Criteria for effective control

Briefly discuss the criteria for effective control. There are five criteria for effective control. In designing a control system, one must make sure that it measures what is important now and what is important in the future, not what is important in the past. Firstly, the systems must be related to organizational strategy. In designing a control system, one must make sure that it measures what is important now and what is important in the future, not what is important in the past.Multinational corporations often find it useful to maintain a entralized, integrated system of controls consistent with the strategic orientation of the organization. For example, General Motor maintains a number of units that are interdependent through each of the sequential steps in the manufacturing process, therefore, General Motor must have control systems that ensure that production processes are not disrupted. Secondly, use all steps in the control process.To be effective, a control system must employ all steps in the control process. Standards of performance must be set, measurements of actual performance taken, comparisons f standards with actual performance made, and when necessary, corrective action taken. For example, in our life, for a grade A in our management course, suppose we never bothered to check our posted grade on the midterm exam. In this case, our control system would be incomplete. Without knowing our midterm exam score, we would not compare our performance with our standard.Thirdly, be composed of objective and subjective measures. Effective control systems typically require managers to blend quantitative (objective) and qualitative (subjective) performance easures. For example, management may have set specific targets for productivity. This performance goal has a precise formula for measurement. In the same situation, management has also expressed a desire to achieve high levels of worker satisfaction. Forth, be timely in feedback reporting.Timeliness is the degree to which the control systems provides information when it is needed. The issue here is not how fast the feedback information is provided but whether it is provided quickly enough to permit a response to an unacceptable deviation. For example, the U. S. naval accident that occurred in early 2005 present the importance of timeliness itself. The crew of the nuclear submarine USS San Francisco violated the feedback timeliness requirement with near-catastrophic consequences.In short, the submarine smashed into an undersea mountain. A subsequent naval investigation reveal the crew should have checked the water depth more frequently, should not have been traveling at high speed, and failed to take into account a variety of danger signs, all of which contributed to the underwater accident. Last but not least, be cceptable to a diverse workforce. To be effective, organizational controls must be accepted by employees.The control system should motivate workers to recognize standards and act to achieve them. For example, as a student in a management course. Suppose our professor has no problem assigning course grade B or lower but says that a grade of A can be achieved only by students who read a new chapter and five related Journal articles everyday and submit a 20-page, typewritten synopsis of these readings each day. Would we be discouraged from attempting to earn a grade

How to differentiate literary texts Essay

Carter argues that there are six particular features which can help differentiate literary texts from others and that a literary texts will exhibit most or all of them. These features are medium independence, genre-mixing, semantic density, polysemy, displaced interaction and text patterning. (Carter, 1997, cited in Thornborrow, 2006, p.81-85) If I look at the first feature identified by Carter, medium independence which means that a literary text does not rely on another medium or media to be read ,(Carter, 1997, cited in Thornborrow, 2006, p.81 ) and apply it to my texts, I can see that the extract from The Lord of The Rings is indeed medium independent. The extract does not need photos and the text â€Å"stands up on its own†, it needs no additional information. By contrast, the advertisement from the online catalogue is media dependant. The text at the beginning and the end describes a ring which is obviously for sale so a photo seems to be quite necessary as I do not think many people would buy a piece of jewellery without seeing it no matter how appealing the description is. The text itself seems to beg for an accompanying photo so I think it can safely be said that it is medium dependant. The second feature identified by Carter is genre-mixing which is the idea that any style of writing not necessarily associated with a literary context can be used to create a literary effect. (Carter, 1997, cited in Thornborrow, 2006, p.82) If I am to look at the Lord of The Rings extract, there is some genre-mixing although not very much, the extract is obviously part of a novel but the last two lines read like poetry. Of course poetic features are usually associated with a literary context by their very nature so what those last two poetic lines do for the rest of the text is to â€Å"elevate† it, that is, convey the feeling that the extract has literary pretences at the very least or is simply literary in some ways. In the second text, genre-mixing is more obviously present, the first paragraph is concise as it describes a ring which is for sale but the rest of the text which introduces Jade Jagger as the designer of the ring is mainly written in journalistic style. The las t two lines go back to â€Å"advertisement† written style. Semantic density, the third feature identified by Carter is deemed by him to be very important. He believes that semantic density is a clear sign of the literariness of a text. (Carter, 1997, cited in Thornborrow, 2006, p.82) The Lord of The Rings extract has semantic density. One cannot escape the sound patterning and many alliterations which are present in a lot of the text. The text is actually peppered with it. For example, â€Å"†¦the wizard stood looking at the fire ; then he stooped and removed the ring†¦.† or: â€Å"†¦..he now saw fine lines, finer than the finest pen-strokes, running along the ring, outside and inside:lines of fire that seemed to form the letters of a flowing script.† The actual sound patterning along with the syntactic arrangement shows clear semantic density. The use of the adjective fine along with two of its adverbs finer and finest coupled with the sound patterning serves to show how â€Å"fine† the script on the ring actually is. Similarly, the alliteration in â€Å"running† and â€Å"ring† plus the sound patterning as well as the two opposites adjectives â€Å"outside and inside† that immediately follow before going back to the â€Å"lines† which are now made of â€Å"fire† that â€Å"form† the letters of a â€Å"flowing† script (alliteration plus sound patterning again) give the reader a vivid picture of the actual ring. There is also contrast in the text. One example is â€Å"silent† and â€Å"clack†, another is â€Å"bright† and â€Å"remote†, it is as if those contrasts reflect the contrast between the two worlds, one which is Mordor, faint but unmistakeably dangerous and the normal peaceful world of the Shire. I must point out the seemingly random word association of the â€Å"clack† of â€Å"Sam’s shears†. The â€Å"clack† which is surely onomatopoeic because the sound â€Å"which makes up the word mimics the sound which the word refers to† (Short,1996, p.115) and the wonderful alliteration of Sam’s shears which once again produces a incredibly vivid picture, accompanied by sound no less! There is also some semantic density in the second text about the Jade Jagger ring. The first sentence has sound patterning as well as the syntactic arrangement: â€Å"†¦..sterling silver ring†¦.stylised†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..design decorated†¦..a scattering of sparkling†¦. zirconias. Sound patterning and syntax aside, the alliteration â€Å"s†starting almost every word having to do  with the ring offers a mental picture of that ring, a very shiny one at that. The last sentence of the first paragraph also has the repeat alliteration in â€Å"edgy, contemporary, jewellery† which once again gives information about the ring but also about its potential buyer. Semantic density is also shown in this text by the reference to the â€Å" halcyon† days and the sentence stating that Jade Jagger â€Å"has since carved a feted reputation as an artist†.This is an abnormal paradigm as carving has to do with a concrete material such as stone or wood and it is not possible to physically carve a reputation. It is of course a metaphor (Mick Short,1996, p.7). The fourth criteria in Carter’s theory is polysemy which is the possibility for a text to be read in different ways. (Carter, 1997, cited in Thornborrow, 2006, p.84) For example, in the Lord of The Rings extract, the room â€Å"becomes dark and silent†. It could of course be because Gandalf has closed the shutters and drawn the curtains, but it could also be due to the fact that the ring is in the fire and â€Å"waking up† revealing its true â€Å"dark† nature therefore affecting the atmosphere of the room. The reader is also told of Gandalf’s â€Å"bristling brows†, it could mean that Gandalf has stiff and coarse eyebrows which I indeed imagine him to have but it could also infer that Gandalf is showing irritation at Frodo’s trying to get the ring out of the fire, hence the â€Å"Wait!† before the â€Å"bristling brows†. The word â€Å"fiery† is also good because we have been told that the letters are â€Å"lines of fire† so they are obviously fiery but â€Å"fiery† could also allude to the dark language of â€Å"Mordor† or the quick and dangerous temper of Sauron’s spirit which is of course in the ring itself. My last example is that when Frodo receives the ring, â€Å"it seemed to have become thicker and heavier†. It can actually be that the fire, by revealing what the ring is, has also physically altered it and made it thicker and heavier but it may just seem thicker and heavier in Frodo’s hand because it is a dark ring, a ring of power and evil which the fire has just awakened. In the second text on the other hand, I cannot see any obvious example of polysemy apart from the â€Å"halcyon days† which can be read as the â€Å"carefree days† or the â€Å"mythical days† as it can refer to the mythical bird. Both meanings are plausible as the pop art scene in New York was famously â€Å"carefree and happy† and it has since acquired a â€Å"mythical† type of reputation. There is also the metaphor â€Å"carved a feted reputation† but I cannot see it other evidence of polysemy. The fifth feature of Carter’s is displaced interaction which means that the text is there for the reader to â€Å"read† and interpret as it wishes. (Carter, 1997, cited in Thornborrow, 2006, p.84) The Lord of The Rings text is a perfect example of displaced interaction as there is nothing for the reader to do but read and provide meaning to the text. The Jade Jagger ring online advert however is not an example of displaced interaction as the aim of the text is to persuade the reader to buy a piece of jewellery. The last feature identified by Carter is text patterning which is similar to the idea of parallelism in which some features remain the same while others change. The variant features are usually words while the remaining features are structural. (Carter, 1997, cited in Thornborrow, 2006, p.85) (Short,1996 p.14) The most obvious example of parallelism in the Lord of The Rings extract is the last two lines. While the structure stays the same with the same subject, The Ring, the verbs are different. What this does is attract attention to the verbs themselves which is presumably what Tolkien wanted as the verbs tell us what the ring actually does. It â€Å"rules, finds, brings and binds† Although different verbs with slightly different meanings, it gives a general idea of power. There is another example of parallelism in this text : â€Å" The letters are Elvish, of an ancient mode but the language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here† Again, the structure stays mo re or less the same but the Lexis is different so as to focus the reader’s attention on the difference between the â€Å"letters† and the â€Å"language† and â€Å"Elvish† and â€Å"Mordor†. Tolkien wants to highlight these differences are they are crucial to the understanding of the story. In those two lines we also have an example of deviation, when something in the texts deviates from the perceived rules of English which makes it particularly memorable. Deviation is a part of foregrounding, the produce of â€Å"deviation from linguistic and non-linguistic norms† (Short,1996, p.12) The deviation in the last two lines is the invention of the word â€Å"Mordor† which Tolkien made up for the particulars of his story. This is called a neologism (Short, 1996, p.45) Finally, I must mention that the last two lines of the Lord of The Rings are an internal deviation, that is, they are two rhyming lines structured like lines of a poem but this is a departure from the rest of the text which has been written in prose. (Short,1996, p.59) Of course this internal deviation makes those two last lines even more memorable. Although there is some text patterning in the second text, particularly around the word â€Å"Jade†, I do not feel it can be compared to the other Lord of The Ring text as it doesn’t seem to actually reinforce an important message. So, if we follow Carter’s criteria when it comes to identifying a literary text, the Lord of The Rings extract seems to be more literary than the Jade Jagger’s online ring advertisement. The Lord of The Rings extract is not medium dependant, it has some genre-mixing, it has semantic density, polysemy, displaced interaction and text patterning. The Jade Jagger’s online ring advertisement is medium dependant,it is not really polysemic, it is not an example of displaced interaction, I don’t feel it has important text patterning but it does have some semantic density. On Carter’s cline of literariness, The Lord of The Rings is indeed a literary text as it possesses all of the features which usually identify literariness. Jade Jagger’s ring advertisement does not seem to be a literary text according to Carter’s cline. Are the two texts creative? I am tempted to answer that if a text is considered literary then it must be creative which would make the Lord of The Rings extract creative as well as literary. I refer to Papen and Tusting who state that â€Å"creativity refers to making something which is new, which did not exist before the creative act† (Papen and Tusting,2006, p.315) Taking this into account, both texts analysed in this paper are indeed creative. â€Å"Cognitive poetics† which combines â€Å"linguistic analysis with insights from cognitive science in order to explain the relationship between  the language of texts and reader’s responses to texts† (Semino, 2006, p.37) is interesting as it implies that creativity is always present in literary and non-literary texts but that literary texts â€Å"are characterised by particular novel and creative uses of the linguistic and cognitive resources used in everyday communication.† (Seen and Gavins, 2003, p1 , cited in Elena Semino,2006, p.37) Following from this is the assumption that, yet again, both the texts analysed in this paper are creative, none more so than the other but that the Lord of The Rings text analysed here would be considered more literary than the Jade Jagger’s ring advertisement as it showcases especially new and creative uses of language and â€Å"cognitive resources used in everyday communication.†(Seen and Gavins, 2003, p1, cited in Elena Semino,2006, p.37) Eagleton with his sociocultural approach would imply that The Lord of The Rings text was definitely literary since the sociocultural approach states that literature is made so by society, whether the text had pretence to literariness or not.( Eagleton, 1983, p.11, cited in Maybin and Pearce, 2006, p.12) Since The Lord of The Rings has been widely accepted by society in the last 40 years as being a literary work, then it must be, according to the sociocultural approach. As a conclusion, I feel that there is an agreement across different school of thoughts that creativity is present in most texts so I would say that both the texts I analysed in this paper are creative in different ways. According to Carter’s inherency approach, the Lord of The Rings text is more literary than Jade Jagger’s ring advertisement and although I realise that Carter’s method of analysis is not without its weaknesses, I must say that I feel that The Lord of The Rings extract is indeed more literary than the advertisement because of the degree of inventiveness involved in the language (I could have added so much more to the analysis of the text) and imagination. I think that the extract (and the book it comes from) combines the two most important things when it comes to literature: beautiful language and a fantastic imagination. References: Maybin,J., Pearce,M., 2006, Literature and creativity in English, â€Å"The Art of English:Literary Creativity†, Palgrave McMillan, The Open University Eagleton,T. (1993), Literary Theory: An Introduction, Oxford, Blackwell,pp.9-11) Carter, R, (1997), Investigating English Discourse:Language, Literacy and Literature, London, Routledge Thornborrow J., 2006, chapter 2: †Poetic Language†, The Art of English:Literary Creativity,, Palgrave McMillan, The Open University Short,M.,1996, Exploring The Language of Poems, Plays, and Prose, Addison Wesley Longman Limited Papen, U&Tusting, K, 2006, Chapter 7:Literacies, Collaboration and Context,The Art of English:Everyday Creativity, Palgrave McMillan, The Open University. Semino, S., 2006, Reading C:Cognitive Poetics, The Art of English: Literary Creativity, Palgrave McMillan, The Open University Seen,G. And Gavins, J. (2003), Contextualising cognitive poetics, in J.Gavins and G.Steen (eds), Cognitive Poetics in Practice, London, Routledge

