Gender Differences in Computer Attitudes Essay

The article titled â€Å"Gender Differences in Computer Attitudes, Ability, and Use in the Elementary Classroom† is written by Dr. Robin Kay who is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Education at the University Of Ontario Institute Of Technology. He has published several other articles in the field of computers and their use in education. He has also presented numerous papers at conferences both locally and internationally. Dr. Robin Kay has taught computers, mathematics, and technology for over 15 years of his career. At the end of the article Dr. Robin Kay states that the main reason for research is to assist in seeing all students develop an ability to adapt to changes in technology so that all can enjoy the benefits of the wealth of electronic information. According to the aforementioned article, Dr. Robin Kay asserts that computers play a vital and prominent role in society and it is therefore important that both boys and girls are given equal opportunities in learning, working with and benefiting from computer technology. He however notes that according to research carried out by Whitley, there is a gender imbalance in study and use of computer technology whereby computers are viewed as masculine tools. Females are less confident than boys in use of computer technology. Differences in perception of computers and computer technology can be largely attributed to the traditional attitudes that tend to spare females from technical issues thus females are generally less interested in technological issues. In the same breath, it can be concluded that even in the few cases when females are interested in computers, they are not amply encouraged to pursue this interest. Dr. Robin Kay’s research notes that existing research has not addressed the differences in computer ability between boys and girls particularly in elementary school. Lack of initial support to females at the tender age of elementary school is blamed as the genesis of the gender imbalance. Dr. Robin Kay has gone to great lengths to offer proposals and solutions to help eliminate the issue of gender imbalance The disparity between males and females and their related abilities in usage of computers and computer technology should be addressed at the grassroots level whereby efforts to encourage females to take interest should be made. It is therefore evident that Dr. Robin Kay views the gender imbalance in computer usage as a matter of perception and not practicality meaning that neither gender has an upper hand against the other if computers and computer technology were approached on an even ground. The idea of same sex computer groups would be particularly effective because it would help in alienating males who tend to be faster in grasping technological issues from females who take longer. This alongside with revised computer syllabuses for elementary schools and positive attitudes from the teachers will go a long way in bridging the gender imbalance in computer usage and benefit in elementary schools. In conclusion, Dr. Robin Kay has done a considerably good job given the fact that the scope of the research itself is limited. Gender imbalance in computer usage is not a research topic that would generate numerous noteworthy points but Dr. Robin Kay has done an outstanding job in enlightening readers on an otherwise dull topic. The solutions given to the problem of gender imbalance are workable even though they are generally limited to addressing the gender imbalance in computers and computer technology at the elementary school level: not much has been done to assist female victims of the imbalance. Affirmative action could be adopted to address the problem of females who have limited or little knowledge of computers when the females are put on the same platform with their male counterparts.

The tremendous growth experienced

In Nigerian tertiary Institutions In the last two decade without a corresponding increase In bed space had resulted In acute shortage of rooms in the hostel thereby overstretching the capacity of the existing structures they were originally meant for. Hostel accommodation Is one of the essential factors in every learning environment. In Nigeria most Institution of higher learning are owned by the government as such accommodation cannot be adequately provided to cater for the highly populated Institutions, Inadequacy andInsufficient hostel accommodation has led to overcrowding In rooms and some students living outside campus which In turn affect their learning. Built-operate- Transfer (BOOT) emerged as one of the tool In helping to address the situation which becomes a burden to government. BOOT is a type of project delivery that involves different parties whom each contribute in order to see the success of the project. It is a private agreement to build and operate in a public infras tructure project.The consortia then secure their own finance to sponsor the project. The consortium then own, maintains and manage the facility for an agreed concessionary period and recover their investment through charges or toll free. After the concessionary period, the consortia transfer the ownership and operation of the project to the government or relevant authority. This study takes Federal College of education (Technical) Biochip as a case study.Government Ministries, such as Federal Ministry of Education who govern the affairs of the school were consulted. Questionnaire and verbal interview were employed in data collection. After the analysis it was found that construction of hostels under BOOT is yielding a positive impact. The findings should serve as a good baseline for the government in solving the accommodation problem and overcrowding in the higher institution of learning in Nigeria.Therefore there is need for the government to give more support to Public Private Par tnership sector so that accommodation problem will be solved. By Amnion The tremendous growth experienced in Nigerian tertiary institutions in the last two aced without a corresponding increase in bed space had resulted in acute structures they were originally meant for.Hostel accommodation is one of the essential factors in every learning environment. In Nigeria most institution of higher adequately provided to cater for the highly populated institutions, inadequacy and insufficient hostel accommodation has led to overcrowding in rooms and some students living outside campus which in turn affect their learning. Built-operate- Transfer (BOOT) emerged as one of the tool in helping to address the situation which

