The Social Inequalities And The Biosocial Ecology - 732 Words

Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are found around the world that is one group of illness caused by virus of five distinct families: Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, and Paramyxoviridae (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). These include the Ebola and Marburg, Lassa fever, and yellow fever virus (U.S National Library of Medicine, 2016). Garrett point out that less than a decade ago, one of the biggest problem in the world was the lack of resources available to combat the multiple scourges ravaging the world’s poor and sick. (Garrett, p. 171). Today, thanks to private donations, more money is being assigned toward pressing health challenges. But because the efforts of this money is paying for a largely uncoordinated and directed mostly at specific high profile diseases resulting a problem because the world is poised to spend enormous resources to conquer the diseases of the poor (Garrett, p. 171). This paper will discuss the epidemiology of VHF s., the social inequalities and the biosocial ecology. The five families of viruses that cause viral hemorrhagic fever are most found over the world. The Arenaviridae are a family of virus whose members are generally associated with rodent- transmitted disease in humans causing severe illnesses (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Flaviviridae are a family of positive, single stranded, enveloped RNA virus. They are found in arthropods, primarily ticks and mosquitoes, and can infectShow MoreRelatedGender Roles : Gender And Gender1587 Words   |  7 Pagesacross cultures. We can propose that men are viewed as more independent and dominant than women; and women will be viewed as very dependent when viewing across cultures. Supporting Theories Sandra Bem was a psychologist that was a leading expert on the social construction of gender roles. She discussed the gender schema theory. Gender schema theory proposes that the phenomenon of sex typing derives, in part, from gender-based schematic processing— a generalized readiness to process information on the basisRead MoreEssay on Criminological Theories13456 Words   |  54 PagesChapter 5. Chapter 6. Chapter 7. Chapter 8. Chapter 9. Chapter 10. Chapter 11. Chapter 12. Introduction to Criminological Theory Deterrence and Rationale Choice Theories Biological Theories Psychological Theories Social Learning Theory Social Bonding and Control Theories Labeling Theory Social Disorganization, Anomie, and Strain Theories Conflict Theory Marxist and Critical Theories Feminist Theories Integrating Criminological Theories 4 7 11 15 18 22 25 28 32 35 38 41 3 Chapter 1 Introduction

Petroleum and Case Study Free Essays

UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA A CASE STUDY ON PETRONAS CARIGALI SDN BHD (Facing the International Challenges) WAN ZAINUDDIN HJ WAN MUDA GSM 1997 7 ? ‘IESIS A CASE STUDY ON PETRONAS CARIGALI SDN BHD (Facing the International Challenges) BY WAN ZJUNUDDIN HJ WAN MUDA MATRIC NO. : 45161 MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTIUlTION MALAYSIAN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANA. GEMENT UNIVERSITY PUTRA MALAYSIA. We will write a custom essay sample on Petroleum and Case Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now SERDllNG SELANGOR DmUL EHSAN DECEMBER, 1997 A. Case Study On Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (Facing The International Challenges) By Wan Zainuddin Hj : Wan Muda 45161 Matrie No. This Case Study is submitted in partial fulfilment of the I’equirement fol’ the Mastel’ of Business Aclministl’ation, Malaysian Graduate School of Management, Univel’sity Putn Malaysia, Sel’dang, Selangol’ Dal’Ul Ehsan. Confidentiality Statement The Case Study is purely an academic exercise undertaken by the author. The case herewith contains certain information that shall not be disclosed to the public. Thus no part of this document is to be reproduced in any form and be used in any manner without prior written permission from the author. Acknowledgement First, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to my Supervisor, Professor Dr. Mohd. Ismail Ahmad for his guidance, comments and valuable suggestions during the course of preparing this case study. A big thank you and credit shall also be given to all lecturers throughout the whole MBA programme for their interesting lecture which makes all of us more clear and understanding on the business concept and strategy which is important for today’s competitive business environment. A word of thank shall also go to my wife and children who provide me a valuable inspiration and have been the most patient, understanding, supportive and encouraging for taking this course. Without them, the completion of this case study and the MBA programme would not have been possible. Thank you so much – I love you all †¦.. . Originality of the Document I, Wan Zainuddin Hj Wan Muda, Matric No. : 45161, a final year student of the MBA programme at the University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan hereby confirmed that the case repared for the above programme is purely the sole effort of my goodself. Name: Date : ‘allg? _1Ihd ?l_1Xl†I †¦.. ,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. ,, a.? __ ? P. T___ F_ Ii,. ,. ) FIGURE 1. 0 PETRONAS GROUP OF COMPANIES – 8 – I I I I I 1 I MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE GROUP PVBUC AFFAIRS BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT ICEO DATO’ M. HASSAN MERJCAN . : I I I I I -I 1- . .1 I BOARD AUDIT COMMrmE lAMe I INTERNAL AUDIT REGIOAAL OFACCS I I I HEALTH, SAFETY ENVIRONMENT COMPANY SECRETARY . LEGAl†¦ SERVICES CORPORATE PlANNING BUSINESS DEVElOPMENT I I I CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT 1 I I I I EXPlORATION . PROOUCTKlN SECTOR I . s PETROCHEMICAL SECTOR I ITEC? OGY . 1 1 RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SECTOR REF? ING ‘ MARKETING SECTOR II TRANSPORTATION MARINE SERVICES SECTOR I ) HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SECTOR I 1 FINANCE SECTOR J FIGURE 2. 0 PETRONAS ORGANISATION STRUCTURE – 9 – PETRONAS was now a full-fledged oil and gas company which engaged in a wide range of activities. covering petroleum exploration and production. oil refining. marketing. trading and distribution of crude oil and petroleum products. natural gas processing. ransmission and distribution. natural gas liquefaction and marketing oil liquefied natural gas. and manufacturing and marketing of petrochemicals and fertilisers. Due to the government’s depletion policy. oil production in the country was levelled off between 600. 000 bopd to 650. 000 bopd. Today. within a strong foothold in the country. while building on to its domestic operations. PETRONAS was actively expanding into the global market forging towards its vision of becoming a multi-national petroleum corporation. As PETRONAS President says †¦. The most critical challenge would be to achieve and keep our competitive edge in the international arena where we would be up against the most established and experience players. In order to realise the above. we need to re-examizJe ourselves order to achieve the iUld cOlltlnuously improve 011 everytlJJllg we do in most cost effectiveness. efficient utilisation of our resources †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. we must continuously seek improvement in our organisation and respond positively to the constant changes in the dynamic business environment that we  · operatem †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ † . (3) 10 – 2. 1 . 1 VISION STATEMENT† MISSION STATEMENT PETRONAS, having consolidated its position at home and wi th the expertise and knowledge acquired over the span of 20 years of its existence, was spreading its wing and venturing abroad to pursue its â€Å"dreams†. In order to realise organisational goals, PETRONAS has recently launched the long term Vision Statement as well as creating a Mission Statement to benchmark and evaluate organisation success. PETRONAS VISION STATEMENT † To be a Leading Oil and Gas Multinational of Choice † PETRONAS MISSION STATEMENT We are a business entity, Petroleum was our resources, Our primary objective was to develop and add value to this national resources, Our obj ective was to contribute to the well being of the people and the nation† 2. 1 . 2 SIIARED VALUES In addition to having both Vision and Mission Statement, PETRONAS also launched organisational â€Å"Shared Values† to enhance organisational objective in achieving the goals. – II – Loyalty Professionalism – Loyalty to the Nation Corporation Com mitted, Innovative and Proactive and Always Striving for Excellence Integrity Cohesiveness Honest and Upright United in Purpose and Fellowship With the above Vision, Mission Statement as well as establishing â€Å"Shared Values† statement, it was envisaged that PETRONAS employee could foster a better teamwork, quality product and services which could provide competitive edge, and hence would portray PETRONAS image, reputation and success of the organisation not only at home but also at the international arena. 2. 2 PETRONAS CJlRIGALJ SDN BBD PETRONAS CARlGALI SON. BHD. (peSB) was one of the PETRONAS wholly owned subsidiaries incorporated on 11 at May 1978. With the increase business activities in the exploration and production of oU and gas and good potential for industry development, peSB has been entrusted by PETRONAS to spearheaded the challenge in the oil and gas exploration, development and production not only locally but also at the international arena. To date, peSB was the operator of more than 12 fields, producing about one third of the country’s total oil and gas production. The fields operated by PCSB locally are Ouyong, Oulang, Bekok, Tapis and Pulai in Peninsular Malaysia, the Tembungo and Samarang in Sabah, nine oilfield in – 12 – Baram Delta area in Sarawak. Meanwhile, in the international area, peSB was operating Dai Hung in Vietnam, and few platforms in the Caspian sea which undergoing development phases. Currently, PCSB has been involved in a number of projects internationally. Among the international projects undertaken by PCSB was in the Asia region such as Thailand, Philippine, Vietnam, Burma, Indonesia, India; in the Middle East such as in Iran, Iraq, Syria; in Eastern Europe such as Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan; in Africa such as in Sudan and many more. Through the years, PCSB kept on venturing into new concession area and ggressively participate in the international arena to further strengthen its business. (4) 2. 2. 1 PCSB VISION STATEMENT Many multinational companies set a long term organisational objectives or goals known as vision statement. Likewise, as business activities were faCing a stiff challenge in todays global market environment, PCSB has also established company vision in reali sing its goals and objectives. With the vision, peSB was expected to enhance its capabilities. PCSB vision was † To Be A MultinatiolJal E P CompalJY ofClJoice, Creating V alue TlJroug COlJtinuous ImprovemelJt GrowtlJ â€Å". h – 13 – 2. . 2 PCSB BUSINESS OBJECTIVES One could argue that it was virtually impossible for an organisation to function without having establish some business goals or objectives. An objective set a future target or end result that an organisation wishes to achieve. It also set a direction where the organisation was heading towards achieving its dream. As part of globalisation effort to purse its business activities, PCSB has set few organisational objectives to spearhead the challenge of the oil and gas industry that was very competitive particularly in the international arena. PCSB business objectives were ; o To actively participate in the exploration of petrolewn resources for the maximwn benefit of the peopJe o To attain lull operational and technical expertise through manpower development and the transfer of technology in the shortest possible time o To achieve an adequate production level so as to meet the nation? total crude oil and gas output o To ensure maximum Malaysian involvement in the fabricating and assembling of aD production facilities and provision of ancillary and supportive services in the oil and gas industry. The above business objectives were in line with PETRONAS President wishes who said that† †¦ The most critical challenge would be to achieve and keep our competitive edge in the international arena where we would be – 14 – up against the most established and experienced players. In order to be competitive. we need to constantly re-examme ourselves iUJd CDlltbluously Improve Oil everytbblg we do in order to achieve cost effectiveness. efficient utilisation of our resources†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. we must continuously seek improvement in our organisation and respond positively to the constant changes in the dynamic business environment that we operate 11(5) m†¦. . †¢ 3. 0 PCSB ORGANISATION STRUCTURE Having diversifying its business activities outside the domestic environment. PCSB basically adopting functional concept of the organisation structure. Current PCSB organisation structure composed of essentially five (5) main divisions that were Exploration. Development. Commercial Services. Domestic Operation. and International Operation. Each of these divisions was headed by the General Manager who reported directly to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer. Exploration division focus on finding new oil and gas reserve that could provide substantial return to the company. Whenever Exploration teams find new oil and gas reserve. the field development was then be the responsibility of the Development division to further study how to produce hydrocarbon from offshore. Development division composed of Petroleum Department. Drilling Department. Design Department. Construction Department. and Services Department that specialise in certain work scope. Commercial Services Division mainly focused on all contractual matters pertaining to the project development and exploration activities. Meanwhile. for both – 15 – How to cite Petroleum and Case Study, Free Case study samples