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Journal - Essay Example According to Okonkwo, his father, Unoka, was everything a man should not be. He was passionate about music and a merriment and lived a life devoid of care. Okonkwo, who did not share his father’s passion on music, thought of him as a hopeless idler. His belief was supported by the fact that his father hadn’t managed to take a single title from his clan, which essentially proved him an outcast in a society which positioned a man based on the number of titles he managed to take. Above all, Unoka also lived and died in debt. This gave enough reasons for Okonkwo to dread this kind of existence for the rest of his life. So most part of Okonkwo’s life sees him trying hard to convince himself and others that he was strong, unlike his father–(Achebe 3) Okonkwo’s son Nwoye was a cause of much distress to his father. As a 12-year old lad, he had inherited his grandfather’s gentle nature, passion for music and the love for a peaceful life. In Okonkwo’s perspective, he was turning out to be an incompetent man... But Okonkwo was firm in his belief that he could bring his son to the right path by beating and forcing him towards it. Nwoye himself was striving to please his father. Though he was still a child, he found secret pleasure in feigning masculinity and in the process, pleasing his father. He was forced to rebuke his mother’s gentle ways, thanks to his father’s violent commandments. But deep within, he was unsure of his thoughts and what he actually wanted. And more importantly, he lacked the freedom to think, thanks to his father’s tyrannical ways. He found much needed companionship and a role model in Ikemefuna, who came to stay with the family as a punishment to a crime committed by a member of the village he belonged to. But Nwoye’s joy was short-lived as the elders of the village decide to murder Ikemefuna, a wise, fine lad of 18, based on the command of the oracle. Not only does Okonkwo support the

Impacts of Sarbanes-Oxley Act on UK Companies Essay

Impacts of Sarbanes-Oxley Act on UK Companies - Essay Example The law has eleven sections, each with a varying amount of subsections. Each title has tremendous effect on the business and legal environment, with titles ranging from auditing, inspection of registered public accounting firms, accounting standards, establishment of an accounting oversight board, auditor partner rotation, corporate responsibility for financial reports, and probation to personal loans to executives, among others. Sarbanes - President George W. Bush signed Oxley in July 2002. The authors of the law are Paul Sarbanes and Michael Oxley. Sarbanes is the longest serving U. S. senator in Maryland history, having won his fifth term in 2000. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and a Harvard law degree. Sarbanes is the senior Democrat on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. Representative Michael Oxley was elected to the Ohio House in 1972 at the age of twenty - eight. Oxley has his undergraduate degree from University of Miami in Oxford, Ohio, and received a law degree from the University of Ohio. He is now the chairman of the House Committee of Financial Affairs. The largest part of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act is not all the sections that it covers in the law, not who signed it, or even authored it; it is how corporations will comply to this extensive piece of legislation. Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom all were under much scrutiny in the last couple of years because of personal loans given to executives for personal use. SOX bans the use of nearly all personal loans. These loans that corporations would give out to their executives were not really loans at all, but large sums of money, not expected to be paid back. Â  

Was Theodore Roosevelt a great, average, or poor president in your Assignment

Was Theodore Roosevelt a great, average, or poor president in your judgment Explain. or - Assignment Example Economic Reforms: During the early 1900’s businesses had acquired a rapid growth rate. This led to a few large corporations establishing monopolies which meant these corporations were able to control entire industries. These corporations sold their merchandise at lower prices forcing small business owners into bankruptcy. In 1902, President Roosevelt instructed his attorney general to file a lawsuit against one such corporation; the Northern Securities. The government won the law suits which lead to the break-up of Northern Securities. In his term President Roosevelt filed additional 45 lawsuits, in an attempt to break up the monopolies. Further, in 1903 the Bureau of Corporations was established. It was tasked to decide which corporations were ‘Good’ and which were ‘Bad’. President Roosevelt also worked to better the lives of workers by improving employee conditions. In 1902, some 140,000 coal mine workers went on strike. They were forced to live and work in inhuman conditions, in addition they were forced to live in company housing and shop at company stores. The workers demanded 20 percent raise in their wages and a reduction from 10 hour shifts to 8 hour shifts. The workers and the companies had reached a stalemate, as neither workers nor companies were willing to make concessions. President Roosevelt was forced to intervene in order to resolve the crisis.

