but this too fell through for him because his family was furious and his brother had him released for reasons of insanity. He immediately brought him back to Cambridge. It was here that he met William Wordsworth (Ashton 29).    In 1797, Coleridge published "Poems" which was well liked. This excited him because he thought that this would begin his road to success. One year later, Wordsworth and Coleridge had their famous "Lyrical Ballads" published. Coleridge's "The Ancient Mariner," opens the book. Many people believe that the work the two men did together greatly contributed to the creation of the Romantic Period. It was chosen to open the book because of its powerful descriptions about remorse. This, combined with the element of psychological obsession, may have had a lot to do with his younger years. In several ways, Coleridge's life experiences seem to have a lot to do with his poem, "Frost at Midnight."    However brilliant, Coleridge was not necessarily a happy man. In 1802 he wrote to Southey: "All my poetic genius is gone, and I have been fool enough to suffer deeply in my my mind, regretting the loss, which I attribute to my long and exceedingly severe metaphysical investigations, and these partly to ill-health, and partly to private afflictions..." (Watson 3).   He, like many, was going through a tough period in his life. His poem, "Frost at Midnight," is an excellent example of his attempts to find hope in his life. He wrote this poem for his son, Hartley.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Assessment & Grading in the Classroom Essay -- Teaching School Educati

Assessment & Grading in the Classroom Grading and testing is usually a mandatory part of teaching. Most schools let the teachers decide how and when to test, as long as the letters A, B, C, D, or F appears on a student’s report card. Teachers may not like the fact that some failing grades will have to be given, but as long as their way of grading is fair to every student, it is something that they will have to deal with. There are many methods of measuring a student’s ability to accomplish a task. However, many students freeze under normal testing procedures and may need to be evaluated in another manner. Also, it is important for teachers to understand fair grading procedures so students can best benefit from effective tests. By knowing the main ways of measuring student achievement, and proper formats for grading, students can be evaluated correctly. (Fairtest, 98) There are two main ways of evaluating a student’s work: objective tests and essay questions. Objective testing places emphasis on a precise, efficient focus on a student’s knowledge of defined variables (Kopeikin, 2000). That is, a teacher can use this format to measure a specific amount of a student’s knowledge. This can include multiple-choice, matching, true-false, and fill in the blank formats of testing. These kinds of testing are best used for checking whether students have learned facts and routine procedures that have one, clearly correct answer. In some subjects, carefully written test questions with planned outcomes can accurately distinguish students who grasp a basic concept from those who do not (Fairtest, 98?). With multiple-choice questions, a teacher can strategically place answer choices in a manner that will best evaluate what her students have... ...ridge, MA 02139. (1998). Multiple-Choice Tests. Retrieved March 11, 2004 from http://www.fairtest.org/facts/mctfcat.html FoCAL Points Issue 23. (2003). Assessment is Active Learning. Retrieved March 11, 2004 from Public Education Network website: http://www.publiceducation.org/pdf/FocalPoints/Assessment_Is_Active_Learning.pxxxxdf Kopeikin Ph.D., Hal S. (2000). Evolution of Objective Testing Retrieved March 11, 2004, from http://www.psych.ucsb.edu/~kopeikin/121lec14.htm National Capital Language Resource Center NCLRC 2011 Eye St, NW Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20006. (1997). Portfolio Assessment Retrieved March 11, 2004 from http://www.nclrc.org/portfolio/6-5.html Trice, Ashton D. (2000) A Handbook of Classroom Assessment. United States: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Woolfolk, Anita (2004) Educational Psychology. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Catastrophe Model of Construction Dispute Negotiation Behavior

The construction industry is apparently one of the major sectors of Hong Kong construction economy, and as Kenneth and Sai (2006) noted, buildings, the result of construction industry’s activities, are part of the built environment in which several human activities occur.As a result of the heavy reliance on team work and collaboration, construction activities are often prone to conflict, although it is apparent that this could also be obtainable in other organizational settings. Infact, these authors opine that the traditional construction contracting methods in several countries creates adversarial tendencies in the project team, which tend to foster conflict and thus conflicting behaviors in construction activities.It is a known fact that one of the primary indicators of construction success is the timely completion and delivery of the project. However, for any construction project to be completed and delivered as scheduled, a cooperative working environment is vital.In this light, Harmon (2003) suggested that the characteristic adversarial relationship and lack of a cooperative environment of construction organizational settings constitute one of the major factors that affect timely completion of