Changing Geography of Banking and Finance

Question: Discuss about the Changing Geography of Banking and Finance. Answer: Introduction This chapter consist of a thorough review of the existing literatures compiled by the renowned scholars on the subject matter of analysis of the financial statements of the banks. The primary focus of this chapter will be the discussion on the author views about the financial development of the banking system in Australia and Canada. In order to get a detailed conceptual and theoretical foundation for the research, it is essential to review and analyze the existing literatures. The views of authors provide support to the conclusions drawn from the data analysis, thus, carrying out literature review is a crucial exercise in the overall research work (Jesson, 2011). In the context developed above, a literature review has been carried out with an objective to find out and analyse the views of the existing literatures on analysis of the financial statements of the banks. In order to make it simple and understandable, the entire discussion of this chapter has been segregated into five major headings. The first heading covers discussion on comparison of the financial statements of the banks. The second heading covers accounting procedures and ratio analysis used by the banks in analysing their financial performance. Further, the discussion has been extended to contribution of Westpac banking corporation in the development of the Australian economy. Apart from the above, the literature review also covers discussion on the contribution of Bank of Montreal in the economic development of Canada. The chapter of literature review has been ended up with discussion on the types of services provided by the banks their contribution in the overall development of the country followed by conclusion. The hypothesis of this literature review is to test that whether the banking system plays a critical role in the development of the economy of the country or not. In order to test this hypothesis, the two major banks operating in Australia and Canada, USA have been analysed. Comparing Financial Statements of Banks In the views of Follett (2011), the comparison of financial statement of two organizations with each other is crucial in assessing the financial performance and position. The major components of the financial statements comprises of balance sheet, profit and loss statement and cash flow statement. Comparing profit and loss statement provides evaluation of the financial performance while comparison of the balance sheet is crucial to assess the financial position (Follett, 2011). However, it is important to note that two things must be comparable that is the base should be equal. In the case of comparison of the financial statements, it should be kept in mind that the financial statements of two companies operating in different countries would be different (Follett, 2011). As per Pounder (2009), the financial statements are prepared as per the instruction provided in the financial reporting framework prescribed in a particular country, for example, companies in USA follow US GAAP (general accepted accounting principles) and IFRS while in Australia, the companies prepare financial statements based on Australian GAAP along with due consideration to IFRS (Pounder, 2009). Pounder (2009) further states that the differences in the financial reporting frameworks of two countries make the figures in the financial statements incomparable. Thus, in order make it comparable, there should be used analytical tools such as ratio analysis, vertical analysis, horizontal analysis and trend analysis (Pounder, 2009). As per Greuning and Iqbal (2008), the income statement of two banks operating in two different countries could be better analyzed by performing common size analysis. In this analysis, every item of the income statement is presented as a percentage to the net sales. Taking the items as a percentage of net sales provides a common base which can be use for comparison purposes. Greuning and Iqbal (2008) further states that common size analysis is not only useful in analyzing the income statement but it can also be used in analyzing the balance sheet (Greuning and Iqbal, 2008). As per Tracy (2012), financial analysis is crucial in determining the financial health of the company. The four core areas of business such as profitability, liquidity, efficiency, and solvency are analyzed using the information provided in the financial statements. Further, it is essential to know that where the company stands in the market place. The analysis of the financial statements through ratio analysis and comparison with the competitors and the industry averages provides evaluation of the standing of company (Tracy, 2012). Since, the banking system plays a pivotal role in the economy development of a country; therefore, it becomes important to analyze the financial performance of banks to have a glimpse of economy soundness in the country. Accounting Procedures and Ratio Analysis Used by Banks As per Pounder (2009), the accounting procedures are the policies, provisions and rules that guide the preparation of the financial statements of the companies. As has been stated by Pounder (2009), two companies operating in different countries follow different accounting procedures and policies. Due to different accounting policies and procedures being followed, the figures in the financial statements tend to differ (Pounder, 2009). In comparing the financial statements of two companies, particular when two are situated in different countries, it is essential to make the base equal. This can be achieved by applying various analytical tools as discussed in above section. The ratio analysis is also one of those tools which are applied to make the base equal for comparison purposes (Tracy, 2012). In the view of (Tracy, 2012), generally, the ratio analysis covers major areas of financial analysis such as profitability, liquidity, efficiency, and solvency. The leading profitability ratios comprise of net margin, gross margin, return on equity and return on assets. Further, the liquidity ratios, which indicate sufficiency or lack of funds, comprise of current ratio and quick ratio. The ratios such as assets turnover, accounts receivable days, and inventory turnover days indicate the management efficiency in conducting the business operations. Last but not the least; solvency aspect is covered by the ratio such as debt equity ratio and interest times (Tracy, 2012). Solvency depicts capability of the company to pay off long term debt on the due date. However, in the views of Golin and Delhaise (2013), the financial analysis of banks requires special attention to the areas such as liquidity and capital adequacy. For this purpose, CAMELS Rating System, being recognized worldwide, is considered useful. Six crucial factors such as capital adequacy, asset quality, management, earnings, liquidity, and sensitivity are analyzed in CAMELS Rating System. These six factors cover the business of banks from end to end and provide a comprehensive analysis of the financial performance and position. Therefore, CAMELS Rating System is an added tool that is used by the banks and rating agencies in analyzing financial performance (Golin and Delhaise, 2013). As per Golin and Delhaise (2013), capital adequacy ratio is computed to evaluate that the bank possesses enough capital to pay off the public deposits and absorb the potential losses. The capital adequacy ratio is computed by dividing the tier-1 and tier-2 capital with risk weighted assets possessed by the bank. The regulations prescribe minimum capital adequacy ratio which the banks operating in that country have to comply with. Further, the CAMELS system provides for measurement of the assets quality, which is carried by computing ratios such as non-performing loans (NPLs) to total loans and NPLs to total equity (Golin and Delhaise, 2013). The earning ability is analyzed by computing ratios such as net interest income margin, cost to income ratio, and return on assets. Further, the assessment of quality of management is also crucial which is carried out by computing total assets growth, loan growth, and earnings growth. The liquidity is a major concern for any business. It is measured by computing and analyzing the ratio such as Customer deposits to total assets and total loan to customer deposits (LTD) (Golin and Delhaise, 2013). Contribution of Westpac Banking Corporation in Australia Petkovski and Kjosevski (2014), has stated based in their research work that the financial sector which includes bank also pays a crucial role in the overall economic growth and development. The banks and capital market are the foundation of every economy. Further, it is perceived that the role of banking and finance sector has increased even more in the recent years in all the countries across the globe. The macro economic factors such as gross domestic product, interest rates, and inflation are the majorly affected by the banking industry (Petkovski and Kjosevski, 2014). Considering these facts, it is essential to analyze the contribution made by one of the Australias largest banks namely Westpac Banking Corporation in the economic development. Westpac Banking Corporation is among the top banks operating in Australia. Primarily, the bank operates in Australia and New Zealand providing a wide range of services in the areas of retail banking, institutional and commercial banking, and wealth management. Westpac is one of the oldest banks in Australia engaged in business since the year 1817 (Westpac, 2016). The bank has grown significantly over the years causing positive impact on the overall economy of Australia. In the year 2014, the company possessed total assets worth A$770 million which shows that significance of the company in the economic development (KangaNews, 2015). At present the Westpac group operates in five segments such as consumer bank, business bank, BT financial group, Westpac institutional bank, and Westpac New Zealand. The group has enlarged its size manifold in the recent years. Its consumer bank segment operates with 1429 (Westpac, 2016) branches which depicts its significant contribution to the economic growth. Further, Westpac New Zealand also has grown substantially to have 193 branches in operation (Westpac, 2016). The groups revenues have been observed to be increasing at a rapid pace in the recent few years. In the year 2012, the revenues of Westpac group were A$16,771 million, which grew to A$20,889 million in the year 2015. The increase in revenues shows that Westpac has contributed to the gross domestic product of the company significantly. Further, the group has also contributed to the social development by providing employment to the people at a large scale. In the year 2014, the core full time employees of the group were 33,586 (Westpac, 2014), which show significant contribution of the group in the social development in Australia. Contribution of Bank of Montreal in Canada In the views of Goodhart (2004), a sound banking system helps the economy to grow by driving the growth path. Every facet of the economy, for example, productivity, inflation, exports and imports, social development are dependent to a lot extent on the soundness of the banking system (Goodhart, 2004). As per the report of Canadian Bankers Association, the banking and finance and insurances sector contribute approximately 10.30% directly to the gross domestic product (Canadian Banking Association, 2016). In addition to this, the banking and insurance sector also provides employment to the people at a large scale in Canada, which is its indirect contribution to the economic development. Bank of Montreal, one of the oldest banks of Canada, was established late in the year 1817 (BMO, 2016). The banks grow substantially over the years to provide diversified financial services mainly in the North American region. As per the annual report of the company, there are 45,234 full time employees working with the company and its subsidiaries (BMO, 2016). The size of employees depicts that the bank contributes towards the social development of the country significantly. Further, it has also made direct contributions to the gross domestic product of the country by increasing the productivity levels. The growth in revenues indicates the increased productivity of the company and its increased contribution to the gross domestic product of the country. In the year 2014, the total revenues of the company along with its subsidiaries amounted to $10,997 million, which went up to $12,575 million in the year 2016 (BMO, 2016). Types of Services Provided by the Banks Alessandrini, Fratianni, and Zazzaro, (2009), State that the banking system has gone under changes in the recent years all around the world. It has been observed that the banks have incorporated in their service portfolio, the new and modern services besides the conventional services of accepting deposits and lending money. Now the services provided by the banks extend to the investment banking and portfolio advisory areas (Alessandrini, Fratianni, and Zazzaro, 2009). In respect of Westpac Banking Corporation, it could be observed that the bank started with simply accepting public deposits and lending money. However, at present the company operates through five segments such as consumer bank, business bank, BT Financial group, Westpac institutional bank, and Westpac New Zealand. Through these five segments, the bank provides a wide range of services to its customers. Few of the leading services provided by the bank include accepting deposit under saving account and term deposits, extending loan under personal loan, home loan, and investment loan. Apart from this, the bank also provides the services of credit card, ATM, Bank guarantee, and investment and financial advisory. Further, the bank also deals with foreign exchange transactions, leasing services, and merchant banking services. Thus, the service portfolio of the bank has grown to a substantial level. In the same way, Bank of Montreal has also modified its service portfolio, now the bank has added services such as cash management, foreign exchange, wealth management, and investment advisory to its service portfolio. Further, the bank has brought out new products for the commercial customers, for example, bank guarantee and bill discounting. Conclusion: The discussion in this chapter is built up on the views of the existing literatures on the subject matter of contribution of the banks in the development of the economy. From the discussion carried out in this chapter, it could be articulated that the banking system is foundation of the economy. The economy can not be viewed as growing in the absence of a sound banking system. The literature review of the existing literatures reveals that the banking system plays a pivotal role in the overall development of the economy. In Canada, the banking and finance and insurance sector contributes approximately 10.30% to the gross domestic product of the country, which indicates its role and importance in the economic development. Apart from this, the literature review also covers discussion on the services provided by the banks. From the discussion carried out in this regard, it could be articulated that the service portfolio of the banks have increased substantially in the recent years. The banks have now jumped from providing services on the conventional model to the modern model. The modern model provides for inclusion of more services beside accepting public deposits and lending money to the public. The views of the authors in this regard depicts that the banks have shifted their focus from conventional banking to modern banking, which includes investment banking and advisory services, foreign exchange services, and commercial services such as bank guarantee and leasing. References Alessandrini, P., Fratianni, M., and Zazzaro, A. 2009. The Changing Geography of Banking and Finance. Springer Science Business Media. BMO. 2016. History of Bank of Montreal. [Online]. Available at: https://www.bmo.com/home/about/banking/corporate-information/history [Accessed on: 13 December 2016]. BMO. 2016. Managements Discussion and Analysis. [Online]. Available at: https://www.bmo.com/ir/files/F16%20Files/2016MDA.pdf [Accessed on: 13 December 2016]. BMO. 2016. Statement of Managements Responsibility for Financial Information. [Online]. Available at: https://www.bmo.com/ir/files/F16%20Files/2016CFS.pdf [Accessed on: 13 December 2016]. Canadian Banking Association. 2016. Issues Brief: Banks and the Economy. [Online]. Available at: https://www.cba.ca/contributing-to-the-economy [Accessed on: 13 December 2016]. Follett, R. 2011. How to Keep Score in Business: Accounting and Financial Analysis for the Non-Accountant. FT Press. Golin, J. and Delhaise, P. 2013. The Bank Credit Analysis Handbook: A Guide for Analysts, Bankers and Investors. John Wiley Sons. Goodhart, C. 2004. Financial Development and Economic Growth: Explaining the Links. Springer. Greuning, H.V. and Iqbal, Z. 2008. Risk Analysis for Islamic Banks. World Bank Publications. Jesson, J. (2011). Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques. London: SAGE. KangaNews. 2015. Incorporating Australian Securitization and Covered Bond. Australian Securitization Journal, 8(2015), pp. 1-53. Petkovski, M. and Kjosevski, J. 2014. Does banking sector development promote economic growth? An empirical analysis for selected countries in Central and South Eastern Europe. Journal of Economic Research, 27(1), pp. 55-66. Pounder, B. 2009. Convergence Guidebook for Corporate Financial Reporting. John Wiley Sons. Tracy, A. 2012. Ratio Analysis Fundamentals: How 17 Financial Ratios Can Allow You to Analyze Any Business on the Planet. RatioAnalysis.net. Westpac. 2014. Annual Report of Westpac Group. [Online]. Available at: https://vpr.hkma.gov.hk/doc/100167/ar_14/ar_14_eng.pdf [Accessed on: 13 December 2016]. Westpac. 2016. Our Business. [Online]. Available at: https://www.westpac.com.au/about-westpac/westpac-group/company-overview/our-businesses/ [Accessed on: 13 December 2016]. Westpac. 2016. Our History. [Online]. Available at: https://www.westpac.com.au/about-westpac/westpac-group/company-overview/our-history/ [Accessed on: 13 December 2016].

