Pentecostal History Essay

The largest and the most important religious movement to originate from the United States is the Pentecostal Movement. It is considered as the fourth force in Christendom alongside Catholicism, Protestantism, and Orthodox, and its exponential growth rate in terms of adherents is testimony to its appeal. The Charismatic Renewal Movement has some of its roots in historic Pentecostalism, and it is now deeply entrenched in most of the mainline Protestant denominations, in Catholicism, and in some Orthodox. In the 21st Century, the total adherents of Pentecostals and Charismatics probably exceed the combined numbers of Protestants and Orthodox. Pentecostal statistics show a total adherent base of 400 million in 1993,including the 200 million members designated as nominational Pentecostals and 200 million Charismatics in the main Protestant denominations and Catholicism. â€Å"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them†(Garnett 1987) The Acts of the Apostles, 2:1-3 (Cox 1995) Background History Adherents of Pentecostalism take their name from an incident recounted in Chapter two of the Acts of the Apostles. The story describes how the confused followers of a recently crucified Rabbi whom they all believed to be the messiah of the world, had gathered to mark the fiftieth day after Passover. Suddenly there was a heavenly sound â€Å"like the rush of a mighty wind. † The Holy Spirit filled them, tongues â€Å"as of fire† crowned their heads, and surprisingly they could understand each other’s language although the gathering comprised people from many different countries and different linguistic affinities. Apparently, the ancient curse of Babel had been reversed and that God was creating a new inclusive human community in which â€Å"Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia† could all live together. Origins of the Pentecostal Faith The first Pentecost appeared on the scene in 1901 in Topeka, Kansas in a Bible school conducted by Charles Fox Parham, a holiness teacher and former Methodist pastor. There exists considerable controversy about the origins and timings of Parham’s emphasis on glossolalia; there is general agreement amongst historians that the movement was initiated in the first days of 1901, in the beginning of the Twentieth Century. One of Parham’s Bible School students Agnes Ozman , was the first person to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and she thereafter began speaking in different tongues on the very first day of the new century on January 1, 1901. According to J. Roswell Flower, the founding Secretary of the Assemblies of God, Ozman’s experience was the â€Å"touch felt round the world,† an event which â€Å"made the Pentecostal Movement of the Twentieth Century. Due to the Topeka Pentecost, Parham postulated the doctrine that tongues (glossolalia) was the biblical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and that it a was a supernatural ability endowed for the purpose of world evangelization. Glossolalia is an experiential phenomenon of an ecstatic, altered state of consciousness, in which â€Å"orgiastic techniques are cultivated to achieve ecstasy in the belief that unusual psychological and physical states are synonymous† with Spirit-possession. He added that since missionaries had the ability to speak in any language, they need not learn any new language for the purpose of evangelical preaching. Armed with this new theology, Parham founded a church movement which he called the â€Å"Apostolic Faith† and began a whirlwind revival tour of the American Middle West to promote his exciting new experience. â€Å"saw an angel coming down from heaven With the key to the abyss and a great Chain in his hand. He seized the dragon and chained him up for a thousand years So that he might not seduce the nations until the thousand years were over†. Revelation 20:1-3 â€Å"Fed by broken packing cases and discarded wrapping paper the fire quickly spread from the boarded-up Casino to the empty Music Hall. From there sparks flew through the arctic night to the roofs of the exposition†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Cox 1995). Prophecy of the Pentecost Traditionally, Americans have always had a strong dose of millenium drilled in to them, covering the time the puritans landed in New England to the revival preachers who traveled the Midwest on horseback, they were continually being told that the last stages of history was unfolding and that America would play a major role in the grand finale. Going in to the 20th century, prophecies and speculations regarding a new Pentecost and a New Jerusalem were rife. And in the last days it shall be, God declares, That I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh† Acts of the Apostles 2:17-19 â€Å"The fire from heaven descended on April 9, 1906, on a small band of black domestic servants and custodial employees gathered for prayer in a wooden bungalow at 214 North Bonnie Brae Avenue in Los Angeles, California†¦. †(Cox 1995) Pastor at Azusa Street Seymour who had learned the tongues-attested baptism in a Bible school that Parham conducted in Houston, Texas in 1905 was invited to pastor a black holiness church in Los Angeles in 1906. Seymour opened the historic meeting in April, 1906 in a former African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church building at 312 Azusa Street in downtown Los Angeles. The happenings at Azusa have fascinated church historians for decades and have never been fully understood or explained (Wackman 1994). For three years thereafter, the Azusa Street â€Å"Apostolic Faith Mission† conducted three services a day, seven days a week, where thousands of seekers received the tongues baptism. Word of the revival was spread abroad through The Apostolic Faith, a paper that Seymour sent free of charge to some 50,000 subscribers. From Azusa Street Pentecostalism spread rapidly around the world and began its advance toward becoming a major force in Christendom. The Azusa Street movement seems to have been a merger of white American holiness religion with worship styles derived from the African-American Christian tradition which had developed since the days of chattel slavery in the South. The expressive worship and praise at Azusa Street, which included shouting and dancing, had been common among Appalachian whites as well as Southern blacks. The admixture of tongues and other charisms with black music and worship styles created a new and indigenous form of Pentecostalism that was to prove extremely attractive to disinherited and deprived people, both in America and other nations of the world(MacRoberts 1988). â€Å"Pentecost has come to Los Angeles, the American Jerusalem. Every sect, creed and doctrine under heaven†¦ as well as every nation is represented. †(Frank Bartleman,1906). The Inter racial Aspect The interracial mingling at the congregations was a stark contrast to the existing racial tensions and segregations of the times. The interracial aspects of the movement in Los Angeles were a striking exception to the racism and segregation of the times. The phenomenon of blacks and whites worshipping together under a black pastor seemed incredible to many observers. The event also cemented William Seymour’s place as not only the most influential black leader in American History, but also as a co-founder of world Pentecostalism(Deyoung et al 2003). â€Å"This is the work of God, and cannot be stopped. While our enemies scold, we pray and the fire burns† Household of God, Nov. 1907 Spread of Pentecostal The Azusa Street movement in 1906, led by the African-American preacher William Joseph Seymour provided the much needed impetus for the spread of the Pentecostal faith, which until then had not really captured popular imagination. The first wave of â€Å"Azusa pilgrims† journeyed throughout the United States spreading the Pentecostal fire, primarily in holiness churches, missions, and camp meetings. In America Gaston Barnabas Cashwell of North Carolina, who spoke in tongues in 1906 was one of the Azusa Pilgrims, whose six-month preaching tour of the South in 1907 resulted in major inroads among southern holiness folk. Under his ministry, Cashwell saw several holiness denominations swept into the new movement, including the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), the Pentecostal Holiness Church, the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church, and the Pentecostal Free-Will Baptist Church. Also in 1906, Charles Harrison Mason ,upon his return to Memphis from Azusa Street, spread the Pentecostal fire in the Church of God in Christ. The Church he founded comprised African-Americans only one generation removed from slavery. (The parents of both Seymour and Mason had been born as southern slaves). Although tongues caused a split in the church in 1907, the Church of God in Christ experienced such explosive growth that by 1993, it was by far the largest Pentecostal denomination in North America, claiming some 5,500,000 members in 15,300 local churches. Another Azusa pilgrim was William H. Durham of Chicago. After receiving his tongues experience at Azusa Street in 1907, he returned to Chicago, where he led thousands of mid-western Americans and Canadians into the Pentecostal movement. In 1914, he established the Assemblies of God, which by 1993 had over 2,000,000 members in the U.  S. and some 25,000,000 adherents in 150 nations of the world. Conclusion The Pentecostal Movement has proved to be a major force in Christendom throughout the world with unprecedented exponential growth of adherents. By the Nineties, The Pentecostals and their charismatic brothers and sisters in the mainline Protestant and Catholic churches had turned their energy and resources to world evangelization. The future will reveal the ultimate results of this movement which has greatly impacted the world during the Twentieth Century.