construction projects.Because of the apparent importance of conflict management in construction, as well as in some other organizational settings, several scholarly works exist on conflict, conflict behaviors and conflict management. The term conflict has been severally defined, from different perspectives, even within construction literatures, as a result, several different understandings of conflict behaviors, and by extension conflict management styles, have been proffered.Kenneth and Sai (2006) argued, however, that the numerous construction literatures on conflict have essentially focused on conflict causes, prevention and management within a contractual and/or legal context. They suggested that equal importance should be accorded the human factors invol ved in conflicts, since according to them, conflicts is ‘stemmed and handled’ by the people involved, thus the role played by human factors, especially behavior, should be considered an integral part of conflict management.It is this call that this paper intends to heed. This paper intends to look at construction conflict from the behavioral perspectives using Rene Thom's Catastrophe Theory.   It has been suggested that continuous changes in human behaviors often display a discontinuous lapse.In this light, it has been argued that the catastrophe theory provides a ‘grounded approach for modeling conflict behavior in construction’ (Kenneth and Sai, 2006 p.439). This paper emphasizes the human factor in conflict by examining behaviors in response to conflict, known as conflict behavior; it then attempts to use a model of the catastrophe theory to explain construction conflict behaviors.ConflictConflict is a natural outcome of the interrelationships between individuals and groups. As a result, it is a very common and general phenomenon that can hardly be conceptualized in a simple definition. The interaction between individuals and groups brings to the fore, individual differences in goals, objectives or perspectives.The tension created by these differences, when identified by the parties involved is usually the cause of conflict. Several authors have offered different definitions or concepts of what constitute conflicts (Allred, 2000), however, there is hardly any definition that completely subsumes the entirety of conflicts from both the individual or organizational context.For example, Rahim et al (2000) positing that conflict is borne out of human interactions explain that conflicts begins when one individual ‘perceives that his/her goals, attitudes, values or beliefs’ are not compatible with that of the other’s (Rahim et al., 2000 p. 9). Here conflict is defined from the context of individual relations.Examinin g conflict from an organization context, Roloff (1987) argue that conflict begins when members of a team/organization engage in activities that are considered incompatible with those of colleagues within â€Å"their network, members of other collectivities, or unaffiliated individuals who utilize the services or products of the organization† (Roloff, 1987 p.496 quoted in Rahim, 2002).

Friday, August 16, 2019

Respryn and the Cornish Country-side

It would be a normal day in the summer holidays when suddenly the phone would ring. My friends and I were off to Respryn. We'd all grab our bags, put our swimming shorts in along with a towel, and jump onto our bikes and go. We'd all somehow meet up and then ride along the busy Cornish town roads, which was full with cars at this time like an ant's nest in the summer, up and along many steep hills, past our school and then out of Bodmin into the countryside of Lanhydrock. We'd go down a fairly steep hill which as we go down we see fields ahead of us that are laid out like the squares on a patch work quilt. Lots of different shapes and not all connected properly together like they should. At the bottom of the hill we turned right into a dimly lit small forest where the ground in autumn is filled with the vibrant colours of dead leaves. Every time our wheel rotated we herd the crackling of a bonfire as despatched twigs and branches crumbled beneath us. In the background we would hear the faint cry of an owl but the main sound was the rumbling and roaring of the cars passing by on the nearby main road. We left the forest and then mounted onto a newly built bridge that crossed the main road we herd from the forest. Myself and my Friends, Craig and Jamie like to stop here and look down on the passing cars. We like to play a game we call Emmett spotting, which is where we'd try and spot as many tourist or foreigners we can that aren't from Cornwall. I found it amazing how so many cars enter my hometown and how so little leave; they all can't be here to stay! Occasionally a passing lorry or truck would honk its horn at my friends as they try and provoke other drivers to do the same. Once we had a driver make a gesture at us, which included him making the middle finger on his hand stand up, we all stared at each other and laughed as we were out to enjoy ourselves and not let any body spoil our day. On we would go! We all rode along a crop filled fields where the power of the wind made an on going wave where the yield swept side to side. This effect was spoilt though by the sound and look of the nearby motorway, which was built straight through the middle of the farmland and beautiful scenery which makes me proud to call this tiny corner of England, I live in, home. As we exited the field we had the first site of the task ahead of us, a giant hill which took us to Richard's house. On