Economics GCCs Dollar Peg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics GCCs Dollar Peg - Essay Example This trend is considered a major contributor to the rising levels of inflation in the gulf region. The current levels of inflation are stated to be the highest in the last 30 years (Seville, 2008). At the same time the GDP growth started declining during the same period. Zawya (2008) wrote about some of the research studies carried out in 2008 which predicted that the gulf nations would be able to register a lower nominal GDP rise of about 16.4 percent till 2010, provided the crude prices average around $120 per barrel in 2008, $131 in 2009 and $133 in 2010. But, with crude oil prices tumbling down to $50 per barrel in the international market, the situation is starkly different today. Such developments resulted into a serious debate on how the gulf nations should take appropriate measures to handle the situation. In the run up to the discussion towards taking mutually agreed steps for handling the monetary crisis in the gulf region, the GCC started discussing measures like adopting a common currency within the region. 2010 was being talked about as the deadline for coming out for a currency union (Ghafour, 2005). But these plans received a jolt when Kuwait unilaterally decided that it needs to move away from dollar peg. This step was taken by Kuwait central bank in order to contain the rising inflation.

Quantitative Risk Analysis in Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Quantitative Risk Analysis in Investment - Essay Example Risk analysis is common now-a-days in all types of investment as the modern risk management literature has grown significantly. Many theories and models have been developed in the area of risk management by eminent thinkers. This paper takes a look at the classical risk analysis framework, namely mean-variance framework. The essay takes a descriptive approach wherein the mean variance model is discussed in the context of single as well as portfolio investment. An attempt is also made to incorporate the application of the model in pricing of insurance policies. Risk analysis in the context of investment is the process of quantifying the possibility of incurring loss to the return from the investment. The return from an investment is prone to risk when the actual return varies from expected return. Since risk measures the possibility of incurring an outcome, it can be measured with the help of probability and other statistical measures. As defined by T. V Bedford, risk analysis is the process of identification and quantification of scenarios, probabilities and consequences (Bedford 2001 p. 11). It is notable here that risk analysis cannot be possible without measuring return from the investment as risk and return are correlated and risk measures how actual return varies from expected return. ... Risk analysis of individual security investment is relatively easy as compared to that of portfolio. Risk Analysis in Portfolio Investment Portfolio is the collection of securities selected for investment. The logic behind investors' preference for portfolio rather than individual security is that the risks in portfolio can be reduced more easily than that of individual security. In other words, portfolio facilitates the risk diversification through spreading risks across all securities in the portfolio. The loss in one security can be nullified by the profit from another security/ securities in a portfolio. Calculation of Expected Return The analysis of risk in a portfolio is possible only after measuring return there from. The level of return expected from an investment is calculated by using the expected value of the distribution, and the probability distribution of expected returns for a portfolio. Then, risk is measured by the degree of variability around the expected value of the probability distribution of returns. The most accepted measures of this variability are the variance and standard deviation (Frank 2002 p. 21). The expected return from a portfolio can be estimated with the following model: (Source: Frank 2002 p. 21) Where, = 1.0; n = the number of securities; = the proportion of the funds invested in security i; = the return on i th security and portfolio p; and = The expectation of the variable in the parentheses (Source: Frank 2002 p. 21) Calculation of Portfolio Risk Risk is the chance that actual return will differ from their expected values. The expected value of return can be obtained from probability estimates for expected

Intro to lit questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intro to lit questions - Essay Example Each of the answers he suggests have different effects, suggesting that the individual might become these things – hollow and dry like a raisin, deeply bitter and resentful like the sore, constantly hounded by it as by a strong smell, weighted down by it as with a heavy load or incapable of functioning. There are numerous political and societal values found throughout many of Shakespeare’s plays that should be considered as one reads the plays. For example, the concept of women’s role in life during Shakespeare’s time must be considered in order to better understand the character Ophelia in Hamlet. Women in Victorian England were very restricted. Their realm was exclusively in the house and their actions were ruled by the important men in their lives, first their fathers and brothers, then their husbands and finally their sons if/when their husbands passed away. Living in the court as Ophelia did, she also had an equally strong duty to obey the wishes of the royal family. Understanding this role in life, it is easier to understand why she was driven mad by the actions of Hamlet. In attempting to be the ideal woman of Shakespeare’s era, she was given several equally weighty directives (presumably to encourage Hamlet to begin with, then to refute Hamlet, t hen to encourage him again) that required her to act in opposing ways at the same time that her emotions for Hamlet were thrown into a completely separate tailspin as he first seems to like her, then hates her, then likes her again. In Alice Walker’s short story â€Å"Everyday Use†, the main theme is cultural identity, but several other themes are present as well, such as mother/daughter relationships, sibling issues and urban vs. rural values. This makes the story more universal because there are numerous ways by which readers can relate to the story regardless of their personal backgrounds.

Barriers to International Trade in the Current Economic Climate Essay

Barriers to International Trade in the Current Economic Climate - Essay Example The administrative cost of trade are not negligible in costs and are thus making businesses across countries appears expensive and leads to minimized profits (Farole & Akinci, 2011). A good example of an administrative trade barrier can be seen in the trade between the United States of America and Spain. Administrative costs of doing business between these two countries can be captured in where the cost of trade documentation and customs procedures is so numerous and inhibits trade. The administrative cost barrier can be solved by proper negotiations between the business community with the government of various states so that they can find a way of minimizing documentation and customs procedures (Daniels, Radebauch & Sullivan, 2011). Trading countries should also find a way of harmonizing their administrative means so that they avoid being prohibitive to trade between countries. Cultural differences Different places on earth are associated with different cultures that dictate the kin d of consumer lifestyle and behaviours with respect to different goods and services. The biggest the cultural difference, the increased economic distance between traders of that comes from different parts of the world. Cultures also bring in different norms and values that implicate the ease in which businesses are done between cultural diverse groups of people. Cultural familiarity increases decreases with an increase in cultural familiarity and this is also proportional to the ease with which trade can be conducted between those countries (Adekola & Sergi, 2007). An Indian doing business in Germany should also be similarly be ready to adapt to the local cultural... This paper offers a comprehensive theoretic analysis of the impacts of numerous economic factors, that hamper growth of the international trade. There have been many liberalization efforts that have been put in place to solve the barriers that affect international trade but they are still available. This has resulted in a scenario whereby trade between countries is smaller than trade within the country. The speed at which trade can take place between countries is a very important component of trade especially when it involves more than one country. Time affect the trade of perishable commodities like agricultural goods. The speed at which trade can take place between countries is a very important component of trade especially when it involves more than one country. Time affect the trade of perishable commodities like agricultural goods. Different places on earth are associated with different cultures that dictate the kind of consumer lifestyle and behaviours with respect to different goods and services. The biggest the cultural difference, the increased economic distance between traders of that comes from different parts of the world. Transporting goods between one place to another acts as a natural barrier due to high prohibitive costs needed to move some kind of goods. Tariffs are tax imposed by local government on goods and services that operate within their country to generate incomes for their country government. Safety regulations are sometimes a big barrier to the way in which businesses are done in most countries