Kellogg Case Study Essay

Qualitative research establishes a conversation with consumers. It prompts consumer reaction to, for example, a new product idea and helps researchers understand what they think of it, how it makes them feel, why they find it interesting or not. Qualitative research may be obtained through focus groups, where a  moderator captures feedback from a group of six or seven  consumers to the ideas shown to them. Those ideas may take  the format of drawings or having new food prototypes to taste. Quantitative research may use questionnaires administered to large numbers of respondents. This allows statistical analysis, such as the calculation of a mean score or percentages. It aims to give a representative picture of what consumers think of a new product idea or a new (real) food. It may involve the use of scales, so numbers get associated with a particular meaning – for  example, on a evaluation scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means ‘very poor’ and 7 means ‘excel lent’. Crucially those numbers need to be interpreted to enable the business to understand the  consumer’s overall response. In addition, Kellogg’s used secondary research which is existing research that has already been collected by other organisations. Sources of secondary data include books, journals, the internet and government statistics. Market research agencies collect a range of data which they process and use to provide organisations like Kellogg’s with research. The benefits of secondary research are that it is quicker and often less expensive than primary, although it may not always be completely related to the needs of a specific project. Information gathering –  discovery to selection For Kellogg’s, the order in which the information is gathered is as important as the type of information being gathered. In order to develop the new Crunchy Nut Bites, Kellogg’s undertook four distinct stages of research. Stage 1: Discovery Initial research aimed to identify a set of new food ideas that would be  suitable for developing a new Crunchy Nut product. Secondary research from Mintel and Datamonitor was used to  find out about innovation trends in the cereal market. It was also used to find out about new products, flavours and foods from around the world. Food developers at Kellogg’s used this  information to come up with a number of new food ideas. Focus groups were used to provide qualitative research. These were used to show consumers the new food ideas in the form of a number of different (real) food prototypes, including a mini crispy lattice product and a nutty triangle. The focus groups captured the attitudes and feelings of consumers towards the new foods. This primary research helped Kellogg’s to find out how new product suggestions could be developed and still fit in with the Crunchy Nut brand. It helped Kellogg’s to establish what consumers were looking for in terms of potential new flavours and textures. The results allowed Kellogg’s to discard some ideas. Other ideas were appealing for consumers but needed refining and further development. At the end of this stage, Kellogg’s had a number of new food ideas that all seemed to appeal to consumers. Stage 2: Selecting the best idea This stage aimed to select the best idea arising from the stage 1 research. Kellogg’s put the ideas from the focus group on boards. The boards had pictures showing product ideas and a description of what the new product would be like. These boards were then shown to a large group of representative consumers in a  quantitative survey. They were asked to rate those ideas against a number of scales, so Kellogg’s could identify which product ideas consumers liked best or disliked. The quantitative data created specific statistical information that indicated that a new Crunchy Nut Bites idea was perceived as the most appealing amongst all the ideas tested. †¢ It established what proportion of people liked the new product idea enough to buy it. †¢ It also identified those product ideas that had the best or least sales potential. Information gathering –  development to launch Stage 3: Crafting the idea into a complete new product Once the best idea had been selected from stage 2, Kellogg’s needed to make this idea become a real product. The Crunchy Nut Bites food prototype recipe was refined using the feedback from another qualitative and quantitative survey. The qualitative research helped Kellogg’s food technologists to explore the taste and texture of the new food idea in more detail. Kellogg’s needed to understand the ‘eating experience’ of the consumer before a decision could be made about how to develop the recipe in more detail. Following this stage, four product recipes were developed and these prototypes were then tested with representative groups of consumers in a quantitative survey to  see which product consumers preferred. This enabled Kellogg’s to select the best one. Also, at this stage, the pack design for the new Crunchy Nut Bites was developed. Several designs were developed aimed at giving the new product the same look and feel as the rest of the Crunchy Nut family. The packaging designs were tested with  consumers, which enabled Kellogg’s to select the final packaging design for Crunchy Nut Bites Stage 4: Forecasting sales for the new Crunchy Nut Bites At Kellogg’s, every product has to undergo one final test prior to a new product launch. This is called the ‘In Home Usage Test’. The consumers are given the product to try for several days and this enables Kellogg’s to capture how consumers interact with the product for the first time. At the end of the trial, consumers complete a report on what they thought of the food in the form of a questionnaire. This final survey measures how appealing the new product is to consumers and how likely they would be to buy it in real life. The data collected also helped to calculate a sales forecast for the new product for the first and second year in market. The forecast was used by the finance department to set budgets, organise the supply chain and to schedule food production. Once the data  was analysed and the product concept tested, Kellogg’s was able to make the strategic decision to go ahead with the new product. Production could then take place. Conclusion Kellogg’s used market research throughout the whole development process for a new product for the Crunchy Nut range, from the initial idea to the planning of production and delivery. During the earlier stages of research, consumer responses helped Kellogg’s to explore lots of different ideas in an open way. It then crafted some ideas in more detail and screened those ideas with consumers to select the one which seemed to have the highest appeal. The idea became real by testing several recipes, refining the food prototype selected and developing the design for packaging. Once the food and packaging elements for the new product had been developed, the whole product was tested with consumers to ensure it met their needs. The data also provided a sales forecast to predict the first two years of sales of Crunchy Nut Bites. Crunchy Nut Bites has extended the Crunchy Nut family of products. In doing so it has brought new consumers to the brand and  increased its consumption. Kellogg’s launched Crunchy Nut Bites in September 2008. Sales data shows it was one of the best  performing brands to launch in the breakfast cereal category with a sales value of  £6.9 million in its first full year of sales.* This illustrates that the detailed market research undertaken during the planning stages was valuable. It helped to ensure that the product extension hit the spot with consumers straight away.

Activism and Change for New South Wales Prison in Australia

The proportion of the assaults in overcrowded New South Wales has soared up to 37 percent. Between the 20 th and 21 st centuries, the imprisonment rate in NSW rose by 20 percent. In 2008, the capital expenditure and net recurrent on the Australian’ prisons were noted exceeding over $2.6 billion per year (Butler & Kariminia, 2010, p. 19). The strategies to reduce imprisonment was not being successful. In the same time, the rate of indigenous imprisonment rose by percentage of 41. More than 27,000 people were held in the prison where it could cost the prison $200 daily to keep that particular person in the prison. Back two decades, Territory governments and the states have come up with alternatives in prisoning the criminals. This assisted in curbing the growth of the numbers in the prisons as well as correctional outlays. It is evidenced that these sprouting alternatives are effective in reducing imprisonment which is quite costly. Due to the current developments in Australia, the rate of crime has reduced. The political shift has contributed to escalating rates of imprisonment and introduction of justice in criminal strategy in reliance on crime response (Preen, 2011, p. 66).In the NSW there was the introduction of justice reinvestment. The movement is gaining a lot of traction in Australia. Justice reinvestment is concerned with the advancement of fiscally-sound, the criminal justice and data-driven policies in breaking the recidivism, make the safety of the communities and avert the prison's expenditure (Krieg, 2007, p. 532). The aim of the strategy is to quantify subsequent reinvestments and savings in the high-stakes of the neighborhoods in which majority of the people who are released from the jails and the prisons return. For example; abandoned housing, redeveloping and the better coordinating of services which include; treatment of the mental health, substance abuse, education and job training. In Austr alia, the justice reinvestments strategies have started to gain political traction in the aid of pressure-groups work; for instance, Sydney-based Crime and the Justice Reform Committees (CJRC) which was established by Hal Sperling QC, the retired judge of the Supreme Court in NSW. Eventually, the dominant factors of reducing the rate of property crime appeared to be justice reinvestment, reduction of heroin use, managing the long terms unemployment and the rising of weekly earnings. Due to the rapidly increasing population in the NSW prisons, the stakeholders came up with some ways to reduce this population growth in the prisons. Some of the ways to reduce Aboriginal incarceration rate include; Empowering the communities was one of the best ways of reducing the Aboriginal rates  (Baldwin & Leete, 2012). The empowerment will make the people not to engage in offensive behaviors to meet their needs. Provision of loans to the Aboriginal people made it possible to reduce the crime rates which in turn reduce the populations in the prisons. Aboriginal leadership and Employment are crucial ways for successful reduction of the population in the NSW prisons  (Butler & Kariminia, 2010). There was a strong Aboriginal women group who held a position on the committees who worked as liaison officers. They dealt with the offenders when the police officers were not around.   The youths were trained in horticulture and tourism jobs. These programs assist in reducing the domestic violence rates. When the population of the young offenders was noticed being high in the prisons, the government introduce some passages of their mentoring program and imaginations which include, sport, IT and music. In NSW, the prisoners were given a chance to go for boxing training 3 times weekly  (Krieg, 2007). The trainers were mentoring these young people because they were elder. This changed the attitudes of the offenders and could not engage in crime because they feared being jailed. The Australian state copied Canadian model known as healing lodges. The lodges are set according to the Aboriginal culture where the Aboriginal staff was the majority  (Maplestone, 2006). In the healing lodges, there was a therapeutic treatment which assisted the residents to overcome the driving force to offending. There were also programs for spiritual healing. The spiritual programs assisted the offenders by drawing attention to the Aboriginal ancestors who could bring the connections with the land, culture, and family leading to population reduction in the prisons. To achieve the national agenda reform, the government propose some reforms which will move the mere concept of justice reinvestment leading to the measurable and tangible national reforms agenda. For the government to succeed, it established sites for local implementation (Weatherburn & Corben, 2009, p. 6). The government has set some goals which would help in creating justice in the NSW. Goal 1. Improvement of all the Australian systems of justice in order to deliver justice needs comprehensively of the Torres’ Strait Islander and Aboriginal people in a very equitable and fair manner. Goal 2. Reduction of Torres Straits Islander and Aboriginal offenders, victims, and defenders in the systems of criminal justice. Goal 3. Making sure that the people feel safe in the places of residence. Goal 4.   Safety increment and offending reduction within the indigenous communities through addressing of alcohol and the substance abuse. The NSW correction systems contain two main components. There are about 13,000 inmates on prison side (Hew & Simba, 2013, p. 20). There are around 60 offices on community side and around the estate. The aim was to supervise the offenders in the community serving the court orders from the community services orders to parole. Its main goal is the preservation of the community’s safety through keeping the inmates secure, reducing reoffending and supervision of the community’s offenders.   The corrective Services' need is the provision of education to the inmates, vocational training and coming up with programs of addressing the behavior offending (Kilroy, 2016, p. 8). Corrections system has undergone a significant change because there are government investments over extra programs and dozen current prisons in reducing reoffending and raising standards. There are complex needs for women prisoners. The women's needs are vulnerable and complex in high population prisons. The complex connections between the economic, social, gathered issues and health are brought to greater focus during the process of looking disadvantaged group, for instance, Aboriginal women (Maplestone, 2006, p. 10). Indigenous women are making a high population percentage in the NWS imprisoned women. Some qualitative studies were conducted to learn the needs and experiences of the indigenous women are involved in the criminal justice systems. It was thought that the indigenous women are overrepresented because of the over policing in the Aboriginal community. The sentence lengths were reduced by the license release systems.   There was the conviction of corruption in the imprisonment in the conjunction of the scheme. Due to lack of transparency in the prisons, the National Reform found it challenging in controlling the criminal offenses in the NSW prisons. The Government has set recommendations in advancing the justice issues in the prisons. The government has come up with the establishment of; Rehabilitation centers: It is an essential element of providing safety in the community in delivering an effective response in promoting rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. It has been a key consideration for framing the deliberations of the panel in its reviews of availability of rehabilitation evidence in the current practice. One of the ways to safeguard a community is by imprisoning the offenders. The community as well can be protected by minimizing offensive likelihood after the release. The protective factors when emphasized can help in reducing the population in the prisons. The individual risk involves one avoiding such experiences which trigger in committing a crime. These factors include; peers, family ties, life experiences and the community environment. Risk factors may include; criminal behavior, family breakdown, living conditions and poor health. The government has emphasized more on meeting the basic needs and self-actualization. It was realized that by the government that offending it is not criminal and legal justice problem, offending is also a social problem which has effects and social causes (Vienna, 2014, p. 124). There are some social factors that contribute to the likelihood of criminal behavior. International research has shown that there are strong links between social factors, individual and predisposition in reoffending.   The government has come up with workshops which help in reorganizing one’s behavior and ceasing the injustice ways. Baldwin, J., & Leete, J. (2012). the challenge of an aging prison population. Behind bars, 1, 16-20. Butler, T., & Kariminia, A. (2010). Perspectives and epidemiology. Prison violence, 17, 17-20. Hew, R., & Simba, T. (2013). Barriers to Parole for Aboriginal and Torres Strait. Prisoners' legal service, 10, 1-26. Kilroy, D. (2016). Women in Prison in Australia. Current Issues in Sentencing, 2, 1-12. Krieg, A. S. (2007). health and social impacts. Aboriginal incarceration, 184, 534-536. Maplestone, P. (2006). Ex-Prisoners, Homelessness and the State in Australia. Prison, 39, 1-14. Osborn, M. (2013). New South Wales, Australia. Oral health status of prison inmates, 40, 34-38. Preen, D. B. (2011). estimating the number of deaths among. Counting the cost:, 195, 64-68. Vienna. (2014). Women and Imprisonment. UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATION. Weatherburn, D., & Corben, S. (2009). Crime and Justice, 138, 1-12