Effect of Global Financial Crisis on Banks in Pakistan

CHAPTER #01 BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT AND STATEMENT OF PROBLEM |1. 1 |Introduction | |1. 2 |Evolution and Present Status | |1. 2. 1 |Pakistan’s Banking Sector and Foreign Banks | |1. 3 |Statement of Problem | |1. 4 |Significance of Study | |1. |Scope of the Study | |1. 6 |Delimitations | | | | 1. 1Introduction: The financial crisis, which has been developing at Wall Street, has got people worried in developing countries around the world. The stock exchanges, in developing countries have crashed and things look bleak for the financial markets.The people are drawing parallels with the Great Depression of 1929, but this time the world economy seems far more reliant and countries are far more intertwined with each other. Hit by an unprecedented series of multiple events and shocks, the Global Financial System is in a state of deep distress. One after another, large global banks have faced extensive losses, some were subjected to runs, others wrapped up their business, while yet oth ers went for bail outs, mergers or other forms of restructuring. Stock markets tumbled, indices declined and their market capitalization was severely eroded.The financial crisis, triggered by an isolated problem of subprime mortgages and other alternative investment vehicles which constituted only a small proportion of global financial assets, first hit one sector of the economy i. e. housing, and has now transmitted its contagion effect across all segments of financial markets and institutions, with spillover effects into the real sector. The global economy is now witnessing a significant slowdown after a sustained period of growth. What was perceived initially as purely liquidity? runch in advanced financial markets has now turned into a solvency crisis. The depth and breadth of the financial crisis is yet not known. The crisis has generated instability by speculative trade, which has far-reaching implications around the globe. The crisis has the potential to disrupt the very foun dations of the international monetary system. The situation is not limited to the meltdown of financial markets, the real economy at the national and international level, its institutions; and its productive structures are also in difficulty.This financial meltdown inevitably, backlashes on consumer markets, the housing market, and more broadly on the process of investment in the production of goods and services. 1. 2Evolution and Present Status Pakistan is living in a highly integrated world and a major turmoil of this magnitude and would definitely create certain implications for Pakistan’s economy. Pakistan already reeling from high food and fuel prices could face adverse consequences of the global financial crisis. The country’s economy is already confronted with worst kind of macroeconomic imbalances and obviously need financing desperately.Pakistan’s economic growth has slowed down and the ripple effects of this financial crisis may or may not hit with sam e intensity or severity as it is doing to the developed world, but still there are various channels through which the crisis may hit Pakistan economy. The crisis affected area, United States and Europe, hold a fundamental value for Pakistan’s economy. The financial turmoil is more then likely to affect Europe, Japan and North American countries with full intensity. Pakistan’s external sector comprised of trade, foreign investment, remittances, and capital flows is interwoven with these countries.All these indicators of external sector have more than 50 per cent of the stake in this region. The growth model being followed in Pakistan over the years is highly dependent on foreign capital inflows, mainly from these countries. More than one-half of Pakistan's external trade is dependent on these countries. The country could be hurt if demands for its export products dropped significantly, foreign investment declines substantially and if the terms of trade are affected. Pak istan has a very inelastic import structure and if exports are hit by a crisis than the current account deficit is likely to go beyond the sustainable limits.There is an agreement among analysts that countries with heavy external financing needs are potentially more vulnerable to a credit crunch. Pakistan’s current account deficit had already touched $14 billion which is 8. 5 per cent of its GDP, in 2007-08. In the current fiscal year, the ambitious reduction in the CAD is planned but still need a financing of around $12 billion. If import compression measures fail than the financing needs would be more than that. Pakistan’s external inflows projections hinges upon inflows from GDR’s and sovereign bonds in the fiscal year 2008-09.In the current situation any inflows under these heads are most unlikely. Standard & Poor has downgraded its long-term credit rating for Pakistan to triple c plus and this is the third downgrading of this calendar year. This rating will heart some investment prospect as well. The current crisis is aggravated by rising cost of external borrowing on the one hand and scarcity of availability of external inflows coupled with volatility of oil prices in the international market on the other. Internal security situation is adding miseries to our external woes.Non-debt creating inflows like FDI and portfolio inflows had shown great resilience to external crisis last year but sustainability of this resilience is likely to be hurt. 1. 2. 1Pakistan’s Banking Sector & Foreign Banks The major area of the economy of any country is its financial sector, in recent times financial sector has received renewed focus in the world. And within the broad domain of the financial sector, it is the banking industry that has been the center of attraction for the government and policymakers, particularly in the landscape of the Universal Banking Model.Banking is one of the most sensitive businesses all over the world. Banks plays ver y important role in the economy of the country and Pakistan is no exception. Banks are not only the custodian of the assets of the general masses but also act as a major financial intermediary of the country. The banking sector influences many different but integrated economic activities like mobilization of resources, collection & distribution of public finance.Pakistan’s financial sector consists of Scheduled Commercial Banks which include nationalized, foreign, and private banks; and Non-banking Financial Institutions (NBFIs) which include Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), Investment Banks, leasing companies, modarabas, and housing finance companies. Scheduled Banks and NBFIs (excluding modaraba and leasing companies) are both regulated by the State Bank of Pakistan’s Prudential Regulations, albeit through different wings, and are subject to different SBP regulatory requirements such as capital and liquidity reserve requirements.The banking sector in Pakistan has been going through a comprehensive but complex and painful process of restructuring since 1997. It is aimed at making these institutions financially sound and forging their links firmly with the real sector for promotion of savings, investment and growth. Although a complete turnaround in banking sector performance is not expected till the completion of reforms, signs of improvement are visible. The almost simultaneous nature of various factors makes it difficult to disentangle signs of improvement and deterioration.The central bank has been following a supervisory framework, CAMEL, which involves the analysis of six indicators which reflect the financial health of financial institutions. These are: 1) Capital Adequacy, 2) Asset Quality, 3) Management Soundness, 4) Earnings and Profitability, 5) Liquidity and 6) Sensitivity to Market Risk. Pakistan’s banking sector is made up of 53 banks of which there are 30 commercial banks, four specialized banks, six Islamic banks, s even development financial institutions and six micro-finance banks.According to the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Financial Stability Review 2007-08, â€Å"Pakistan’s banking sector has remained remarkably strong and resilient, despite facing pressures emanating from weakening macroeconomic environment. According to Fitch Ratings, the international credit rating agency dual headquartered in New York and London, â€Å"the Pakistani banking system has, over the last decade, gradually evolved from a weak state-owned system to a slightly healthier and active private sector driven system. |BANKS IN PAKISTAN | |[pic] | |PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS | | | |First Women Bank Limited | |The Bank of Khyber | |National Bank of Pakistan | |The Bank of Punjab | |SINDH BANK | |ISLAMIC BANKS | | | |BankIslami Pakistan Limited | |Emirates Global Islamic Bank | |Dawood Islamic Bank Limited | |Meezan Bank Limited | |Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan Limited | |PRIVATE BANKS | | |The Royal Ba nk of Scotland Limited | |JS Bank Limited | |Allied Bank Limited | |KASB Bank Limited | |Arif Habib Bank Limited | |MCB Bank Limited | |Askari Bank Limited | |Mybank Limited | |Atlas Bank Limited | |NIB Bank Limited | |Bank Alfalah Limited | |Saudi Pak Commercial Bank Limited | |Bank Al Habib Limited | |Soneri Bank Limited | |Crescent Commercial Bank Limited | |Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Limited | |Faysal Bank Limited | |United Bank Limited | |Habib Bank Limited | |Habib Metropolitan Bank Limited | |FOREIGN BANKS | | | |Albaraka Islamic Bank B. S. C. (E. C. ), | |The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Limited – Pakistan Operations | |Citibank N. A. – Pakistan Operations | |HSBC Bank Middle East Limited – Pakistan | |Deutsche Bank AG – Pakistan Operations | |Barclays Bank PLC | |Oman International Bank S. A. O.G – Pakistan Operations | |DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS | | | |House Building Finance Corporation | |Pakistan Kuwai t Investment Company Limited | |Pak Brunei investment Company Limited | |Pak Oman Investment Company Limited | |Pak Iran Joint Investment Company | |Saudi Pak Industrial & Agricultural Investment Company Limited | |Pak Libya Holding Company Limited | |China Investment Company Limited | |SPECIALIZED BANKS | | | |Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan | |The Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Ltd | |SME Bank Limited | |Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited | |MICRO FINANCE BANKS / INSTITUTIONS | | | |Khushhali Bank Limited | Rozgar Microfinance Bank Limited | |Network Microfinance Bank Limited | |Tameer Micro Finance Bank Limited | |Pak Oman Microfinance Bank Limited | |The First Micro Finance Bank Limited | As of end-2008, data from the banking sector confirms a slowdown (after a multi-year growth pattern). As of October 2008, total deposits fell from Rs3. 77 trillion in September to Rs3. 67 trillion. Provisions for losses over the same period went up from Rs173 billion in Sept ember to Rs178. 9 billion in October. In the meanwhile, the SBP has jacked up economy-wide rates of interest (the 3-month treasury bill auction has seen a jump from 9. 9 percent in January 2008 to 14 percent as of January 2009 and bank lending rates are as high as 20 percent). Overall, Pakistan’s banking sector hasn’t been as prone to external shocks as have been banks in Europe. To be certain, liquidity is tight but that has little to do with the Global Financial Crisis and more to do with heavy government borrowing from the banking sector and thus tight liquidity and the ‘crowding out’ of the private sector. Increased competition in the banking sector will force smaller banks to either sell out to other larger banks or merge. A small capital base will also restrict branch expansion of smaller banks, forcing them to focus on relatively smaller retail clients.Hence, it is foreseen that a major merger/acquisition potential in the banking sector. Competition would also spill over to other customer services such as provision of ATM machines and better banking facilities. Again, only the larger banks would be able to invest in automation technology and branch expansion necessary to improve efficiencies and mobilize cheaper funds. Foreign Banks (FB) comprises 24% of total advances and deposits within the banking system, but as a percentage of total profitability they are far ahead. A major constraint for foreign banks is the restrictions placed on branch expansion by the SBP. This should be according to liberalization policy to relax restrictions on foreign banks in emerging economies.Traditionally, the foreign banking focused on short term trade finance, targeting mainly low risk blue chip clients and high net worth individuals. More recently, foreign banks have also expanded into merchant banking, capital market operations, and consumer/retail banking. Foreign banks have been extremely successful in capturing a major market share of con sumer banking business, especially that of credit cards. Head office support in terms of international network and technology has enabled the foreign banks to become important players in the corporate and consumer banking arena. The deposits of foreign banks as ratio of total deposits increased to 27. 99 per cent in 1994-95 as compared to 21. 3 per cent in the preceding year. The advances of foreign banks as ratio of total advances have also shown an increase from 17. 64 per cent to 20. 38 per cent during the same period. Citibank earned a pretax profit of Rs. 1191. 82 million and thus it became the top profit earner among the foreign banks in Pakistan. The presence of foreign banks in Pakistan expands access to credit as well as financial services, which can spur efficiency and innovation in domestic banks, however, ripple effect of shocks from the credit squeeze in the US has impact on local financial markets through these banks. Pakistan has concentration of almost all foreign ba nks in the country.They account for one-tenth of deposits in the country in 2007-08. There are substantial changes taking place in the interrelation with the structure-forming elements in the global financial market which is seriously affecting the financial-credit mechanism in the developing countries, which have not yet developed the financial and economic structures. Countries like Pakistan sensitively react to the structural changes in the financial space. The banking and the entire financial system is much stronger now, after years of restructuring. Pakistan’s financial institutions had not invested in derivatives that had exposure to risky investment bankers.Moreover, better supervisory oversight and risk management practices introduced by the SBP have strengthened bank balance sheets while Bank asset quality, profitability, and capital adequacy have also improved remarkably in recent years. If the small size of the Pakistan’s financial market has traditionally b een a hindrance to a more efficient economy, it may actually prove to be an advantage in the current situation. There are deficiencies in the operations of the banking system, and it does not fulfill its function as finance intermediary. Hence the traditional channels of influence between financial market and real economy do not function in all respects. The banking system is on strong footing and has long term potential – a feature which has served to attract a substantial amount of FDI in the sector, with established global financial institutions now active participants in the domestic financial sector,† it has been well? governed and being in private hands under professional management, has witnessed outstanding financial performance during the last few years. With strong regulatory oversight, there has been a significant enhancement of capital and risk? weighted capital adequacy, supported by high provisioning requirements which were tightened in 2007. Stringent loa n provisioning requirement has built sufficient reserves against the NPLs’ portfolio.In contrast to the liberalized financial system in the west which took its toll in the form of the current global financial crisis, there are stringent regulations and adequate policies in place to help the banking system manage its risks. It is observed that aggregate financial soundness indicators have improved since early 2000, and continue to exhibit strong performance. â€Å"Tighter provisioning requirements may have reduced profits, but have positioned banks well,† and added ongoing consolidation and mergers have enabled a number of banks to position themselves better. The studies have shown that solvency profile has improved, and given the pressures from the macroeconomic environment, there is an indication of marginal deterioration in asset quality, which banks are well? equipped to handle. Stress tests conducted on June? 008 data indicate that the large banks are relatively ro bust, with the medium and small? sized banks positioning themselves in niche markets. Capital adequacy of the banking system is strong, 12. 1 percent at end? June 2008, well above the internationally acceptable minimum requirement of 8. 0 percent, it said and added core capital constitutes about 80. 0 percent of the total capital, and Tier 1 to risk weighted assets ratio of the banking system is at 9. 7 percent. â€Å"This strong capital base is accompanied by adequate reserves on the back of stringent provisioning requirements against classified assets – the net NPLs to net loans ratio is reasonably well? contained i. e. at 1. percent in June 2008, comparable to international best standards,† the Report pointed out. Profitability of the banking system continues to be impressive, largely emanating from the persistent growth in high? yield earning assets and expanded business volumes. Before? tax Return On Assets of the banking system remains strong at 2. 3 percent in J une 2008. The strengths built up over the years are now coming in handy in managing the recent financial strains. The Government’s and public sector organizations’ excessive borrowings from the banking system posed another challenge for the banking system. Notwithstanding, the liquidity strains were temporary and the inter? bank market is now functioning normally. Albeit going forward, the banking sector faces a significant challenge in maintaining its deposit base and in attracting new deposits, given the three rounds of increase in the rates of return on NSS instruments in the first few months of FY09. This will in a way force them to enhance the quality and returns on their liability products, and strengthen competition,† it pointed out. Liquidity position of banks also had an impact on the Non? Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), whose main source of funding continues to be credit lines from banks. â€Å"A broader assessment of financial stability indicates t hat the financial sector is too bank? centric, and the outreach and growth of the Non?Bank Finance Companies and the Insurance sector have languished in recent years,† it said and added NBFCs face direct competition from banks and are not likely to grow significantly until their funding sources and costs are streamlined. An excessive dependence on the banking system to meet the financing needs of the economy, as well as other participants of the financial sector, is quite stark in comparison with other emerging economies, where in general, the growth in other components of the financial sector, such as capital markets, complements and supplements the financing capacity of the banking sector. While financial markets (money market and foreign exchange market) remained resilient to the developments in the macroeconomic environment and functioned well in maintaining financial stability.Despite several achievements of the financial sector in recent years, financial depth and penetr ation in Pakistan continues to be low, and SBP’s financial inclusion strategy are aimed at extending the net of financial services. A lack of confidence in banking system has also traditionally prevented a significant sector of households from keeping their savings in banks. Hence, the impact on households of a possible burst in bank insolvencies will be minimal. In addition, the majority of deposits are in the state-owned banks or banks with sizeable government presence. Indirect effects may thus become prominent in evaluating the consequences of the financial turmoil on the real economy.The tight liquidity situation particularly hampers the operations of small banks and banks with limited resources, so the possibility of insolvency and bankruptcy cannot be ignored for some banks. Pakistan is facing a gimmick of financing huge fiscal deficits in 2008-09 and if liquidity constraint remains intact with limitations on external financing, the demand for State Bank resources will grow at a faster pace. The unwillingness of the SBP to finance the deficit may have serious implications for fiscal operations. This will attract major cuts in growth enhancing development expenditure because current expenditure offers little room for adjustment. The development expenditure has crucial for job creation and interlink ages in the economy.The refinancing of fiscal deficit without SBP finances may prove to be difficult, and will further tighten liquidity conditions and could lead to insolvencies for banks as well as add further pressures on taxation options. 1. 3 – Statement of the Problem: This aim of this research is to analyse the working of foreign banks, their operations and situations after global financial crisis and the services they are providing. The benefits which they are providing to different financial and non financial organizations. The activities and practices of foreign banks operating particularly in Pakistan. Their importance in the economy a nd financial sector of Pakistan. The major reasons for their decline/incline nowadays, Problems faced by them in recent time and their tough competition from other financial institutions performing in the market.There are many risk factors that are blocking the performance of foreign banks, so in this research it is tried to get the deep understanding of impact of global financial crisis on the foreign banks and the following things: 1- The Factors involving the operations of foreign banks before and after global financial crisis. 2- The future opportunities of foreign banks operating in Pakistan. 3- What are the problems faced by foreign banks. 4- How are the risk factors hindering the performance of foreign banks. 5- What products should be focused by foreign banks for growth in future. 6- The strategies for the regulation and development of foreign banks in Pakistan 7- The Initiatives that should be taken to bolster foreign bank operations in Pakistan after global financial turmo il. So the statement of the problem can be: IMPACT OF GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS ON THE FOREIGN BANKS OPERATING IN PAKISTAN†. 1. 4 – SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: This report is useful in deeply understanding the activities and services provided by the foreign banks operating in Pakistan . Their importance in the economy of Pakistan, this report will not only gives information about present status but also gives comprehensive information about the contribution and impact of foreign banks in the financial sector of Pakistan. This report is also useful for the students and teachers providing complete theoretical and practical information about foreign banks, their functions and operations with wider perspective.This research will be beneficial for the corporations, and researchers who are interested in knowing about the services of foreign banks that will be beneficial for them. This research will also be helpful for the foreign banks in getting information about their present status and future prospects, the opportunities and threats they are facing, and the risk faced by them in Pakistan and what new products and services they can indulge in to grow in the future. This research is also helpful for me to enhance my knowledge in understanding the operations and difficulties faced by the banks. 1. 5 – SCOPE OF STUDY: This study or analysis of the foreign banks will help in identifying the impact of global finacilal turmoil on foreign banks in the financial sector of Pakistan.It includes detailed study of top renowned foreign banks operating in Pakistan. The activities & services provided by them and performance and growth during the financial crisis. 1. 6 – Delimitations: The results are purely based on the information that is provided by the institutions, investors and from other secondary sources. The key factors that may hamper the present and future performance of investment banks are the economic conditions and government policies. This research is limited to the study of the impact of global financial turmoil on few of the foreign banks operating in Pakistan; these banks mainly include Standard Chartered Bank, Citi Bank, RBS Bank and HSBC Bank.

