Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan Essay

Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan Board: Hedging Foreign Currency Exposure Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan Board: Hedging Foreign Currency Exposure Issue Identification The Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan (OTPP) is a defined contribution plan that was created in 1917 to provide and administer a pension plan for Ontario school teachers. Sponsored by the Ontario Government and the Ontario Teacher’s Federation, the plan currently supports 343,000 teachers, former teachers and pensioners. The recent government decision to eliminate the 30% constraint on foreign investments and the increased volatility in the currency market has prompted the OTPP Investment Committee to address the following: 1. Whether to continue the International Equity Swap Program 2. Whether to administer changes to the Foreign Exchange Hedging Policy Goals and Objectives In order to come to a decision, it is necessary that any solution put forth must align with the goals and objectives of the fund. OTPP is a long-term fund determined to minimize risk, costs and the additional contributions required to fund the plan while maximizing its returns. OTPP Investment Strategy In the early 1990’s the OTPP board realized that it was essential to begin investing abroad to diversify risk and to capitalize on international opportunities to achieve greater returns, given the size of the fund. However, it was not until 1996 that the Foreign Exchange Hedge Program (FX Hedge Program) was implemented in response to a significant rise in currency exposure. As the fund faced increased foreign currency risk, risk management became essential and thus, a hedging policy of 50% of its foreign currency exposure was introduced. Due to the fact that OTPP has a continual commitment in supporting its pensioners, it must expose itself to limited risk and effectively hedge against any unexpected changes in its investments. Hence, a conservative policy of hedging 50% of foreign exchange exposure was enforced. Additionally, the International Equity Swap Program (IE Swap Program) was implemented as a solution to the government restriction of 30% ownership of foreign investments. Since most assets were tied up in non-marketable Ontario Debentures, a swap program enabled OTPP to reallocate its assets. OTPP Performance Evaluation The strategic decision to diversify beyond Canada and into global markets has proved to be beneficial to the OTPP investment portfolio. It has contributed substantial value to the fund over the 10 year period (1995-2005) by reducing potential losses, since five of the six foreign currencies appreciated against the Canadian dollar. For the past 15 years, OTPP investments have also consistently outperformed the benchmark rate of returns, generating a 10-year average rate of return of 11. 4% and a gross return of $15. billion over benchmark returns. Despite the portfolio’s negative rate of returns in 2001-2002, it has still produced considerable investment growth in relation to the benchmark, demonstrating the strength of OTPP’s investment policies in risk management. However, since interest rates have declined by approximately 3% (1990-2004), the value of the pension fund has increased. This has resulted in larger amount of payments made to pen sioners. Additionally, the demographics of the OTPP plan membership have changed significantly over the past 30 years. The ratio of active members per retiree has decreased from 10:1 in the 1970s to the present ratio of 1. 6:1. Moreover, the expected years retirees rely on the pension have also increased to 29 years. All these factors have exerted a great deal of pressure on the pension plan to sustain its funding with contributions from fewer working teachers. With the foreign currency market being increasingly volatile, OTPP is concerned regarding its future ability to support pension payments. Decision Criteria The Investment Committee must consider the following criteria when deciding whether to implement changes to the International Equity Swap Program and Foreign Exchange Hedging Policy: the fund’s exposure to foreign exchange risk, transaction costs, and an alignment of goals and objectives of the fund. Alternative: Although OTPP has performed well in the past, the future outlook of the pension plan remains uncertain. Therefore, OTPP has four alternatives to the future direction of the fund. OTPP can continue or discontinue the IE Swap Program and maintain or revise the current 50% FX Hedge Policy. Continue/Discontinue the Swap Program Previously, the swap program was used as a means to bypass the government restriction on foreign investment. With the regulation being lifted, OTPP has to now evaluate whether the swap program remains necessary. The program has allowed OTPP to reallocate their assets cost-effectively as it eliminates OTPP’s cost of transacting directly in foreign exchange market. Moreover, since OTPP does not gain ownership of the securities, it has reduced the amount of cash required and limited its risk by transferring the risk to counter-parties (UBS, Credit Suisse, JP Morgan, etc. ).

Color Imagery in Othello Essay

Imagery, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, is the use of vivid figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas. In Othello, Shakespeare makes use of colors to represent ideas or to set the mood for the scenes taking place. The use of such color imagery enhances the play, causing the reader to look past the mere words and search for the deeper meaning behind the scenes. The predominant colors that Shakespeare makes use of are black and white; however, some symbolism is portrayed through the use of green and red also. Throughout history, the color black has always been used to set the mood for evil and deceit. In Othello, Iago, the antagonist, construes most of his evil plans in the dark of night. The play even opens at night as Iago begins his wicked scheming (1.1). The play also ends at night as Othello smothers his innocent wife and, later, kills himself. In a soliloquy, Iago declares â€Å"When devils will the blackest sins put on,/They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,/As I do now† (2.3.315-317) and finishes with â€Å"So will I turn her [Desdemona] virtue into pitch† (2.3.324) This speech, using the symbolism implied by the color black, allows Iago to make known his malicious intents. Convinced, through Iago’s scheming, of Desdemona’s impurity, Othello proclaims that â€Å"her name, that was as fresh/As Dian’s visage, is now begrim’d and black/As mine own face† (3.3.387-389). Shakespeare’s main character is the black Moor Othello. Here, black is not used to imply a sense of evil. In one aspect, it reflects the racism during the times of Shakespeare. Using a black character allows Shakespeare to put racial tensions into his play, placing an even greater weight upon the rifts that are created among the other characters. Throughout the play, several racial slurs are made against Othello’s race, especially Iago’s railings against him to Desdemona’s father Brabantio: â€Å"Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse† (1.1.109-111) and â€Å"I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs† (1.1.114-115). Othello’s black skin also isolates him from the other  characters, allowing Iago to work his evil deeds without fear of Othello discovering them. The color green is used mostly in reference to plants. Plants, in Othello, resemble characters in the play being products of certain inevitable natural forces which, if left unchecked, will grow wild. Iago, who considers himself a good gardener of himself and others (1.3.319-322), cultivates his conceits that they may grow into poisonous weeds. Shakespeare also makes use of the color green to symbolize the jealousy that grows in Othello as Iago’s schemes unfold. Iago, pretending to be an honest and good friend, warns Othello of jealousy: â€Å"It is the green-ey’d monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on† (3.3.167-168). It is among the greenery of the garden that Othello’s jealousy is first spurred when he sees Cassio with Desdemona (3.3.36). In Othello, the color white is used most extensively to symbolize the virtuosity and innocence of Desdemona, the beautiful wife of Othello and the falsely-accused victim of Iago’s malicious lies. Many references are made to Desdemona’s â€Å"fair† skin, always a sharp contrast to her husband’s black skin (1.1.120; 1.2.66; 3.3.480). Towards the conclusion of the play, Desdemona asks her maid and companion Emilia to make her bed with the white wedding sheets (4.2.105) and even requests of Emilia, â€Å"If I do die before thee, prithee, shroud me/In one of those same sheets† (4.3.223-224). It is upon these very sheets that Othello smothers Desdemona, not wanting to shed her blood for fear of scarring â€Å"that whiter skin of hers than snow,/And smooth as monumental alabaster† (5.2.4-5). Shakespeare evidently wished to emphasize Desdemona’s innocence and purity by using the color white as much as possible. The use of so much white to depict the purity of Desdemona adds a tremendous weight to the tragedy of the play; for, the audience, having been subjected to so much symbolism of Desdemona’s virtuosity, cannot help but be moved to tears at her unfortunate death at the hands of her own husband for crimes she had not committed. Shakespeare does not make a tremendous use of the color red. It is mostly symbolized in the mention of blood. As with nearly all literary writings, the use of blood is meant to speak of life and death, mostly of the latter. As Othello passes by after Iago has stabbed Cassio, he hears Cassio cry out and assumes that he is dying. Satisfied that Iago has served justice upon Cassio, he sets his mind to killing Desdemona declaring, â€Å"Minion, your dear lies dead,/And your unblest fate hies: strumpet, I come./Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted;/They, bed, lust-stain’d, shall with lust’s blood be spotted† (5.1.33-36). Although he truly does not plan on shedding her blood, the reference to it allows the audience to fully realize his determination to kill her. In regards to using the color red to indicate life, Shakespeare uses the symbol of a rose. As Othello enters into the room in the last act of the play and makes his long speech before killing his falsely-accused wife he remarks, â€Å"When I have pluck’d the rose,/I cannot give it vital growth again,/It needs must wither† (5.2.13-15). Color imagery in Shakespeare’s Othello adds weight and meaning to the play. Many can read or view the play and simply enjoy it for its words and literary importance. Other readers or members in the audience enjoy searching deeper into the imagery, whether it be plant, animal, or color, to discover the hidden morals or meanings of the play. Not only do the colors make the play more visually exciting, but they allow the searching audience to add a deeper meaning, perhaps even a personal meaning, to the play. Work Cited Shakespeare, William. Othello. Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, and Robert Funk. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice, 2002. 830-915.

