Would Partial Acquisition Of Foreign Investors Be Worthwhile For Banks Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1463 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Since 2005, the wave of foreign investment in Vietnam banking sector has started booming. However, most of investments are partial acquisition as Vietnamese regulation does not allow for foreign investors to capture more than 30% of stake in commercial banks, and for individual strategic investor the maximum is 15%, any individual strategic investor of 20% stake needs governmental approval. Since then, there have been 12 partial acquisitions in Vietnamese commercial bank sector. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Would Partial Acquisition Of Foreign Investors Be Worthwhile For Banks Finance Essay" essay for you Create order Most of tier 1 commercial banks (in term of chartered capital) now have foreign investment in its stake. This paper is designed to exam the impact of foreign partial acquisition on Vietnamese commercial banks performance and share price after acquisition. This can be used as precedent cases for other joint stock commercial banks to look at when they want to raise capital through issuing shares for foreign investors. It is noteworthy that the Vietnamese Government requires all commercial banks in Vietnam to have minimum chartered capital of VND3 trillion by the end of 2010. However, to date there are still about 28 joint stock commercial banks out of 38 commercial banks have not meet the requirements on minimum chartered capital. And most of them are now interested in selling stake for foreign strategic investors to increase its chartered capital. Research aim/ objectives and Term of reference The aim of this paper is clearly stated in the title which is to exam if partial acquisition of foreign investors worthwhile for Vietnamese commercial banks, at the aspects of share price and post financial performance. Thus, its objectives are to answer the following questions: If partial acquisition would cause share price of targets (Vietnamese commercial banks) to fall or rise around the announcement of acquisition If partial acquisition improve or worsen the financial performance of targets after acquisition In order to achieve the research aim and objectives of this research paper, the term of reference set for this paper would be: Review the literatures on share price analysis around the acquisition announcement period, and on performance analysis after acquisition to find out how they would change Looking at more specific case of Vietnamese joint stock commercial banks, particularly looking at secondary data of share price around the acquisition announcement and financial performance before and after acquisition Initial literature review Review for acquisition/partial acquisition Acquisition is the takeover of another firms assets or stock (acquiring/target firms). This is stock/assets for cash transaction. In the acquisition, the acquirer firm will become the owner/shareholder of acquiring firm. The acquisition can defined as hostile takeover or friendly take over. Mikkelson Ruback (1985) defined partial acquisition is the purchase of more than 5% block of shares. Akhigbe, and others (2004) also defined partial acquisition as the acquisition of less than 50% of targets ownership. Meyer and Tran (2006) postulates that not many scholars pay attention in the important of partial acquisition. Some empirical studies on the important of partial acquisition as the entry mode when firms enter emerging/transition markets can be found in the works of Barkema Vermeulen, 1998; Chen Hennart, 2004; Duarte Garcia-Canal, 2004; Meyer Tran, 2006 It is notheworthy that in studies of Barkema vermeulen (1998), the result shoe that partial ownership (partial acquisi tion) is favoured in high risk countries and in countries that impose legal restrictions on foreign ownership. This can explain the growth of foreign partial investment in Vietnamese banking sector. Review for share price analysis Mikkelson and Ruback (1985) investigated and analyzed the share price of 473 companies in the U.S. during the period of 1978 and 1980. Their findings show the increase in share prices of target firms after the announcement of partial acquisition. Jensen and Ruback(1983, cited in Cheung at el, 2009) review 13 studies on the abnormal returns around takeover period and found that the average excess returns on stock price are of 30% and 20% for the successful tender offer and mergers. The studies in 1990s yet show contradicting result. Frank et al (1991, quoted in Cheung at el, 2009) shows no evidence to support earlier argument of the increase in abnormal return of target firm after three years since the bid date. Moore (1997) also studied on acquisition transactions of banks during June 1993 and July 1996. Moores study indicates that the share prices of target banks had all negative return associated with the likelihood of being acquired. According to study (2009) of Cheung and ot hers on listed companies in Asia during 1990s, the target firms price responses (in term of CARR) (-2.5%) in the period before the announcement, and (-5.2%) in the period after announcement. The difference between studies in 1980s and 1990s is shown. This paper will investigate whether the recent studies (1990s) hold for partial acquisition in Vietnamese commercial banks. Review for post performance Madden (1981), and Mikkelson and Ruback (1985) studies had shown the positive effect for target firms after partial acquisition in U.S market (quoted in Zhu and others, 2010). However, the later studies and research in 1990s shows different point of view. The later study of Eyssell (1990) shows no significant change of target firms partial acquisition post-performance in US. Another studies of Longhran and Vijih (1997) also come to the same view that acquisition resulted in significant negative performance over time for the acquiring firm. And that is the research gap on post performance of partial acquisition. It seems that the post performance of partial acquisition will be different among various industries and various timing. This paper will exam the post performance of target firms in emerging banking sector in Vietnam in order to see how the performance affected after partial acquisition. Intended methodology To answer the research questions mentioned above, the research will be based on positivism stand with secondary data being collected for the purpose of analysis on share price and post performance. And it will be comparative design. The analysis will be based on cross-sectional analysis which will compare the share price and performance of target firms before and after acquisition; and the share price and post performance of target firms with those of relevant commercial banks with no foreign partial acquisition The secondary data will be collected from reliable sources i.e banks websites, stock exchanges websites, other possible sources such as State Securities Commissions, Ministry of Finance. the sample sizes will include total 12 partial acquisition deals of more than 10% stake in Vietnamese commercial joint stock banks . The sample of control group consists of 6-10 commercial banks (where as information is available). Note that, due to limitation in information of share pri ces, the research might not include all stock information of sample commercial banks. For share price analysis, all stocks that are unlisted will be eliminated from the sample size. Up to date there are only 8 listed commercial banks, of which 3 commercial listed banks will be in control group sample. The share price of 2 listed banks with partial acquisition will be analyzed . It excludes 3 others listed banks with partial acquisition because those were listed on stock exchange after 1-2 years of the acquisition date, and with these cases, the share price analysis before and after acquisition can not be measured. The analysis on share price would be based on the AAR (accumulated abnormal return). For performance descriptive analysis, this will be based on financial ratios for banks to avoid the difference in years before and after the acquisition taken place. Those ratios are: ROA, ROE, liquidity, net gearing, cost to income ration, loans to total asset ratio, credit risk, diver sity earnings, off-balance sheet, loan to deposit After the analysis on share price and financial performance through the calculation of ratios, T-test will be conducted to test the relationship between financial performance before and after acquisition, and also post performance with other commercial banks having no partial foreign acquisition The result of this research considered to be valid as the choice of sample is considered to be appropriate and representable with appropriate analysis technique. Data present in the tables is also considered to be reliable since data are collected from reliable sources and audited financial statements. Thus, if the research is repeated, the consistent results are expected. Timescales The research and reading from this project will be started from December but not intensively. The intensive work will be taken place in mid February 2011, and to be finished in mid August 2011, about two weeks earlier than the expected deadline in end of August 2011. Below is the gantt chart specifies the timeframe for this projects Timetable for thesis work (Unit: days): Reference Zhu, PengCheng, Jog, V., Otchere, I. (2010) Partial acquisition in emerging market: A test of the strategic market entry and corportate control hypotheses. Journal of Corporate Finance. doi:10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2010.09.003 Hannan, H. T., and Pilloff, J. S (2009) Acquisition Targets and Motives in the Banking Industry. Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Vol. 41, No. 6, pp.1167 1187 Akhigbe, A., Madura, J., and Spencer, C. (2004) Partial acquisition, corporate ocntrol, and performance. Applied Financial Economics, Vol. 14, pp. 847 857

CalChamber Where Advocacy Meets Compliance Employee...