Financial Statement Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Essay Example This essay stresses that financial statement analysis has its share of limitations. Some of the most significant include the manner by which financial statement may not always be accurate since it can be distorted by inflation or seasonal factors. There are also instances when it is difficult to compare and analyze data on account of the ambiguity in regard to what industry a firm belongs to or due to the sheer number of divisions being operated by a firm. Gapenski further pointed out that there is also a lack of universal accounting practices standards that makes comparison problematic. All in all, there are other weaknesses entailed in using this analytical method. This paper makes a conclusion that financial statement analysis is important for organizations. This is particularly true in the case health care institutions today. Recent developments have significantly eroded their capability to generate profit. Being able to understand how bad the situation is for the organization allows managers to design corrective measures before it reaches crisis level. Being able to forecast opportunities and risks means better outcomes in terms of performance and profitability. Everything boils down to the importance of information. Financial statement analysis provides all the stakeholders the knowledge and, henceforth, the tools necessary to prevent the erosion of the firm’s financial health.

Is todays technology having a positive or a negative impact on the Essay

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Football Attendance Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

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Teams - Research Paper Example They are rewarded for mastering a variety of skills needed to meet team performance goals. To lead effective teams, leaders must understand successful elements of a good team because leader can effectively teach only what they consistently model. Leader’s action, behaviors and decisions have direct impact on team members. A leader having knowledge on team processes and dynamics is the key to having an effective team based organization (Lussier & Achua, 2009). A strong leader has all the qualities of effective team player. A team player is usually a contributor to overall success of a group-work, whereas a leader is a key influencer of the overall success and agenda for the group. A leader sets an example for team members. A leader is not only responsible for his/her actions but also for entire team. The Leader Exchange Model or Vertical Dyad Linkage Theory discover how leaders and managers develop relationship with their team members and explains how those relationships can contribute to growth. The theory states that all relationship between managers and subordinates go through three stages: Role-Taking, Role-Making and Routinization (Griffin & Moorhead, 2011). Role-taking occurs when team member joins group and manager evaluate member’s skills. In Role-Making, new member start working on project and manager expect new member will work hard and prove trust-worthy. During this phase, group members are divided into two groups: In-Group and Out-Group. In-Group team member receive more attention and support, and more opportunities from their managers whereas in Out-Group, members get very less consideration and opportunities. In Routinization, routines between team members and managers are established. The limitation of Leader-Member Exchange Theory is that it assumes all team members are equally trustworthy. Although we may like to think that everyone is honest, but reality is different! Managers need to get the best possible outcome, that is,