would go our serious faces as we normally treat this hill as a competition to see who can get the furthest up, without putting a foot down and that day wasn't going to be an exception. I rode and rode; firstly Jamie regrettably put his foot to ground as the size of the hill overcame him. I fell back a bit just to keep him company as Craig pushed ahead because he doesn't like to lose. The top was in our sight, one last right turning and we would be treated to the smell of cattle from the farm that was really close. Okay maybe treated isn't the right word to use, but this would be the sent that would great the winner. Craig was the first to the top, but it ended in a draw, he wasn't the only one who managed to get to the top without putting his foot down, I made it as well. I now couldn't wait to get to Richards house to give my legs a rest. At the top of the hill we were able to look across all across Bodmin. From the highest point, where The Beacon stood to the industrial estate where most of the main work in Bodmin took place. The sky didn't look like the sky, but a sea of nothing. It was cloudless with not even a patch of white to be seen. After I had stopped looking across Bodmin I was greeted by the undesirable smell of the farm animals which swept along the cobblestone roads that seemed to act like a funnel directing the scent directly towards us. Once we had overcome the smell we meandered along the mud layered roads. A farmer passed in his tractor as we turned our last corner and glided down the last hill. We did this is a childish manner trying to go as fast as we could and then suddenly turn into the driveway of Richards house. His house is set in a lovely location, a generous garden with a pond in the middle, ducks and geese in his back garden along with sheds where the pony's and horses were kept. We couldn't see much from his house but if we walked out into the road in front of his house, there are hills in all directions with popcorn like bails of hay scattered around like houses on a Monopoly board. Richard was waiting for us and as soon as he saw us came out into his front garden. We talked for a couple minutes, had a drink which was well earned after the hill we managed to climb earlier, and just before we left got showed the motorised three wheeled bike he and his twin brother had been working on for the past couple weeks. This was it, we were on the last leg in till we would arrive at our final destination, Respryn. We'd rumble down a small hill and then took our bikes up a narrow stinging nettle filled hidden lane, which turns into a woodland area. The woodland area was packed full of trees, with man made paths for us to struggle ahead on. We had to be careful because there were brambles spurting out in all direction and Jamie would some times squirm after seeing a spider in it's water droplet filled web. I can remember coming through this woodland area before with Richard after a night full of rain. The paths weren't any more than a stream of muddy water and swamps that would suck you into the ground at any chance possible. It was impossible for us to pass, without getting soaked to the skin. We would exit the forest, cross a main road that was deserted with no cars to be seen and then pass a small cottage that had ivy crawling up all the walls in all directions. â€Å"Straight ahead then!† Richard would yell at the top of his voice, just to make sure every one knew where to go. We would then act in the same childish manner as before and soar down the unstable country lane road as fast as possibly, just that time taking more care because there was more chance of us falling off. Coming down the hill we were able see Respryn in the distance. The river slowly running through the woods and One or two cars on the granite bridge, which had one meter slots in to let horses get out of the way of cars. At the bottom of the hill we'd slam our brakes to there full because of a red gate which stands in our way. I get off my bike and open it for the rest to pass and then struggle through myself. The excitement would start to generate as we got closer to Respryn and as we went through the field at the bottom of the hill, we passed a dog walker who smiled politely. We were there, as I looked around I saw a canopy of leaves above, which protect the ground from the sun like an umbrella protects a small child on a beach on a very hot day. This canopy was only disturbed by small gusts of wind or the occasional sparrow or blackbird flying from branch to tree and tree to branch. Even when it's raining the ground remained dry because of the thick shelter created by the tree canopy. In some of the very rare gaps there is in the roof, I couldn't see anything apart from a large streak of light that missiles to the ground like a laser streaking from a gun. There was no noise to be herd apart from a distant barking dog in the background and the nearby stream that runs straight through the woods. As we kept on riding I noticed some of the graffiti carved into the trees. One I saw had the date 1987 on, this was before I was born and made me realise that many children of our age have enjoyed these woods and the streams for many years before us. We rode beside the cascading river for a bit, which on one side has a sea of blue bells, daffodils and many other plants. On the other is a never ending wood, full of lots of different types of trees and hundreds of passages that had different explorations in each direction. Here we were, we all stood and stared at a huge island in front of surrounded