Exploring Online Consumer Behaviors Essay

The overall objective of this research was to document people’s reactions, attitudes, motivations, and behaviors that have affected online purchasing behaviors. The World Wide Web has been accessible to the public now for over twenty years. It came upon the world and exploded in popularity like few things have done in the history of the world. The purpose of this research is to understand how individual behaviors affect online consumerism. According to Hawkins and Mothersbaugh (2010) online consumer behavior can be defined as â€Å"the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the process they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideals to satisfy needs† and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society†. There are many variables to consider when outlining behaviors of internet consumerism. Three main factors are affected by behaviors of online consumers, â€Å"attitudes towards online shopping, motivations, such as price, convenience and hedonic motivations, and online information search† (Vazquez & Xu, 2009). If a person has a positive experience of shopping on the internet, then their attitude will affect the outcome of purchasing online. Online consumers feel more in control when they can search with relative ease of low prices and special offers. A great motivation of online shopping is the comparison of prices, more information is available online concerning the products, which allows the consumer to make better decisions. The problem of online consumers is important and requires further research, because online shopping could become the way of shopping for most of the world. In contrast to this scenario, is the fact that we are losing our ability to maintain a high level of customer service on- site. The employees many shoppers encounter seem more to be filling a spot than actively engaging in helping consumers with purchases or becoming knowledgeable about what they sell. Online consumerism is not however without its apprehensions. Research conducted by Janda, stated in her article that there were, â€Å"four consumer online concerns identified, privacy, security, credibility, and virtual experience† all having negative effects on consumer purchasing (2008, p. 339). Online consumers are worried about their personal information being collected when purchasing on the internet. The transference of information makes some consumers nervous and they do not want to take the risk. Shipping and return policies is also a major concern along with the credibility of the online retailers when looking into the merchandise descriptions. Consumers that had more experience with navigating the internet felt safer and comfortable while using the internet at their residence or on the job, rather than using community computers (Koyuncu & Lien, 2003, p. 721). Another negative behavioral pattern documented is that of compulsive buying tendencies. These tendencies to over buy can have detrimental effects on the consumer, notably affecting monies, feelings, and relationships. According to â€Å"The Relationships Between Consumers’ Tendencies to Buy Compulsively and Their Motivation to Shop and Buy on the Internet,† Somewhere between five and nine percent of America’s population could be identified as people who have a propensity to compulsively buy (Kukar-Kinney, Ridgeway, & Monroe, 2009). Motivators of this type of behavior include the very key ingredients of online shopping. These motivations are the following items that may be purchased at any time, shopping can be done frequently, a broader variety ex ist, and also purchases may be brought in private. According to this research the following results show that, â€Å"search costs were the most important motivation, followed by product assortment/price, brand equity, transaction costs, customer orientation, and perceived quality. The least important motivation associated with online auction behaviors was social interaction. (Jeon, Crustsinger, & Kim, 2008, p. 36). To determine which factors and variables are associated with online consumer behaviors, several questionnaires will be emailed to a random chosen amount of email participants. The questionnaire will explore which factors and variables have an impact on online behaviors. 1. What factors and variables identify the behaviors of online consumers? 2. What strategies can be formulated to control online behaviors and purchasing? References Hawkins, D., & Mothersbaugh, D. (2010). Consumer behavior and marketing Strategy. In Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy (11thED.) Columbus, Ohio: McGraw- Hill. Janda, S. (2008). Does gender moderate the effect of online concerns on purchase likelihood? Journal of Internet Commerce, 7(3), 339-358. doi: 10.1080/15332860802250401 Jeon, S., Crustsinger, C., & Kim, H. (2008). Exploring online auction behaviors and motivations. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 100(2), 31-40. doi: 1082-1651 Koyuncu, C., & Lien, D. (2003). E-commerce and consumer’s purchasing behavior. Journal of Applied Economics, 35(6), 721. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA102272684&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w Kukar-Kinney, M., Ridgway, N., & Monroe, K. (2009). The relationship between consumers’ tendencies to buy compulsively and their motivations to shop and buy on the internet: Consumer Behavior and Retailing. Journal of Retailing, 85(3), 298-307. doi: 10.1016/j.jretai.2009.05.002 Vazquez, D., & Xu, X. (2009). Investigating linkages between online purchase behaviour variables. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 37(5), 408. doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/10.1108/09590550910954900 References Janda, S. (2008). Does gender moderate the effect of online concerns on purchase? likelihood? Journal of Internet Commerce, 7(3), 339-358. Jeon, S., Crustsinger, C., & Kim, H. (2008). Exploring online auction behaviors and motivations. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 100(2), 31-40. Koyuncu, C., & Lien, D. (2003). E-commerce and consumer’s purchasing behavior. Journal of Applied Economics, 35(6), 721. Kukar-Kinney, M., Ridgway, N., & Monroe, K. (2009). The relationship between consumers’ tendencies to buy compulsively and their motivations to

