Expenditures and Revenues Matrix and Summary Essay

Budgets are significant in the budget formulation process. Budgeting as a tool is the make-up of public policy (Smith & Lynch, 2004). Budgets exist at all levels of government, local, state, and federal. When describing revenue sources in public budgeting, it is important to describe the source of revenue, the source of the funding, importance of informed financial decisions, financial analysis tools used, and organizational financial analysis alternatives (University of Phoenix, 2012). What is a Budget? A budget is a plan of allocation of resources to accomplish and organizations’ objectives and goals for a specific amount of time (Ganapati, n.d.). The budget gives a detailed analysis of how an organization will spend and receive money in a fiscal period. Why is a Budget Required? Accountability and prioritization are two reasons for a budget requirement. Accountability refers to the taxation of the public, which means that the government cannot tax more than required for government purposes (Ganapati, n.d.). Prioritization refers to allocating funds and resources to areas that require priority over another area (Ganapati, n.d.). Public Budgets There are different budget cycles at the local, state, and federal levels; however, the major components of any budget, regardless of government level are revenues and expenditures. Revenues Revenues are funds raised through various entities. â€Å"Revenue estimation is very important in local and state government, particularly in the planning and analysis phase because elected leaders must balance their budgets† (Smith & Lynch, 2004, p. 47). Federal Government Revenues Granted, the federal government collects the most amount of tax, state and local governments have more options on taxing. For example, the federal government taxes individual and corporate taxes, manufacturing taxes, social security tax (Federal Insurance Contributions Act, FICA), estate or inheritance tax, and borrowings such as treasury bonds. State Government Revenues State government also receives money through tax revenues as well as other entities. State governments receive money through intergovernmental transfers, individual and corporate taxes, sales taxes, fuel taxes, estate and inheritance taxes, special taxes on items such as alcohol and tobacco, lottery, state bonds, and licenses. Examples of states receiving taxes on licensing include motor vehicles, hunting and fishing, firearms, motor vehicle operators, public utilities. Local Government Revenues Like the federal and state governments, local governments of cities and counties also receive revenues through intergovernmental transfers, local taxes of property and sales tax, local bonds, school districts, businesses, and water management. Local governments differ in review and deciding of budgets. Many local budgets use line item for expenditures and revenues. Expenditures Expenditures are funds for spending on specific programs or capital projects. Expenditures include public programs, capital projects, debt servicing, and administration. Public programs can be education programs, welfare programs, medical programs, environmental programs, and housing programs. Capital projects include construction and reconstruction of highways, sewage, water, utilities, and building costs. Administration includes city and county employees. Decision-Making Managers and administrators today must prepare to make difficult financial decisions. Analytical tools and processes are important in decision-making, planning, control, and analysis of financial budgets. Managers must identify potential financial problems and formulate alternatives (American Management Association, n.d.). Financial Decisions Financial decisions vary depending on size of the organization, needs of the organization, location of the organization, financing options available to the firm (American Management Association, n.d.). Analysis Tools Techniques in financial analysis are significant in the financing and budgeting of an organization include long-term and short-term planning, security of costs and benefits, investment decisions, financing decisions, and dividend policies (American Management Association, n.d.). Conclusion Most budget approaches involve time, planning, decision-making, analysis, accountability, and prioritization at the local, state, and federal levels of government. Two major components at each level are revenues and expenditures, which is how each level of government earns and spends money. References American Management Association. (n.d.). Financial decision-making. Retrieved from http://www.flexstudy.com/catalog/schpdf.cfm?coursenum=96088 City of Milwaukee. (2012). Retrieved from http://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/User/crystali/2012budget/2012proposedbook.pdf U.S. Department of Justice. (2012). Federal Bureau of Investigation financial report fiscal year 2011. Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/oig/reports/2012/a1216.pdf Ganapati, N. (n.d.). Budgeting. Retrieved from http://www2.fiu.edu/~ganapati/3003/budget.html Smith, R. W.; and Lynch, T.D. (2004). Public budgeting in America, (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson/Prentice Hall. University of Phoenix. (2012). Course design guide. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, AJS522 – Finance and Budgeting in Justice and Security Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (2010). Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Retrieved from http://dpi.state.wi.us/pb/pdf/combinedfair.pdf