Employee Handbook Having the urge of in need of an employee handbook due to employee and employer issues; had leaded me to read case studies and professional websites that explain the importance of an employee handbook and how to create one. I have searched for mandatory and recommended policies that an employee handbook should include. I have found legal information that we need to know in the state of California. I have learned the purposes and choices of creating an employee handbook. One of the case studies I read explained that documentation made the difference in their company. Another case study had an employer failed to distribute the revised policy to its current employees leading to consequences. I also read articles with†¦show more content†¦An employee handbook protects the business and its employees. (Gail Cecchettini Whaley) 2013 Labor Law Center California businesses need to know the California law. The California law does not require an employee handbook for businesses, but it does recommend the businesses to require an employee handbook. There many reasons why an employee handbook is needed. An employee handbook is mostly to prevent any type of misunderstandings, any unfair termination and unwanted lawsuits. Acknowledgement of a handbook is an extremely important process. All employees should have acknowledgement of receiving an employee handbook, and any changed policies that the business makes. (Kelly Petersen) 2011 Legal Flip: Employee Handbooks- An Overview The purpose of an employee handbook is for a company to keep a blue print of policies and procedures that are needed for a company to succeed. A handbook contains of a title page, a table of contents, a body, an index, and most importantly an acknowledgement. An employee handbook is based on main polices a company have. Some the policies include at will employment, hiring rules, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination rules, compensation, employed hours, leave of absence, benefits, heath, safety and most importantly disciplinary. (LegalFlip) protects the author of the article: Employee Handbooks – An Overview (2013) Rocket Lawyer It is always smart to create an employee handbook in any type of business. The

Rabindranath Tagore free essay sample

Rabindranath Tagore [pic]Rabindranath Tagore was born in Calcutta, India into a wealthy Brahmin family. After a brief stay in England (1878) to attempt to study law, he returned to India, and instead pursued a career as a writer, playwright, songwriter, poet, philosopher and educator. During the first 51 years of his life he achieved some success in the Calcutta area of India where he was born and raised with his many stories, songs and plays. His short stories were published monthly in a friends magazine and he even played the lead role in a few of the public performances of his plays. Otherwise, he was little known outside of the Calcutta area, and not known at all outside of India. This all suddenly changed in 1912. He then returned to England for the first time since his failed attempt at law school as a teenager. Now a man of 51, his was accompanied by his son. On the way over to England he began translating, for the first time, his latest selections of poems, Gitanjali, into English. Almost all of his work prior to that time had been written in his native tongue of Bengali. He decided to do this just to have something to do, with no expectation at all that his first time translation efforts would be any good. He made the handwritten translations in a little notebook he carried around with him and worked on during the long sea voyage from India. Upon arrival, his son left his fathers brief case with this notebook in the London subway. Fortunately, an honest person turned in the briefcase and it was recovered the next day. Tagores one friend in England, a famous artist he had met in India, Rothenstein, learned of the translation, and asked to see it. Reluctantly, with much persuasion, Tagore let him have the notebook. The painter could not believe his eyes. The poems were incredible. He called his friend, W. B. Yeats, and finally talked Yeats into looking at the hand scrawled notebook. The rest, as they say, is history. Yeats was enthralled. He later wrote the introduction to Gitanjali when it was published in September 1912 in a limited edition by the India Society in London. Thereafter, both the poetry and the man were an instant sensation, first in London literary circles, and soon thereafter in the entire world. His spiritual presence was awesome. His words evoked great beauty. Nobody had ever read anything like it. A glimpse of the mysticism and sentimental beauty of Indian culture were revealed to the West for the first time. Less than a year later, in 1913, Rabindranath received the Nobel Prize for literature. He was the first non-westerner to be so honored. Overnight he was famous and began world lecture tours promoting inter-cultural harmony and understanding. In 1915 he was knighted by the British King George V. When not traveling he remained at his family home outside of Calcutta, where he remained very active as a literary, spiritual and social-political force. In 1919, following the Amritsar massacre of 400 Indian demonstrators by British troops, Sir Tagore renounced his Knighthood. Although a good friend of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, most of the time Tagore stayed out of politics. He was opposed to nationalism and miltiarism as a matter of principle, and instead promoted spiritual values and the creation of a new world culture founded in multi-culturalism, diversity and tolerance. He served as a spiritual and creative beacon to his countrymen, and indeed, the whole world. He used the funds from his writing and lecturing to expand upon the school he had founded in 1901 now known as Visva Bharati . The alternative to the poor system of education imposed by the British, combined the best of traditional Hindu education with Western ideals. Tagores multi-cultural educational efforts were an inspiration to many, including his friend, Count Hermann Keyserling of Estonia. Count Keyserling founded his own school in 1920 patterned upon Tagores school, and the ancient universities which existed in Northern India under Buddhist rule over 2,000 years ago under the name School of Wisdom. Rabindranath Tagore led the opening program of the School of Wisdom in 1920, and participated in several of its programs thereafter. [pic]Rabindranath Tagores creative output tells you a lot about this renaissance man. The variety, quality and quantity are unbelievable. As a writer, Tagore primarily worked in Bengali, but after his success with Gitanjali, he translated many of his other works into English. He wrote over one thousand poems; eight volumes of short stories; almost two dozen plays and play-lets; eight novels; and many books and essays on philosophy, religion, education and social topics. Aside from words and drama, his other great love was music, Bengali style. He composed more than two thousand songs, both the music and lyrics. Two of them became the national anthems of India and Bangladesh. In 1929 he even began painting. Many of his paintings can be found in museums today, especially in India, where he is considered the greatest literary figure of India of all times. Tagore was not only a creative genius, he was a great man and friend to many. For instance, he was also a good friend from childhood to the great Indian Physicist, Bose. He was educated and quite knowledgeable of Western culture, especially Western poetry and Science. This made him a remarkable person, one of the first of our planet to combine East and West, and ancient and modern knowledge. Tagore had a good grasp of modern post-Newtonian physics, and was well able to hold his own in a debate with Einstein in 1930 on the newly emerging principles of quantum mechanics and chaos. His meetings and tape recorded conversations with his contemporaries such Albert Einstein and H. G. Wells, stand as cultural landmarks, and show the brilliance of this great man. Although Tagore is a superb representative of his country India the man who wrote its national anthem his life and works go far beyond his country. He is truly a man of the whole Earth, a product of the best of both traditional Indian, and modern Western cultures. The School of Wisdom is proud to have him as part of its heritage. He exemplifies the ideals important to us of Goodness, Meaningful Work, and World Culture.

Russian Revolution Essay Example For Students

Russian Revolution Essay Today, when one thinks of the communist form of government, they often think of oppression, domination and corruption. We see that people do not have the freedom to their rights and are not allowed to go forth and conquer their goals. However, communism in its pure form appeared to be fair and just. The idea of communism basically formed around the idea of equality. The people under this rule were to have equal land, as well as equal pay. This way there was to be no form of inequality or segregation among them. There are many mixed feelings on the topic of communism, and I myself am not able to tell you just what I think of it. Reading 7.2 actually compared communism to being similar to nazism. Most every country goes through a revolution, in order to sort everything out. There will always be a rise and fall in a countrys history and in 1917 it was Russias turn to revolt. Within this revolution communism was certainly a strong factor, along with the suffering of the I believe communi sm in its pure form to be a good thing. I like the fact that everyone is equal, and allowed equal opportunities thus, no one is of a lower or higher class. Now the only real problem with communism is that people are not born with equal mindsets. Some people are born with the drive to succeed, they want more things in life than what they are given and will work hard for it. Then there are those who feel like what they have is good enough. That is where communism will oppress the people who want to succeed and will be helping out the people who in a normal society would not have had much to begin with. What happened in Russia was certainly wrong, especially since the communism had similarities with nazism. One strong example would be the massacre of the kulaks, who were known as the rich peasants. From reading 7.2 it was quite evident that the kulaks were treated like the Jews in Germany. Its terrible that these people were discriminated against. Technically, if communism was to make each and every being equal then there should have been no discrimination. This though is not possible, for discrimination is a part of life and society. Stalin certainly had many similarities to Hitler, which is why it turned out to be alot like nazism. It is due to what has happened in the past that gives communism such a bad name. Since Russia has been a country where its people have been oppressed we tend to look down upon communism. And this is why, today communism is thought of as pure oppression, Bibliography:

Whom Would You Prefer as a Companion, Romeo or Mercutio Essay Example

Whom Would You Prefer as a Companion, Romeo or Mercutio? Essay Romeo and Mercutio hold many likeable qualities. They share some of the same characteristics for example they are loyal to one another. At other times they can be totally miscellaneous for example how easily Mercutio is provoked and how Romeo is not. Also another contrast in their characters is their views on love and their different use of language. I think Romeo premium quality is how he thinks about love, in the play he shows too sides to love the happy and bad side. In Act 1 Scene 1 Montague says: Away from lightlocks fair daylight out, and makes himself an artificial night. This shows that when Romeo is in love he shuts himself away and even Benvolio his closest friend and cousin does not know what Romeo is feeling. Romeo even rejects the beauty of the dawn and I find this a bad quality in him. This is because if I had a friend like Romeo I would want him to share his feelings with me, also if he did not his feelings with me then I would feel uncomfortable sharing my feeling with him. I would conclude that he did not trust me. The idea of Romeo hiding his feelings is enforced when Montague says, But he, his own affections counsellor, is to himself. We will write a custom essay sample on Whom Would You Prefer as a Companion, Romeo or Mercutio? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Whom Would You Prefer as a Companion, Romeo or Mercutio? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Whom Would You Prefer as a Companion, Romeo or Mercutio? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This conveys the impression that the only person Romeo tells his true feelings to is himself. In the sixteenth century it was very rather that a rich father would interact with his siblings but Montague is interested in Romeo life. Romeo enters the play appearing downcast and distracted for example when Benvolio asks Romeo What sadness lengthens Romeos hours? and Romeo replies Not having that which, having, makes them short. Romeo is very emotional he is happy and sad at the same time because of his love for Rosaline. He tries to express these two conflicting states in a series of called oxymorons. For example he says feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health. He expects Benvolio to be amused, but e is a solemn young man and offers sympathy to his friend and Romeo welcomes it. This is the first when Romeo reveals vaguely how he feels. People often say that Mercutio and Romeo are best friends but Romeo does not even share his true feelings with Mercutio and in Act 2 Scene 1 Mercutio makes crude jokes using satirical language about Romeo love for Rosaline. For example Mercutio says, If love is blind, love cannot hit the mark. Mercutio is saying if love is blind how can love achieve its aim. This is a very morose way of thinking about love and as for Benvolio he tries to warn Mercutio that he could hurt Romeos feelings. This is shown when he says, And if he hear thee, thou wilt anger him. So drawing a conclusion from this scene I would say that Benvolio and Romeo have a better relationship with each other than Romeo and Mercutio, in the play. If I were Benvolio I would feel very uncomfortable because if Mercutio can speak this way about his best friend I would be very paranoid and apprehensive if he would say crude jokes about me. Also in this scene it presence two different aspects of love. We are reminded of Romeo passion for Rosaline the fanciful emotion that made him feel ill. He worshipped Rosaline as a goddess. Mercutios own attitude to women is in a complete contrast; there is no emotion at all here, only sexual desire. However Romeos and Juliet will be a third type of love. In the sixteenth century it was fashionable to hire an amateur entertainment in which gentlemen could visit a party to which they had not been invited. When Mercutio decides to go to the Capulets ball Romeo thinks before proceeding in instead he thinks about the consequences might be. For example he says: I fear too early; for my mind misgives Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this nights reveals, and expire the term Of a despised life closd in my breast By some vile forfeit of untimely death. In the sixteenth century people believed that the stars you were born under would lead your fate. Romeo thinks that the stars are foretelling the future of untimely death which comes true. As Romeo thinking about his actions it shows that there is a level of maturity in him unlike Mercutio, Romeo thinks before he acts. When the first time Romeo casts his eyes upon Juliet he says, Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight! For I neer saw true beauty till this night. When Romeo is talking about Juliet he never stops to consider his love for Rosaline, although Rosaline does not love him he is very quick to change his mind about his true love. This can suggest two things firstly that Romeo always follows his heart and knows that when he sees true beauty he does not miss the opportunity by being shy. Secondly it also might convey the impression that he was immature and could not commit himself to a relationship. If I were Romeos friend this would concern me because if he suddenly changes his mind about whom he loves he may change his mind about his friends. When Romeo first speaks to Juliet they speak together in a fourteen-lined sonnet, it is complex artificial verse, which was popular in the sixteenth century and generally regarded as the proper medium for love poetry. In this sonnet Romeo develops a religious image for four lines which rhyme alternately he starts with a devout religious utterance and says: If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. There is similar language in Act 2 Scene 2 where Romeo expresses his romantic feelings in some very elaborate language. For example he says, Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid far more fair than she. This is the conventional language of love poetry: it was fashionable for lovers to speak in this way. Very quickly, however, the language becomes more simple; Romeo is leaning to express genuine feeling to illustrate Romeo says, It is my lady. O, it is my love! O that she knew she were! The most admirable thing about Romeo is that he is not easily provoked or exasperated. For example Tybalt taunts and ridicules Romeo when he says, Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford No better term than this thou art a villain. When Tybalt calls him a villain it does not mean a bad person but he called him a peasant and in Elizabethan times this was great insult to a man of noble birth like Romeo. After hearing this Romeo replies later, Good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as my own, be satisfied. This shows that Romeo has a lot of maturity and is not an adolescence young boy and he knows that violence does not solve anything. When Mercutio draws his sword to fight Tybalt Romeo immediately tries to stop him, this is shown when he says, Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier upGentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage! Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince expressly hath forbid this bandying in Verona streets. Although I have said that Romeo is not a violence, savage, vehemence person he kills the County Paris when he is in a state of disorder near the end of play. After he kills Paris he show pity for him. Romeo calls him, Good gentle youth, and when Paris is dying he says his last wish, O, I am slain! -If thou be merciful, open the tomb, lay me with Juliet, and Romeo fulfils this wish. This shows that Romeo is not jealous of him and after all it is the least thing that he can do. If Romeo had left Paris I would have thought less of him and I would have lost respect for him because I can not imagine Romeo being spiteful, vengeful or malicious. Mercutio is a likeable character in many ways but he uses satirical and incisive language, which I think is his downfall in his character. Mercutio is a typical adolescence boy who always looks for attention. There are many examples of this, firstly he challenges Tybalt to a fight and he provokes Tybalt by saying: Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives, that I mean to make bold withal; and, as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out. Here all of the crowds eyes are on Mercutio. He shows a lot of confidence because he challenges a skilled fighter. I think that it is noble of him to fight for Romeo but I think Mercutio fought also for pride unlike Romeo who avenges his friends death. There was need for Mercutio to fight Tybalt because Romeo was in no danger and Tybalt had asked Romeo to fight not Mercutio, so I think that Mercutio fought Tybalt because he did not want to seem like a coward backing down in a fight. This is a very bad quality in Mercutio because it got him killed and it is there when the tragedy really begins. Secondly in Act 1 Scene 4 Mercutios energetic imagination explodes into life with his fantastic Queen Mab speech. Here he acts definitely out of character. Queen Mab is the fantastic personage created by Shakespeares imagination. She is responsible for bringing dreams to life. When Mercutio says, Through lovers brains, and then they dream love; Oer courtiers knees, that dream on curtsies straight; Oer lawyers fingers, who straight dream on fees Oer ladies lips, who straight on kisses dream This is the highly poetic side of him and he is very uncharacteristic I think Mercutio is saying to Romeo that people want to love or be loved will dream about it and Queen Mab will make it come true. I think Mercutio might even be saying that Romeo is so focused on love that he forgets the people around him, like Mercutio. He might feel jealous because his friend is so in love that they slowly drift apart. An example of Mercutio talking about their disintegrating relationship is when he is dying; he reveals his true feelings and says, Why the devil came you between us? Mercutio is asking what came between you and me: love. I think that Mercutio has wanted to tell Romeos his feeling but he might be worried that hed look too sensitive and would lose his reputation of being the typical teenager who is troublesome, insubordinate and lewd. A very good quality is Mercutios humorous character and very lively, for example he decides to go to the Capulets ball. He has an imaginative side to him even though we only see it once or twice. His imagination is shown in his Queen Mab speech. When Mercutio is dying he makes jocose and facetious jokes about himself, for instance he says: Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, tis enough No, tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door; but tis enough, twill serve. I think Mercutio make these comments because he pretends to not take things seriously which shows his courage. I would pick Romeo has my companion because he is sensitive, sincere and respectful. I would not pick Mercutio because although he is fun it could get fatuous and I would be grieved at any satirical comments about me.

Lennon essays

Lennon essays John Lennon is possibly on of the most famous lyricist and guitarist. As the lead guitarist of the Beatles john made a name for himself, with his fame he was able to express his feelings on war protest and his feelings of his family life. John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940. John Lennon was a rebel throughout his life. The federal burial of investigation kept a close eye on him during the Reagan administration. John was born and raised in Liverpool, England. Lennon did not have an easy childhood at all; he was left by his father and mother at a young age (Fawcett 3). His Aunt Mimi Smith took him in and supported him throughout his life. She was a middle classed woman who also lived in Liverpool. John had a rebellious character and disliked the school system in Liverpool (14). He was quickly labeled a troublemaker by the teachers. He was into the arts and excelled in English and music, while he seemed to struggle in the math and history classes (15). John had always wanted to become an illustrator (15). He drew and wrote poetry all the time. During one day of shopping his aunt bought a guitar for him after he told her, let me get the music bug out (35). He first played the guitar when he was sixteen, it seemed to come natural (35). He was unconventional he liked rock and roll and what was labeled black music (36). He would play at local shops which is where he would first meet Paul McCartney (39). Paul asked John if he would be interested in joining a band with his friend (40). The band grew into what would be known as the Beatles possibly one of the greatest bands ever. John and the Beatles grew into a huge fad which would sweep the world and become known as Beatle mania (Harry 78), John had always told his Aunt Mimi that he would make it big and he did. With the hair cut known as the Beatle, Lennon had made in impact across the world touring in Japan, Europe and the United States (82). As john went so he becam...