Mark Twains Creative Writing Process

Mark Twain fills his novels with affective humor and literary excellence. The research focuses on Mark Twain’s use of humor persuades the readers to finish the entire novel. The research includes examples of Mark Twain’s creative genius. Mark Twain. creatively wove the novels to bring the real life issue of racism to the readers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mark Twain’s Creative Writing Process specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens in real life, rose to writing stardom with his books Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain’s creatively wrote books using the humor literary style. His story entitled â€Å"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer† was a creative novel based on Mark Twain’s boyhood years living in Hannibal . Mark Twain patterned two of the Tom Sawyer characters after his two real life schoolmates, John Briggs and Will Bowen. Likewise, Mark T wain created a sequel to the Tom Sawyer story, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain based the Huckleberry story on Mark Twain’s childhood best friend, Tom Blankenship. Mark Twain creatively wrote a third popular novel entitled â€Å"The Prince and the Pauper†. The third book did not have as much acclaim and popular demand as Mark Twain’s first two masterpieces, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn story finally catapulted Mark. Twain, as one of America’s all time notable writers. Sharon Rush emphasized (Rush 10) Mark Twain creatively touched on the serious topic of racial discrimination during his time. The Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn stores centered the abuse of the African Americans. Mark Twain’s books creatively focused on the serious issue of racial slavery that was normal in the American community during Mark Twain’s time. The Huckleberry Finn story included Mark T wain’s serious research on deep and enduring realities of American racism. Consequently, Mark Twain’s two books are mandatorily included in the American educational curriculum. The inclusion focused on bringing out the realities of racial discrimination of the pre-civil war days to the four walls of the classroom environment. Racism flourished in the United States from 1870s to 1960s. Mark Twain creatively wrote in the Huckleberry Finn novel Huckleberry’s humorous voice â€Å"a dissentering minister†. Mark Twain based the sentence on the Wilks episode that bizarrely closed with disinterring a corpse.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Victor Doyno (68) reiterated one should consider looking at interviews with or texts by the author that describe his or her creative process. Mark Twain’s writing, especially on the Huckleberry Finn novel, includ ed sparks of creative verbal wit, themes, and plot convulsions. Mark Twain admitted he allowed humor to drop in or stay out according to his moods. However, he fitted the humor situations to fill the aesthetic requirements of Mark Twain’s novels. Mark Twain intentionally added humor to the serious racial scenes to differentiate his characters on the minds of the avid readers. Mark Twain normally included the humor aspect of his novels when editing started. Mark Twain loved to tinker with words of humor to spice up the novel’s excellently woven stories. For example, Huckleberry Finn says â€Å"†¦and the king allowed he would drop over to ‘tother village, without any plan†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . There is no such word in the English language as ‘tother. This is one of Mark Twain’s creative genius at work. Mark Twain continually revised his original draft of the Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn novel s to capture the readers’ interest to read on until the last page. Mark Twain was successful in this endeavour. The success is pinned on creatively fusing humor into the chapters of Mark Twain’s masterpieces. Albert Bigelow Pain commented Mark Twain’s creative genius indicates his marvellous reminiscences that included an atmospheric relevance to American slave history. Such history is part of Mark Twain’s childhood biography. Michael Kiskis (113) mentioned Mark Twain’s creative writing process includes imagination dominated by memory with sprinklings of creating details to unfold the realities of racism to the novel readers. Mark Twain’s penchant for details presents the unvarnished harshness of racial discrimination on a literary level. Mark Twain’ s aim was to vividly bring the past into the novel readers’ present time in order for the readers to feel the pains, joys, triumphs and defeats of the people of his time. Mark Twain’s created included patches of sentences that func tion therapeutically to bring meaning and purpose into a world that seemed dreamlike and unreal. Ken Rasmussen (220) observed Mark Twain creatively feature Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn with different characteristics. Tom Sawyer seeks attention and the limelight. Tom Sawyer seeks fame. On the other hand, Huckleberry Finn wants to be alone by his lonesome. Tom Sawyer is creative and is easily falling love with the girls of his age. On the other hand, Huckleberry Finn thrives on realistic environments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mark Twain’s Creative Writing Process specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Huckleberry Finn is practical. Mark Twain depicts Tom sawyer as a clever person. Mark Twain described Tom sawyer as bending onto quixotic fantasies. On the other hand, is cleverly practical. For example, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer create a plot to rescue Jim from his slave owners. Huckleberry Finn wan ts to rescue Jim by waiting until Uncle Silas Phelps is in deep sleep. While sleeping, Tom and Huckleberry will grab the keys from the sleeping Phelps and rescue Jim. On the other hand, Tom’s version of the rescue is to spend weeks laboriously re-enacting famous escapes read from Tom’s references. Mark Twain intricately wove Huckleberry Finn’s faked death in the novel. Huckleberry Finn creatively executed escapes from his father by not wasting any step. Consequently, Huckleberry Finn is able to steal many supplies. Huckleberry Finn fraudulently convinces everyone Huckleberry Finn’s dead body is floating along the Mississippi River. Bringing the escaping Jim along, Huckleberry Finn creatively invents new aliases to ensure the success of Jim’s escape. Huckleberry Finn creatively saved the Wilks sisters from the hostile King and Duke. The King and Duke are hell bent on robbing the Wilks sisters. Huckleberry Finn’s intelligence is diminished whe n finally concedes to Tom’s escape plan. Kent Rasmussen (221) Mark Twain modelled Huckleberry Finn’s father, Pap, on the real life Jimmy Finn. Finn was the drunkard in Mark Twain’s community. The real Finn did not have the qualities mentioned in Mark Twain’s rendition of Pap in the Huckleberry Finn novel. In addition, Mark Twain characterized Huckleberry Finn’s father as an abusive parent. Huckleberry Finn learns a lesson from his father â€Å"take a chicken when you get a chance, because if you do not want him yourself you can easily find someone who will get the chicken†. Mark Twain details Pap’s appearance as about 50 years old, having long black greasy hair, a long beard, a sickeningly white skin, rags covering his outmoded body, toes pointing through a hole in the person’s worn out boots, having black slouch hat with the top caved in. However, the sentence in the Huckleberry Finn novel shows â€Å"†¦you can easy find †¦Ã¢â‚¬  this is a good example of creativity.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mark Twain intentionally made the wrong grammar to keep the readers on the edge of their seats as they ponder the essence of the intentional replacement of easily by the erroneous easy. As part of the creative process, Mark Twain included a sad scene in the predominantly humorous story. Mark Twain included the scene where the escaping slave, Jim, persuades Huckleberry Finn not to look at the victim’s face. Jim estimates some shot dead person at the back two days prior to Jim and Huckleberry Finn’s arrival. The Huckleberry Finn novel’s chapter 9 shows that the dead man is Huckleberry Finn’s own father, Pap. Harold Bloom (37) mentioned Mark Twain’s creative genius can be seen in the passage â€Å"†¦They bad come up from the quarry and stood around the stile a while, and then went on around the garden fence. It is funny they had not come in, after standing around so†¦ †. The verse clearly shows the character is an uneducated person, j udging from the wrong grammar used. Creative imagination explodes with the word stile that brings a crystal-clear focus on the coming up prediction. Mark Twain includes the garden fences the creating narrative limits by mentioned in the novel. In addition, Stephen Railton (32) theorized Mark Twain creatively inserted the characters of the King and the Duke to bring entertainment to its fullest. Mark Twain includes the two evil characters to ensure the success of the Huckleberry Finn novel during its stage performance. The two characters make a living on taking advantage of their victims. The two would manipulate the people’s appetites. The people’s appetites included religious trimmings. Likewise, the two took advantage of the sadacious desires of the male audiences at nonesuch, or the sentimental needs of Peter Wilk’s neighbors. The Huckleberry Finn novel includes an ambivalent setting to entertain the followers of the Huckleberry Finn story. The Huckleberry Fi nn novel includes some tinges of democratic character when it brings the issue of slavery to the people, the judges of democratic ideals. To bring the creativity process to it highest levels, Mark Twain characterized Tom Sawyer, a poor boy, and Huckleberry Finn, an African American slave, into the story. The two characters do not belong the circle of rich people of American society. Mark Twain’s creativity includes such words as â€Å"raging rush of people†, â€Å"drunk rider’s danger†, and â€Å"stretching their necks† to bring color to the Huckleberry Finn novel. The author supporter does not deviate from the class discussions concerning the creative process. Mark Twain’s creative process complies with the creative process for his novels are able to find useful knowledge by searching for the problem space, limiting the adaptation task, and discovering answers that are substantially different from the normal or original one. Mark Twain†™s novels focused on letting the audiences or viewers of his novels to work out a solution to the racism problem that prevailed during Mark Twain’s time. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn resolved the issue of racism in the novels. They did so by taking a stance to rescue Jim from his owners. Based on the above discussion, the novels of Mark Twain includes humor and literary excellence. The Mark Twain novels include humor persuade the readers to finish the entire novel creatively. Mark Twain’s creative genius includes immortalizing the diverse circumstances of the characters. Indeed, Mark Twain creatively wrote the novels bring the real life issue of racism to the readers creatively. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Infobase Press, 2007. Priint. Doyno, Victor. Writing Huck Finn: Mark Twain’s Creative Process. New York: University Press, 1993. Print. Kiskis, Michael. Constructing Mark Twain. New York: Un iversity Press, 2001. Print Railton, Stephen. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Broadway Press, 2011. Print. Rasmussen, Kent. Critical Companion to Mark Twain. New York: Infobase Press, 2007.Print. Rush, Sharon. Huck Finn’s â€Å"Hidden† Lessons. New York: Rowman Press, 2005.Print. This essay on Mark Twain’s Creative Writing Process was written and submitted by user Ayanna Parker to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Conflict in Society Essay Example