The Impact of Good Corporate Governance in Internal Control Essay

The Impact of Good Corporate Governance in Internal Control - Essay Example As result, nowadays, the corporate governance has a significant role to the companies to escape from failures in collapses or fraud. However, the discovery and prevention of fraud are significant challenges facing the business environment. Therefore, the ways in which companies' deals with fraud may enhance either the internal control and independent internal auditor or the need for forensic accounting. The forensic accounting is increasing in many organizations to identify situation, systems and security weaknesses by design and advise measure to reduce and limited inherent risk in the organization. The Enron and WorldCom in the US corporate collapses and fraud shook the foundation of the financial system and corporate governance, therefore; regulators in the U.S reform corporate governance by established the Sarbanes-Oxley act in June 2002 and Cadbury in the UK, in 1992, which now combine code. This assignment will illustrate the impact of good corporate governance in internal cont rol and internal auditing function to prevent fraud and detection. 2. Corporate governance and the prevention of fraud and detection Through the decades, the increase of the complexity of organizational activities have resulted to the increase of the difficulty of their control.   However, a mechanism should be also established ensuring that the rules and the guidelines included in the firm’s corporate governance scheme are followed. In any case, the value of the corporate governance as a framework for preventing fraud and defection across the organization cannot be doubted. This view is analytically explained below referring primarily to the main aspects and the role of corporate governance as a strategic tool for monitoring the progress of the organization in regard to its aims and mission; at the next level, the role of corporate governance in preventing fraud is presented explaining the challenges and the benefits of the involvement of corporate governance in such activity. 2.1 Corporate governance – role and characteristics Different approaches can be used in order to explain the role of corporate governance in modern organizations. In accordance with Anand (2007) corporate governance is a framework that ‘incorporates almost every aspe ct of corporate life’ (Anand 2007, p.77); however, it is explained that in its common form, the corporate governance framework consists of rules that aim to protect the interests of the firm’s shareholders (Anand 2007). On the other hand, Du Plessis et al. (2010) note that the term ‘corporate governance’ can incorporate many elements; among these elements two are considered to be the most important: the promotion of the interests of the shareholders and ‘the regulation/ monitoring of the corporate conduct’ (Du Plessis et al. 2010, p.10).  

Nuclear Power Plant Safety System Research Paper

Nuclear Power Plant Safety System - Research Paper Example It is for this reason that extreme safety measures are normally adopted in nuclear power plants. The safety measures are normally taken to prevent any leak of the radioactive materials into the environment as a result of accident, breakdown and/or waste (INSAG). This paper therefore, aims at discussing the safety systems present in nuclear power plants’ reactors. The heart of a nuclear power plant is a nuclear reactor. It is in the reactor that those nuclear reactions (nuclear fusion or fission reaction) that produce heat energy (heat energy used to heat steam) take place. Therefore, all nuclear radiations are produced in the reactors as either leaks or wastes. It is for this reason that extreme systems are incorporated in these nuclear reactors. The objectives of nuclear reactor safety systems include: The above objectives of nuclear reactor safety systems are usually accomplished by use of a variety of equipment and machinery. These different equipment and machinery usually perform different specific roles in relation to nuclear power plant (reactor) safety (Nuclear Energy Agency). The safety systems and equipment that are usually available in all nuclear power plants include but not limited to following. In case nuclear reaction in the reactors is needed to be stopped urgently (as in the case of an accident) safety injection system can be used to bring the reaction to a halt. This is usually done by injecting a fluid (liquid) directly into the core of the reactor that usually absorbs the neutrons (INSAG). Basically, for boiling water nuclear reactors, the injecting liquid is usually a boron based solution, for instance boric acid. The boric acid (or any other boron associated liquid) is injected so as to displace water that is in the reactor core.

Case 1 Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

1 - Case Study Example Delinquent orders have been accumulating while the company was not able to fulfill these increasing orders. Some of the Solar Feeder parts were even contracted to other suppliers with SDI only having the responsibility of assembling the parts. The company could, however, not maintain full and successful control on its sub-contractors (Brown and Abercrombie). Quality problem in the parts received from the suppliers was poor, which also facilitated the slow delivery. This factor is further attributed to the fact that it would always take SDI a lot of time to adjust the poor quality parts to the desired quality before the delivery is done. Consequently, the production process had to slow down significantly. Further much down time as well as production reject was experienced. Addressing the issue would require the management to look at the best ways to gain control over suppliers in order to quicken the parts quality and delivery. This will further boost production quality and quantity a nd hence revenue generation. Break even volume refers to the number of a product units that SDI has to sell in order for its sales revenues to equal to its total costs. In this regard, considerations of both unit costs and start-up costs are done. As for now, SDI Inc. has not achieved a breakeven of sales. The company’s costs and sales revenues need to balance in order to achieve a breakeven volume of sales (Hofstrand). From a look at the SDI financial ratios, it can easily be noticed that the company has a long way to go before achieving a breakeven volume of sales. The company is still facing losses, but not profits. The gross profit margin of the company is 59% (Brown and Abercrombie). This is based on the difference between the sales and cost of goods sold all divided by the sales. Considering that there are still other expenses/costs, which have to be deducted in the gross profits, the total costs are fur much above the sales revenue (Hofstrand). With a net

India- Socio- Cultural Variables Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