Education and the Subjective Quality of Life* Essay

Journal of Health and Social Behavior 1997, Vol. 38 (September):275-297 We examine whether education influences subjective quality of life. If it does, what are the mechanisms by which education affects well-being? We propose that educa- tion improves well-being because it increases access to nonalienated paid work and economic resources that increase the sense of control over life, as well as access to stable social relationships, especially marriage, that increase social support. We examine the relationship between education and a variety of indicators of subjective quality of life-depression, anxiety, anger, aches and pains, malaise, and dissatis- faction. Using two representative national samples collected in 1990 and 1995, we find that the well educated have lower levels of emotional distress (including depres- sion, anxiety, and anger) and physical distress (including aches and pains and malaise), but they do not have lower levels of dissatisfaction. Education reduces dis- tress largely by way of paid work, nonalienated work, and economic resources, which are associated with high personal control; but the extent to which it reduces distress by way of marriage and social support is much more modest. We contrast distress and dissatisfaction as indicators of the subjective quality of life. Does education matter to subjective quality of life? If it does, what are the mechanisms by which education affects well-being? We pro- pose that education is valuable to individual well-being because it provides access to the two primary determinants of well-being: non- *We are indebted to the National Institute on Aging for the grant (ROI AG12393) to John Mirowsky and Catherine Ross that supported the Aging, Status, and the Sense of Control (ASOC) data collection and analysis. We are indebted to the National Science Foundation for the grant (SES- 8916154) to Catherine Ross that supported the Work, Family, and Well-Being (WFW) data collec- tion. Sampling, pretesting, and interviewing for both surveys were conducted by the Survey Research Laboratory of the University of Illinois. We thank John Mirowsky for his statistical help, Barbara Reskin for her help with the comparison process theory of satisfaction, and JHSB reviewers for their suggestions. Address correspondence to: Catherine Ross, Department of Sociology, 300 Bricker Hall, 190 North Oval Mall, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1353; e-mail: ross. 131 @osu. edu. alienated paid work and supportive relation- ships. Compared to the poorly educated, we expect that well-educated persons have access to nonalienated paid work that increases the sense of personal control. Well-being comes, first, from nonalienated work in which people exert control over the labor process (Kohn 1976; Marx ([1884] 1964). Work that gives people the freedom from routinization, monot- ony, and external control on the one hand, and a chance to use their skills, develop as a per- son, and learn new things on the other, theo- retically increases subjective well-being, in part by increasing perceived control. Com- pared to the poorly educated, we also expect that well-educated individuals have access to stable social relationships, especially mar- riage, that increase social support. Well-being comes, second, from primary group ties and social bonds that increase supportive relation- ships with others, especially the personal secu- rity of marriage, and the sense of having other people to talk to and turn to in times of need (Durkheim 1951; Litwak and Messeri 1989). We propose that, through these processes, 275 276 JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR education improves the subjective quality of life, measured as psychological well-being and distress. We extend core economic and sociological perspectives on the meaning of education to individual well-being. We argue that educa- tion’s value extends beyond jobs, earnings, prestige, and power to people’s psychological well-being. According to human capital and status attainment theories, employers need workers who can read, write, do basic math, communicate, negotiate, solve problems, look things up, figure things out, and develop ideas; this human capital is acquired in school, and these skills, knowledge, and abilities help a person get a good job (Blau and Duncan 1967; Becker 1964; Hyman, Wright, and Reed 1975; Sewell and Hauser 1975; Spaeth 1976; Treiman and Terrell 1975). The same skills and abilities shaped by schooling, we argue, improve individual well-being through their effects on objective life conditions and social psychological resources. THE LINKS BETWEEN EDUCATION AND DISTRESS The negative association between education and psychological distress is well documented (Glenn and Weaver 1981; Kessler 1982; Lennon and Rosenfield 1992; Link, Lennon, and Dohrenwend 1993; Mirowsky and Ross 1989, 1995; Pearlin et al. 1981; Ross and Huber 1985; Ross and Mirowsky 1989), but the mechanisms by which education affects well-being are not. Education is rarely the focus of investigation in the sociological study of stress (Pearlin 1989). Instead, it is usually a control variable in research whose focus is on something else. This means that research has not identified the mechanisms by which edu- cation affects psychological well-being. Furthermore, when subjective well-being is measured as satisfaction, researchers find little positive effect of education. This raises the question of whether education’s effect is uni- formly positive. Well-educated persons are not more satisfied with their jobs than the poorly educated (Andrisani 1978; Gordon and Arvey 1975; Glenn and Weaver 1982; Quinn, Staines, and McCullough 1974; Ross and Reskin 1992), and they are not more satisfied with life in general (Pascarella and Terenzini 1991). Some argue that if education does not increase job satisfaction, or satisfaction over- all, maybe it has little real value to the subjec- tive quality of life, since a principal motivation for attaining a high level of formal education in the United States is access to satisfying work (Berg 1971; Quinn and Mandilovitch 1977). We examine the relationship between edu- cation and a variety of indicators of subjective quality of life. We distinguish distress- depression, anxiety, anger, aches and pains, and malaise-from dissatisfaction. Theo- retically, distress results from deprivation, whereas dissatisfaction results from depriva- tion relative to one’s expectations (Mirowsky and Ross 1989). We propose that education improves the subjective quality of life, mea- sured as psychological well-being and distress -measures not confounded by high expecta- tions among the advantaged. If education cor- relates positively with subjective well-being, what explains the association? We focus on two pathways by which education might affect individual well-being: (1) work and economic conditions, which increase personal control and (2) marriage and family conditions, which increase social support. Often educational attainment is used simply as an indicator of socioeconomic status. However, education, income, and work indi- cate different underlying concepts, so we keep the three aspects separate. Schooling indicates the accumulated knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors learned at school, in addition to being a credential that structures employment opportunities. Income and economic hardship indicate economic well-being. Work is pro- ductive activity (paid or not). Further, educa- tion, employment, and economic resources are not on the same causal level. Education is the key to one’s position in the stratification sys- tem; it shapes the likelihood of being em- ployed, the qualities of the job a person can get, and income. Combining variables from different causal levels obscures processes. If education affects psychological well-being, is its effect direct, or is it indirect by way of work or economic resources? Work and Economic Conditions Paid Work. Well-educated people are more likely to be employed and are more likely to be employed full-time (vs. part-time) than are those EDUCATION AND THE SUBJECTIVE QUALITY OF LIFE 277 with little education (U. S. Department of Education 1992). Employment, especially full- time employment, in turn, is associated with higher levels of psychological and physical well-being (Gore and Mangione 1983; Lennon and Rosenfield 1992; Pearlin et al. 1981; Ross and Bird 1994; Verbrugge 1983). Although physical and mental health affect an individual’s likelihood of being employed, the positive asso- ciation between well-being and employment is not simply due to the selection of healthy people into the work force (Kessler, House, and Turner 1987; Ross and Mirowsky 1995). Nonalienated Work. We expect that educa- tion gives people access to nonalienated work that involves a variety of tasks, nonroutine work, and the chance for continued learning and development, which decreases distress. In nonalienated work, workers control the labor process; they have the chance to use their skills in the design and implementation of the work. Nonroutine work gives people the free- dom to use thought and independent judgment in doing different things in different ways rather than doing the same thing in the same way in a process designed and controlled by others. Skilled work gives people the chance to learn new things and develop as a person through work. Together, creative, nonroutine, independent work that gives a person control over the labor process, and work that is intrin- sic to a person’s development not external to it, are the essence of nonalienated labor. Kohn and colleagues find that control over the work process, rather than ownership of the means of production or control over the labor of others, is most important to psychological functioning (Kohn 1976; Kohn and Schooler 1982; Kohn et al. 1990). We expect that the work done by well- educated people is less alienated than that done by the poorly educated, and that this work decreases distress. However, the evi- dence as to whether work characteristics explain some of the effect of education on psy- chological well-being is mixed. Lennon (1994) finds that the effect of education on depression is explained when work condi- tions-autonomy, time pressure, responsibili- ty, interruptions, physical effort, and routine- are added. Link and colleagues (1993) find that education’s impact on psychological well- being works largely through giving individu- als access to jobs involving direction, control, and planning. However, others find that the effect of education on distress remains unchanged with adjustment for job control and other occupational characteristics (Kessler 1982; Lennon and Rosenfield 1992). Economic Resources. Low levels of educa- tion increase economic hardship. Individuals with low levels of education have lower incomes than those with high levels of educa- tion (Sewell and Hauser 1975), in part because they are less likely to be employed, and if employed, more likely to hold low-level jobs. Low levels of education further deprive people of the problem-solving resources needed to cope with the stresses of economic hardship. Ross and Huber (1985) find a synergistic effect on economic hardship of low education and low income, each making the effect of the other worse. Hardship increases psychological distress; the chronic strain of struggling to pay the bills and to feed and clothe the children takes its toll, often in feelings of depression and malaise (Pearlin et al. 1981; Ross and Huber 1985). Marriage and Family Composition Marital Status. Evidence that education is positively associated with marriage is some- what mixed and indirect. The well educated are less likely to divorce, probably due to the fact that they marry later and do so under more favorable economic conditions (Glick 1984; Houseknecht and Spanier 1980). Education is negatively associated with widowhood, too, since men and women choose partners with similar levels of education (Kalmijn 1991; Qian and Preston 1993), and well-educated people live longer than those with lower levels of education (Rogot, Sorlie, and Johnson 1992). Although education is negatively asso- ciated with marital dissolution, either through divorce or widowhood, it is also negatively associated with marrying in the first place, especially for some groups. Education decreases the probability of ever marrying among Whites, while highly educated Blacks are more likely to marry than Blacks with lower levels of education (Bennett, Bloom, and Craig 1989). Women with high levels of education are more likely to postpone mar- riage, not to remarry after divorce, and never marry in the first place than are women with lower levels of education; and women who fail to marry in young adulthood attain a higher 278 JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR level of education than those who do marry (McLanahan and Casper 1994). All told, how- ever, well-educated women and men are more likely to be currently married than those with- out high school degrees (Qian and Preston 1993). Overall, married people and those who live with partners are healthier and happier than those who are single, divorced, or widowed (Waite 1995). Married people have higher lev- els of physical and psychological well-being than do unmarried people (Gove, Hughes, and Style 1983; Ross, Mirowsky, and Goldsteen 1990; Ross 1995). If marriage has any nega- tive effects on well-being, it may be due to child care responsibilities, which fall dispro- portionately on women. People with children at home do not have higher levels of psycho- logical well-being than nonparents (Gore and Mangione 1983; Kessler and McRae 1982; McLanahan and Adams 1987). In many instances, parents-especially mothers-are more psychologically distressed than non- parents (Gove and Geerken 1977; Pearlin 1975). Most of the stress of children in the home is due to economic strains, excessive child care responsibilities, and difficulties arranging child care while parents are at work (Ross and Huber 1985; Ross and Mirowsky 1988). Since children often accompany mar- riage, the effect of marriage on well-being may not be uniformly positive. However, the well educated may get the benefits of mar- riage, without the stress associated with chil- dren, since well-educated women have fewer children than poorly educated women. Women with high levels of education are more likely to remain childless, to postpone having chil- dren, and to have fewer children than are those with lower levels of education (Bloom and Trussel 1984; Rindfuss, Morgan, and Swice- good 1984; Veevers 1979). Since men and women tend to choose partners with similar levels of education (Kalmijn 1991; Qian and Preston 1993), well-educated men have fewer children, too. Social-Psychological Resources Sense of Control. Belief in personal control is a learned, generalized expectation that out- comes are contingent on one’s own choices and actions (Mirowsky and Ross 1989; Rotter 1966). The sense of powerlessness, the oppo- site, is the belief that one’s actions do not affect outcomes. It is the main form of subjec- tive alienation (Seeman 1959, 1983). Education correlates positively with the sense of control, and the sense of personal control mediates a large part of the negative associa- tion between education and distress (Mirow- sky and Ross 1989; Ross and Mirowsky 1989). The well educated have higher person- al control than the poorly educated, even adjusting for employment, job autonomy, earnings, minority status, age, marital status, sex, and household work (Bird and Ross 1993; Ross and Mirowsky 1992). People with high levels of personal control have low levels of psychological distress (Aneshensel 1992; Gecas 1989; Mirowsky and Ross 1986; Pearlin et al. 1981; Wheaton 1980, 1983), and perceived control over both good and bad outcomes correlates negatively with depression (Krause and Stryker 1984; Mirowsky and Ross 1990). High personal con- trol helps people cope actively and flexibly, to avoid problems and to prepare for those that cannot be avoided (Mirowsky and Ross 1989; Turner and Noh 1983; Wheaton 1983). In con- trast, the sense of powerlessness is demoraliz- ing in itself and interferes with active problem- solving. Social Support. Social support is the com- mitment, caring, advice, and aid provided in personal relationships, the sense of being cared for and loved, esteemed and valued as a person, and part of a network of communica- tion and obligation (Kaplan, Robbins, and Martin 1983). Little research has examined the social determinants of support. Education may provide social support by giving people access to multiple roles with independent social net- works which boost the potential for supportive relationships (Walker, Wasserman, and Wellman 1993). Education may also help peo- ple maintain supportive relationships with oth- ers directly by way of increased flexibility in dealing with problems, the ability to negotiate and compromise, and to see more than one side of an issue; and indirectly by reducing stressors of unemployment, poverty, and eco- nomic hardship which strain interpersonal relationships (Atkinson, Liem, and Liem 1986; Gore 1978). Ross and Mirowsky (1989) find that the well educated have higher levels of support than the poorly educated, but few other studies have examined the association between education and social support. EDUCATION AND THE SUBJECTIVE QUALITY OF LIFE 279 Low levels of social support, especially emotional support, are associated with psycho- logical distress, including depression and anx- iety, and poor health (Gerstel, Riessman, and Rosenfield 1985; House, Landis, and Um- berson 1988; Kessler and McLeod 1985). Social support reduces distress directly and it interacts with stressful life events and situa- tions, buffering their negative effect (Wheaton 1983). Summary of Proposed Mechanisms by Which Education Affects Distress We propose that education gives people access to nonalienated paid work and eco- nomic resources that increase the sense of personal control, and that education gives peo- ple access to stable social relationships, espe- cially marriage, that increase social support. Through these processes, we hypothesize, education affects subjective quality of life. SAMPLES We use two representative national samples. With these we will replicate regression analy- ses in order to strengthen confidence in our results, distinguish robust findings from sample-specific ones, and comprehensively measure distress and dissatisfaction in two years. The first is the Aging, Status, and the Sense of Control (ASOC) survey. It is a 1995 telephone survey of a national probability sample of U. S. households. Respondents were selected using a prescreened random-digit dialing method that increases the rate of con- tacting eligible numbers (or decreases the rate of contacting business and nonworking num- bers) and decreases standard errors compared to the standard Mitofsky-Waksberg method while producing a sample with the same demographic profile (Lund and Wright 1994; Waksberg 1978). The ASOC survey has two subsamples, designed to produce an 80 percent oversample of persons age 60 and older. The survey was limited to English-speaking adults. The main sample draws from all households; the oversample draws only from households with one or more seniors. In the main sample, the adult (18 or older) with the most recent birthday was selected as respondent.