Unit 2 ip Presentation Essentials Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Unit 2 ip Presentation Essentials - Assignment Example Scientists believe that there should be some ways to produce more food to support all the people and considered artificial methods to produce food. A unique method known as genetically modified food is developed by the scientists that raised the amount of food produced by the farmers but many people are against the modifications in the food sector. However, modification in the food items is also brought by the environmental change and shortage or abundance of water resources. In the similar way, the utilization of toxic pesticides and inorganic fertilizers also become a reason in the modification of food products. The linkage between the global warming and the modification of bonds the human health. As the world’s food demand is increasing and the utilization of artificial methods is rising, the number of people that die with the lack of food is increasing (Kelly, 2012). The major cause is that the food producer is runs a business and in order to attain certain economic benefits in a short period of time, it become the necessity for the food produces to utilize the artificial methods to produce food. There is need to bring sustainability to the food industry. There is a need to plant vegetables, fruits and crops at homes, even a little effort can make a difference. The utilization of natural methods to produce food like the utilization of natural fertilizers like vegetable residue, dried leaves and wastes from humans and animals could be utilized as the natural fertilizer (Environment. nationalgeographic.com, 2012). Natural processes not only help the soil to retain its strength in retaining good minerals and fertilizers for the plant but also help the soil to retain water for longer periods. In this way, natural processes help to bring sustainability in the food sector. The major reason impacted the food is the increase in the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide that influenced the

Business economic Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business economic - Coursework Example 6). Inflation causes a redistribution of income and wealth away from lenders to the benefits of borrowers. Inflation reduces the value of money so lender losses some value of his money once he is paid in the period of inflation. Keynesian economic theory usual relay on spending aggregate demand to define the economic market place of which is often influenced by public and private decisions. Classical economic theory is rooted in the concept of a laissez-faire also known free market, which requires little to know government interventions. Also allows individuals to act according to their self-interest regarding economic issues thus promoting unemployment 8). An externality exists in production of good or service when: the marginal social cost differs from the marginal private cost of production. For example, a chemical industry emits wastage as a by-product into nearby rivers and into the atmosphere. This creates negative externalities, which impose higher social costs on other firms and consumers. 9). In a market economy, the ideal solution to the problem of externalities would be to allow producers to produce the output level where both the marginal private benefits and the marginal. Externalities create divergence between the private and social cost of

ARTICLE BRIEF Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BRIEF - Article Example The authors examined the state case law on this subject but excluded other forms of taxes with the exception of federal personal income tax. They focussed on the case law of all states and the District of Columbia.Purpose was to compile the set of course decisions that address the reasons as to whether an award adjustment and injury instruction were appropriate in light of the tax-free character of the award. They then determined if the case law cited was still good law. The focus of the results of the research is on the legal reasoning applied in deciding whether to adjust for taxes and instruct the jury on taxes. Some of the information came from articles that appeared in state law series in the Journal of Forensic Economics. The current status of tax treatment is an issue that forensic economists and the retaining counsel should address. The results offer the forensic economist the opportunity to explore the legal reasoning behind the treatment of the tax-advantaged status of awards in personal injury and wrongful death type cases for states that courts previously ruled on the matter (Guner, 2014). Other 30 states mandate that the courts do not make adjusting for taxes at least in personal injury type cases. Included among these cases are ones that in wrongful death actions permit consideration of income taxes that the decedent would have paid.However, the death is a separate issue from adjusting the award as it will be received on a tax-advantaged basis. In deciding whether to adjust or not to adjust for the federal personal income tax and wrongful death litigations the courts took into account the statutes available for the different states. They also based their decisions on the type of cases. For example, in some states the courts only adjusted for taxes in cases of dental and medical mal practise (Gordon, 2012). The question of instructing the juries on tax adjustment require that a tax expert is present in most of the

Crime Victim Processing on Stalking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Crime Victim Processing on Stalking - Assignment Example (If yes adequate details should be given. This will enable the attorney to determine the relationship between the mental condition of the patient and reliability of data (Turvey, 2008). According to the violent crime prevention act of 1994, the provision on community policing requires all citizens to provide adequate information on any particular crime. In accordance with these has any other citizen identified the perpetrator as a stalker? In accordance with the provisions in the violent crimes prevention act of 1994, thorough evaluation and assessment of the details given by the victim is required. This will enable the relevant authorities to determine the seriousness of the purported crime (Turvey, 2008). According to the doctor’s records, does the victim have any addiction to any narcotic drug? Has the victim been to any rehabilitation institution? If yes, how long was the rehabilitation process and when was it undertaken? Does the suspected perpetrator suffer from any psychological disorder? What disorder is it? What impact can such a disorder have on the judgment of the perpetrator? (A psychological disorder refers to any mental disorder affecting the lives of the perpetrator (Davies, Beech, 2012) According to medical records, does the perpetrator’s medical disorder result to any violent behavior? To what extreme can these violent behaviors in the victims reach? Can individuals with this disorder tend towards homicide or suicidal behavior? According to the doctor’s records, does the alleged perpetrator have any addiction to any narcotic drug? Has the perpetrator been to any rehabilitation institution? If yes, how long was the rehabilitation process and when was it undertaken? According to the provisions in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, has the perpetrator benefited from any crime prevention programs in this country.(if yes what were the impacts of the

Experince and learning Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Experince and learning - Outline Example The second part will focus on a detailed narration of my experiences in Standard Packprints by highlighting on its main product, intended market, and major operations. The last part will integrate the most important insights that I have gleaned from my experience into my theoretical understanding of operations management. Operations can be considered the heart of business as it handles the development of the product that is to be offered to the market. Product development, in this regard, involves numerous factors that are critically considered in order to attain the strategic objectives of the business. With this, it can be claimed that operations is usually comprised of three facets. The first facet is the procurement of raw materials and equipment that are needed for the development of the product. The second facet is the production of the product that is hinged on: (1) operational systems and processes; (2) manpower assigned; and (3) sets of machineries and other equipment used. The last facet is the proper sorting and storage of finished products in the designated warehouses. In all of these facets, it can be stated that operations as a business function needs appropriate planning and management in order to ensure that all processes and end products conform to strategic objectives that are anchored on cost-effiectiveness and operational excellence. For example, timely check up on the productivity of employees is vital in lessening some problems on manufacturing effectiveness. Formally set up in 1987 in GOA state of India, Standard Packprints Pvt. Ltd offers highly stable and durable corrugrated boxes that are used in storing and transporting various types of goods. Its primary market is composed of companies that produce cloths, electronic materials, glass wares, pharmaceutical products, and children’s toys. Some of their top clients include Blossom Pharmaceutical Ltd,Centaur Pharmaceutical Ltd,Second Centaur Pharmaceutical Ltd, Dsouza

'BP plc' Analysis report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

'BP plc' Analysis report - Research Paper Example Undervaluation of the companys stock using the DCF method is an indication that company shareholder value is expected to generate more wealth for its shareholders This paper seeks to prepare industry analysis, financial analysis and valuation of BP plc using different models. Financial analysis would include looking into the company’s financial performance in the last five years in terms of profitability, liquidity, solvency and valuation ratios. The paper will also explain the value derived from valuation models in relation to the financial performance of the company and the industry analysis on whether it is doing the correct strategies to generate value. BP p.l.c. (or "BP") was founded in 1909 and incorporated in the United Kingdom. It presently operates as international oil and gas company with various products in not less than 40 countries. The company has two major segments: The Exploration and Production, and Refining and Marketing. The first segment is responsible to oil and natural gas exploration, field development and production, transportation, storage and processing, as well as marketing and trading of natural gas and liquefied natural gas and other power and natural gas liquids. The other segment - Refining and Marketing is into refining, manufacturing, marketing, transportation, supply and trading of petroleum, crude oil, petrochemical products and related services to wholesale and retail customers (Reuters, 2014a). The oil and gas industry sector is part of the energy industry which is expected to grow heftily at least up to the year 2035 as a result of increasing population and growing demand for energy (Annual Report, 2013). The other sources of energy renewable, nuclear, hydro, and coal and yet oil and oil will continue to have big part in serving the energy requirement of the world in the next twenty years. The company believes that population and

Fire Engineering- A study of Smoke and Evacuation in Old Factory Dissertation

Fire Engineering- A study of Smoke and Evacuation in Old Factory Building - Dissertation Example CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 10 Building occupancy 11 The fire fighting industry 13 Code of practice in Hong Kong by segment 15 Health and safety of building occupants 22 The minimum time for the system to provide for a smoke-free escape route 25 Fire engineering/ management 29 Training for safe egress 30 Conclusion 30 Standard Theory Review 32 3.1 Introduction 32 3.2 Enclosure fire elements 33 3.3 Factors of occupant influence 36 3.4 Building materials properties and fire 37 3.5 Smoke properties 40 3.6 Conclusion 41 References 52 Declaration This dissertation proposal is my original work done as part fulfilment for the award of the [Insert Course eg degree] in [Insert Field] by the [Insert institution]. No part of this dissertation has not been submitted at [Insert institution] or any other institution for any award and all material presented in this dissertation is my original work. Where material has been borrowed from other authors, proper citation and referencing has been done to acknowledge any borrowed material. Signature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Name†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Date †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Statement of ethical practice The material used in this dissertation was obtained legally and without coercion, forcefulness and illegal inducements. All borrowed material is from credible sources that can be verified and due citations have been done Acknowledgements [Kindly insert if any] CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Introduction ... Buildings that have been purposely designed for various functions are supposed to cater for emergency needs of the occupants of those occupying it at any given time. The main purpose of this research project is to compare the capacity of fire escape between the original conditions and the current conditions of occupants of Shek Kip Mei Factory Building that was converted into a Jockey Club. Regulations that govern buildings in Hong Kong city will be put into consideration. The main argument in the research is that Shek Kip Mei factory building is not sufficient to handle the number of its occupants in case of a fire outbreak. Background Information The damage caused by fire outbreaks is too high to bear for any given individual, a city, or a building and therefore preventive measures need to be put in place. More specifically, the effect of a fire tragedy to a person can be devastating and in most cases, they normally lead to death. Buildings in major cities are required to have the capacity guaranteeing its occupants safe evacuation incase a fire tragedy strikes. In this research project, the capacity of a building to ensure that people occupying it can safely move out in case there is a fire outbreak within the building. Shek Kip Mei factory building was initially a factory but later converted into a jockey club that increasing the number of its occupants. Problem statement The main problem in the research project is the capacity of a selected building in Hong Kong to facilitate safe escape of people from it in case there is a fire outbreak within it. Shek Kip Mei factory building was initially a factory but later converted into a jockey club and the result of

What Are the Key Problem Facing the Worlds in the 21 Century Essay Example for Free

What Are the Key Problem Facing the Worlds in the 21 Century Essay Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication, such as letters, email, or telephone calls. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer. Humankind, through the ages, has undergone many changes from the time when people communicated only face-to-face to nowadays when a person has in use many types of communication means. Some people still prefer to use face-to-face communication despite many other sometimes more convenient ones such as phone, mail, e-mail and fax. I think to continue this essay it is essential to clarify what kind of conversation we are talking about. For example, if people are negotiating it is very important to have a face-to-face communication. It is very important to see during a negotiation how ones opponent is moving, is he nervous or relaxed, what he is doing, etc. Scientists say that the body language and facial gestures can say many thing about a person, his strong and weak sides, his traits, manners and even habits. To know what kind of man one is dealing with is very essential aspect in negotiation. Many managers prefer to have with the future employees face-to-face conversation. So, in this case they see how a person behaves. From the other side, if I need to notify my bank that I am going to close an account I do not want to spend my time driving there, waiting for my turn and talking with a representative. It is easier for me just to call or e-mail them. It saves my time and my banks too. To summarize, from my opinion all important issues better be discussed in face-to-face conversation. It will eliminate many farther misunderstandings and bring only benefits to both sides.