Conflict in Society Essay Example Conflict in Society Essay Conflict in Society Essay On top of that, it can be argued by functionalist sociologists that society tends towards consensus and it is vital in the upbringing of any society. It is argued that conflict in society is not desirable as it destroys consensus, yet change is a must. Therefore, wholesale change is rejected but minor changes are tolerated in the functionalist point of view. This relates to culture in many ways as culture tends towards consensus. It(culture) must be agreed upon by various members of society if it is to be implemented. As example, pre-maritial sex is frowned upon in todays different levels of society [s5]and it has to be of a unanimous decision by society to condemn such behavior. But on the other hand, it is also true that change is needed in cultures of society, as example, dating among teenagers. It was almost a taboo back in the golden days for teenagers to date, but along with time, cultures will change as well, in an effort to gain stability and these days dating among teenagers is a common thing as well as understood among the various members of society. Francois de la Rochefoucauld (1680) quotes that the only constant in life is change and culture in society changes along with the advancement of mankind, so that they are not considered out-of-date and anachronous. Functionalists argue that the main institutional groupings play a tremendous role in determining the culture of society. These, as example include economic, politics, family and kinship, as well as media. Economic growth plays a role as well because it affects the way certain societies think and how they run their everyday lives. As example, the poor economy in Third- world countries such as Afghanistan has forced them to accept the growth of poppy plants, which is used to create cocaine AS an economic byproduct, even when it is a country governed by Muslim leaders who strongly oppose drugs. Politics affect culture as well because certain political parties will affect the lifestyles and culture of the people under the ruling party. A good example that we can use here is the differences between ruling parties in Malaysia, PAS, which is of an Islamic ideology[s6] does not allow material entertainment such as theaters and pubs in the states under their influence. This in hand, causes the teenagers living in these states to find other methods of escaping the stress and their teenage angst, causing them to experiment with drugs, devil worshipping, random sex and even membership into gangs. Furthermore, another example is the legalisationlegalization of prostitution in Singapore. This in hand, has successfully reduced the number of rape cases in Singapore as the culture of sex is no more a taboo and those who cannot find any other way of releasing their sexual stress before, can now. Although controversial, it has proved to have curbed the rape cases in Singapore and produced a safer environment. Conflict theorists such as Karl Marx argue that that economic inequality is at the heart of all societies[s7].. In short, some people will have more than their fair share of a societys economic resources (money) and others will consequently have less than their fair share. This, according to Marxists, will create a variety of new ideas, such as giving people new ideas of gaining wealth and making sure that the most qualified people are doing the important jobs. example, when a candidate for an interview of equal capability is forced to compete with other candidates, he has to innovate a new style or flair to stand out from the others. Moreover, MarxiansMarxians argue that the end product of economic organisation and inequality is common values. Marxist Conflict theorists argue that all modern societies consist of the common appeareance of a stable culture, which is actually masks the reality of all the competing forms. They argue that every society consists of social classes made up by terms of whether they own or do not own htethe means of ecnomiceconomic production and that ultimately, there only are two classes that make up the bundle of society, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.

A Guide to the Japanese Perception of the Color Red

A Guide to the Japanese Perception of the Color Red Red is generally called aka è µ ¤ in Japanese. There are many traditional shades of red. The Japanese gave each shade of red its own elegant name in the old days. Shuiro (vermilion), akaneiro (madder red), enji (dark red), karakurenai (crimson) and hiiro (scarlet) are among of them. Use of Red The Japanese especially love the red that is obtained from safflower (benibana), and it was very popular in the Heian period (794-1185). Some of the beautiful clothing that were dyed with safflower red are well-preserved in the Shousouin at Todaiji Temple, more than 1200 years later. Safflower dyes were also used as lipstick and rouge by court ladies. At Horyuji Temple, the worlds oldest wooden buildings, their walls were all painted with shuiiro (vermilion). Many torii (Shinto shrine archways) are also painted this color. Red Sun In some cultures, the color of the sun is considered yellow (or even other colors). However, most Japanese think that the sun is red. Children usually draw the sun as a big red circle. The Japanese national flag (kokki) has a red circle on a white background. Just like the British flag is called the Union Jack, the Japanese flag is called hinomaru æâ€" ¥Ã£  ®Ã¤ ¸ ¸. Hinomaru literally means the suns circle. Since Nihon (Japan) basically means, Land of the rising sun, the red circle represents the sun. Red in Japanese Culinary Tradition There is a word called hinomaru-bentou æâ€" ¥Ã£  ®Ã¤ ¸ ¸Ã¥ ¼ Ã¥ ½â€œ. Bentou is a Japanese boxed lunch. It consisted of a bed of white rice with a red pickled plum (umeboshi) in the center. It was promoted as a simple, staple meal during the World Wars, a time that was hard to get a variety of foods. The name came from the meals appearance that closely resembled the hinomaru. It is still quite popular today, though usually as a part of other dishes. Red in Festivities The combination of red and white (kouhaku) is a symbol for auspicious or happy occasions. Long curtains with red and white stripes are hung in wedding receptions. Kouhaku manjuu (pairs of red and white steamed rice cakes with sweet beans fillings) are often offered as gifts at weddings, graduations or other auspicious commemorative events. Red and white mizuhiki (ceremonial paper strings) are used as gift wrapping ornaments for weddings and other auspicious occasions. On the other hand, black (kuro) and white (shiro) are used for sad occasions. They are the usual colors of mourning. Sekihan è µ ¤Ã© £ ¯ literally means, red rice. It is also a dish that is served on auspicious occasions. The red color of the rice makes for a festive mood. The color is from red beans cooked with rice. Expressions Including the Word Red There are many expressions and sayings in Japanese that include the word for the color red. Connotations for red in Japanese include complete or clear in expressions such as akahadaka è µ ¤Ã¨ £ ¸, aka no tanin è µ ¤Ã£  ®Ã¤ »â€"ä º º, and makkana uso çÅ"Ÿã  £Ã¨ µ ¤Ã£  ªÃ£ â€ Ã£  .   A baby is called akachan  Ã¨ µ ¤Ã£  ¡Ã£â€šÆ'ã‚“ or akanbou  Ã¨ µ ¤Ã£â€šâ€œÃ¥ Å . The word came from a babys red face. Aka-chouchin  Ã¨ µ ¤Ã¦  Ã§  ¯ literally means, red lantern. They refer to traditional bars that you can cheaply eat and drink at. They are usually located on the side streets in busy urban areas and often have a red lantern lit out front. Other phrases include: akago no te o hineru è µ ¤Ã¥ ­ Ã£  ®Ã¦â€°â€¹Ã£â€šâ€™Ã£  ²Ã£  ­Ã£â€šâ€¹ - To describe something easily done. Literally means, To twist a babys hand.akahadaka è µ ¤Ã¨ £ ¸ - Stark-naked, completely nude.akahaji o kaku è µ ¤Ã¦  ¥Ã£â€šâ€™Ã£ â€¹Ã£   - Be put to shame in public, be humiliated.akaji è µ ¤Ã¥ ­â€" - A deficit.akaku naru è µ ¤Ã£  Ã£  ªÃ£â€šâ€¹ - To blush, to turn red with embarrassment.aka no tanin è µ ¤Ã£  ®Ã¤ »â€"ä º º - A complete stranger.akashingou è µ ¤Ã¤ ¿ ¡Ã¥  · - A red traffic light, a danger signal.makkana uso çÅ"Ÿã  £Ã¨ µ ¤Ã£  ªÃ£ â€ Ã£   - A downright (bare-faced) lie.shu ni majiwareba akaku naru æÅ" ±Ã£  «Ã¤ º ¤Ã£â€š Ã£â€šÅ'㠁 °Ã¨ µ ¤Ã£  Ã£  ªÃ£â€šâ€¹ - You cannot touch pitch without being defiled.