A Focus On Research Methodology Business Essay

A Focus On Research Methodology Business Essay 3.1 Introduction: The previous chapter discussed about the existing literature of how the innovation process and product life cycle works within a company. This chapter will focus on research methodology which is the set of method, providing a systematic technique to accomplish research aims and objectives and research questions. As per Kumar (2005), research methodology is the way to answer all the research questions. The researcher will clarify the types of research methods and also it will illustrate the correct process to meet the research aims and objectives, data collection process and evaluation of the data. The centre point of any research is to data collection and the analysis. Saunders et al. (2009, p-106) described this centre point as a centre of an onion which has different layers that need to be peeled away to get into the centre point. This onion is known as a ‘research onion’, which is shown below: Figure 3.1: Research Onion Source: Saunders et al. (2009 ) 3.2 Research philosophy: According to Saunders et al. (2009) research philosophy is the term that develops the knowledge and there is a strong relation between the nature of that knowledge and the research. To support to select the research strategy method it is important to take the supposition of the research. As per Johnson and Clark (2006) stated in Saunders et al. (2009, p.108) the management and business researchers need to be aware of the philosophies that be chosen for research report. They also added the significance of the research need to understand by investigation. In addition, there is been supportive statement by Saunders et al. (2009, p.108), â€Å"The important issue is not so much whether our research should be philosophically informed, but it is how well we are able to reflect upon our philosophical choices and defend them in relation to the alternatives we could have adopted.† According to ‘research onion’ from Saunders et al. (2009, p.108), there are four main areas which cover the research philosophy. These are as follows: Pragmatism Interpretivism Realism Positivism 3.2.1 Pragmatism: In research philosophy pragmatism is the most important determination that focuses on the research question. In this part it is also possible to argue within both positivist and interpretivist view. This is also applicable for practical approach. It helps to collect and analyze data by integrating different perspectives. (Saunders et al. (2009, p.109) 3.2.2 Interpretivism: The term ‘interpretivism’ stands for, as a researcher it is required to be aware of the difference between humans in their role as social actors. According to Saunders et al. (2009, p.116), â€Å"The difference between conducting research among people rather than objects such as trucks and computers. The term ‘social actors’ is quite significant here. In the same way we interpret our everyday social roles in accordance with the meaning we gi ve to these roles. In addition, we interpret the social roles of others in accordance with our own set of meaning†. 3.2.3 Realism: Realism is another important point of research philosophy which focuses on scientific enquiry. In other word, the existence of autonomous reality of the human mind is the realism. As per Saunders et al. (2009, p.114), quoted that,

Women Community Organizers often Engage Popular Struggles on More Than Research Paper - 1

Women Community Organizers often Engage Popular Struggles on More Than One Front - Research Paper Example Communities to not form by themselves, but they are organized so that a strong relationship is built among the participants. This process of building a community and sustaining it throughout the period is called ‘community organizing’ and the process involves not only building a network of individuals, but also the identification of goals and action towards those specific goals. According to Snow, et al (1986), the process of community organization can mean the entire process of organizing individuals, sorting out the relationships, identification of goals and paths, mobilization of individuals and maintenance of a strong network. Until sometime back, community organizing was not a very popular subject with the scholars (Davis, 1981). Therefore, very little is known about the origin of the theories of community management and whether, the theories of social movements can be applied to the way in which community organization works (Stoecker, 1993). To this caveat of liter ature of social movements and community organization, there is also the lack of awareness of what roles that gender discourses play in these communities. Only in the past decades, gender has received a high consideration (Robnett l996), Gender, which can be considered to be a social product of any interaction is also redefined and reconstructed through any social movement or community organization. With any community organization or social movement, the differences and inequalities in terms of gender equations come out more strongly. According to Brandwein (1987), gender has an effect on the way in which problems are identified and choices are made. For example, in a community or social movement, the responsibilities that individuals have outside of the movement are not taken into account (Stoecker, 1992) and when it is taken into account, the way in which women are involved gets restricted. In the New York Tenants movement, the role of women was confined to the most basic of activi ties, where as men were involved in complex issues. (Lawson and Barton, 1980). Therefore, the community organization work contributed by women during social movement gets ignored. Robnett (1996) has challenged the narrations and accounts of movements that have ignores and neglected the role of women activists. Barnett (1993) has challenged the research related to social movement and community management that projects the spokesperson of the movement while ignore the workers who work at grass root, who are often women. Therefore, even though there is a very high involvement of women organizers in the field of community organization, the image and projection always comes out to be that of a male dominated effort. Even though these movements talk about democracy in participation, the actual way in which these movements are projected and carried out do not practice this democracy in terms of gender equations. According to Weil (1986), the strategies get influenced on ‘macho powerà ¢â‚¬â„¢ and zero-sum competitiveness. As a result of this approach, the challenges that women face in participation in these movements is not confined to the direct engagement in these movements and they face challenges at multiple levels. Apart from contributing to these movements, there is lack of visibility, pressure to take up more grass root level or administrative challenges, making sure that other responsibilities such as child care and home management happens smoothly. This study takes a detailed look at the way in which women community organizers engage in popular struggles in more than one front. For any woman who participates in these community organiz

Corporate Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Corporate Finance - Essay Example Due to recessionary conditions and down side of economy, there is no immediate chance of recovery. Accordingly, Qantas Airways, which has leveraged beta of 1.25 is certainly a more risky company compared to any other company in the table. Above table suggests that business risks associated are lowest with Telstra Corp. and Coca Cola companies for having lowest beta of 0.16 and 0.15 respectively. Highest business risks are associated with BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto with beta of 0.52 and 0.43 respectively. As table indicates for the companies where finance risks are low (like CSL and BHP Billiton), business risk is high and the companies with high finance risk (like Coca-Cola and Telstra), business risk is low. Thus when we compare business risk with finance risk, we find that both are not consistent. Further, comparing the figures of shareholder’s return of BHP Billiton and Coca Cola, we find that both have given almost same returns; however, there is a vast difference between their business risks and financial risks profiles. Obviously, they are following Modigliani and Miller theorem that value of the companies are independent of its capital structure. 3. BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto though belong to the same industry sector; they have vastly different debt-equity ratios. Rio Tinto is a high leveraged company and its return on equity in percentage terms is less than that of BHP Billiton, which indicates that servicing cost of debt lowers down the percentage return on equity. In other words we can say that higher leveraging does not bring any additional return to the equity holders. Total shareholder’s return too in case of Rio Tinto is only slightly less compared to that of BHP Billiton’s shareholder’s return. Despite large percentage difference in return on equity, there is not a proportionate difference on the value of total shareholders return. In short, above set of Australian companies do not seem to

English language learners lesson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

English language learners lesson - Essay Example It must be remembered that the aim of this process is to let the student express herself through the effective use of English. Anticipatory Set: It is anticipated that through this lesson, the teacher would be able to set the right mood for learning between her and the student. Through letting her speak for thirty minutes, it is rather expected that she [the student] would already have better chances of being at ease in class thus be able to set the kind of attitude that she needs to apply to learn more from the upcoming three and half hours ahead. Teaching: As noted earlier, this lesson is based upon the need of making the student speak for better evaluation on the part of the teacher. Considerably, it is through this process that the speaking approaches used by the student cold be carefully examined by the teacher as to which parts of speaking should she be assisted on. Guided Practice/ Monitoring: Through inquiring questions, the student would have a better chance following a specified pattern of discussion about her self and interests that had been further set by the teacher. Independent Practice: it shall be encouraged that the student handle a casual conversation with her peers as w... Guided Practice/ Monitoring: Through inquiring questions, the student would have a better chance following a specified pattern of discussion about her self and interests that had been further set by the teacher. Closure: To finish this phase of the lesson the teacher shall give an introduction to the second phase of the first lesson. Independent Practice: it shall be encouraged that the student handle a casual conversation with her peers as well. It might not be easy, but she should also be motivated to use the English language while she creates her own ideas during a conversational practice with her friends. Lesson 1:Part B Duration: 20-30 Minutes "Knowing the Teacher and Creating A Connection" Objective: the second phase shall allow the teacher to help his/her student know more about the personality of the individual that is sitting in front of her. This phase shall open the chance for the student to ask anything to the teacher hat she might be interested about. This phase shall set the mood of the student towards her instructor and towards the lesson later on. Standards: Let the student ask. If the student's role was to speak during the first phase of the first lesson, she is now encouraged to ask. This shall help her be more inquisitive in using the English language for beneficial and causal enquiry. Anticipatory Set: once this phase is applied, it is expected that the student would have better chances of making a great connection about her interests and the interests of her teacher giving her a better mood for the next lessons ahead. Teaching: Answering queries effectively and efficiently for the knowledge of the student is essential in this lessons so as to let the teacher set a pattern of answering

The Growth of Google Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Growth of Google - Research Paper Example Google’s mission is to shape the global information and make it comprehensively available and relevant. According to Google’s strategy and objectives, it believes that the most operational and profitable means to achieve its mission is to prioritize the interests of its customers. The company according to a well-undertaken research, have made conclusions that offering reasonably high-quality services results in enhanced traffic and stable promotion through word of mouth amongst the consumers. With regards to products and service delivery, Google seeks to work tirelessly in order to produce the most relevant, as well as valuable search results possible. On the other hand, Google aims to try its best to deliver the most relevant and useful marketing. If under any circumstances whereby an element on an outcome page attracts payment, the company will declare it to its users. Under their publication plan, advertisements should not interrupt at all. Google, like any other cor porate body or a private entity, envies a bright future; therefore, one of its principles is to work relentlessly in order to improve the user experience.In 1999, an announcement was made by Brin and Page to establish Google, from a couple of exclusive venture principal companies: Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins. By 2000, Google’s directory of more than one billion websites exceeded those of its competitors, therefore replacing Inktomi as Yahoo!’s search instrument. During this time, Google’s focus was primarily on algorithmic search.