Chinese Communist Party in the Civil War in 1949 Essay Example for Free

Chinese Communist Party in the Civil War in 1949 Essay The Chinese Civil War, which lasted from 1927 to 1949, was a civil war in China which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) overthrew the Guomindang (GMD) . As the CCP had always been inferior to the GMD in many aspects, many were shocked and startled by the Communists victory; although numerous factors show that the Communists victory was almost inevitable. This essay will examine the factors that lead to the Communists victory, which includes ideology, economic, political, social, military, foreign issues, and personalities of the leaders. One of the major advantages of the CCP can be seen in their social aspects and the support of peasants, which were the vast majority of people. They owned limited amount of land, had high rents, low productivity, were in dept and many lived on the edge of starvation. In addition, having peasant support for the CCP can supply with food resources. Therefore, Mao understood the first goal he had to achieve was the support from peasants. First, he set up peasant unions of Hunan from 1925-27, then in 1838-45 when Chiang had their attention focused on the Japanese Invasion, Mao and the CCP went to the rural areas, where the peasants were grateful for the way the soldiers behaved and helped the people. Then, the political leaders confiscated land from the landowners and redistributed it to landless people; lastly, they were given rights to vote for village leaders. By doing all this, the once enslaved and exploited people of china gained faith and freedom established the myth that only the Red Army was the true protector of China. In contrast, the GMD had no strong support from the peasants; and most of them felt no connection to the government. The GMD had no party organization helping the struggling provinces, and after the split of GMD and CCP in 1927, the support of common people was very low . On the military aspects, the CCP was disadvantaged in the number of arm forces. In 1945, the GMD had 5 million troops, while the CCP only and 1.25 troops. However, there are a few points which can turn this into an advantage. Firstly, they made use of guerilla warfare, which is extremely suitable for small troops to travel swiftly, change position; be precise and alert. Secondly, the communists selected high quality troops and trained them strictly with strong discipline. Lastly, the communists had similar  lifestyles between the leaders and soldiers, and with the peasant support, they sustained high morale within the Red Army. With all these advantages, we can see that in 1930-1931 Chiang Kai-shek sent 3 military expeditions to exterminate the Red Army, facing an army of 300000, the CCP defeated them all . Here, we can see how effective the guerrilla warfare is in facing a large amount of troops. In contrast, the GMD had huge troops and modern weapons . However, the GMD troops did not have strategies against the light armed and swift troops of the CCP. Moreover, because the life between the leaders and the soldiers had too much difference, they had low morale and did not have the full heart to fight for the GMD. In terms of economic aspects of the CCP, and they did not have a lot of expenses due to the guerilla warfare tactics, and the people can self-supply themselves with food, as they were all peasants. In contrast for the GMD, 65% of the states budget was met by currency expansion and only 10% by taxes . Therefore, they were highly dependent on foreign aids of the US. The constant depreciation of the value of paper currency undermined in particular the morale in all jobs that were dependent upon the payment of salaries, including troops, officers and civilian officials. Their tolerance was limited and led to widespread corruption. In terms of political aspects, the CCP had made a lot of errors and had escaped destruction by a hairs breadth, but they had an extraordinary resilience, refused to give up and learned from their mistakes . In 1927 after the failure of the autumn harvest uprising and retreated to Jinggang Shan, he noticed needed to win the hearts of the peasants; therefore, he adapted the Marxist theory and incorporated it into the peasants . Then, as he retreated with the remaining troops, he set his base in the Jinggang shan mountains where nationalists were far. Here, it shows that Mao learned from his mistakes. Furthermore in 1936 during the Japanese invasion, Mao forced the GMD to unite with them to defend the country, and here, we can also see that Mao truly cared for his country and did not just want power. In contrast, the GMD did not truly care for China. Firstly, the GMDs support came from the wealthy city classes and landowners, which was a small population of China. Lastly, the GMD lacked passion and never learned from  their mistakes, for example, in the final battle in 1948, when they were advised to concentrate his forces on the Huai River. The foreign issues were also a crucial point in the victory of the communists. During the Japanese invasions in 1937, the GMD, who were supposed to be in charge of china, conserved his forces for the inevitable civil war, and pinned their hopes of interventions of foreign powers to defeat Japan . Moreover, as the GMD is dealing with the Japanese invasions, it gave chance to the CCP to gain popularity, strengthen their armies, and give them time to expand in general. By 1945, party membership gained from 100,000 to 1.2 millionOther factors such as the ideology and the personalities of the Mao and Chiang played an important role in the victory of the Communists. In the ideology of communism by Marx, they were just supposed spread communism, but later, it was adapted by Mao to suit chinas conditions, focused on the peasantry as the main revolutionary force, instead of the workers. Meanwhile, the Nationalists did not remain to their original ideology, which was the three principles peoples livelihood, democracy and nationalism. For example, when Chiang gave the warlords a position in the government to develop urban areas, he ignored peoples livelihood. During the Japanese invasion, he ignored nationalism by relying on foreign aid, and in 1932, he ignored democracy by suppressing the media, books, and the press. Gradually, the GMD lost support and the people favored the Communists. In conclusion, the Communists victory was due to the peasant support, political organization, and their use of military tactics in guerilla warfare. Also, the nationalists incapability of governing, corruptions not remaining to the original ideology, and the lack of passion, leads to the downfall of the GMD. In addition to the foreign issues, the Japan invasions, the Communists truly won not only by forcing the GMD out of china physically, but winning the peoples hearts and minds. At last, the country with the largest population, China, is finally painted red. References Chinese Civil War 1946-1949. (2000., December 16). Wars of the World. Retrieved September 26, 2007, from http://www.onwar.com/aced/chrono/c1900s/yr45/fchina1946.htmElegant, R. S. (1972). Mao vs. Chiang: The Battle for China, 1925-1949. New York: A Thistle Book. Lescot, P. (2004). Before Mao (S. Rendall, Trans.). 10 East 53rd Street, NewYour, NY10022, USA: HarperCollins Publishers. (Original work published 1999)Marrin, A. (1989). Mao Tse-Tung and His China. 375 Hudson Street, New York 10014, USA: Puffin Group. Meins, B. (n.d.). Chinese history: The Chinese Civil War of 1927-1950 . In Helium where knowledge grows. Retrieved September 26, 2007, from Helium Web site: http://www.helium.com/tm/346350/chinese-civil-happen-momentShowalter, D. (2005, April). Decisive Encounters: The Chinese Civil War, 1946-1950. Retrieved September 26, 2007, from LookSmart Web site: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3686/is_200504/ai_n14681639Wood, J., McManus, A. (1998). China Revolutionary Leadership (L. Day, Ed.). 6 Ride Way, Albany, Auckland, NewZealand: Macmillan Publishers. (Original work published 1998)