Staffing Report (final project for the HRM class ) Research Paper

Staffing Report (final project for the HRM class ) - Research Paper Example Walmart values the ability to offer customers the lowest prices which in turn, they believe, leads to an overall feeling of well being. In addition to their continuing goal of offering low prices, Walmart also wants to have the best selection of products. According to the article entitled â€Å"Walmart, P&G, Kraft Swap Sales & Marketing Strategies,† Walmart added 8500 items to their shelves in order to meet the demands of their customers("Walmart, p&g, kraft," 2011). In terms of their business strategy, Walmart is seeking to create more stores internationally and within the United States("Walmart, p&g, kraft," 2011). In addition, Walmart is gearing up to create more environmentally friendly brands and products, so as to reduce their carbon footprint ("Walmart, p&g, kraft," 2011). In terms of their Human Resource strategy, Walmart seeks to provide continuous training and education for their employees, so that customer service is high and costs are low("Walmart corporate," 2011) . For the next three years, HR believes that this strategy will continue to help keep expenses down for the company. Description of who they hire Within the Walmart company there are many different jobs that a person may apply for. One of the most common positions at this company is that of the store associate. Currently, there are 1.2 million employees who work as store associates. This particular job is comprised of all things customer service. Store associates are expected to work the registers, perform returns, help customers find products, stock merchandise, and keep the store clean and organized("Walmart corporate," 2011). There does not appear to be any requirement for this position, although it is helpful if the person is in decent health and can handle standing for long periods of time and have the ability to lift moderately heavy items on occasion("Walmart corporate," 2011). There are also store management positions. Within this particular area, there are three different l evels of management: assistant manager, co-manager, and store manager. The minimum qualifications for these positions usually include 1-3 years in a supervisory role and 1-3 years of general management experience. An education or background in finance is also an important component, although not always required. The main duties of those within a management position is to supervise the store associates, meet sales and financial goals, and to make sure that the store keeps to the company’s guidelines and policies("Walmart corporate," 2011). People can also apply for a logistics career at Walmart which is the distribution end of the company. This particular job entails getting products to the stores. There are over 40 distribution centers in the United States and products are constantly coming in and out according to the needs of the stores("Walmart corporate," 2011). For this job, high levels of physical fitness are required as is experience with heavy machinery. Organization s kills are important for this particular career path as well. Walmart’s hiring philosophy revolves around â€Å"Respect for the Individual† ("Walmart corporate," 2011). This means that the company wants to offer a competitive salary and benefits for their employees. They are a fairly active

Research on Introduction to Television (Asia) Essay

Research on Introduction to Television (Asia) - Essay Example e development of television news and broadcast environment in Hong Kong closely paralleled that of UK in that it is driven by public service broadcasting, which is confined to educational and community development programs in other countries. The public broadcasting concept was introduced in the US in the 1960s as university-related radio and television stations in response to mounting concerns that the commercial networks cater to the baser desires of audiences at the expense of socially meaningful programming. Thus, the very first public broadcasting station was called National Educational Television (NET), which up to now produces the popular children program â€Å"Sesame Street.† 10 Other such stations have since featured the American Civil War, documentaries and academic views on relevant issues such as medicine, AIDS, terrorism and scientific breakthroughs. Public service broadcasting is at the center of a contentious debate in Hong Kong now that the Chinese are its new masters. The reason is that public broadcasting is associated with regulation and state control, for which Chinese governance is known and still secretly feared and which are anathema to the free and unfettered presentation of television news. Already, Chinese officials from the Mainland are promoting Cantonese for wider use in Hong Kong, which is taken as a bad omen by the television news people who pursue their job mostly in British English. This research project gathers the views of people in the television news industry in Hong Kong as well as those with high stakes in its unruffled and dynamic operation like public relations, advertising and rating groups. The main focus of the research is whether public broadcasting can provide credible TV news programs and whether it does anything to lift the quality and commercial appeal of television news. The sample of interviewees from the television news industry consisted of 10 individuals, divided equally between those working for

Social Networks and Their Effects on Teens Essay Example for Free

Social Networks and Their Effects on Teens Essay Social Networks such as Facebook are used by teenagers all over the world, but the effects from having a profile page online may be detrimental. Profile pages online are filled with photos, personal information, interests, and dislikes, comments from friends and other information. All of this information can cause premature opinions of all the teens associated with these pages and personal relationships could be affected. Having an online profile page is almost like a popularity contest; teenagers vie for friends, but do not realize that these profiles can cause depression, embarrassment, gossip and lies. The use of social networks can affect real life teens and their personal relationships in very adverse ways. When a teenager creates a profile page on Facebook, their first objective is to see how many friends they can acquire. As the friend totals increase so does the popularity of the profile page owner; this is the beginning of the â€Å"unofficial† popularity contest. Photos are uploaded, statuses are typed, comments made, â€Å"likes† are displayed and friend requests are sent out; the more activity happening on the page, the more popular this teenager looks. Numbers become very important, Shalaka Gole states, â€Å"Facebook easily points out the difference between those that have a lot of friends and those that dont† (1). Some teenagers take it too seriously and become almost distraught because they don’t have many friends on their list or they can become too egotistical because they have so many. The next objective a teenager has is to post a picture known as the profile picture. The profile picture is the one that everyone sees when viewing the profile so it has to be perfect. When a teenager first posts their picture(s), they wait for comments and â€Å"likes†. Sometimes they sit and wait and sometimes they don’t get any. If they don’t, they begin to feel as though they are not liked and they think less of themselves. The teenager may think that they posted the greatest picture but others may not think so and actually write disrespectful comments. Again, there is the egotistical side where someone may get so many comments and â€Å"likes† that they think they can do anything or be in a relationship with anyone they choose. The next aspect of Facebook is to write a status. A status can be whatever  you want to say. It is the thought or thoughts that you want to share at the current moment. However, statuses can be very dangerous. As with anything, you must watch what you say. Sometimes people may not like what you have to say and may write something you don’t like in a comment and someone you want to â€Å"like† the status doesn’t. Things like these are what upset teenagers. One of the biggest mistakes with making a status is that no one knows what tone of voice you used to say what you did. Some people may think of sarcasm and laugh at something serious or be angered at something meant to be funny. But most of all, statuses start gossip. Gossip can start with one post and move on. Someone could say something very simple and it can go from a mole hill to a mountain in very quick time. Someone could change their relationship status from â€Å"in a relationship† to â€Å"single† and as soon as that happens, all the friends of the friends of that someone know. Most of the time things get blown out of proportion. If someone posts their opinion about someone or something, the next day at school everyone is saying â€Å"Did you see what she said?† One little sentence goes a long way and that little bit of gossip can hurt someone to the point that they will spend hours trying to figure out if what they are going to say or post will cause any problems. Some teens have even deleted their accounts because of such situations. Facebook has been known for making people â€Å"fake†. When people and teens especially make their profile, they have to include details about who they are. It goes from what music they listen to, to their favorite quotes. Because someone feels left out they could say things that aren’t true just to get attention from others. People can lie about anything on Facebook from their age and sex to their job and education. There is no verification of who you are. Teens use this to their advantage to try to feel included in conversations that they know absolutely nothing about. Sometimes, the lies that are told on Facebook actually are believed by the person telling them because it becomes that serious! One of the biggest problems Facebook has is that anything can be said. My son about a month ago posted â€Å"Maybe the world would be better off without  me† and so many people commented on it. He really was depressed but just posted for the attention reason. He wanted to know that people cared more than he thought. It caused a lot of problems with my friends and I and people became worried that my son would commit suicide or do something in that matter. His friends were scared. My friends were scared. I was scared. Certain things like that can cause problems mentioned before such as gossip and distraught. In conclusion, the online world of Facebook can be very dangerous. It was created for good cause but gradually became a highly intense problem. Even after all the problems and stress that the site causes, it still has over 500 million daily visitors! Something about it all is attractive and almost addicting. Parents should certainly have more rules to control what goes on their teens Facebook page for the sole fact that there shouldn’t be any unnecessary drama and gossip being said in a teenager’s life.

Philosophy Essay -- essays research papers

Relativism -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first clear statement of relativism comes with the Sophist Protagoras, as quoted by Plato, "The way things appear to me, in that way they exist for me; and the way things appears to you, in that way they exist for you" (Theaetetus 152a). Thus, however I see things, that is actually true -- for me. If you see things differently, then that is true -- for you. There is no separate or objective truth apart from how each individual happens to see things. Consequently, Protagoras says that there is no such thing as falsehood. Unfortunately, this would make Protagoras's own profession meaningless, since his business is to teach people how to persuade others of their own beliefs. It would be strange to tell others that what they believe is true but that they should accept what you say nevertheless. So Protagoras qualified his doctrine: while whatever anyone believes is true, things that some people believe may be better than what others believe. Plato thought that such a qualification reveals the inconsistency of the whole doctrine. His basic argument against relativism is called the "Turning the Tables" (Peritropà ©, "turning around") argument, and it goes something like this: "If the way things appear to me, in that way they exist for me, and the way things appears to you, in that way they exist for you, then it appears to me that your whole doctrine is false." Since anything that appears to me is true, then it must be true that Protagoras is wrong [1]. Relativism thus has the strange logical property of not being able to deny the truth of its own contradiction. Indeed, if Protagoras says that there is no falsehood, then he cannot say that the opposite, the contradiction, of his own doctrine is false. Protagoras wants to have it both ways -- that there is no falsehood but that the denial of what he says is false -- and that is typical of relativism. And if we say that relativism simply means that whatever I believe is nobody else's business, then there is no reason why I should tell anybody else what I believe, since it is then none of my business to influence their beliefs. So then, why bother even stating relativism if it cannot be used to deny opposing views? Protagoras's own way out that his view must be "better"... ...th recognizing the self-contradictory and self-defeating character of relativism is that it does remove the easy out. We may know thereby that there are absolute and objective truths and values, but this doesn't tell us what they are, how they exist, or how we can know them. In our day, it often seems that we are still not one iota closer to having the answers to those questions. Thus, the burden of proof in the history of philosophy is to provide those answers for any claims that might be made in matters of fact or value. Socrates and Plato got off too a good start, but the defects in Plato's theory, misunderstood by his student Aristotle, immediately tangled up the issues in a way that still has never been properly untangled. Most philosophers would probably say today that there has been progress in understanding all these issues, but then the embarrassment is that they mostly would not agree about just in what the progress consists. The relativists still think that progress is to return to what Protagoras thought in the first place. What they really want is that easy out, so as not to need to face the awesome task of justifying or discovering the true nature of being and value. Philosophy Essay -- essays research papers Relativism -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first clear statement of relativism comes with the Sophist Protagoras, as quoted by Plato, "The way things appear to me, in that way they exist for me; and the way things appears to you, in that way they exist for you" (Theaetetus 152a). Thus, however I see things, that is actually true -- for me. If you see things differently, then that is true -- for you. There is no separate or objective truth apart from how each individual happens to see things. Consequently, Protagoras says that there is no such thing as falsehood. Unfortunately, this would make Protagoras's own profession meaningless, since his business is to teach people how to persuade others of their own beliefs. It would be strange to tell others that what they believe is true but that they should accept what you say nevertheless. So Protagoras qualified his doctrine: while whatever anyone believes is true, things that some people believe may be better than what others believe. Plato thought that such a qualification reveals the inconsistency of the whole doctrine. His basic argument against relativism is called the "Turning the Tables" (Peritropà ©, "turning around") argument, and it goes something like this: "If the way things appear to me, in that way they exist for me, and the way things appears to you, in that way they exist for you, then it appears to me that your whole doctrine is false." Since anything that appears to me is true, then it must be true that Protagoras is wrong [1]. Relativism thus has the strange logical property of not being able to deny the truth of its own contradiction. Indeed, if Protagoras says that there is no falsehood, then he cannot say that the opposite, the contradiction, of his own doctrine is false. Protagoras wants to have it both ways -- that there is no falsehood but that the denial of what he says is false -- and that is typical of relativism. And if we say that relativism simply means that whatever I believe is nobody else's business, then there is no reason why I should tell anybody else what I believe, since it is then none of my business to influence their beliefs. So then, why bother even stating relativism if it cannot be used to deny opposing views? Protagoras's own way out that his view must be "better"... ...th recognizing the self-contradictory and self-defeating character of relativism is that it does remove the easy out. We may know thereby that there are absolute and objective truths and values, but this doesn't tell us what they are, how they exist, or how we can know them. In our day, it often seems that we are still not one iota closer to having the answers to those questions. Thus, the burden of proof in the history of philosophy is to provide those answers for any claims that might be made in matters of fact or value. Socrates and Plato got off too a good start, but the defects in Plato's theory, misunderstood by his student Aristotle, immediately tangled up the issues in a way that still has never been properly untangled. Most philosophers would probably say today that there has been progress in understanding all these issues, but then the embarrassment is that they mostly would not agree about just in what the progress consists. The relativists still think that progress is to return to what Protagoras thought in the first place. What they really want is that easy out, so as not to need to face the awesome task of justifying or discovering the true nature of being and value.