India- Socio- Cultural Variables - Essay Example During the last century while the world's population grew three fold, India population grew four fold. This increase could have been much more if the government of India had not adopted population control measures for the last three decades. Spread over an area of around 3.3 million square kilometers, it is the seventh largest country in the world. India is the world's largest democracy with a population nearly four times that of the United States. Indian government has adopted the British Parliamentary system with valuable inputs from USA and European governments. Population density is an indication of population concentration. It is defined as the number of persons per square kilometer. Official census figures of government of India indicate that the population density of India in 2001 was 324 persons per square kilometer, which indicates that now 57 more people live in a square kilometer area in the country than the number that lived a decade ago. In 1901 the density of India was as low as 77 and this steadily increased from to reach 324 in 2001. The cause of worry for the Indian government is that this increase is not matched equally by the increase in healthy food, diet and other resources. Per capita income in India is approx. INR 12500 i.e. approx. $290. Contrast this with the per capita income of US, which is more than $40000, while US population is less than one fourth of India. Such disturbing figures give rise to discontentment amongst the masses. If we look towards India as a market, it is indeed a very attractive market. Because, market needs customers - the more the merrier. Of late this market of more than a Billion people has been attracting MNCs in good numbers. If per capita income is less here then cost of production is also less so goods and services are priced accordingly. Indian government is also in the facilitating mode to Investments from abroad. Therefore from the investment point of view I'd give it 7 out of 10. Age Profile and Employment Scenario: Though official poverty figures have been coming down sharply e.g. the figures indicate that poverty ratio came down from 36% in 1993-94 to 26% in 1999-2000, yet a large number of educated youth remain unemployed. The population of India is estimated to be 1.4 billion (1,400 million) by the year 2025, and youth will form the majority of the population. With this problem in sight, the tenth five-year plan targets that gainful and high-quality employment will be provided to the majority. Unlike some of its neighbors, education level in India has been quite good. Engineering and Management graduates from Indian Institutions have left their mark in many international companies. The Pentium chip of Intel had the brain of an Indian. Majority of the H1B visa holders in USA are from India. The recent trend of outsourcing ITES towards Indian subcontinent is the testimony for the education level and technical capability of Indian youth. From an Investment point of view, I feel Indian youth wil l prove very helpful. I'll give 9 points out of 10. Entrepreneurship culture Historically, India is not much known as the nation of venture capitalists. Indians preferred to play safe. But the IT bug seems to have converted them into venture capitalists as well. For example, Hotmail was the brainchild of a 25 year old Indian youth Sabeer Bhatia. He made billions by selling it to

Critique of relevant readings and other research on whole school Essay

Critique of relevant readings and other research on whole school development and SDPs linked to my SDP - Essay Example Clough and Corbett say that first education involves professionals been given the responsibility to deal with the handicapped and ‘difficult-to-teach children. Children with special needs need to be taken from normal schools to special schools, which can adequately cater for their needs. Where teachers have special training to handle them and the facilities suit them. Social response sees special education arising from social processes. It is true to say that the education acts of 1981 with its formal structure of assessment and statementing made it possible to remove the boundaries of public expenditure and made it possible to maintain the status quo. Clough and Corbett (2006) say that the different approaches to curricular all circulate upon the fact of what we ask the learner to do, how and when we ask it. This will help the learner establish success, as the community sees it. Using Stenhouse`s research they say that in order to bring into practice classroom and teaching pla ns closer a teacher evaluation is needed for curriculum development to take place. They say that it is only recently in the last decade that school effectiveness was considered something important in schools. Disability studies are entirely different from educational studies. They cite the work of Oliver who wrote the paper ‘The Social and Political Context of Educational Policy: The Case of Special Needs’. Ainscow (2006) inclusion associated with children with special needs when it comes to education. This meaning is gotten from the Education Act 1986 in which inclusion was seen as an act of temporarily or permanently removing a child from school institutions because of disciplinary causes. He defines inclusion as a process that involves overcoming pressures of exclusion, instead of seeing inclusion as being stopped from attending school, seeing it as a way of discriminatory, devaluing and self protection that takes place in the schools and society There are three defi nitions that he gives that the majority of people can accept. The first is that inclusion a way of improving the child`s participation and reducing their exclusion from cultures, the curricula and the communities of the local schools, secondly that it is revising the practices, cultures and practices so as to deal with the different variety of students in schools, and lastly the participation, presence and achievement of children how are likely to face exclusion pressures. Practices such as the reduction of bullying and including parents and professionals in the surroundings of the school in its running are also key aspects of inclusion. Staff in learning institutions should be included when making decisions about learning and teaching activities. The various identities and family backgrounds of the students should also be put into consideration; this will support learning and boost participation of students in school work (Holye, 1). Hoyle (2008) the government wanted that every ch ild no matter their background to have access to health and that they are safe, able to enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and that they are able to their economic well-being. This involves the institutions giving these services to children such as hospitals, the police and school coming together and establishing ways of delivering their services effectively. There are other challenges that the government of England has to deal with other

American Born Chinese Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Born Chinese - Essay Example They are intended to change the whole viewpoint that the readers have about that particular scenario. These writings are always radical in nature and tend to convince the reader to see things from the same viewpoint. One such text is American Born Chinese, a 2008 graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang and Lark Pien that contains a great deal of protest. It can be easily noticed in the plot development of the story, and this will be the basis of discussion in this paper. The story begins with the monkeys hanging on the trees; generally, one would say that this is the nature of monkeys. They are supposed to live on trees. However, according to Yang, there is one monkey, the king of monkeys that has ruled the other monkeys for many years. At this time, he has mastered the ways of the gods; these ways are the eight Kung-fu disciplines. As a result of his reaching, he yearns to leave the monkeys behind and join the ranks of the gods. This is the first act of protest that we encounter. One could comfortably say that it is part of monkeys’ nature to stay on trees and behave like any other animal (Yang 4). However, here we encounter a monkey that wants to protest against all that and elevate itself to another level. It wants to behave like a god. In addition to this, the monkey wants to protest against the true nature of the monkeys by passing a rule that all monkeys must wear shoes just like human beings. This is another protest because generally, monkeys and all other animals do not wear shoes. For the monkeys, this would even make their life harder since they cannot climb trees while wearing shoes. The monkey becomes arrogant to other gods when he starts to demand that he should be treated like an equal. The leader of the gods, Tze-Yo-Tzuh, tells him, ‘you are what I created you to be.’ Tze-Yo-Tzuh further tells him that he made him from the rock (Yang 7). The monkey challenges the gods’ king to prove this and tries to run away, but the king catc hes him. After learning that he cannot change who he is, he still refuses to repent, and the king of the gods buries him under a mountain rock till a time when he realizes and accepts who he is. Here, Yang tries to prove that when we try to be different persons from what we are we will only end up hurting ourselves. Another protest that we encounter in this comical novel arises from a character, Jin Wang. At this point, Yang introduces us to a boy born of immigrant parents in the United States. His life in the states is virtually peaceful; however, when his family moves from San Francisco to a white dominated suburban region, his life changes. He finds that he is the only Chinese in the whole school, and this fact makes him a subject to the prejudice (Yang 31). This is the point where he begins protesting against his culture. He constantly has to tell the other children in the school that he was born in America, and that his family does not eat dogs. Yang, at this point exhibits ano ther protest, which is against his culture. Jin Wang does not want to be associated with the Chinese way of life yet this is his culture (Yang 31). Jin Wang struggles to fit in his white peers’ way of life in every aspect. He even eats sandwiches (Yang 37), food that is not common for his culture. Jin struggles to be like the whites even when he is not in the school environment. This is evident in the conversation that he has with an old lady about being what he wants to be. The lady replies by telling him, ‘