Film reaserch paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Film reaserch - Research Paper Example The film portrays intense corruption, mass killings, and the results of civil war within the country. Ideally, the Rwandan genocide drew influence from the fact that the majority Hutus wanted to do away with the minority tribe of the Tutsis. During the 1994, genocide at least a million Tutsis lost of their innocent lives due to the hatred developed by a fraction of the Hutu tribe (Anonymous 52). In this regard, history refers to the socio-cultural relations that exist within the society that may include race, ethnicity, gender, and nationality. It involves the firsthand account of philosophical issues such as power and perceived justice. Objectively, this paper will dwell on the historical factor of the film Hotel Rwanda. The bunch killing of the Tutsis started when Tutsi militiamen struck a plane carrying a Hutu tribe president. It became of a revenge-targeted mission, where the Hutus felt that they no longer needed the Tutsi presence in their country. The Hutus referred to the Tuts is as cockroaches where their presence became prejudicial and insignificant. Impunity became the driving force behind the genocide in which Paul tried to save at least one thousand three hundred of the so-called cockroaches (Olsen 66). According to the film, Paul sort to ensure the safety of his wife mainly because it was against the Hutu decree for a Hutu to marry a Tutsi woman. This meant that his wife’s life was at risk. The anthropological factor is that ethnicity contributed to the fall of the central African in its ability to unite the ethnic social culture and use it a complementary aspect of the nation. Ideally, the Tutsis were a dishonest lot who could not have any duty bestowed upon them. Clearly, the minority tribe did not have a place in the Rwandan society as the militiamen implied (Anonymous 52). However, Paul went contrary to the primitive commandments as he was a Hutu who housed a sizeable number of the Tutsi tribe. This portrayed his remarkable ability to sho w that not all the Hutus supported the atrocious genocide (Pearson, Keir, and Terry 120). The dead bodies characterized the town of Kigali that was once peaceful and serene. In essence, the dead bodies depicted the negativity of ethnicity, which made compatriots turn against fellow states men. Essentially, it is the right of human beings to live without having to buy their life at any price. Subsequently, the Hutu soldiers had put a senseless value on the lives of fellow human beings that made them a disgrace to the human race (Adams 77). On the contrary, tolerance and acceptance of the different ethnic origins would have down played the onset of the civil war that erupted in Rwanda at the time. Moreover, the genocide of Rwanda as portrayed in the film marked the darkest time in African and mostly in world history. This was because it went down as an era in which humanity experienced the wiping out of many lives at the same time (Rusesabagina, Paul, and Tom 78). Overly, the movie de picted racism within the same nation. The hundred dark days to which the film revolves around formulated, the base to which same skin racism drew roots. In essence, the Hutus killed the Tutsis whom they had cohabitated with for as long as history could recount (Pearson, Keir, and Terry 120). Conversely, the UN also only attempted to evacuate other nationals to safety rather than saving the whole lot. As per the

Usability Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Usability Study - Essay Example Despite the slimness, Ipad 2 has a wide screen that makes it possible to view large images. Interestingly, Ipad 2 has only four press buttons. The touch screen technology makes it possible for users to command the Ipad 2 by touching the screen. Additionally, the machine has an inbuilt accelerometer technology that allows images to be viewed in portrait or landscape view. This means that, when the Ipad is rotated in different orientations, images remain upright. Ipad 2 is one of the quickest and fastest mobile application machines. This is made possible by the dedicated dual-core A5 microchip. Ipad 2 is therefore, able to multitask, provide high performance graphics, surf, and perform other multiple functions with exemplary speeds. Notably, the Ipad has two miniature cameras, one at the front and the other at the back. Although they are small, they are very powerful. The camera at the front is used for face time video calling. This means that the Ipad can be used for real time video conferencing. The other camera is used for taking photos and videos. It is worth noting that the hundreds of applications that are supported by Ipad 2 are made possible by its operating system. Ipad 2 uses the most advanced mobile operating system called iOS. The iOS operating system supports various mobile technologies such as the accelerometer, touch screen technology, iCloud among others. One of the most interesting applications features in Ipad 2 is iCloud. The iCloud technology enables the users to move files and data from the Ipad to other electronic devices without having to use a connecting device. The iCloud is a communication platform in which different electronic devices can communicate wirelessly with the Ipad. The Ipad 2 comes with a Wi-Fi and 3G connection technology, which can support UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA internet connections. This means that the device can connect to high-speed internet connection ports fast and seamlessly.

Comparison between da vinci and Michelangelo Essay

Comparison between da vinci and Michelangelo - Essay Example He did not have the benefit of an early education and around 1483, he was sent to Milan to work as an apprentice of various artists. Leonardo showed mastery of so many fields including being a sculptor, an architect, painting and engineering. Even though Da Vinci is mainly considered an artist due to the popularity of his surviving masterpiece paintings, he was as well a pioneering scientist as evident in his numerous writings on various subjects including geology and anatomy. These writings that were done with brilliance reveal the genius of an eclectic and innovative mind that crossed so many disciplines. The natural genius exemplified a true ‘Renaissance man’ due to the humanist prominence in his works. Leonardo observed the world from a scientific perspective and always endeavored to find reason in how the world worked and why things appeared as they did, observations that were manifest in his paintings. It would be wrong to define da Vinci as an idealist since most of his work depicted realism for instance he made his look as lifelike as possible. The subjects in his early paintings had personal attributes and facial characteristics that elevated him above all others. Michelangelo on the other hand was born on 6 March 1975 in Florence, Italy to a magistrate Italy and just like Leonardo, he was apprenticed at an early age to various artists including painters and sculptors. Another similarity the two artists share in their childhood is the hard lives they lived and absence of motherly upbringing; Leonardo because of the illegitimacy of his birth while Michelangelo because of the death of his mother when he was still very young. Michelangelo, just like da Vinci, was equally exceptional in several subjects including sculptor, painting, poetry and poetry. Artworks Both artists depicted exceptional brilliance in their works that were mainly drawn from religious history, for example, Leonardo’s painting ‘The Last Supper’ and Mich elangelo’s ‘The Last Judgment’ which are depictions of events from passages of the bible. One the most distinctive features of Leonardo’s masterpiece are the portrayal of the subjects with distinct emotive facial expressions and body language, a clear indication of humanist character. Da Vinci portrayed a brilliant mastery of human anatomy when he painted his pictures realistically in terms of anatomy and posture, a subject of interest during the renaissance

E-Business Model Essay Example for Free

E-Business Model Essay An e-Business Model can is said to be an integration of business and trading models combined with associated protocols e.g. HTML, ASP, EBXML, EDI, etc into a business mechanism which uses the Internet as a medium of transaction (McGann 2002). Following are examples of the 5 primary e-business models: Business-to-consumer (B2C) . Here, vendors sell their products over the web to their customers. Barnes Noble.com is an example, where customers can buy old and new books, DVDs, Toys, games etc. The customers have the flexibility of buying at any time without leaving their home or office. The model of revenue is sales of goods using credit card or services like Paypal. Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) – The most popular example of a C2C model is e-bay. Here, people to auction the items they own to other people directly. A person can be both buyer and seller, at the same time. Revenue is generated by transaction fees charged per item sold to buyers and in some cases, sellers Consumer-to-business (C2B) – One of the examples for C2B models is com, which allows the consumers who post a message telling the car names, models, price limit etc., and dealers bid for them. Fees paid by participating dealers form the bulk of revenues for this company. Business-to-business (B2B) – An example of B2B models is com, which   provides corporations with an easy way to distribute safety materials to satellite plants and fill out OSHA reports online. The revenue model is charging for services provided by the company. Business-to-government (B2G) – NSW government’s e-tendering is an example of a B2G model. This website is mainly used by the business people to apply to various tenders released by the government. The tender applications usually require fee for the successful submission, which forms the revenue model scheme.    References Winkle W.V, â€Å"How Internet business models work†, http://www.smartcomputing.com/articles/archive/R0502/20R02/20R02.pdf?guid= Trygstad R, â€Å"IT as a business model†, 2003, http://www.itm.iit.edu/574/week3/Week3.ppt#19 McGann S. T, â€Å"Capturing the dynamics of e-business models†, 2002, http://domino.fov.uni-mb.si/proceedings.nsf/Proceedings/28006F6E9D7E2959C1256E9F00368211/$File/mcgann.pdf