Learning Assessment System Assignments (LASAs) Research Paper

Learning Assessment System Assignments (LASAs) - Research Paper Example In classrooms with the practice of learning assessment, students are aware of what they are expected to learn in a unit of study. It is this realization that makes learning assessment system critical in education systems. Learning assessment system is a tool that measures whether a student has learnt what he or she was expected to learn after a certain period of time (Woollard, 2010). The system entails assessment that is accompanied by a letter grade or number. It also entails comparing a student’s performance with set standards, as well as communication of results to the parents and students. There are spectrums of learning theories that consist of many ways or approaches to explain how humans and students in particular learn (Porter and Lacey, 2005). This paper will discuss Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development Theory and Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. In particular, it will compare and contrast these two theories and thereafter provide an argum ent to support the adoption of each theory to the PK-12 classroom when planning learning opportunities for students. Compare and contrast Vygotsky’s theory of â€Å"zone of proximal development† to Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. ... This theory views interaction with capable or more capable peers as an effective way of developing strategies and skills. It suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where children who are less competent develop with the assistance of peers who are more competent and skillful; that is, within the proximal development zone (Chaiklin, 2003). Vygotsky who was the main proponent of this theory believed that when a student is at the Zone of Proximal Development for a given task, provision of the appropriate assistance will give the student sufficient â€Å"boost† to achieve the task at hand (Berry, 2008). He also believed that once the student has benefitted from the appropriate assistance and has mastered the task, then the assistance can be removed and the student is able to achieve the task again on his own (Vygotsky, 1978). The propositions of this theory were informed by the believe by some of the educational professions who included Vygotsky that the role of education was to provide children with experiences that are within their ZPD, therefore enhancing and encouraging their individual learning. Mayer (2008) notes that the ZPD theory defines functions that are yet to mature, but are in the maturing process. This theory was developed to argue against the conventional means of determining students’ intelligence. In other words, it was developed to argue against the use of knowledge-based and academic tests as a way of gauging the intelligence of students. According to this theory, the student’s intelligence cannot be determined by examining whet he knows; instead, it argues that it is better to independently examine student’s ability to solve problems, as well

MOTIVATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MOTIVATION - Essay Example They feel empty, nothing drives them. There are a number of things that Sue can do to work to increase her motivation. It would be a real shame if she simply stayed unmotivated throughout school as she would probably learn very little and also she would probably get poor grades. To begin with, Sue can try to visualize her future. She needs to set goals, but these are goals she should also be able to understand and to see in her mind's eye. She wants to get a good job in the business sector. She should think of herself in the future dressed up in a nice suit and sitting in a comfortable office with a mahogany floor. Then she should work backwards. How did get to this office? What did she have to do? How nice is her job?--does she like the money and power that come from it? What does she have to do to get there? These kinds of questions will focus Sue on the task at hand. She wants to get a job: so what is the best way to do that? She needs to be able to make a connection between her p resent abilities and her future goals. It may not be easy to do if she has a poor imagination or generally a very unambitious person, but it may be helpful in the long run. She can also look to the McClelland achievement theory for help. In this theory it helps to have harmonious relationships with others that will help her to feel more ambitious.

Role Of Gender In American Political History Essay

Role Of Gender In American Political History - Essay Example Though the differences among the author’s arguments are more, the similarities make a strong impact on the role of gender. The American political history dates back to the Second World War after which only the men were provided with the basic rights and liberties. The discrimination of men and women played a vital role in denying the rights of a woman. The women were deprived of their basic rights and this, in turn, paved the way for further discrimination. Each argument is explained in such a way that it clearly exhibits the real feelings of the author. The authors have depicted the incidents to show the severity of problems during the Revolution. Political problems were prevalent in most of the countries and gender problems were common. But the situation was completely different in America. As America was considered as a democratic country, the problems and issues were not magnified to a certain extent. But the situation did not last for a long time; instead, the problems be came more severe. Banner explained the arguments of Elizabeth Lady Stanton and insisted on her arguments. Stanton expressed her views on American ideologies and insisted that women must be a part of American government. Since the American government did not permit. Women’s suffrage was also considered to be an important part and people like Stanton and other activists established few organizations that helped women. Banner insisted that women’s issues must be resolved and they must be included in the process of selecting a government. As men were given more importance when compared to women, the voluntary organizations fought against the government to incorporate laws that would enable women to be a part of the government. The National Women’s Suffrage Association (NWSA) was one of the most prominent associations that insisted on women empowerment. Due to the establishment of such voluntary organizations, there was a substantial increase in the number for organizations which wor ked for the well being of women. Banner’s approach towards women empowerment and inclusion of women in the government received critical acclaims. Though many people opposed it in the beginning, the detailed description about the problems and the governmental issues was considered as an eye opener. Due to this reason, Banner was considered as one of the most prominent writers who insisted on women’s rights. The time period pre revolution and post revolution was in contrast to one another. The political opportunities widened during the early 20th century and this was the

