Practice HSC Questions – Community and Family Studies

Examine the influence that socio-economic status can have on the parenting and caring relationship. (6 marks) An individual’s socio-economic status is influenced by the income they receive, the occupation of the person and the area in which they live. These influences affect the way people carry out their parenting and caring tasks, thus determining the quality of the relationship. Parents and carers with higher incomes may be more indulgent with toys, gifts and holidays, which can create a close relationship with their dependent as they feel valued and appreciated. On the other hand, this could also indicate that they may not necessarily have a close bond, as their high income could require them to spend a lot of time away from their family and at work. Alternatively, a family with a low socio-economic status may invest in cheaper activities such as camping or fishing which can allow them to spend more time together and develop a closer relationship. Although, a lower income and education can hinder the quality of care provided to a dependent as the carer may not be able to afford the medication and services required, or have the skills to meet the needs of the dependent. Describe an ethical issue that needs to be considered when conducting research. (2 marks) Ethics are a set of principles determining what is good or bad. When conducting research it is important to consider the privacy and feelings of all involved. Researchers have to ensure the information remains confidential and that if preferred the people involved remain anonymous. Before carrying out primary research, or using equipment such as video recorders it is crucial that the researcher has got written or verbal permission. The data and opinions collected should not be provided to anyone else, until the final product and lastly, all information should be stored securely and shredded before disposal. Explain the unique challenges that adopted children and their social parents may experience. (4 marks) Adoption is the process by which the legal responsibility of parenting of a child is given to someone who is not the biological parent. Therefore, the child and social parent may look different. This can present many challenges itself, as society will be aware of the difference in appearance which may influence the child to question heir differences. In this same sense, it can negatively impact on the parents and child’s self-esteem. The significant problem that social parents may face is the question of ‘how and when’ do they tell the child that they are adopted. Adoptive parents may have concerns of the child wanted to find their biological parents or that they will feel betrayed. Desc ribe the difficulties experienced by the disabled in meeting the following needs: †¢housing †¢sense of identity. (6 marks) The disabled have a physical or intellectual disadvantage opposed to those who are not disabled. A disability is a restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in a way which is considered as ‘normal’. The degree and type of disability will determine the housing needs of a disabled person. Housing modifications, such as the installation of handrails and ramps or relocation may be necessary for the individual to maintain independence. Although, many disabled people are socio-economically disadvantaged and cannot afford appropriate housing that is nearby services or the funds to make their house safe and secure. Therefore, many live with family or in group homes that can be accessed through the Department of Housing; although this decreases their independence and negatively impacts on their sense of identity. The factors that contribute to the difficulties of meeting housing needs, also relate to establishing a sense of identity. A person’s sense of identity comes from involvement in work, family life and activities. Some people with a disability need full-time care and have little sense of identity because they are interdependent and are unable to contribute to the larger community. A person who has become disabled as an adult might find it difficult to establish a renewed sense of identity, opposed to a person who has been disabled their whole life. The larger society can have a perception of disabled people being incapable and don’t give them the opportunity to participate in activities. But, often the disabled gain a strong sense of identity thyough their involvement in charity and fundraising activities that benefit the group. Compare the housing needs of the aged with the housing needs of the socio-economically disadvantaged. 6 marks) The aged are those who have lived for 65 years or longer, they are often retired, have a contracting family and experience deteriorating health. Therefore, they need safe and secure housing that accommodates for their declining health and mobility (no steep stairs, low maintenance backyard). They may need to make modifications (install handrails, shower seats, non-slip bath mats) to their homes or require assistance fro m community nurses to complete duties around the house. As the aged generally rely on the pension and superannuation, it is important that the housing is affordable. The aged may need to relocate to a smaller home or retirement village if they cannot independently meet their physical and emotional wellbeing. Socio-economically disadvantaged people are associated with low income and high unemployment. Similarly, to the aged they need cheap, safe housing (although they are less concerned with safety facilities such as handrails). They generally need rental housing, as they cannot afford to purchase a home, and may need support from the Department of Housing to locate low-cost housing. Explain how the age of dependents affects a parent’s management of resources. 6 marks) The age and maturity of the dependent will determine the level of care required. The age of a dependent, will therefore determine how much time, energy and finance will be required to care for them. For instance, a parent with a young child has to allocate time and energy for feeding, bathing and changing nappies. Alternatively, a parent of older children will have to provide the funds and time to take children to leisure and sporting activities. The age of a dependent will influence which resource is more greatly required, consequently affecting how the parent manages those resources to make them priorities. For example, a mother with a newborn baby will have to take maternity leave to regain the energy lost in pregnancy and childbirth, and use the time to develop a close bond with the child. In this example, time and energy are the most important resources. Often parents with younger children and those who are facing economic problems will have a strict routine and budget to ensure that time, energy and money are all used effectively; as a young child can be very tiring and require routines. Older children (adolescents) often take up less energy, but potentially more time and money. Parent’s may focus on earning more money to manage their funds effectively and afford the child’s expenses. Outline the role of support services in assisting foster parents. (4 marks) Foster carers are authorised volunteers who provide alternate living arrangements for children whose parents are temporarily unable to care for them. Support services can provide foster parents with the funding, skills and resources to meet the needs of the child and protect their own wellbeing. The NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS) provides foster parents with ongoing advice and assistance to care for the dependent. DoCS initially ensures that people meet the requirements and would be suitable foster carers, and once a foster child is involved they provide the foster parent with funding. This funding covers the cost of necessities such as food, schooling essential and clothing whilst the child is in foster care. Explain the effects on family members when a parent changes employment. 6 marks) People change their employment for many reasons, including retrenchment, promotion, injury or a different working location. A change in employment can alter a parent’s income, working hours, travelling time and energy levels; which will ultimately affect all family members. Parents may have to adjust routines in order to meet their new demands, this could include making dinner later because they are required to work back later. Children may also have to take on addition al responsibilities for the parent’s to cope with the change. For instance, the eldest sibling might have to watch their younger siblings after school before their parents return home from work, or may have to give up leisure and sporting activities as the parent’s working hours may not accommodate for it. The other parent may be required to take on more roles too, such as cooking dinner or taking children to and from activities on certain days. Identify ONE workplace entitlement, and explain how it empowers employees. (4 marks) Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) ensures that all individuals have equal access to employment. EEO employers follow anti-discrimination laws and promote equality within the workforce. EEO empowers employees to try to advance within their career and have expectations of respect and equality within their place of employment. EEO attempts to allow all people regardless of gender, sexual preference, age, marital status, culture or religion to achieve the same or similar employment outcomes if they have the right skills and attributes necessary. It gives employees the right to report their employer if they feel as though they have been disadvantaged, treated unfairly or basically discriminated against.

Industry Analysis for the Airline Industry

An Industry in which I have a potential future interest for an entrepreneurial venture is the ever changing airline industry. Although facing tough numbers after the 9/11 attacks, I have always held an interest for this industry. There are several basic economic characteristics for this industry. There are many opportunities, there are also many threats. The airline industry was heavily regulated by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for close to 40 years. Eventually, Congress abandoned airline price and service regulation and disbanded the CAB.Since deregulation the airline industry has becoming increasingly competitive. This industry is also very large and important to the travel and tourism industry. This industry is also very important in developing new business strategies amongst different industries. Before working with any industry, you should take steps to analyze it. The two basic types of aviation are commercial aviation and general aviation. General aviation deals with oper ating you aircraft more for internal purposes. Commercial deals more with carrying passengers or cargo for hire.The scheduled airline industry is more of commercial aviation. The first scheduled airline service started in the 1920's. There have been a lot of eventful history in this industry including periods of rapid growth and prosperity, rapid technological change, federal regulation of prices and routes, entry and exits of firms, bankruptcies, rivalries, financial losses, and problems in safety and security. However, the industry had become one of the most important factors of today's transportation infrastructure.The table below displays how much the industry has grown over the years. Table 7. 1: Annual U. S. Passenger Enplanements by Scheduled Airlines, 1930-2004 (millions of persons) Source: Air Transport Association, Annual Operations, Traffic and Capacity, www. airlines. org/econ/d. aspx? nid=1032 There are many rivalries in the air line industry. The Federal Aviation Admin istration (FAA) divides the firms in the airline industry into three categories. Group 3 consists of airlines that gain at least $1 billion in annual revenue.National, or Group 2, are those who gain between $100 million and $1 billion in annual revenue. The last group is Regional, or Group 1, which gains less than $100 million in annual revenue. In Group 3, United, American, and Delta holds the top 3 spots in revenue, revenue passenger miles, and available seat miles. Porter's five forces is by far the most influential in business strategy. It analyzes business segments and developing entry/exit/investment plans. Below is a model of Porter's five forces for American Airlines, one of the most dominant companies of the airline industry.