Making Use of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to Problem Solve

Defining the Problem Consider an individual in your class whose behaviour is problematical. Can you type this behaviour as due to a lack of belongingness, esteem, or self-actualisation needs? Or is it a combination of these? Considering Solutions What do you do in most classes that satisfies: Self-actualisation needs? Self-esteem needs and the need for esteem from others? Belongingness needs? Recognising and Devising Some Strategies Which strategies do you use now to satisfy these needs through college work? Self-actualisation needs Work towards personal targetsExpress personal values beliefs and priorities Make choices to control your own development in the direction of your own values Express yourself, and your values, through accomplishments: creativity, performances, .. The search for identity and a search for a meaning to one’s life: through work, through making use of your own talents and abilities; from exploration of what interests you†¦ Esteem needs Self-esteem: Achievement, success and confidence, through overcoming challenges and making progress in a direction that your value recognition of one’s own success dequacy: to be able to cope by oneself esteem of others: respect: a desire for dignity through reputation, prestige, and status recognition of others of your success, achievement etc Belongingness and love needs To give affection and regard to others, to help others To belong: to my team, class, group, and college To get affection and recognition from others To be valued as a person, not just for what I do for others To be wanted as a personWhich new strategies could you use, and which old ones could you use more often, to satisfy these needs through college work? Don’t underestimate the power of symbols that show esteem needs, and belongingness needs are being met. For example: My name being remembered and used positively A welcome when I come in the class My work on the classroom wall A star earned for effort on the cl assroom wall or on my work Teacher recognition in the form of competences signed off, comments on work etc Making Use of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to Problem Solve Defining the Problem Consider an individual in your class whose behaviour is problematical. Can you type this behaviour as due to a lack of belongingness, esteem, or self-actualisation needs? Or is it a combination of these? Considering Solutions What do you do in most classes that satisfies: Self-actualisation needs? Self-esteem needs and the need for esteem from others? Belongingness needs? Recognising and Devising Some Strategies Which strategies do you use now to satisfy these needs through college work? Self-actualisation needs Work towards personal targetsExpress personal values beliefs and priorities Make choices to control your own development in the direction of your own values Express yourself, and your values, through accomplishments: creativity, performances, .. The search for identity and a search for a meaning to one’s life: through work, through making use of your own talents and abilities; from exploration of what interests you†¦ Esteem needs Self-esteem: Achievement, success and confidence, through overcoming challenges and making progress in a direction that your value recognition of one’s own success dequacy: to be able to cope by oneself esteem of others: respect: a desire for dignity through reputation, prestige, and status recognition of others of your success, achievement etc Belongingness and love needs To give affection and regard to others, to help others To belong: to my team, class, group, and college To get affection and recognition from others To be valued as a person, not just for what I do for others To be wanted as a personWhich new strategies could you use, and which old ones could you use more often, to satisfy these needs through college work? Don’t underestimate the power of symbols that show esteem needs, and belongingness needs are being met. For example: My name being remembered and used positively A welcome when I come in the class My work on the classroom wall A star earned for effort on the cl assroom wall or on my work Teacher recognition in the form of competences signed off, comments on work etc

Difference Between Computer Literacy and Information Literacy Essay

1. Why is it important to understand the difference between computer literacy and information literacy? The difference between computer literacy and information literacy is as follows: Information literacy is the ability to access, organize, evaluate and use information from various sources. Computer literacy is having the knowledge to use technology in order to manipulate computer software or hardware. There is a strong correlation between the two, but they are still different. Both concepts use critical thinking, but information literacy goes beyond knowledge and access in learning more. To be clearer, with information literacy one is taking what has been read and learned and applying it. With computer literacy one can have the knowledge but not necessarily know how to use it or apply it. Basically, with information literacy one will take the knowledge to the next step by using the access to organize, use and evaluate what has been found. With computer literacy one has the technology to manipulate the computer, but they may not have the information to continue on through the process and derive a conclusion based on evaluations and organization. Computer literacy, if you want to think of it in steps, is the literacy before information literacy in which the person is on their way to gaining the extra knowledge they need in order to apply what is currently known. Information literacy also requires one to have awareness in how information systems work and the link between information need, sources and channels. An example would explain this easier. You can know how to use Google search, but unless you take it a step further such as knowing what you need, the sources and the channels to gain what you need you will be stuck with unhelpful answers. Certainly, you know you need keywords in a search engine, but unless you know what keywords you are stuck. This is the relationship between the two concepts. 2. Discuss the three elements of an information system (hardware, software and persware) that managers must consider. Which of the three do you consider the most important? Hardware: Is the physical aspect of computers, telecommunications, and other devices. The term arose as a way to distinguish the â€Å"box† and the electronic circuitry and components of a computer from the program you put in it to make it do things. Software: Software is a term for a set of instructions, which makes a computer to perform a task. The set of instructions are commonly known as a program, without which computers cannot do any operations. A software is classified broadly in to two groups, application software, which includes normal utility applications like Microsoft word, PowerPoint etc. that interacts and performs user specific tasks and system software, such as operating systems, which interacts directly with hardware to make the system work and also provide a platform for other applications to work. Persware: Defined as the people aspect of an information system, without this aspect of an information system the hardware and software components become computer literacy. The people who drive and run the information system also help to determine which types of data to collect, store and disseminate for reporting and analysis purposes. The three Components of information system talked about the input, processing, output and feedback processes. Most important is the feedback process; unfortunately it’s the one most often overlooked. Just as in the triangle above, the hardware (input and output) and the software (processing) receive the most attention. With those two alone, you have computer literacy. But if you don’t use the â€Å"persware† side of the triangle to complete the feedback loop, you don’t accomplish much. Add the â€Å"persware† angle with good feedback and you have the beginnings of information literacy. 3. Which of the six business objectives do you think is the most important? How can information systems help a business meet these objectives? The Six Important Business Objectives of Information Technology Product Development Information technology can speed up the time it takes new products to reach the market. Companies can write product requirement documents by gathering market intelligence from proprietary databases, customers and sales representatives. Computer-assisted design and manufacturing software speed up decision making, while collaborative technologies allow global teams to work on different components of a product simultaneously. From innovations in microprocessors to efficient drug delivery systems, information technology helps businesses respond quickly to changing customer requirements. Stakeholder Integration Stakeholder integration is another important objective of information technology. Using global 24/7 interconnectivity, a customer service call originating in Des Moines, Iowa, ends up in a call center in Manila, Philippines, where a service agent could look up the relevant information on severs based in corporate headquarters in Dallas, Texas, or in Frankfurt, Germany. Public companies use their investor relations websites to communicate with shareholders, research analysts and other market participants. Process Improvement Process improvement is another key IT business objective. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems allow managers to review sales, costs and other operating metrics on one integrated software platform, usually in real time. An ERP system may replace dozens of legacy systems for finance, human resources and other functional areas, thus making internal processes more efficient and cost-effective. Cost Efficiencies Although the initial IT implementation costs can be substantial, the resulting long-term cost savings are usually worth the investment. IT allows companies to reduce transaction and implementation costs. For example, the cost of a desktop computer today is a fraction of what it was in the early 1980s, and yet the computers are considerably more powerful. IT-based productivity solutions, from word processing to email, have allowed companies to save on the costs of duplication and postage, while maintaining and improving product quality and customer service. Competitive Advantage Cost savings, rapid product development and process improvements help companies gain and maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. If a smartphone competitor announces a new device with innovative touch-screen features, the competitors must quickly follow suit with similar products or risk losing market share. Companies can use rapid prototyping, software simulations and other IT-based systems to bring a product to market cost effectively and quickly. Globalization Companies that survive in a competitive environment usually have the operational and financial flexibility to grow locally and then internationally. IT is at the core of operating models essential for globalization, such as telecommuting and outsourcing. A company can outsource most of its noncore functions, such as human resources and finances, to offshore companies and use network technologies to stay in contact with its overseas employees, customers and suppliers.

The Shooting Death of Oscar Grant

The Shooting Death of Oscar Grant On New Years Day 2009, an Oakland police officer shot and killed an unarmed, pinned suspect. The officer, Johannes Mehserle, was arrested on murder charges on January 14th, 2009. The trial  began on June 10, 2010. Heres what happened: Passengers Detained On January 1, 2009, at approximately 2 a.m., officers of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) responded to reports of a fight on an Oakland subway car. They detained approximately 20 passengers. One of the passengers, who witnesses say was not actually involved in the fight, was 22-year-old Oscar Grant. Grant Captured Grant, a local grocery store butcher, and the father of a four-year-old girl were unarmed. He approached police in what appeared to be a nonviolent manner and was backed against the wall. In one video, he can be seen kneeling and pleading with police for reasons that are not yet clear. Some eyewitnesses say that he had already begun asking police not to shoot him. Officers restrained Grant and pinned him, face down, on the pavement. It is not clear whether he was handcuffed at this point. Shot to Death As shown in a widely disseminated cell phone video of the shooting, Grant was restrained by two officers. A third, 27-year-old Johannes Mehserle, then drew his service pistol and shot Grant fatally in the back. Current Status Mehserle quietly resigned from BART and has issued no statements regarding his reasons for the shooting. An internal investigation is pending. An attorney for Grants family has filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against the city.On January 14th, 2009, Johannes Mehserle was arrested and charged with suspicion of murder. Theories Because Mehserle shot Grant in front of dozens of witnesses, including other police officers, it is difficult to fathom why he would have chosen this opportunity to execute a suspect in cold blood. Alternate theories suggest that he may have mistaken his pistol for a Taser (unlikely given the fact that BARTs Tasers bear no resemblance to firearms and require cartridges to be pre-loaded), or may have felt something while frisking Grant, such as a cell phone, that he mistook for a weapon. Our visceral impression of the shooting is similar to that of one expert quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle in a recent interview: We  assumed the shooting was accidental until we saw the video, but Mehserles relative calm at the moment the gun discharged is jarring. ... Roy Bedard, who has trained police officers around the world, advanced a different theory after his first viewing of the video: that the shooting was a pure accident, a trigger pulled because of a loss of balance or a loud noise. But in an indication of how the videos might move the investigation, Bedard reached a different conclusion after viewing the shooting from a different angle. Looking at it, I hate to say this, it looks like an execution to me, he said. But we  cant fully accept this explanation because we dont understand why Mehserle, whose wife was pregnant and gave birth to a son within days of the shooting, would execute a suspect in public. That doesnt make any sense. We need more data- we all do. The trial may have brought us closer to understanding why Mehserle killed Oscar Grant. But whether it does or not, this killer should be held fully accountable for his actions.