Motivational Factors of the Public Sector

Motivational Factors of the Public Sector The idea that money motivates people to work is a much disputed subject with many differing theories. It is an imperative reality that companies must have a firm awareness of how to motivate their employees in order to encourage the acceptance of organisational goals (Kleinbeck et al. 1990).The range of contradictory research makes it difficult for companies to decide upon one effective way of motivating employees. Mullins (2007) describes how there are two methods of motivation extrinsic and intrinsic. Money is an extrinsic motivator as it is a tangible reward, whereas motivators such as recognition and achievement are intrinsic and offer intangible psychological rewards (Mullins,2007). Theories on motivation often focus on either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation and do not speculate on the effect of a mix of these motivational methods. Taylors (2003) rational economic concept of motivation is based upon the principle that staff are mostly motivated by money due to their economic needs. In contrast, Kusin (2005, p.76) argues that work is about letting people know they are important and recognition, can sometimes be more important than money. This argument is supported by theorists such as Maslow, Alderfer and Herzberg. Many theories discuss whether or not employees are motivated by money but there is no extensive regarding the extent to which money motivates employees and the differing motivational impact it has on people working in different sectors. It would therefore be beneficial to conduct a research project into the extent to which money motivates employees and if this differs between sectors. This research could help organisations to follow a basic model which would suit their sector, aims and objectives. Conducting research into public sector employees such as nurses and teachers will allow me to see if motivational factors are different to those employees working within a purely profit driven organisation. It is important to conduct the research on the identified subject (employees) through the correct medium in order to achieve accurate results. Stockport Removals and Storage Limited is a small/medium sized company operating within the North West. They have agreed to participate within the research project providing research on employees working within a profit making, private company. The company has been operating for 20 years and has a number of long serving employees as well as recently recruited staff. This will allow research to be conducted across a range of employee contract types in order to see the variety of factors which motivate employees. Stockport Removals offer remuneration in line with competitors within the area as well as providing overtime and bonus schemes. The midwifery department in Stepping Hill Hospital NHS have also offered to take part in the study in order to offer an insight into motivational factors within a public sector company. Remuneration within the public sector is a much discussed subject within the media. The NHS have recently made plans to make 35,000 (employees) redundant unless staff accept a pay deal that will see them lose up to several thousand pounds a year (Observer, 2010). This makes NHS workers a particularly effective source of research as pay and motivation will be at the forefront of operations at such a time. Comparisons in research between public and private sector organisational motivation will help to see if remuneration motivates every employee to the same extent regardless of job type of sector of the organisation. Literature Review Reviewing current literature that is available on motivational ideas, can help to gain background information on the subject and acquire a further understanding of the studies and theories already published. This will demonstrate the research gaps in current information on motivation and remuneration. There are arguments for and against the idea that employee motivation is enhanced through remuneration. Taylor discussed the theory of motivation within his Scientific Management model. Within this model, the term maximum prosperity is key when understanding his suggested link between motivation and money. Taylor (1998) argues that the interest of both the company and the employee are maximum prosperity and in order to create wealth for the company, a worker must be given what he most wants high wages. When a business provides maximum prosperity for employees, the employee will not only become motivated through remuneration, but the process will result in the development of each man to his state of maximum efficiency which will in turn create an affluent firm. (Taylor 1998, p.1.) Lawler (1971, p128.) supports Taylors theory as he believes that individual incentive plans typically lead to substantial increases in productivity. Although it could be argued that some research shows that job performance can be improved through remuneration, the significance of motivation cannot be assumed. (Kelly, 1982). A main drawback for money being the sole motivator is that the scientific management theory had an overly simplified view of motivation (Taylor 2003, p.5.) only focusing on one aspect of motivation the tangible benefits given to employees. It also does not take into account other intrinsic factors that could be improving motivation within any studies. Despite Taylors argument, there is much literature that documents the findings that money is not a motivator. It is clear that employers benefit from a motivated work force, and it is therefore important to provide the correct methods of motivation to employees. Saunders (2003, p.75.) argues that the benefits that people want depend on their individual circumstances. Management Today have reviewed that it is time for companies to circum to the realisation that money is no longer an effective way of motivating a workforce (Management Today, 2003). People are now motivated by less easily defined needs than money, such as psychological work factors. Saunders explains how once basic money needs are satisfied, they act as little motivation for the majority of a work force. Employees gain more satisfaction and motivation from intrinsic benefits such as job satisfaction, enjoyment and feeling part of a social group. These factors are not only beneficial to employees, but are welcomed by com panies as they are cheap in comparison to economic incentives. Saunders also believes that managers would be better off investing time in employees in order to get the bases of the psychological benefits in place rather than investing in monetary rewards (Saunders, 2003). The Chartered Management Institute conducted The Business Energy Survey:2005 in which they examined motivation levels within organisations, and what factors are most influential in motivating staff. Their key findings were that professional and individual development are much higher level motivators than money and financial rewards to employees. The most highly ranked motivation factor was a sense of purpose in work in contrast to one of the lowest ranking factors being performance related rewards and incentives. Cook and Jackson (2005) conclude that intrinsic rewards such as challenge and sense of achievement outweigh factors such as remuneration and financial rewards when trying to motivate employees. Many elements of these arguments are also included in theorist models. Models of Motivation There are many concepts surrounding motivation in the workplace. Motivation theories and models such as Herzbergs Two Factor Theory and Maslows Hierarchy of Needs give a greater insight into the factors which encourage motivation. Maslow turned attention away from economic benefits and to the human nature and the psychological side of motivation. According to Maslow human motivation is a complex matter governed as it is by a hierarchy of needs(Bennaars 1993, p.81). A further insight into motivation is evident in Maslows Hierarchy of Needs model. Maslows model has been a widely used paradigm in business (Maslow 1987, p.12). Maslow used a framework in which needs are arranged in stages, in order of importance often documented as a pyramid of needs. Basic needs were described as physiological needs. Leavitt (1988, p.20) describes these physiological needs as the the starting point for motivation. When relating to Maslows intended use for the motivation theory human psychology, they are needs such as hunger, thirst, shelter and a need for oxygen. In theory, laws will protect employees from the lack of these and ensure that in the workplace, physiological needs are satisfied through legislation such as Health and Safety at Work Act (1974). If these basic needs are not satisfied however, then more advanced needs would become irrelevant as desire for psychological needs would dominate. The next stage within the motivation pyramid is safety needs which are concerned with safety, job security, and the need for order. It is evident that people prefer a safe, orderly, predictable, organized world (Steers and Porter 1991, p.201) which can be related to the workplace. Once this has been satisfied, the next motivator is love needs. These needs are associated to social interaction and can be satisfied through cohesive work groups, friendly supervision, and professional associations. The next need to be satisfied after love would be esteem. People within our society have a desire for a stable, firmly based, high evaluation of themselves for self respect (Maslow 1964, p.183). Steers and Porter (1991) describe how when relating esteem needs to organisational factors, they would translate as achieving social recognition, having a impressive job title and working within a high status job. The final stage of the model is self actualisation. This is concerned with the self development and realisation of ones potential. The rewards of this would be growth, progression and creativeness through a demanding job and achievement within an organisation. Leavitt (1988, p.28.) described this as achieving the desire to become everything that one is capable of becoming. Once a lower need is satisfied, it no longer acts a motivator and therefore employees will strive to be motivated by the next level (Mullins, 2007). Management Todays Andrew Saunders is an advocate for the Maslow Theory and claims that his theory remains watertight despite the model being over 60 years old (Saunders 2003, p.75 ). A clear drawback for relating Maslows Hierarchy of Needs to motivation in the workplace is that his research and theories were not originally intended for use within a corporate environment. We therefore rely on assumptions of interpretations of his model. After further research, Wahba and Bridgewell (1976, pp.212-140) found no clear evidence for Maslows proposition except with regard to self-actualization. Herzbergs Two Factor Theory is based upon the idea that there are two aspects which have an influence upon motivation hygiene factors and motivator factors. Hygiene factors must be in place in organisational environments for the prevention of dissatisfaction(Herzberg 1993, p.16). These factors include environmental motivators such as salary, working conditions, job security and interpersonal relationships. Herzberg goes onto describe how the second factor, motivator factors, are the aspects that motivate employees. These factors include psychological rewards such as a sense of achievement, recognition, responsibility and personal growth. It is argued that companies emphasis should be on the strengthening of motivatorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ hygiene is not enough (Herzberg 1993, p.132). In effect, this raises the issue that remuneration is in fact an element that could dissatisfy employees if it is not present, and that money rewards and payment is not enough to motivate employees alone. Critics of Herzbergs model claim that the theory only applies to unskilled, repetitive jobs and the methodology of collecting results and interpreting the data, resulted in bias findings (Mullins, 2007). Despite the criticisms of the theory has had a considerable effect on the rewards and remuneration packages offered by corporations (Crainer and Dearlove 2001. p. 361) Similarities can be drawn from reviewing Herzberg and Maslows models of motivation. Neither model uses remuneration as a high level motivator. Herzberg argues that salary is a hygiene factor and will de-motivate employees if it is not present. Pay therefore does have a correlation between motivation and job satisfaction but is not a key element in achieving high levels of employee motivation as growth factors are more influential. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs also has remuneration as a basic need in which pay is necessary in order to prevent dissatisfaction and motivates at lower levels in the short term but is not a high level motivator once satisfied. There is a distinct lack of academic sources, information and research relating to motivation within public sector work forces. It is important to consider that managing people continues to be essential to performance in public organisations. It is argued that in the public sector, there is a conflict between employees fulfilling organisational goals, and employees fulfilling their right to self-expression. This possibly decreases motivation in the workplace (Kearney and Berman 1999, p.2). My research would be beneficial in order to see if public sector workers have separate motivational factors to private sector workers. To summarise, is it clear that money is an ambiguous subject in the discussion of motivation. It is considered within many theories, however it can be argued that to what extent and how important it is depends upon employees personal circumstances and the other satisfactions they derive from work. (Mullins 2007, p255). The main problems with the current literature are that they often focus solely on one area of motivation extrinsic motivation or intrinsic motivation. Theories also contradict each other and make it difficult to derive a definitive answer as to when/if/how money motivates and to what extent. Further research is necessary in order to discover if money is an influential motivational factor in all sectors within the workplace. Research Design In order to solve the research problem effectively and gain the correct information for analysis it is important to choose between a quantitative research method and qualitative. Qualitative research is used to investigate attitudes, beliefs and experiences whereas quantitative research will generate statistics and numerical information (Dawson, 2006). As this research proposal wishes to explore to what extent employees are motivated by money, a qualitative approach would produce the most effective data. It is proposed to conduct two case studies on employees within a private business (Stockport Removals) and employees working within the public sector (NHS staff). Interviews will be used as the method of gathering data on to the extent which remuneration effects employee motivation in the public and private sector. 10 employees from each organisation will take part in the research. This figure has been taken as resources do not allow the entire business population to be interviewed although multiple interviews need to take place to ensure reliability of results. I will use a semi structured interview technique as I wish to gain specific information and ask certain questions to every interviewee whilst allowing room for elaboration on certain topics. This will allow me to gain a more in depth insight into the employees views and analyse data effectively. I can then evaluate responses of employees working in the public sector in comparison to employees working with the private employees to draw conclusions. This style has been chosen as an unstructured interview would collect lots of irrelevant data which would then make data analysis difficult to conduct. A structured interview would produce quantitative data which is not relevant to the research problem as motivation is such a personal, emotive subject. Asking open ended questions will help to gain an insight into employees feelings and beliefs and therefore quantitative data methods would not be functional. Appendix 1 shows the interview structure to be used. These questions are mainly open ended and allow for the interviewee to give a more in depth and personal account of motivation. The initial question allows the researcher to establish if the candidate is motivated in their current working position. This is essential as if they are not motivated in their work, then they will not be able to give full explanation as to what motivates them in their current role. The second question explores the factors that motivate the employee aside from motivation. This question aims to see if members of the organisations are motivated by intrinsic factors when disregarding payment schemes. This is important in order to establish the main aim of to what extent motivation is related to remuneration. Question four and five on the interview schedule (Appendix 1) help to evaluate the current motivational theories and models already published (Maslow and Herzberg) and see if the interviewees feel that the areas and factors within them are relevant to their personal motivation. This may also help issues arise that are not covered within the models in the literature. Further questions include topics on intrinsic motivation. It is important to establish to what extent interviewees are motivated by intrinsic factors in order to compare with the extrinsic factor of motivation. If candidates are more motivated by intrinsic factors such as praise and recognition then they may be less motivated by financial payments. Question eight asks whether the company values motivate the employee. This is an essential question in order to establish the difference between motivational factors in the public sector and the private sector. The final questions help to establish whether motivation changes with the length of services as some literature states that members may initially enter a career for remuneration factors but are motivated by different intrinsic factors once established in the role. Appendix 1s interview questions help to establish the extent to which motivation is influenced by remuneration, and evaluate the current strategies that are used for motivation (eg Maslow and Herzberg) for effectiveness. This will help to see if there are any other main factors in aiding motivation. To ensure that the interviews are consistent and structure, I will develop an interview schedule detailing the topics and questions to be covered (Appendix 1). This will ensure that I have no leading questions and will prevent interviewees from digressing from the topic area. It will help to add focus to the interviewer. Questions will be asked such as what makes you feel motivated at work using elements of theories to explain points and gain an insight into whether employees are motivated by extrinsic or intrinsic factors. A tape recorder will be used in order to collect the data whilst enabling eye contact and positive body language to be maintained with the interviewee. It is important that the method of recording does not alter the rapport I build with the interviewee as some methods can make the subject feel uncomfortable. Recording the interview will make data analysis easier as the interaction between researcher and interviewee can be recorded and analysed at a later date. (Dawson, 2006). I will however, have to ensure that equipment is operational as relying on technology can often result in mishaps. Interviewees may also become nervous of the tape recorder thus producing an emotional barrier. In order to overcome any potential problems with the methods of recording data I may take some notes of important topics and points drawn through research throughout the interview. This will produce a backup in case there are technical difficulties and data is omitted. Ensuring eye contact is kept with the interviewee is essential to keep them engaged and to prevent an interpersonal barrier. In order to conduct interviews, research candidates must be chosen. Sampling is required as it is unrealistic and impractical to interview all members of staff within the organisations that have agreed to participate in the study. The sample chosen needs to be large enough to create reliable results using the resources available and give a representation of all members of staff at that specific level in the hierarchy. In order to make a sample from the business population I will use a probability sampling method called stratified sampling. This will involve dividing the population (of the organisations) into groups based upon characteristics. The key characteristics of the employees I wish to interview are; they must be working on a permanent basis, at a non managerial level, working for remuneration. The advantage of stratified sampling is that it will ensure that results are representative of the people within the whole of the criteria population. Despite stratified sampling being used, resources do not allow us to interview all of the people that fit the sample criteria, as this would be 20 people within the private sector business and 32 within the public sector organisation. This uneven sample size would result in inaccurate data being retrieved. Sample sizes should be the same in order to make truthful comparisons. Simple random sampling could then be used in order to narrow down the interviewees further. This method means that each member of the current population has an equal chance of being chosen (Bryman and Bell, 2007). This can be used as employees within the remaining population already fit the characteristic required of the research project. All employees within the sample will be on the same level of the hierarchy and managers will not be included in the study in order to ensure that there is little sample error as peoples motivation may change as they are promoted up the hierarchy. Rapport is a type of relationship in which trust and mutual respect is built. During data collection it is argued that building a rapport is essential in order to encourage the interviewee to participate in the interview and feel relaxed to give quality answers (Bryman and Bell, 2007). Through conducting research, Toma (2000) found that rapport helped to give interview candidates more of an understanding of the question and enhanced the relevance and quality of answers. I will try to build rapport by delivering questions and avoiding the use of jargon so the research subject does not feel uneasy or intimidated by language used. I will also maintain eye contact and ensure that candidates know that the questions are for research purposes and will not affect their employment positions or be forwarded to managers or senior members of staff. Anthropologist Roslie Wax (1971) as cited in Marshall and Rossman (2011) highlighted the importance of establishing a relationship with the research study subjects and used methods to demonstrate flexibility and trust between researcher and interviewee. It is, however, possible to have too much rapport as well as too little (Seidman, 1998) in order to achieve accurate non bias results therefore I will try to strike a balance between these roles. Data Analysis Once data is collected, to effectively identify the extent to which remuneration has an impact on employee motivation and evaluate if current motivational strategies in literature are contributory factors to motivation in the workplace, the findings from data collection and research will be analyzed. Based on this analysis, conclusions can be made as to whether money is a motivator and recommendations can be made as to how to motivate employees to improve productivity and job satisfaction. It is important to have a planned strategy in place to analyze findings as leaving all the data collected to the end will make analysis more difficult as it can be over facing and the researcher may loose track of the themes and findings within each interview. Maxwell (2005) argues that an effective qualitative researcher will instigate data analysis after each interview. During this research process data analysis will be an ongoing method throughout both the data collection process and as a final assembly at the end of data collection. Analysis will not be left purely to content analysis after collection. In order to continually analyze the data collected, interview summary forms will be used for data analysis at the end of each interview (Appendix 2). Appendix 2, is based upon the model of Dawson (2006, p113). These forms help researchers gain a firmer understanding of the responses and aid knowledge when trying to draw on final conclusions. Heinrich (1984) used a similar method when conducting his research project on biological data. He analysed data on the same day as collection and believed that this helped to track progress and built up the data analysis through the collection. Analysis on interview summary forms from early interviews may result in topics and issues arising that were not foreseen. This will then allow the researcher to analyse this information and include it in the next subsequent interviews in order to receive the most in depth and relevant information possible. Qualitative data analysis is an individual process and different researchers may derive different conclusions from the same information (Dawson 2005, p.111). In order to ensure relevant information is analysed, content analysis will be used at the end of the data collection process. This will help to reflect on the interview summary forms and use the data collected in order to make sense of the information. In order to analyse the data, coding will be used. Coding is analysis through segmenting and reassembling of the data, aiming to transform the data into conclusions and understanding (Boeije 2009, p.94.). The initial stage in content analysis is gaining understanding of the documentation created (interview summary forms) and data collected. All documentation will be reread and the tape recorded interviews will be listened to in order to recap on the research conducted and gain a firm perceptive of the research data. The question, research problem and objectives should be reread in order to maintain focus on answering the research proposal and drawing relevant information. Through listening to the tape recordings and reading the documentation, notes can be made to draw out frequently occuring topics. This is the segmentation of the data (a concept within open coding) by looking for themes that derive from the interviews. I will highlight important topics and be aware of the frequency of words, phrases or incidents that the candidates discuss. The topics that are uncovered can then be used in comparison with current motivational theories such as Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and Herzbergs Two Factor Theory in order to see if our research shows a similar link between remuneration and motivation findings. The research findings may contradict or support a particular theory within literature and the research hopes to draw conclusions to clarify effective motivational factors. This is being conducted in order to overcome the conflicting literature. It is also important to check that the sample has achieved sufficient relevant research responses. If analysis doesnt uncover relevant responses to the aim of the research proposal then further sampling and research may need to be carried out. Uncovering themes or codes can then help to draw upon findings and aid in the effective analysis of data. Anticipated Problems There are problems and risks that can be anticipated when conducting research with people and within companies. Firstly, the research method must be correct. As we are using a semi structured interview, the disadvantages of this method need to be highlighted. The main disadvantage of this interview technique is the time that it takes to conduct and the data analysis. Data analysis can be difficult due to the extent of the responses within each interview question. Relevant information must be sifted out ensuring that no interviewer bias is added. This could also cause problems with the organisation as the opportunity costs of the time it takes to interview employees must be taken into account. Whilst employees are conducting the research interview, they are not carrying out their employment tasks and responsibilities which could cause friction between the employee, employer and the researcher. Displeasing the employer could have detrimental effects on the interview process as this could result in bias information or termination of the research project all together. This should be avoided by ensuring the employers are made fully aware of the intensions of the interview and that the interviews will be conducted as time efficiently as possible. A further concern would be that the organisations could influence employees answers by briefing them to ensure they do not reveal certain information about the company. This would also bias results and not capture employees in a comfortable position to open up. This will be avoided by choosing employees at random and ensuring that organisations are aware that the information found will not be publicized in order to scrutinize the brand or image of the business. The drawback of researching with private sector employees from one company and public sector employees from one organisation is that they may not be representative of the entire population of workers within each sector. If this surfaced as a problem, then one could increase the sample size to research further into different sizes and types of public and private sector businesses. The sample size needs to be large enough to get enough relevant data as the larger the sample, the more accurate the data is of the population. However, it is unrealistic to choose the whole population of private and public sector workers as there would be too much information which would then be difficult to code and analyse. The sample size needs to be manageable to prevent information over load and ensure that the topic is at the heart of the data found. This problem had been overcome by using a sample size of 10 employees within each organisation being researched. During the interview process, there will be a conscious effort to ensure that no barriers will impact on the reliability and validity of the findings. Physical barriers will be avoided by allowing the interviewee to have the interview conducted where they feel most comfortable. Psychological barriers will be avoided by ensuring that interviewees are not overloaded with information and jargon isnt used for they feel relaxed. Avoiding these barriers will aid effective communication and ensure that rapport is built between researcher and interview candidate. This rapport will help interviewees to open up and give detailed and accurate information on the personal topic of motivation. Ethical Considerations When conducting research with the public, ethical issues can often arise. There are many factors to take into account in order to ensure no harm is done to the organisation, the participants are employed by the organisation and myself as the researcher. Firstly, the research will be conducted overtly as all participants will be informed of the purpose of the research and no form of under cover observation will be conducted. I will ensure that all members of the participating sample give full consent to taking part and will provide a Code of Ethics in order to document how the information will be used, and how they will be protected. Privacy, confidentiality and anonymity is essential during this research proposal as it is preferred that the candidates feel at ease and open about their feelings on the subject. I believe that if participants feel that the information they