Analysis of Financial Modeling Literature review

Analysis of Financial Modeling - Literature review Example We begin the chapter with the general idea of the VaR and the various approaches to the VaR, the historic application and the application of the same. We also include the evaluation of the VaR at the different possible approaches in the study; a final conclusion is made by the calculations carried out in the study. Introduction: The ‘value at risk’ is an extensively employed risk measure concept in the risk of loss on a particular portfolio of financial assets. For a specified portfolio, probability and time horizon, VaR is described as a threshold price such that the possibility that the market loss on the portfolio above the particular time horizon go beyond this value is the known probability level. VaR has different important uses in financial risk management, risk assessment, financial control, reporting of the financial statement and calculating the capital regulation by analyzing the Various concepts. VaR can also be used in non-financial aspects. The VaR risk ass essment defines risk as a market loss on a permanent portfolio over an unchanging time horizon, by analyzing the normal markets. There are many option risk procedures in finance. As a substitute of mark-to-market, which makes use of the market value to define loss, a loss is frequently defined as the transformation in principal value. For instance, if an organization hold a loan that decline in market price as the interest charge go up, but has no alteration in cash flows or credit quality, some systems do not identify a loss. Or we can try to integrate the economic price of possessions, which was not calculated in everyday financial statements, such as loss of market assurance or employee confidence, destruction of brand names etc. â€Å"VaR measures are inherently probabilistic† (Holton 2003, p. 107). Moderately assuming an unchanging portfolio above a fixed time horizon, several risk measures integrate the consequence of probable operation and believe the expected investme nt period of position. Lastly, some risk procedures adjust for the probable effects of irregular markets, rather than excluding them from the calculation.  

Comprehensive Education Under Re-evaluation Essay

Comprehensive Education Under Re-evaluation - Essay Example This report declares that schools can no longer be afraid of hurting Johnny’s feelings by suggesting he may be better at pursing advanced education in skilled trades rather than insisting that he learn along side of someone who is more suited for a professional career path. Each of these students would be better served if he or she were surrounded by like minded students rather than forced together with students of dissimilar talents and desires. In addition, in the post modern era, segmentation of skills and population within the work environment is understood as strength rather than an obstacle. The differences within the abilities and desires of individuals are strengths upon which businesses are learning to build. Therefore the comprehensive model, which seeks to move all individuals toward a cohesive social organization, may be less desirable in the current age. For this reason, the policy of segmentation, and launching specialist schools is one receiving more attention, and being given more consideration. This paper makes a conclusion that in the CASE seminar discussed previously, one of the visiting professors, in an attempt to support comprehensive education, cited that "The German approach of providing different streams for vocational and academic education is part of the reason for that country's economic success. The time has come when educators supporting the comprehensive model honestly address the widening gap between the goals and the results produced by comprehensive educational models.

Describing the dilemma faced by the industy relative to health care Essay

Describing the dilemma faced by the industy relative to health care benefits - Essay Example Healthcare benefit plans hence vary with states or organizations. With the dynamic business environment, most organizations have resorted to technology to fight for their lives in the highly competitive markets and industries. However, the best way to keep being relevant in a business is always through having the best human resource. The best human resource is that which is healthy, innovative and highly motivated to execute the endeavors of the organization. Long-term profits are ensured by proper medical plans to an organization’s employees (Wurman, 2004). Every organization rates their risky situations differently. Generally, a sound healthcare plan encompasses; services of the ambulance, emergency, health cure, mental healthcare services, maternity, newborn care services, drug and substance abuse, guidance and counseling among others. In addition, varying healthcare insurance plans such as Health Maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations in varying proportions provide the healthcare cover to organizations (Wurman, 2004). The benefits of provision of healthcare benefits to employees are numerous. Manufacturing organizations for instance operate in highly risky environment. Employees in such organizations therefore are prone to injuries. The best way to keep the best human resource in such a risky environment is by instilling a motivating factor. Being healthy and assured of health benefits is a motivating factor to individuals. Employees are easily motivated to industriously work hard and take risks whenever need be. Risk taking assists in innovation and creativity (Clemens, Cutler, & National Bureau of Economic Research, 2013). This, in turn improves the profitability of the organization. Organizations with employees having health covers always have their human resource intact as they only occasionally lose their employees to sick leaves. An organization is better placed in acquiring

Issues in Internet Sales Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Issues in Internet Sales Law - Essay Example ld there be a contract and the case goes before the courts, according to the freedom on contract set forth in article 6 will not only enforce it but also to specific trade terms commonly used in international commercial transactions, such as Incoterms. (Butler, 2007) However in the absence of an agreement the CSIG provides for the passing of risk from the seller to the buyer with reference to the price ask or payment of the goods, due to loss or damage, as set forth in Part III Chapter IV: Passing or Risk, Articles 66-70 (Butler, 2007). Should Pretel contemplated not going to court, her lawyer would advise her otherwise because according to Butler (2007), Article 66 states; â€Å"Loss of damage to the goods after the risk has passed to the buyer does not discharge him from his obligation to pay the price, unless the loss or damage is due to an act of omission of the seller.† For the most part according to Steingold (2005), the same legal rules apply when one does business online as when one sells brick and mortar to a customer or by mail (Steingold F.S., 2005). This is possible the attorney went on to say, as long as the federal and state statutes and regulations are not violated. However, a look at the condition of sale on Cheryl’s website as well as the condition British received the goods, will set the stage for the arguments and case studies to be mentioned. Cheryl’s website advertised to prospective sellers read, â€Å"all our toys are boxed in good condition for their age.† It went on further to inform that, â€Å"all goods are sold as seen and although we will wrap up goods, we cannot be held responsible for any loss in transit.† After winning the auction for Death Star and Tie Fighter, the toys arrived damaged and in badly battered packaging at Pritesh address, and promptly requested a refund. The case comes to life because the seller, Cheryl, refused to honor the request for a refund, saying that the risk had rest with the buyer. It seemed that Cheryl

Financial Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Plan - Assignment Example Vending machine being the most important asset is the first to be purchased. A vendor machine cost 200 and purchases for fifty machines were made and distributed at each location. Products provide are; meals, drinks and snacks at each vendor. As I begin, drinks are bought at four dollars and sold at five dollars realizing a profit of a dollar per drink. Meals are bought at .75 and sold at a dollar similarly to snacks realizing a profit of a .25 dollar per meal and snack. The units per the product served rise at a half percent in semiannual basis during the five year period. After every 6 months we increased purchases by half of the previous period up to the third year. For the fourth year and fifth year, the purchases were 400 units, 2000 units and 2000 units per month for meals, snacks and drinks respectively. This help account for business growth and development of the business. At the starting periods many variable assets are inclusive thus the reason of lower starting stock, as p rogress is made profits are realized within the period thus on the third year we replaced 10 vending machines that were

Visual Literacy in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Visual Literacy in Business - Essay Example I suggest that a committee be formed incorporating members from all departments of the company, from the senior management staff and supervisory staff, to the auxiliary staff. It has been my experience that joint efforts between departments smoothens any activity and reduces red tape and bureaucracy. In addition, a well-organized team with the support of the management is bound to succeed. However, there is need to ensure that there is an open line of communication with the C.D.C to ensure their quick response in case of an emergency. The team tasked with the disaster preparedness plan will ensure that relevant employee information such as their emergency contact lists, their next of kin and their locations are updated. By liaising with the C.D.C, the company will have access to information regarding treatment matters, at risk/infected personnel and quarantine procedures. I would also recommend simulation exercises to ensure that all company employees are well-versed with the company’s protocols in case of an outbreak or any another disaster. Howells argues that the use of visual evidence elicits emotional response from the audience. Therefore, by using visuals I think the company employees and the top management staff will be more convinced of the urgency to develop a disaster management plan. Images of the Ebola epidemic earlier this year, the symptoms and the mass graves in Sierra Leone and Liberia, will be instrumental in swaying the management and staff to act. The images will serve as a cautionary tale of how the lack of a preparedness plan, such as was the case in West Africa, can lead to the death of thousands of civilians. Visual emphasis should be placed on the adverse effects of the epidemic (Howells,

British market for chocolate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

British market for chocolate - Essay Example The international as well as the national brand owners of chocolates in Britain are hugely concerned with tailoring their brands for local markets; and to meet the customer needs and desires. The customers in Britain market have a hard time describing their needs and desires regarding their choice and understanding for chocolateThere is just an imagination and desirable understanding to meet their needs by various chocolate brands. But various brands say that they’ve formulated the chocolate to suit the palate of British public which is more used to milk chocolates. Chocolate customers in Britain have started understanding of too much vegetable fat and sugar content in chocolates. Also, various manufacturers in other European countries have always been scathing of British chocolates for containing too little cocoa and too much vegetable fat. And the consumption is also slowing down as health and diet concerns are impacting sales. According to a market analyst Datamonitor the c ustomers now desire for low or â€Å"sugar-free and low carbohydrate products† and now the pace of growth in chocolate consumption is slated down. And the major players in the field – â€Å"Cadbury Schweppes, Masterfoods, and Nestle† have increasingly launched new low carbohydrate and sugar-free products. Customers of chocolate in Britain used to consider it as one of the â€Å"guilty pleasures†. But now it is no more considered so. ... (3) Now one of three British consumers (36%) want chocolates with health benefits and have understood the heath related issues connected to chocolate consumption. As per the European Consumer Survey conducted by Barry Callebaut - 'Predict Fast - Growing Demand for Healthy Chocolate', "38% consumers want chocolate with naturally reduced sugar". They also believe that chocolates can have positive psychological and physical influences on their well being - "6% of British consumers think it to be good for the memory", "23% think these boosts the morale and vitalises(20%) you", "15% think it is good for memory" and 7% consumers think that "it is good for the heart and the cardiovascular system." (4) Brand or Product Positioning of Chocolates in British Market In today's market, brands and their positioning has become the major issue. Brands are now increasingly thought to be powerful weapons to attract consumers and to make them loyal customers. Recently conducted survey by U.K's Centre for Brand Analysis (CBA) in July, 2008 proved a great flight of Green & Black brand and the drop down of many others as Mars which "fell out of the top 100, dropping 117 places to 175". Cadbury slid from 10th position to 19th whereas Lindt and Thornton's both rose up with Thornton's moving to 18th position. And it has been concluded by CBA that the brands which want to remain fighting in the field of chocolate should firmly possess the most valuable asset - the dark chocolate, but fairly sweet and of low sugar for British consumers. Mintel, the analyst stated that, "even though people are still cutting back on the amount of chocolate they eat, sales in the two years to 2007 saw no less than 10 percent increase in