Db1 employment law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Db1 employment law - Research Paper Example I am a professional that is why I have the free choice of making decisions. The main factors that court puts in to consideration when determining if a person is an independent contractor are the contract terms, presence of verbal agreement, terms of agreement and terms of payment. Usually, an independent contractor provides services or goods to a company on a specified contract like six years, with a verbal agreement. Independent contractors do not work regularly as other employees but he works as and when required. Additionally, independent are usually paid on freelance basis. With the above description of an independent contractor, I might be described as an independent contractor since I am working with the above features (Lockton, 2003, 45). However, I am not an agent of the company since I am independent and I have my roles of fixing the IT problems in a period of six years. I am neither liable to the company’s loss nor profits. The scenario provides that I am an independent contractor but not an employee of the

I Believe that Everone Needs Some Breathing Space Essay

I Believe that Everone Needs Some Breathing Space - Essay Example This world belonged to me alone where I did not want anyone else to be. I helped me get out of the real world stress. I used to construct my world by writing down substantial events that I felt strongly about and, thus, I used to capture everything I felt about in my words. I have always felt that no matter how much we want to be with people, there still exists a distinct part of ours that wants its secrecy - a part that wants to remain as our secret part of life with ourselves. I remember whenever I used to come home from school, my mother was always curious about how my day passed. She would just not be satisfied by monosyllabic replies. She always wanted the entire day’s details. It was her insistence on sharing my day's routine with her that made me feel like I mattered a lot to her and that she always wanted to make sure that I was not facing any problems. However, I soon realized that even though I tried to tell her everything about how my day passed, there still were so me substantial details that I just wanted to leave out in my conversation with her. Having said that there are certain details of my life which I do not want to share with anyone else, it only stands to reason that those details are either too personal, embarrassing or painful, which is why I would rather keep them to myself than reveal them to anyone else. Back in A’ Levels I was elected as the House Captain and had the responsibility of leading my house of around 250 people to victory. During the time of elections, some of my very good friends turned against me and the stress I faced was unbearable. I use to come home after hours of football practice and endless days of fights about which I never felt like talking to anyone at all. Even though I knew my parents, siblings and some friends only wanted to make sure that I was all right I just wanted to lock myself up and sort out my problems myself. Many people tell me that that is just the way I am and it does not mean that e very person on earth has certain things which he wants to keep to himself. I understand that there are people who find solace in confiding in people, yet something deep inside tells me that everybody wants some alone time, some details which they want to keep to themselves. Some time back I broke up with my best friend. We had been friends for over four years and shared quite a lot of things with each other. With the passage of time, however, we grew distant and to the best of my knowledge, the reason was that both of us became too demanding. I wanted her to tell me if something was bothering her, to share everything with me and that probably just started suffocating her. In an attempt to strengthen our friendship, I lost her completely and that is when I realized that may be I just pushed her beyond her limits. I feel that we all feel the need to belong to someone, but the belongingness should not turn into suffocation and this is what reinstates my belief that everyone wants some personal space. My sister broke up with her boyfriend and when I asked her for a reason she said that he was getting way too possessive. That was surprising for me since I thought my sister was the sort of person who would cherish a relationship in which her boyfriend would be possessive about her, but it turned out otherwise. It has been

Gothic conventions Essay Example for Free

Gothic conventions Essay Dracula, as described in the play, can take many forms of different creatures. Ranging from a wolf to a mist. These creatures are described well in the play and create an atmosphere of suspense for the reader. It also shows just how strong Dracula is. This vampire which is amongst us is of himself so strong in person as twenty men This quotation shows us just how strong Dracula is and Bram Stoker describes this well by comparing Dracula to a living thing such as man. It gives us a good idea of just how strong Dracula is/becomes. In the play it describes the many forms that Dracula can take: The storm, the fog, and the wolf; he can grow and become small; and he can at times vanish and come unknown. This describes very well the different forms that Dracula can take and the last bit of the sentence just creates that extra bit of suspense, which can take this play to the next level. and he can at times vanish and come unknown This is the phrase which kicks in that extra bit of suspense and gets the reader wondering what this means and how Dracula does it. It overall draws a better picture of the creature himself and what is achievable for him. He can transform himself to wolf, as we gather from the ship arrival in Whitby, when he tear open the dog; he can be as bat He can come in mist which he create This is another of the forms that Dracula can take and as you progress on with the story you get a better and better image of Dracula and the powers that he has within him. Another one of the conventions is the weirdness of Dracula and how different he is in relation to the rest of mankind. He eat not as others. Even friend Jonathan, who lived with him for weeks, did never see him to eat, never! This is very weird, as we all know because every living thing needs to consume something in order for its body to keep functioning and to stay alive. But it seems as though Dracula is very different compared to humans as Jonathan, who had lived with him, had never seen him eat. This must mean that there is another way in, which Dracula consumes which has not yet been discovered. This part of the story creates suspense and gets the reader thinking about what Dracula exactly is and how he differs humans. It gets the reader thinking about how Dracula survives and what he survives on. He throws no shadow; he make in the mirror no reflect This is another phrase, which creates suspense for the reader and shoes just how weird Dracula is and once again it gets the readers thinking just what Dracula is. As we know everything and anything can throw a shadow as long as it is solid. The laws of physics tell us that. But Dracula somehow doesnt throw a shadow. This means that he is defying the laws of Physics, which once again shows how unusual and how inhuman like Dracula is. The last quotation which gets the reader wondering about Dracula is He can see in the dark-no small power this It isnt a small power indeed as no human can do this, which ultimately confirms just how inhuman Dracula is. The convention of the journal will be looked at next. Minas journal has a lot to reveal about Dracula and her encounter with him. The first quotation I will take is the parted red lips, with the sharp white teeth showing between; and red eyes This is a quote which strikes fear into the mind of the readers and it gives a fairly good description of Dracula. The sharp teeth instantly gets you thinking and gives u a sense of fear as u begin to picture what this person may look like. The red eyes also instantly puts fear into the minds of the readers as it describes Dracula in a very fiery/inhuman way. The word monster may come into the readers minds as they read this phrase. Silence! If u make a sound I shall take him and dash his brains out before your very eyes Here we are getting pretty gruesome as the writer takes a more graphic approach to the threat that Dracula makes to Mina. The very thought of someones brains being dashed before you instantly sends a shiver up your spine and gets you very involved in the passage as your brain instantly gathers an image of what it would look like if you were to be there. This slowly paints a better picture of Dracula and what he is capable of and what he has done before. Another chilling quote from Dracula is: You may as well be quiet; it is not the first time your veins have appeased my thirst This is a very chilling quote, which refers to the blood in Minas body. It gets the reader thinking about whether or not Dracula is about to do what they think he is about to do. But straight after there is another quote, which describes just how unusual and powerful Dracula is: strangely enough I did not want to hinder him. I suppose it is a part of the horrible curse that this happens when his touch is on his victim This quote gives an image of Dracula to be very inhuman like just like the others. It gets the reader into the story line and makes the reader believe more and more that Dracula is truly supernatural. But it seemed that a long time had passed before he took his awful sneering mouth away. I saw it drip with the fresh blood This can only be the action of a supernatural, as no human would even think of consuming someone elses blood. Dracula is a natural vampire as this sentence finally suggests and just shows what lengths the supernatural go to. Once again here a monster like image is created of Dracula and the instant feeling of fear kicks in as you read the sentence. The main reason that this sense of fear is created by the writer is because of how graphic the script becomes and how detailed it is and once again this instantly creates a picture in your mind of Dracula commencing with these gruesome acts. When my brain says Come! to you, you shall cross land or sea to do my bidding This describes a sense of power, which comes from Dracula. This is typical as power is one of the Gothic conventions, which is used in this story to good effect as Dracula commands his presence and shows his power. Straight after this we go from power to the gruesome side of Dracula: With that he pulled open his shirt and with his sharp nails opened a vein in his breast This is very gruesome and creates a sense of sickness for the reader but its all in the nature of Dracula as the story shows and Bram Stoker makes this very graphic once again which sends shivers up the readers spine. But even this is not enough. The writer goes one step further here as he goes into more graphic content When the blood began to spurt out, he took my hands in one of his, holding them tight, and with the other seized my neck and pressed my mouth to the wound, so that I must suffocate or swallow This once again is very sickening as it goes into great detail of how she is made to press her mouth against the blood spurting breast of Dracula. This creates a sickening image, which causes the reader to react in a way where he/she just wants to put the book down. As we move on to another extract in the story. We come to the part of the story where the Professor encounters Dracula himself.