Aging in America Essay -- Senior Citizens Papers

Aging in America Today, America is an older society. Everyone that was once young is getting to that ripe old age. There are many problems that are associated with getting older. It is estimated that 2.1 million older Americans are victims of physical, psychological, or other form of abuse. This is an outrageous number! It is also estimated that for every case of elder abuse there are five cases that go unheard of. A problem that our older generation faces is financial issues. This also can include healthcare, but it has many, many more issues. Take for example social security. This is what older and retired people are forced to live off of. What happens if there is not enough to go around? Our society is not conducive to the aged unless wealthy. You see many older people working these days, if they can, to make ends meet. It is sad that when you go and see Grandma and Grandpa, they have to take off work or you have to work around their schedules. I thought it was the other way around. What is it going to be like when the younger generation retires? The biggest problem that faces the elders in America is general health decline. Older Americans so not have the money to provide for healthcare. There are barriers that can contribute to this problem. The lack of parity for mental health services in private insurance and Medicare, poor diagnosis and referral services in primary care, and an insufficient geriatric mental health workforce. This can make it hard for older Americans to get the healthcare that they need. Take for example, eye care. The most common sight threatening dise... ...t disorder, many older adults will have experienced previous bouts of depression and will be at increased risk. Risk factors for late-onset depression include: widowhood, physical problems, educational attainment less than high school, impaired functional status, and heavy alcohol consumption. Depressed older adults tend to utilize health services at high rates, engage in poorer health behaviors, and evidence what is known as "excess disability." The older Americans are facing some hard times. Some say it is as hard or harder than fighting in some of the wars many of them fought. The most important issue that is facing them today is abuse. In our group, we all agreed this was the worst. It is sometimes hard to detect abuse. Most older folks who are abused are afraid to say anything for feat of the abuser.

