Financial Strategy and planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Strategy and planning - Essay Example The decision to purchase or not to purchase rights shares ultimately rest upon the company's performance like an ordinary issue purchase decision. The likely impact of rights issue upon the market value of share, earnings per share and wealth of shareholders depend on the future prospectus of the issuing company. However, unless the company performs better, it is undisputedly say that nothing will gain by the shareholders out of rights issue. This type of financing is preferred when the company needs to fianc its expansion needs and at the same time it does not like to dilute its ownership. Unlike ordinary shares, this type of shares does not offer voting rights to the holders. Therefore, preference shareholders do not have any voice or say in the company's management. Therefore, it does not result in the dilution of ownership of ordinary shareholders. However, preference share holders are entitled to a fixed periodical dividend and the repayment of principal after a stipulated period of time. This may result in a situation where the company will be left with low distributable profit and thereby reduced earnings per share. This may ultimately lead to adversely affect the market value of ordinary shares. Loan stock is a kind of fixed income security. Loan stock is issued by a company against the loan granted by another. The holder gets fixed periodical return coined as interest and principal after the maturity period. Loans stock may be of two types, namely secured and unsecured. The secured loan stock is similar to an ordinary loan for which the borrower offers collateral to guarantee the repayment of the loan. But an unsecured loan does not have any kind of collateral with it. A secured loan stock, when an entity is issued is like debenture/bonds. The issue of loan

Border and Coastal Security (Criminal Justice) Essay Example for Free

Border and Coastal Security (Criminal Justice) Essay `Hardened Border Paradox’ and `Open Border Paradox. The `Hardened Border Paradox’ refers to the situation when tougher border controls fail to achieve their objective – stop illegal migrants and smuggling. Instead, it is argued, these tougher controls create an atmosphere ripe for spread of criminal activity. Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, Senior Fellow in National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, in his written testimony before a hearing of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate noted that â€Å"draconian measures to police the border invariably provide incentives for informal arrangements and criminal conspiracies to overcome cross-border barriers to commerce and labor movements†. There appears an industry for helping illegal migrants, whereas the cooperation of law enforcement bodies is reduced when one side unilaterally pursues strict policies. The border becomes more â€Å"chaotic†, and tough regulation â€Å"creates a demand for those who are in the business of arranging the illegal crossings† (Kirkpatrick, 2004). This paradox can be resolved by combating illegal groupings and promoting cooperation at the border between authorities on both sides. The ‘Open Border Paradox’ includes the need to combat the movement of terrorists and smugglers across open borders without damaging the free flow of goods and services that benefits the economies of both nations. This paradox exists, for example, on the US-Canadian border where the flow of goods and services is in dependence on anti-terrorist measures. To overcome this paradox, authorities from both sides can create special projects targeting terrorists without jeopardizing trade flows. Kirkpatrick in his testimony points out the example of a bi-national â€Å"Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET)† created on the US-Canadian border to overcome smuggling in 1996. Is it cost effective to spend millions and millions of dollars in an effort to stop a handfull of people` who are bound to terrorize the United States? Counteracting the bunch of people bound to terrorize the United States is worth millions of dollars and perhaps even more. This number is commensurate with the devastating impact September 11th and other events had on the development of the American economy and national security. Efforts to combat terrorism within the United States are also costly. The negative effect of terrorist activities on the economic activities of Americans can hardly be overrated. Terrorism poses a risk to the United States and all of its business. Foreign partners contemplating a deal with US companies will be more reluctant to do so if they perceive the state as being in continuous danger of an external attack. This means loss in indirect costs from dangers to the national security, with the effect similar to that political instability in developing nations has on their ability to attract and retain direct foreign investment. The costs of failing to keep the terrorists out are therefore serious issues that have to be addressed in order to prevent the possible danger to the economy. In this way, these efforts are similar to risk management in business. The risk averted may never materialize, and all the costs seem to have sunk in vain; however, if the risk did materialize, the impact on business would have been much greater. Speaking of the need to avert a terrorist attack through anti-terrorism campaigns, one need not forget that it is not only economic prosperity that is at stake. The negative impact on the quality of lives of Americans from September 11th attacks cannot be measured in dollars alone, for here one must factor in the pain, the grief, and the fear that affected even those who only saw the attacks on TV. The government has to deliver public goods to the people, and national security is one of them. Therefore, spending large sums on anti-terrorist measures is a sound idea as long as helps to prevent the terrorists effectively from getting into the country and perpetrating their crimes.

Comparing Treatment of Death During the Renaissance and in Shakespeare’

Treatment of Death During the Renaissance and in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is arguably the most well known and well-read play in history. With its passionate and realistic treatment of universal themes of love, fate, war, and death, it’s not difficult to see why. However, most people don’t realize that there are several versions of the play, each with their own unique additions and/or changes to the plot, dialogue, and characters. After thumbing through the texts located here on this website, you can see even at a glance the distinct differences between the versions of Romeo and Juliet. This essay will explore how people dealt with death during the Renaissance in context to Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (Lamentable Tragedie.) More specifically, I will show that the added monologue in act 4, scene 5, regarding the convention of death, is consistent to the social and religious beliefs of the time period. Act IV, scene V of the Lamentable Tragedie is perhaps the most insightful scene dealing with the coping of death during the Renaissance. Previous to the scene Romeo has been banished for slaying Tybalt, and Juliet’s father has forced her to marry her betrothed Paris. In a desperate attempt to avoid the marriage and reunite Juliet with her love, the Friar gives Juliet a sleeping elixir to stage her death. Convinced that a marriage to Paris would be worse than death, Juliet takes the deathly potion and falls into a coma-like sleep. At the beginning of the scene the house is stirring with excitement in preparation for the wedding and the nurse is sent to wake the sleeping Juliet. After much calling and shaking, the nurse begins to suspect that something is wrong. Could her mistre... ...ents in such a manner, royalty reigned supreme during Shakespeare’s day and could do and speak as they saw fit. Finally, it is important to understand the historical context for which the characters were written. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was written for an audience that had survived the destructive forces of the Black Death, and shared a different philosophy on death altogether. Works Cited Heitsch, Dorothea. â€Å"Approaching Death by Writing: Montaigne’s Essays and the Literature of Consolation.† Literature and Medicine 19, Jan. 2000: pp 1-6. Huizinga, Johan. The Waning of the Middle Ages. London: Edward Arnold, 1924. Spinrad, Pheobe. The Summons of Death on the Medieval and Renaissance English Stage. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1987. Wilcox, Helen. Women and Literature in Britain 1500-1700. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Management Types Essay

There are various management philosophies and types used in the world of business. These types of management differ from one another. In some cases, a few of these management types can be mixed together in order to create something custom for a specific requirement. Management by Objectives (MBO) is one of the frequently used management types. The popularity and the proven results are the main reasons behind everyone adopting this technique for their organization. As valid as it is for many management types, MBO is a systematic and organized approach that emphasizes the achievement of goals. In the long run, this allows the management to change the organization’s mindset to become more result oriented. The Concepts: The core aim of management by objectives is the alignment of company goals and subordinate objectives properly, so everyone in the organization works towards achieving the same organizational goal. In order to identify the organizational goals, the upper management usually follows techniques such as GQM (Goal, Questions, and Metrics). In order to set the objectives for the employees, the following steps are followed. * The management chunks down the organizational goals and assign chunks to senior managers. * Senior managers then derive objectives for them to achieve the assigned organizational goals. This is where senior managers assign the objectives to the operational management. * Operational management then chunk down their objectives and identify the activities required for achieving the objectives. These sub-objectives and activities are then assigned to rest of the staff. * When objectives and activities are assigned, the management gives strong inputs to clearly identify the objectives, time frame for completion, and tracking options. * Each objective is properly tracked and the management gives periodic feedback to the objective owner. * In most occasions, the organization defines processes and procedures in order to track the objectives and feedback. * At the end of the agreed period (usually an year), the objective achievement is reviewed and an appraisal is performed. Usually, the outcomes of this assessment are used to determine the salary increments for year ahead and relevant bonuses to employees. Activity trap is one of the issues that prevent the success of MBO process. This happens when employees are more focused on daily activities rather than the long-term objectives. Overloaded activities are a result of a vicious cycles and this cycle should be broken through proper planning. The Focus: In MBO, the management focus is on the result, not the activity. The tasks are delegated through negotiations and there is no fixed roadmap for the implementation. The implementation is done dynamically and to suit the situation. When to use MBO? Although MBO is extremely results oriented, not all enterprises can benefit from MBO implementations. The MBO is most suitable for knowledge-based enterpriseswhere the staff is quite competent of what they do. Specially, if the management is planning to implement a self-leadership culture among the employees, MBO is the best way to initiate that process. Responsibility of Individuals: Since individuals are empowered to carry out stretched tasks and responsibilities under MBO, individual responsibilities play a vital role for the success of MBO. In MBO there is a link built between the strategic thinking of the upper management and the operational execution of the lower levels of the hierarchy. The responsibility of achieving the objectives is passed from the organization to each individual of the organization. Management by objectives is mainly achieved through self-control. Nowadays, especially in knowledge-based organizations, the employees are self-managers who are able to make their own decisions. In such organizations, the management should ask three basic questions from its employees. * What should be your responsibilities?  * What information is required by you from the management and the peers? * What information should you provide the management and peers in return?