HRM Human Resource Management in TESCO Organization

HRM Human Resource Management in TESCO Organization Identification of the organisations business strategy, mission and goals Tesco is, as Brand Finance (2014) notes, the largest retailer in UK, as well as being a highly significant retailer globally. As of 2014, Tesco is operating in 12 countries globally, and there are presently 6,780 Tesco stores. In addition, the company employs approximately 500,000 people worldwide. In addition to its core business in the grocery sector, Tesco has also diversified to offer a range of other products and services, such as personal finance and mobile phones. It has developed its ‘bricks and mortar’ business model to include an increasing emphasis upon modern day technology, through Tesco Direct (Ma, Ding and Hong, 2010) and the customer relationship management programme, Clubcard (Felgate, Fearne and di Falco, 2011). Business strategy Tesco’s has, as Schiraldi, Smith and Takahashi (2012) comment, a well-established and consistent business strategy that has enabled the company not only to strengthen the core UK business but also to expand successfully into a range of new markets. Those markets that were not successful, such as the US Fresh Easy stores, have been off-loaded in order to limit group-wide losses (Tyrell, 2014). Tesco’s business strategies mainly focus, as Wood and McCarthy (2014) further postulate, on the huge UK domestic grocery market, along with financial services, and telecommunications. Evaluating its business strategy, Schiraldi, Smith and Takahashi (2012) assert that one of the main objectives of Tesco’s business strategy is to create sustainable, long-term growth. According to Tesco plc (2014), this will be achieved by world-wide expansion. With this goal in mind, the company initially focused on expanding its business enterprises into Asia and central Europe. Tesco primarily focuses, according to Metzger (2014), on five key market sectors: 1) its core UK business, 2) the communities in which it operates, 3) non-food products, both within and beyond those offered ‘in store’, 4) retailing services, and 5) international markets. The company has, as this essay discusses, separate strategies for each of these aspects. The major objectives of Tesco’s business strategy include being a successful retailer internationally, facilitating the continued growth of the core UK business, being strong in the non-food market, the further development of various retailing services like telecommunications, Tesco personal finance and Tesco.com, and giving to the communities in which it operates, so as to strengthen brand loyalty (Piercy, Cravens and Lane, 2010). Tesco’s core UK business is the most important part of the entire business and accounts for 70% of group sales (Tesco, 2014). There are, as already noted, almost 3,400 Tesco stores employing around 310,000 people in the UK; these people are employed in five main, distinctively different, types of store, in order of size format: Tesco Extra, Superstore, Express, Metro, and One Stop. In addition, there are other format stores, such as Homeplus, Dobbies, and internet shopping options. There are presently 247 Extra stores, 482 Superstores, 195 Metro, 1,672 Express, and 722 One Stop stores, which, quite literally, give Tesco a presence in almost every town within the country (Tesco, 2014). In commenting upon how Tesco has developed its business model in light of lessons learned from the current global recession, it is suggested by Piercy, Cravens and Lane (2010) that the primary realisation has been that people want more value for their money but they do not want to compromise on product quality. This message can be seen to have been acted upon by Tesco in a number of ways. First, Tesco has enhanced promotion of its ‘Value’ range, coupled with less advertising of its premier ‘Finest’ range. Secondly, the rewarding of customer loyalty has led Tesco to create a world-leading customer loyalty programme called ‘Clubcard’. According to Tesco (2014), fulfilling corporate responsibility and creating value within the communities it operates are crucial for achieving growth. Tesco believes, as Blythman (2012) further notes, that each and every strategy that it designs has an impact on the community. Tesco’s strategies regarding corporate responsibility include providing active support to local community, providing good jobs to locals, and taking care of the environment. In addition, the company is aiming to create zero carbon stores in the future (Rosethorn, 2009). The main objective of Tesco’s non-food strategy is to become as strong in this arena as it is in the food category. Tesco’s Dobbies, Homeplus and Extra stores are the three store formats where non-food products are available, the latter in addition to food. In 2000, Tesco Direct, the company’s online store where more than 125,000 products are available, was launched. The company has 25 distribution centres, out of which six deal with clothing and non-food products (Tesco, 2014). Cumulatively, these distribution centres deliver goods to an estimated 500,000 customers per week in the online sector only (Tesco, 2014); this division of the company has experienced rapid growth, showing the importance of diversification to the continued growth of the company (Ma, Ding and Hong, 2010). Tesco’s various retail services include Tesco Bank, Tesco.com and Tesco telecommunications. In the UK, Tesco Bank is the most successful supermarket bank (Scuffham, 2014), which once more shows how invaluable diversification has been to the continued success and growth of the group as a whole. Furthermore, developing Tesco.com was a strategy of keeping pace with modern trends in shopping which may result, in the future, in fewer resources being applied to traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ strategies, and more being routed towards on-line consumers. Identification of the organisations overall HRM strategy and goals This section discusses the overall human resource management (HRM) strategy and goals of Tesco. Given the global reach of the chain, it is imperative that managers make a complete and feasible HRM plan and use different strategies to manage employees. This will include changing strategies to account for local customs and variations (Brennan, Moore and Mughan, 2013). The human resource strategy presently utilised at Tesco’s revolves, as Merkel, Jackson and Pick (2010) discuss, around the training and development of employees, communication and consultation, and rewards and benefits linked to achieving targets. This triple-headed approach to HRM has been successful over the years and has helped the firm to retain and recruit well-motivated staff who present a professional appearance to customers and are proud to work for Tesco. The most significant part of the HRM strategy of Tesco is training and development in terms of both time and money (Tesco, 2014). Every year, Tesco employs a large number of staff and a critical component of this, in addition to ‘front line’ shop staff, is the recruitment of high quality graduates from leading universities (Rosethorn, 2009). It is imperative, given the academic background of these recruits, that they are trained in ‘the Tesco way’ and introduced as quickly as possible to the corporate structure and mentality of the firm. This is why the training of graduates through specific recruitment programmes is essential (Merkel, Jackson and Pick, 2010). Tesco does not merely, however, favour graduates. It values all its staff as important resources and promises each of its employees that they will have a chance to develop their skill set and progress through the company (Fernie and Moore, 2013). This implies, in the opinion of the author, that each employee has the same opportunity to acquire essential skills relating to their work and the same opportunity to develop themselves to learn new knowledge. In the UK, skilled specialist employees in traditional occupations, such as fishmongers and bakers, can attain recognised qualifications during their careers at Tesco and, in 2008, 97.4% of shop-floor and 99.9% of Tesco.com employees in the UK were trained to bronze level (competent); 94.2% of shop-floor employees achieved silver level competence (expert or experienced). Such data suggests, as Ma, Ding and Hong (2010) comment, that Tesco realises the importance of investing in its staff and is keen to retain and develop a large number of skilled workers. In addition to the training programme evaluated above, Tesco has an Options development program. In this program, staff can select and learn skills that they need to grasp so as to progress to the next work level within the firm – this is, therefore, a form of self-guided career professional development. One in 30 employees of Tesco in the UK participate this programme, according to Tesco (2014). Mindful of its success, Tesco expanded this programme into Central Europe and Asia in 2009 (Brannen, Moore and Mughan, 2013). This suggests that different parts of the company can benefit from positive innovations trialled elsewhere. The second major part of its HRM programme is tied into issues pertaining to communication and consultation. Tesco wants to know the views of employees on problems which affect them and the wider company. This form of ‘bottom-up’ feedback is common in companies with a global presence, as Brannen, Moore and Mughan (2013) note. Managers are now encouraged to use different types of communication to gather feedback that can be used to develop the company further. This includes, according to Fernie and Sparks (2014), staff question times, face-to-face interviews, and use of the in-house internet. In addition, Tesco undertakes an annual staff survey and ‘Viewpoint’, which are anonymous and confidential (Tesco, 2014). Tesco uses these approaches to find the problems in working processes as soon as possible, so that it can address them and ensure that it responds to them in a manner so as to maximise returns. The third part of Tesco’s HRM strategy relates to rewards and benefits (Merkel, Jackson and Pick, 2010). Tesco tries to keep a competitive HRM edge over its major supermarket rivals by offering a basic wage that is as high as possible. This is enhanced by long-term reward plans and share bonuses (Tesco, 2014). Analysis of the various components of Tesco HRM Human resource management at Tesco involves various activities, including recruitment talent analysis, provision of a good working environment, programmes aimed at retaining employees who have good performance, and ensuring that all are treated equally (Rosethorn, 2009). These divergent trends within HRM are all important as, without them, employees may not feel valued. Increasing employee self-worth is, as Merkel, Jackson and Pick (2010) note, a valuable tool in the arsenal of the successful HRM practitioner because those who feel valued are likely to outperform less enchanted colleagues. In addition, a highly motivated workforce has been shown, by Fernie and Sparks (2014), to maximise the potential for high profit returns within a firm. It is also worth considering that ensuring equality in the firm is an important legal consideration given the right of all people to work in a safe environment that is free from bullying and respects human rights (Tushman and O’Reilly, 2002). For good employee relations the company also encourages its workers to work near their homes, which, as Piercy, Cravens and Lane (2010) observe, is a ‘green’ initiative that helps cut down on fuel costs and also reduces the time that individuals spend travelling to work. The company also gives their employees freedom of transfer, thus encouraging employee retention (Metzger, 2014). In addition, the use of shift work maximises the ability of people to work hours that suit their own timetables; thus, for instance, a student may be able to obtain an evening shift that does not interrupt his or her studies, whereas a mother of young primary school-aged children may be able to work during the day whilst the children are at school. This flexibility of working patterns, which is also important for the exchange of ideas and for the promotion of equality of faith (such as the need for Orthodox Jews not to work on Saturdays) are all factors that help Tesco to build a wide multicultural team of workers that are attune to the attitudes of the individual communities that they serve. Indeed, as a result of the UK being a truly multicultural society, HRM can be seen to play a critical role in working towards the creation of a healthy work environment. Tesco also ensures that every employee knows his or her rights in the organisation, which can also be seen as a way of ensuring that employee unions are supportive of the market aspirations of the company (Rosethorn, 2009). That Tesco also embraces health and safety regulations and training may be seen as a further bonus. In addition, Tesco trains its employees on disaster management, which is not only a positive for staff but also for the shoppers who frequent Tesco (Blythman, 2012). That staff receive such training means that members of the public can shop in safety in the secure knowledge that in the event of a fire outbreak the staff are trained, and responsive. With regard to the use of human resource models, Tesco can be evaluated as using a range of different models to ensure that it meets it core business goals (Fernie and Moore, 2013). This is important to note within the confines of this essay because no two people are identical (in terms of their behaviour and personality traits), thus calling for different HRM approaches to be adopted to ensure that there is, within the workforce, harmony in the company (Merkel, Jackson and Pick, 2010). Tesco has, as Rosethorn (2009) notes, has resolved to use a commitment-based model which does not force employees to meet frameworks. Rather, the achievement of goals is looked at as possible through respect, provided that there is co-ordination and self-control. This model calls for motivation and reinforcement in order to achieve the objectives of Tesco management and, as Tushman and O’Reilly (2002) suggest, employee opinions are taken into consideration and are used even during problem-solving processes. This model puts the employee at the forefront and helps to sustain motivation. Identification of areas that could be improved Tesco knows that it, in order to keep competitive in an increasingly cut-throat market, it has to keep sound strategies and build upon them (Wood and McCarthy, 2014). It is critical therefore, in accordance with the view advanced by Tushman and O’Reilly (2002), that human resource management continues to develop, identify, and strengthen the capacities of its staff. Tesco has a lot of employees who have substantial experience, and it follows that there is a key role for them to play in the training of new employees. In addition the company needs to train employees with expertise and ensure that they are kept up-to-date with regards to their key skill sets. The training concepts mentioned within this assignment work together to ensure that the organisation benefits from the increased competence of its staff. For rewards and wages Tesco is in line with existing laws and regulations and pays salaries according to the minimum wage law (Tesco, 2014). Nevertheless, further benefits could be accrued by making a more explicit linkage between performance and reward, especially with regard to the firm’s overall profits (Metzger, 2014). This would mean that when annual profits increase, there should be an increase in the salaries and rewards enjoyed by employees. Such rewarding of talent will have a positive impact on both workers and the company (Fernie and Sparks, 2014). Conclusion The human resource management department plays an important role in any organisation. Tesco has a well-documented, forward-thinking HRM department which is in tune with its overall business aims. Through the recruitment and retention of first rate staff and ensuring that all employees can perform to the best of their ability, Tesco increases the chances that its staff will be a positive asset (Merkel, Jackson and Pick, 2014). In addition, as Tesco increasingly diversifies its business portfolio, there is a need to ensure that all employees in each country in which it operates learn from best practice elsewhere (Brannen, Moore and Mughan, 2013). Indeed, if Tesco is to attain its global objectives, it is imperative that its HRM department continually evaluates its own performance (as well as that of employees), so that the company’s most important asset – its staff – can continually adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the company’s customers to help ensure that it retains its existing position of primacy within the UK supermarket sector (Metzger, 2014). Bibliography Blythman, J. (2012). Shopped: The shocking power of British supermarkets. London: HarperCollins. Brand Finance (2014). Global 500 2014: The world’s most valuable brands. Available at: http://brandirectory.com/league_tables/table/global-500-2014 [accessed 10 September 2014]. Brannen, M.Y., Moore, F. and Mughan, T. (2013). Strategic ethnography and reinvigorating Tesco plc: Leveraging inside/out bicultural bridging in multicultural teams. Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference Proceedings, London, September 16-18, pp. 282-299. Felgate, M., Fearne, A. and di Falco, S. (2011). Analysing the impact of supermarket promotions: A case study using Tesco Clubcard data in the UK. Kent Business School. Working Paper 234. Fernie, J. and Sparks, S. (2014). Logistics and retail management (4th edn). London: Kogan Page. Fernie, S. and Moore, C. (2013). Principles of retailing. Abingdon: Routledge. Ma, Y., Ding, J. and Hong, W. (2010). Delivering customer value based on service process: The example of Tesco.com. International Business Research, 3(2), 131. Merkel, J., Jackson, P. and Pick, D. (2010). New challenges in retail human resource management. In Krafft, M. and Mantrala, M.K. (eds) (2014). Retailing in the 21st century (2nd edn). Springer: Berlin, pp. 257-270. Metzger, K. (2014). Business analysis of UK supermarket industry. Master’s dissertation, Loughborough University. Piercy, N.F., Cravens, D.W. and Lane, N. (2010). Marketing out of the recession: Recovery is coming, but things will never be the same again. The Marketing Review, 10(1), 3-23. Rosethorn, H. (2009). The employer brand: Keeping faith with the deal. Farnham: Gower. Schiraldi, P., Smith, H. and Takahashi, Y. (2012). Estimating a dynamic game of spatial competition: The case of the UK supermarket industry. LSE Working Paper. Scuffham, M. (2014). Tesco takes on UK banks with current account launch. Reuters [online]. Available at: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/06/09/uk-tesco-bank-account-idUKKBN0EK24H20140609 [accessed 10 September 2014]. Tesco plc (2014). Annual report 2014. Cheshunt: Tesco plc. Tushman, M.L. and OReilly, C.A. (2002). Winning through innovation: A practical guide to leading organizational change and renewal. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business Press. Tyrell, J. (2014). Introduction to socio-cultural influences. In Mutum, D.S., Roy, S.K. and Kipnis, E. (eds) (2014). Marketing cases from emerging markets. Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 9-11. Wood, S. and McCarthy, D. (2014). The UK food retail ‘race for space’ and market saturation: A contemporary review. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 24(2), 121-144.

Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Philosophy of Education On October 20, 2001 I had the greatest dream. From this dream, I came to the realization that I would become an educator. I’ve always felt that the hardest decision to make is what to do for the rest of your life. My life was heading on a different road in a completely different direction. After being down this road for nearly three years, I discovered that I was not satisfied with my initial career choice. The road led me to Concord College. My educational plan is to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with a concentration in Early Childhood Special Education. I have a six year old daughter and a four year old son, that gave me complete inspiration for deciding on this field of study. Once both of my children are in school I plan to work towards my Masters in Education with a concentration in Reading. While at Concord this semester, I have several courses, outside of education, in which I have incorporated my passion for education. Upon graduation I will substitute teach for the Mercer County School System until I am offered a full-time position or until I begin my graduate studies. I hope to be placed in a preschool or kindergarten class because I feel that this is where it all begins and I want to be a part of their first formal learning experience. I have been placed in seven Mercer County Schools for field placements. I have had positive experiences at all the placements. I have seen how wonderfully a school has embraced an â€Å"open† school environment and overcame many obstacles that stem from this type of school. I have seen how standardized testing in the school system, puts a great deal of pressure on the teachers to make sure the students know their material well enough to move to the next level. These tests also put pressure on the students to do well. I have experienced how to modify your lessons to fit every student in the classroom.

Boarding Schools and Education :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚   For most people boarding schools conjure up thoughts of young men in navy blue blazers with white shirts and a tie going to a beautiful school with ivy covered walls and the game of polo being played in the distance.   Oh, and don't forget thoughts of parents with fat wallets and a family trust fund.   This is what Gordon Vink, the director of admissions at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, calls the "Holden Caufield-Catcher in the Rye syndrome"(Parker 111), a book about the troubles a boy faces at his prep boarding school.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To an extent the image holds true.   Prep schools offer collegiate type atmospheres, have strict rules, and often teach generations of students from the same families.   The simplest definition of a boarding school is a place that parents pay for a student to live and go to school.   The school's teachers, coaches, and administrators live in dormitories with boarders and act as their family enforcing the strict rules, making disciplinary decisions, and overseeing behavior and academic performance.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Boarding schools can be one or all of the following:   academic boot camp, a place for parents to put kids they don't want around or don't have the time for, a haven from deteriorating public schools, a necessary credential for children of the rich and famous, or a training ground for tomorrow's leaders. These schools range from small unknown institutions which will accept anyone, to the elite schools, which are very selective and are a pipeline to Ivy-league schools and success.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Boarding schools are superior to public day schools.   Proponents of boarding prep schools claim the schools offer unparalled discipline, a stronger curriculum, exellent facilities, a way to get in to better colleges, a superior learning environment, staggering extra-curricular options, and allow students to attain a higher level of performance.   Opponents argue that the astronomical cost, anywhere from $8000 to $25,000 per year for the most elite, is too expensive.   They also claim the rules are too extreme and suffocating, and that students experience an abundance of stress.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The biggest argument against boarding schools is cost.   With an average cost of $8000 to $25,000 (Topolnicki 100), many parents ask:   Are private boarding schools worth the expense?

Boyz in the Hood Essay

Boyz in the Hood is a vivid video representation of what life is like for those who live in the hood. There are two families that were the focus within the movie: The Styles and The Bakers. The director of the movie, John Singleton, wants his viewers to compare the lives of the individuals within the movie to their own lives so there could be a change in our society. He discretely expresses the importance of a good upbringing by a fatherly figure. I believe that this made the difference with the two families. It made all the difference to be brought up in the right circumstances. The two families were brought up in a lower class part of Los Angeles. The area is a low income neighborhood with the homes in need of much repair. In the movie there is un-cut grass and un-raked leaves cumbering the ground. The paint on the walls is chipped and dull. The movie shows Tre at a young age sent to his father Furious. Tre and the Bakers children, Doughboy and Ricky become good friends throughout their teen years. It is interesting that these kids would get into so much trouble by just trying to find things to keep them occupied. In one scene of the movie, Ricky took a football as they were walking around town. A group of teenagers eyed the ball and desired to take it. With a little contention they stole the ball. After a small conflict, they got the ball back. There were many differences between the two families. The Baker family did not have a male figure in the home. The mother, Brenda tended to take care of the kids on her own. In the Styles home there was no father because Tre’s mom and dad, Reva and Furious separated. Even though Furious did not live with his family, he was around to help Tre become a man. When Tre’ was in the middle years of elementary school, he made an agreement with his parents that if he got into trouble, he would be sent to live with his dad. Indeed that ended up happening and he lived with his father till he was around 20 years old. During these years, he learned many things that helped prepare him for life. There was one pivotal point within the move that helped illustrate this. On a clear, beautiful day Tre and Furious went fishing. There was an ulterior motive to spending that type of quality time. It gave Furious and Tre the opportunity to communicate. Furious could give insight and ask Tre questions. Furious states, â€Å"Black man aint got no place in the army. † He offers his fatherly council to impress Tre not to join the army. Also within the boat Furious asks Tre what he knows about sex. After a short remark from Tre, his dad says, â€Å"Only a real man can raise children. † This comment made a big influence on Tre whether he knew it or not. Through his teen years, he maintained his virtue. Doughboy and Ricky Styles on the other hand did not have the fatherly council that Furious offered to Tre. They were left to themselves to learn how to become men. Their mother, Brenda, was not the best example for them while they were children. She would call them names that I would never imagine would come out of a mother’s mouth. The lack of respect for women is a good indicator of the lack of fatherly influence for the Styles. Doughboy thought he was tough. He thought that he was superior to all around him. His attitude might have contributed to him being in jail. After getting out of jail, he had nothing going for him. He would hang around the porch with his thug buddies. Ricky was in a better frame of mind with regards to his future. He wanted to get an education while playing football for the University of California in Loa Angeles. I believe that Ricky turned out better because Tre became his fatherly figure. Ricky and Tre were best friends. They wanted each other to succeed in life and would do anything for each other. While Tre first moved in with his dad, Furious blurted a statement that came true many years later. He says, â€Å"you’re gonna see how they end up too. † He was referring to the Styles children who were young at the time. There is a fulfillment of this prophesy at the end of the movie. Both Ricky and Doughboy end up being tragically shot and killed. I really had a hard time with the fact that Ricky died. Despite his upbringing, he had things going for him. The examples that were set forth within the movie vividly gives food for thought of what we can do to make a difference. For Tre, he was fortunate to have well educated parents that showed good examples. The Styles children lacked these aspects and it played an important roll on how they turned out. Therefore, if the movie accurately portrays the outcome of such circumstances, then we need to make a difference in society by starting in the home. By raising children in an environment that will help them make wise critical decisions, I believe this will accomplish what director John Shingleton wanted to convey to his viewers.

“As Good As It Gets” Film Essay

Hollywood film producers and authors of fictional novels destined for the big screen have often given their characters psychological disorders. Producers and writers seek ways to add depth to their characters’ personalities and give them something to struggle against during the course of the story. The average movie-goer does not necessarily have the knowledge to determine if the disorder displayed on the big screen is accurate. To understand the dilemma of the average movie watcher, this paper reviews As Good As It Gets (Mark, Sakai, Ziskin, Producers, 1997) in the context of Melvin Udall, the protagonist, who suffers from at least two psychological disorders. The film followed Melvin Udall, a romance novel author, who exhibits a score of odd behaviors. During one scene Melvin visits his psychologist who states the author’s diagnoses as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, Melvin also seems to struggle with the more troubling antisocial personality disorder, previously known as narcissistic personality disorder. David Myers (2014) defined obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as â€Å"an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and actions (compulsions), or both.† The character, Melvin Udall, certainly exhibits OCD traits. His behaviors are compulsive and are often triggered by anxiety. For instance, he compulsively locks his door and flips the light switch in groups of five. He washes using extremely hot water and several bars of soap per washing. These are typical compulsions for those with OCD and are notable as those attributed to evolution and natural selection.  Other behaviors Melvin Udall exhibited include his preference for a particular table at a restaurant, his organizing of items by color and hyper-organized packing, and his refusal to step on the cracks of New York sidewalks. While Melvin’s behaviors seemed linked to anxiety, his OCD only manifested as compulsive behaviors. No evidence of obsessive thoughts was dramatized. Melvin struggled against an undiagnosed antisocial personality disorder throughout the movie as well. Melvin’s narcissistic tendencies manifested in his egotistical actions and his inability to show interest in another’s point of view. This often led to verbally abusive behavior. â€Å"Where do they teach you to talk like this? In some Panama City â€Å"Sailor wanna hump-hump† bar, or is it getaway day and your last shot at his whiskey? Sell crazy someplace else, we’re all stocked up here.† – Melvin Udall, As Good As It Gets Myers (2014) described a person suffering from antisocial personality disorder as generally a man who exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members. Melvin greets each person he interacts with his own sterotyped beliefs regarding their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference and so forth. Nothing he says is considered culturally acceptable. He often hurts the feelings of those he interacts with and is not the least bit affected by the knowledge. At times he seems to know hurting someone’s feelings by his words and actions is wrong, but does not understand why what he said was improper. He has trouble understanding, for example, why his love interest Carol Connelly is offended when he refers to her carefully selected dress as a â€Å"house dress†. At other times, he only seeks others out for what they can do for him, but are unwilling to reciprocate any sort of friendship. This is the case when he asks his publicist for a personal favor from her husband to treat Carol’s sick child, but this is unwilling to listen or even pretend to be interested in a story about her own son. The movie, albeit entertaining, is a poor substitute for education on psychological disorders. Because the only disorder mentioned is OCD, the viewer may be left with the impression that the antisocial behaviors, symptoms of a personality disorder, are a product of the  obsessive-compulsive disorder, an anxiety disorder. Melvin’s behaviors begin to normalize toward the end of the movie as he makes closer attachments with several other characters. This may falsely imply to the movie-goer that his psychological disorders are easily treatable or curable. People with mental illnesses suffer from a stigma from the greater community. Unfortunately, this movie perpetuates the dangerous notion that mental illness is something one can take a stance against and overcome through will and action. Mental illness, just like an illness of the body, requires medical intervention. References Mark, L., Sakai, R., Ziskin, L. (Producers), & Brooks, J. L. (Director). (1997) As Good As It Gets [Motion Picture]. United States: Tristar Pictures. Myers, D. G. (2014). Exploring Psychology. New York, NY: Worth Publishers