Performance Appraisal System Essay Example for Free

Performance Appraisal System Essay Performance appraisal viewed as a key human resource practice for many organizations, is done to provide feedback to employees so that they can be able to improve on their performance. This practice has been under analysis and investigation by various researchers. The purpose of the study is to carry out an analysis on the performance appraisal systems of PSC Biotech and investigate the interactive effects of the appraisal system on the performance of the organization. Pharmaceutical Services Corporation, which has its headquarters in Pomona, California, has been providing professional consulting services for the last ten years. The Corporation is in the business of delivering state of the art Information Technology services and also validation, compliance services and industry specific products to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. It also provides expansive guidance and expertise in areas that include quality systems, computer and equipment validation, automated process systems (PSCBiotech, 2010). The IT consulting services designed to meet the needs of the manufacturing industry as well as the Clinical Research and Development industry. Examples of products designed by the company include Auditca, which is audit software that provides a flexible and interactive interface for auditors to edit and compose compliance deficiencies noted during an audit. Another product is the Audit Utopia, which is a management application that organizes the process of regulatory inspections. Pharmaceutical Services is also an authorized distributor of testing, laboratory equipment and supplies. Such products include particle counters, laboratory Autoclaves, Microbial samplers, sensors, fume hoods and Biosafety cabinets (PSCBiotech, 2010). PSC Biotech has the goal of being the industry leader in providing excellence in compliance and validation of products and services while at the same time maintaining competitive rates. PSC Biotech uses an appraisal system that mostly focused on the organization’s goals. The assessment system referred to as the SMART goal assessment system. This system focuses on the goals that an employee is meant to achieve when performing his job. The company uses this method of appraisal to weigh the duties of its employees by giving them clear and attainable benchmarks that have rewards for achievement. The term SMART in this context means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time framed goals (PSCBiotech, 2010). Specific goals need to have an explicit definition because goals that are have loosely been defined make it hard to know whether they have been achieved or not. An example of a loose goal is saying that every employee will train. This is general and it does not have a way of determining whether the training was achieved or not. A measurable goal is one that can be calculated to produce results. The goal has to be made with a vision of achieving results. Achievable goals need to be within reach for the employees to be able to attain them. They should also not be too difficult (PSCBiotech, 2010). Realistic goals are designed to match with the employees needs in regards to their duties. These goals should be set with the knowledge of whether the employees have the ability and experience that needed to achieve the set goals. Guidance and assistance, is also needed to provide help to employees who are unable to achieve their goals. Time framed goals are those that have an amount of time that has been set aside to achieve them. A period will give the goals a sense of structure and it will necessitate action on the part of the employee. It will also give them the motivation to get started on their goals (PSCBiotech, 2010). Although the company views goals as an important benchmark, it also considers employee competency as an important factor in determining performance when doing their duties. The core competencies account for fifty percent of an employee’s appraisal. The SMART goals are designed to ensure that employees perform their best, which is possible when they know what is expected from them. It is most preferable to an employee to know where their focus should lie and what their management directives and priorities are. This prevents doubt and misunderstandings about their work performance considered when it comes to determining a reward for their efforts. One benefit of the SMART goals is to give the employees notice of how the company weighs their duties and gives them clear and attainable benchmarks with clearly defined rewards for their achievements (PSCBiotech, 2010). Goal setting and feedback are key elements in the performance appraisal activities of organizations. The setting of goals and feedback on whether achieved is believed to affect the performance of employees positively by enhancing motivation that is necessary for work performance. The relationship between satisfaction with performance appraisal and employee outcomes will be mediated by motivation . Roberts and Reed (as cited by Kuvaas, 2006, p. 506) proposed that participation, goals and feedback influenced the appraisal process. In their studies, Locke and Latham found that although the relationship between goal setting and performance moderated by several factors, it has contributed to the employee has perceived investment in work development (as cited by Kuvaas, 2006, p. 505). The social comparison theory is significant to the research of performance appraisal methods, built on the assumption that people are driven to evaluate themselves. The theory implies that it may be more effective to the raters of job performance to compare an employee to other employees. This theory has the potential to inform on the development of performance appraisal processes because of comparative judgments of social stimuli on particular content dimensions (Goffin, Jelley, Powell Johnston, 2009, p. 252). Goffin, Gellatly, Paunonen, Jackson and Meyer (1996) developed a rating system that takes advantage of the social comparison theory without having to incur the problems that usually compound the comparative methods of appraisal. The relative percentile method provides the means of scaling rater’s relative judgments’ of the ratees to allow for a meaningful comparison of the ratings provided. The rating percentile method promotes the use of social comparisons by encouraging the simultaneous assessment of the ratees (Goffin et al, 2009, p. 253). Previous research on the percentile method of appraisal has shown the benefits of this method in two ways. In their studies of 1997, Wagner and Goffin (as cited by Goffin et al, 2009) demonstrated that the percentile method resulted in greater accuracy than the traditional absolute rating system of performance appraisal. The second study found that the percentile method had greater criterion-related validity when compared to the conventional absolute rating format. Carty and Goffin found that the percentile method was more advantageous in the context of letters of reference and they found it improved on the levels of accuracy in personality ratings (Goffin et al, 2009, p. 254). A performance appraisal method will not be viable if the ratees and the raters believe that it is unfair. Adam’s equity theory claims that individuals formulate fairness perceptions by comparing their perceived work outcomes or rewards to their perceived contributions or inputs. Employees therefore view appraisal systems as fair and ethical when they reflect the individual’s contributions (Narcisse Harcourt, 2008, p. 1153). Greenberg (as cited by Narcisse Harcourt, 2008) identified two factors that affect employee perceptions of performance appraisal and they are the perceived fairness of the appraisal system in relation to the employee’ performance and the perceived fairness of any appraisal that is related to pay increase or a promotion. In addition to the social theory’s practical importance, its application to performance appraisal contributes to the social cognition of employees within an organization by demonstrating that the social comparative process improves the reliability of the appraisals. Recommendations: The approach taken in the relative percentile method in which other ratees serve as benchmarks meant likely to heighten both availability and relevancy of performance appraisal systems. The method uses employees in similar positions to be able to facilitate a meaningful percentile of their responses. From previous studies, the percentile method has promoted the use of the social comparison theory by requiring the rater to consider the ratees simultaneously when making judgments based on performance. This method of parallel analysis of performance indicators is beneficial because the other ratees will serve as useful benchmarks through which the rater will be able to record accurately their ratings (Goffin et al, 2009). This method is different from the other conventional methods of performance rating where the ratee’ is considered individually. The serial processing of the ratees performance results might fail to take advantage of the natural social comparative processes, which explains the low validity of noncomparative ratings in studies where the comparative and non- comparative formats have been evaluated and compared with each other (Goffin et al, 2009). Having good performance appraisal systems is important as it will help in the development of employees and enable them to improve on their work performance. Performance appraisal methods used should have systems that ensure the process done is fair, ethical and clear way. The outcomes should also be relayed to the employees so that they can be able to know what areas of their work they can be able to improve on. References Narcisse, S. , Harcourt, M. (2008). Employee fairness perceptions of performance appraisal: a Saint Lucian case study. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19(6), p. 1152-1169. doi:10. 1080/09585190802051451. Goffin, R. , Jelley, R. , Powell, D. , Johnston, N. (2009). Taking advantage of social comparisons in performance appraisal: The relative percentile method. Human Resource Management, 48(2), p. 251-268. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Kuvaas, B. (2006). Performance appraisal satisfaction and employee outcomes: mediating and moderating roles of work motivation. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(3), p. 504-522. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. PSCBiotech (2010) Introduction to PSC, Retrieved 7 May 2010, from http://www. biotech. com/introPSC. php