Policy Changes for Working and Single Parents

Policy Changes for Working and Single Parents Compare the way that successive governments have responded to the needs of working parents. Introduction This paper aims to compare the way that successive governments have responded to the needs of working parents. There will be a particular focus on women as working parents, particularly as there has been a focus over the last twenty years on women as single parents and their over-reliance on state benefits. The paper will begin with reference to the post-war welfare state and then move on to how both Conservative and Labour Government’s in recent years, have dealt with the issue of working parents’ needs. The Welfare State In 1942 Earnest Beveridge was concerned to combat the evils of poverty, disease and ignorance and he based his seminal report on this analysis. When the welfare state was set up one of its primary objectives was to support families by providing a range of services that would benefit families with children along with other services such as healthcare, education and housing. However, over time traditional concepts of the family with a male breadwinner, a stay at home wife and their children have changed. An ever increasing number of lone parent families has been problematic for governments during the last two decades. Lone parent families are almost always headed by a woman who has to combine childcare with work. This inevitably results in financial problems and means that lone parent families are among the poorest in the country (Moore, 2002). With lone parent families, and more married women going out to work because they are unable to manage on a single wage, there has been an increased need for a range of childcare services. The welfare state relies on the family because it provides the foundation for the provision of heal th and welfare services which is why most British social policy is based on the idea of the normal family. It was this notion that prompted Margaret Thatcher’s Government to call themselves the party of the family. This was a government where the New Right Approach to policy making became very influential. The only time that government should interfere in the corporate sector (that of the employers) was if one company had a monopoly and could control prices and access to goods. This belief in a free market economy soon became evident in Government policy making and was introduced into the health and education sectors. Privatisation was the order of the day. This was a Government which maintained that people had no automatic right to welfare. It was not the business of the state to look after you, rather people needed to learn to be responsible for their own care and their own future (Giddens, 2001). The conservatives made a distinction between those people who deserved help, people with physical or learning disabilities for example, and those who were not deserving, for example the young unemployed. These people, the Government believed were not entitled to any welfare provision. It was believed that the more the state helped some people the more they would not take responsibility and help themselves, Britain, they believed was becoming a dependency culture. Only those who were really in need should receive support and free healthcare and the rest should have to pay for it. Thus the Conservatives used means testing in an attempt to determine who was entitled to welfare and who wasn’t. Feminism and the Welfare State Feminists recognize that the welfare state has participated in advancing the cause of women’s emancipation. At the same time they recognize that the benefits paid fo lone mothers makes it difficult for them to leave violent or unsatisfactory relationships. The state tends to confine women to traditional relationships (maybe unintentionally) and to ‘women’s’ employment roles such as nursing or teaching (Moore, 2002). Feminists start from the position that men have more power in society than do women, however not all feminists are agreed in their approaches to the family and the welfare state. Thus many feminists have an ambivalent view of the welfare state and its relationship to women. Over the past twenty years feminists have written about, and critiqued, what they argue is the gendered nature of the welfare state and of Government policy making (Blackburn, 1995).[1] Blackburn (ibid) maintains that there has been a lot of important work which has challenged the ideologies that lay behind the 1942 Beveridge Report. Socialist feminists in particular were critical of the fact that women’s contribution to the war effort had been ignored. She maintains however, that rather than the Beveridge Report aiming to repress women, it was more a question of having to be mindful of the market forces in operation at that time. Pascall (1986) maintains that the underlying assumptions of the Beveridge Report were that married women would stay at home and be supported by their partners. There was no prediction of the vast number of married women who would enter the work place in the years following the Second World War. Pascall further maintains that this attitude has meant r esistant to reform and Britain tends to modify Beveridge’s findings rather than adhere to European rulings on equal opportunities. Pascall asserts that there is a need to put women in a picture that has been largely drawn by men (1986,p.6)[2]. Ideas centred on a man being able to earn enough to support a family benefited the capitalist economy and the working man at the expense of women (Barratt and Mackintosh, 1980). These writers further maintain that government policy making is still centred on the idea of a family wage. This notion is embedded in British society and has been a major reason for women’s continuing inequality with men. The idea that a man was entitled to earn a family wage but women were not has meant that women have, (and still do in a number of areas) earn less than men. Furthermore, the low pay which accompanies what is often termed ‘women’s work’ means that women’s choices are restricted and their economic powers within marriage have been reduced. Women and Policy Changes Women have been struggling to achieve equal status with men in the labour market since the late 1960s. Women’s efforts in this area saw the introduction of the Equal Pay Act in 1970. This said that women were entitled to the same pay as men if they were doing the same job. It became illegal under the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 to discriminate against women in education, in employment, and in the provision of goods. These changes did not satisfy the European Court, which demanded a strengthening of Britain’s Equal Pay Act in 1982. There was a further amendment in 1984 which allowed that women were entitled to the same pay as men in their organizations. This rested on women being able to prove that their work involved the same kinds of decision making and skills as those carried out by men. It also meant that they should have equal access and an equal chance for promotion to that of men. Until the late 1980s girls were less likely than boys to achieve the requisite number of A levels to enter university. In recent years there have been concerns about the growing underachievement of boys compared to girls. Girls are matching or exceeding boys across the curriculum and thus there are more women entering higher education. This does not, however, give them much advantage in the job market where they are disadvantaged in comparison with males who have the same qualification levels ( Epstein, et al, 1998). Moore (2002), however, maintains that things are changing, men have more domestic responsibility than they did 20 years ago and also a much greater involvement with their children than in the past. The government has recognized this through their introduction of parental leave. In the past only mothers were entitled to such leave. Parental leaves means that both parents can take legitimate time off, but in many cases men’s leave is unpaid and so often not taken. Women in the Workplace Census figures for 1991 tend to suggest that at the time, the workforce was 47% women. Needless to say there were regional and ethnic variations and single women were more likely to be in paid work than married women. (Abbott and Tyler, 1995). maintain that this is due to the fact that women’s participation in the labour market is affected by their domestic responsibilities.Women spend time out of the labour market when they have young children and then may work part time while children are at school. Many women do not return to full employment until their children are older. There growing number of women in the workplace has resulted in more flexibility in working arrangements to accommodate that. Crompton (1997) maintains that much of this springs from the increase in the number of part-time jobs available. Millar (1993) states that flexible working may look encouraging in terms of women’s visibility in paid work, but it also means that there are more women living in poverty than ever before. Most of these women are part-time and flexible workers. The only interest such flexibility serves is that of the employer because there is a need to be more competitive and to reduce labour costs while at the same time expecting greater worker productivity (Giddens,2001). The introduction, in the 1970s, of family credit was a move to encourage more people to go back to work. Those with low paying jobs would receive payments from the state through family credit. Critics of this policy argued that although it did provide low income families with some extra money it provided no incentive for low paying employers to increase wages. Changing Policy: The Third Way New Labour came into power in 1997. They offered a ‘third way’ approach. It is really an updated model of the original welfare state with new right influences. One of its concepts is o rely on the importance of successful businesses to bring in the wealth for the rest of society and to increase employment levels. It also argues for an end to discrimination based on gender roles and on race, despite this it is still a party that holds to the concept of the traditional family. The present government promotes a more integrated approach to policy making thus the number of areas having an effect on benefits has been increased. Benefits are no longer the sole preserve of the Department for Work and Pensions, the Inland Revenue and the treasury have also become important providers with tax credit schemes being used to offer an alternative method of social protection. Family Credit was replaced by Working Families’ Tax Credits and Children’s Tax Credits in April 2001. These were meant to guarantee families a minimum weekly income.[3] New Labour have increased maternity grants, promised greater help with childcare, and believe that these methods will help bring British families out of the poverty trap (Moore, 2002). Despite these policy changes there are a number of disadvantages that parents, and particularly women, face when it comes to paid work. While some jobs are seen as offering more flexibility working part-time, Crompton (1997) argues that this can also put women at a disadvantage as it is generally lower paid, has less job security and less opportunity for promotion. Although child care arrangements do have an effect on women’s working patterns, lack of proper child care is not the only reason women do not participate more fully in the workplace. For example, while the number of women in work has continued to rise only a third of single mothers with young children are economically active (HMSO, 1999). Despite Government initiatives such as Sure Start Centres, most lone mothers may not have sufficient extra support to return to the workplace, or they may only be offered low paid work which may leave them worse off than they were on benefits. Moore (2002), however, maintains that although women have been discriminated against in policy making, things are changing, men have more domestic responsibility than they did 20 years ago and also a much greater involvement with their children than in the past. The government has recognized this through their introduction of parental leave. In the past only mothers were entitled to such leave. Parental leaves means that both parents can take legitimate time off, but in many cases men’s leave is unpaid and so often not taken. Having said this, according to the Guardian (15/12/1999) 50% of people said that the introduction of parental leave would increase their loyalty to their employers, There has been some redistribution of resources under Labour but their policies still have a lot of drawbacks. Job creation schemes have not really helped the situation and families in receipt of working tax credits can end up worse off than they were when they were unemployed. Changes in thei r hours and mistakes made by those who pay these credits has caused an uproar in the media and financial problems for many families as their money is stopped without any reason being given or any notice. Therefore such policies can be double-edged. Conclusion This paper has attempted to give some idea of the policies that relate to working parents and their children. The New Right approach was to bring in means testing and family credit and basically assume that people’s families should help them out. As such the Conservative Government of the 1980s and ‘90s did little to address the needs of working parents. New Labour on the other hand has specifically target policies at the family but some of their policy making has a double edge. Critics regard New Labour’s efforts at change as an indistinct set of policies that harks back to old labour but swings to the right in its ideology. The introduction of working family tax credit has been a double edged sword with a huge amount of overpayments. Although New Labour has attempted to introduce more and better childcare, what there is, is still insufficient and exorbitantly expensive. It might therefore be concluded that successive Governments tend to hold on to outdated notions of the family and of welfare and that these work against the interests of working families. Bibliography Abbott and Wallace, 1997 An Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectives. London, Routledge Abbott and Tyler 1995 Ethnic variation in the female labour force: a research note†in British Journal of Sociology 46 pp 330-353 Allan, Graham and Crow, Graham 2001 Families, Households and Society: Basingstoke: Palgrave Barrett and Mcintosh 1980 â€Å"The family wage: Some problems for socialists and Feminists† Capitlalism and Class 11 pp51-72 Blackburn, S. 1995 â€Å"How useful are feminist theories of the welfare state† Women’s History Review 4 (3) p.369-394 Epstein et al 1998 Failing boys: Issues in Gender and Achievement Buckingham, OUP Giddens, A. 2001 4th edition. Sociology. Cambridge, Polity Press. HMSO 1999 Social Trends 29 London, HMSO Moore, S 2002 Social Welfare Alive (3rd ed) Cheltenham, Nelson Thorne Pascall, G. 1986 Social Policy: A Feminist Analysis London, Tavistock http://www.direct.gov.uk/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/TaxCredits/fs/en 1 Footnotes [1] Blackburn, S. 1995 â€Å"How useful are feminist theories of the welfare state† Women’s History Review 4 (3) p.369-394 [2] Pascall, G. 1986 Social Policy: A Feminist Analysis London, Tavistock [3]http://www.direct.gov.uk/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/TaxCredits/fs/en