Academic and social-emotional development Essay

Academic development is associated with the educational growth of the student. Social-emotional development is another aspect of a student that allows children to interact with their peers. This paper seeks to compare and contrast the academic and social-emotional development of students with and without disability in the lights of broad and diverse academic resources. Comparison between Students with and without Learning Disability Learning disability is considered to be disorder which affects the learning processes of verbal communication, speaking, grasping new things, writing, mathematics, etc. It is caused by the failure of brain to execute its function systematically and by emotional or behavioral disorders. A research was conducted at various school levels where more than one hundred students were analyzed. Academic results of students with and with out learning disability were analyzed. It was concluded that disabled students got lower class rank as compared to their peers (Grites & Gordon, 2000). Academic Development Students with LD have found academic difficulties in various areas as compared to their abled counterparts. They have academic problems in math, reading and writing, and language, poor performance on timed test, theoretical reasoning and learning. Grites and Gordon studied performance of college students with and without LD and came to the conclusion that students with LD perform lower on all measures (Grites & Gordon, 2000). They find it difficult to understand and process information from diverse and several perspectives which often cause complicatedness and complexity in their academic development. These students have different pattern of learning which comes with strengths and weaknesses that differ from others. Their disability can create difficulties in academic field because they may have problems in basic skills such as reading, writing, art, etc (Jordan, 2000). It is essential that teachers and parents play a pivotal role in their academic development. However, most of the times they do not understand their problems and assume these students are lazy and unmotivated. Gunther-Mohr conducted a research and found out that students identified with LD have greater academic difficulties. They are more likely to struggle on timed tasked as compared to other students. In the same study, it was concluded that these special students showed no improvement as compared to their peers (Gunther-Mohr, 2003). Social-emotional development Several students with learning disabilities have some social and emotional problem associated with their learning difficulty. Experiential facts and figures suggests that more than sixty percent of students with LD under the age of eighteen committed suicide in Los Angeles (Bender & Wall, 2000). Literature suggest that students without LD are socially accepted if they are helpful, accommodating, communicate, exchange pleasant greetings, have positive interactions with peers and make conversation(Bender & Wall, 2000). It is true that not all students with LD have social-emotional problems. However, they are most likely to develop these problems than their non-disabled peers. In their early school life, they are often rejected by their fellow classmates and suffer from poor self-concepts. As teenagers, the wounds of scorn and rejection can be agonizing and not forgotten without difficulty. After assessing more than one hundred different studies, Jordan came to the conclusion that more than seventy percent of the students with LD display deficits in social skills (Jordan, 2000). Social skills deficits include recognition by classmates, trouble making friends, viewed as overly dependent, incapable of being leaders, managing conflicts, starting a conversation, showing empathy and maintaining companionship. Harwell discovered that students with LD suffer from depression because of social skills deficits. Kadison & DiGeronimo suggests that social-emotional develop of students with LD is the result of lacking social ability to understand (Kadison & DiGeronimo, 2004). It has been revealed that students with LD when compared to students without LD are less accepted by class mates, have poor self-concepts and are more likely to feel lonely. Students with LD are most likely to experience frustration more than students without LD because of negative behaviors from their classmates, inadequate services and programs and physical barriers. Studies suggest that students without LD interact with students with learning disabilities based on outlook and fixed typecast. Attempts to Cope with Learning Disability When coping with students who have LD, the teacher should employ such teaching strategies which effectively cater different learning styles. Special education involvement to handle LD should be applied. For example, Karmen recommends that using pictorial representation has constructive and helpful effect on students who have learning disabilities to comprehend new theories and concepts (Karmen, 2003). Teachers should give special attention to the student and discuss his or her anxiety or depression. They should also encourage and support them and boost their confidence. They should also allow them to participate in classroom activities so that they can show and reveal their talent and competencies. A study conducted at University of California selected thirty students (Mercer &Mercer, 1997). These students had taken reading comprehension and reading rate test. Sixteen students had learning disabilities and the rest were without LD (Harwell, 1996). Extra time condition was applied and students with LD performed at same level as normal students. In another study, eighty college students were selected. Forty students with learning disability and other forty without learning disability took math test under extended time conditions. The study demonstrated that the scores of students with learning disability improved under extended time condition. Conclusion This study has compared academic and social-emotional development of students with and without learning disability. Students without learning disability are more likely to be successful than their disabled counterparts. Students who have LD are most likely to suffer from academic and social-emotional deficits because of their disorder. They are more likely to develop anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, etc. However, these special students can learn to perform better at school with the help of parents and teachers. It is essential for teachers to encourage and support them and devise innovative methods in order to help them in their learning processes. They should also be given extra time because they grasp concepts slowly. In the lights of information provided in this essay, it can be concluded that students with LD need special attention so that they become competent. References Grites, T. , & Gordon, V (2000). Developmental academic advising revisited. NACADA Journal, 20(1), 12-15. Gunther-Mohr, S. (2003). Counseling college students with learning disabilities. (pp. 77-106). Putney, VT: Landmark College. Jordan, P. (2000). Academic advising in the 21st century. NACADA Journal, 20(2),21-30. Kadison, R. , & DiGeronimo, T. (2004). College of the overwhelmed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Karmen, K. (2003). Advising students with learning disabilities: A developmental approach. (pp. 133-60). Putney, VT: Landmark College. Harwell, J. (1996). Ready to use tools and materials for remediating specific learning disabilities. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Mercer, C. D. , & Mercer, A. R. (1997). Teaching students with learning problems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Bender, W N. , & Wall, M. E. (2000). Socialemotional development of students with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 17, 323-341.