Opening a Daycare Essay

One of the most important demands of the early years, care and education that offer young children a quality care and education to operate effectively. Early childhood education has become formalized in its processes and entrepreneurial in mode, particularly in the urban and middle-class centers. Centers for pre-school children are necessary particularly because the entrance of more women into the workforce creates a need for places where their children can be safe and given some education while the parents are at work. However, these centers should ot be made an excuse for parents to abdicate their responsibility for child care and nurturance, and for making early childhood education a commercial activity. Children with special needs may require individual learning programmed for a part of the session in center. A Child Day care center, group child care home and family child day care home and group child day care home are center for children. For these reasons, it is proposed that early childhood centers be organized community or neighborhood centers to be staffed by a minimum number of professional arly childhood educators with maximum help from parents who should take turns serving these community or neighborhood daycare centers. In opening a daycare center it needs the quality care and education that should be available to all children if their parents wish it. To deliver a high quality service and the the important that all reflect on their practice so that they can acknowledge how things have gone and whether there is room for improvement. A good starting point is to examine the principles which is part of the early years, Care and education. The welfare of the child ( the children must come first) in managing children’s challenging behavior. The child care and education should emphasize the positive aspects of behavior and physical punishment must never be used. Children’s learning and development (children need activities) which will stimulate their social, physical, intellectual, emotional, and moral development by careful observation of the child. Keeping children safe to ensure that the setting is safe for the children and the prevention of accidents and the protection of health. Planning is basically determining development goals, policies and plans; and setting, procedures and strategies needed to achieve the purposes. In the preparation of the plans, social economic and development administration programs are formulated separately within the context of policies. It deals with goals, setting process, environment, role, and budgeting. On another viewpoint, is seen on decision-making, information and the future. The process by which the guiding members envision its future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future. In terms of identifying riorities and interests the important factor to achieve is the operational, efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of the service ( the needs of the community). As we plan, the level of minimum standard must be observed to guarantee a Certain level such as facilities, staff, curricular content, utilization of space and time, procedures and financing schemes. These standards can be achieved through the conduct of survey, studies, operations research and cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses. Steps in planning like goal-setting, information, policy, programs, implementation nd evaluation but the development planning consist of situational analysis, goal/objective/target setting, policy/strategy formulation, program/project identification, investment program, budgeting, implementation and monitoring evaluation and plan update. The situational analysis requires the conduct of survey and research studies. Gathering of demographic, economic, physical and others. A survey of undertaken Indicating past and present performances, programs and projects, manpower, budget and buildings, facilities and equipment. After that setting of goals, objectives and targets. A goal is a broad statement of an image of the future that seeks to achieve. And objective, the expectation which is pursued to satisfy the goal target, flowing out of the objective is the most specific statement of purpose which is measurable and achievable. Once the broad goals, objectives and target are framed, more specific policy statements and strategies are formulated for each area of concern as to social, economic and development administration aspects. The plan is basically a guide for any future decisions affecting the growth and development of the center. The Vision is the act of power of seeing an ideal state through mental acuity or foresight that a man or institution intends to accomplish (Kaufman et al. ,2002). It should be conceptually ideal, unitarily and purposively focused, and foremost should be intellectually challenging and exciting. The vision spells out in broad terms the role of the center. To specify what it intends to do and become considering the social, cultural, economic factors in the community. In vision we shared beliefs and values, impact from the environment, and attainment from future time. The Mission is a statement of philosophy of purpose for which it is created (Kaufman et al. , 2002). And goal as a desirable future condition which strives to achieve. It is normally broad in scope and long-term in its perspective. A goal dovetails the vision and mission of the organization or institution. To formulate the goals remember the clear statement about what the customer or client needs, who are the clients, and how plans to go about. The Objective is a specific description of an end result to achieve. It is a Translation of the broad goal into a set of more specific and concrete objective. The Translation of the goals into program objectives in terms of program offerings, research Services, extension and continuing education services, development services, income generation, capital outlay, and general administration. The Target is a more specific expression in quantifiable and measurable terms of what is intended to be accomplished. The specific end result, a target date and period; and the individual responsible and accountable in the accomplishment of the activity. The Policy and Strategy Formulation is a planning process about the rules and Decisions have been arrived to meet the goals and objectives. A policy is a purposive course of action or decision which is commonly set and perceived to be socially desirable to the great number of people. While strategy is the method or approach undertaken to accomplish goals, objectives and targets. The Program and Project Identification refers to the functions and activities Necessary for the performance of a major purpose for which it is established and Covering the activities that result in the accomplishment. Like support service, manpower training, curriculum development, extracurricular activities, production materials, eaching aids, technologies, improvement of the building and equipment. The Investment Programming is a phase in the planning process that resolves the activities need to be done with the greatest result. Formulated goals, objectives, targets and strategies in the development plan are translated into concrete, specific and implementable programs and projects packaged into the development investment program. Investment programming is the process of rational listing of programs and projects planned to be undertaken within a given time frame for the purpose of enhancing he process of asset and capital accumulation for some anticipated future benefits. This entails a systematic identification, preparation, selection , scheduling or phasing of programs and project given conditions of resource scarcity. The investment program serves as the basis for programs and projects that are considered in the preparation of the annual action plan and corresponding budget estimates. The Budgeting, this phase of the planning process resolves the money and fund available or allowable for the program, project or activity. Budgeting is one of the universal human experiences. All of us are faced with the problem of reconciling what we want with what we can afford. Every organization or institution must face the problem of balancing needs and desires. But the greatest problem arises when the resources are limited but needs and aspiration are sharply rising. Proper budgeting is important. The Implementation, this phase of the planning process how the plan executed, who are the responsible, how to determine the plan. It is an act of carrying out the plans, Programs and projects in accordance with the strategic plan in order to attain the set goals and objectives. The implementation of the plan in terms of stated policies, goals, objectives and targets translated into tangible programs, projects and services has to precisely specify as to who does what in terms of accountable and responsible with particular program and projects. On this regard, the owner or the president has to emphasize plan priorities in terms of benefits, materials, references facilities, equipment and others. The same principles should underpin early childhood education, in whatever setting (state, private or voluntary sectors). They are recognize with knowledge and skills hey have been learning from birth; quality care and quality education are inseparable; every child develops at its own pace; the role of the adult is to stimulate and encourage learning, trust, motivation and positive attitudes are important-each child should feel valued and secure; learn best through play, talk and first hand experiences; parents and teacher should work together in the best interest of the child. The early years of curriculum should be carefully structured to provide a balance of appropriate activities- some planned by adults others child planned or initiated; quality care and education equires well-trained educators and ongoing professional trainings skilled and careful observations are crucial to fostering children’s care and learning. (adapted from DfEE 2000). Licensing Standards of Daycare Centers should consider the following: The Activity Area available used by all children, Attendance of the actual present in the Center, Capacity of total number of children allowed in the center, Caregiver who provide care, supervision and guidance, Certification issued by CCD(Child Care Division), Child Care Facility, Comparable Group Care Program, Constracted Services; The Director who designated by the operator or administrator of the center, guidance and Discipline; Head Teacher, Staff, Operator, Owner, Parents, Program, Sanitizing, and others. The General Requirements for opening a Day Care Center are Certificate of compliance or certificate of registration, Application, Training requirements, Staff requirements, Director, Group Supervisor, Aide, Staff child ratio, Staff persons, Physical site, Program requirements, individual assessment and program, Caring and qualified staff, safe, clean facility, established rules and policy, and Complete schedule of activities. In opening a Day care Center it should be careful through out and need a research process. In daycare children help grow and develop their skills while also having fun. Good centers have a mix of activities that will teach different skills, projects that lead to Creativity, storytelling, dancing and singing and help the child learn instead of just Playing all day. Children also get to socialize with other children which they would not to Do as often if they were at home with a nanny. Finally, the centers are more stable and consistent than nannies because the center will watch your child even if a teacher is sick.

Church and State Separation essays

Church and State Separation essays Hundreds of years ago our forefathers came to this great nation to establish a land of freedom. One freedom in particular that our nation was built on is that of religious freedom, included in the first amendment of our Bill Of Rights. This freedom has become a prevalent issue concerning the separation of church and state in our government endorsed school system. The Supreme Court has established a "high and impregnable wall" between religion and our school system. It has come the time that this wall is torn down and our first amendment attains the level of religious freedom our forefathers intended it to be. In light of new pressing issues in our world today, the separation of church and state should no longer be maintained. One reason that church and state separation should be completely abolished is that our nation's youth are attaining a much higher level of religious tolerance than ever before and church/state separation will halt this growing tolerance. An article in the U.S. News And World Report indicated that "Courses about religion are among the most popular high school electives. A survey by the National Council of Teachers of English shows that 'Bible and literature' ranked in the top 10 of 180 commonly offered English courses"(U.S. News & World Report, 1975, p53). This shows that the youth of today's world is becoming more accepting of various religions. They're willing to learn about and sometimes, in doing so, find them fascinating. By maintaining the separation of church and state, this growing respect for other religions will only be able to go so far. By abolishing this separation of church and state in our schools today, the youth of America will grow into a more accepting nation. An other reason church and state separation should no longer be maintained is that by adopting a "no preference" policy instead, many of the issues concerning religion in public schools would no longer be a problem. In Robert L. Cord's...