Adolescence problems Essay Example for Free

Adolescence problems Essay Adolescence describes the teenage years between 13 and 19 and can be considered the transitional stage from childhood to adulthood. However, the physical and psychological changes that occur in adolescence can start earlier, during the preteen or tween years (ages 9-12). Adolescence can be a time of both disorientation and discovery. The transitional period can bring up issues of independence and self-identity. Sometimes adolescents may be experimenting with drugs and alcohol or sexuality. During this time, peer groups and external appearance tend to increase in importance. Home BiologyHuman Population and Health Top Problems of Adolescence Most problems of adolescence are due to failure in understanding the anatomical, morphological and psychological changes expected during adolescence. Psychologically, adolescence is such a vulnerable stage that boys / girls of this age are easily carried away by perceptions generated by Misleading and misguiding parents, teachers, friends, brother/sisters. Ignorance of elders. Half informed or ill informed friends, brothers, sisters. Wrongful messages depicted through TV serials, advertisements, films Publications carrying partially or fully false information. Such perceptions can be anything in the range of studies, sex, society, married life, career, religion, politics, or any relevant subject. Every adolescent boy or girl is prone to such exposures which ultimately are retained as perceptions in their minds to form their behavioural patterns. The problems of adolescence are classified as morphological / developmental psychological social educational Some problems are absolutely unimportant and trivial. They could be easily ignored. But even such problems cause great concern to adolescent people. Psychological Problems 3. Social 4. Educational 5. Social Implications Morphological / Developmental Problems Back to Top over growth of hair or undergrowth of hair over weight and underweight skin colour problems Facial deformities, pimples, etc. Limb deformities Abnormal growth of genitals and breasts. Psychological Problems Back to Top Ignorance about many basic facts leads to psychological problems like Misconceptions about sexual feelings, sex related issues. Misconceptions about child birth, reproduction. Misconceptions about coitus, menstrual cycles. Fear about sex and sexual issues. Guilt feeling about sex related issues. Inferiority / Superiority complex about skin colour, beauty, mental ability and IQ. Inexplicable perceptions about dress and fashion codes. Wrong and unrealistic ideologies about friendship and courtship. Perceptional or communicational or preconceived complications about their teachers and parents. Attraction towards opposite sex. Unrealistic and illogical curiosity about sex and sex related issues. Exceptional vulnerability to suicide psychology. Social Back to Top Anticipated unemployment and insecurity due to unemployment. Unwarranted and inexplicable hatredness towards brother / sisters, friends. Intense closeness with brothers / sisters, friends. Unpredictable and volatile relationships with friends. Unrealistic social perceptions about violence, love, sex as influenced by media. Unusually vulnerable and volatile relations with relatives. Fear / imagination about married life, life partners. Educational Back to Top Tensions of attending the classes, examinations and tests. Low IQ feeling. Fear about failure in examination. Fear about low score. Fear and concern about a future career. Misconceptions about teachers. Due to many problems faced during adolescence, the boys and girls of the age between 8 16 form a separate category by themselves. Their problems are specific to themselves. Most of the problems faced by them are perceptional. By timely and effective guidance many of their problems could be solved. Some of them may need medical / psychiatric attention. In India, the parents influence their behaviour, thoughts and are in position to solve many problems if they have positive approach. Despite all efforts being made by parents, teachers, large number of adolescents face one or many problems. When the problem is aggravated, the parents may take them to doctors. But most of them face minor problems modifying their behavioural patterns, personality as a whole. The implications of problems in adolescence can be moral or social. Social Implications Back to Top Future citizen may have a high IQ due to positive thinking and reorientation of their mental resources towards positive personality development. A section of future population may turn into disgruntled, impatient group of people due to grooming of misconceptions about society, love, law, relations, etc. Due to wrong educational policies and ever growing unemployment problems a section of population may turn hostile against the whole society, which breeds and deepens the antisocial activities and perverted thinking. Many of the wrong perception about sex related problems may lead them to unwanted motherhood, anxiety or illegal termination of pregnancy. Some problems during adolescence are decisive in building the personalities (positive and negative) who may or may not utilize the opportunities open to them during their later life. When teachers, parents, brothers /sisters or any close person has positive dominant personality to effectively guide the adolescent at right time they turn out to be very useful section of future population. Imaginary fear, imaginary anxieties and unrealistic expectations as well as host of strong misconceptions may ultimately end up with personalities of negative / perverted thoughts. In extreme disillusions, tension, wrongful personality and maladjustments a section of population may have to be psychiatric patients. Psychosis of mild nature may remain untreated and unnoticed. Such people will not do anything useful to the society or their families. Adolescent being influenced by mass media like electronic media, print media or computer culture may be guided or misguided by such exposure. When misguided they are likely to develop negative perception about many social values. The social implications of adolescent problems are dependent upon social structure. In a country like India where family ties are strong due to emotional, financial, religious attachments the gravity of implications are less. But in an individualistic society like US / Europe where family ties are shallow the gravity of implications can be far more serious. Finding help for families, teenagers and children can be a challenge. But there is good news. Information and referral systems are available from our schools, medical offices, news magazines, the yellow pages and even the Internet. Many parents are finding help and discovering resources by asking family, friends and their co-workers. In fact, information and referrals based on a personal recommendation is a great way to find help. Unfortunately, finding help for children and families has become more  difficult than finding help for most adults problems. For instance, health insurance has many restrictions that limit who you can see and what services they can provide. Most of the problems that families and children face are not covered and only certain diagnoses will be treated. Public programs across the country lack adequate funding. The schools have programs, but they desperately need more staff and money to meet the demands that currently exist. There are many private counselors who work with children, but there are only a few who work with families and children who have serious behavioral and emotional problems. The consequence when children don’t get the help they need can be tragic. Parents and families give up when they don’t know what to do, when they are discouraged and when they lack adequate information. Finding and getting help means you need to get oriented and understand the problems and potential solutions. Behavior Problems. In order to deal with a problem it will help a great deal if parents can describe the problem in terms that may lead to a solution. Here are the problems that I see parents and their children facing. Many of these will surface in small children or they may not appear until children become teenagers. Social withdrawal and isolation Refusal to go to school Demanding and selfish attitude Disregard for rules, responsibilities and family functioning Poor study behavior and skills Unfocused or disruptive behavior in classroom Grades and school performance dropping Erratic or emotionally unstable behavior Poor hygiene and grooming Behavior is disrespectful or defiant Involved in high risk and reckless activities Using alcohol or other drugs Skipping school Stealing or theft Destructive, threatening or violent behavior Self-harming or suicidal behavior Typical Causes. It takes time for problems to become critical, life threatening or intolerable. At some point, one can trace the cause to one or more factors. A pattern of problems will usually occur over time before a problem becomes a crisis. Identifying these factors can help characterize the evolution of a problem or a crisis, the appropriate response and the potential solution that may be necessary. Brittle or fragile emotional temperament Social demands exceed current ability Peer and social pressures Failure to provide rules, discipline and a bonded relationship with a child Parental divorce or separation Family conflict and discord Neglect or abandonment Traumatic experience Undiagnosed medical or psychological problem Untreated parental alcoholism, drug abuse or mental disorder Alcohol and other drug use What are the Solutions?. The first step is to define the problem and a potential cause. After that, you need to explore potential solutions. There are at least several dozen potential solutions to any problem. That is a lot to consider. Unfortunately, access to many of these resources may depend on the parent’s employment benefits and their income. Many public programs have waiting lists and may exclude children if the problem is not severe enough. Exclusion from public programs does not mean the problem is minor. Many programs are full and can only take children with more severe problems. The following is a partial list of potential solutions. Self-help Parenting education and training Individual counseling and therapy Group counseling and therapy Parenting consultation and advice Family counseling and therapy Increased parental involvement and supervision Tutoring Special education programs Change schools Outdoor activities or adventure programs Move to a new area Parenting by other family members Foster care Health and human service case management Private school Day treatment therapy program Boarding school Therapeutic boarding school Residential treatment program Medication intervention Psychiatric hospitalization Police or law enforcement response Diagnosis can be misleading. There are many ways to define problems. One of the least useful and potentially harmful is to rely entirely on a diagnosis. A diagnosis alone can be misleading. Many problems are not solved because the problem was diagnosed, the underlying problems were missed or ignored, and the diagnosis suggested an approach that was inadequate and unfocused. A diagnosis can create a false sense of certainty. Why? Because the diagnostic procedures used in mental health are not much more sophisticated than one used to diagnose a headache or a stomach ache. For instance, there are many forms of headaches and stomach aches. There are many things that can cause a headache a tumor, tension, injury, eye strain, diet, disease, flu, allergies, a cold or bacterial infections etc.. In mental health, no matter how rigidly we use diagnostic criteria, or how sophisticated the interview process, we are still looking at patterns that have many origins. There can be many sources and causes for a particular problem – especially family problems that involve children. A traumatic experience can result in many different problems. The behaviors associated with attention deficits and hyperactivity can be caused and maintained by many things. As a result, there are many potential outcomes and approaches, and these can vary with each family, their beliefs, values, attitudes, culture, ethnicity and their resources. Parents need more than a diagnosis. It helps to understand a problem in a manner that can tell us how a potential solution may work. It’s not enough to say that a child is depressed and they need to talk to a counselor. A child who is living in an abusive home may be depressed and emotionally withdrawn, but they don’t necessarily need therapy to express their emotions. The family may be the more important focus and the most important part of the solution. Counseling and Therapy. Counseling and therapy is a mixed bag as far as solutions go. There are more than 200 types of counselors and therapists. Trying to find the right one can be overwhelming or end up a waste of time. There is also a great deal of similarity between some counselors and some therapists. Counseling is not therapy. Counseling usually results in a realization, a plan or a decision. A therapist provides an environment of activities that bring about change – almost like exercise. There are no simple words of advice or a formula that will absolutely insure that your family or child will find the right person. Trial and error may be required. But there are four guidelines that have been shown to increase the likelihood of success. Become invested. Educate yourself, gather information and become actively invested in understanding the problem and selecting a counselor or therapist. Learn how it works. Don’t select a particular counselor or therapist unless you believe they can clearly describe the problem, how their approach to therapy or counseling works, and how that approach will resolve the problem. The relationship heals. The relationship you and your child have with a counselor or therapist as well as their approach are equally important. Work with people you and your child trust, like and believe is competent. Get references. Ask for the names of other parents or professionals who can recommend a potential counselor or therapist. There is no better reference than a credible recommendation and past success with similar problems. Medications. The use of medication can present a real solution and a real problem for most parents. Medications can have a powerful effect on the mood and behavior of children. For parents who have tried everything else, medications can make the difference between a life lost and a chance to become a reasonably successful adult. There are certain realities when one decides to use medication. For one thing, psychiatric medications for behavioral and mental health problems will treat the symptoms and not the cause. Medications do not cure psychological, emotional and behavioral problems. Psychiatric medications that are used to treat depression, anxiety, mood swings, attention deficits, hyperactivity and disorganized thinking always affect another part of a child’s body and brain. These side-effects are not clearly understood and the long term impact on growing children is still uncertain. Law suites are surfacing and legislators are proposing legislation to address recognized dangers in the wrongful medication on children. While one should be cautious about the use of medications to treat behavioral problems, there is certainly a place for these drugs. In severe cases, and cases where parents cannot afford therapy and special schools, medications can bring hope to an otherwise hopeless situation. In some cases, children may require medication to simply participate in school, family activities and counseling or therapy. More importantly, a child’s personality and attitude in life will be damaged if that child is left in a depressed, anxious or otherwise dysfunctional state for an extended period of time. Medication can be a life boat and deterrent against psychological and social trauma that come from serious but temporary problems that would otherwise destroy a child’s attitude toward life. But before you start any medication, ask your pharmacist for information on the side effects. The Power of Parenting and Family. Parents and family members can have the most powerful impact of a child’s behavior, attitude and approach to life. Put simply, children are persuaded and impressed by the people they spend the most time with and the people who matter most. That should be the child’s parents and family. Why? Because a therapist can only provide an exceptional environment, relationship and activities for an hour or so a week. Individual counseling and therapy may not be enough for most children especially if that child is facing social pressure, temptations, painful experiences and inappropriate role models during the remainder of the week. In most cases, individual therapy or counseling without parental or family involvement is not enough. In some cases, therapy and counseling can result in a child developing unrealistic expectation of their parents and family. It is easier to be a therapist than it is to be a parent. This is why family education and involvement in counseling and therapy may be essential. Therapy and counseling should never replace the essential role of parents or a family. It should support those roles. But if parents are unwilling or unable to become involved with their child or in therapy, then therapy can provide the support that some children desperately need. Peers and Social Pressure. At a very early age, many children are profoundly influenced by their peers. It has been repeatedly observed in social science that children learn behaviors and will adopt the attitude of children they are emotionally bonded with. As children begin to bond with other children, they seek approval, advice and even direction for their life. The struggle for independence and separation from parents is a natural process. However, problems will invariably surface, attitudes may become hostile, and values can become lost when parents become less involved with their children. Social pressure is a powerful tendency for children to imitate and adopt the behavior and emotional sensitivity of others. Children begin to think the way they talk with their friends. Children tend to become what they think about.