Washington Crossing the Deleware

CROSSING THE DELEWARE HIST101 George Washington saved not only the continental army at the battle of Trenton, but he also saved and breathed new life into the cause of Independence. After knowing seemingly knowing nothing but defeat and hardship for the latter half of 1776, Washington knew that not only he, but the neophyte country known as the United States, needed a miracle. History dictates that he most certainly delivered that miracle and saved the cause, but what were the effects of his victory?What is the importance of his crossing of the Delaware? The crossing at the Delaware river has become over the years, the symbol of American spirit and resolve. Numerous historical evidence indicates the hardships and hazards that accompanied the crossing that fateful December night. But to discuss the effects of the crossing, one must set the stage of events first. In the winter of 1776, General George Washington and his fledgling continental army stood on the precipice of annihilation.A fter suffering a series of disastrous defeats which resulted in the loss of New York city and it's surrounding areas, Washington gathered the shattered remnants of his once proud army and retreated across the Delaware river into Pennsylvania. Washington knew that the life of not only his army, but the cause was ebbing away daily, more so with their disastrous string of defeats. With low morale, constant desertion, sickness and hunger facing his men, he also knew that there was one other chief problem which would befall him at the end of the year;the expiration of the soldiers enlistments. [1]When the continentals drove the British troops out of Boston in March of 1776, Washington had seventeen thousand troops under his command. By December of 1776, through not only combat but the attrition of war and what entails with it, he now commanded a mere four thousand seven hundred men. At the end of December when the enlistments for the soldiers ran out, he would be fighting with only twelv e hundred men. In a letter that Washington wrote to John Hancock who was residing with the Continental congress in Philadelphia at the time, Washington wrote, â€Å"Ten more days will put an end to the existence of our Army[2]. Washington was not exaggerating when he said this. He had no doubt in his mind that come the end of the year the expiration of enlistments would cause an exodus of his fighting force. Aside from the threat of the ending enlistments, there was also the Hessian mercenary force across the river at Trenton, which Washington had no doubt that the they would cross the Delaware river once it was frozen over and suitable to do so. Washington also realized that if he could end the year with a tremendous victory, it would do wonders not only for the cause, but for recruiting more soldiers to fight for it.With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Washington decided that he would attack the Hessian mercenary force on December 25, 1776. The Hessians were feared by the continental army, and rightfully so. They were some of the Europe's best trained troops at the time and the memories of their massacre of American troops at the Battle of Long Island, lay fresh in their minds. The need for self-preservation seemed almost as strong as the need to avenge the brave soldiers lost. Washington's staff strongly advised him from attacking the Hessians in broad daylight, even crossing the river it's self.Their seemed to be a prevalent feeling that the Hessians would destroy the continentals, even though they had the Hessian'soutnumbered(the Hessians in Trenton were around fifteen-hundred men). While the continentals had numbers on their side, the Hessians had several things they did not. The Hessians were billeted in houses no doubt with fire places and were relatively safe and comfortable from the cold. The Hessians were also no doubt well fed and well cared for. On the contrary, the continental soldier at the time had barely any adequate provisions at all .They were ill fed and ill equipped to face not only the Hessians but the driving winter which was upon them. Most of them wore no shoes, if any shoes at all. On the night of the crossing a major, John Wilkinson, had seen spots of red in the snow, â€Å"tinged here and there†, he wrote, â€Å"with blood from the feet of men who wore broken shoes. †[3] Washington had also lost a significant number of weapons and material during the retreat across the Delaware. Taking over the Hessian garrison in Trenton would not only be a good psychological boost for his troops, but it would also be a start in obtaining much needed supplies for them as well.On Christmas night 1776, Washington assembled his army to cross the Delaware. Several writings on that fateful evening indicated the hardships and perils of the crossing itself. Thomas Rodney who was there that night described it as, â€Å"It was a severe night as I ever saw. The frost was sharp, the current difficult to stem, the ice increasing, the wind high, and at eleven it began to snow. † When the continentals cross the Delaware, all accounted for and behind schedule, they began their march onto Trenton, New Jersey. John Greenwood, a fifer in the Continental Army described the march. What I suffered on the march, cannot be described. They who were with us know best about these things, others cannot believe the tenth part, so I shall say nothing further. 3† Exhausted, starving, frightened and freezing, the Continentals commenced battle with the Hessian at Trenton around eight in the morning, catching most of the Hessian unaware, most of which were still sleeping. From the start of the engagement, the continentals were fully in control of the tempo of the battle and seized the initiative. The Hessians became completely surrounded and their units became isolated and they were forced to surrender.They also suffered heavy losses with twenty-two men dead, eighty three wounded, and nearly one thous and and one hundred troops captured by the Americans. The American's only suffered two dead and five wounded. (statistics differ to a varying degree on the casualties and material obtained by Washington and his men). Washington had originally planed to march the army further to Princeton and New Brunswick, but after consideration and discussion from his staff, dropped the plan. He ordered his troops to recross the Delaware, where they took back with them not only the Hessian prisoners, but much needed quipment and supplies needed to sustain his army. The battle despite its seemingly small proportion increased not only morale among the men which had been dangerously low to begin with, but also their confidence. They had defeated one Europe, even one of the world's most respected troops at the time. Despite the victory and the bold gamble it was, there was still the issue of the expiration of enlistments. Washington seized the advantage and the boost the victory had given him, and two days after the battle, only a few days before the expiration, implored his exhausted, underfed and underpaid troops to stay longer.Fifty years after, a sergeant whom was present at the time gave his account of what Washington said to a group of soldiers. â€Å"My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected. But your country is at stake, your wives, your houses, all that you hold dear. You have worn yourselves put with fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay but one month longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty, and to your country, which you probably can never do under any other circumstances.The present is emphatically the crisis that will decide our destiny. †3 Before this gambit, there were some members of the Congress and even Washington’s own soldiers and staff whom questioned his military ability and handling of the army. The victory at Trenton, and later at Princeton, quelled these fears. Faith was not only renewed in him, but also in his army. The victory also had a tremendous effect upon morale not only within the troops but in Congress as well. The victory also broke the psychological hold that the Hessians had over the continentals as well.They knew now and full realized that they were a capable army as any in the world. The defeat of the Hessians also caused the British to abandon their efforts of protection to the loyalist leaning peoples of New Jersey. When looking at the crossing of the Delaware and the victory at Trenton on a tactical scale, it seems to be a minor engagement. But the significance and the psychological impact, saved the not only the continental army, but it pulled the cause out of the depths of a sea of despondency and defeat.Over the years the American people have come to see the crossing of the Delaware, as a symbol of American resolve, and that we as a people will never give into tyranny and opp ression. Bibliography 1. â€Å"The Continental Army†, http://www. history. army. mil/books/RevWar/ContArmy/CA-05. htm 2. â€Å"George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress†, last modified Feb-16-1999, http://memory. loc. gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome. html 3. â€Å"Washington Crossing Historical Park†, http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm ———————– 1]â€Å"The Continental Army†, http://www. history. army. mil/books/RevWar/ContArmy/CA-05. htm [2]â€Å"George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress†, last modified Feb-16-1999, http://memory. loc. gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome. html [3]Washington Crossing Historical Park†, http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm 3Washington Crossing Historical Park†, http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm 3Washington Crossing Historical Park† , http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm

Measurement Guidelines Essay

Management guidelines must be developed to create a benchmark of expectations. â€Å"Without measuring the effectiveness of strategy on a timely basis, makes it not only difficult to determine alignment, management is always working with lagging information† (The Executive Corner, 2004). Each step of the final solution will be measured to meet the businesses needs. The human resources department will define three main competencies of each department within sixty days. In order to ensure effectiveness, the competencies will have to be approved and agreed on by the CEO and senior management. Once this phase is completed, the human resources department will commit to training managers on employee behaviors. To ensure training is successful, the managers are tested to assess material understanding. It is estimated that in a maximum of 90 days, Riordan should achieve a predetermined number company goals by their employees. Long-term effectiveness is measured by an employee surveys. A recommendation for an additional survey between 6-12 months for employees to complete will go out. This survey will look for feedback on new processes and the current development and training strategies. The employee turnover rate should be less than industry standards to achieve success. A last of measure of success will be tied to Riordan’s performance output. References The Executive Corner. (2004). Retrieved from http://www.businessbuilders.bz/archives/06-15-04.htm

Issuanc of sukuk and bonds in Malasiay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Issuanc of sukuk and bonds in Malasiay - Essay Example The following discourse delves into Sukuk issuance with specific focus being on the Malaysian economy. According to Ayub (2009), Sukuk may be defined as certificates of equal value that represent an undivided interest in the ownership of an asset or investment. It should be noted that Sukuk have the benefit of being backed by assets hence they offer better protection to the investors as compared to the conventional bonds. Investors who require fixed investment return with low risk find Sukuk to be an ideal choice (Kuran, 2004). One of the forms of Sukuk is known as the Ijarah Sukuk. This kind of Sukuk is based on letting of property rights for a given property on an agreed price. Sovereign issuers have an inclination towards issuing Ijarah Sukuk on a sale and leaseback agreement for a given piece of real estate. The other type of Sukuk is known as Mudharabah Sukuk. This is essentially an agreement between the investors and managers of capital. These are investment Sukuk that represen t ownership of units with an equal value in equity. The holders of such Sukuks own shares and are entitled to the returns based upon the percentage of ownership. The key characteristic of Mudhabarah Sukuk is that the holder of the shares is not given a guarantee by the issuer on the capital and fixed profit but rather, the profit is based on a percentage of the given capital (Muhammad, 2009). Musyarakah Sukuk involves the contribution of capital by two parties to incorporate a common motivation. The issuer contributes a given amount of money to obtain a subscription of a given number of shares whilst the originator may contribute either capital or in kind. The profit is shared in a certain ratio and the losses are shared according to capital contribution. Sukuks known as Istisna’s are used to finance the purchase of a project item. The holder of the Sukuk offers finance for a given project and in turn obtains a title to the asset. The title can be returned to the developer at an agreed repayment methodology. It should be noted that Istisna’s Sukuk cannot be traded in the secondary market. Government bonds are issued by the government in order to finance the projects that they require. One of the key characteristic of government bonds is that they have a set maturity date. This implies that the issuer guarantees to give back the principal amount invested the bond after a certain period regardless of how the investment performs. Government bonds also have interest payments. The interest payment can be on a fixed rate whereby a fixed interest is paid periodically for the life of the bond or floating interest whereby the interest rate is determined periodically. The principal investment repayment is also a key characteristic of government bonds. According to Sharma (2007), â€Å"it is an obligation of the issuer to repay the principal amount in lump sum upon the maturity of the bond.†`p. 234. Some bonds also have a call feature whereby the iss uer has the liberty to return the bond before its maturity date and be paid a percentage of its principal amount. Once the callable bond is paid, the government stops paying interest on the bond. Government bonds are subject to a given minimum investment and have credit ratings. Bonds are income investment because the issuer pays a certain rate of interest for a given period of time until the bond

A Professional Development Plan Scholarship Essay

A Professional Development Plan - Scholarship Essay Example As the research stresses  mentoring relationships vary from loosely defined and informal collegial relationships wherein a mentee learns through observation and example to structured and formal agreements between novice co-mentors and experts wherein both parties develop professional by a two-way transfer of perspective and experience. Whether or not the relationship is considered formal or informal, the objective of mentoring is to offer or grant advancement, both professional and personal. In higher education, professors are charged with the duty of passing knowledge to students and prepare them for life after college or university. This makes this group very significant in ensuring continuity of society.From the discussion it is clear that  the work of a higher education professor is to educate academic and vocational subjects to both post and undergraduate scholars in institutions of higher learning. Some of their teaching method comprise of lectures tutorials, seminars, prac tical demonstrations, e-learning and field work among others. Multimedia technologies are also more and more being used today. A professor is also liable of pursing his or her own research in order to aid in the broader research activity of their institution or academic department. The goal is to have his or her scholarly article or book peer reviewed and published, which, on the other hand, will raise his or her profile and also that of their institution.