Free Essays on HardDrives

Nearly every desktop computer and server in use today contains one or more hard-disk drives. Every mainframe and supercomputer is normally connected to hundreds of hard-disk drives. Hard disks were invented in the 1950s. They started as large disks up to 20 inches in diameter holding just a few megabytes. Hard drives were originally called "fixed disks" or "Winchesters" (a code name used for a popular IBM product). They later became known as "hard disks" to distinguish them from "floppy disk drives". Hard disks have a hard platter that holds the magnetic medium, as opposed to the flexible plastic film found in tapes and floppies. The earliest true hard disks had the heads of the hard disk in contact with the surface of the disk. This was done to allow the low-sensitivity electronics of the day to be able to better read the magnetic fields on the surface of the disk. The very first production hard disk was the IBM 305 RAMAC (Random Access Method of Accounting and Control), in troduced on September 13, 1956. The RAMAC stored 5 million characters (approximately five megabytes, but a â€Å"character† in those days was only seven bits, not eight) on a whopping 50 disks, each 24 inches in diameter. Its arealdensity was about 2,000 bits per square inch; in comparison, today’s drives have arealdensity measured in billions of bits per square inch. The data transfer rate of this first drive was an impressive 88,000 bytes per second. Over the succeeding years, the technology improved incrementally; arealdensity, capacity and performance all increased. In 1962, IBM introduced the model 1301 Advanced Disk File. The key advance of this disk drive was the creation of heads that floated or flew above the surface of the disk on an air bearing reducing the distance from the heads to the surface of the disks from 800 to 250 microinches. In 1973, IBM introduced the model 3340 disk drive which is commonly considered to e the father of the ... Free Essays on HardDrives Free Essays on HardDrives Nearly every desktop computer and server in use today contains one or more hard-disk drives. Every mainframe and supercomputer is normally connected to hundreds of hard-disk drives. Hard disks were invented in the 1950s. They started as large disks up to 20 inches in diameter holding just a few megabytes. Hard drives were originally called "fixed disks" or "Winchesters" (a code name used for a popular IBM product). They later became known as "hard disks" to distinguish them from "floppy disk drives". Hard disks have a hard platter that holds the magnetic medium, as opposed to the flexible plastic film found in tapes and floppies. The earliest true hard disks had the heads of the hard disk in contact with the surface of the disk. This was done to allow the low-sensitivity electronics of the day to be able to better read the magnetic fields on the surface of the disk. The very first production hard disk was the IBM 305 RAMAC (Random Access Method of Accounting and Control), in troduced on September 13, 1956. The RAMAC stored 5 million characters (approximately five megabytes, but a â€Å"character† in those days was only seven bits, not eight) on a whopping 50 disks, each 24 inches in diameter. Its arealdensity was about 2,000 bits per square inch; in comparison, today’s drives have arealdensity measured in billions of bits per square inch. The data transfer rate of this first drive was an impressive 88,000 bytes per second. Over the succeeding years, the technology improved incrementally; arealdensity, capacity and performance all increased. In 1962, IBM introduced the model 1301 Advanced Disk File. The key advance of this disk drive was the creation of heads that floated or flew above the surface of the disk on an air bearing reducing the distance from the heads to the surface of the disks from 800 to 250 microinches. In 1973, IBM introduced the model 3340 disk drive which is commonly considered to e the father of the ...

The Military Draft

The Military Draft The Army is the only branch of the U.S. Armed forces which has relied on conscription, popularly known in the U.S. as The Draft. In 1973, at the end of the Vietnam War, Congress abolished the draft in favor of an all-volunteer Army (AVA). The Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard are not meeting recruiting goals, and junior officers are not re-enlisting. Soldiers have been forced to fight in Iraq for long tours of duty, with little relief in sight. These pressures have caused some leaders to insist that reinstating the draft is inevitable. The draft was abandoned in 1973 in large part due to protests and a general belief that the draft was unfair: that it targeted less affluent members of society because, for example, of college deferments. However, that was not the first time Americans had protested a draft; that distinction belongs to the Civil War, with the most famous riots occurring in New York City in 1863. Today the all-volunteer Army is criticized because its ranks of minorities are disproportionate to the general population and because recruiters target less affluent teenagers who have poor job prospects after graduation. It is also criticized for its access to the nations youth; high schools and colleges that receive federal monies are required to allow recruiters on campus. Pros Conscription for military service is a classic debate between individual liberty and duty to society. Democracies value individual liberty and choice; however, democracy does not come without costs. How should those costs be shared? George Washington makes the case for mandatory service: It must be laid down as a primary position and the basis of our (democratic) system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal service to the defence of it. It was this ethic that led the U.S. to adopt mandatory militia service for white males in the late 1700s. The modern equivalent is voiced by Rep. Rangel (D-NY), a veteran of the Korean War: I truly believe that those who make the decision and those who support the United States going into war would feel more readily the pain thats involved, the sacrifice thats involved, if they thought that the fighting force would include the affluent and those who historically have avoided this great responsibility...Those who love this country have a patriotic obligation to defend this country. For those who say the poor fight better, I say give the rich a chance. The Universal National Service Act (HR2723) would require all men and women aged 18-26 to perform military or civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes. The required term of service is 15 months. This differs from a draft lottery, however, as its goal is to apply equally to all. Cons Modern warfare is high tech and has changed dramatically since Napoleans march to Russia, the battle of Normandy or the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. There is no longer a need for massive human cannon fodder. Thus one argument against the draft is that the Army needs highly skilled professionals, not just men with combat skills. When the Gates Commission recommended an all-volunteer Army to President Nixon, one of the arguments was economic. Even though wages would be higher with the volunteer force, Milton Freedman argued that the net cost to society would be lower. In addition, the  Cato Institute argues  that selective service registration, which was reauthorized under President Carter and extended under President Reagan, should also be eliminated: The sign-up was always intended to quickly generate a large conscript armysimilar to Americas 13-million-man military in World War IIfor a protracted conventional war against the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact centered in Europe. Today that kind of conflict is a paranoid fantasy. Consequently, the premium for registration insurance would be better spent elsewhere. And an early 1990s  Congressional Research Service report  says an expanded reserve corps is preferable to a draft: A requirement for major increases in combat forces could be met much more quickly by activating more reserves than by instituting a draft. A draft would not provide the trained officers and non-commissioned officers to man effective units; it would only turn out freshly trained junior enlisted recruits.

Theories of Entrepreneurship Failure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 15000 words

Theories of Entrepreneurship Failure - Essay Example This study looks into an entrepreneurship as something that many people look toward and few people accomplish. In the world of work, as the economy changes and workers lose traditional jobs, many are finding that entrepreneurship can be their next way to earn an income. The challenge with this idea is that many small businesses fail for a number of reasons and this often leaves the small business owner looking for a new job. Many people mistakenly think that â€Å"entrepreneurship† and â€Å"small business owner† are synonymous. The challenge with this thought is that there are many small businesses, but only a few real entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs find failure many times but there are a variety of reasons for it. Cardon, Stevens, and Potter suggest that failure is an â€Å"important phenomenon† because it leads to the entrepreneur’s ability to understand and make sense of what happened. In this way, they can make choices to do something different or begin another entrepreneurial venture. There are many theories that will be discussed in this essay to discuss scholarly views on the nature and types of theory. There are a variety of discussions that present the nature of theories and why they are important. Harlow states that one of the challenges to the word theory is that there are so many different ways that it is used. In other words, there is no universal meaning for this word. Harlow also notes that research uses theory to mean the relevant aspects of the literature that are important in building a background of information about the specific topic. As an example, in entrepreneurship, the use of theories will provide a foundation for the study of how entrepreneurship and failure are presented. Gelso (2006) describes theory from a more scientific point of view than Harlow (2009). Gelso posits that science and theory work together and one without the other would be very different. Gelso states that science must exist in collaborat ion with research in order to present solid research. In one respect, â€Å"science without controlled, empirical research would consist of only untested ideas and biases† (Gelso, 2006, para. 2), which would render research unusable. Gelso defines a theory as â€Å"a statement of the suspected relationship between and among variables† (Gelso, 2006, para. 9). With this understanding, Gelso suggests that the individual researcher can provide an integrated approach to the topic under study and make valuable assumptions about the research. Wacker (1998) adds to this discussion by stating that the difference in the way that professionals view theory is in the â€Å"exact nature† of the theory (p. 361). Wacker states that there are several reasons why theory is important to every discipline. These reasons are: â€Å"It provides a framework for analysis It provides an efficient method for field development It provides a clear explanation for the pragmatic world† (Wacker, 1998, p. 362). In stating such, Wacker (1998) supports the ideas of Gelso (2006) and Harlow (2009) in that theory is important and that it lays the foundation for research to be built upon. Waker also states that developing theory lessens the possibility of error because the researchers can build upon current theory; this leads to efficiency. Wacker (1998) creates a definition of theory using what academic theory understands as important. Theories are made of four factors in his definition. They must define terms or variables, they must have a domain where the theory generates from, the variables must have some type of relationship and the theory must have specific claims (Wacker, 1998, p. 363). This idea corresponds with Gelso (2006) and gives a foundation to the idea that research must be grounded in secure theories in order for them to be sound. Henderikus (2007) also has presented information regarding theory in a similar way as Wacker (1998). Henderikus (2007) suggest s that theory is a more mathematical concept and therefore