Comparison of Different Asian Capital Markets

Comparison of Different Asian Capital Markets Capital market is like an investment funds such as bonds, equities and mortgages are traded in the market. Then, capital market can be defined as a market of securities or equities or debt, where a company as well as government can raise a long-term fund. The market of money is provided longer than a year. If it is the raising of short term funds, then it will be taking place on other markets that is money market. In this assignment, we are given the title of Asian Market Capital. There are many countries of Asian, so we have chosen few countries to further details on it. There countries include Japan, Indonesia as well as Hong Kong. Among the countries, we have gone further deeper on the country from Japan about their background as well as history. We would further search for the information on the market capital happen in Japan. Moreover, we going to compare the different investor will be having in market capital field. In addition, we will be discussing the advantages and disadvantages of going initial public offering for a firm. The example and details of cases will be further explained in this assignment. Background In this assignment, we will be discussing about the Asians capital market. Among the countries, we choose to go in deep about the capital market in Japan. In Japan, the Japanese venture capital funds managers always to select either direct managerial monitoring or portfolio diversification to manage their firms investment risks (Gorman and Sahlam, 1989). However, in recent years of 2004, JVCs have used a mix of different strategies, including direct managerial monitoring. This change in industry practice provides an opportunity to test the applicability of agency theory in the JVC industry. There will be some background history about market capital happened in Japan in the past years. The graph above shown that the increase of land in Japan has affected the stock price. The price of the land goes to the peak in the year of 1991. However, the peak area for the stocks price is in the year between 1989 and 1990. Moreover, the both prices started to fell when the year of 2000, and it is affected to both prices of land as well as stocks. This shown that the total loan outstanding and real estate loans outstanding held by all Japanese banks in year 1980 to 2000. From the year 1980 to 1990, the both total of loans and real estate loans increased substantially. When the total loans levelled off in year 1990, the real estate loans is continued to increase until the year 1998. Furthermore, there were a happened that Japan faced problem in the year of 1998 that bank failure resulted from excessive real estate lending. For example, the company of Nippon Credit Bank, there were only 25% real estate loan comprised up of the total loans, and it was failed in 1998.( Kentaro Iwatsubo, 2005) Literature Review There are many countries in Asian, and in this assignment we have choose few countries as comparison. That is Japan, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Vietnam about their countrys capital market. JAPAN The business firms from Japan have relationships with commercial main banks. The main banks may hold the equity interests in their credit clients in turn, including investment banks. We study the impact of the relationships between firms, main banks as well as investment banks in Japans initial public offering (IPO) underwriting market. By issuing firms can choose whether to engage an investment bank that is related, by virtue of sharing the same main bank, or to engage a non-related investment bank. There are one of the literature concerns on the effects of banking relationships on access to credit and the cost of raising capital. First, the banking relationships and access to credit according to Stiglitz and Weiss (1981) observe that market frictions related information asymmetry can restrict the flow of the capital to investments. However, Petersen and Rajan (1994) hypothesize that by producing information about firms and using the information in their decisions can be partially solving the problem of market friction to the creditors. There are small effect on the cost of credit if ties with creditors, but the available of credits financing is more for firms with ties. Secondly, there are the concerns about commercial bank integration into investment banking. Based on Rajan (1992) models the borrowers choice between informed bank debt and arms length public debt as an aspect of the firms effort to offset the benefits of the related lenders ongoing monitoring against the lenders bargaining power. If banking relationships yield information advantages, then integration of commercial banking and investment banking may enhance a lenders bargaining power. In addition, a lender that is integrated is faced with a conflict of interest, in that the proceeds of capital market financing may be used inappropriately to extinguish risky bank debt. Thirdly, the concern about choice of organizational structure. It is given the tension between information cost savings and conflict of interest, the structure of banking organizations can be expected to reflect efforts to realize information cost savings while lessen the conflicts. From Kroszner and Rajan (1997), he use pre-Glass-Steagall data to investigate that how integration affects issue of quality and pricing. They have concluded that market pressures induced commercial bank to address conflicts by choosing levels of integration into investment banking thats is separately incorporated affiliates versus integrated investment banking departments. Indonesia According to Fisman, (2001), the valuable resources for many firms are political connections, however, the connections impact firms strategies and their long-run financial performance are only a handful of studies that document (Faccio, 2002; Johnson and Mitton, 2003). The study shows that the consequences of political ties are a particular interest because these ties are often inconsistent with other value-creating business strategies. By taking the benefit at face value, it is difficult to understand why only a minority of companies access foreign capital markets. Domestic opportunities significantly reduce the net benefits of foreign securities for some firms are a core idea. For instance, the firm with political ties often receive low price loan from state-owned banks (Faccio, 2002; Wiwattanakantang et al., 2006), so they do not need to tap into foreign capital markets. It is also possible that global financing imposes extra costs on closely connected firms because the decision t o cross-list shares on foreign exchanges often forces firms to adapt to the regulations that govern these markets (Coffee, 2002; Reese and Weisbach, 2002; Siegel, 2005). If only minority of shareholders are better protected abroad, then the foreign securities issue will becoming expensive for controlling owners accustomed to exploiting domestic investors. Equally, the international business press and foreign analysts will only pay attention on the firms with foreign securities (Baker et al., 2002; Lang et al., 2003). However, the political favours that often dubious legality is difficult to be reconciled by the high levels of public scrutiny. Hong Kong Steen, P. Carey (2006) said that the relationship between hot issues markets and under pricing is well documented in IPO literature. Hot issues markets are characterized by a large number of offerings, concentration of new issues in particular industries, preponderance of smaller issues, frequent over subscription and abnormally high initial returns, Ibbotson and Jaffe (1975). Steen, P. Carey (2006) wrote that Hong Kong IPO market given the size and importance of Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE). That is Hong Kong Stock Exchange Market play an important role in the economy in Hong Kong. We can see Hong Kong economy by viewing it stock exchange market; by this we can also know the capital of the country. Several market conditions have been considered in the context of examining initial under pricing within the papers that have been written. Dawson and Hiraki (1985) in their research of the Hong Kong IPO market between 1979 and 1984 note that under pricing appeared to be superior during growing markets than declining markets. Steen. P. Carey (2006) state that their study predates the unification of the four Hong Kong stock exchanges in April 1986 into one central exchange (HKSE). McGuinness (1992), find out that the Hong Kong IPO market from year 1980 to 1986 that reports under pricing was completely linked with the state of market giving support to the sugge stion of Beatty and Ritter (1986) that under pricing increases during the raising market period and decreases during the diminishing markets. In the stage of under assessment, Asian financial markets suffered one of the most severe and protected reversals of the post war period. Steen, P. Carey (2006). The collision of market situation on IPO under pricing was likely moderated in Hong Kong by the fundamental stability and formation of financial system. Miller (1998 p.277) said that Hong Kong was able to avoid devaluation because it has a monetary and foreign exchange system that is fundamentally different from that of the rest of Southeast Asia. Hong Kong has a exchange board but no central bank, and as Miller show that the resident of Hong Kong have the confidence in the exchange board. An additional resource of potency is that the financial stability and transparency of Hong Kong companies had extensively privileged interest coverage and return on equity than those in other Asian countries. Jaggi (1997) also found out that the performance and strength of Hong Kong companies is consistent because the company used the comp any information to monitor it. In year 1997 there is a financial crisis occurred in Hong Kong when Hong Kong is beyond dispute. Chowdry and Goyal (2000) propose that the characteristic to define a country that experiences financial crisis will face a huge falling in its traded equity prices. In general, research investigating the impact of market condition on IPO underpricing has a well defined event which is recognized with the conversion from hot to cold. Steen, P. Carey (2006), found out that the year 1997 provides a unique measurement challenge as two significant events affected Hong Kong in that year; the 27 October stock market correction and the political return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule on June 30. When the Hong Kong is tender to Chinese, this historical event has a huge impact on Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The political handover was an exclusive event and many people celebrate for it, it was connected with a period of hesitation and was followed soon after by the October 27 stock market correction. This uncertainty happens because the investor is unsure about the post handover economic and monetary performance of Hong Kong. Sub theory In capital market, there will be variety of investors for a company or firms who are wanted to expand their business. Moreover, there are some of the firms who need the investors not because to expand their business, but also to support their businesses start up. Angel Investor Individual investors who buy equity in small private firms are called angel investors. Mostly, the first round of outside private equity financing is often obtained from angels. These investors included friends or acquaintances of the entrepreneur. The business receives a sizeable equity share for their funds because their capital investment is often large relative to the amount of capital already in place at the firm. Thus, these investors may have substantial influence in the business decisions of the firm. Besides that, angels may also bring expertise to firm that the entrepreneur lacks. There is a difficulty on finding angels since it is a function how well a firm connected the entrepreneur is in the local community. Venture Capital Firms Venture capital is a limited partnership specializes in raising money to invest in the private equity of young firms. Moreover, venture capitalist is defined as a person or investment firms that makes venture investment. Besides that, they are also expected to bring managerial and technical expertise and capital to their investment. Furthermore, venture capital is fascinated to the fresh company with the limited operating history which is too small to raise capital to the public market. This is because they are yet to reach the levels that are able to secure a bank loan as well as debt offering. The differentiation between Angel Investor and Venture Capital There are different between angel investor and venture capital. Angel investors are always the provider of risk capital to the small or private firms. In addition, the providers are not from the intermediary of other company, but they are wealth people. Moreover, angels are always as the second round of financing start-up goes through, before the firm looks for venture capital partnership, but it is after they has exhausted of all their family and friends money. On the other hand, venture capital is the investors who invest their capital to a firm as part of the companys partners. So, the company will be the part of the partnership, and they are allowed to vote and make decision. Then, angels investors are only waiting for the return earns from company to them, and they are never go learn deeper to the company. Furthermore, they are not vote or make decision as part of the firm they had invested. However, the venture investors will be planning and finding the way on how much their in vestment will earn them the amount of returns. Initial Public Offering (IPO) IPO  is an acronym for Initial  Public Offering. An IPO is the first sale of shares in a company to the public. When IPO occurs, a company will be listed in Bursa Malaysia, and shares will begin to trade immediately. The IPO market goes in cycles depending upon the appetite of investors for new issues. Often the share price will increase quickly after an IPO, so purchasing shares at the IPO price may be a coveted  investment  opportunity. When management says it plans to take a company public, it means that an eventual IPO is planned. A successful IPO can raise  a large amount of capital for the newly  public company  and create substantial wealth for insiders who owned shares prior to the IPO. The differences between public and private is that public company can offer its stock to the public in huge amount, while private company is restricted to only friends and family members. Going public is important for those company which want to raise their capital. There are some pro and cons for going public. The Advantages of an Initial Public Offering (IPO) The public offering increased the company stock and value this is so call increased in capitalization of the business. The stock can be used for various activities for instance: currency for mergers and acquisitions, as stock option to help maintain key personnel, they may also sell their shares in the open market. The company will have the better access to the stock markets for future capital inflow. In general terms, the companys valuation and debt to equity ratio will perk up after going public. Company is able to receive much better terms from lenders. The company which going public is easier to promote compare to the company that are private. We can view the achievement of the public company in Bursa Malaysia and thus it had a higher recognition than private company. This benefit raises the public relation images and identifies the stability of a public company. IPO can provide the company with a chance to implement share options schemes for its workforce. This scheme is competent to enhance employee morale, maintain the loyalty of staff to company, and catch the attention of first rate employees. In long term, this can raise the employees productivity and increase the profitability of a company. The Disadvantages of an Initial Public Offering (IPO) For a company which going public need higher reporting requirements, it means further obligations and reporting requirements as public companies have to fulfill the range of regulatory necessities and meet accepted standards of corporate governance. For example, listed companies need an auditor to audit their account and report the financial statement and publish the annual report in the Bursa Malaysia. As the annual report is going to publish in the Bursa Malaysia annually, the company is said to be losing it privacy. The company needs to disclose the report honestly to the public. They cannot hide any details regarding stock option plans, details of lease agreements, gross profit, net income and its borrowing. The others disadvantages is when a company go public, they have to offer the shares to the public or in other word which means that the business owners will have to share it ownership with other investor, and shareholders can affect the company operations; they can voice out their opinion and decisions. Conclusion As a conclusion, each country has different experience about the economic growth and the capital markets. Every country applies different style, for Hong Kong they do not have central bank and for Japan they have many commercial banks that they call as main bank. The capital market of the country can be view by the venture capital in the market or the listed company in the stock exchange market. The listed company in the stock exchange market show that the investment of the public to the achievement of the capital market in the country. It reveals how much wealth the country has and how good was the economics of the country.