Progeria Essay -- miscellaneous

Progeria Progeria is one of the least known genetic disorders. There are two types of Progeria, the only difference being the age group that it affects. The Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome is commonly called Childhood Progeria. The second type of Progeria is Werner’s Syndrome, which is the adult form of Progeria. What basically happens in this disorder is that age is accelerated seven times faster than that of a normal person. For example, for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, a child could look like he is fifty when he is actually five years old. A twenty year old with Werner’s Syndrome could look similar to a sixty or seventy year old person. There is, even now, not much information known about this genetic disorder because of the scarcity of people with this disorder, not to mention the short life period that they have. The gene for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome was discovered quite recently on April 16, 2003. Researchers confirmed that the gene, HGPS, is not an inherited disorder because neither parent carries or express the mutation. The mutations to the gene LMNA, which encodes for the Lamin-A protein, causes Progeria. The Lamin-A protein is what provides the framework that holds the nucleus together. Researchers believe that an unstable nucleus caused by a faulty Lamin-A protein brings about Progeria. This gene is located in chromosome 1, but the exact locus has not been announced yet. Researchers say that Progeria is point autosomal point mutation. This misspelling among 25,000 base pairs causes the shortage of the protein made by Lamin-A. This is also a dominant mutation because it is expressed equally in girls and boys. As in other dominant gene mutations, there is a â€Å"paternal age effect†, meaning that the mother is, on the average, four or five years younger than the fathe r at the time of conception. The symptoms of a child with the HGPS gene are very noticeable. Although they appear normal at birth, their age begins to accelerate by they time they are 18 to 24 months old. Bones soften and become more fragile, and the even the skin takes the appearance of the very old because it becomes thinner. If the bones break, they usually do not heal properly. Children with Progeria often have a crinkled and beaklike nose, and fat under the skin is nonexistent to them. The muscles becoming flaccid, hips being dislocated, and joints... ...es, Venezuela, and Vietnam. What has also been noticed of those with Progeria, is that the progeriacs are born with abnormally short telomeres, which are caps of the chromosomes. By they time they turn five, these are as long as a very elderly person. Telomeres reach a certain point of division before they began shortening, making the person old. Currently, there are no cures for this genetic disorder. Dr. Francis Collin who is the head of the National Human genome Research Institute said that the â€Å"the next step is to find a drug that corrects the mutated LMNA gene, and it may be possible to correct the gene itself,† as stated by the Washington Post. Furthermore, mutation in a yeast protein that is similar to the human WRN protein called SGS1 causes the yeast to have a shorter lifespan than the yeast cells that are devoid of the mutation. Another fact that was noted was that nucleolus was enlarged and fragmented in the cells with SGS1, which are typical signs of aging in yeast. Yeast could be a helpful model for human aging because it may give the means to be knowledgeable about more about Werner’s Syndrome, Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, and other related diseases.

Explication of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay -- Poems Poet

Explication of "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" Prufrock begins his â€Å"Love† song with a peculiar quote from Dante’s Divine Comedy. It reads: â€Å"If I believed that my answer were to a person who could ever return to the world, this flame would no longer quiver. But because no one ever returned from this depth, if what I hear is true, without fear of infamy, I answer you.† In the Divine Comedy these lines are spoken by a damned soul who had sought absolution before committing a crime. I think that Eliot chose this quote to show that Prufrock is also looking for absolution, but for what he is unsure. â€Å"Let us go then, you and I, (1).† We are being offered an invitation into Prufrock’s world. As you read on you see what Prufrock sees and how he perceives it. Take for example, line 3, where he says â€Å"Like a patient etherized upon a table;†. On the line before he is describing the evening sky. Prufrock is feeling oppressed by the night sky, or maybe the world in general. The word â€Å"etherized† makes me think he feels helpless. Then you pass by cheap hotels, and restaurants with sawdust floors. Prufrock seems to be getting annoyed when he says, â€Å"Streets that follow like a tedious argument/ Of insidious intent† (8-9). Will these streets never end? Is it their goal to annoy me? Are questions I can imagine him asking himself. Then the whimsy kicks in. Do these streets lead to one overwhelming question? â€Å"Oh, do not ask, ‘What is it?’† (11) Prufrock seems to be pleading. Whatever you do, don’t ask me that question. There is no choice, whatever the destination, we must accompany him and we must make our â€Å"visit†. â€Å"In the room the women come and go/ Talking of Michelangelo† (13-14). We have arrived at o... ...t a bit obtuse;/At times, indeed, almost ridiculous-/ Almost, at times, the Fool† (112-119) Prufrock is describing himself as he sees himself. Honestly, and without glory. That is who HE is. In the next two lines we see his weariness with his current lifestyle. He just wants to sit back and relax. Not worry about what everyone else thinks. He has seen social bells sing to each other, but not to him. He has seen them come and go and grow old in style. That is not what he wants. â€Å"We have lingered in the chambers of the sea/ By sea-girls wreathed in seaweed red and brown,/ Till human voices wake us, and we drown† (129-131). We live in the delusional social world. Surrounded by beauties of all kinds. Eventually, the beauty fades and we realize what is important in life, but usually by then we are â€Å"drowning† or dying and don’t have the time to enjoy it.

Rates of Reaction Investigation :: Papers

Rates of Reaction Investigation Aim - We are trying to see what effect changing light intensity has on the volume of oxygen produced. Prediction - Photosynthesis is where a plant uses sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to produce oxygen and glucose. The equation for this is: Carbon dioxide = water ====== glucose = oxygen I predict that as the lamp is placed further away from the plant the amount of oxygen produced will decrease. The factors that will affect the rate of photosynthesis are the amount of sunlight, the amount of carbon dioxide and water. These affect the rate of photosynthesis because they are the main factors. Temperature also affects the rate of photosynthesis because the enzymes stop working when the temperature becomes too high. The enzymes also work better at a warmer temperature than at a colder temperature because the particles move faster. This means that the faster moving particles collide with each other more. The more they collide the faster the rate of photosynthesis. The only plants that can photosynthesize are plants that are green. The plants that are green contain the pigment chlorophyll can photosynthesize. After entering the leaf through the stomata the carbon dioxide is trapped. The stomata in the leaf control how much water and carbon dioxide are let in and how much oxygen and glucose is released. The water is carried through the xylem from the roots and it is trapped in the chloroplasts. When the light hits the leaf its energy is trapped and used to break the bonds in the water and carbon dioxide. This means that the two compounds are being split into their elements. The elements of carbon dioxide, hydrogen and oxygen reform to create the compound glucose and molecules of oxygen. A limiting factor is one, which will not change so it is limited. The factor that I am going to change is light intensity. This is the main factor that will affect the rate of photosynthesis. The more light there is the more oxygen that will be produced.

Knapp Case 1.8

Eden Mims Case 1. 8 Crazy Eddie, Inc. 1) The following table provides key financial ratios for Crazy Eddie during the period 1984-1987: 1987             1986             1985             1984       Current Ratio                2. 41             1. 4                1. 56             0. 93       Quick Ratio                  Ã‚      1. 4                0. 6                0. 77             0. 15    Debt Ratio                         0. 68             0. 66             0. 64             0. 83   Debt-to-Equity   Ã‚            2. 16             1. 98             1. 75             4. 88      Inventory Turnover 3. 23             4. 38             5. 14             5. 8       Asset Turnover            Ã‚   1. 2                2. 07             2. 08             3. 75 ROA 0. 04             0. 1                0. 09             0. 1 Return on Equity          0. 11             0. 31             0. 25             0. 61 Gross Profit Margin   0. 23             0. 26             0. 24             0. 22 Red Flags: the Inventory turnover rate steadily declines from 1984-87, which could indicate, lost sales. Misstatements of inventory or cost of goods sold could be possible.It also indicates employee strikes or, in Crazy Eddies’ case, employees leaving their jobs. In 1986 the A/R turnover rate was extremely high which is unusual because in that year the consumer electronics industry boom days had ended. Competition in the New York area was high. Inventory turnover rates had been decreasing. Extremely high A/R turnover rates are and indicator of credit and collection policies that are too restrictive 2. Accounting irregularities could have been f ound sooner if some audit procedures were performed. a) Falsification of inventory count sheets: This could have been prevented if the auditors were observing random cycle counts, if the auditors randomly performed cycle count audits, or if the auditors observed an entire physical inventory. (b) Bogus debit memos for accounts payable: The auditors could have confirmed balances with the debtor. (c) Recording transshipping transactions as retail sales: Observe flow of transactions for recording a transshipping sale. Audit the receipts of very large sales since transshipping sales are going to be very high in ollar amount. (d) Inclusion of consigned merchandise in year-end inventory: Auditors could have observed an entire year end physical inventory in all warehouses and not just a specific one that they tell the client they are going to. 3. Retail electronic stores changed drastically during the 1980’s, so did Crazy Eddie’s business. A factor in the Crazy Eddie case had to do with the inventory being overvalued. A small reason for why the inventory was overvalued is due to the rapidly decreasing prices in electronics due to constant improvements in technology.Electronics are out dated very fast if not sold upon arrival, they are always being improved on, and so electronic stores need to have a high inventory turnover. If not, then there is a chance that the inventory can become overvalued if the auditor does not stay up on the latest in electronics. Another change was with how Crazy Eddie was able to buy in such large amounts that he was able to sell via drop-shipments, this is something that the auditors are not used to because it is not a common occurrence.The drop-shipments would affect sales, but it should not affect inventory. As seen in this case, it required special attention because same store sales were increased by the way drop-shipments were recorded as revenue. All in all, if an industry is rapidly changing then so should the plan for t he audit. It is very important to know how the industry is doing so it can be compared to the company that is being audited. 4. The term lowballing is when the auditors sell the audit services very cheap in order to get very lucrative consulting deals with the client.This can jeopardize the truthfulness of the audit because the auditors may have to agree with the client on something that will affect the audit opinion in order to keep the client on their good side so they can keep the client as a consulting customer also. 5. Locating only 20 of the 30 invoices requested is a major problem. I would first see if the invoices were tied to another form like a sales order. If those can be located, then we can see if the 10 missing invoices had something similar on the sales order.Another action that should be taken is to have the auditor observe an entire transaction from start to finish seeing why an invoice may get lost. If there is no good reason, then there is a very high likelihood t hat there is fraud involved. Other information will still need to be obtained; getting it from the information system may be a possibility. This issue should be discussed further with management since it is likely that the person who prepares the invoices or files the invoices is very low on the staff. 6.This article was written before the accounting laws were changed because of problems encountered by ex-auditors working at the client, and having connections with the new auditors. This caused many problems exemplified by Enron and WorldCom. That is why it is no longer allowed to take a job with the client. I agree with the law at present, based on the fact that before the law was present, major fraud occurred that could’ve been prevented had hiring their old auditors been illegal and of course many other things, but it is still helpful in prevention.The only pro I can think of is the fact that the independent auditor would know a lot about the business and possibly help impr ove information systems and such. However, that is only if they are being hired for that certain job. That brings to the cons, which could be the auditor could help with hiding fraud since they know how to look for it in that specific company. Also, they are still in connection with their old firm and that could bring problems when the new independent auditor comes in.