Importance Of International Financial Management Finance Essay

Importance Of International Financial Management Finance Essay The rapid globalization, economic crises and continuously changing business environment together to make present financial management challenges more critical than ever. And the same forces make successful financial controls very important because international financial management (IFM) operates, with the decisions financial in nature taken, in the era of international business. The development in international business is apparent in the mode of extremely inflated volume of international trade. The history of international trade can be traced back to World War II. When after the war years immediately, the common type of contracts on the Trade and Tariffs were established in order to increase trade. This arrangement eliminates the trade restrictions extensively over the years and as a consequence multinational trade grew largely. Moreover, the traders financial contribution in respect of exports and imports surged widely across the countries. Since then this situation persist and in crease over the years that compel companies of all types and sizes to think how to utilize resources when dealing in international markets. This expansion gives rise to significant variation in the position of market stability. As a result, today major financial decisions entail cross-border complications. Preferences in respect of raising capital, management of risk, investment decisions, mergers, restructuring, and all other features of financial strategy generally involve international complexities and these complications increase the need of international financial management. When financial managers take these decisions they must examine currency exchange rates, risk factors of specific country, tax rules differences and deviation in legal systems. In short, the finance managers of multinational corporations need appropriate management of international flow of funds for which the international financial management came to be very important and this has been discussed in detail below. Objectives The purpose of this research paper is to discuss the importance of international financial management to know that the role that financial management is playing in a modern international business environment. Importance of International Financial Management International financial management (IMF) significance cannot be exaggerated. It is, however, the core factor to successful business operations. In the absence of finance in local even in international market, no entity can achieve its full strengths for success and growth. We all know that money is a worldwide lubricant that keeps the local and multinational enterprise dynamic in developing product, keeping machines and men in working, motivating management to create values and progress. As I have discussed above that globalization open the market for major corporations to business into international markets, but it also brings corporations to a variety of risks that they can face while operating in international era and in this regard international financial management is the only solution to mitigate these risks and expose corporations to the whole world to operate in. Below is the details of risk that multinational companies face and the role international financial management pla y to control these risk that increase the importance of international financial management. Currency Exchange Risk and International Financial Management Operating business in international markets may result in a foreign currency exchange risk that is known as exposure of transaction. Currency exchange risk arises when an entity has receivables or payables major portion in foreign currency (FC). The risk persists in the variation of the foreign currency exchange rate. For instance, if the foreign currency increases in value before paying liability, the business has to pay extra amount to purchase the foreign currency required to clear this liability. As a consequence, the business will face a loss of foreign exchange. And when the currency value decreases the business will have foreign currency gain. On the other hand net assets will have the reverse relationships that are denominated in a foreign currency. In managing the risk of currency exchange, IFM approaches have gained prominence in recent years. IFM provides a variety of hedging techniques to control foreign currency transaction risks. Pricing. The basic technique offers by international financial management to manage risk or to control billing currency, is called pricing. Exchange risk currency can be controlled if the businesses invoice their clients in the companys reporting currency or functional currency. For instance, a business can settle a price of receivable in the currency in which they are reporting and thus transfer the risk of exchange to their customer. Settlement. This technique is used where the business cannot price their customer in reporting currency, it can exercise the settlement technique to eliminate FC exchange risk. This technique needs that management continuously offer early settlement discounts for receivables or payables dealt in a foreign currency. In short, this technique of IFM pushes a business to renounce the advantage of the money time value with the intention to evade the risks of foreign currency exchange variations. Forward Contracts. The business should use the other techniques to control the cash flows if it doesnt want to make early settlement or cannot price in reporting currency. Almost certainly in this situation the renowned hedging methods is selling and buying forward contracts in foreign currency. These are agreements between parties to sell or buy foreign currency in future time at pre-decided fixed exchange rate. It reduces the companys exposures to variation in exchange rates, whatever the rate in future is, the transactions occur at fixed rate. This transaction involves the cost of currency exchange and the cost of purchasing a forward contract. Leading and logging. IFM also provides additional technique to mitigate the risks for centralized and large business, called leading and logging. This technique requires leading (prepaying) due amount when the currency of payer is decreasing against the payment currency and lagging (covering) those payments if the currency of payer is increasing. From business perspectives, the international financial manager can ask for leading and lagging technique so as to take benefit of the constructive consequences of exchange rate variation. Moreover, leading and lagging strategies may be exercised to move funds to cash-poor from cash-rich partners, thus enhancing liquidity in short-term. Working Capital Management and International Financial Management International financial management plays very important role in working capital management. Working capital management means taking decisions relating to short-term liquidity, and capital financing. These decisions comprises on managing the rapport between short-term asset and short liabilities of the firm. In this regard international financial management plays very important role in maximizing the worth of the firm by spending in such projects which produce a positive net present value (NPV) by discounting with appropriate discount rate. These investments, as a result, have complexities in relation to cost of capital pf cash flow. The purpose of IFM is to make sure that the business is capable of operating, and that it has positive flow of cash to support debt in long-term, and to assure both upcoming operational expenses and short-term debt. In this way the firm value is appreciated in case the return on capital investment surpass the capital cost. Financing Decision International Financial Management also guides companies in taking financing decions. And accomplishing the business financial objectives IFM need that any corporate investment be financed properly. As discussed above since both un-stable rate and cash flows will be influenced, the mix of the financing can influence the valuation. In this way financial manager must highlight the capital structures and optimal mix of financing that should result in maximum value. The sources to generate finance generally involve the combination of debt and equity financing. If a business decides to finance through debt, it will increase the liability that must be paid, therefore involving cash flow complications independent of the project target of success. The second option is equity financing. Equity financing is, however, less risky in relation to cash flow payment promises, but results in a reduction of control, ownership and earnings. The equity financing cost is also more than the cost incurred in debt financing, and in this way equity financing method may result in an appreciated hurdle rate that may compensate any reduction in risk of cash flow. International financial management helps management to keep balance between both options to avoid the risk of cost burden. IFM Co-ordinates Various Functional Activities International financial management offers comprehensive harmonization between varieties of functional areas such as production, marketing, etc. to accomplish the goals of organizations. If financial management is imperfect in multinational companies, the effectiveness of other business units can be maintained. For instance, it is very essential for the finance department to make available required finance for the raw material procurement and for other expense for the successful running of business. If financial department does not work properly and fails to meet obligations, the sale and production units will suffer and as a result profit and income will undergo. In short, proper financial management occupies a significant place in any business concern. Determinant of Business Success International financial management is necessary for the business success. It has been identified that the financial manger plays a very imperative role in the business success by suggesting the higher level management the effective solutions of a range of financial problems as professional. They provide considerable figures and facts in relation to financial position and company various functions performance in specific period before the higher management in such means that make it easier for the higher management to assess the companys progress to adjust policies and the principles of the company properly. The international financial managers help the higher management in the process of decision making by recommending the best possible solutions out of the number of alternatives options available. Hence, international financial management assists the management at various stages in taking national and international financial decisions. IFM as Measure of Performance International financial management helps to measure the performance of business through its financial results by applying the techniques of ratio analysis. These analyses provide the position that where the firm is going over the years. Such financial decisions that appreciate risks become cause to decrease the worth of the firm and on the other the hand, such international financial decisions that boost the profitability enhance the firm value. Profitability and risk are two necessary part of any business that can be managed effectively through financial management. Conclusion The challenges that management is facing today is the effective and efficient working such that is internationally oriented. The major difficulties that a business faces in international markets are, fluctuation in currency exchange rate, investing decisions, financing decision, coordination of different business unit in different geographic places, etc. These problems can be managed through proper adaptation of international financial management methodologies. The effectiveness of these methodologies based on managements understanding to the foreign markets and the requirements of its subsidiaries. In short, managing business accounts and finance is crucial to the success of every multinational business because the increase in complication and importance of financial management in international business environment poses challenges for management in international corporations.

Behaviorism Essay -- Psychology Psychological Essays

Background and Description of Behaviorism in Relation to Learning The background of behaviorism is associated with many scientists. Behaviorism started back in 400 BC with Aristotle. Aristotle believed in association and that "the objects being associated are similar, or opposite, or near each other". Then, behaviorism came into play with Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist. He studied the behavior of dogs and how they would salivating (conditioned reflex) when shown just the food dish without food (conditioned stimulus or conditioned response). Next, John B. Watson wrote a book called Behavior, where he described psychology as the process where behavior can be predicted and controlled. Watson also studied how learning can be achieved through a repeated stimulus and specific responses. Edward Thorndike described behaviorism as "a description of a man’s mind is that it is his connection system, adapting the responses of thought, feeling, and action that he makes to the situation that he meets". Thorndike also studied how the "law of effect" a nd "law of exercise" affects a person’s learning abilities. In other words, if an individual is positively reinforced, without punishment, and if a stimulus was followed by a response with repeated practice, stronger learning would take place. One of the main behaviorist that will be discussed is B.F. Skinner. Skinner studied what individuals "do and don’t do" in relation to behavior. He also believed that the actions that people take are in response to whatever happened to them in their past. Skinner came up with the idea of "operant conditioning". In operant conditioning, the organism’s behavior (response) is controlled by the use of positive reinforcement (stimulus) (Behaviorism As a ... ...orida: Harcourt Brace & Company. Nnedu, Cordelia. (1997, November 19) Auburn University: Educational Foundations, Leaderships, and Technology. EM 600 Behaviorism. Retrieved on October 29, 1999 from the World Wide Web: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/eflt/beh.html Ormrod, Jeanne, E. (1995). Human Learning. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Shrock, Sharon, A.(1995). A Brief History of Instructional Development. In G. Anglin (Ed.), Instructional technology: Past, Present and Future (p. 15-16). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. White, Andy. (1995) Theorist of Behaviorism. Retrieved on October 29, 1999 from the World Wide Web: http://www.coe.missouri.edu/~t377/btheorists.html UHCL Home Page: Behaviorism As A Learning Theory. (1995, June 13) Retrieved on October 29, 1999 from the World Wide Web: http://inst.cl.uh.edu/inst5931/Behaviorism.html