Total Quality Management Definitions

Total Quality Management is formally defined in BS 7850-1, paragraph 3. 1, as management philosophy and company practices that aim to harness the human and material resources of an organization in the most effective way to achieve the objectives of the organization. [3] Total quality management can be summarized as a management system for a customer-focused organization that involves all employees in continual improvement. It uses strategy, data, effective communications and involvment of all level employeess to integrate the quality discipline into the culture and activities of the organization. †¢Customer-focused. The customer ultimately determines the level of quality. No matter what an organization does to foster quality improvement—training employees, integrating quality into the design process, upgrading computers or software, or buying new measuring tools—the customer determines whether the efforts were worthwhile or not. Total employee involvement. All employees participate in working toward common goals. Total employee commitment can only be obtained after fear has been driven from the workplace, when empowerment has occurred, and management has provided the proper environment. High-performance work systems integrate continuous improvement efforts with normal business operations. Self-managed work teams are one form of empowerment. †¢Process-centered. A fundamental part of TQM is a focus on process thinking. A process is a series of steps that take inputs from suppliers (internal or external) and transforms them into outputs that are delivered to customers (again, either internal or external). The steps required to carry out the process are defined, and performance measures are continuously monitored in order to detect unexpected variations in the process. †¢Integrated system. Although an organization may consist of many different functional specialties often organized into vertically structured departments, it is the horizontal processes interconnecting these functions that are the focus of TQM. Micro-processes add up to larger processes, and all processes aggregate into the business processes required for defining and implementing strategy. Everyone must understand the vision, mission, and guiding principles as well as the quality policies, objectives, and critical processes of the organization. Business performance must be monitored and communicated continuously. ?An integrated b usiness system may be modeled after the Baldrige National Quality Program criteria and/or incorporate the ISO 9000 standards. Every organization has a unique work culture, and it is virtually impossible to achieve excellence in its products and services unless a good quality culture has been fostered where everyone works for the quality. Thus, an integrated system connects business improvement elements in an attempt to continually improve and exceed the expectations of customers, employees, and all other stakeholders. †¢Strategic and systematic approach. A critical part of the management of quality is the strategic and systematic approach to achieving an organization’s vision, mission, and goals. This process, called strategic planning or strategic management, includes the formulation of a strategic plan that integrates quality as a core component. †¢Continual improvement. A major thrust of TQM is continual process improvement. Continual improvement drives an organization to be both analytical and creative in finding ways to become more competitive and more effective at meeting stakeholder requirments and expectations. †¢ Fact-based decision making. In order to know how well an organization is performing, data on performance measures are necessary. TQM requires that an organization continually collect and analyze data in order to improve decision making accuracy, achieve consensus, and allow prediction based on past history. †¢Communications. During times of organizational change, as well as part of day-to-day operation, effective communications plays a large part in maintaining morale and in motivating employees at all levels. Communications involve strategies, method, and timeliness. These elements are considered so essential to TQM that many organizations define them, in some format, as a set of core values and principles on which the organization is to operate.

CONSTELLATIONS Essays - Constellations, Scorpius, Zodiac, Orion

CONSTELLATIONS Essays - Constellations, Scorpius, Zodiac, Orion CONSTELLATIONS Constellations are groupings of the brighter visible stars in the night sky. Many of these groupings are based on imaginary figures that are seen on the inner surface of a huge sphere surrounding the earth. They divide the celestial sphere into 88 constellations, 47 of which date from ancient times and were listed by the astronomer Ptolemy. The boundaries are often complex. But all segments of the boundaries lie ease-west and north-south on the celestial sphere. Constellations are used today to show general directions in the sky. The constellations may be divided into three groups: (1) the equatorial constellations, which lie on each side of the celestial equator, the projection onto the sky of the earth's equator; (2) the north circumpolar constellations, which never set for observers at northern mid-latitudes; and (3) the south circumpolar constellations, which never set for observers at southern mid-latitudes. The zodiac, widely used in astrology, consists of 12 constellations through which the orbital motion. The suns yearly path is called the ecliptic. The times when given constellations rise and set depends on the time of year and on the observers position on the earths surface. Constellations also slowly shift on the celestial sphere's coordinates because of the precession of the equinoxes and other movements.. The star Patterns themselves slowly change because of the relative motions of the stars, but such changes are observable only over immense periods of time. Some constellations are the Ara{Altar), Aries(Ram), auriga(Charioteer), Andromeda, Canas Venatici(Hunting Dogs), Canas Major( Big Dog), Canas Minor(Small Dog), Capricornus(Sea Goat), Carina(Keel), Centaurus(Centaur), Columba(dove) Scorpius(Scorpion). Those are just a few of the many constellations up in the sky. One of the 12 original constellations of the zodiacthe band of constellations that lies along the ecliptic, the apparent yearly path of the sun across the sky. Scorpius is visible in the southern hemisphere and up the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere, where it appears low on the southern horizon. At a 10:00 PM observation of the sky, Scorpius first rises in the east in May, reaches its greatest height in early July, and drops below the western horizon in late August. Scorpius actually resembles a scorpion, but it has also been described as a kite. Bright stars outline a triangular head and trace the constellation's long, curled tail. Scorpius spans an exceptionally dense region of the Milky Way and is a rewarding subject for an observation. Its stars clusters are particularly noteworthy, and some can be seen without a telescope. Scorpius appears in many legends, particularly those involving the great hunter Orion. In one tale, the Earth sent the scorpion to sting Orion, who had boasted that he could kill and beast. The scorpion did not manage to kill him, but Orion fled and dove into the sea. In another story, the Greek god Apollo sent the scorpion to chase Orion into the sea, as part of plot to keep Orion from Apollo's sister, The goddess Artemis. Legends such as these explained why the constellation Orion sinks below the horizon just as the Scorpius appears. The star Antares, a red supergiant, is usually considered the heart of the scorpion. The Greeks named in Antares, meaning "rival to Mars," probably because the planet has a similar red hue. It is estimated to be 400 times the diameter of the sun and 9,000 times more luminous. About halfway down the scorpion's tail lies a region sometimes called the Table of Scorpius, which is unusually rich in stellar objects. The double stars Zeta Scorpii 1 and 2 can be identified with the unaided eye in the table. The scorpions stinger is called Shaula.