From Modernism to Postmodernism in Art Essay

In order to understand modernism and postmodernism, it is essential to know where the ideas, values and events during these paradigmatic shifts. Essentially, the context of modernism and postmodernism, its ideals and moral imperatives, must be seen in the context that precedes it. This paper seeks to describe the shift from modernity to post-modernity in art and literature by understanding the ideals and imperatives that existed during these periods. A premise for understanding these paradigms in art and literature is to understand the paradigm that it overthrew, and present how historical context provides the logic behind the changes that occurred. The paper is divided into 3 major sections, first of which is a description of the romantic, pre-modernist era and why artists collectively shifted to modernity. Secondly, the utopian ideals and moral imperatives of modernist schools of art and thought are rediscovered. Lastly, the shift to the postmodernist paradigm is explored through the works during the transitions between modernism and postmodernism. Romanticism to Modernism Modernism is arguably a response to the paradigms that precede it, namely Romanticism. Romanticism in art and literature started at the early 19th century as a response to the wars and belief systems during the time. The moral imperatives during the time are concerned with religious iconography in relation to the clamor of states for independence. The imageries in art and literature inculcate these ideals. Art is concerned with propagating virtues that are marriages of the ideas of state and religion. Nationalism, truth and faith are only few of the features of art and literature. Fundamentally, art and literature is laden with symbolisms of greatness and goodness such that nature, radical notions of freedom and equality, reality and reason. Morality is seen as an artist’s virtue. The individual’s subjective experience is at the pedestal of art and literature. The trend is exemplified in Delacroix’s (1830) Liberty Leading the People. It is a lucid presentation of war where the symbolism of liberty is a woman carrying a flag. It is realist in its depiction and shows contrasting imageries of death, destruction and oblivion, on one hand, and of liberty, greatness and collective action of a people for a common good, on the other hand. What became the impetus for change in the prevailing romantic trend in art and literature? The stability of industrial revolution’s growth is not perpetual. Moral imperatives concerned with virtues of truth and spirituality, and the utopian ideals of freedom and equality were challenged by an undercurrent. There is a growing collective restlessness brought by ideas that challenged the status quo. The well-known of these ideas is in the theory of evolution by Charles Darwin that negated the dominant religious thought. Marx also came as a tour de force when he criticized the industrial revolution as fundamentally flawed. State and religion as social forces that are reflected in art and literature were overthrown with the anti-spiritual evolutionism and the anti-industrial/capitalist socialism. Modernism and its Ideals Modernism rose as a challenge to the status quo of romantic art and literature. It is despondent of the prevailing ideals and morals. In reality, modernism is a collective term for rises and falls of different genres of art and literature. Industrial revolution continued but its reflections in art and literature are marred and asymmetrical as opposed to the romantic acceptance of reality during the era that came before it. Industrial revolution is characterized by different emerging philosophies, innovations and scientific discoveries. Art during this time showed that new art styles and movements emerged and sank into oblivion at a moment’s pace. Deliberately, art and literature sought to render the moral imperatives of the status quo as sacrilegious. Artelino (n. d. ) wrote: â€Å"The history of modern art started with Impressionism. It all began in Paris as a reaction to a very formal and rigid style of painting – done inside studios and set by traditional institutions. † At first, the meanings and symbolisms of artworks were critiques to the status quo. However, the evolution of techniques and art genres became a sporadic phenomenon across Europe. Soon enough, the formal rigid styles were overthrown by non-formal and unconventional styles in art and literature. Modern art is quintessentially a movement coming from different vantage points that are experiencing similar historical contexts. In France, the creative process in the studio is scrapped for the environment. This is seen in the impressionist movement started by Claude Monet. Fauvism, using wild colors and taking impressionism to its limits, was championed by Henri Matisse (1905) in his Woman with a Hat. The industrial revolution is also characterized by mass production and consumption. The French developed an art genre that became a critique to mass production itself. Art Nouveau, French for ‘new art’, featured elegance and highly decorative styles and a dedication to natural forms. Artelino (n. d. ) describes that â€Å"(It) was an International art movement. The Germans called it Jugendstil, the Italians Liberty, the Austrians Sezessionsstil and the Spanish Arte joven. Art Nouveau was not restricted to painting or printmaking. It covered all forms of art – architecture, furniture, jewelry, glass and illustration. † Because of Art Nouveau’s high-priced artifacts it is difficult to be mass produced, making it a critique to mass production itself. One example is Horta’s (1898) museum which features Art Nouveau architecture. Victorian influences are overtures of the architecture, which is evidence that modernism is a two-fold response to its historical milieu. On one hand, a critique of the moral imperatives of a modern industrial economic-political system, and also an attempt to look back to more traditional art forms of the previous era. Modernism’s ideals posit a challenge to conventionality and rigidity, form and function of art during the genres that precede it and interestingly, genres within modernism clash and overthrow each other as the dominant art style. One example is art nouveau and art deco’s moral imperatives. While mass production is criticized in art nouveau by going back to fundamentals and looking forward to extravagance, art deco deemed that art must be mass produced. Art deco is simplified and easily mass produced form of art nouveau. Cubism as a modernist genre also criticizes the predominant trend in social institutions and modes of production by drawing influences from African art. This movement is spearheaded by Pablo Picasso (1921) as seen in Three Musicians. While drawing influences on African art, the painting also portrays hints of impressionism, and this is the reason why cubism is also considered as a post-impressionist art genre. This art form also paved the way for minimalism because of its principle of reducing complexities into simpler geometrical representations. Developments in psychology also paved way for surrealism, which is focused on interpreting the subconscious. Surrealist artwork is characterized by a dream-like ambience. Another critique towards modern art is its elite nature. Modern art is characterized by high art, art that is appealing to the elites in the society. Within modernism in art are evaluations to itself. Abstract art is a high art that does not appeal to a majority of people but is critically acclaimed by the high society. During this time, a new movement in modernism took art and mainstreamed it to the masses. This emerging response to abstract art and other forms of high art during modernism is popular art. Pop art challenges the principles of conventional art since it is something that the masses can relate to. Using common icons and symbols are prominent in the works of Andy Warhol (1962) such as Campbell’s Soup series. Pop art embraced advertising and marketing art as fine art, which makes it generally acceptable to everyone. The ethical consideration of pop art is that it is something that must not be monopolized by the high society. It is for everyone and it is seeing art in things that are common. From criticizing industrialization and the issues concerning the modern man, modernist art is also an anti-thesis unto itself. When different genres collide within modernism, new art forms and techniques emerge. Such is the makings of modern art that it spawned groundbreaking genres. Sensibilities of people also reflect the changes that occurred in societies at the time of modern art. Response to Modernism: The Rise of Postmodernism? Postmodernist art is considered a response to modernism. While modernism is about negating tradition and â€Å"discovering radically new ways to make art† (Wikipedia 2007), â€Å"postmodernism describes movements which both arise from, and react against or reject, trends in modernism† (Krauss, 1986). Postmodernism is making use of â€Å"pastiche and discontinuity† instead of taking reference of spontaneity and direct expression (Harrison and Wood, 1992). Postmodernist art divorces itself from moral imperatives and ideals per se. It is intrinsically questioning both variables in art itself. Postmodernism destroys boundaries of high art and low art while at the same time challenging the notion of what art is. Wikipedia (2007) describes postmodernist art as: â€Å"one that rejects modernism’s grand narratives of artistic direction, eradicating the boundaries between high and low forms of art, and disrupting genre’s conventions with collision, collage, and fragmentation. Postmodern art holds that all stances are unstable and insincere, and therefore irony, parody, and humor are the only positions that cannot be overturned by critique or revision. † Surprisingly, the boundary between late modernism and postmodernism is a grey area where post modern art are sometimes considered late modern, and vice versa. Post modern art believes that there is nothing new or avant garde, and it debunks artistic genius and beauty itself. It confuses, because the objective is subjective and subjectivity is confusing itself. It promotes ideologies while debunking it altogether. Conclusion The shift from modernity to postmodernism is reflective of the changes that occurred in post-conflict, post-industrial, post-ideological world we live in. It represents globalization in its redefinition of identities and its ideals are far from utopian. Moral imperatives are thrown altogether in so far as art and its traditions are concerned. Moreover, it does not conform to black and white, good and evil or beautiful and ugly distinctions that were features of art itself. But post modern art is not devoid of moral imperatives and ideals. The ideals and morality within postmodernism is a realization of the non-existence of such notions of utopia and grandeur. References: Artelino (n. d. ) Modern Art Movements. Retrieved March 14, 2008 from < http://www. artelino. com/articles/modern_art_periods. asp> Delacroix, E (1830) Liberty Leading the People. 102. 4 ? 128. 0 in Louvre, Paris. Oil painting. Harrison and Wood (1992). Art in Theory. 1900-2000: An Anthology of Changing Ideas. Blackwell Publishing. Krauss, R. E. (1986) The originality of the avant garde and other modernist myths. MIT Press. Reprinted July 1986, Part 1 , Modernist Myths. Matisse, Henri. (1905) Woman with a Hat. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Painting. Picasso, P. (1921)Three Musicians. New York: Museum of Modern Art. Oil Painting on Canvas. Warhol, A. (1962) Campbell’s Soup Cans. 20 ? 16 inches. Museum of Modern Art. (32 synthetic polymer paint on canvas series displayed by year of introduction) Wikipedia (2007). Postmodern art. Wikipedia. Org. retrieved March 14, 2008 from < http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Postmodern_art#_ref-Harrison1014_0>