Carl Rogers Essay Example for Free

Carl Rogers Essay Carl Rogers is known today as one of the most popular and influential American psychologists and is among the founders of the humanistic approach to psychology. He was born on January 8, 1902 in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He was one of six children to Walter Rogers and Julia Cushing. His father was a very successful civil engineer and his mother was a housewife, as many women were during this time period. At the age of twelve, Carl Rogers and his family moved to a farm about 30 miles west of Chicago and it was here that he was to spend his adolescence. Julia Cushing, a devout Christian, had Carl Rogers begin his education in a strict religious environment. Due to his harsh upbringing, Rogers became rather isolated, independent, and self-disciplined. With the ability to read well before kindergarten, it was obvious that Rogers was ahead of his peers when it came to child development. He planned to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study agriculture with undergraduate focus on history and religion, but then switched to religion to study for the ministry. During this time, Rogers was selected for a trip to Beijing, China for the â€Å"World Student Christian Federation Conference† for six months that would ironically result in him doubting his religious beliefs. After having these doubts, Rogers attended a seminar named, â€Å"Why am I Entering the Ministry?’’ for two years. He graduated the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and would soon after change his career choice. After graduation he married Helen Elliot and switched to the clinical psychology program of Columbia University, and received his Ph.D. in 1931. He then began clinical work at the Rochester Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. It was there that he learned about Otto Rank’s theory and therapy techniques and began to develop his own approach. In 1945, Rogers was invited to set up a counseling center at the University of Chicago. While working there he published his first major work, Clie nt-Centered Therapy; this was where he outlined his basic theory. His theory was based upon years of experience dealing with his clients. He believed that every person has the motivation to continue to grow and develop. In other words, he saw mental health as a normal progression of life and mental illness as distortions of one’s natural tendency. The entire theory is built on a single â€Å"force of life† he calls the actualizing tendency or self-actualization. This was one of Carl Rogers most important contributions to psychology and for a person to reach their potential a number of factors must be satisfied. Actualizing tendency meant that if every individual strives to make the best of their existence and fails to do so; it is not for a lack of desire. He believed that humans would flourish and grow to their full potential if the conditions were right, but we are constrained by our environment. However, because every human is a unique individual, we are meant to develop differently according to our personalities. Rogers stated that humans can only be hindered from reaching their goal when a poor self- concept or negative external influences disrupt them. One of the main factors when trying to achieve self-actualization is congruence. Congruence is when a person’s â€Å"ideal self† (who they aspire to be) is the same as who they believe they are (self-image). Rogers described a person who has reached congruence as the â€Å"fully functioning person†. A â€Å"fully functioning person† was one who was pleased with their reality and continued to grow and change. Rogers identified five characteristics of the â€Å"fully functioning person†: open to experience, live for the moment, trust feelings, creativity, and satisfaction with life. Although the â€Å"fully functioning person† was ideal, Rogers realized and made it clear that most people do not ultimately achieve this state in life. Another one of Rogers’s main factors in achieving self-actualization is self-concept. Self-concept is the organized, consistent set of beliefs about one’s self. The two major sources of influence on a person’s self-concept are childhood experiences and evaluation by others. According to Rogers, people want to behave in ways which are consistent with their ideal self. The closer our self-image and ideal-self are to each other, the more consistent or congruent we are and the higher our sense of self-worth. Rogers’s humanistic approach states that each person has a unique self-concept but everyone’s self-concept includes three components: self-worth, self-image, and ideal self. Seeing as though Carl Rogers was a therapist, he also had to do his part in assisting his clients in reaching self-actualization. Rogers believed that in order to help a client achieve their full potential a therapist must express complete acceptance of the patient. He began to use the expression client instead of patient due to the fact that the individuals that he was counseling did need help but not within the same regard that a medically ill person does. Today throughout the field of psychology it is a worldwide practice to address the individual as a client instead of a patient. He believed that a client did not need to completely surrender themselves to their therapists but they did need the assistance of the therapist. Self-actualization is centered on the idea of developing towards self-reliance and away from negative external influences. In conclusion, Carl Rogers made a huge impact on the field of psychology. He developed the idea of self-actualization and the concept that every individual strives to achieve their fullest potential in life. In an effort to assist his clients in achieving self-actualization, he developed Client-Centered Therapy which suggested that a client should be a catalyst for their own healing and that therapist’s role is to provide guidance and structure. He also did a lot of research with congruence and the â€Å"fully functioning person†, determining that the only way to reach these stages in life is to have a congruent â€Å"ideal self† and self-image. These developments are only some of Carl Rogers’s contributions to the world, throughout his career he received numerous amounts of prestigious awards validating how important he was to the field of psychology. Works Cited Kirschenbaum, Howard. On Becoming Carl Rogers. Oxford, England: Delacorte, 1979. Print. Rogers, Carl. Client Centered Therapy. London, United Kingdom: Constable, 2003. Print. McLeod, Saul. Carl Rogers. Simply Psychology, 2007. Web. 16 August 2012. Hall, Kathy Jo. Carl Rogers. Muskingum College, 1997. Web. 16 August 2012. Boeree, George C. Carl Rogers. Personality Theories, 2006. Web. 16 August 2012.

Greek and Roman Sports

Greek and Roman Sports Ancient Greek and Roman civilization have made many contributions to western civilization. Especially when it comes to politics, trade, and sports. From wrestling to javelin, ancient sports set the pace for some of the sports we have in our day and age, especially the Olympic Games. In Ancient Greek and Romans sports, athletes contested very hard and it was a public display that was a trait of the religious and social life of ancient Greece and Rome (Osborne 15). Ancient athletes trained and participated for physical exercise, competition, and to honor their gods. In this paper I will discuss the Greek and Roman attitudes toward sports. The ancient competition, physically, was relatively different from the sporting events we have now a days. There were far fewer events and only free Greek men (and sometimes boys) were allowed to compete because of the brutality. Also, there weren’t any team sports; every sport was one man against another/others, because they were more concerned about individual merit. Some of the different sports the Greek’s participated in where javelin, running (with and without armor), and discuss. Moreover, some of the more brutal sports they embarked on where wrestling, boxing, and pankration (a form of wrestling and boxing). Some of the games where brutal and you had to participate naked, but it intended on showing the beauty of the human body. The four main cycles of games were the Olympic Games, the Pythian Games, the Isthmian Games, and the Nemean Games (Kyle 48). Romans on the other hand based their sports around warlike displays, most notably the fights amongst gladiators. They included a gladiatorial combat, stage-plays, chariot races, athletic competitions, and a mock naval battle. Without a doubt, the Greek games depended for their entertainment value primarily on rivalry among athletes; while the Roman games were often describe by the staging of battles fought to the death and involved large numbers of human beings and also beasts (Kyle 184). The Roman sporting events I think were more brutal; especially when it comes to the fights amongst gladiators when most of the time they fought to their death. While on the other hand, the Greek’s were involved with the sports and the Roman’s simply watched them and cheered for the participant they wanted to win. In conclusion, the Greek and Roman sports helped create some of the sporting events we have today and definitely started athletic competition. We can clearly see the love for sports in Greek and the Romans. We learn that the ancient Greeks and Romans shaped their own idea about the meaning of life. The Roman games were radically different from the Greek games in several respects. However, their sports show the mindset of the people of that time. The Greeks were more interested in showing off the human body while the Roman’s were more inclined on massacring the human body. I think this shows that compared to the Roman’s, the Greek’s valued human life more. Without a doubt modern Americans would find much of these sports awfully violent; particularly the hundreds of gladiator fights and animal fights, with their many public deaths of both people and animals. Works Cited Osborne, Robin Studies in Ancient Greek and Roman Society. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Kyle, Donald G. Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World. New York: Blackwell Pub, 2007.

Padre Pio :: essays research papers

Padre Pio, whose real name was Francesco Forgione was born on May 25, 1887 in Pietralcina, a small town in southern Italy. Every since he was a child he has always showed love towards the religious life. It is said that at the age of 5 Padre Pio had already dedicated his life to God. He had an extreme love for prayer. At the age of sixteen he entered the ‘Capuchin Friars’ which are a religious order in memory of St. Francis of Assisi. From the first time Padre Pio had entered into the Friary he was already recognized by his teachers as someone special. â€Å"There was something which distinguished him from the other students, whenever I saw him he was always humble and silent†, one of his peers had said. What struck them most was Padre Pio’s love for prayer. In the year 1910 at the age of 23 Padre Pio had been ordained a priest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Besides the Mystery of God taught by Padre Pio, he had his own mysteries. After celebrating a Mass on September 20, 1918, he had received the â€Å"Stigmata†. His hands, side and feet were scarred with the same wounds of Christ; he was the first priest ever to have received the gift of Stigmata along with other gifts which later declared him a Saint. The news of this spread all over the world and people flocked to witness this miracle. Scientists had examined the wounds over and over but could never come up with an explanation. He had performed many miracles which included curing a blind little girl without pupils in her eyes to see again, and she is still alive today to tell her story. Padre Pio was also rewarded by God with other magnificent gifts such as bilocation which was Padre Pio’s ability to visit and needy in far places from where he was without ever leaving, also the gift of perfume which was the beautiful odor of roses that marked Padre Pio’s presence , and the gift of conversion which was his ability to make remarkable conversions of peoples choices or views.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the life of Padre Pio, God was no mystery to him because it seemed as if he already knew the mystery of God. He once said â€Å"the pivot of perfection is love, he who lives in love lives in God, because God is love, as taught by the apostles†, which simply those who do not love cannot be completely connected to God.