Protection Against Cyber Attacks

Protection Against Cyber Attacks Joshua Smeal Heres something to think about. It is reported that roughly 80 million to 90 million cyber-attacks occur each year, which breaks down to about 400 new attacks every single minute. The sad part of that statistic? Over 70% of these recurring attacks go unnoticed! People dont quite understand the risks that come along with using a computer in their daily lives. There are a lot of people that do use security measures to safely browse the internet, download files from the internet, etc. Although many people are safe, there are the few that do not use any precautions or countermeasures and inevitably fall into a trap and end up losing personal information, money, or worst case even their identity. It is important to know what Cyber Security is in a general perspective, the different kinds of attacks that are out there, and the best ways to secure yourself as well as others from the risks they encounter daily when using computers. To elaborate on the meaning of Cyber Security, It is in broad terms the security of the cyberspace. Cyberspace and its underlying infrastructure are vulnerable to a wide range of risk stemming from both physical cyber threats and hazards. Cyberspace is particularly difficult to secure due to a number of factions including the ability for malicious operators to operate anywhere in the world. What exactly is a cyber-attack? A cyber-attack is a deliberate exploitation of computer systems, technology-dependent enterprises or networks. Cyber-attacks use malicious code to change the code, resulting in disruptive actions that may compromise information and allow for a crime to begin. This oftentimes happens when a person will be downloading what looks to be an anti-virus program to get rid of a virus or malware he/she thinks they may have because their computer is very slow. Once that program is running it may allow for all the data on the computer to be compromised. Once that data is comp romised it will allow for a crime to be committed and it turns into a cyber-attack. To go into more detail about a cyber-attack, there are many, many different types of cyber attacks. One of the most common cyber-attacks is malware, which can be explained as malicious code that has a malicious intent which is often used to destroy something or used to steal personal information such as a persons credit card information or social security number. Another type of attack is a virus, which is used to make a PC sick which then hides within the computer file system. They can replicate themselves by attaching to other programs and or files. Theyre usually used to slow down computers to the point of no recovery and the user can no longer use the computer properly anymore. Spyware is another type of attack and is used to spy on its victim. These types of attacks usually hide, as a spy would do in real life. They can log a victims actions, and are capable of recording keystrokes, which means they can see passwords that the victim types into the computer through the keyboard. Similar to a virus, is a worm. It replicates itself but unlike a virus doesnt need to attach to a file and or program. Worms can live by themselves and can replicate across different computers or networks, such as a school network, computer to computer. On the other hand, there are password attacks focused on a different goal, to gain access to a secured system such as a database or admin account. The first method and most commonly used is a brute-force. This method is used to crack a password. Brute force is using all possible combos of letters, numbers, and symbols to enter a correct password. Another type of password attack is a dictionary attack, which is when an attacker uses a dictionary to crack a password. The most essentials words in the dictionary are used to guess the password of a users account. The last type of attack is to deny the service someone is using or currently owns. It is most commonly known as a DOS attack, or a denial of service attack. This is a special for m of attack to interrupt a network service which is able to be achieved by sending high volumes of packets, or traffic through the target until slowed down or stopped completely. There are much more that are not listed, but these are the most commonly known and used types of attacks used by cyber criminals. Additionally, everyone should know how to protect themselves from the different types of attacks listed above and know how to be safe when using computers in their everyday lives. People should not click unknown links in their emails, if it were to be legit you should be able to go to a website that it came from and verify that it is legit. Another safety tip includes not downloading attachments in emails received from retailers. Typically retailers do not include attachments, and if there is any doubt that it is not real you should call the company first. A big safety tip is Do not give out personal information over phone or computer. Social Engineering is a process used to trick people into doing something they would not normally do such as updating their password on a website or giving a security professional their passwords to make sure theyre account is not in harms way. Some basic safety guidelines are as follows: Set secure passwords, keep everything up to date, pay close atte ntions to URLs, be suspicious of any clickable links, and verify everything possible. Now for the more technical part, this would include having a great antivirus program. Antivirus programs usually well take care of virus quickly and efficiently. Although people can get antivirus programs, there are new viruss made daily and are not updated within the system instantly which are defined as rogue viruses which even the best scanners cant find them. A rogue virus is defined as an infection where it displays itself on the PC screen, pretending to be a virus cleaner, registry cleaner, or hard drive optimization tool. They can scare you into purchasing something to remove fake viruses or say your computer is in poor condition.

Leadership :: essays research papers

When you think about a leader you think of someone who possesses a number qualities. You would like to think that they are enthusiastic, have good judgment, are intelligent, a good people person, and a great speaker. You can go on and on naming what you think are good qualities. In this weeks discussion several types of leadership were brought up. The charismatic leader was the most appealing. The film we watched in class brought up three qualities that I feel are very important: passion, composure, and consistency. These qualities are characteristic of a charismatic leader. The managers we watched are all very respected. They have a "fire" inside them that makes others around them want to achieve. They are very outspoken and fight for what they believe. You don't expect any more or any less from them. The energy, strong conviction, and self-confidence of a charismatic leader can make the difference in a company or for a team. Without passion the leader won't be willing to go that extra mile or push others to perform at their greatest level. Over the past few years I have been involved with an NIFL (National Indoor Football league) team. Many points touched on during class are characteristic of the leaders of this organization. During the teams' first season they were part of the IPFL(Indoor Professional Football League). There were many problems from the beginning. The ownership was extremely shaky. They were a family that happened to have the money to buy the team but, didn't have the skills to run the team. Because of their selfishness they didn't hire someone with the qualifications to lead the team. Instead the job of general manager was held by the son of the owners. The owners didn't care about the players or coaches. Three hours before the season opener I found myself, along with the head coach and a number of players, painting the old turf. The players' names had not been sewn on the jerseys and they didn't have their shoes yet. A number of players hadn't even received their checks. These were just a few of the problems. As you can imagine this troubled the players and the coaches. The head coach did all he could to stand by his players. He was a great leader and made numerous complaints to the ownership. Because of his loyalty to the players he was eventually fired in the middle of the season. Leadership :: essays research papers When you think about a leader you think of someone who possesses a number qualities. You would like to think that they are enthusiastic, have good judgment, are intelligent, a good people person, and a great speaker. You can go on and on naming what you think are good qualities. In this weeks discussion several types of leadership were brought up. The charismatic leader was the most appealing. The film we watched in class brought up three qualities that I feel are very important: passion, composure, and consistency. These qualities are characteristic of a charismatic leader. The managers we watched are all very respected. They have a "fire" inside them that makes others around them want to achieve. They are very outspoken and fight for what they believe. You don't expect any more or any less from them. The energy, strong conviction, and self-confidence of a charismatic leader can make the difference in a company or for a team. Without passion the leader won't be willing to go that extra mile or push others to perform at their greatest level. Over the past few years I have been involved with an NIFL (National Indoor Football league) team. Many points touched on during class are characteristic of the leaders of this organization. During the teams' first season they were part of the IPFL(Indoor Professional Football League). There were many problems from the beginning. The ownership was extremely shaky. They were a family that happened to have the money to buy the team but, didn't have the skills to run the team. Because of their selfishness they didn't hire someone with the qualifications to lead the team. Instead the job of general manager was held by the son of the owners. The owners didn't care about the players or coaches. Three hours before the season opener I found myself, along with the head coach and a number of players, painting the old turf. The players' names had not been sewn on the jerseys and they didn't have their shoes yet. A number of players hadn't even received their checks. These were just a few of the problems. As you can imagine this troubled the players and the coaches. The head coach did all he could to stand by his players. He was a great leader and made numerous complaints to the ownership. Because of his loyalty to the players he was eventually fired in the middle of the season.