Investigating Theft in Retail Organizations Essay -- Stealing Thieves

Investigating Theft in Retail Organizations In an industry where a 1% change in gross margin can mean millions of dollars, retailers have begun focusing greater energy on mitigating losses caused by employee theft. Employee theft has become a problem of increasing significance for retail organizations over the past few decades. In 2004, the European Theft Barometer report showed an increasing prevalence of employee theft in retail organizations, up 1% from 2003 (Technology Tackles Employee Theft, 2005). It’s been estimated that â€Å"the outcome of employee deviance and delinquency accounted for between $6 and $200 billion of organizational loss annually† (Lau, Au, & Ho, 2003). Employee theft can be loosely defined as any behavior by an employee of an entity that is intended to produce detrimental financial outcomes for the employer. This includes pocketing cash, stealing inventory, using company resources for personal gain, and other deceptive tactics. Most modern day retailers are at some level of risk as moti vation and opportunity make theft an attractive choice for many employees. While large organizations have focused on this problem for several years, many small businesses have not devoted the time and resources to addressing this problem. Small businesses may be at particular risk due to a lack of high-tech internal controls that larger organizations may have. Additionally, small businesses often â€Å"frequently deal in cash – the easiest temptation of all to a dishonest worker† (Biddick, 2004). Consequently, small businesses must pay special attention to this problem in hopes of diminishing the risk (Biddick, 2004). Understanding the motivations of an employee that engages in theft can be an essential means to changing the circumstances and situations that might encourage these harmful activities. Employee motivations can be classified into three main categories: personal, organizational, and economic factors. Personal factors include such items a person’s individual viewpoint on and reactions to such items as job satisfaction, relationship with co-workers and employer, and one’s perceptions of the work environment (Lau, Au, & Ho, 2003). These are all factors that will differ based on the employee. Organizational factors refer to the controls placed in the work environment. These include the broad â€Å"Control Environment†, as referred to by the COSO fra... ...he situation. When investigating the theft, they should perform a cost-benefit analysis, and then use both physical and testimonial fact gathering to uncover the culprit. Works Cited: Bassett, J. W. (2003). Solving Employee Theft Cases. The Internal Auditor, 60(6), 23. Retrieved May 11, 2005, from ABI-Inform Online Biddick, K. (2004). Think big when protecting small business from employee theft. Nation’s Restaurant News, 38(36), 26. Retrieved May 10, 2005, from ABI-Inform Online Lau, V., Tung Au, W. & Ho J. M. (2003). A Qualitative and Quantitative Review of Antecedents of Counterproductive Behavior in Organizations. Journal of Business and Psychology, 18(1), 73-100. Retrieved May 15, 2005, from ABI-Inform Online Shoplifting, employee theft and check fraud top retailers’ concerns. (2005). NPN, National Petroleum News, 96(11), 12. Retrieved May 11, 2005, from ABI-Inform Online Technology Tackles Employee Theft. (2005). Retail World, 58(3), 41. Retrieved May 10, 2005, from ABI-Inform Online Tryon, G. & Kleiner, B. H. (1997). How to investigate alleged employee theft properly. Managerial Auditing Journal, 12(1), 19. Retrieved May 15, 2005, from ABI-Inform Online

Dale :: essays research papers

Earnhardt dies following Daytona 500 accident DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, 49, was fatally injured Sunday in a multi-car accident on the final lap of the 43rd Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. "NASCAR has lost its greatest driver," said NASCAR Chairman of the Board Bill France, who himself is recovering from life threatening illnesses, "and I personally have lost a great friend." His wife Teresa was at his side at the time of death. Dr. Steve Bohannon, emergency trauma surgeon who was on one of the ambulances that responded, said, "My speculation would be head injuries, basically to the base of the skull." Earnhardt, who won the 1998 Daytona 500, was unconscious when he was cut from his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet after the accident between Turns 3 and 4 of the 2.5-mile speedway as a tangled pack of cars raced to the checkered flag. He was immediately transported to Halifax, less than one-mile from the speedway. "I don’t know what to say. This is incredible, just incredible. I think everybody is just in shock right now. "I didn’t see much of what happened up there (in the fourth turn). After the race was over, I heard things didn’t look very good but, man, Earnhardt. You figure he’ll bounce right back," said Jeremy Mayfield, driver of the No. 12 Penske Ford. Your first thought is, hey, he’ll probably come back next week at Rockingham and beat us all. "My heart goes out to Theresa and Dale, Jr., Kerry and Kelly, and to Taylor Nicole." Earnhardt was pronounced dead while his driver, Michael Waltrip, was being interviewed in the Daytona press box after his first career victory in 463 starts. In the accident, Ken Schrader's No. 36 Pontiac was pinned against the outside wall by Earnhardt's out-of-control No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, which came from a lower lane on the 31-degree banked turn. "I don't know what happened -- all of a sudden we were all crashing," said Schrader, who was unhurt in the accident. "I guess someone got into Dale because Dale got into me and then we went up. We hit pretty hard and Dale hit harder." Schrader tried to visit Earnhardt's car after the accident ended, but quickly left the area. I didn't get to talk to Dale," Schrader said of his escape. "I went over there and then they (safety workers) got there real quick, so I got the hell out of the way.