Essay --

Income inequality is when income is unevenly distributed in a country. This inequality has reached staggering heights across the world. Even in what we consider developed countries this disparity is only increasing. The causes for income equality can range anywhere from immigration to the policies and politics of a country. However, some critics of income inequality will argue that it will always be present and is necessary to stimulate growth. Nonetheless, the problem is not only that the gap between the poor and the rich is widening but that income inequality is causing devastating market and government failures. We look in particular to the case of the United States. The US is the world’s leading power and hegemon, who also has the world’s highest GDP and GDP per capita. However, in recent years the gap between the rich and the poor has been growing at a fast pace. This prevalence of income inequality in a free market society like the US indicates that inequality is a direct result of a market or government failure. In a free market it is believed that individuals possess an equal opportunity to be successfully, but because of misallocation of resources in a market economy this is not possible. The resources I am referring to here are those that are needed for a person to escape poverty and earn a higher income. This includes merit and public goods that individuals with higher incomes can afford and indulge themselves in while people with lower incomes or suffering from poverty depend on some endowment from the state, such as healthcare, education, and access to employment opportunities and professional networks. It is important to a society that we take care of these market failures to not only help decrease income inequality... ...vity. Furthermore, the bill has the potentially to further increase the income inequality gap. For example, students who can’t afford the cost of higher education but whose parents make too much money to qualify for federal aid will still be forced to take out private loans to fund their education. â€Å"These loans can total anywhere from $50,000 to $60,000 by the time a student graduates, despite attending a public university† (The Student Loan, 2012). This in turn, will cause students to make choices based on the cost of higher education rather than their own which means less skilled works and individuals funding U.S markets and more income inequality. Finally, even though the bill did lower the cost of higher education it does nothing to get rid of the cost fully and unfortunately not really feasible since it was shot down by the Committee of Education and Workforce.

Capital Punishment Essay: Should Execution of Inmates be Televised?

Should the Execution of Death Row Inmates be Televised?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On discussing the appeal of the highly-rated CBS television show, "Survivor," host Jeff Probst said the "appeal of the show lies in the idea that it is truly a human experience" (Mason par. 3).   Now imagine a show in which American television viewers are permitted to watch the live execution of a Death Row inmate.   Would broadcasting a live execution have the same "appeal" as "Survivor"?   Or would televising an inmate's execution have horrific and harmful consequences on the American public, putting the issue of capital punishment, as well as their ethical standards, in jeopardy?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Televisions are present in 98-99% of American households, (comma splice) basically they are present in every American house.   American viewers watch televisions frequently and for a long duration of time, regarding what is seen on television as the most "credible, complete, intelligent, and unbiased source of news" (Leighton par. 10).   Therefore, because of this fact, proponents of televising executions believe that in doing so, the public creates a deterrent, allowing the whole process of the United States criminal justice system to play out in front of the American public via the most popular medium for doing so, the television ("Debate Lives On" par. 3).   A deterrent is a notion that the pain of punishment, (in this case, the pain of execution), will prevent human beings from committing crimes.   Therefore, if the American public could bear witness to the execution of a convicted man or woman, the image would be so shocking t o that viewers mind that the ability or desire of that person to commit a "death penalty" crime would decrease.   In essence, proponents of te... ... 2 June 2000.   Online.   Internet.   Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/2000/06/02//fpl13sl-csm.shtml Miller, Matthew.   "Forget Conventions-televise executions."   Los Angeles Times Syndicate.   29 June 2000.   Online.   Internet.   Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.reporter-news.com/opinion/forgetconvensions/exe.htm Shapiro, Andrew L.   "State Killing: America's New Spectator Sport?"   Salon Magazine.   28 July 1997.   Online.   Internet.   Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.salonmagazine.com/mediacircus.html   "State Killing is Not the Answer."   Amnesty International-USA.   Press Release.   Guatamala.   26 June 200.   Online.   Internet.   Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.rights.amnesty.org/ainews.html White, James.   Contempory Moral Problems.   Fifth Edition.   West Publishing Company.   Minneapolis, 1997.

The Importance of Accountability and Responsibility

What is the importance of accountability and responsibility? Accountability and responsibility are two important values individuals can exercise in their daily lives, and workplace. They really go hand in hand with each other. By acting responsibly people will learn to trust that you will do what you say you agree to. It then in turn lets people feel like you can be counted on. When people are accountable to each other a bond of trust is built allowing for honest opinions and ideas. The sense of one being responsible puts trust in a relationship.Accountability and responsibility allows people to exercise autonomy with the expectation that they will feel more invested in and, therefore, will perform better, more efficiently and more creatively. If you actively practice accountability and responsibility in such places like the workplace, or with friends you tend to feel more prideful and have ownership. This also builds trust and secures a bond. With my work experience in the military responsibility and accountability is greatly increased when you have a set order of rules to follow and abide by.Being responsible in the US Army has got to be one of the utmost important in my opinion. The obligation for the proper, custody, care, and safekeeping of property or funds entrusted to the possession or supervision of an individual needs one to be held accountable. Accountability is being responsible or answerable for an action. By taking ownership of your actions and not make excuses makes you also more reliable. People have a hard time believing in you once they feel they have been lied to or cheated.Gaining credit or accountability takes time and is hard work if the trust is broken. It is better to be honest and say what you mean. By giving your word make sure to follow through. This shows ownership. It also makes people show you being accountable to your word. The obligation you show to yourself or another is important in showing you are responsible and can handle si tuations. The importance of it is huge; it shows a high character trait and unselfishness by not just looking out for your own interest.A solider must behave and be responsible in all scenarios they are in. even if it’s in uniform or without. It increases when soldiers believe that they have personal control over their mission performance, performing out of desire to do well instead of just following orders. A lot of studies show that when a person shows desire to have control over a job they try perform at a higher level. They even solve problems better. Accountability and responsibility play major roles in a person’s character and how they view to complete the mission.They have a positive psychological disposition and feel confident physically. These two words Responsibility and accountability are two of the main factors in being a successful Soldier in today’s U. S. Army. You must be a responsible soldier if you want to make it through deployment alive. There are so many situations that can be handled incorrectly if you slack off and not care if the proper attention is given. A worse situation would be affecting the lives of other soldiers and putting them in harm’s way.

Book Review of Not So Quiet Essay

The role of women during the First World War or even the Second World War has never been fully recognized as that of men. There are only a few literary and academic pieces which depict the roles that they played and their significance to it. In this regard, children who are tasked to read history books get the notion that women did nothing significant during the war. However, in reality, there are many women who played important roles during the war, their effort were just left unrecognized by historians. Women, just like men also participated in the war and exerted tremendous effort just to get through it. Many of them also served in the battle grounds fighting for their country and helping their countrymen who are risking their lives just to raise the flags of their country and protect their interests. The book Not So Quiet by Helen Zenna Smith mirrors one of the significant roles that women played during the First World War. The story is a funny and lively story of a group of women who served as ambulance drivers for the British army. They had the privilege of bringing the wounded soldiers from the freezing cold of the war zone. These women were sent by their parents to serve in the army in order to signify their patriotism for the British crown. Their parents are very proud of their children who are in the army. However, they just don’t know the pain and hardships that they are going through just to be considered as patriots. These women were under the tutelage of their Commandant, who they named as â€Å"Mrs. Bitch†. As the name itself signifies, Mrs. Bitch is not a very good Commandant in the eyes of the girls. She is very watchful and strict. She wants the girls to be always on the go while the girls at times would want to rest from their heavy work. For instance, they want to take a decent bath but they cannot because they do not have the sufficient facilities that would allow them to and even of they had, Mrs. Bitch would not allow them. Moreover, Mrs. Bitch was very cruel that she would take every pain they complain of as â€Å"mere feminine affectation†. Tosh, one of the female ambulance drivers, decided to cut her hair short because her hair is starting to be a house of lice. This act was frowned by many of her colleagues since she looks like a boy. To them, the hair reflects a lot about feminity. It is a crowning glory of every women and thus should be preserved as much as possible. However, for Tosh, the hair is not much of a big deal especially if she cannot have the resources in order to care to it. Although Smithy is serving hard in the war, she does not see the point of going to war and shedding tons of blood. Unlike those people who are so engrossed to becoming a patriot, she holds the view that wars are pointless and useless. It is a gruesome manner of taking away limb parts from a human being and ending many innocent lives. Everyday, she takes the bodies of men screaming from pain. They are full of blood and some parts of their bodies are even missing. She somehow empathizes with their cause but she cannot do anything but to bring them to where medical services are available. In addition, wars also put women like her on the line 24 hours a day, seven days a week just to serve the needs of her countrymen, regardless if they are sick. â€Å"Ambulance drivers have no fixed hours. They can be called out any one of the twenty four,† Helen said. The total war changed Helen’s life in so many ways than one. First she was exposed to the realities of life. Living in their home with her parents and siblings, she had not idea how the war zone is like and what patriotism is all about. The war zone is not a place for those who are weak and afraid. It is a place for strong and determined individuals. In addition, the war zone is a not place for those who do not have regard for patriotism. Although not a self-acclaimed patriot, she has done much for her country to consider her one. She has to work in field even if she is sick or had not even experienced a complete rest. Moreover, her work requires her to adequately take care of the sick and injured soldiers while they are not yet being attended to by medical practitioners. Ambulance drivers are not simply drivers. They also need to take extra care in dealing with the needs of the people the transport. â€Å"We have no fixed rest times after driving all night, and consider ourselves lucky to get consecutive hours’ sleep†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We are supposed to have an afternoon off weekly†¦I never had mine once,† Helen claimed. There was even an instance wherein she is sick but had to spend only a few hours of rest as this is the Commandant asked her to. Another change that Smithy had to deal with is to eat the food served on the table. In the comfort of her own home, she has a caring mother to take care of her meals. She eats palatable and satiable food. However, her service in the war forced her to eat whatever the cook serves them, the taste be it good or bad. Eating as a matter of fact has become a joy for the drivers as they do not eat anything if they are on the road. â€Å"Any driver out on duty during mealtimes simply misses the meal,† Helen said. Moreover, Smithy was raised to become prim and proper. She was educated with the proper ways of speaking and acting in front of many people. She was raised well, however, in the war zone, she had to be accustomed to the brutal manner of speaking and dealing with other people. It is a man’s world and she needs to let go of her desire for sophistication just to survive and be the hero that her parents expect from her. She can only whine about the changes that she is facing. â€Å"My conversation daily is growing less refined,† Smithy said. Having a woman in the war zone is entirely difficult. There are many adjustments that the woman needs to face just to survive the war. The first thing that she should get accustomed with is the fact that she does not have the luxury of time to pamper and beautify herself. In the case of Smithy, they are ambulance drivers who are always on the go. They can be called anytime thus, they cannot get their hairs done or apply make up on before they leave otherwise, their patients will die. In addition, they also do not have the option to have a decent bath or to care for themselves. They have to satisfy themselves with whatever is available. â€Å"We have not had our garments off for nine days†¦,† Smithy claimed. Compared to men, women are very conscious of their looks, the clothes that they wear and the appearance that they exude to the public, however, Smithy and her co-ambulance drivers had no room for any of these feminine routines. They need to suffer in the itchiness of their heads and bodies. â€Å"We have been itching furiously for days past,† Smithy uttered. Aside from their looks, women who are serving in war zone also need to get accustomed with a light diet while working the tasks of a man. They had to content themselves whatever is available be they stale biscuits or the bad food in the canteen. As Smithy said, â€Å"we are always hungry in varying degrees†. Another difficulty that they faced but encountered is dealing with bloody screaming men. At first they had difficulty completing their tasks but as they went along, they got used to dying men inside the carts of their ambulance. The women in the story may have faced difficulty in completing their task as ambulance drivers but they managed to pull it off. While being a woman gave them several difficulties in dealing with their job, they did not use these in order to back off and leave their dying countrymen in the war zone. These women only show that men and women are just as capable in doing anything for their country. These women survived in a man’s world and became instrumental in saving the lives of their soldiers. In this regard, women should never be forgotten in history books. They should be seen in equal light as men are for they too have their own contribution to the liberty that many nations now enjoy. Reference: Smith, H. and Marcus, J. (1989). Not so quiet: stepdaughters of war. New York: Feminist Press