Managing Diversity Legal Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Diversity Legal - Case Study Example 4). In her case, Mr. Chuck and Dell can be involved as witnesses. AHRC resolves the complaints through the process of conciliation. â€Å"This is where the people involved in a complaint talk through the issues with the help of someone impartial and settle the matter on their own terms† (Australian Human Rights Commission, n.d.). The possible outcomes that Mel may expect from lodging the complaint include an apology from Mr. Con Tenshus, compensation for the lost wages, reinstatement to the job, and changes in the organizational policies. Relevant legislation and case law According to Section 7 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 that talks about discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, this Act applies on the discriminator if he discriminates against the aggrieved person on the basis of her pregnancy if the less favourable treatment of the aggrieved person is unreasonable under the given circumstances (comlaw.gov.au, n.d.). This Act also applies when the discriminator discrim inates against the aggrieved person because of her pregnancy by requiring her to comply with such a condition or requirement that is complied with a substantially higher proportion of people that are not pregnant, or that is unreasonable considering the case’s circumstances, or with which the aggrieved person cannot comply. One condition of the application of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 is for the organization to have more than 6 employees (Lawlink, 2002). Since the tiny office in Broadmeadow employed 8 people at the time when Mel worked there, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 applies on it. There are a number of shortcomings in the use and effectiveness of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984; the focus of the Act on the complaints lodged by the victims of discrimination does not help in the resolution of the systemic discrimination. The complainants have inadequate support of adequacy. There are limitations in the rights of the regulatory agencies involved in providing the pr egnant women with equal opportunity and that are responsible for the elimination of sex discrimination, that are encountered while initiating the claims and investigations of the systemic discrimination. The regulatory tools required to resolve the issues are insufficient and thus cannot provide much assistance to the organizations in the elimination of discrimination. Furthermore, the process of lodging the complaint and its advancement is time-consuming, costly, as well as overly legalistic. The enforcement provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 are insufficient with respect to the regulation’s terms as well as the extent of punitive damages imposed on the discriminator, especially in comparison to consumer protection legislation or the health and safety legislation. Strengths and Weaknesses of Mel’s Case One strength of Mel’s case is that her duty was frequently changed from doing the creditors work to doing the debtors work, although she was originall y hired to do the creditors work. Another strength of her case is that Mel informed Mr. Tenshus of her pregnancy as soon as she learnt that she was pregnant. Yet another strength of her case is that no minutes of meeting were made in either of the two meetings that she had with Mr. Tenshus, although those meetings are mentioned in Mr. Tenshus’

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

Journals - Essay Example Once arrested in 2000, his computer using rights were severely restricted and he was denied access to the Internet. Mafiaboy's motivation was nothing but entertainment for himself and a proof of his capability. The authorities later found that he didn't even have the genius skills that other hackers possess. But he was someone who wanted to prove to himself that he could pull off something major. Crime hurts society and while in some rare cases motivation for crime may find ethical justification, in most cases the societal and economic damage far outweigh any ethical justification. In this case for example the boy slowed down the website which is accessed by millions around the world every second. The website contains vital information on world affairs and by denying people a right to access the website in a timely fashion, this boy caused economic as well as societal damage with loss of time and money. It is amazing that in most computer crime cases, system managers fail to detect the crime because of their subtleness. A third-party or the offender normally reports these crimes. It is very likel y that the same thing happened with this case as well where users reported the slow respond they received when accessing the site instead of the system managers detecting it.

Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example 1.1. Effectiveness of the Discussion between Robert Denton and OD Consultant Robert Denton, the Plant Manager of Kenworth Motors held job for eight months with the belief that things are going on well. With the purpose to stimulate the organization’s performance, Denton invites the OD Consultant to discuss the situation. Thereby, the discussion was conducted about how the work is going on in the plant through employee interview. Denton explained that if the employees work together with full effort and cooperation then there will be good progress in the organization and this will lead to a high level growth. The effective words were to work well together and do a good job. These words are most effective because any person desires to get a good job in any of the organizations to obtain a specific goal or objective. People look for jobs in those organizations that are having good name and fame. Therefore, it is of considerable importance. To bring high level of growth, firstly, t he employees should be trustworthy. Secondly, the task given to the employees has to be done sincerely and thirdly, there should be proper coordination with the employees, group leaders, coordinators and also the high level managers. The consultant confirmed the things that were prevalent in the plant through an interview and also explained the shortcomings of this approach. The discussion was ineffective and in order to make those effective, proper meetings could have been held so that the Manager, Consultant and the employees could share their ideas and may also receive the feedback of each employee. The Consultant suggests that if the matters are to be held in different manner instead of interview, it would have been more effective. So, Denton responded by asking for other options, which would bring a significant effect in the organization and would also make things better. The consultant suggested a weekend retreat for the management teams through which the team could gain impro vement to various issues. 2.1. Retreat Planning and Implementation Robert Denton suggested the OD Consultant to hold a weekend retreat as it offers a place for further enrichment of the employees’ performance. This type of retreat is very helpful to the employees as this course provides different information, ideas regarding how the works are to be carried on in different fields, how to handle the issues and monitor them into the practical area. Through this course the employees can be made aware of various situations, social issues, economic conditions and other related business issues. The team leaders are often treated to be a guide to the employees. Sometime seminars are held in order to express their own views and ideas. For some employees, the working field might be totally new having no idea therefore this type of courses are most essential to know the other working fields. The employees get to know the works that are carried out in the practical field. Few problems mi ght occur due to which there may be a low growth rate, occurrence of risk etc; at this point how to tackle the problems or to find a solution, how to bear the risk, all these information could be gathered through this retreat course. Also practical things are planned and implemented in various sectors. Proper planning, maintenance, directing and controlling are essential in

Communication Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Communication Theories - Essay Example In professional practice, communication is a sensitive tool that defines the relationship between employers, employees and the customers and the attitude that they have for one another. Consequently, the professional environment requires effective communication mechanisms to build a conducive social environment for every person and ensure an effective flow of information. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the extent to which communication theories illuminate areas of professional communication practice. Communication theories have attempted to provide an abstract explanation of the various elements that define an effective communication process as one way of modelling competence in communication. Whether an individual intends to relay information, persuade, trigger a response, or explain a phenomenon, the choice of the mechanisms of information flow and communication techniques will determine the success of the intended purpose of communication. Most scholars have arrived at a concession that the choice of word, media and the channel will be determined by the kind of communication, either social or official, and the audience that receive the information (Emory, 2006, p. 22). These dimensions of communication are all vital if an individual has to pass their information and be understood by their target audience, and this can only be measured by evaluating the response of the audience after the information has been propagated. One of the popular communication theories is the medium Theory of Communications that perceives the communication process as a message oriented process. As opposed to the information theory that perceives communication as a bidirectional linear process, the rhetorical theory provides an abstract of the communication process as a complete messaging loop. According to Sharma (2009, p. 11), the key element in any communication process is the message that is intended to be transmitted over to the audience and the feedback that the audienc e will provide. Message, may it be in speech or textual form, refers to the information that a professional intends to provide to relay to their audience. Competence in communication has been associated with the formulation of the message in such a manner that it is concrete, precise, clear, free of distortion and well-articulated. The design of a speech or a text message will depend on the choice of words, the intonation, non-verbal expressions and presentation techniques. Optimization of the properties that affect a message is vital as a failure of any of them will have a consequential impact on the entire communication process. For instance, even after the choice of the right words, the speaker may mess up the entire process by presenting in a low tone that the audience may not grasp the intended message. In a nutshell, the message is the central attention of any communication process and hence its organization and presentation is the core of effective communication. Another vita l element of the medium theory is the mechanisms of information transmission especially in the journalistic professional practice. A proponent of the medium theory, McLuhan predicted the evolution of the communication process with the proliferation of new technology where messages would need to be transmitted across the entire world. The medium refers to the channel of communication through which message is

Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example 1.1. Effectiveness of the Discussion between Robert Denton and OD Consultant Robert Denton, the Plant Manager of Kenworth Motors held job for eight months with the belief that things are going on well. With the purpose to stimulate the organization’s performance, Denton invites the OD Consultant to discuss the situation. Thereby, the discussion was conducted about how the work is going on in the plant through employee interview. Denton explained that if the employees work together with full effort and cooperation then there will be good progress in the organization and this will lead to a high level growth. The effective words were to work well together and do a good job. These words are most effective because any person desires to get a good job in any of the organizations to obtain a specific goal or objective. People look for jobs in those organizations that are having good name and fame. Therefore, it is of considerable importance. To bring high level of growth, firstly, t he employees should be trustworthy. Secondly, the task given to the employees has to be done sincerely and thirdly, there should be proper coordination with the employees, group leaders, coordinators and also the high level managers. The consultant confirmed the things that were prevalent in the plant through an interview and also explained the shortcomings of this approach. The discussion was ineffective and in order to make those effective, proper meetings could have been held so that the Manager, Consultant and the employees could share their ideas and may also receive the feedback of each employee. The Consultant suggests that if the matters are to be held in different manner instead of interview, it would have been more effective. So, Denton responded by asking for other options, which would bring a significant effect in the organization and would also make things better. The consultant suggested a weekend retreat for the management teams through which the team could gain impro vement to various issues. 2.1. Retreat Planning and Implementation Robert Denton suggested the OD Consultant to hold a weekend retreat as it offers a place for further enrichment of the employees’ performance. This type of retreat is very helpful to the employees as this course provides different information, ideas regarding how the works are to be carried on in different fields, how to handle the issues and monitor them into the practical area. Through this course the employees can be made aware of various situations, social issues, economic conditions and other related business issues. The team leaders are often treated to be a guide to the employees. Sometime seminars are held in order to express their own views and ideas. For some employees, the working field might be totally new having no idea therefore this type of courses are most essential to know the other working fields. The employees get to know the works that are carried out in the practical field. Few problems mi ght occur due to which there may be a low growth rate, occurrence of risk etc; at this point how to tackle the problems or to find a solution, how to bear the risk, all these information could be gathered through this retreat course. Also practical things are planned and implemented in various sectors. Proper planning, maintenance, directing and controlling are essential in

Animism and Personification Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Animism and Personification - Term Paper Example These religions are given the term primal because of the animistic belief embodied in it (Super and Turley, p.18). Primal religions have a strong belief in animism and personification. Primal religions believe in the connection of all existence, whether it be humans, animals or even nature. In fact, nature is on the focal points of primal religion. Each being, each place, each object was reasoned to have a spirit, which is called anima. In such a manner, everything has a purpose, a reason for its existence. This is closely related to how people have lived centuries ago, in the time where hunting and gathering were the primary means of living. In primal religions, the distinction between good and bad is associated with misfortune and fortune. Long ago, people do not have the technology and knowledge that we have today that can explain illness, death and suffering. Although primal religions believe in a greater or supreme being, it also brings forth the belief in entities, deities and spirits that dwell among people and nature who can and may interfere with people’s lives when they desire to or when they are disturbed. With limited knowledge and the belief in animism and personification, the people do not have an explanation to the misfortunes they are experiencing except to use their primal religion as a way to understand their lives. With this, primal religion do not relate good and bad to natural or unnatural rather they relate good and bad to how they view their relation with the spirits and deities around them through their relation with other people and with nature. Nature has a very big impact in the way people lived. By taking care of their environment and essentially nature, people believed that they will be blessed by being given back plants, trees, fruits, crops and animals that will serve as their food, shelter and clothing. Good and bad became a distinction between taking care of the things around them versus destroying their environment. When something bad happens, such as a plague, people generally believe that they are being punished because they disturbed the balance or they believe that there was something they have done that offended the spirits, deities and other beings. With this, they try to turn things around through offerings and sacrifices, which are quite different from how we do it today. Another perspective of good and bad in the primal religion is the distinction between suffering and good fortune. When a person experiences suffering, it is related to something bad or evil. And when people, with this limited knowledge, no modern technology and with a belief in animism, look for a reason behind this suffering, they associate it with something bad or evil, which is related to the idea of the unknown. Anything that is unknown to them that causes misfortune, suffering or death is equated to bad or evil. But not all unknown is related to evil and not all known is related to good. The relation is based on their experience. For example, when there is an eclipse and something bad happens to them, like crops dying, they automatically associate this with something evil. When there is a shooting star, or in our knowledge now a meteor shower, and something good happens after it like animals migrating to their area, they automatically think that the meteor showers are something good. This association comes from the primal belief that all things are interrelated or intertwined. And this is because of the communitarian way the people of those ages lived (Sharma, p.4). The primal belief has another important characteristic, and that is the belief that people, animals and other things are held together by an ultimate nature and

Currency and Thai Baht Essay Example for Free

Currency and Thai Baht Essay Assessing Future Exchange Rate Movements 1. How are percentage changes in a currency’s value measured? Illustrate your answer numerically by assuming a change in the Thai baht’s value from a value of $0.022 to $0.026. ANSWER: The percentage change in a currency’s value is measured as follows: where S denotes the spot rate, and St −1 denotes the spot rate as of the earlier date. A positive percentage change represents appreciation of the foreign currency, while a negative percentage change represents depreciation. In the example provided, the percentage change in the Thai baht would be: That is, the baht would be expected to appreciate by 18.18%. 2. What are the basic factors that determine the value of a currency? In equilibrium, what is the relationship between these factors? ANSWER: The basic factors that determine the value of a currency are the supply of the currency for sale and the demand for the currency. A high level of supply of a currency generally decreases the currency’s value, while a high level of demand for a currency increases its value. In equilibrium, the supply of the currency equals the demand for the currency. 3. How might the relatively high levels of inflation and interest rates have affected the baht’s value? (Assume a constant level of U.S. inflation and interest rates.) ANSWER: The baht would be affected both by inflation levels and interest rates in Thailand relative to levels of these variables in the U.S. A high level of inflation tends to result in currency depreciation, as it would increase the Thai demand for U.S. goods , causing an increase in the Thai demand for dollars. Furthermore, a relatively high level of Thai inflation would reduce the U.S. demand for Thai goods, causing an increase in the supply of baht for sale. Conversely, the high level of interest rates in Thailand may cause appreciation of the baht relative to the dollar. A relatively high level of interest rates in Thailand would have rendered investments there more attractive for U.S. investors, causing an increase in the demand for baht. Furthermore, U.S. securities would have been less attractive to Thai investors, causing an increase in the supply of dollars for sale. However, investors might be unwilling to invest in baht-denominated securities if they are concerned about the potential depreciation of the baht that could result from Thailand’s inflation. 4. How do you think the loss of confidence in the Thai baht, evidenced by the withdrawal of funds from Thailand, affected the baht’s value? Would Blades be affected by the change in value, given the primary Thai customer’s commitment? ANSWER: In general, a depreciation in the foreign currency results when investors liquidate their investments in the foreign currency, increasing the supply of its currency for sale. Blades would probably be affected by the change in value even though its Thai customer’s commitment, as the sales are denominated in baht. Thus, the depreciation in the baht would have caused a conversion of the baht revenue into fewer U.S. dollars. 5. Assume that Thailand’s central bank wishes to prevent a withdrawal of funds from its country in order to prevent further changes in the currency’s value. How could it accomplish this objective using interest rates? ANSWER: If Thailand’s central bank wishes to prevent further depreciation in the baht’s value, it would attempt to increase the level of interest rates in Thailand. In turn, this would increase the demand for Thai baht by U.S. investors, as Thai securities would now seem more attractive. This would place upward pressure on the currency’s value. However, the high interest rates could reduce local borrowing and spending. 6. Construct a spreadsheet illustrating the steps Blades’ treasurer would need to follow in order to speculate on expected movements in the baht’s value over the next 30 days. Also show the speculative profit (in dollars) resulting from each scenario. Use both of Ben Holt’s examples to illustrate possible speculation. Assume that Blades can borrow either $10 million or the baht equivalent of this amount. Furthermore, assume that the following short-term interest rates (annualized) are available to Blades: Currency Dollars Thai baht Lending Rate 8.10% 14.80% Borrowing Rate 8.20% 15.40% ANSWER: Depreciation of the Baht from $0.022 to $0.020 1. Borrow Thai baht ($10,000,000/0.022) 2. Convert the Thai baht to dollars ($454,545,454.50 million Ãâ€" $0.022). 3. Lend the dollars at 8.10% annualized, which represents a 0.68% return over the 30-day period [computed as 8.10% Ãâ€"(30/360)]. After 30 days, Blades would receive ($10,000,000 Ãâ€" (1 + .0068)) 4. Use the proceeds of the dollar loan repayment (on Day 30) to repay the baht borrowed. The annual interest on the baht borrowed is 15.40%, or 1.28% over the 30-day period [computed as 15.40% Ãâ€"(30/360)]. The total baht amount necessary to repay the loan is therefore (454,545,454.50 Ãâ€"(1 + .0128)) 454,545,454.50 10,000,000.00 10,068,000.00 460,363,636.40 5. Number of dollars necessary to repay baht loan ($THB460,363,636.40 Ãâ€" $0.02) 6. Speculative profit ($10,068,000 – $9,207,272.73) 9,207,272.73 860,727.27 Appreciation of the Baht from $0.022 to $0.025 1. Borrow dollars. 2. Convert the dollars to Thai baht ($10 million/$0.022). 3. Lend the baht at 14.80% annualized, which represents a 1.23% return over the 30-day period [computed as 14.80% Ãâ€"(30/360)]. After 30 days, Blades would receive (THB454,545,454.50 Ãâ€" (1 + .0123)) 4. Use the proceeds of the baht loan repayment (on Day 30) to repay the dollars borrowed. The annual interest on the dollars borrowed is 8.20%, or 0.68% over the 30-day period [computed as 8.20% Ãâ€" (30/360)]. The total dollar amount necessary to repay the loan is therefore ($10,000,000 Ãâ€"(1 + .0068)) 5. Number of baht necessary to repay dollar loan ($10,068,000.00/$0.025) 6. Speculative profit (THB460,136,363.60 – THB402,720,000.00) 7. Dollar equivalent of speculative profit (THB57,416,363.60 Ãâ€"$0.025) 10,000,000.00 454,545,454.50 460,136,363.60 10,068,000.00 402,720,000.00 57,416,363.60 1,435,409.09