Marks of Maturity Essay

As a participant within my focus group, my teachings should assist each of them in†¦ The capability of identifying the relationship between Jesus and the Law, by Applying their hermeneutic skills to accurately interpret Scriptures through critical thinking. Gaining competence for themselves in giving a defense for why Christ is the Messiah, by Understanding the Great Commission, the Covenants of God, and God’s purpose for sending Christ. Making a decision for Christ if not yet saved, or confirming reasons for their faith, by Taking them to what the Word says about what is asked of a disciple of Christ, and what is needed of a follower to be saved. Be proficient in identifying the fundamentals of the Christian faith, by Demonstrating the capacity to complete the aptitude test administered upon completion of the given material for this lesson. Wielding the talents to employ these lessons to anyone they know like family and friends, by Sharing the information in the handouts given during the lesson with loved ones, confess their faith (NEW BELIEVER’S ) and or understanding why it’s important (EVERYONE), and committing to fulfill the Great Commission once understood, in the community. Upon the successful completion of this course of study, a student could be expected to make a decision for Christ if they had not already done so. Having already done so however, a student could be expected to reaffirm their decision for a life with Christ. Each student will be given the essentials necessary to critically analyze and interpret such faith based principles such as the Covenants with God, the promise of Christ, the Great Commission, and the means to Discipleship. Upon understanding of these elements one could build a practicum within a small group to present to the rest of the class on what five things they would emphasize in witnessing to a family member or friend. I would ask that everyone submit a name to me of someone they knew that was lost spiritually, and that they could honestly see themselves having a conversation based on the practicum they submitted before presenting. Once the lesson is given, and the groups share their presentation the groups would be split up in groups of two. These groups would then use the practicum to go before one person for each two man group equally distributed according to their skill sets and witness to the one lost person of my choice. Explaining each of the lesson fundamentals with this person a summary should be written of what was discussed, and the reactions for this lost person. This summary should be brief to not fill more than five minutes but exhaustive enough to give details. Discussing the outcome would be beneficial for the class so that if a similar situation arrived for them they would have a general idea how to minister the situation. Once the findings are summarized a brief review of the lesson will be administered where the class will be allowed to answer the review questions aloud. As I look around the room, distinguishing the question to just one student will sometimes be needed based on my observations in the  last two sessions with them. From here a modest test based on the expectations and proof model will be given, no more than 15 questions. From there we will trade papers with a different partner and grade the papers discretely. I will walk around the room to ensure no one missed a large amount of questions, and if so follow-up with those individuals. My email will be given at closing to provide assistance on anything relative to discipling later, and regarding the lesson challenge, I will give each individual according to the level I observed them a challenge to email me that will pertain to the lessons I have given and applying them in the world.

Milo

S. W. O. T Analysis for Milo We are going to produce a SWOT analysis to find out how effective Milo is operating and what internal factors may influence its success. A SWOT analysis analyses the internal factors that may influence the success of a business. The initials SWOT stand for: S trengths W eaknesses O pportunities T hreats Here is a SWOT analysis on Milo: Strengths * Focusing only on chocolate energy drink. * Big sales in other countries. * It is available in different sizes, shapes and type. * Value for money. Promotion/advertising done in other countries. Weaknesses * Not enough diversity in flavours * Packaging (design of tin + labelling ) Opportunities * Increased media available (mobiles/internet) * Increased fitness industry * Increase awareness of health and fitness * Sponsorship (through sporting events) Threats * Competitors (hot chocolate, energy drinks) * Well known successful brands as competitors * Competitors could use aggressive marketing tactics cut prices/in crease promotion * Competitors bring out similar products Competitors have diversity in packaging (bottles, pouches, cans, etc) Challenges Milo also has challenges in marketing the product to consumer. The challenges are in hot chocolate and energy drink. The challenger in hot chocolate is Vico. Vico chocolate drink also is the popular choice among to customer in Malaysia. Vico chocolate drink have more chocolate test than Milo and the price also cheaper than Milo. Vico is the substitution product for Milo. The energy drink, the challenges is come from Horlick.Horlicks contain wide range of vitamins and minerals. This product gives energy to body to working or do something activities. Usually this drink will take in the breakfast. Horlicks are good in advertisement. For example, in Ramadhan , we need energy to fasting and they take this chance to promote their product that can gives energy to body in fasting. Improvement To improve the market, I think Milo have to do something in th eir flavour and advertisement. For flavour, make a research more about consumer behaviour in Malaysia.Find a taste that customer really like. Do the experiment with 100 customers to find which flavour is good and what consumer wants in the market right now. Use celebrity can make good advertisement to release new product. The celebrity can attract customer to know about new product. Aggressive advertising in media can increase the market. Make new packaging that can attract customer to buy and rite in the ingredient about vitamin and energy that can gives to customer when they drink it.

Immigration in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Immigration in America - Essay Example 1). Modern America is judged by its immigrant past, present, and future. Americans need to comprehend the issue of immigration with clarity of mind to shift to a system wherein economic stakes and cherished ideals both are taken well care of (Griswold 4). Need of the hour is to initiate immigration reforms for creating more job opportunities. Job market is getting compressed due to directionless policies of the Obama government. Only pro-economy immigration reform can help in creating jobs. As per the CATO Institute, wider immigration reforms would increase the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by .84 percent each following year with the passing of the reform bill. Immigration reform would also result in an increase in the net personal income by $30 to $36 billion in the initial three years, an outcome of earned legalization from higher earning capacity of newly-legalized jobbers. It would help in reducing the federal deficit by a cumulative amount of $2.7 trillion across the initial 10 years of the immigration reform (Ortiz â€Å"Immigration Reform,† par. 2-3). It is a wrong general perception that unregistered immigrants have negatively impacted the U.S. ... rants contribute in the economic growth by paying taxes in between $20,000 to $80,000 more than they enjoy through public benefits (Ortiz â€Å"Immigration Reform,† par. 4). An open economic policy towards immigration can help the economy better through increased production, made possible through labor, human capital, and the hard-working nature of immigrants. Immigrant labor do not compete with American labor, rather they add-on to native workers by filling niches areas of the job market (Griswold 1). A new impartial report from with Congress has revealed that immigration is good for America. It has confirmed that excessive cost predictions of an overhaul are not true. Charting a road to citizenship for millions of illegal unskilled, skilled, and farm workers is going to benefit the whole of America economically. If the new law over immigration comes into force, it would increase direct federal spending by $262 billion from 2014 to 2023, including the Medical expenses randoml y claimed to be costs by anti-immigration politicians; these are the costs but taxpayer-funded. It would add revenue of $459 billion over the same time to the Treasury, because of the additional income generated by immigrants and payroll taxes forked over by the same immigrants. After deducting the expenses from the income generated, it is expected to garner revenue of $197 billion. Future forecast is also positive during 2024 and 2033, with a deficit cut of $700 billion. Further analysis by CBO of adding 10.4 million permanent citizens to the American population by 2023, which includes 1.6 million temporary workers along with their families, would strengthen the U.S. labor force by another 6 million. It is going to increase gross domestic product by 3.3% in 2023 and 5.4% in 2033 (New York Daily

The Working Poor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Working Poor - Essay Example In a book written by Collins and Yeskel entitled â€Å"Economic Apartheid in America,† attention is focused on the widening gap between a few ultrawealthy individuals and the greater majority of people in the United States. The segregation spawns a culture of haves and have-nots. Those who struggle to attain a decent living wage for their families remain impoverished because the culture is skewed against them and fosters a poverty that is self-propagating. â€Å"This economic inequality comes from a mechanistic view of the world devoid of deep spiritual meaning, soul searching, and egalitarian human connection. It leaves little room for prioritizing fulfilling human relationships, nurturing the environment, or appreciating the sacred.† (Brettschneider, 2001) Despite the nation’s growing prosperity, real wages – that is, the money people can actually use from their paychecks – to stagnate or fall for more than half of the population. Inequality in wages between the highest and lowest paid workers is at its highest. The bottom 95 percent of the U.S. populace has less wealth than the top one percent of households. Seventy-five percent of workers have suffered some loss at work, such as loss of full-time employment, lack of retirement security, lack of health insurance, and loss of other similar benefits. 5. The United Nations Development Program reported in 1999 that the world’s 225 richest people have a combined wealth of $1 trillion, which is equivalent to the combined annual income of the world’s 2.5 billion poorest people. 6. The richest ten per cent of the world’s population receive about half (49.6%) of the total world income, while the bottom sixty percent (more than half) of the world’s population receive little more than one-tenth (13.9%) of the world’s income. In his book â€Å"The Working Poor†, David Shipler gave life