How Humans and Robots are Presented in Blade Runner Essay -- Papers Bl

How Humans and Robots are Presented in Blade Runner "Blade Runner" is a science fiction film set in Los Angeles in the year 2019. Nuclear war had just ended which caused large-scale devastation such as dramatic climate change, genetic change and all animals on earth becoming extinct apart from artificial ones. The Tyrell Corporation developed the artificial animals, which also happen to be the creators of Androids (Artificial beings) which the film is based on. The film "Blade Runner" revolves around the Nexus 6 series of Androids these androids were built to do the hard, tiresome jobs on off-world colonies. Using androids was a big advantage for the humans of this time because they never get tired so can work non-stop. The problem with replicants is that they are super-humans, intelligent and very omniscient and could over-power the humans at any time. After an incident where many humans were killed on an off world colony by Nexus 6 they were made illegal on Earth. Rick Deckard the main character in the film prowls the steel and microchip jungle of 21st century, LA. He is a Blade Runner stalking genetically made criminal replicants. His assignment: Kill them. Their crime: wanting to be human. The story of "Blade Runner" is familiar to countless fans but few have seen it like this because the version I was studying was the directors cut so we see Ridley Scott's own interpretation of his sci-fi classic. This version omits Deckard's voice-over and develops in greater detail the romance between Deckard and Rachael and removes the uplifting finale. The result is a heightened emotional impact. The new scene (unicorn vision) sug... ...at their lifespan has been shortened. At this point we know they have feelings and a love between two people is a strong force. Whatever they are a being of such high potential is a terrible thing to waste. Overall director Ridley Scott is suggesting that to be human you have to have feelings and emotions (which the robots have) and to be able to empathise with others. If you do not possess those qualities then you are not a true human, Deckard, Tyrell and the two Policemen are shown not to have feelings nor emotions when they "retire" a robot or are they the "real" humans. The qualities of human-ness are shown most shockingly by Roy Battye when he saves Deckard instead of taking revenge. But Deckard's character shows development in that he learns to empathise with the replicants and falls in love with Rachael.

Mccarthy Paper

Ubiquitous Love In the novels, The Road and All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac McCarthy, McCarthy shows through symbolism and setting, that ever-present love is a basic human need. In The Road, the boy symbolizes faith, and is the source of never-ending love. All the Pretty Horses, the horses symbolize an unfallen spirit, and is the basis of a deep love. In The Road, the desolate and godless world proves to be unforgiving, yet there is a beacon of light and love found through the boy. In All the Pretty Horses, the beautiful yet disappearing Wild West is a source of pain, but also love. McCarthy uses symbolism in both of his novels, to show an underlying importance, and to further enhance his overall theme of needing something concrete to love. In The Road, McCarthy shows how a father and son’s relationship is based off of the father’s unconditional love for the boy. McCarthy writes; â€Å"Can I ask you something? Yes. Of course you can. What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you. Okay† (McCarthy 11). This quote dives deep into how the man feels about the boy. Through this quote, the man fully expresses that he would not want to live if he had to live without the boy. The boy proves here to be the man’s only hope and the source of what keeps him going. The boy symbolizes faith in a godless and desolate world. In All the Pretty Horses, horses hold deep importance and meaning for John Grady Cole as he adventures away from home. McCarthy writes, â€Å"What he loved in horses was what he loved in men, the blood and the heat of the blood that ran them† (McCarthy 7). In this quote, John Grady Cole simply, but quite deeply displays his undeniable love for horses. John Grady Cole goes as far as to say that he loves horses equally as much as he loves mankind, and that both horse and man have similar qualities. McCarthy gives great symbolism to the horse, as it is being compared to mankind. Horses symbolize an unfaltering spirit that John Grady Cole so dearly idolizes as he experiences pain and anguish while his beloved Wild West slips through his fingers. The horses are the only thing that John Grady Cole can hold onto from the Wild West. He will hold on strong, no matter what happens to him, and will love horses as he loves mankind. In both The Road and All the Pretty Horses, McCarthy symbolizes holding onto something and never wanting to let go in both the boy and the horses. The boy and the horses prove to be something that is ever-present that the main characters in the novels can love unconditionally. McCarthy uses setting to further enhance plot and the theme that ever-present love is a basic human need. In The Road, McCarthy creates a desolate and destroyed world that the man and the boy find themselves trapped in. McCarthy writes, â€Å"When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he’d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him. Nights dark beyond darkness and the days more gray each one than what had gone before. Like the onset of some cold glaucoma dimming away the world. His hand rose and fell softly with each precious breath† (McCarthy 1). In this quote, McCarthy sets the stage for what the world looks like. He describes it as extremely dark, and uses the simile of glaucoma to physically describe the Man and Boy’s experiences. The sight of this new, harmed world basically deteriorates your sight, as the world is no long worth looking at. McCarthy also uses strong and consistent word choice with dark, darkness, gray, cold and dimming. These words give rise to the depressing setting that the Man and the Boy are in. Also in this quote, describes the man’s love and protectiveness for the boy. McCarthy uses juxtaposition here to show that despite the dark, dreary and ever discouraging world they are in, there is a strong and deep love that can overcome any type of desperation. In All the Pretty Horses, McCarthy paints a beautiful country whose culture is slowly diminishing. McCarthy writes, â€Å"They rode out along the fence line and across the open pasture-land†¦The light fell away behind them. They rode out on the high prairie where they slowed the horses to a walk and the stars swarmed around them out of the blackness. They heard somewhere in that tenantless night a bell that tolled and ceased where no bell was and they rode out on the round dais of the earth which alone was dark and no light to it and which carried their figures and bore them up into the swarming stars so that they rode not under but among them† (McCarthy 30). In this quote, McCarthy sets up John Grady’s world with incredible imagery, describing the open fields, prairies and the abundance of stars that consume them. John Grady’s world is picturesque and seems quite perfect as the feeling of this quote is quite calming. But, in the face of this beauty, John Grady is still faced with the ever-present disappearance of the Wild West culture. Although McCarthy finds sadness in the beauty, John Grady is yet again placed with his horses. McCarthy describes the men and their horses as â€Å"they† showing an unbreakable bond. In both The Road and All the Pretty Horses, McCarthy uses contrasting settings to ultimately unite them by showing that ever-present love can be found no matter where you are. In the novels, The Road and All the Pretty Horses, McCarthy shows through symbolism and setting that ever-present love is a basic human need. He cleverly displays this by providing similar and contrasting elements. Humans need to know that they have something constant and concrete to love in order to survive. People tend to struggle when faced with challenges alone. The presence of something to love; whether it is a son, or a horse, is essential. This love is what drives the human race to overcome obstacles and barriers throughout life. McCarthy, Cormac. All the Pretty Horses. New York: Knopf, 1992. Print. McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.

Education and Academic Career

13 Journal Describe an event that has changed your life? Describe an event that has changed your life? It's not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean. † So almost all of our life’s events mean, no matter whether they good or bed, their significance is unique for us. As all people in the world I have had a variety of events in my life, even though not all of them were positive. Nonetheless, an event that has changed my life is coming to study in Greece and undoubtedly I categorize this, as a great event.In addition studying in Greece made me much more independent, socialized and most important it is fulfilling my academic career. Coming to study in Greece developed further my personal independence from my family. The distance from my country and Greece obligate me to live here; therefore, I have to take care of all things which have to do with a life, besides lessons. Moreover, I am much more independent due to the fact that I organize totally my life the way I know; nevertheless, I follow the steps that my family taught me.For instance, I start a random day at 11 am and I am done at 6:30 pm, during this time I stay at ACT campus; afterward, I use some time to explore Thessaloniki city. Furthermore, according to this example of independence my manageable skills are shown as well. Although I always have been friendly, now this concept has much more wider dimensions. Socialization, a great part of human being, is another reason for fulfilling and changing my life while I am in Greece. Here, I know numerous people from different cultures, various backgrounds and friends from countries all over the world.Besides, socialization at American College of Thessaloniki functions very well, ideas, thoughts as well as actions make a perfect social group for me. In addition to personal independence and socialization, another reason for considering studying in Greece as a great event is because studying there is fulfil ling my academic career through quality of education. First of all, I am getting education from professors who have experience and teach us the most essential things. Moreover, they develop our critical thinking, as a way to understand the life better and ercept the world in different view. Second, studying all in English language with an American system make as easier involve in an international job. For example, knowing English helps us be ready in whatever kind of environment in the world. To summarize, this event clearly is very meaningful because my independence is further developed, together with socialization as well as academic career. So, obviously there are three important reasons for considering studying in Greece as an event which has changed my life.