Theories on Conflict

Theories on Conflict Introduction Conflicts today abound which demand explanation. Understanding the roots of conflict is especially true now given the rise of populism which catapulted controversial leaders like President Donald Trump of the United States and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, each of their own right riding onto the wave of either anti-immigration or anti-crime sentiment. Trump has sparked numerous protests due to his contentious Muslim travel ban (Thrush, 2017) while Duterte has earned international condemnation for the spate of extrajudicial killings arising from his all-out war on drugs and criminality (Al Jazeera, 2017). Each of these leaders claim to be resolving root causes of conflict in their respective countries Trump, restricting immigration in order to address the imminent security threat that the liberal immigration policies of erstwhile US administrations have posed, while Duterte, clamping down on the drug trade which he considers to be a top cause of underdevelopment and n ational degeneration. The theories on conflict discussed and learned over the course of three weeks helped me frame a deeper understanding as to why both Trump and Dutertes analysis may be critically attacked and in what instances, they are either correct or fall short. A school of theories under the systems theory consider how the roots of violence are all interconnected and are products of social, political and economic interactions. New emerging theories such as the human needs theory consider the deprivation of basic human needs to be a direct cause of conflict and suggest that addressing the same would eradicate conflict. Lastly, various social theories from Karl Marx to Franz Fanon provide me with lenses to be used in studying social disruption for these theories really enunciate what causes societal fractures and what can be done about it. This paper is a critical reflection of the following body of conflicts theories. Discussion of Conflict and Social Theories Systems Theory Simply stated, the systems theory considers conflict to be the whole of many problematic parts of society which are inextricably linked. Conflict therefore arises not due to individual or micro-level differences and contradictions but of a general system. Systems theories seek to understand conflict by looking at how several elements located in a social system interact with one another. Violence, according to systems theorists, should be viewed from the level of (1) individuals (2) dyads; (3) subsystems (family, community, religious groups and general society). Subsystems are organized in a manner which could either encourage or deter or regulate violence. Direct efforts at changing elements of the system will not prosper since the system will immediately provide a replacement for the missing element. Hence, ending violence, which is a systematic problem requires a coordinated and comprehensive approach. The general systems theory is useful in uncovering relationships and interaction s which contribute to violence from different levels. However, its weakness lies in the fact that it is a value-free theory which requires theoretical directions. Structural violence Structural violence, according to John Galtung, pertains to a form of violence arising from a social structure or institution which harms people by deliberately depriving them of capacity to satisfy their immediate human needs. This kind of violence does not take a physical form or image but consists of avoidable impairment of fundamental human needs (Galtung,ÂÂ   1969, p. 32). The notion of structural violence impels one to look for inequalities within social structures may it be inequalities in wealth, power, privilege, access and opportunity which breed injustice. In the same light, structural violence also compels one to look at the connections between what might be falsely considered as mutually exclusive worlds. In essence, the theory of structural violence as a way of addressing conflict encourages people to proceed with moral outrage and critical participation where previously our reflexive response would be passive acceptance of these inequalities. Institutionalized ra cism, classism and sexism are forms of structural violence which are usually considered as inherent characteristics of society. Galtung however encourages to look beyond these inequalities and to find connections in order to dismantle structures which permit these injustices. In my view, structural violence is a timely method of deconstructing conflict in todays world. For instance, the notion of viewing refugees as a potential source of conflict is a worldview tacitly accepted in global policy. Acceptance of refugees is viewed to potentially open the floodgates for terrorism, crime, and other degenerate activities that threaten national security. However, when viewed from perspective of structural violence, we can proceed to view the refugee crisis more critically and conclude that instead of treating refugees as potential threats, they should instead be viewed as people who deserve to be treated with dignity. Relative Deprivation Theory This theory assumes that social conflict arises due to peoples perceptions of inequality. When people perceive that there exists a disparity from what they deserve to enjoy from what they currently enjoy, they became discontented with their situation (Walker Pettigrew, 1984). The relative deprivation theory hypothesizes that conflict arises when the gap between two groups within a particular population is too wide, the possibility of rebellion becomes more likely. The assumption is that people are bound to perceive that they enjoy certain entitlements from society and when they are deprived of this while a number of other people belonging to the same population enjoy the same, dissent comes into being. Relative deprivation theory focuses on value expectations which need to be met within a certain society. Thus, when a society has a relatively high rate of economic inequality, the more likely it is that people will rebel. While the origin of the deprivation is economic, a state of po verty does not necessarily translate to violence. However, when individual expectations of poor people become transformed as a group identity, they become a political force that will not hesitate to use violence in order to combat their perceived discrimination. In other words, relative deprivation theory considers that violence stems from a persons judgment of his or her economic circumstances in the community. To a certain extent, an individuals subjective evaluation of his or her community status is essential to their conduct. Theory of cooperation The theory of cooperation proceeds from the notion that conflicts are generally characterized by cooperation and cooperation as twin motives. Deutsch (1949, 1985) formulated this theory in order to comprehend the conflict process better and how to come up with more effective conflict resolution methods. Deutschs primary thesis is that in order to resolve conflict, it is a key step to understand the nature of interdependence of both parties in conflict. Interdependence could be negative or positive. When the goals of both parties are negatively interdependent, a partys success automatically means the others failure. Upon the other hand, when the goals of both parties are positively interdependent, one partys success is correlated with the other partys success while one partys failure is also correlated with the other party failure. In the latter form of interdependence, cooperative relationships can be had in order to secure a win-win outcome for both parties to a conflict. Cooperative relationships are considered to demonstrate several positive features such as effective communication, openness, a friendly atmosphere and commitment to mutuality. In contrast, competitive relationships bring about the opposite results such as closed communication, lack of coordinated activities, an atmosphere of suspicion and a sense of domination. Based on Deutschs research, constructive conflict resolution is more linked to cooperative processes rather than competitive processes which he considered destructive. In order to foster cooperative relationships towards constructive conflict resolution, Deutsch likened it to friendly social relations. This is marked by empowering gestures and a reframing of attitudes. Thus, he recommends that both parties agree to commit to adherence to norms in the conduct of talks and negotiations. Among these norms include respect, honesty, responsiveness, forgiveness, and acknowledgment of responsibility. These values, due to their universal value and acceptance, can pose as common grounds for both parties to stand on. Emerging Conflict Theories: Human Needs Theory An emerging trend in conflict theory shifts the focus from the political economy to basic human needs. This perspective is anchored on the fact that human beings need to acquire essentials in order to live with dignity. Human needs theorists place the cause of conflict to unmet human needs. In this light, they argue that violence happens when certain groups or individuals are deprived of basic human needs (Burton, 1979). Theorists however have disagreed on what human needs means. In Burtons (1979) view, human needs that need to be addressed in the context of conflict go beyond the basic biological or subsistence needs. Instead, unmet needs related to social conflict include identifiy, recognition, security and development. As Burtons human needs theory progressed, he highlighted how existing state systems have miserably failed to provide a sense of identity thereby fueling ethno-linguistic separatist movements. If certain ethnic groups are deprived of their freedom to express their own national identities within the status quo, they will tend to establish parallel revolutionary systems in order to achieve the same. Burton provides as concrete examples the ethnic nationalist struggle in Kosovo in 1989 as well as various gang subcultures. Burton opined that human need theory can help explain conflict and pave the way for better conflict resolution because Rubenstein (2010) considers the human needs theory as providing a better explanation to social conflict compared to theories which focus only on the errors of a few manipulative leaders or institutions, as embodied in Samuel Huntingtons clash of civilizations theory. Echoing Burtons view, Rubenstein views the human needs theory to provide the study of conflict with a more objective basis which goes beyond local or cultural differences. The needs-based approach to understanding social conflict defies traditional notions of conflict and instead uses unsatisfied human needs as the independent variable to explain why elite dominance or cultural differences lead to conflict. However, Park (2010) critiqued Burtons positivist framework of needs theory and encouraged a more critical definition of needs to mean that there are needs that do not directly bear upon material sustenance like recognition and freedom from coercion that must also not be obstructed lest there be undesirable consequences (p. 1). Park took issue with Burtons reliance on the biological explanation for Needs Theory to support protection of rights and universal freedoms. Instead, she advocates for a psychoanalytic view to suggest that not needs are not universal. According to her, needs are essentially socially constructed. The needs which people pursue are socially engineered and they may even pursue false pleasures. In sum, Park considers with caution the use of the black box that is human needs. The definition of human needs is not simple but very complex and difficult to understand. Conflict from the Lens of Social Theory Equally relevant to the study of conflict is the development of social theory arising from social disruption. In Charles Lemerts (2016) book, multiple social theorists and their viewpoints on conflict are critically discussed. From the classical Great White Men theories arose alternative views on social relationships and social conflict which can be applied to the contemporary context. Among the most notable of these social theorists include of course, Karl Marx, publicly voted as the worlds greatest philosopher (BBC News, 2015). Marx wrote Das Kapital as well as the Manifesto together with Friedrich Engels at a time of extreme economic discontent. Marx focused on his critique of political economy which obscures the internal relationships of labor and capital and discussed a pivotal feature which is the workers alienation and estrangement. What is the most striking and palpable among these types of alienation is what fuels labor unrest: that of labor commodification and the reduction of the worker to a mere object. Simply stated, the more a worker produces out of his labour power, the cheaper he or she becomes as a commodity. Because the worker is paid at a fixed rate, more and more profit is being gained by the capitalist due to his work but unfortunately the worker does not earn additional wages for it. Marxist thought has gained traction especially with the cris is of global capitalism, environmental destruction, and global poverty. Until, his theory of class as the root cause of contradiction in society remains very relevant. However, many theorists developed a more expansive construction of his view on social classes. Max Weber, another classical theorist, came up with an alternative approach to the study of classes. For Marx, ones class is defined and determined by ones ownership of the means of production. Thus, Marx considered historical class antagonisms and identified these two groups in contemporary capitalist society as the proletariat and bourgeoisie. The contradictory relationship that the classes have pushes social development forward. Weber considers social groups and classes as determined through the distribution of power. Social stratification then, occurs through overlapping means and not only through economic differentiation. Other social theorists also focus on micro-level analysis to understand conflict. Sigmund Freud uses psychoanalytic theory to understand inner conflict among human beings. Freuds treatise laid down the anatomy of the self as made up of the interaction between three components dynamically interacting: the id, ego, and superego. All of these components of the self develop with socialization hence constructing the social self. Biology interacting with socialization shapes a human beings personality. When one of the three elements is allowed to dominate the other two, social problems may arise. Also developing Marxs theory of alienation, Horkheimer and Adorno criticized the use of cultural goods in order to project false consciousness. Cultural goods are appropriated into transforming humans as passive and docile objects of a system which was actually oppressing them. Aside from creating a false consciousness, they also suggested that popular culture is geared at creating false needs in order to engineer human beings into consuming in a massive scale. This cultural appropriation in turn heightens humans alienation and creates possible sources of conflict. The readings also tell us that social theories do not stay static. Even among key capitalist thinkers, there have been different approaches to address economic problems. For instance, John Maynard Keynes challenged the neoclassical economic paradigm advanced by Adam Smith and disciples which advocated for minimal to no government interference in favor of full-out control of the invisible hand of the market to attain equilibrium.ÂÂ   Instead, Keynes suggested implementing government regulation and intervention in order to arrest the economic recession. Social theories also help us understand racial conflict. Martin Luther King, Jr. called for an end to racial discrimination which he considered a ghastly reality America must face as a nation. In describing the horrendous social conditions which African Americans and other colored peoples are subjected to, King claimed that America had manacles of segregation and chains of discrimination which breed chronic poverty and injustice for certain segments of the population. Franz Fanon provides a stirring account of decolonization as a form of liberation. His work remains relevant especially in light of the fact that many of todays underdeveloped countries are former colonies of imperialist nations which have not completely been unshackled from their former masters economically, politically and culturally. It is only through liberation, which is necessarily violent that the colonized thing becomes fully a man. C. Wright Mills teaches the student to develop the sociological imagination which is a way of looking at themselves as the result of both biology and history and in always looking at the world through fresh eyes. One is challenged to go beyond looking at ones self as well and instead consider ones development as product of several processes occurring within a system. Conclusion Given the reality of global conflict today, conflict theories and social theories enable one to look at the phenomenon with renewed understanding and critical outlook. There are classical and alternative approaches of looking at conflict and conflict resolution processes. There are also classical and alternative ways of interpreting social conflict throughout history. Having a steady grasp of these theories assist the student thoroughly by providing him with several lenses to look at the problem and identify solutions. References Al Jazeera (2017). Thousands march against Dutertes war on drugs. Retrieved from http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/thousands-march-duterte-war-drugs-170218034827033.html Deutsch, M. (1985). Distributive justice: A social psychological perspective. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Galtung, J. (1969). Violence, Peace, and Peace Research. Journal of Peace Research, 6 (3), 167-191. Lemert, C. (2016). Social Theory: The Multicultural, Global and Classic Readings (6th ed.) Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Park, L. (2010). Opening the black box: reconsidering needs theory through psychoanalysis and critical theory. International Journal of Peace Studies. Retrieved from https://www.gmu.edu/programs/icar/ijps/vol15_1/PARK15n1-IJPS.pdf Rubenstein, R. E. (2010). Basic Human Needs: The Next Steps in Theory Development. The International Journal of Peace Studies, 6 (1), 51-58. Thrush, G. (2017). Trumps travel ban blocks migrant from six nations, sparing Iraq. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/06/us/politics/travel-ban-muslim-trump.html?_r=0Deutsch, M. (1949). A theory of cooperation and competition. Human Relations, 2, 129-151.