Analyze color developments in 17th-century Flemish and French Research Paper

Analyze color developments in 17th-century Flemish and French tapestry, focusing on Rubens, Jacob Jordaens, Simon Vouet and Mich - Research Paper Example There has been an extensive list of tapestries as well as tapestry workers with all the precisions and details that are required with regards to the subjects (Delmarcel, 1999). During the late 16th Century the Flemish painting was very much influenced by the Italian Renaissance. Most of the Flemish painters were influenced by this and thus there emerged the adoption of the Italian baroque in the French baroque in the 17th Century. The Flemish baroque flourished especially through the hands of great painters such as Rubens and Jacob Jordaens. Most of the tapestry which were mainly expressed the same way as paintings took the centre stage in this era. Tapestry is referred to as a type of work that involves coloured threads that are intertwined on lines that are stretched horizontally or vertically to form a substance, a web and also produce a combination of lines as well as tones that are similar to those derived from a painter with his brush. Woven tapestry is regarded as one of the b est forms of art expression that is known in the world. In the Middle Ages period tapestries were known to have a utilitarian function (Delmarcel, 1999). The main aim for their development was to be able to protect the medieval rooms against cold weather and damp, to insulate big rooms so that they could be comfortable quarters or to cover the austere walls of the big castles. Tapestry with regards to France is one of those traditions that have made a great contribution towards the beauty of the French heritage. In the 17th Century tapestry in France led to the formation of the Gobelins factory during the reign of King Louis the fourteenth. The factory which was based in Paris employed up to about 800 artisans who were majoring in the production of tapestries meant for the royal courts. Tapestry weaving has been established over the years among various cultures. The ancient Incas and the Egyptians buried the dead using tapestry woven clothing. The civic buildings of the Greeks had t heir walls covered in tapestry too. However, it is the French based medieval weaver who brought up the craft (Harris, 2005). The medieval weavers were able to extract their dyes from insects and plants within a range of close to twenty colours. For instance red colour originated from madder, pomegranates or poppies and blue was produced by woad. The medieval weaver based their work on sketches that they used from their imagination as well as humour. With regards to the Flemish and French tapestry the focus of this paper is going to analyse the colour development in the 17th Century with focus on Jacob Jordaens, Rubens, Michel Corneille as well as Simon Vouet. It is goes with no doubt that the history of past art was reliant on the use of colour. We are only left to imagine and picture the extraordinary concept that was adapted by the renaissance and mediaeval palaces and churches with the use of the tapestries and wall paintings (Harris, 2005). History of colour in the Flemish and F rench tapestry among other forms of art is partial due to the fact that a lot of the artwork and the colour in the art has survived or perished but only in a changed form. Colour in art is regarded to as an element of art which is produced when there is presence of a light striking on an object and then it is reflected back to the eyes. There are three aspects of colour that were used to describe the French tapestry which were designed in the 17th Centur

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Personal statement - Essay Example After completing my Law degree, I was able to work with several voluntary organisations that helped me discover my passion in helping others. Presently, I work for a voluntary organisation, Cocoa African Community Connection, which is located in Birmingham. My duties as a language interpreter and helping the refugees and victims of torture with immigration, housing, social and family issues has been an eye opener into the kind of activities that I would like to engage in the future. I have realised that I could make a significant impact in the lives of the refugees’ children by teaching French in the local Primary school. I am fluent in French, as it is my first language, therefore, ensuring that these kids have acquired the knowledge that will help them become self-sustaining. I have realised teaching French in the primary school will help many children into understanding other cultures and enable them communicate with others effectively. This will help them obtain better lives, thus contributing to a better world. I am able to work in teams, possess excellent planning and organising skills, and I can work under intense pressure. This means that the children will be in capable hands, as I will work effectively to ensure that they obtain quality

Death Penalty and Deterrence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Death Penalty and Deterrence - Essay Example The death penalty is an ultimate punishment which may provoke criminals having low motives to refrain from crimes however such crimes are usually committed under the extreme state of mind or for significant motives, therefore, the fear of death can have limited effectiveness in deterrence from crimes. Definition provided by Grimes (2010) states, â€Å"Deterrence includes the direct and indirect benefits of punishing offenders: specific or direct deterrence refers to the inability of the offender to commit any further crimes due to the extent of this particular form of punishment, while general or indirect deterrence presumably serves to deter the general public from committing the offense(s) which resulted in the death sentence for the death penalty (p. 2010)†. Therefore, capital punishment is expected to have the tendency of ensuring that crime is avoided due to its fear. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (2012), there are limited shreds of evidence as to how ca pital punishment contributes to reducing crime rates. It is important to note that a punishment or penalty imposed by law can be deterrent to a crime when its severe enough against the crime committed, can be applied with certainty and up to a just level of frequency. On the other hand, capital punishment although daunting ensures that a criminal does not have to suffer adequately for the severe crimes committed by them as compared to a lengthy imprisonment. It is argued that a punishment can only serve its purpose of deterring crime and also providing justice to criminal as well as the victim if it has consistency and adequacy in it. However, it is difficult to find these characteristics in a capital punishment. Firstly, despite an increase in capital punishments in the last few decades, the actual percentage of execution is limited mainly because of after sentence investigations and appeals after conviction. According to BBC U.K. (2012), â€Å"in the USA at least, only a small mi nority of murderers are actually executed, and that imposition of capital punishment on a "capriciously selected random handful" of offenders does not amount to a consistent program of retribution. Since capital punishment is not operated retributively, it is inappropriate to use retribution to justify capital punishment.† In order to protect the rights of convicted, necessary measures are required to be taken to ensure that wrong convict are not punished and the punishment itself is adequate enough under the protection provided by constitutional rights as well. Such lengthy measures undermine the effectiveness of capital punishment. Since these processes are time taking and the ratio of appeals’ success is relatively higher, therefore the punishment itself appears to have leniency in it negating its deterrent nature. Secondly, the crimes for which capital punishment is imposed are usually taking place in the state of extreme emotional pressure, substance abuse or traum a which questions the mental stability of a person to make logical decisions regarding his/ her actions (American Civil Liberties Union, 2012). On the other hand, there have been cases reported in which crimes were committed for self-defense or by those whose mental health was questionable. Since these factors have a tendency of affecting the court’s decisions greatly, these grey areas can be used by criminals and lawyers for avoiding conviction.  

GoodWill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

GoodWill - Essay Example Life skills training and counseling, elements of GoodWills core services, help to prepare individuals for the demands of the workplace. Many GoodWill agencies also provide assistive technology devices and training to eliminate barriers for people with disabilities such as vision or hearing impairment and paralysis. (Lysecki 2005) The organization serves individuals with physical, mental and emotional disabilities, as well as those with disadvantages such as welfare dependency, illiteracy, homelessness or lack of work experience. In 2000, the agency began implementing a $20 (m) million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to provide training and support to place welfare-to-work recipients in temporary Census and permanent community jobs. So far, GoodWill has exceeded the goals of the project, serving 15,175 participants and placing 5,180 of these in competitive employment. GoodWill also established national partnerships with Bank of America and CVS/pharmacy to recruit and train individuals for a variety of jobs at these companies. GoodWill placed 77,895 individuals with disabilities and other disadvantages in competitive jobs; they earned $973.4 (m) million in salaries and wages. "We want to make sure that we are helping people develop a lifelong career plan through education and career development opportunities," says Samuel W. Cox, Interim President and CEO of GoodWill Industries International. "We have the flexibility to meet the needs of the individuals while meeting the needs of employers. Our efforts boil down to building lives, families and communities one person and one job at a time." Over 42 (m) million people donated clothing, household goods, computers, cars, and other items to GoodWill, generating $941.1 (m) million in revenues for GoodWill programs. GoodWill sells its donations in 1,869 retail stores across North America and on its Internet auction site, shopGoodWill.com. GoodWills retail stores earn more than 50 percent of

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Final Exam - Essay Example The second group was the communist nations, Soviet Union being their leader. The third world mainly consisted of the developing nations which were mostly newly independent and not aligned to any super power. These countries caused the arena for struggle and competition among the cold war super powers. The third world nations were located in Asia, Latin America and Africa. The countries were politically unstable and economically poor. This situation was mainly caused by the long periods of colonialism. The third world countries suffered lack of technology, ethnic conflicts and lack of education. The countries generally had high rates of diseases and poverty, low life expectancy and low economic development. The third world countries were unaligned hence they were seen as potential allies in the 1st and 2nd world war. Developing allies with the third world countries would mean an increase military support such as soldiers and economic support during the war. The Soviet Union and the United States tried to establish connections and form allies with these countries by offering military and economic support (Patterson 96). The connection would also enable the United States to gain strategically located alliances hence have an advantage over the Soviet Union in the war. The third world was mainly targeted for the soldiers. Forming allies with the countries would ensure military support and advantage. The most dangerous and violent moments in the conflicts were in the regions of third world because they were strategically located. Having allies in the location would unsure an advantage in the war. The Vietnam war epitomised important hall marks of the Third world intervention as it acted to save innocent lives which were in danger. 2. What did it mean that Theodore Roosevelt was comfortable seeing the United States as part of the balance of power system? Explain how World War I upset this system. Why and