Free Essays: Oedipus Rex and Antigone :: comparison compare contrast essays

Oedipus Rex and Antigone  Ã‚   There is no curse on the house of Oedipus. Because of the many terrible things that happen to the members of Oedipus's family, a reader might be led to believe that there is such a curse. However, if that person examines the stories of Oedipus Rex and Antigone more closely, he or she will find that the reason so many tragedies happened to Oedipus's family is not because of some curse, but rather because of one common thread. Each person in the line of Oedipus tries to defy authority in one way or another. Oedipus and Jocasta both defy the authority of the gods by trying to run away from a prophesy of theirs, which results in Jocasta's death and Oedipus's dethroning and downfall. Antigone defies the authority of the king by violating his edict, which results in her death. In Ismene's case, the authority that is defied is that of the moral law, and for that she has to live out her days with guilt and regret. The authority which Oedipus and Jocasta defy is the same. Both the king and his mother defy the authority of the gods by trying to evade their edict. The edict states that a son would be born to Jocasta who would marry his mother and kill his father, as Oedipus says, â€Å"How mating with my mother I must spawn a progeny...having been my father's murderer.† (OEDIPUS, Oedipus, 44). When Jocasta hears of this, she attempts to kill the baby Oedipus, thus trying to escape the prophesy. Similarly, when Oedipus, as an unmarried adult, hears that he would kill his father, he runs away from his home town, Corinth, never to return. Oedipus and Jocasta both defy the gods' authority, which in this case comes in the form of running away from a menacing prophesy. In the end, however, Jocasta dies and Oedipus is overthrown and ruined. Like her parents, Antigone defies a powerful authority. Unlike her parents though, that authority is not of the gods, but rather of a person who thinks he is a god: Creon, Antigone's uncle, great-uncle, and king. He proclaims that the body of Polyneices, Antigone's brother who fought against Thebes in war, would be left to rot unburied on the field, â€Å"He must be left unwept, unsepulchered, a vulture's prize....† (ANTIGONE, Antigone, 192). Antigone, enraged by the injustice done to her family, defies Creon's direct order and buries her brother.

The Presentation of Women in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 and Griffin’s Ess

The Presentation of Women in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 and Griffin’s Sonnet 39 What attitude do their presentations of women reflect? Discuss in detail how the poets’ choice & use of language influences your reading of poems. It is evident in both Griffin’s poem and Shakespeare’s poem that their love for their beloved is matchless; however the presentations and the personal interpretations of the two poets give a totally different message to its readers. It is often in Shakespeare’s sonnet 130 that we realize he ridicules his mistress and praises her in a way that misleads its readers to believe that Shakespeare doesn’t love her. Whereas, in Griffin’s Sonnet 39, he puts his lady as the central motive of the poem and this is obvious as almost every line in his poem begins with the word â€Å"her.† Without a doubt, the first line in both poems portrays a direct contrast from each other. In Griffin’s poem, he compares his lady’s hair to â€Å"threads of beaten golds† (line 1), which suggests the high status and attractiveness of his lady. On the contrary, Shakespeare begins his sonnet by depreciating the status of his mistress as she is â€Å"nothing like the sun† (line 1). This is also seen in the latter lines of the sonnet; her lips are not as red as coral, her breasts are dun-colored and the black wires growing on her head. (lines 2-4). In Griffin’s sonnet, we can see how he praises the beauty of his lady and her perfection with the use of figurative languages. Although the two sonnets seems to be similar, both admiring the beauty of their lovers, it is still apparent that the two women in the two sonnets are presented in different ways and the fact that there is a contrast between the two of them. The poem, Son... ...the way how Griffin presents his lady may sound the world’s perfect woman. Nonetheless, because of his hyperbolical statements and exaggerations, it may sound perfect to its readers, but then again, the lady becomes an idealize character and her beauty is only artificial. Through a detail study within the two poems, it is obvious that the two women presented in both poems are not similar. The poets’ viewpoints differ as they have personal opinions with regards to the qualities possess by their mistress or lady, whether they’re goddess-like or genuine in nature. As readers, we’re greatly influenced by the words written by the poets; we are dependent on their language and words to reveal the implications and the underlying message. [1] James P. Wolf. Pimbley's Dictionary of Heraldry – G [Online] Available http://www.digiserve.com/heraldry/pimb_g.htm The Presentation of Women in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 and Griffin’s Ess The Presentation of Women in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 and Griffin’s Sonnet 39 What attitude do their presentations of women reflect? Discuss in detail how the poets’ choice & use of language influences your reading of poems. It is evident in both Griffin’s poem and Shakespeare’s poem that their love for their beloved is matchless; however the presentations and the personal interpretations of the two poets give a totally different message to its readers. It is often in Shakespeare’s sonnet 130 that we realize he ridicules his mistress and praises her in a way that misleads its readers to believe that Shakespeare doesn’t love her. Whereas, in Griffin’s Sonnet 39, he puts his lady as the central motive of the poem and this is obvious as almost every line in his poem begins with the word â€Å"her.† Without a doubt, the first line in both poems portrays a direct contrast from each other. In Griffin’s poem, he compares his lady’s hair to â€Å"threads of beaten golds† (line 1), which suggests the high status and attractiveness of his lady. On the contrary, Shakespeare begins his sonnet by depreciating the status of his mistress as she is â€Å"nothing like the sun† (line 1). This is also seen in the latter lines of the sonnet; her lips are not as red as coral, her breasts are dun-colored and the black wires growing on her head. (lines 2-4). In Griffin’s sonnet, we can see how he praises the beauty of his lady and her perfection with the use of figurative languages. Although the two sonnets seems to be similar, both admiring the beauty of their lovers, it is still apparent that the two women in the two sonnets are presented in different ways and the fact that there is a contrast between the two of them. The poem, Son... ...the way how Griffin presents his lady may sound the world’s perfect woman. Nonetheless, because of his hyperbolical statements and exaggerations, it may sound perfect to its readers, but then again, the lady becomes an idealize character and her beauty is only artificial. Through a detail study within the two poems, it is obvious that the two women presented in both poems are not similar. The poets’ viewpoints differ as they have personal opinions with regards to the qualities possess by their mistress or lady, whether they’re goddess-like or genuine in nature. As readers, we’re greatly influenced by the words written by the poets; we are dependent on their language and words to reveal the implications and the underlying message. [1] James P. Wolf. Pimbley's Dictionary of Heraldry – G [Online] Available http://www.digiserve.com/heraldry/pimb_g.htm