The Need for Reform in Collegiate Sports Essay -- science university a

The Need for Reform in Collegiate Sports The current institutional structure of intercollegiate athletics is attempting to maximize educational quality and athletic excellence simultaneously. Each of which will inevitably impinge on one another. Universities claim that their athletes are amateurs who are attending college for academic achievement and play sports in their free time. This is an impossible task for anybody. Higher education has entered the arena of big business with its athletic programs and with it many problems have emerged for coaches, athletes, and the athletic system itself. There is systematic corruption. Exploitation and hypocrisy are givens in college athletics. Athletic personnel are mistakenly given the responsibility for academic integrity of student athletes. With this responsibility emerges at best indifference and at worst complicate the corruption in college athletics. There is a huge demand for reform. The critics argue the issue of amateurism versus professionalism in college athletics. They also disagree on the means in which reform should be instigated. Many look towards the government for answers while the NCAA would like to regulate itself. There needs to be resolution somewhere because the integrity of sports is in jeopardy. College athletes are expected to combine their athletic dreams with academic endeavors. Many athletes use college as a stepping-stone into professional leagues. College is simply a means to their athletic career. Charles Reed, a chancellor for Florida State, feels that the purpose for education is being lost to these individuals. Universities primary existence is due to an academic mission, not athletic entertainment. However, athletes are expected to practice 30 hours a week, attend at the minimum 12 hours of class, do homework, study for exams, travel to out of town games, and have some kind of a social life. To meet the needs of athletes, universities have lowered their academic standards and programs. Athletes are often clustered into classes that they have the best chance of passing. The goal of striving towards academic integrity has shifted from the best education to the easiest one. Raymie McKerrow, a professor, seems to think this is not all negative. She says that sports ar e an educational entity in their own right. Sports teach, â€Å"enduring values of challenge and response, teamwo... ...the state graduate with me from high school, but he did not attend college. He couldn’t read or write. Even at the high school level teachers and coaches were shuffling him along to keep him eligible. This cannot be allowed. Teachers must be held accountable. Shannon Brownlee also recognizes the failure of middle and high schools. I agree with Tom McMillen that the NCAA cannot regulate itself. It has been trying for years, but nothing ever seems to truly change. The NCAA has proposed strong bills such as Proposition 8 and then passed a weaker version. They passed regulations that limit summer play for football and then schedule a Pigskin Classic for August. They say that they are in favor of academia, but slate games across the country in the middle of the school week. I feel that they are hypocritical in their actions and become part of the problem. There is very little research on actual reform programs. Those that have been implemented are on paper only. This is not a new idea, but the amount of money and popularity generated by this enterprise has overshadowed any progress. The only test for current reforms lies in the future. Only time can tell what that will hold.

The Significance of Brown v. Board of Education Essay -- Case Review

In 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States was confronted with the controversial Brown v. Board of Education case that challenged segregation in public education. Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark Supreme Court case because it called into question the morality and legality of racial segregation in public schools, a long-standing tradition in the Jim Crow South, and threatened to have monumental and everlasting implications for blacks and whites in America. In 1951, Oliver L. Brown, his wife Darlene, and eleven other African American parents filed a class-action lawsuit against the Board of Education of Topeka on behalf of their twenty children for denying colored children the right to attend segregated white schools and sought to change the policy of racial segregation in the school district. The plaintiffs had been working closely with the leadership of the local Topeka NAACP to overturn segregation in public schools. In the fall of 1951, the parents tried to enroll t heir children in the neighborhood school nearest to their home, but they were denied enrollment in the white schools and told to attend segregated black schools. The District Court acknowledged that segregation in public education had a harmful effect on black children, but denied the need to desegregate schools because â€Å"the physical facilities and other ‘tangible’ factors† in Topeka, Kansas were all equal (Brown v. Board of Ed, 366). The District Court ruled according to the precedent established in Plessy v. Ferguson by the Supreme Court in 1896 and upheld state laws permitting, or requiring, segregation in public education. African Americans were inspired to defy laws discriminating against colored people and engage in nonviolent actions by the ev... ...ricans hope that they would be free from discrimination and given equal opportunity in all aspects of their lives. The Brown v. Board of Education case is often noted for initiating racial integration and launching the civil rights movement. Works Cited Hoffman, Elizabeth Cobbs, Edward J. Blum, and Jon Gjerde, 3rd eds. Major Problems in American History: Volume II: Since 1865. Boston: Wadsworth, 2012. Print. Roosevelt, Franklin Delano. â€Å"4. Roosevelt Identifies the ‘Four Freedoms’ at Stake in the War, 1941.† Hoffman, Blum, and Gjerde 271-73. United Nations. â€Å"1. The United Nations Approves a Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948.† Hoffman, Blum, and Gjerde 363-65. United States Supreme Court. Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483-496 (1954). â€Å"2. The Supreme Court Rules on Brown v. Board of Education, 1954.† Hoffman, Blum, and Gjerde 365-66.

College Answers Essay

Hi everyone! Good morning and welcome to all who have gathered here today! I’ll try my best to avoid the â€Å"Papa Kehte speeches of koi engineer ka kaam karega, business mein koi apna naam karega† Its kind of funny that we have got to bid farewell to this college today only to come back in a few days to give our vivas and 8th sem exams. But then I guess we have to make do with what we have, and I’m happy that I got a chance to speak to all my friends from college on this occasion I think that a farewell speech is probably the ONLY speech where students actually listen to the speaker (well I am hoping at least that is the case right now!) Now that I have your undivided attention, let me share a few experiences I had during the past 4 years of my life in K.J Somaiya Engineering. It was a scary feeling when all of us got in this college through the admission rounds at VJTI. When I came out of the inner hall with the confirmation slip in my hand I hardly knew anything about the college. It was chosen only for its proximity to my place. And what a decision it was – in return for an engineering seat in an unknown college I got back innumerable friends and loads of good times. First Year Engineering must be THE most memorable year for any of the students out here. I think all of us would agree that the Symphony during our First Year –when Parikrama had been here – was the best one we had. The best part about FE was that the college management had not divided the students according to branches. This gave us a chance to interact with people from all the branches for one whole year. This helped a lot by keeping us acquainted, even when we were separated from the second year onwards. I can remember it clearly – FE classes in the old workshop building with temperatures