America Should Have Stricter Gun Control

The scene is all too recognizable. A troubled person pulls out a gun in a school, an office, or a shopping center, and he or she slaughters innocent men, women, and children. Recently, mass murders have occurred at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech University, and Omaha’s Westroads Mall (Schwartz). These tragedies are not inevitable, so people wonder one question. Are guns in our society getting out of control? Four out of every ten Americans own a gun; which leads to the perception that America has returned to the Wild Wild West. In fact, it is to be assumed that where guns are present, there is a higher risk of drug abuse, crime, and accidents. About 31,224 people died from gun violence in 2007. In just one day, 268 people were shot in murders, assaults, suicides, accidents, or by police intervention (Grunwald). Not only do four out of ten Americans have gun ownership, but an additional three out of four Americans believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual the right to carry a gun. Hypothetically, these people believe that they have a right to bear arms and that right should not be infringed. Part of the reason why there are such outrageous statistics is because there is lost momentum towards gun control (Schwartz). People are discomforted by the fact that a ridiculous 15 years have passed since there has been an urge for gun legislation on the federal level. In the 2008 presidential campaign, neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama talked at all about gun control. In fact, Obama received an F for leadership on gun control to prevent gun violence from â€Å"A Brady Campaign† (Grunwald). However, Barack Obama did acknowledge the gun control dilemma only enough to make it seem unimportant in comparison to other issues he takes on. Obama stated â€Å"We essentially have two realities when it comes to guns in this country. We can reconcile those two realities by making sure the Second Amendment is respected and that people are able to lawfully own guns, but that we also start cracking down on the kinds of abuses of firearms that we see on the streets† (Schwartz). Guns are given with laws, and when people continuously break those laws, the government should tackle the issue; America has returned to the Wild Wild West. Along with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama ignoring the issue, Congress has done hardly anything to toughen gun control laws. In truth, Congress has relaxed the laws very little. For example, in 2003, Congress passed an amendment to block the government from publicly releasing most data that trace guns used in crimes. In 2005, Congress gave gun manufacturers immunity to lawsuits if their firearms were used in crimes. Andy Goddard’s son, Nick, who was injured in the Virginia Tech shooting said, â€Å"people don’t know how poorly protected they are† (Schwartz). Along with the lost momentum towards stricter gun control, America has become more dangerous. According to the article â€Å"In Congress, the Uphill Battle for Gun Control†, where guns are present, there are more likely to be drug abuse, crime, and accidents. Supposedly, the main challenge in discovering guns used in crimes is the insufficient amount of research on exactly which laws help cut down on gun shootings. Research by Emma Schwartz proved laws that demand owners to shield their children by keeping their guns locked or unloaded decreased deaths among children in Florida, but not in Connecticut or California. Laws that allow people to carry weapons, which advocates say tend to discourage criminals from shooting, have brought little meaningful decrease in crime. Therefore, America is violently out of control. Also, the article â€Å"Fire Away† states, â€Å"Nationally, less than 1% of all gun deaths involve self-defense; the rest are homicides, suicides, and accidents. In a study of 23 high-income countries, the U. S. had 80% of the gun deaths, along with a gun homicide rate nearly 20 times higher than the rest of the sample. Also, in one year, more than 100,000 people die from gun violence in America (Grunwald). Some people question the president’s concern. At one time, Barack Obama promised to reinstate a federal ban on certain semiautomatic assault guns. The ban was initially passed by the Democratic-controlled Congress in 1994 and lapsed five years ago. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a New York Democrat, is extremely impatient with the party’s silence. With every right to be impatient, a gunman randomly fired on a Long Island commuter train on Dec. , 1993 and murdered her husband while severely injuring her son. However, when she addressed the issue to Obama, the response given was, â€Å"that’s not for now, that’s for later† (Isikoff). To emphasize that America has become an unsafe society; On the morning of April 4, 2010, Richard Poplawski got into an argument with his mother. The argument was over the family‘s dog urinating on the carpet. Richard’s mother called the police to have her 22-year-old son confiscated from her house. Richard Poplawski and his mother live in what portrays to be, a rough neighborhood. Responding as police would to any other situation, two officers responded to the call, assuming that it was a typical familial dispute. Margaret Poplawski greeted them by saying, â€Å"Come and take his ass. † But little did they know Richard Poplawski, who recently was fired from his job in a glass factory, had other ideas. He went to a private, hidden section of the house, where he grabbed his guns and put on a bulletproof vest. Poplawski shot officer Paul J. Sciullo II, 37, inside the house and hit 29-year-old Stephen Mayhle on the stoop. Immediately, both men feel dead. Looking calm and collected, Poplawski stood in the doorway and fired two or three more bullets into Mayhle’s body, according to a witness. Then, he ran back into the house and fired hundreds of rounds, using an AK-47 assault rifle and other weapons to slay off a police SWAT team for four hours. He killed another officer, 41-year-old Eric Kelly, and wounded a cop (Isikoff). Poplawski’s cringing story is an ideal example of how America lacks gun control. Years ago, national political leaders would have raised questions or concerns about how such a person like Poplawski could easily get his hands on high-powered guns. They might have been even more driven because Poplawski’s cop-killing rampage was part of a rise of mass homicides that have caused 58 people dead over the past month. Or the fact that Mexico’s high violent drug cartels equip themselves with high-powered weapons, purchased at U. S. gun control measures are silent. These are including Obama White House officials who have put the lid on any talk in pushing further gun-control measures (Isikoff). With the increasing numbers in drug abuse, crime, and accidents, America has a bad reputation. Sadly, there is lost momentum towards gun control including relaxed gun laws, Obama ignoring the issue, and Congress doing hardly anything. Four out of every ten Americans own a gun; which leads to the perception that America has returned to the Wild Wild West. The fact that there were mass murders at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech University, and Omaha’s Westroads Mall is not okay. The fact that 31,224 people were dead from gun violence in the year of 2007 is not normal. The fact that four out of every ten Americans own a gun is not tolerable. Because America has lenient gun control makes our country wilder than the Wild Wild West.