In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio Essay

Philippe Bourgois book In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio was published in 1995, and discussed his experiences of authors living in El Barrio (East Harlem). In 1985 the writer moved to this district of New York City with the purpose of studying the impact of imposed racial segregation and economic marginalization on the inner city Puerto Rican population (intro pg. 1). An interesting new insight into the street culture found in New York was captured in this book. The amount of poverty in this portion of our country is much higher than that in most other areas. Bourgois presents the theory â€Å"culture of poverty† which seems to argues that poor people share deviant cultural characteristics. The poor have lifestyles that differ from the rest of society and that these characteristics perpetuate their life of poverty. The poor are qualitatively different in values and these cultural differences explain continued poverty. He argues that this neighborhood, which is well known for high rates of violence, does not have widespread violence occurring amongst all of its members. The higher crime rate, argues Bourgois, occurs for the most part within the factions of the underground economy, and social relationships. With an unbiased sight the author looks at the underground economy, from baby sitting, off-track betting, to drug dealing, as these were the means which most of the families living in El Barrio were able to survive. This book is generally a synopsis of the events that occurred during Bourgois stay in El Barrio. The original purpose of the book was to write a first-hand account of racial prejudice and ethnic segregation in the heart of one of the worlds largest cities. Bourgois was swept into the area drug economy because of the abundance of information from the dealers and their families who all lived within the immediate area. Most of the accounts given in the book come from a single crack house near Bourgois tenement. The group of crack dealers filtered through Bourgois presents a compelling argument that reform within the economy needs to take place in order to reduce the amount of violence within the inner-cities of the United States. Bourgois states that there is a strong feeling of community among the people living in El Barrio. The racial and ethnic prejudice of the El Barrio outsiders has lead the residents of the city to isolate themselves from the rest of the American society. The isolation and aversion of these people by the rest of the world has lead them to the situation when their daily struggles for subsistence and dignity at the poverty line, (intro pg. 2) became not successful any longer. The drug dealing has swallowed all of the attempts of these people to find a decent place in the society, and selling crack became the only way for inhabitants of El Barrio to at least survive. At some point of time the author tries to find the answer to the question of why did all that happen. He asks, in studying the street culture, how does growing up in an environment like that affect one in their ability to function productively in mainstream society? Bourgois goes back and looks at the history of Puerto Ricans, from Puerto Rico to New York City, all through the history of these people on American continent, and puts into perspective, how that helps shape their culture in El Barrio. Bourgois conducts his research for this book by putting himself in direct daily contact with the subjects of this book. Through participant observation, he was able to delve deep into the personal lives of the crack dealers, addicts, and people effected by the epidemic. He also attended holidays and family function in order to get a more humanistic and holistic view of this society. The answers found by the author were shocking but not surprising. The social perception and culture that defines Puerto Ricans is the exact thing that inhibits them from success (ch. pg. 142), and just returns them to street in search of other means to make a living. Family seemed to be majorly effected by this outbreak. By destroying the so-called mother-nuture instinct, and by disabling their children during their tenderest ages, vulnerable mothers escape the long-term agony of having to watch their children grow up healthy, energetic adolescents, only to become victims and protagonists of violence and substance abuse. (ch. 7 pg. 285) Many examples of this were portrayed through Candy’s life with her son Junior. He was the first boy Bourgois watched graduate into crack dealer status. Due to the outbreak, jobs were also effected. The only jobs that provided enough money for the Harlemites to survive on, without having to engage in some other illegal activity, are high risk construction jobs, which were ran by racist mafia backed unions (ch. 4 pg. 162), or entry level jobs in the F. I. R. E. (finance, insurance, or real estate) sector (ch. 4 pg. 142), where the impoverished Puerto Ricans did not have enough cultural capital or the proper ethnic background to survive in the positions being offered. When ever they did get a job in one of these areas things wouldnt go very well. For example, in the construction jobs, they would either be cheated out of wages and overtime (ch. 4 pg. 165), or when they got a job in the F. I. R. E. sector, they would have to put aside their values and norms and go against everything they were taught through their culture. The racial attitudes of civilized people did not allow the Puerto Ricans (who often outsmarted whites, and performed better at the jobs) to succeed in their career development. Puerto Ricans would oftentimes have to be subordinate to women barking orders at them, and they would have to deal with ethnic stereotypes. Anytime they came into contact with mainstream society it would be a demeaning, humiliating, and negative experience. Thus, these types of experiences would future alienate them from mainstream society and drive them into the underground economy of crack, the only place where they can go to make money, and regain a certain sense of dignity and respect. To survive financially outside of mainstream society, one must manipulate all of ones available resources to make a livable income. So, in the underground economy this can mean anything, from taking advantage of the welfare office, to selling drugs, or robbing people, all of which were employed by most of the subjects in this book. Although the world of the underground economy is very chaotic, it all seems to revolve around one thing – crack. The Puerto Ricans suffered lees from crack physiologically than socially. This nationality usually served as barrier between the drug sellers and police when resolving criminal issues. The outcome of this situation was definitely unfavorable to general Puerto Ricans. On one side they did not belong to the criminal part of El Barrio (with its multi million dollar turnovers), and on the other side the rest of the New York City perceived them very negatively. The poverty of culture seemed to be connected with the idea that the people lived through the hard times with drugs primarily. Though Philippe Bourgois book is not about the problems of racism and ethnic discrimination, but about the underground economy of El Barrio with its effect on life of the rural inhabitants of East Harlem, the underlying foundation for the development of this type of economy was the social prejudice about Puerto Ricans and their abilities to function in the modern civilized society of whites.

A Synopsis of the Movie Edward Scissorhands Essay

Edward Scissorhands (1990) tells us a story about an artificial man, Edward ‘Scissorhands’, who was made by a lonely inventor in his mansion atop a hill near a small town. Long after his inventor’s death, Edward is brought into society by Meg, a local resident and encounters many new and interesting things as he attempts to belong in civilization. The text explores concepts of belonging to groups or communities and a sense of belonging in relationships shown by Edward’s endless struggle to find clarity and purpose. A sense of isolation can come from one’s difference to others, whether it be physical, mental or spiritual. Edward’s hands made out of sharp scissors are iconic of his separation from the rest of society. They create a physical barrier between him and others which greatly limits the amount of physical contact Edward can have with others and the rest of the world and in turn creates a sense of isolation. This is carefully and noticea bly communicated by Burton through the use of colour and contrast. Specifically, Edwards initial costume is completely black leather, decorated with metal studs and rings. His hair is jet black and very messy and his face is pale white. This along with Edward’s mansion, a dark place riddled with cobwebs and falling apart, so far away from society, juxtaposes fantastically with the bright and vibrant colours of the town, the houses and the clothes and outfits of the townspeople. He in fact only finds a sense of belonging when he is shown kindness and outreach by Meg. She gives him clothes to wear, which although do not seem to break his theme of darkness and dullness, do still symbolise his inclusion and belonging in their society. She also offers him purpose, letting him use his scissors to trim her garden hedges and in doing this, she turns what Edward, among others, fears to be tools of destruction into tools of creativity and resultantly breaches the barrier between Edward and the world. This gives him a sense of belonging within Meg’s family and the rest of the community. A sense of belonging can also be achieved though relationships with others. Edward finds love when he first lays eyes on Kim, Meg’s daughter. At first she is quite intimidated by Edward and does not quite feel as if he belongs there but she gradually warms to him as everyone else does and shows him deserved kindness, making him feel as if he does belong. However this feeling of connection is eventually lost when Edward is falsely accused by Joyce of sexual harassment and framed for robbery due to his innocence and loyalty to Kim; â€Å"(I did it) because you asked me to.† He is driven out of town after further misunderstandings in which he accidentally hurts few people and it becomes clear that he can’t quite belong their because of the sole fact that the vast majority of the townspeople can’t seems to understand him. His escape from the town and its community is symbolised by Edward tearing off his clothes to reveal his original apparel. Burton uses a motif in the film; the falling of snow-like ice shards as Edward makes ice sculptures with his Scissorhands. This is used to symbolise both Edward’s connection with Kim and his final state and residence in the film. In a key scene, Kim dances under the falling ‘snow’ and this is basically the exact moment she falls for Edward. When he is driven away, he spends his time making sculptures and this has the effect of making snow over the town. Kim as a grandmother tells us â€Å"Before he came down here, it never snowed and after, it did.† The snow is metaphoric of the lack of warmth in his life, as he longs for Kim’s love. Edward’s journey of belonging is full of changes. Through his experiences we can learn and see that one can attempt to belong somewhere, whether they seem to belong there naturally or not but they may not truly succeed.