How to Write Outstanding College Level Book Reports

How to Write Outstanding College Level Book Reports Theres nothing quite like enjoying a really solid piece of literature. Hours can pass while youre diving into a new world that the author has created. Your enjoyment of your novel may dissipate slightly when you are trying to figure out how to write a college level book report about it- but it doesnt have to be that way. Analyzing (and maybe even critiquing) novels is a useful skill that will help you both in and outside of the classroom. In this post we will outline the best strategies of painlessly writing a book report. Its important to note that there is no one generic book report assignment. This isnt necessarily a step-by-step guide, but it can help get you started thinking about the specific requirements that your instructor has for you.Know the assignmentWhen you start out your book report assignment, its important that you know exactly what your instructor is requiring. Does your instructor want you to explore the books theme and write a five-paragraph essay on it, or are yo u supposed to be writing an essay about a particular character? Read through the assignment sheet very carefully and make sure that you understand all of the instructions. If you have questions or are uncertain about something, be sure to ask your instructor.Actually read the bookEven though it may be tempting to take a shortcut and watch a movie adaptation of your book or even to read the Sparknotes, definitely resist that urge. Not only will your report be more thorough if you read the book the whole way through, but reading and understanding themes and outlining a novel plot is an invaluable experience. Youll be able to understand books on a completely new and more appreciative level. When you are reading the novel for your book report, write down page numbers or passages that pertain to the assignment or that you think might be interesting to mention.Try to really sink into what the author is trying to say by asking yourself the following questions:What is the main theme of the book? The theme is the meaning or the entire reason behind writing the book. An author doesnt typically write just to write something down. What motivated them to pen this novel?What is happening to the characters? Typically novels are told from the perspective (either in the first or third person) of the main character, though some novels have multiple perspectives. Is this character a good character or are they flawed? What kinds of obstacles is the character going through? What did they learn during the course of the story?What is the plot of the book? There are several different kinds of plots, and its helpful to know what kind your chosen novel has in order to help you analyze it better. Some stories are quests: that is, the main character is on a journey to accomplish a goal (think Lord of the Rings). Some stories are overcoming obstacles- whether thats internal or external. What kind of plot does your novel have and why do you think the author chose that particular type?Write a good introductionAfter youve read your book thoroughly and youve thought about the characters, themes, plot, and some good quotes, youll be ready to start writing the book report. Like any other paper, a good book report needs an explanatory introduction that is easy to understand. When writing the introduction, be sure to include the title of the work, the author, and a sentence or two on what you will be overviewing in the report. Even though it may not be required to have a thesis statement in your book report, writing one in your paper might keep it more focused and help you narrow down what you will be writing in the body paragraphs.For example, if we were writing an introduction about a book report over Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird, we might write something like this:In Harper Lees iconic coming of age novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee confronts the audience with the idea that systemic racism was rampant in the U.S. court system in the early 20th century in the South. She illustrates this idea with the unfair trial of convicted rapist Tom Robinson, whose lawyer Atticus Finch handily proves is innocent, yet is still sentenced with a crime he did not commit. Through the eyes of the young main character, Scout Finch, the audience is able to learn about these injustices with the innocent eyes of a child.As you can see, we mentioned the name of the book, the author, and we also outlined what we would be discussing throughout the body paragraphs in the book report. Not only will this let the reader know what this report is about, but itll also help you stay organized when you are writing the paper. Note that nowhere in this paragraph does it say that we really liked the book. Whether or not we liked the book is irrelevant in the report. What the book report is trying to do is to objectively understand a books relevance and importance wit themes, characters, motifs, etc. (Though of course its perfectly okay and encouraged to like the book that you are r eviewing.)Implement the ideas in the body paragraphsThe meat of your book report will be in the body paragraphs. These paragraphs will expand on the ideas that you brought up in your introduction paragraph and allow you to introduce the novel in depth to your reader.SummaryThough no two book report assignments are the same, its likely that your instructor is going to want to see some summarization in your book report. Your summary of the novel shouldnt be too lengthy (this is a report after all, so its typically quite short). If your instructor has assigned a five-page book report, dont summarize the book in four and a half pages. As a general rule, commit about 1/3 of the paper to a summary just so you can make sure the reader understands your analysis of it without having read it.AnalysisOnce you are done writing the summary of the novel, then you can get into your actual analysis of it. You may remember that we brought up systemic racism in the U.S. court system in the South in o ur essay on To Kill a Mockingbird. In our summary, we would then explore those ideas that we brought forth to the reader. How does Lee illustrate this idea throughout the novel? A good way to show how the author is making this point is through direct quotations from the book that you believe are a good showcase.In your analysis, you should also be discussing theme (or what was the authors purpose behind writing this book) and character. No two analyses are the same, which is what makes book reports and literary criticism so interesting. Everyone will read the novel through their own personal lenses and experiences and come up with a completely different interpretation of what the author intended for us to come away with.Again, its crucial to keep looking at your instructions for your book report so that you know exactly what you need to be discussing. Even if you write a brilliant report over the theme of systemic racism in the court system in To Kill a Mockingbird, it wont do you a ny good when you were actually supposed to write about the relationship between Scout and Atticus Finch and why it mattered. Paying attention to instructions is one of the biggest keys to success in writing a book report.ConclusionAs with all other conclusions, focus on wrapping things up neatly. Though you may be tempted to just say in the conclusion that you either loved or hated the book, this doesnt make for a very interesting paragraph. When you are writing your conclusion on your book report, think about why this novel matters. If you didnt like it, think about why you didnt like it. Think about how well the author gets his or her point across. Should this book be read widely to gain a critical understanding of a subject? Why or why not? Would you recommend this book to others? The genre of book reports generally seeks out the opinion of the writer, so make sure that you let your voice be heard.RevisingLike any other paper that you write, its crucial to go back through and rev ise if you are turning in the final copy. Its extremely rare that youll write something that doesnt have any mistakes or reworking to do. Once you have written the first draft, take a short break to get your eyes off the paper for just a bit. Come back to the paper after the break with a set of fresh eyes and try to read through it for grammar and spelling mistakes (spell check doesnt get everything!) and then once again for content. Make sure that everything makes sense and is very explanatory. After all- you have to assume that your audience hasnt read your book yet so you want to make sure that you are explaining it well enough to someone who has never read a sentence of it and still be able to understand.If you are uncertain about sentences or even entire passages of your book report, ask a friend or your instructor to take a look at your work. Sometimes it helps to get an outside opinion since youve been closely working with the text.Book reports teach us more than just how to write a reportThough we do a lot of research and studying about subjects that may not be applicable after college, book reports may be one of the only exceptions to that. Novels, no matter how abstract the concept, teach us about human behavior and life through plots and characters. Understanding how to break down an authors intent on their stories will absolutely be relevant to your life. Having the curiosity and the skills to understand a novel with a more complex understanding will undoubtedly enrich your reading experience.Remember than an effective book report will have an introduction that mentions the book title, author, and include the points you will be making throughout the body paragraphs. Your body paragraphs will expand on those ideas that you brought up in the introduction, using quotes from the book, analysis, and summary to aide you.Finally, be sure that once the book report has been written that you are carefully looking at spelling, grammar, and the content of your paragraphs. Get a friend, your instructor, or even a professional editor to look at your book report to make sure you are on the right track.

Vertical Integration Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Vertical Integration Strategy - Essay Example In adapting its strategies to market conditions, Smithfield has taken a cost leadership strategy, combined it with a differentiation strategy (lean pork) where it has a proprietary advantage, and made an efficient value chain as the case study demonstrates (Thompson, Strickland, & Gamble, 2008, p. C-429). As a leader in the concept of bringing efficiency to vertical integration, the company has combined farming, feeding, processing, and distribution into an award-winning, highly profitable operation. The next logical step for the company is to expand its operations to bring more capacity and higher profitability. The problem is that community in which it seeks to build does not want any more pig farms for a host of reasons; not the least of which is the natural but noxious result of raising livestock. In terms of the ethical and socially responsible business practices, the company has some specific issues. One of these is that in some ways, management seems to be out of touch with th e real issues. One of the environmental efforts touted by the organization is its contribution to wetlands recovery, as well as recycling cardboard. These are worthy things to do, certainly, but the company position on these issues is not relevant to the more pressing issues it is facing. As one author notes, to â€Å"address ethics problems, managers first have to recognize that conflicts of interest exist† (Vickers, 2005, p. 26). With all due respect to the organization, touting its recycling efforts and energy conservation efforts is insufficient. Under a strict utilitarian analysis, the company has no real moral duty and fairs relatively well with the argument that its actions benefit more people (international food supplier, working to reduce fat in the American diet) than those few North Carolina residents who are hurt by the negative side effects of foul odor or some pollution in the water. If a deontological

Rise of Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rise of Capitalism - Essay Example In a capitalist society there is competition in the market. Friedrich (1995) states that competition in the capitalist system is based on the assumptions that there are many buyers and sellers in the market, This assumption means that the existence of many buyers and sellers means that the prices and conditions in the market cannot be controlled by one buyer or seller. The other assumption is that there are zero barriers to entry and exit into an industry by firms, this means that the market supply and demand depends ion the nature of market where if only some firms controlled the market than competition will be limited and prices determined by the firm in the industry. The other assumption is that consumers have knowledge regarding prices in the market. This means that a consumer has information regarding the quality and price of a product and therefore firms will compete in the market to meet consumer price and quality requirements. Therefore the capitalist society is characterised by competition and this competition leads to the proper allocation of resources of production, the other systems have limited competition where in the socialist society no competition is evident because this system is based on equality philosophy. Motivation:The capitalist society through its competitive nature helps in promoting increased production and innovative ideas. The nature of the capitalist society motivates individuals to involve themselves in production activities unlike other forms.... Therefore this system is different from the socialist and feudal systems in that there is private ownership of property. Competition: In a capitalist society there is competition in the market. Friedrich (1995) states that competition in the capitalist system is based on the assumptions that there are many buyers and sellers in the market, This assumption means that the existence of many buyers and sellers means that the prices and conditions in the market cannot be controlled by one buyer or seller. The other assumption is that there are zero barriers to entry and exit into an industry by firms, this means that the market supply and demand depends ion the nature of market where if only some firms controlled the market than competition will be limited and prices determined by the firm in the industry. The other assumption is that consumers have knowledge regarding prices in the market. This means that a consumer has information regarding the quality and price of a product and therefore firms will compete in the market to meet consumer price and quality requirements. Therefore the capitalist society is characterised by competition and this competition leads to the proper allocation of resources of production, the other systems have limited competition where in the socialist society no competition is evident because this system is based on equality philosophy. Motivation: The capitalist society through its competitive nature helps in promoting increased production and innovative ideas. The nature of the capitalist society motivates individuals to involve themselves in production activities unlike other forms of economic organisation. Given that production resources are scarce the individuals in the economy will compete