Ethnic group and Discrimination Essay

The issue on racial discrimination continues to prevail in developed countries although in subtle manner. Minority groups in United States have had a turbulent history fighting against ethnic group discrimination by the whites. In this paper, I choose to focus on the African America perspective on their fight against prejudice, segregation and racism. The first blacks to arrive in America were slaves. They were brought there against their own will contrary to other immigrants in the land of opportunity. Terms like Negroes were used to refer to black slaves and from the onset, prejudice remarks were used on them. It is documented that black slaves were seen to have similar attributes to dumb animals hence inferior. In fact, whites held that Negroes ranked between chimpanzees and human being. Its not clear as to where and when racism started or why but a clear definition of racism exists it means exclusion, division, restriction of any kind based on skin color, race, ethnic origin or nationality It is indeed a shame to see that the society has imposed the three ills of society upon Blacks Americans. The Blacks have and continue to experience segregation prejudice and discrimination even today. During the period of colonialism and slavery, blacks were not privileged to attend school inorder to keep them down form any form civilization. They were thought to endure and fight all kinds of discriminations either on basis of skin color, in life style, social class, academic, criminal justice and economic circles. (Karenga, 2002). In retaliation, the blacks Americans have also propagated Afro centric ideologies against whites which emphasis their superiority. Seemingly, it is fair for blacks to habour feelings of oppression and dislike against whites and other minority groups because these racial ideologies are deeply rooted in society. The weight of past negatively against blacks is a big challenge felt up until today. The effects have not worn off and hence blacks continue to log a step behind whites not because they are ‘lesser’ being but society has a way of pressurizing them to stay at their place i. e. second citizens. In the past, African Americans have faced challenges of security employment and have shaky single headed homes. Thus, they are poor. The whites on the other hand, get preference in well paying jobs, hence a form of discrimination. Perhaps, the blacks are the most segregated community in America. This is because of the quality of housing and congestion in black concentration neighbourhoods. It is common to find premium pricing in real estate, which ensures that Black Americans do not afford spacious homes to live in. Even those who make it to purchase prime property face a degree of segregation in the white neighbourhood. As a result, infant mortality is high and health issues are common in black neighbourhoods. At the same time, crime rates and violent crimes occur among teenagers as they try to fight for survival in poverty-stricken homes. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and other black heroes realized these disconnect and lead black liberations movements aimed at bringing to advance in life. (Amnesty International, US Domestic Human Rights Program, 2004). These discrimination prevent African American from attaining the ‘American dream’ since blacks stand out sharply than any other minority group, their color has often been used to dictate the quality of housing, education, service or products that they will given (Kitano, 1997) often it is low quality. Similarly in the criminal justice arena, prejudices and racial profiling persist. Perceptions or rather misconceptions about police action as accidental shooting, use of force, slow response and so on are constructed by blacks to be a racist conspiracy and segregation. ( Karenga, 2002). Due to these underlying prejudices and racist ideologies, reverse discrimination, policies have been formulated to try to correct historically oppressed groups in the Diaspora. This is seen in cases where jobs are reserved for black candidates even where there are qualified whites to fill the position. This is the same policy used to propel affirmative action and boost women participation of women in state affairs. Despite the noble cause behind this policy, it has not gained ground sufficiently owing to the connotations of pity and sympathy stringed to it. Similarly, it goes against the equal protection clause of the fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the civil rights Act, 42 (Amnesty International, US Domestic Human Rights Program, 2004) Other forms of discriminations against the African Americans include redlining. This practice dates back to the 1930s where banks took survey on residential areas to determine the level of security and hence their real estate value and thus award loans. Neighbourhoods inhabited by blacks were regarded as insecure and thus not eligible for loans. As such, blacks were segregated directly from acquiring mortgage loans, which in turn ensured that they had access to rich suburbs with decent housing. This form of discrimination was fought and overcome after the Fair housing Act 1968. This law guarded against any kind of redlining based on skin color, race, ethnicity, gender and so on (Amnesty International, US Domestic Human Rights Program, 2004) The community reinvestment Act 1977 also put blacks and other minority groups a step ahead in fight against racial segregation. Racial discrimination against blacks affects their presence in the labor market. The opportunity structure in the labor market is one that ensures that blacks dominate the cheap labour pool in occupation such as gardening, janitors’ waiters and so on. In addition, historical influence of past black discrimination forms a culture whereby blacks do not enroll for long-term educational training (Karenga, 2002). Similarly, black resided in urban outskirts where employment opportunities were limited and economic activities few. (Kitano, 1997) thus causing a dual market to form. Moreover, employers also prefer to employ workers from so-called ‘superior’ races, until they exhaust their supply. All these forces create a dual market one, which is discriminate against blacks. The advancement of black people within social and career circles is limited owing to discrimination on racial lines. Women are particularly subject to this glass ceiling. Notably, the expression used ‘glass† means that this form of discrimination is unwritten and unofficial yet real. It is commonplace to see a high black achiever unable to advance in career just because of gender or racial bias. In terms of promotions, most employers prefer superior races. Conclusion Personally, I do not identify with any ethnic group. I identify with the human race Blacks, whites, Asians stereotyping prejudice and discrimination ultimately resorts to hate speech and violence against groups. Often than not, these prejudices are reinforced for scapegoats inorder to justify own failures. It is worthless to hate each other and in extreme cases resort to genocides just because of differing color and nationality. Once humanity can accept that there is no superior person, area only then can we pride ourselves of true intelligence and harmony in the world.

Endgame

Endgame The Hegelian definition of tragedy is defined as good intentions will collide in a finite area where those good intentions will develop a tragedy. Beckett’s Endgame can be included within the definition of the Hegelian tragedy. Both main characters in the play had good intentions, but were formed through obligations. These good intentions through obligation made the novel suitable to be a Hegelian tragedy. The characters good intentions were shown throughout the play. Both Hamm and Clove depended on each other to survive. They were both afraid to leave each other and be left alone.Clove admits that Hamm became a father figure to him and he once loved him but not anymore, but he has nowhere else to go. Also Hamm points out that Clove stays with him out of compassion. Nagg depends mostly on his wife, Nell. He would only wake up from his garbage bins to tell the same story to his wife and attempt to give her a kiss. However Nell dependency is the past. Nell in the play re presents life where in this type of story it is unlikely to see. The script and the film made Hamm’s parents look more childlike and pet like.The play had several themes, which consist of emptiness, loneliness, and the overall nature of beginnings and endings in other words- life and death. The repeated lines such as â€Å"finished† and â€Å"zero† represents Hamm, the protagonist, wanting to welcome in death but he is too scare to finish the â€Å"endgame†. The script made me think the characters were trapped in this small dark hole full of nothingness, which emphasizes the emptiness of the play. However, in the film there was light coming from the two windows. Outside the windows, there is â€Å"zero† nature, which also helps to illustrate the emptiness of play.Another example of emptiness being represented in the play, is that there was absolutely no sound coming from the outside or inside in the film, except for the character’s voices. T he killing of the rat and flea demonstrates the beginnings and endings of the play. Hamm told Clove to kill the flea because he is afraid of the rebirth of humanity. The stage directions in the script represent Hamm and Clove’s fear of escaping. In the film, when Hamm directs Clove to move him back to the center of the room after being pushed around the room, is one example of Hamm’s fear of escaping the room.Another example is Clove’s failed attempts to leave the room to go to the kitchen. In the film, it showed Clove’s many hesitations before leaving the room. Even though the characters had good intentions to help each other survive the â€Å"endgame†, the tragic flaws were overpowering. Nagg mentions in the play that since birth Hamm has always being afraid of loneliness. Clove finally had courage to escape but eventually returns because he didn’t have enough courage to end one thing and start a new beginning somewhere else. Hegelian trag edy suited the Endgame because the characters good intentions collided in this finite dark hole.

HRM on International context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HRM on International context - Essay Example It can be noted that Germany labour systems have been characterised by collective agreements where the workers agree on collective bargaining instead of embarking on industrial action to press for more wages. However, the issue has been to test to see if MNCs and larger national fast food employers would respond to sectoral level bargaining as well as the extent of effectiveness of the German system of statutory employee representation in practice. Thus, the research mainly focused on these two groups of industries in Germany particularly McDonalds which has dominated the Germany food industry for many years and its labour relations practices. According to the research, the industrial relation in Germany are characterised by collective representation where industrial action is not advocated. Most unions are affiliated to the German Trade Union Federation (DGB) which by far is the largest and most important federation. In 2001 after mergers, there were six unions affiliated to DGB with the most important mergers taking place between service sector unions to form the new service workers union where the union representing the food, catering, drink and tobacco industries did not take part. Collective agreements negotiated at sectoral levels are legally binding but this excludes other companies in Germany. Focus in this case is on the fast food industry in Germany which broadly includes motorway service stations, retail sector restaurants and airport restaurants excluding hotels and other â€Å"leisure† sector. McDonalds tops the Germany food service sector in terms of turnover. Management at McDonalds believed that wor ks councils and collective agreements with unions would seriously undermine its system and this attracted criticism. However, the company later capitulated to pressure. However, the 1952/1972 and 1976 Acts do not apply to McDonalds because it has retained US registration in the state of Delaware. There are few