The Road by Cormac Mccarthy

The Road by Corm McCarthy is a novel set in a post-apocalyptic world following the path of a Father and Son. McCarthy is a highly celebrated award-winning author. He is 78 years old and has an 8-year-old son – an uncommon circumstance – underlining that for him, death is imminent and prompting him to consider the ideas discussed in his novel. In The Road, the father is undergoing a crisis of faith and so adopts an Existentialist view and creates meaning through his son – who therefore influences many of his actions.I found McCarthy use of techniques such as Juxtaposition and antithesis that counter the macabre images throughout the book with those of love between the father and Son both repulsive and fascinating at the same time. The earth is in a state of despair – there is no electricity, transport or access to food/ water. Much of humanity has turned feral, losing all sense of the moral code that makes us human. McCarthy uses the Mother and Father to sh ow conflicting choices made in this environment. The Fathers choice was to live because of the belief he has in his child, which he formed in his despair. If he is not the word of God than God never spoke. Because of the nightmarish situation the world has been placed in, he finds it hard to hold onto his religious beliefs concerning God and so instead looks to find another meaning in life to give him reason to continue – his son. If the son is not worth keeping alive then everything that he once believed in must be false. On the other hand, the mother takes a nihilistic view. â€Å"Why don't we talk about death anymore? Because it is here. There is nothing left to talk about. † She chooses to kill herself, as she believes that there is no point prolonging the inevitable. They will ape us, kill us and eat us. † This represents a grotesque corruption of parenthood. For the mother to take such drastic measures we realize the true gravity and hopelessness of the sit uation. However, even though the mother can see this clearly, the Father, who cannot give up hope while his son lives, cannot bear to let this hope die even though it may be in the child's best intentions. We can clearly see the effect the son has on his father because he has chosen to follow his belief system and fight to keep his son and therefore hope alive.The mother and father are both in the same tuition but choose to follow different paths. However, as McCarthy further explores in the novel, both of these choices will ultimately end in death. Through the son's actions, McCarthy suggests a different path to choose in this environment, while continuing to demonstrate the sons influence over the father. When they come across a shuffling, limping man who looks close to death the father insists that nothing can be done. â€Å"Can't we help him Papa? † The son shows a compassion and humanity that the father, in his quest for survival, lacks this.He chooses to treat everythin g, hostile or otherwise as a threat. This is an understandable mentality but as the son demonstrates to us certainly not the only one. Later in the novel, the pair come across a little boy and a dog on the road. â€Å"We should go get him, Papa. We could get him and take him with us. We could take him and we could take the dog. The dog could catch something to eat†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. What about the little boy? He sobbed. What about the little boy? † In this case, the boys kindness seems to go beyond Just compassion.He seems to see himself in the little boy (if not purely for any reason ether insists that they cannot trust a little boy Just like him might make him consider if they really are the ‘good guys' and ‘carrying the flame' -the only comfort he draws from their situation. McCarthy clearly shows us the son struggling to accept his father's mentality and starting to form his own based on compassion and his own innate goodness. The fathers crisis of f aith develops throughout the novel. Towards the beginning of the novel, we see how he had mixed feelings over God, as he felt abandoned in this hell on earth. How does the never to be differ from what never was? Even with the son to place his hope in, the father's crisis of faith is enough to make him question if god ever existed. To cope with the world he lives in he adopts the mentality of ‘shoot or be shot' and treats everything with suspicion and little compassion. However, we see exceptions to this rule where the sons influence is concerned like when they meet the old man Eli on the road and the father gives him food due to the sons pleading. But the real change occurs in the father towards the end of the novel when he knows he will die soon and accepts the son's mentality. Whatever form you spoke of, you were right. The father is beginning to understand the boys mind set. But immediately after this comes the death of the father and although showing the son truly alone, i t also represents the death of his mentality and his religion which acts as an external body of rules used as a moral code. This organized religion has broken down in this environment. However, the son demonstrates a different path based on an innate goodness inside us. God was meaningless to the boy, he came from a world he did not understand or belong to. The boy never needed the father for meaning – His innate goodness is meaning in itself.This mentality that the son can now carry on lends to the possibility of a future in this world that would be based on the assumption of an innate goodness in all of us that must be found in order to remain human. McCarthy is discussing the value of faith – something worth living for, a reason to try to survive in the harshest of Corm McCarthy discusses the relationship between father and son situations. In his novel The Road. The father choice to make the son his Warrant' to live shows the influence he has on him. ‘Glowing like a tabernacle. ‘ He literally sees his son as a odd like figure.However, McCarthy makes clear throughout the novel that the fathers choices he makes in an attempt to protect his son are, while understandable, far from admirable. The father constantly treats everything as a threat. The small boy they encountered was left behind because the father suspected a trap. He nearly killed the already half-dead man who stole their shopping trolley of supplies. The path offered by the son is the more morally correct and therefore human choice to make. It seems as if the author is counting on the existence of the innate goodness inside all of us.Although he discusses the worst of what we are capable of, he sets up the expectation that humanity will find the best of itself. It is clear that the sons influence over his father went as far as to start to break down the walls of his religious mentality but in order to see the true demise of his organized religion the father must die. As a 16-year-old living a pampered life, this novel is a bit of a slap in the face. McCarthy forces us to ask the hard questions. At your core, are you good? Does your compassion outweigh your selfishness and greed? I would love to say yes but I'm not sure that I can. The Road by Cormac Mccarthy The Road by Corm McCarthy is a novel set in a post-apocalyptic world following the path of a Father and Son. McCarthy is a highly celebrated award-winning author. He is 78 years old and has an 8-year-old son – an uncommon circumstance – underlining that for him, death is imminent and prompting him to consider the ideas discussed in his novel. In The Road, the father is undergoing a crisis of faith and so adopts an Existentialist view and creates meaning through his son – who therefore influences many of his actions.I found McCarthy use of techniques such as Juxtaposition and antithesis that counter the macabre images throughout the book with those of love between the father and Son both repulsive and fascinating at the same time. The earth is in a state of despair – there is no electricity, transport or access to food/ water. Much of humanity has turned feral, losing all sense of the moral code that makes us human. McCarthy uses the Mother and Father to sh ow conflicting choices made in this environment. The Fathers choice was to live because of the belief he has in his child, which he formed in his despair. If he is not the word of God than God never spoke. Because of the nightmarish situation the world has been placed in, he finds it hard to hold onto his religious beliefs concerning God and so instead looks to find another meaning in life to give him reason to continue – his son. If the son is not worth keeping alive then everything that he once believed in must be false. On the other hand, the mother takes a nihilistic view. â€Å"Why don't we talk about death anymore? Because it is here. There is nothing left to talk about. † She chooses to kill herself, as she believes that there is no point prolonging the inevitable. They will ape us, kill us and eat us. † This represents a grotesque corruption of parenthood. For the mother to take such drastic measures we realize the true gravity and hopelessness of the sit uation. However, even though the mother can see this clearly, the Father, who cannot give up hope while his son lives, cannot bear to let this hope die even though it may be in the child's best intentions. We can clearly see the effect the son has on his father because he has chosen to follow his belief system and fight to keep his son and therefore hope alive.The mother and father are both in the same tuition but choose to follow different paths. However, as McCarthy further explores in the novel, both of these choices will ultimately end in death. Through the son's actions, McCarthy suggests a different path to choose in this environment, while continuing to demonstrate the sons influence over the father. When they come across a shuffling, limping man who looks close to death the father insists that nothing can be done. â€Å"Can't we help him Papa? † The son shows a compassion and humanity that the father, in his quest for survival, lacks this.He chooses to treat everythin g, hostile or otherwise as a threat. This is an understandable mentality but as the son demonstrates to us certainly not the only one. Later in the novel, the pair come across a little boy and a dog on the road. â€Å"We should go get him, Papa. We could get him and take him with us. We could take him and we could take the dog. The dog could catch something to eat†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. What about the little boy? He sobbed. What about the little boy? † In this case, the boys kindness seems to go beyond Just compassion.He seems to see himself in the little boy (if not purely for any reason ether insists that they cannot trust a little boy Just like him might make him consider if they really are the ‘good guys' and ‘carrying the flame' -the only comfort he draws from their situation. McCarthy clearly shows us the son struggling to accept his father's mentality and starting to form his own based on compassion and his own innate goodness. The fathers crisis of f aith develops throughout the novel. Towards the beginning of the novel, we see how he had mixed feelings over God, as he felt abandoned in this hell on earth. How does the never to be differ from what never was? Even with the son to place his hope in, the father's crisis of faith is enough to make him question if god ever existed. To cope with the world he lives in he adopts the mentality of ‘shoot or be shot' and treats everything with suspicion and little compassion. However, we see exceptions to this rule where the sons influence is concerned like when they meet the old man Eli on the road and the father gives him food due to the sons pleading. But the real change occurs in the father towards the end of the novel when he knows he will die soon and accepts the son's mentality. Whatever form you spoke of, you were right. The father is beginning to understand the boys mind set. But immediately after this comes the death of the father and although showing the son truly alone, i t also represents the death of his mentality and his religion which acts as an external body of rules used as a moral code. This organized religion has broken down in this environment. However, the son demonstrates a different path based on an innate goodness inside us. God was meaningless to the boy, he came from a world he did not understand or belong to. The boy never needed the father for meaning – His innate goodness is meaning in itself.This mentality that the son can now carry on lends to the possibility of a future in this world that would be based on the assumption of an innate goodness in all of us that must be found in order to remain human. McCarthy is discussing the value of faith – something worth living for, a reason to try to survive in the harshest of Corm McCarthy discusses the relationship between father and son situations. In his novel The Road. The father choice to make the son his Warrant' to live shows the influence he has on him. ‘Glowing like a tabernacle. ‘ He literally sees his son as a odd like figure.However, McCarthy makes clear throughout the novel that the fathers choices he makes in an attempt to protect his son are, while understandable, far from admirable. The father constantly treats everything as a threat. The small boy they encountered was left behind because the father suspected a trap. He nearly killed the already half-dead man who stole their shopping trolley of supplies. The path offered by the son is the more morally correct and therefore human choice to make. It seems as if the author is counting on the existence of the innate goodness inside all of us.Although he discusses the worst of what we are capable of, he sets up the expectation that humanity will find the best of itself. It is clear that the sons influence over his father went as far as to start to break down the walls of his religious mentality but in order to see the true demise of his organized religion the father must die. As a 16-year-old living a pampered life, this novel is a bit of a slap in the face. McCarthy forces us to ask the hard questions. At your core, are you good? Does your compassion outweigh your selfishness and greed? I would love to say yes but I'm not sure that I can.

Factors behind Economic Growth in Hong Kong and Singapore Essay

There are many similarities between Hong Kong and Singapore. Both countries enjoy high economic growth rates for the past three decades, they are known as â€Å"East Asian Tigers† because they made a transition from poverty to Newly Industrialized Economies (NIE’s) in a very short period of time. Both Hong Kong and Singapore were British colonies with both legal and administrative systems of their former colonial powers. They are the busiest ports in the world in terms of throughputs. They have climbed the industrial ladder and are now important international financial centers because of their reliance on trade since 1960’s (Kim. t al 1994). In addition both cities are densely populated since land is scarce and land together with property prices is very high. These two cities are known for being fee traders with few restrictions on trade and capital flows which many a times are Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Hong Kong the state owns all the land whereas in Singapore the state owns four fifths of the total land. Consequently both cities capture economic rent primarily by nationalizing land and leasing it out. While the state owns much of the land in Singapore and the sole landowner in Hong Kong, the inefficiencies that could result from state ownership are taken care of through the creation of markets for state, land and property leases. Meanwhile the public leasehold system where the state is the major role player in land use, planning and resource allocation works very well in both cities since the public sector institutions of both are efficient and non-corrupt. These institutions in both countries benefit from adequate checks and balances, merit-based recruitment and pay scales which are high enough to reduce the temptation to corruption. In conclusion, there economies are widely believed to be the most economical free in the world are these economic freedom emanates from the governments â€Å"hands-off policy† which allows for flexibility and renovation of any given industry in a very short time. Both countries also have very little available land and very few natural resources therefore importing most of their food and raw materials equally most of their exports consists of re-exports which are products made outside their territories.