Nigerian Government: From Military Rule to Democratically Elected Governance. :: Essays Papers

Nigerian Government: From Military Rule to Democratically Elected Governance. Nigeria’s government has recently gone under a dramatic change. For my paper I decided to write on the topic of Nigerian government. When I interviewed a student, named Arit, from Nigeria, she told me how her country was formerly under military rule and had recently changed to a democratically elected government. Arit believes this is a good change for the country and it will help fix the destruction military rule left behind and pull Nigeria out of the dark. Military Rule Background The people of Nigeria suffered under the control of military rule and are now experiencing the recent change to democratically elected governance. One of the greatest problems in examining the background to military rule in Nigeria is figuring out when the seeds of the takeover and the tragedy of civil war were sown (Oyediran). When military rule first started in Nigeria, it was seen as a rescue operation and was not expected to last long. However, this was not the outcome. Nigeria gained independence in 1960 and out of the forty-three years post independence, the military ruled for twenty-nine years (Igbuzor). In January of 1966, the first military intervention occurred. Structure After the military gained political power the next thing they do is ‘abolish’ all political parties. The reason for this action is because the military sees such organizations as instruments of disunity, agents of strife, discord, and corruption. They also believe these organizations create the conditions that warrant the military intervening (Dudley 85). Nigeria’s military ruled government included: (1) Increased influence by political and military leaders of minority tribes (2) replacement of political party leaders by the military as general policy makers; (3) increased policy-making role for permanent secretaries and top echelons of civil service; and (4) replacement of the four powerful regions by twelve â€Å"states† (Imer 69). Problems However, abolishing the political parties does not destroy the political conflict. In fact, the strife is not eliminated but a vacuum is made between the leaders and the led (Dudley 86). Under military rule, the people of Nigeria were overwhelmed with corruption, fraud, embezzlement, and political instability (Johnson). These problems were reoccurring throughout the twenty-one years of military rule. First Elections The 1999 Constitution provided for a democratically elected government in section seven of the constitution (Igbuzor). February 28, 1999, Nigerians voted in a presidential election to put an end to military rule.