Employment and desistance

Abstract As societies Jails become increasingly over populated there seems to be a new question as to why people recommit crime and how to influence the desistance process. For those in the Criminal Justice fields theories on why individuals commit crimes are abundant. Society, biology, genes, and upbringing are all fair game in assessing the why a person commits crimes. Although understanding the etiological reasoning for crime is important, it has now become increasingly important to understand the importance of desistance and curbing criminal behavior.There are everal links that have been associated as positive correlation with deterring further crime. These include marriage, family and employment. It is easy to give a broad reason to why these factors have such a positive influence on crime, but even more important is the understanding policy implications that research into this topic will create. This paper will begin by examining existing research on the topic of employment and desistance. A survey of local employers will be conducted on employers in the Du Page, IL area to identify hiring processes of convicted criminals.Lastly if employment is the key to curbing criminal activity why are we turning away droves of quality employees? Introduction Desistance in Criminology is the cessation of criminal or other antisocial behavior. TA this point criminals have already taken a leap into the criminal world. Etiological theories have already been developed into the reason why these individuals have accepted a life of crime. Whether it is Strain, labeling, Social Learning or disorganization.Although all these theories gives us possible insight on why individuals turn to crime as a society we still need to understand how to successfully urb criminal and anti-social activity. Our corrections model that we currently have has failed in the rehabilitative aspect. It has served as a great method of temporarily removing criminals from the streets but what happens when these convicted labeled individuals are returned to the our streets. Jobless and labeled a criminal by our societies Justice system will most certainly assure a return to criminal enterprise.According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics 67. 5% of the 300,000 prisoners released in 1994 were rearrested within 3 years. There aren't many institutions that succeed ith a success rate as dismal as that, however we keep churning them out. There are approximately 1 3 prisoners at yearend 2012 According to the United S Department of Justice there are approximately 650,000 ex-offenders released from prison every year. According to the same website it is expected that 433,000 of those will return to Jail, that is 2/3 of the p opulation released.That is staggering figure that contributes to the overpopulation of our prisons. One of the issues at the center of this dilemma is lack of employment opportunities for recently released convicts. The fact that the there is no such thing as an ex-con in society doesn't promote smooth reintegration even for those that do intend of becoming productive members of society. Even though these released individuals have, in the eyes of the United States Justice system paid their debt, society is unwilling to assist by denying employment and training opportunities that will make them a viable candidate in the Job market.We will examine the link between gainful employment and desistance from crime. And how will such a large segment of the population find a Job in an ailing economy. Literature Review Learning new skills, asserting ones free will, and accepting additional responsibilities. The fact that the older we get the less likely we are to engage in risky behavior. Davis Matza referred to this concept as Reform† in his 1964 book delinquency and drift. In this piece of literature he explained hoe delinquency is transient and that adolescent would grow out of there delinquent ways (Matza, 1964).This theory of delinquency lends to th e argument â€Å"boys will be boys† John H. Laub and Robert J. Sampson expand on this idea with The Life Course Perspective consists f evaluating causation of change in the desistance of from Crime through social controls that include key elements attributed to aging; a good marriage; securing legal, Stable work; and deciding to â€Å"go straight,† including a reorientation of the costs and benefits of crime† According to research conducted by Phoebe Potter â€Å"The Hazard ratio for employment is Significant at the . 0 level, suggesting that being employed does positively influence the decision to desist from crime†. In addition the text suggests a %23 percent likelihood that being employed lowers the risk of recidivating. Given the amount of people returning to Jail such studies need to be seriously looked at and action plans develop that seek to enhance employment opportunities for ex-offenders. Drug Use, Work and Desistance Drug use inherently seems to promote criminal activity for those hat use, sell or traffic. Drug use is also another antagonist to getting a Job.Much like background checks drug testing is common most positions. These drug tests are used Justifiably so to avoid workplace injuries and to minimize turnover associated with attendance issues. Considering that a significant majority of incarcerated adults were active drug sers according to National Institute of Drug Abuse website (NIDA). According to the website a survey conducted in 1997 estimated t O percent ot State and 5 percent of Federal prisoners used drugs regularly prior to incarceration†. (NIDA, 2006).The fact that drug use is so prevalent within the population committing crime serious attention needs to be paid to instituting drug rehab programs. Abstinence from drugs has a dual effect on individuals. One it facilitates finding a Job and second the chances of re-offending goes down. According to O'Connell's research for his paper Working Toward Reco very concludes hat drug treatment during the integration phase serves as a therapeutic reintegration that changes the roll of the individual from drug user and criminal to a socially compatible individual. Abstinence from drugs will then cause a departure from the old self and the new self.This separation will then have positive outcomes on the individuals economic and personnel wellbeing outcomes. (O'Connell, 2007). Allowing individuals to make a cognitive change and be able to correlate positive socially acceptable change, through abstinence from drug use and gainful employment is will contribute to future desistance form crime. It would however be counterproductive to believe that these individuals could do this by themselves. A framework needs to be built that encourages abstinence and gives people the necessary skills to be a productive member of society. Policy Implications.Understanding the link between that lives events that have a deterring effect on future criminal activit y is a significant step in being able to successfully being able to implement policies that promote hiring of this disenfranchised segment of our population. According to Phoebe Potter in her 2011 thesis she suggests certain key spects in the implementation of policies to assist in the re-integration of recently released offenders. Potter suggests that the ban on post-secondary financial assistance be lifted for Felony offenders, employers should have stiffer regulations against the discrimination of individuals with criminal records. Potter, 2011) Combined with lack of training and ever expanding background checks, make finding a Job for the pettiest of criminals a challenging task. Potter adds that there should be more intermediary agencies and re-entry programs to assist in getting ex- offender's additional opportunities (Potter, 34). Given the amount of people returning to Jail such studies need to be seriously looked at and action plans develop that seek to enhance employment o pportunities for ex-offenders. Race meets desistance As a society we are not far removed from days where public areas were segregated and minorities were openly discriminated.It would be irresponsible and naive to assume that race doesn't play a role in recidivism, employment opportunities, and ultimate desistance from crime. â€Å"According to Ryan Schroeder research has indicated that minorities, primarily African Americans, continue serious violent offending after dolescence at a rate twice as high as whites. † (Schroeder, 2005 P. 71) When minorities are released from Jail economic opportunities like employment might not be adequately distributed through society. How then are minorities with a double strike on their record; one a conviction on their background and second uneven opportunities due to race.Methodology In an effort to contribute to some of the previous research on the subject of desistance we will conduct our research. This research will be based on employers hiring practices in the area of Du Page, IL. At the time of hire applicants will be given urveys to establish a baseline of employment characteristics. The employees economic, race, sex, and criminal history will be gauged. Upon determining a baseline of qualified personnel two control groups will be targeted and followed to conduct further research.Offenders will be grouped into those that received a position and those that didn't. Salary, and amount of time subject spends at the work. Our findings should be consistent with previous research. Results should see a disproportionate number of non-employable convict's returning to criminal activity. While those that successfully were able to land a Job should see a more favorable result with desistance numbers. Conclusion Criminology has for the large part had a definite concern in establishing a reason to why individuals embark in criminal activity.More obscured was the reasoning as two why people continued to offend. Maturation sugge sts that engaging in risky criminal activity was to an extent a part of growing up. How then are career criminal classified. Our Jails are overflowing at the brim with continuously re-offending aging criminals. The economic problem is undeniable as recidivism continues to be a problem. With a two thirds rate of likelihood to re-offend and be brought back to a state or federal institution a new framework for dealing with out criminal population needs to be developed.It is inevitable that most of the incarcerated population at some point will again walk our neighborhood streets. Desistance from criminal activity must be the ultimate goal of the release process. Through existing research we have seen the connection with life achievement i. e. marriage, education, military enlistment and employment contribute to the desistance trom criminal activi ty. In order to promote successtul re- ntegration back into the community. Offenders must be given the necessary tools to do so. There is a s ignificant amount of money going into the incarcerating criminals that have been released.Samson and Laubs's work on Life-Course theory has laid the ground work in criminology in determining what needs to be done to prevent people from re- offending. â€Å"Taking a Job, graduating from high school, entrance into the military, and marriage all represent potentially pivotal periods in a transition. † (Wright, 2004 p. l). Coming from experience I could attest to how Joining the military and staying ainfully employed has helped me stay out of trouble. Truth be told I was quite the shit-bag before entering military service with United States Marine Corps.The same application of pivotal life changing and perspective changing opportunities need to be given to the recently released criminal population. Research into Desistance need to be coupled with policy changes. Re-integration programs must be designed to give offender's the tools to obtain positions. Groups like the safer founda tion in Chicago, IL must be given much needed funds to act a conduit between offenders and society. Society as a whole also needs to be willing to accept that these individuals have already paid for their crime.Background checks need to stop being a discriminating factor in handing out Jobs. An Idol mind is the devils playground is a popular saying that rings very true with our recently released offender population. Sitting at home without social skill, and without a Job will most definitely lead to re-engaging in criminal activity. Society will always need Jails, however these institutions need to also serve a rehabilitative function with the understanding that most criminals will not die in Jail. Money needs to be funneled into programs that keep offenders from returning to Jail.

Gang Violence in American Schools Essay

Did you ever have to move because your kids were bullied at school? Is the community you are living in is unsafe with gang violence and you were afraid your kids will grow up to be a notorious gangster? You believe the ideal place to raise a family is in a higher income suburban area where the school system is better and your kids will be free from violence. You might want to think again. In fact, youth â€Å"gangs, now more violent than ever, are spreading to new locations† (Gaustad, 1 ) all across the country, including public schools. Gangs are moving suburban areas to recruit more members to expand their gang group. They are using new members to distribute drugs because it is appealing to young children and profitable. It is causing an increase in violence in schools because other gang group does not get along with another set of gang. Kids are scared to go to school because they are afraid they might get bullied and attack. The dropout rates has increase, more weapons are being brought to school endangering lives. School properties are being vandalized with school logos and teachers are getting injured from trying to intervene (Capozzoli and McVey, 81). Gang violence in school are getting worse that school officials, community members, and law enforcements are coming together to figure out solutions. The three solutions that seems to be showing a great impact in reducing gang violence in American schools are school uniforms, peer mediation programs, and after school programs. School uniforms are the first solution that will help cut back gang violence in American schools. Gangs use colors, certain types of clothing, and bandanas to symbolize what group they are from or associate themselves with. Students that are not involved in gangs are unable to walk down the school hallway without being accuse they are involve with a rival gang due to the color shirt he or she may be wearing. School uniforms are typically seen in private or foreign country’s schools to indicate a business-like atmosphere ( Skiba, 10). Now it is becoming more common in public schools because it keeps pupils in similar clothing. The typical school uniforms usually consist of khaki pants and collar shirts. Female pupils are sometimes in a skirt that goes down past their knees. The colors of the collar shirts vary depending on what schools students attend. School uniforms will end gang members from wearing clothing indicating what group they are from. This will help reduce violence between rival gangs because it will be difficult to point out what gang another student associate themselves with. Students will be able to concentrate more on learning than worrying about getting attack. Not only does uniform help reduce the violence but it also help schools bring unity together and help pupils who come from a family with financial difficulty feel less pressure to dress a certain way to fit in (Lopez, 4). The Long Beach Unified School District decided to establish a school uniform policy during the 1990’s to help pupils further their education in an elementary school. The school district had supports from parents who feared for their child’s safety while they were walking to school and mistaken to be a rival gang member due to the color clothing they were wearing. Violence has dropped 86% after the school uniform policy been established for 5 years (Lopez, 4). Murray states,† higher student ratings of the quality of school climate in schools with a uniform policy† after studies was done on two North Carolina schools (qtd. in Zero Tolerance, Zero Evidence, 10). The second solution are peer mediation programs. Peer mediation is a program that involves people who are chosen and educated to resolves issues between individuals that has dispute with one another. The program is used in schools, youth centers, and juvenile justice setting to help young people learn how to solve their conflict through talking it out instead of using violence. Peer mediation programs are used to help decrease lockdowns, suspensions, detentions, and to bring positive atmosphere. Instead of adults trying to diffuse the conflict between young people, the program gives students the ability to help their peer s figure out a solution to their conflict with one another. It also allows the disputers to be more open and able to express why they are conflicting with the other student. Young people tend to feel more comfortable and connect better with people their own age because they feel they won’t be judged. Students are the initiator of confrontations among other students. They have to be neutral and must go through training so they can understand the process. The process of peer mediation are broken down into six steps where the facilitator has to come up with rules that must be followed, hear both sides of the story, determine if it is the same issue causing the problem, suggest solutions that will fix the problem, make sure solution fits the goal of the outcome, and help dispute agree on a solution (Crawford and Bodine, 23). Classical high school in Lynn, Massachusetts has been using peer mediation program for 14 years now and feel that the program will help decrease violence in schools. The program is very important to the school that students have to put an application in and go through an interview process by the coordinator of the program, Miriam Markowitz to become a mediator. Student who have conflict dispute with one another are brought into a private room where the student mediator tries to resolve their issues by easing the pressure off the disputers to act a certain way if they were around their friends. Classical high school reported a â€Å"90 percent success rate† (Weber, 9). When school is out; kids can keep themselves occupied and out of trouble by going to an after school program. After school program is a safe place where kids are supervised, kept busy to drift them away from negative behaviors like gangs and drugs. A lot of the kids who goes to the after school programs lacks adult guidance, or come from a low income family that the parents are working a 12 hour shift and cannot be around to supervise their every move. The staffs at after school programs don’t just help kids with their homework but they build relationships with them and try to guide them in the right direction (after – school activities and clubs). After school programs are not just programs where kids come to do home works and activities, it is also a place where they learn about gang violence, how to prevent involvement. Council for Unity is an after school program located in Riverhead, New York that was developed by Riverhead high school. The program consist of students from different ethnic backgrounds that come together every Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays to talk about what issues are going on in the community, ways to prevent the violence in their schools and to learn about gang violence prevention. The coordinator, Mr. Desenna ask special guest to come by to talk and educate the kids (Council for Unity). Another after school program that is a major success and has been around since 1988 is Roca located in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Roca is a nonprofit organization that works with young people from ages 14 to 24 to help them stay away from gang, teen pregnancy, being incarcerated and graduate high schools. Roca work very closely with young people who are involved in gangs. Staffs from Roca have a program that they call outreach that consist of them walking the streets and trying to build relationships with the gang members. Most of the staffs have gone through incarceration or is an ex-gang member that has turned their lives around and using their experience to influence youths in a positive way. The program â€Å"helped more than 15,000 young people make positive, profound changes in their lives† (rocain.org) Gang violence in American schools is not going to go away overnight but if efforts are put in like: establishing school uniforms, peer mediation programs and providing more free after school programs, it soon will not be an issue facing the school systems. Having positive young people trying to influence their peers will help tremendously. Works Cited Capozzoli, Thomas, and R. Steve. McVey. â€Å"Gangs and Schools.† Kids Killing Kids: Managing Violence and Gangs in Schools. Boca Raton, FL: St. Lucie, 2000. 81-82. Print. â€Å"Council For Unity.† Riverhead.net. Web. 5 Apr. 2011. . Crawford, Donna, and Richard Bodine. Conflict Resolution Education. Rep. Champaign,IL: Research, 1996. Print. Gaustad, Joan. â€Å"Gangs.ERIC Digest.† Ericdigests.org. 2005. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. . Lopez, Rebecca A. â€Å"The Long Beach Unified School District Uniform Initiative: A Prevention-Strategy for Urban Schools.† The Journal of Negro Education 72.4 (2003). The Long Beach Unified School District Uniform Initiative: A Prevention-Strategy for Urban Schools. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. . Project, – Key. â€Å"Roca : Who We Are.† Welcome to Roca. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. . Skiba, Russel J. Zero Tolerance, Zero Evidence. Rep. 2000. Print. Weber, Gretchen. â€Å"Peace among Peers.† The Lynn Educator 2008. Print.