Training Development Written Project Essay Example for Free

Training Development Written Project Essay This written project will discuss the process involved in the design of training, learning, and evaluation. I will begin by breaking down the need assessment covering the process, analysis, and various methods. I will also cover the process of learning and discuss two theories which will support specific processes of learning. The process will include how age influences learning and retention of knowledge. Finally, I will cover the importance of evaluation of training, the process of choosing an evaluation design, and the value placed on training evaluation by an employee. The content of this paper will be based on information covered in Raymond A. Noe’s (2010) text book Employee Training and Development (5th edition). The process described will use other sources to support Noe’s finding as it pertains to the written project content. Needs Assessment An effective training design begins with a needs assessment. A needs assessment allows the gathering of information which better prepares the modeling of training. The needs assessment provides an analysis of organization, people, and tasks. Each has a distinct influence on the depth of training developed and methods best suited for the organization. The needs assessment allows the trainer to address whether the requirement for training is based on performance, motivation, job design or communication. The defining of training requirements ensures the validity of content developed, course objectives, and training method. The assessment also allows a trainer to determine if the trainee has the basic skills and confidence to learn. Finally, an assessment will determine if the training meets the corporate strategy and expected outcome. According to Noe (2010), pressure points influence training design, â€Å"These pressure points include performance problems, new technology, internal or external customer requests for training, job redesign, new legislation, changes in customer preferences, new products, or employee lack of basic skills. † (pg. 104) Who should participate in the needs assessment? The text suggests that upper mid-level managers, trainers, and employees should participate in the assessment. Upper-level management iews the assessment from a corporate level. They will determine if training meets the corporate strategy. The mid-level management will determine budget, who should be trained, and what jobs will make the largest impact on production. The trainer will determine training delivery, identification of trainees, and basic skills, knowledge and characteristic required. Noe goes on to state that it is important to include job incumbents in the assessment process. These are individuals who perform the task and tend to be the most knowledgeable. (Noe, 2010, pg. 05-106) In an article, written by J. L. Utecht (2005), she states that a needs analysis should reach at least ten percent of the work force. Those participants should be the work staff performing the job, front-line supervisors, upper-level management, and union members and representatives when applicable. She goes on to state that the group should range in age, ethnicities, job types, shifts, and seniority. These statements support and expand on Noe’s idea of assessment participants. (Uteht, 2005) Let’s begin by breaking down the analysis process. Organizational Analysis The Organizational analysis will identify the corporate strategy for training, the support of management and employees, and the availability of internal resources to adopt and train its staff. The first key component of any assessment is to define a budget. Training must present a value which is backed by capital expenditure. This simple question of budgeted resource allows the person conducting the assessment necessary ground work for the amount of time and resource which may be dedicated to training. The second component of an organization analysis is to understand the business strategy behind training. Training increases the value, or skill currency, of its employees. Strategies can consist of a concentration in increased market share and cost reduction, internal growth through research and development, external growth of market share through vendors and suppliers, or disinvestment of corporate divisions. These strategies will assist in the development of training and how that skill and knowledge will be deployed. Once a budget and strategy have been defined the next step is support. While an overall corporate support is required for any successful training endeavor, upper and mid-level management is paramount since they approve allocations of funds. Support should include a positive attitude from management and peers to incite enthusiasm among the targeted trainees. There must be a perceived value to the knowledge which the training supports. Information must be provided on how the training will enhance productivity and success in the trainees given job. The next step is identifying resources and whether the company has the budget, time and expertise for training. Support of training can be readily established if upper management sees the economic value of training output and cost justification. A crucial step of defining a training model is determining the most cost effective approach. If training is an ongoing organizational vision there may be a better return on investment if training is internalized. If it is determined that training is better served by a third party, then a request for proposal will be required. This outlines the requirements of training which include the type of training, the number of trainees, funding, date of completion, evaluation, and follow-up training. The criteria standards will allow for the evaluation, elimination, and awarding of the most competent vendor. (Noe, 2010, pg. 110 113) The impact of the organization analysis is what defines the budget, strategy, and support. These factors are the foundation of a needs assessment and should be the first thing analyzed. Person Analysis In this analysis we identify for whom and why training is required. The person analysis requires that we understand the task the individual performs. This foundation allows us to determine the employee readiness for training. We must determine the personal characteristics required for learning and applying training context. The personal characteristics consist of individual cognitive ability and reading level. Context must be relevant to the persons learning ability. The individual must also believe in their ability to learn. If training is to be successful the context must provide a need, interest, or meet the goal of the trainee. This simple understanding of who the training is directed will motivate individual behavior and the desire to learn. So now that we have discerned the characteristics required for training, we must create a learning environment. A well-conceived training curriculum can be lost if the environment does not afford a focus to learn. Many times individuals are pulled from training tasks to perform job duties. This is both counterproductive and erodes the financial benefits expended on the training. Successful training requires concise and understandable input. Input can be instructions, job-related objectives, training materials and other work aids which support the training program. Input also consists of reinforcement through verbal and written feedback. Encouraging trainee involvement, practice, and feedback are elements to a successful learning experience. A positive training experience is the best endorsement. Those trained will share their experience with their peers and create enthusiasm and interest. For training to be effective an assessment must identify the required output. What is the performance expectation of the trainee and are they aware of those expectations? If a trainee knows the required outcome expected of them, they are more apt to learn. The knowledge and skill achieved can be gauged by task proficiency through performance and knowledge proficiency through the form of testing. Individuals must have the willingness to learn. Clear and positive expectations of training must be delivered. To reinforce this behavior there must be reward and incentive for applying this knowledge and skill in one’s job. The responsibility of knowledge transfer should be fostered by the corporate entity. As we have discussed this should include, but not limited to, positive management and peer support, time given to learning, and a consequence through reward for successful completion of training curriculum. (Noe, 2010, pg. 113 123) Task Analysis This is the most important aspect of developing an effective training course. We must first define the job or task for analysis. To provide a complete assessment we must understand the tasks of the position itself. We can achieve this through interviews and observation of those performing the said task. These can validate the knowledge, ability, and skill requirements needed to perform a task effectively. We may also validate our assessment by involving subject matter experts. To complete the task assessment it must meet the company’s goals and objectives. Another step of task analysis is the incorporation of a competency evaluation. This allows the determination of the skills and abilities which the trainee will require in their job function. I will discuss evaluation in more detail later in the written project. Training can then be modeled to focus on the deficiencies of an individual’s knowledge which lends to the training strategy. Since employee skills are not equal, we must determine the skill set of each and provide training accordingly. This leads us back to the readiness for training and will allow a curriculum to advance the knowledge and skills of all participants. The task assessment is not only a tool for our training model but is also an invaluable tool for coaching and development of the employee. Managers are often overwhelmed with the minutiae of administrative tasks which impede their core responsibility of developing employees. The text refers to creating a â€Å"road map† for identifying opportunities for growth and development. This transcends the task of modeling training and provides an additional value to a company if recognized and applied. (Noe, 2010, pg. 123 127) Methods Used in Needs Assessment There are various methods related to a needs assessment. Because no one method is better than the next it is common to use more than one. Here is a list of methods which show the advantages and disadvantages of each. The observation method allows for real data and minimizes work interruption. Unfortunately, it requires the observer to be skilled in the task which they are observing. It is also likely that those being observed will not behave as they would in a normal setting. The questionnaire method is inexpensive, provides a larger data group, and can easily be summarized. The disadvantage is there are usually low return rates. The questions usually lack detail and only provide data specific to the question. Interviews are effective in uncovering detail that questionnaires lack. The interview process may sometimes uncover details which were not known prior, allowing for modification. The disadvantage is that it requires skilled interviewers, scheduling, time for the interview, and may be threatening to Subject Matter Experts. A focus group can be useful in complex or controversial issues. These groups are usually made up of Subject Matter Experts from the various levels targeted for training. This group interaction allows for modifications by uncovering issues which may be difficult to glean from observations or questionnaires. The disadvantage is the group often gives answers they think you want to hear. Often there is trepidation for lower level employees to voice concerns when management is present. This can contaminate the analysis process by ignoring the needs of the employees performing the task. Technical training materials can also provide a wealth of information in relation to a task. Unfortunately, the information is only as good as its source. Often the information is outdate or difficult to understand. Finally, online technology can be used to define the strengths and weaknesses of an employee. Unfortunately, these are often viewed as threatening and may be perceived as a way to surplus their position. The other threat is that managers may use the content for punitive measures rather than an opportunity for coaching and development. The use of multiple methods allows data to be validated against another. The method used will often depend on the environment which is being analyzed. It becomes the task of the individual performing the assessment to utilize those methods which provide the most relevant data to the task performed. Often a method of benchmarking is used to define the training practices of a competitor. The emphasis on Total Quality Management may require this practice to determine type, level, and frequency of training. Benchmarking coupled with methods discussed above should provide valuable data and aid in the development of a training model which best fits the business strategy of the organization. (Noe, 2010 pg. 07 – 109) The overall benefit of the needs assessment is the process and steps defined above. Each step is important to maximizing the return of investment of training. The importance of the process is that it provides a basis for the assessment to cover the various aspects of organization, person, and task. The methods of interviews, observation, questioners, focus groups, documentation, and online technologies are vehicles to d etermine an effective format with which to train. Without a needs assessment an organization would be ill equipped to determine whether training is necessary. An assessment also eliminates the unknown and identifies who, why, and when training is appropriate. Again, this is an investment in human capital and should be treated as any other company investment. Learning Process Now that we have covered the value of a needs assessment let’s review the learning process. What is learning? The text defines learning as a change in human capabilities which are not a result of the growth process. (Noe, 2010, pg. 140) In chapter two Noe (2010) also refers to learning as the acquisition of knowledge. He defines knowledge into two groups, tacit or xplicit. Tacit knowledge is based on personal experiences which are passed through interaction with others in a society. Explicit knowledge is knowledge which is formalized, codified and communicated in a learning environment. (Noe, 2010, pg. 50 – 51) What is learned? The book refers to five types of learning outcomes which I have listed below. Verbal information consists of names, labels, facts , or bodies of knowledge which are retained. Intellectual skills are concepts and rules which are critical to problem solving, service, and product creation. Motor Skills include the coordination or physical conditioning required for a given task. Attitudes are the combination of beliefs and feelings. Attitude is crucial to the way a person will react in job related settings, their organizational commitment, and job satisfaction and proficiency. Cognitive strategies are related how a person manages their own learning and thinking process. These process elements include attention to information, strategies of learning, and problem solving. (Noe, 2010, pg. 141) Let’s review how people, or trainees, learn. In chapter four Noe (2010) discusses the learning cycle. This dynamic cycle involves four stages of learning: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experiment. The first process of learning is exposure to a work problem (concrete experience). The next step is analyzing the problem and it affects (reflective observation). Next, the person, or trainee, will devise a way in which to deal with the problem at hand (abstract conceptualization). Finally, a trainee will apply their solution directly to the problem (active experiment). The act of applying the solution allows for positive or negative feedback. The person, or trainee, then improves and applies this learned result over again. Each action should result in development, growth, and improvement in the four stages. Those results are usually shared and possibly adopted by peers and management. (Noe, 2010, 151) David C. McClelland (2003) has proposed that motivation is closely associated to the learning concepts. He contends that when a need is strong, its effect is motivation. That motivation leads the person to use behavior that leads to its satisfaction. Based on research results McClelland developed a description set of factors which reflect the need for achievement. They consist of a motivation to take responsibility for solving problems, set moderate goals, take calculated risks, and a desire for feedback on performance. Since the need is to learn through experience, positive feedback on achievements leads to high frequency of reoccurrence. McClellands Learned Needs Theory supports the desire to solve problems and defines the importance of positive feedback. (McClelland, 2003) This leads me into the theory portion of my written document. Here I will compare and contrast to theories which are defined in the text.