The Ethical Dilemma Faced by Lemessurier

Saving Citicorp Tower The city group center was a unique example that shows what engineers can accomplish. The location where the group of engineers was trying to locate the building already had a church at that location. Instead of demolishing the church, they built around it. In the beginning they decided that the building will be built on columns that will raise the building above the level of the church. Normally a raise building would have large columns on the four corners. Unfortunately, one of the corners would be directly through the church.Engineers define ways to move the column to the middle of the side of the building while still maintaining the structural integrity of the building. LeMessurier later found out that if the wind blows quarterly the building is not going to be protected, by the time the large wind blows. The additional loads will be brought down an imaginatively designed trussed frame, which incorporated wind braces on the outside of the tower. By the time w hen LeMessurier discovered the problem had to act quickly. He decided to step up and face the mistake, even though the price to deal with the problem could be outrageous.The ethical dilemma faced by LeMessurier was between the responsibility of the building and the safety of the public. The conflict between his duties to various financial entities verses ensuring the safety of that building would come into play. LesMessurier avoided the nightmare of death by simply changing a structures design, even though the changes could affect his professional reputation. He still decided to step up and make a change to save thousands of people, like engineering codes dictate. Read also â€Å"Glengarry Glen Ross†Ã‚   by David MametLeMessurier is courage serves as a great example of engineering excellence in that he dealt with his error and he was not afraid of risking getting fired by the industry. For me, I don’t think I would have the ability and faith to step up to make a change, since this mistake would make me responsible for so much and could lead to future difficulty , so I believe that would not be the thing I would do. But looking at it on LeMessurier’s side, he was an experienced expert in this field and I believe the way how he steps up to make people actually listen to him and follow his direction is admirable.

Impact of Christianity in Australia Essay

* The proportion of Christians in the Australian population continues to decline. * Internationally, the proportion of Christians in developing countries is tending to increase, whereas the proportion of Christians in developed countries generally is decreasing. * This paper first provides a brief overview of the current Australian demographic data and trends in relation to Christian denominations and other religious groups over the past 100 years. * Based on Christianity’s past contribution to Australian society, it then posits a framework for a way forward to contribute to the current and future issues and problems confronting Christianity in Australian society. * Christianity had a significant impact on education and public morality in Australia whin the years of 1788-1900. In relation to public morality, I discuss the significance that the Christian church had on Australian society in the 1800’s by the establishing of the Temperance movement as well as several other actions involving education. * While Christianity played a crucial part in all aspects of Australian society throughout the pre-federation years 1788 to 1900, it had a significant impact on education and public morality. * The influence of Christianity in education was evident through the establishment of a separate education system and, in public morality the formation of the temperance movement as well as other actions. * Education was greatly influenced by Christianity during 1788 through to 1900. Settlers concerned to leave religious divisions in Britain believed that ties between church and state should be eradicated and that churches be supported by their own followers. * Subsequently, with numerous denominations supporting this idea, concerns were partly met by the granting of financial aid to the major religious groups, including the Church of England. * Individuals churches used this aid to maximise its religious and educational influence. * Governor Bourke later extended the state financial aid and attempted to introduce government schools based on the national system in his native Ireland. * However, non-Anglican Protestants, who had formed in 1835 a society for promoting schools where the Bible would be a basis for general education, insisted on its wider use in the proposed national schools than was permitted in the Irish system. * Catholics supported the Governor’s proposal which further angered the Protestants. The successive alliance between the Anglicans and the Protestant denominations favourably brought about an anti-Catholic move to condemn concessions to a religious minority at the expense of national school systems based on the religious teachings of the Bible. * In the past, Christianity has made a sustained and valuable contribution to Australian communities. * To focus on the changing religious demographics in Australia may be discouraging for many Christians, but Christianity again can make a valuable contribution to contemporary societies – if its attention is focussed on the community and not on itself. * This paper proposes that Christians learn from the past and, rather than introspectively focussing on maintaining the two first positions described above, accept the third position and engage with existing communities by utilising communal practical life-style Christian principles. * Perhaps from this new perspective, Christianity will become relevant and re-invigorate the traditional (Christian) Australian values as Described by Linder (2006), values of justice and a fair go, self-sacrifice for the good of the community, mateship based on selflessness, and neighbor love.

Development of Sexual Identity

Ethical relativism means, that I reject the Idea that there Is a single correct moral view. I think this because I believe that everyone has a right to choose and have their own moral view. I also think that in my own opinion that everyone that wants to do or say or feel a certain way should be able to and that no matter how much people say it may be wrong they should be able to show how we feel. I have also thought about critical thinking a lot different when it comes to sexuality. I think that we as younger adults, considering I am only 28, need to stop and think about the decisions that we eke as we are growing up.Now a days kids are getting younger and younger when they are having their babies, but the problem is that they are still babies themselves. They are ruing their lives and in some cases their baby's lives as well. Society needs to stop with all the media and showing the good things with babies and show the more negative things. With me though if I would have known what I know now I do not think that I would have had a child at 20, but no matter what I would not change it for anything and I know it is hard but in my opinion it was and is worth it. ;Describe the effect of environment and historical perspectives on your sexuality. In the environment that I was raised, I was raised to be tough and to be a manly man. My father really did not like gay, lesbian, or bi-sexual people and even treated them like they were nothing. I understand that if I was gay I would have been â€Å"disc- owned† and probably thrown out of the family, I did though have a lesbian cousin and I think that it must be the way my dad and his family were raised because her dad was very, very rude and really disheartening towards her.Being that my dad Is Native American and his family Is very proud I think that Just being raised around this type of family and their values can really affect you as a person. I think that the historical perspectives have really had no Influence on me personally because I think that we should learn from the past and historical events but we can choose whether or not to actually use them In our lives or make our lives ;our lives† that we live. ; Discuss the development of your gender Identity.A few things that have helped me In determining my gender Identity are that I have always felt that I need to take care of my family and to do my best when I am trying, his is one of the reasons that I chose to go back to school and further my education Ana try to get a netter JODI winner I can earn more money Ana Tell netter Dialectally secure about our future. I always feel that growing up my dad did a lot of working and really never spent time with us kids and I was always told that it was because he needed to take care of us kids and the family.And if I have gotten anything from him it was that taking care of your family was the first and most important thing to do. Another is that I am a sports fanatic and love the competitio n that comes with it. While watching TV. Hen I was younger I really never got what was happening but I knew that my dad did it so I thought it was the right thing to do. And when our team lost he was disappointed and really showed, so I thought that was normal activity, but I know now that it is Just a game and am now teaching my son that it is k to loose but having fun is the main goal.And lastly, and one of the most important things that I would say helped me with my gender identity was that growing up boys were the ;tough† ones and the girls were the ;weak' ones of course now that I am older I know that this untrue and that some girls are in fact stronger than some guys. Even though now that I think about it I and how wrong I really was I Just laugh about it because we were kids and it was only the perception of other kids that influenced me. ; Analyze the effect of attraction and love in your relationships.I think that the effect that attraction has had on me in my relatio nships has a lot of who I dated when I was younger. I used to see a girl that I felt was attractive and try to ask her out on a date. Then as I got older I used to see a girl that was attractive to me and I would try to take her out and start a relationship with her based solely on the first initial attraction. I understand that a real and stable relationship takes a whole lot more than Just looks to be a successful relationship and to be serious.I now am married to the most wonderful women on this planet and really and truly understand love. She is my best friend, my lover, and my world. We have nothing in common but that is what makes it so much fun, every day we either try something different or Just hang out together. Being different I think is Just like people say ;opposites attract† well in our case it has and I believe that life could not get any better. To me love really means something a to deeper than to other people.To me it means to love unconditionally and no matt er what you do not give up on that person Just because you or they are mad. So when I say ;l love you† I really mean it with all my heart and it is not Just a turn of phrase to me, like some of these kids that Just through it out there to Just say it. ; Discuss another topic of this course that is interesting and useful to you. Relate this topic to your life. I think that after taking this course another topic that has interested me and really related to my life is that of child and sexual molesters.The reason that this topic has really interested me is because I personally think that these men and women are very mentally and physically sick people. I think that these people should be giving help but only if they admit that they have done wrong and need the help. Now some people that think that this may be something they need to say to get out of Jail or whatever else that they are being held in, but they are only saying this to get out and are more than likely going to refine d and hurt someone else's child or them personally by raping them.I think that we as a society need to make a law that is a en strike for these offenders and be put away for life. I have a child and I know that being a father and if one was to hurt or molest my son I would be engulfed with rage Tanat may not De addle to nylon Deck IT I met ten person won a a It. So In my pollen I think that this would not only be looking out for the children but for the person who did this and to the parents or loved ones that the sex offender has done this to.Many people think that there should be either stricter rules for sex offenders and some think that the laws are fine as long as they register as a sex offender, but I think that story has shown that many of them go out and refined and hurt another child or person. So instead of stopping this while we could at the first time that they did it we let them out and they go out and destroy another life. I think that this is Just too risky and should leave them in the prisons to live their life out.An idea that I would suggest is that maybe build a facility on an island to serve as a place to put offenders and let them live a normal life but far, far away from people they may hurt and the children they may hurt. Now that I am done with this class I will still be doing my own research on a lot of he things that we have learned here and I hope to be able to pass them on not only to my kids but to anyone that may want to learn about this as well.This class has not only taught me a lot but it has opened my eyes to things that I may have never known or even thought about learning. I thank you and I hope that one day I may be able to share this with people to ensure that we understand our bodies and how they work, and what to do when things happen to us. Format your personal response consistent with PAP guidelines. Post your personal response as an attachment.