Swot Analysis of It in Ryanair

RYANAIR by: Simon Schuster 08707031 BAHTM Since its beginnings in 1985, Ryanair has created a niche market for a ‘no frills’ airline based upon the model they adopted from Southwest Airlines. Ryanair is now the most popular (in terms of passenger traffic) low cost airline in Europe. Ryanair’s primary model is low cost and IT has been influential to this. Today, 99% of Ryanair passengers check-in online (the other 1% being a small number of self-check-in kiosks in Stansted) and the same ratio applies to sales, 99% of which are acquired through www. ryanair. om. We are going to conduct an analysis of the implementation of IT in their strategy. The analysis tool being used will be SWOT. Strengths One of the strengths Ryanair have with regards to IT is their website. It accounts for almost the entirety of their sales. As well as this it provides a wealth of data on where people travel? How often? How many bags? These are all instrumental pieces of information that hel p manage operation. Using this information will allow Ryanair to boost the accuracy how it distributes its fleet across their destinations.Another use of this information would be how they control queues for passengers checking-in luggage as they would have the exact data from the online booking. As of August 2011, www. ryanair. com was the most visited airline website in Europe. This statistic shows that the website has a distinct advantage above their competitors in acquiring revenue from advertisements. As well as this, it shows a trend that travellers visit their site the most whether they go directly there or are referred to it because of their cheap prices.Aside from their website, they operate a single model fleet comprising of 275 Boeing 737-800s. This makes repairs and diagnostics universal which allows them to use the same scale to track and monitor the performance and safety of their aircrafts. This again would considerably lower costs. Weaknesses Ryanair’s website has often come in for criticism because of its misleading prices. They regularly advertise ‘promotions’ or ‘offers’ at rock bottom prices, however they don’t include the related charges and ‘optional’ fees.These charges and fees being, using any payment method other than Ryanair credit. Another possible weakness is their reluctance to adopt the mobile boarding pass. As many other airlines have this facility as another way to aid their customers’ experience, Ryanair seem to think less of it with Michael O’Leary saying â€Å"If you’ve printed out your piece of paper from the website, what does the mobile phone do for you? Nothing. †. I can only presume this is because it will decrease the amount people being charged for the many fines Ryanair have in place for their customers.A further weakness is the fact they have decided to charge â‚ ¬2. 99 to download their app for iPad and iPhone. This is in contrast to other airlines who released their apps well in advance of Ryanair but chose to offer it free to customers with similar or more functionality like the mobile boarding pass mentioned above. Opportunities Ryanair has many opportunities to grow through IT. Being the most visited airline website, advertising is a huge opportunity to gain revenue.As well as this, it presents an opportunity to combine flights with other components of travel like hotels and car rental. They currently have a relationship with Hertz and also have a hotel booking function through www. ryanairhotels. com. As well as this they have relationships with other travel accommodation providers. There is an opportunity there to offer a package deal where customers will be able to purchase a holiday in full from Ryanair. This would be useful to customers as well as Ryanair.Ryanair tested the use of mobile phones during flights which were received well by passengers as well as the airline themselves. However, they failed to reach an agreement with communications company OnAir. This is something that certainly will be the norm in years to come and I’m sure Ryanair would like to get there first as profits from high margin calls and texts could be lucrative. Because of a long relationship with Boeing, as well as using the same model planes across their fleet, Ryanair can provide Boeing with large amounts of valuable data.Data that would help develop Boeings future models and in turn would provide improvements for Ryanair’s new planes. There is also a possibility Ryanair could install monitors on their planes that display sponsored advertisements for the duration of the flight. These ads could be related to the planes destination as well as Ryanair’s own adverts. Threats Ryanair’s biggest threat, among all airlines, is the rising price of fuel. Aside from this, they could face sanctions for their misleading adverts on their website.Another threat of theirs is hackers, who co uld interrupt their website causing loss in revenue as well as customer dissatisfaction if online check-in was unavailable. An extreme case of this would be terrorists hacked into aviation authorities and caused an international threat. There is always the threat of more and more low cost airlines doing business, however even with others developing better apps and having higher standards of customer relations, Ryanair seem unfazed as they are ruthless in their low cost model and continue to be the cheapest. SummaryIn conclusion, Ryanair’s IT strategy and how they implement it on their business is working well for them. The key asset being their website, through which almost all their revenue comes from. Even though competitors may have slight advantages in other IT components, Ryanair has the most efficient model and their brand as the ‘no frills’ airline is evidently the most recognisable across Europe. With a website with such high traffic and putting the major ity of the pre-flight responsibility on the customer, it’s clear to see how they use IT to their advantage. References

Social Performance of a Company, Part 2 Research Paper

Social Performance of a Company, Part 2 - Research Paper Example Thereby, my organization titled Tencel Corporation intends to put into effect a comprehensive and effective code of conduct that abides by the principles established by the United States Sentencing Commission (2012) guidelines chapter 8 section 8B2.1.with regards to an effectual compliance and ethics plan. Tencel Corporation operates in the communications services industry, our business activity is governed by the purpose of achieving our primary corporate objectives which are profit maximization and maintaining shareholder value. The achievement of the aforementioned corporate objectives however must be met by conforming to ethical guidelines and developing a successful decision-making process which takes into account the interests of both the shareholders and stakeholders of the company. For the purposes of designing the code of conduct for Tencel Corporation, the codes of conduct of three key companies within the communications services industry will be assessed, these companies i nclude AT&T, Verizon and CenturyLink. The code of conduct created by AT&T aligns the responsibilities of the members of the organization and expects all employees to obey to the guidelines that have been designed to promote the concept of integrity within the business environment (AT&T 2013). AT&T understands that its foremost commitment should be towards upholding honesty in all operations and activities of the organization which is the foundation of the implementation of AT&T’s code of conduct (AT&T 2013). According to Chapter 8 section 8B2.1. of the United States Sentencing Commission (2012) guidelines a company is expected to advance an organizational culture that is based on the promotion of ethical standards and obedience of governmental legislations and laws, however, the establishment of an organizational culture based on the aforementioned principles is not explicitly observable in the code of conduct developed by AT&T even though a significant portion of the ethical guidelines propagate the creation of an inclusive workplace environment (AT&T 2013). On the contrary, Verizon advocates the sustenance of an organizational culture based on integrity (Verizon) while at CenturyLink, the management intends to internalize and incorporate the ‘Unifying Principles’ of the company within each and every member of the CenturyLink team in order to establish an organizational culture which rests on the fundamentals on which the company was founded (CenturyLink). The code of conducts of all three organizations that were assessed for the purposes of this assessment maintain a non-retaliation policy and all of the properties of the companies such as the assets, intellectual property, reputation, brand name and research are protected by the placement of several measures that are explained in the code of conducts designed by Verizon and CenturyLink, however, AT&T’s policies with regards to the protection of its assets are not defined in a clea r manner. Practices related to employee placement, working conditions, diversity and health and safety regulations are also addressed (AT&T 2013; Verizon; CenturyLink). Bethoux et al. (2007) note that an analysis of the code of condu