by the river. Ankle deep on one side and on the over two and a half meters deep, but you have to jump one and a half meters first off the island to reach the water. â€Å"Last one in is a wimp,† I shout so we all ran into the forest in different directions and strip naked. We chucked on our swimming shorts and then ran back to the island leaving our belongings in a safe place apart from one person, Craig, who unsurprisingly, accidentally forgot his swimming shorts and towel. We weren't going to let him stop us having fun so we sprinted into the water and got on top of the island. We stopped for a bit and then leaped forward off the island into the crystal clear deep water. The stream has a higher than average current but we still jumped in. As soon as we hit the water, we'd all swear and shout because of the shock about how cold the fast flowing river is. Even though it was the middle of summer the water was still freezing because of the canopy stopping the sun heating it up. We quickly swam out and catch our breath before doing it again. We went a bit higher up the island this time and then jump of again and again, in till we either get too cold or bored. Once we were this we grab our bags and hopped back onto our bikes. We then rode back through the forest we just came and crossed a small wooden bridge. As usual we stopped and played the classic game from the â€Å"Winnie the Poo† novel â€Å"Poo sticks† which I always win. We rode past some walkers who sounded like there tourists and who make a few unwanted comments about what were doing, we also passed some empty fishing platforms that I sometimes jumped of but today we didn't so we exited the woods. I can remember a couple months before coming to these woods with another friend at night during the winter. It was totally silent and as black as the hot chocolate I was thinking of having when I got home. Every time there was a flutter in the trees we would look up immediately. We kept on trying to scare each other because at night the trees look like people and in pitch black in the middle of the woods, another person isn't someone who you really wanted to see. The atmosphere could have been cut with something less than a knife a blunt pencil would have done the trick. I told my friends about this experience but they just laughed because they couldn't imagine how something so beautiful during the day could become so scary at night. After we left the wood we went to another area of Respryn, it was still part of the woods but you had to go in a different direction to get to it. So we picked up our bikes and took them over a fence, rode through a field of cows and went through a gate. Like earlier we were meet with the same woods but something was different about this one. There was less of a canopy but still as elegant and pleasing. After riding on for a bit we came to another area where we going to go swimming. Of came our bags, onto the floor went our bikes and into the river we went. In the corner of my eye I saw a tree, which was drooping over the river so, I got out and climbed it. While I was doing this my friends had realised what I was about to do, I pushed off and plummeted into the water. My friends laughed and I tried to get them to have ago but they weren't as mad as I was. Twenty minutes later we were starting to get cold and fed up of the small flies that came and landed on us, of which we wouldn't notice until they starting biting. They starting arriving in ones and twos, giving us one byte every ten minutes or so but then they came to us like children go to their Grandma's sweet bowl. Once we were all out and dry we slowly started walking back through the woods, which had all the shades of brown and green in one place at once. We came across a few strange bugs and insects that we never new existed. We left Respryn and then headed towards the ancient Lanhydrock house. Up the main driveway we went, which was some five hundred meters long. Its massive gardens where both sides of us, on the left was a giant field of which I crept into once to see a Jazz and Blues concert with Richard and On the right is another field but unlike the other has huge Oak trees and hedgerows in. At the top of the driveway is the actually house, we didn't want to go in but to go to the court yard around the back where we could get a delicious proper Cornish dairy ice-cream. Our bikes were locked up in the designated area for the bikes, we quickly used the toilets and then walked over to the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ where the ice-cream shop was. We got our ice cream and then sat on a hill that looked over Respryn and into the surrounding countryside. Our minds were more focused on the French teenagers playing in the gardens and of course our ice creams. We played around with the French teenagers for a wile talking to them and trying to get them confused, at one point I think we told them â€Å"My dog gave birth to a herd of donkeys†. We finished our ice creams and then decided it was time to leave so we peddled up to another exit of the house and back onto the main road. Richard headed in one direction and had to master the hill that we had, on the way to his house in the morning wile Jamie, Craig and I travelled straight across the road into the Crop fields that we visited earlier in the day. We then retraced our steps home and said good bye to each other. It was the end! All I need to do now is wait for the phone to suddenly ring on a normal day in the summer holidays. My friends and I would then be off to Respryn.