Radial Symmetry in Marine Life

Radial Symmetry in Marine Life Radial symmetry is the regular arrangement of body parts around a central axis. Definition of Symmetry First, we should define symmetry. Symmetry is the arrangement of body parts so they can be divided equally along an imaginary line or axis. In marine life, the two main types of symmetry are bilateral symmetry  and radial symmetry, although there are some organisms that exhibit biradial symmetry (e.g., ctenophores) or asymmetry (e.g., sponges). Definition of Radial Symmetry When an organism is radially symmetrical, you could cut from one side of the organism through the center to the other side, anywhere on the organism, and this cut would produce two equal halves. Think of a pie: no matter which way you slice it, if you slice from one side to the other through the center, youll end up with equal halves. You can continue slicing the pie to end up with any number of equal-sized pieces. Thus, the pieces of this pie  radiate  out from the central point.   You can apply the same slicing demonstration to a sea anemone. If you draw an imaginary line across the top of a sea anemone starting at any one point, that would divide it into roughly equal halves. Pentaradial Symmetry Echinoderms like sea stars, sand dollars, and sea urchins exhibit a five-part symmetry called pentaradial symmetry. With pentaradial symmetry, the body can be divided into 5 equal parts, so any one of five slices taken out of the organism would be equal.    In the feather star shown in the image, you can see five distinctive branches radiating from the stars central disk. Biradial Symmetry Animals with biradial symmetry show a combination of radial and bilateral symmetry. A biradially symmetrical organism can be divided into four parts along a central plane but each of the parts is equal to the part on the opposite side but not the part on its adjacent side. Characteristics of Radially Symmetrical Animals Radially symmetrical animals have a top and bottom but dont have a front or back or distinctive left and right sides.   They also have a side with a mouth, called the oral side, and a side without the mouth called the aboral side.   These animals typically can move in all directions.   You can contrast this to bilaterally symmetrical organisms like humans, seals or whales, who usually move forward or backward and have a well-defined front, back and right and left sides. While radially symmetrical organisms can move easily in all directions, they may move slowly, if at all. Jellyfish primarily drift with waves and currents, sea stars move relatively slowly compared to most bilaterally symmetrical animals, and sea anemones barely move at all.   Rather than a centralized nervous system, radially symmetrical organisms have sensory structures scattered around their body.   Sea stars, for example, have eyespots at the end of each of their arms, rather than in a head region. One advantage of radial symmetry is that it may make it easier for organisms to regenerate lost body parts. Sea stars, for example, can regenerate a lost arm or even an entirely new body as long as a portion of their central disk is still present.   Examples of Marine Animals With Radial Symmetry Marine animals that exhibit radial symmetry include: Coral polypsJellyfishSea anemonesSea urchins References and Further Information: Morrissey, J.F. and J.L.  Sumich. 2012. Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life (10th Edition). Jones Bartlett Learning. 467pp.University of California Museum of Paleontology.  Bilateral (left/right) Symmetry. Understanding Evolution. Accessed February 28, 2016.

Western civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Western civilization - Essay Example Spain and France were both interested in seizing German territory so that they would gain wealth and protect themselves from each other. Sweden and Denmark also had territorial ambitions in Germany. The first part of the war was the Bohemian Revolt. This lasted from 1618 to 1620. It started when Protestants attacked Catholic dignitaries in the Second Defenestration of Prague. Spain entered the war on the side of the Catholics, and the Protestants were defeated at Sablat after early successes. Saxony joined the war on the Catholic side, and after the Battle of White Mountain, the Protestant Revolts were suppressed, and Bohemia became Catholic. The Catholics successfully advanced into the Palatine in the Palatine phase of this war. The rebellion seemed to be over. In 1625, Denmark intervened on the side of the Protestants. This was unsuccessful. In 1629, Denmark signed the Treaty of Lubeck and left the war. In 1630, Sweden entered the war to aid the Protestants. The Swedish forces, led by Gustavus Adolphus, were successful, and much of the territories that were lost to the Catholics were regained. However, after Adolphuss death, the Swedes were defeated, and the Peace of Prague was negotiated. This treaty forbade German states from forming alliances with each other, or with foreign powers. This treaty formalized some Spanish gains, and France then attacked the Hapsburgs to reduce their influence. The Swedes and the Dutch joined them. At first the Spanish were successful, but they finally suffered several major defeats, and the all of the nations involved in the war began to work for peace. In 1648, the Peace of Westphalia was signed, ending the War. The results of this treaty were that the Peace of Augsburg was to be seriously respected, and all Christians could practice their own type of denomination privately. Calvinsim was

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

A letter - Essay Example I have put up with it, but now, I am finally torn apart for being in Japan and working in AirAsia Narita. For such mental stress, I am feeling regretful for my own decision to go back to Japan, and I cannot cope with my current workplace (AirAsia Japan). Some time ago, I took a leave of absence as I suffered from severe headache that I often missed work. It is painful for me to work in AirAsia Japan. After that, I saw a doctor several times and the symptoms disappeared after an adequate rest; however, the doctor said that it is physical and mental anxiety that is affecting me. He said that it is all right for me to return to work, but it is necessary to distance myself from my mother and return to AirAsia X in order to work in mentally stable conditions. As soon as I heard that my mother was mentally ill, I just lost it and decided to transfer to AirAsia Japan for her. However, the consequence was not desirable as I mentioned. Even my doctor recommended returning to AirAsia X. It would definitely be a pleasure for me to return, but I am very sorry for asking this favor for I, myself asked you to send me to Japan in the past. I do realize how selfish it is for me to request to be transferred back to AirAsia X since I do not know if my previous visa and working permit are still valid, but with your permission. I really hope to return to AirAsia X again as per doctor’s recommendation. If you provide me with a chance to work for AirAsia X again, I am willing to shoulder all the costs for the transfer (travel expense, etc.). Furthermore, I would like to assure you that any circumstances such as this would not happen again because my father can constantly be with my mother

Information system Blog Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information system Blog - Essay Example Even though testing and more so the software testing is taken as a difficult profession, I would absolutely cherish the idea of working within its aegis so that my success could be guaranteed with the advent of time. This will make me stand in a league of my own and contribute to my growth and development within the related fields. All over the world, the software testing measures are conducted to find out the software bugs and then to rectify the errors that plague the system in essence. The intention is to bring correction within the software so that the stakeholders do not encounter any mistakes, errors or issues of little or big significance. The software testing regimes have been employed because the software have continued to increase far and wide, both in terms of complexity as well as size. It must be remembered here that quality products do bring up return customers while buggy products mean more disgruntled ones, who would not return at all. Also software testing is done so that the security measures of the software are determined beforehand that it reaches the market and sells massively to the end users. The need is to bring correctness within the related realms and this can only be made sure through rigorous software testing and adherence to the industry standards which are in place. Also test runs would be done to assure of quality and nothing apart from the very same. If I am given the role under a software testing dimension or a mechanism, I would have chosen the position of a Test Manager because he is one individual upon whom the test results have come through after strict testing measures. The Test Analyst has already made his point clear through his testing domains and now is the time to move forward with the management of this software testing which has been carried out. It is correct that software tester is indeed the person who tests at the