Applying economic analysis ( Cost Effectiveness Analysis) to Alzheimer Essay

Applying economic analysis ( Cost Effectiveness Analysis) to Alzheimer bills and to school lunch program - Essay Example In CEA the relative costs and the outcomes are evaluated for two or more itineraries of action. This kind of analysis is divergent from cost-benefit analysis, which dispenses financial value to the appraise of effect. Normally the CEA is articulated in requisites of a proportion where the denominator is a put on in health from an evaluation and the numerator is the outlay allied with the health put on. The chiefly used upshot evaluate is quality-adjustment life years. The theory of cost effectiveness is practical in organization and preparation of many of sort of prearranged activity. It applicable to many aspects of life. In Alzheimer’s tab, for instance, that was ascertained by the secretary of health and human services (National Alzheimer’s project) to generate and sustain an integrated national plan to surmount Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The policies stipulated in the bill was intended at cutting down on the health care cost to the citizens of the federal state. The early diagnosis and acceleration of preventive procedures was found to be a little bit cost-effective compared to the treatment actions (Clyne, 2002 p 17). Cost-minimization is functional when evaluate drugs of equal acceptability and effectiveness. Therapeutic similarity must be oriented by the instigator carrying out the study preceding the cost-minimization exertion. As equal efficiency and equal acceptability is already established, there is no necessity finding a universal effectiveness denominator as study on cost-effectiveness would have demanded. All costs have to be measured when conducting a cost-minimization study together with resource expenses intrinsic to the liberation of the therapeutic intrusions and that are germane to the pharmacoeconomic perception. In the Alzheimer’s bill, for instance, the costs of alternative therapies can be compared to the Alzheimer’s disease treatments and

Crim230 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Crim230 - Assignment Example The Supreme Court affirmed the court’s decision. I obtained the information on the case from the Westlaw website, an online legal research service. The case is significant to criminal justice system as it questions the application of the peremptory challenge by the prosecutor in criminal cases. The prosecutor’s reliance on the peremptory challenge in discharging off the four black venire men questioned whether the prosecutor used the sole basis of race to strike them off the venire. The Supreme Court’s affirmation of the court’s decision indicated that the peremptory challenge could not be used solely on the standard of race to exclude jurors (Reuters 10). My role in the case is that of prosecutor and i am advocating for the conviction of the defendant based on the charges forwarded against him. I am also advocating for the striking off of the four black venire men from the jury in line with using my peremptory

A River Sutra Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A River Sutra - Essay Example The man had been tutored by her father and had promised to marry her after he had learned his music. A young executive who worked at a tea company lives a wasteful life until he meets a young woman called Rima and falls in love with her. The woman puts a spell on him and he becomes insane. He goes to the river and makes a mud image of goddess and he regains his sanity back. In summary, the river offered love and life to all the people. The other theme the author reveals in the book is misery. The people who visit the river experience suffering and seek happiness. The monk, despite being wealthy, is not satisfied in his life. He had lived a poor life and he sought something more from life. Mohan is taunted and sneered by his wife for being poor. He takes a young boy, Imran who sings beautifully but the wife sells the young boy to a master for five thousand rupees. The master slits the boy’s throat and Mohan commits suicide afterwards, his life has been full of suffering. It is clear that the people have different beliefs regarding the river. The people who pay pilgrimage believe the river is one of the holiest in India. However, it is a paradox that the river means ‘whore’. The archeologists who conduct a dig in the river wonder about the immortality of the river and makes fun that the people believe that it is sacred. Therefore religion is a complimenting theme in the book. People from various religious backgrounds such as Muslims, Hindus and Jain monks pay pilgrimage to the river. .The stories reveal that man must undergo suffering in order to attain perfection of power from the river. This is portrayed when the archeological professor Shankar realizes he is the Naga Baba that rescued Umi from a brothel as an ascetic and immersed her in the river for cleansing. In conclusion, the stories in the book link love forgiveness and happiness to each individual’s belief. Regardless of their different religious beliefs, the river

Intellectual Heritage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Intellectual Heritage - Essay Example The three major religions of the World, Bible, Quran, and the Baghavat Gita, have a similar notion about the relationship between God and Man. They observe Human Beings in terms of men and women created by God with an intentional duty on earth. Bible says God created human beings form his breath and the dust form earth. The trees in the garden called paradise reveal the relationship between God and man. The command given by God to the first man shows the relationship between God and human, that human is God’s attendant given to the earth to fulfil the purpose of God. In the sense, God is the dictator and man need to obey in order to keep the earth always a paradise. This sounds almost similar with that of Bhagavat Gita, in which Lord Krishna exemplifies the supreme Goal of God in terms of Yogas such as Raja Yoga , Bhakthi Yoga, Karma Yoga and Janana Yoga representing the meditation, devotion, selfless action and accumulation of knowledge respectively. Brahma is considered as the foremost God of creations. The supreme soul or paramatma is said to be found in the hearts of all human beings. If Brahma is the impersonal energy ruling the Universe, The paramatma form of God living in every body’s heart takes the transcendental form of God. As far as Good living is concerned man should follow Dharma or honesty, this is what Quran and Bible also insist. It man’s individuality ad true self could be realised by understanding the purpose governed by God to man [in Bible and Quran],then according to Bhagavat Gita the same is achieved in terms of self realisation which in turn reached by understanding the supreme existence of paramatma in every body. Freedom is looked upon in different aspect. Bible talks of freedom given to man with a certain restriction imposed by God. When God allows human beings to look after the Garden, He also makes a restriction that they should not touch the fruit of Knowledge. Quran, emphasises on man’s duty to

Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Engineering - Essay Example The design goals included; employment of a set of special green concrete mixes that set forth at most seventy percent cement substituting materials while meeting the recommendable requirements. At the same time, the concrete’s delaying set-time is not compromised. It was thus necessary for the associated carbon emissions from the concrete per cubic yard to be reduced, a requirement the concrete supplier had to fulfill. The building’s uniqueness is also drawn from the test to which the mix designs for the concrete were put at commencement of the construction. Concrete, estimated at five thousand cubic yards was utilized in placing the mat foundation, employing a mix in which seventy percent is cement substituted material with the recommended strength being eight thousand psi. These specifications were the same requirements adopted for the columns of the building as well as shear walls. The experts came up with a unique mix design for elevated slabs in order to meet certain light reflectance capacity. It is imperative to note that, also uniqueness is achieved by the reduced height of the concrete floor-to-floor which allowed for the addition of an extra floor to the initial set twelve floors. The sun blocking beams were as well eliminated by the structure. The latter designs culminated in half of carbon dioxide reductions. In conclusion, it is noteworthy to say that adoption of the flexible reinforcing concrete design for the structure achieved cost, environmental and structural advantages. The cost was tremendously cut down and the carbon footprint significantly reduced making the structure a high-performance green solutions

Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation Research Paper

Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation - Research Paper Example The crime levels involving cases of robbery, homicide, illegal drugs and other violent crimes statistically increased based on research data (Shaw, van Dijk, & Rhomberg, 2003). Anent to social injustices concerns are problems too on sex trade, (inclusive on problems on prostitution and pornography where the flesh trade considered consenting adults as ‘victimless crimes’ that are subject of ‘moral panics’) and of white collar crimes that ranges from forgery, corruption, identity theft using electronic devices, and money laundering. It’s unfortunate that white collar criminals, when caught, are not served with penal sentences but are only required to pay for the damages done to victims. Aside from the preceding prominent crimes, the United States is also confronted with crimes that have magnitude effects to civilian communities and to the state. Terrorism along with so called white collar crimes are also considered to be criminal offences, though sociol ogists consider the aforementioned to be ‘political crimes’ (Mueller, 2013). ... group, use of radiological threat, falsification of documents and other entailing effects that could victimize large number of civilian populace (National Counterterrorism Center, 2013). The Federal Bureau of Investigation likewise stated in its reports based on collated information from law enforcement agencies that there is an increase of 1.9 % of violent crimes in the last six months in 2012 (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2013). These violent crime cover murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. With regards to the property crimes, there is an increased of 1.5 percent in 2012 compared to the reported statistics in 2011 that include burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2013). Bank crimes statistics also showed that in 2011 alone, there are 5,014 robberies, 60 burglaries, and 12 larcenies which looted about $ 38.3 million dollars of cash and other valuable properties (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2013). Only 20% of t hese cases are recovered or solved by law enforcement authorities (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2013). According to statistical records, there are 6,088 persons involved in varied bank crime cases but only 3,263 persons are identified, of which 1,229 of 37% are involved in narcotics and 583 persons or 18% are recidivists of robbery, bank burglary and bank larceny cases (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2013). Aside from the increase of statistics on crimes, the advancement of information technology also made it easier for the commission of crimes since most of the transactions are done online and the criminals’ coordination or communication hasten their networking or their plans of carrying out their criminal designs (U.S. Department of Justice, 2013). Crimes can be undertaken by