The Failure Of Unamid In Darfur Politics Essay

The Failure Of Unamid In Darfur Politics Essay Darfur has been called the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century. Since the Rwandan genocide in 1994, the world has not seen such a campaign of killing, refugees, rape and destruction. The crisis caused the death of 300  000 people and over 2.5 million displaced Sudanese since February 2003. This crisis attracted the attention of many humanitarian and human rights organizations, various states policy makers, and a number of regional and international organizations such as the African Union, the United Nations and the International Criminal Court. In 2004, the African Union established the Darfur Integrated Taskforce (DITF). In 2007, the continuing hazardous situation required the creation of a joined AU-UN operation to intervene in Darfur, which was called United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). After three years of functioning of the UNAMID, the situation in Darfur still depicts a lot of human suffering and deprivation  [3]  . This suggests that the UNAMID was not effective in dealing with the crisis. To understand this, the paper will investigate the reasons behind the missions failure in achieving its objectives and goals. Hence, the study will try to answer the following question: why did UNAMID fail in Darfur? In other words, what are the reasons behind UNAMIDs ineffectiveness in Darfur? In fact, there are various reasons that can be investigated ranging from domestic to international, organizational to financial ones. However, given the limited time and knowledge, we will focus on two major reasons that we think created obstacles to the missions success. Thus, the hypothesis that we are willing to test is that UNAMID was not effective in Darfur because the Khartoum government didnt cooperate and the mission lacked resources. Before answering the question and testing the hypothesis, it is important to understand the conflict and its roots. For this purpose, we are going to divide the paper into three major parts. The first one will deal with defining the concepts, literature review and the theoretical framework. The second part will focus of the conflict. That is to say, it will give a background of the Darfurian situation before and after the 2003 conflict, explaining the origins of this latter and its key actors. The last part will deal with the UNAMID intervention. It will give an overview of the creation of the mission, an assessment of its work, and then a brief analysis of the causes of its ineffectiveness. Theoretical Framework Concepts Before analyzing UN peacekeeping operation (PKO) Darfur, we should first define the concept of peacekeeping and understand its role in order to be able to reflect on the UNAMID mission and its success or failure. Peacekeeping, as defined by the Cambridge dictionary, is the activity of preventing war and violence, especially the use of armed forces not involved in a disagreement to prevent fighting in an area. This definition is broad, and it does not specify the conditions under which the intervention can occur, nor the procedures that should be taken before that. For this purpose, we will take the definition of the UN and which defines peacekeeping as the deployment of international military and civilian personnel to a conflict area with the consent of the parties to the conflict in order to: stop or contain hostilities or supervise the carrying out of a peace agreement  [4]  . This definition adds two important points: the first one is that the interveners are international act ors, both military and civilians; and the second point stresses the agreement of the parties involved. It also exposes the role of these operations. This latter was further clarified by the International Peace Academy. It stated that the roles of the PKO are: the prevention, containment, moderation and termination of hostilities between and within states, through the medium of a peaceful third party intervention, using a multinational force of soldiers, police and civilians to restore and maintain peace. Hence, the developments in the practices and operations of peacekeeping resulted to the emergence of a set of concepts and terms that describe the different natures of the operations and tasks they undertake.  That is to say, peacekeeping has become a general concept which requires details of the selected sub-show style of operation that is intended in each particular case. These sub-divisions are defined in Boutous Ghalis Agenda for Peace. In this latter, he mentioned three conce pts: peacemaking, peace-keeping, and preventive diplomacy. The first one is defined as an action to prevent disputes from arising between parties, to prevent existing disputes from escalating into conflicts and to limit the spread of the latter when they occur, the second one as an action to bring hostile parties to agreement, essentially through such peaceful means as those foreseen in Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations, and the third as a technique that expands the possibilities for both the prevention of conflict and the making of peace. It is noted that some operations may combine the properties of more than one type of peacekeeping operation. That is to say, the mission may begin according to one of the patterns but the developments on the ground may drive it to shift to another type of operation.  It is further noted that the different sub-divisions of the peacekeeping operations run in parallel, meaning that they did not cancel each other since the world is still witnessing all of these processes in different parts of it, depending on the situation and the circumstances that require one operation over the others. Literature review During the Cold War, the United Nations Charter put an integrated system for collective security. Theoretically, the system has the necessary components to ensure its effectiveness, which are general principles and rules agreed on and shared, namely: a device responsible for making sure the states respect these principles, and giving it the resources and capabilities so that it can do  the task of deterrence or punishment for states that cross the limits agreed upon.  However, the implementation of this system was conditioned by the acceptance of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, which was impossible to achieve in most cases under the conditions of the cold war  [5]  . This created an obstacle for the implementation of the collective security system. In this case of polarization, the UN tried to find alternative mechanisms to deal with events of international violence and conflicts that arise in different areas throughout the world.  One of these mechanisms is the creation of peacekeeping operations. The creation of this latter was justified by the need to adopt methods designed to stop or contain conflicts that have turned into armed conflicts  [6]  . Besides, the PKOs would serve to deepen the gap that emerged between the arrangements set out in the Charter concerning reaching a peaceful settlement of disputes and contained in articles 28-33 (which gave the Security Council the main role in assisting States to resolve problems among themselves)  [7]  as well as the arrangements set out in articles 39   51 (under which the UN Security Council has the right to use force to impose peace)  [8]  on the one hand, and the possibilities for the actual implementation of these arrangements on the other hand. Thus, the UN interventions rose from only 14 between 1947 and 1987, to 32 between 1988 and 1997  [9]  . Particularly, UN intervention in Africa in extensive regarding the number of peacekeeping operations which are 27 in Africa compared to 39 in the rest of the world  [10]  . This can be explained by the various wars that occurred and occur in Africa, both inter and intra-states conflicts that differ in this severity, and that range from the dispute over land like the case of Benin, to the ethnic cleansing and genocide such as Rwanda. In 2003, the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) was created. Its goals are as follows: enhance international support for Africas development and security through its advocacy and analytical work,  assist the Secretary General in improving coherence and coordination of the UN system support to Africa, andfacilitate inter-governmental deliberations on Africa at the global level, in particular relating to the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD)  [11]  . Moreover, the outcomes of the UN intervention in Africa are different, depending on the situation and the circumstances. Some of them manage to achieve the missions goals and hence are successful, others fail to implement the goals or part of them. Rhazaoui illustrates this idea by giving examples. He said: while Somalia and Rwanda illustrated the limitations of indecisive action by the Security Council, UN intervention in Mozambique succeeded in consolidating peace and mobilising adequate resources for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of that war-torn country  [12]  . Thus, UN is heavily interested in stabilizing and developing the African countries through various missions which have different goals depending on the situations. Nevertheless, these operations are not always successful due to a range of reasons related either to the state cooperation, or to the UNs organization and resources, and sometimes both. Conflict Theory The crisis in Darfur is a multidimensional conflict that can be explained in various ways be it ethnic, religious, ecologicalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In order to understand the crisis, we will use conflict theory as a theoretical framework. This theory analyses conflicts economically. That is to say, the causes of conflicts, according to this theory, are the desire to redistribute scare sources, to in act incompatible roles, or to pursue incompatible value  [13]  . Society is composed of groups that are unequal in terms of wealth, distribution of resources and power, and hence, the disadvantaged struggle to ensure a kind of equality and defend their interests. So, using conflict theory as a theoretical framework, we will analyze the economic causes of conflict in Darfur both within the region (between the Darfurian tribes) and between the region and the government. Understanding the Crisis of Darfur Sudan, in northeast Africa, is the largest country in the continent measuring about one fourth the size of the USA. It neighbors nine countries (see map1 in appendix). Sudan is an authoritarian Republic because all power is in the hands of President Umar El-Bashir who has controlled government since military led coup in 1989. Sudan is a very fragmented nation with 400 languages and dialects and 600 cultural and ethnic groups  [14]  . Pre-conflict Situation The Darfur region is located in the western part of Sudan (see map2 in appendix). It is roughly the size of Texas  [15]  and has a pre-conflict population of approximately 6 million. It borders Libya, Chad and the Central African Republic. Darfur is known throughout history, as an independent state. It was colonized 18years after Sudan  [16]  . It has an ethnic, economic and political situation different from that of the north or the south in Sudan. The Arabic word Dar roughly means homeland and the population of Darfur is divided into several Dars, not only the Fur as its name suggests, but also in several other communities (see map3 in Appendix) determined by livelihood as much as ethnicity. However, this latter is not itself clear-cut, given the long history of racial mixing between indigenous non-Arab peoples and Arabs, who are now distinguished by cultural-linguistic attachment rather than race  [17]  . The Fur are peasant people and they occupy the central part of the region which is the richest and most stable area  [18]  in terms of land fertility and water resources. Also in its central zone are the non-Arab Masalit, Berti and Bergid peoples who are all sedentary farmers. The northern zone is Dar Zaghawa which is inherited by camel nomads, principally the Zaghawa who are non-Arab in origin, and the Arab Beni Hussein, Mahamid, Mahariya and Irayqat  [19]  . It is the most ecologically fragile of the three main zones and affected by drought. The eastern and southern zone of Darfur is occupied by the Arab nomads. They comprise Rezeigat, Habbaniya, Beni Halba and Taaisha. The area is severely affected by drought than the northern zone. economics Throughout history, the population of Darfur suffered from marginalization and neglect. This idea is stressed by Saleh who said that what can be deduced from 18th and 19th century Darfur is that government and elite alike have never treated the people of Darfur kindly  [20]  . He added that they were suffering from all kinds of injustice including slavery and high taxation  [21]  . Since Darfur was annexed by the British to Sudan, the former was excluded and abandoned by the successive governments  [22]  . Moreover, most Darfurians voted for the NIF, but once in power, they showed bias to the Arabs and neglected Darfur  [23]  . So, politically speaking, Darfur was not fully integrated in the dynamics of Sudan. Political system Key Actors In order to fully understand the conflict of Darfur and its dynamics, we need to know the actors involved, their background and their goals. Hence, we are going to discuss the Janjaweed as a government sponsored militias, the government as a double role actor in the conflict, and the two Darfurian rebel groups: the Sudanese Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement. In fact, we should mention that there are various other groups that are included in the conflict such as National Movement for Reform and Development (NMRD), Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance (SFDA)  [24]  , but they are not as important as SLM and JEM and hence we will focus on the two latter for their importance in Darfur Politics. The Janjaweed are Arab militias that are responsible for most of the damages in Darfur, in terms both of blood and treasure. To know who they are and how they emerged, we should go back in history. From the time of the Sultans, the camel-herding Abbala Reizeigat, to which belong the Janjaweed, had been a headache to the rule In the1980s, s of Darfur  [25]  . In the 1980s, the Popular Defence Forces (PDF) law was created with an objective of training men and women in civil and military tasks, to raise their level of security consciousness, and instill military discipline so that they can cooperate with the regular armed forces and security services  [26]  . Janjaweed became part of the PDF, the state paramilitary force  [27]  . The government, on the other hand, is government The Darfur Liberation Movement (DLM) was created during the late 1980, as a response to the activities of the Sudan government sponsored militias in Darfur, but became Sudanese Liberation Movement/ Army (SLM/A) in 2003 and an alliance of the tribal groups that oppose the government and their para-military militia groups  [28]  . The creation of SLA marked a formidable ideological shift from Darfur Liberation Front which was a secessionist movement premised on establishing a separate Darfur state, to a movement that aspires to create a democratic and more equitable Sudan. The SLA/SLM position on the unity of the Sudan is stated in its Political Declaration as follows: The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army is of the view that Sudans unity is of paramount importance, but it should not be maintained and cannot be viable unless it is based on justice and equality for all the Sudanese peoples. Sudans unity must be anchored on a new basis that is predicated on full acknowledgement of Sudans ethnic, cultural, social and political diversity. Viable unity must therefore ultimately be based on the right of self-determination and the free will of the various peoples of Sudan. The fundamental imperatives of a viable unity are an economy and political system that address the uneven development and marginalization that have plagued the country since independence, so that the interests of the marginalized majority are adequately catered for and they are brought to the same level of development of the ruling minority. The SLM/A shall work with all political forces that ascribe to this view.  [29]   The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) JEM The 2003 Crisis The conflict of Darfur turned out to be a humanitarian crisis, described by some as genocide and by others as the worst humanitarian crisis. As any conflict, it has various reasons varying from political, economic, ecological, and ethnic. However, we will deal with the economic ones as conflict theory considers the struggle over resources is the main cause of conflicts. Causes West Darfur has a population of approximately 1,7 million, most of them are African farmers from the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa tribes. The rest of the population of Darfur consists of Arab nomadic groups. Although both the black African and Arab tribes are all Muslim, they have a long history of clashes over land, crops and resources  [30]  . The fighting in Darfur is usually described as racially motivated, pitting mounted Arabs against black rebels and civilians; but the conflict has its causes in another dimension, between settled farmers and nomadic over failing lands. Until the rains began to fail, the nomads lived amicably with the settled farmers. The nomads were welcome passers. The farmers would share their wells, and the herders would feed their stock on the leavings from the harvest. However, with the drought, farmers who had once hosted the tribes and their camels were now blocking their migration because the land could no longer support both herder and farmer. Few tri bes drifted elsewhere or took up farming, but the Arab herders stuck to their lifestyle as part of their Arab identity  [31]  . Fertile land continued to decrease as desertification became more of a problem. Tensions between nomadic Arab tribes and African farming communities began a struggle over controlling an environment that can no longer support all the people who must live on it  [32]  . Another economic dimension to the conflict is between the Darfurians and the government. Darfur is the poorest state in Sudan. It has been neglected, abused, and underdeveloped and all tribes, Arab and African alike, suffered greatly from this. Even if Sudan became an oil exporter country with700 million barrel oil reserves, Darfur people suffer from hunger and frustration. more Consequences In 2000, pastoralists moved towards the south and disputed over the fertile region, so clashes were renewed, which resulted in violence that led to the deaths of more than three thousand people, displaced a million people and burned thousands of villages in two years. In 2003, the conflict entered a dangerous turn when rebels from the two groups (SLM and JEM) attacked government targets in Darfur, destroying aircraft on the runway and the occupying El Fasher for hours and then withdrawing to their positions, accusing the government of marginalization of the region, which lacks development. Thus, the government intervened military to stop the rebels. consequences UN intervention in Darfur The Creation of the UNAMID Did it fail? Reasons behind its failure Lack of Government Cooperation Lack of UN Resources