The Development of the Western Frontier between 1866 and 1890

The Trans-Mississipi west comprises the region that spans from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains (Client file, n. pag. ). It is estimated to be 1,000 miles long from east to west and is about 1,500 miles from north to south (Client file, n. pag. ). The Trans-Mississippi west (also known as the Great Plains, the Western Frontier or the prairie) was inhabited by more than 300,000 Native Americans, collectively referred to as the Plains Indians (Client file, n. pag. ). Prior to the Civil War, the Western Frontier was largely unpopulated by pioneers (although it was under the control of the United States government through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803) (Client file, n. pag. ). Some wagon trains did pass through the area en route to Oregon or California, but these were able to do so unmolested (in sharp contrast to Hollywood films) (Client file, n. pag. ). In return, the payment of tributes in the form of clothing, jewelry, metal utensils or other items desired by the tribes was required (Client file, n. ag. ). However, the Homestead Act of 1862 (passed during the Civil War) encouraged emigration to the Western Frontier (Client file, n. pag. ). Under the act, settlers can avail of a 160-acre parcel of land for a small filing fee worth $10 (Client file, n. pag. ). In addition, they can obtain the full title to the land within five years if they were able to make significant improvements on it (planting crops, building houses, raising livestock, etc. ) (Client file, n. pag. ). As a result, homesteaders, miners and ranchers trespassed on Indian lands and threatened the Plains Indians' hunting and way of life (Client file, n. pag. ). This left the Plains Indians with no other choice but to use armed resistance (Client file, n. pag. ). The hostilities between the Plains Indians and the US Cavalry (called on by the settlers to crush Indian opposition and to confine tribes in government-controlled reservations) that ensued were eventually called the Western Indian Wars (1866-1890) (Client file, n. ag. ). Despite the attractive terms of the Homestead Act of 1862, around 60% of emigrants gave up on their homesteads before the end of the five-year period (Client file, n. pag. ). Reasons for doing so included lack of water supply, Indian attacks, harsh winters, soil that was unfit for planting and sometimes-deadly conflicts with ranchers, who saw homesteads as a hindrance to cattle grazing (Client file, n. pag. ). On the other hand, those who remained endured extre me hardships just to survive. They worked very hard under sub-zero winters and summers that often reached more than a hundred degrees Fahrenheit (Client file, n. pag. ). Unable to afford houses made of wood, they lived in houses built of sod and dirt (Client file, n. pag. ). They also experienced infestations of locusts, which would eat their crops, as well as the drapes of their houses and their clothing (Client file, n. pag. ). Adding to their list of burdends were natural disasters such as storms and tornadoes (Client file, n. pag. ). The homesteaders' privations were so great that History professor Frederick Jackson Turner hypothesized in his thesis in 1890 that â€Å"much of America's free and democratic spirit was forged by the existence of an open frontier to the west† (Client file, n. pag. ). Another important advancement in the Western Frontier was the Transcontinental Railroad. The absence of a railway system in the region isolated Oregon and California (already states) from the rest of the US – they stood alone at the edge of the country and were accessible only by wagon train, ship or boat (Client file, n. ag. ). President Abraham Lincoln and the US Congress backed a railroad act which authorized the presence of a railroad across the continent, but it was not implemented until the end of the Civil War (Client file, n. pag. ). The construction of the railroad started in 1864 – the Union Pacific was built westward from Omaha, Nebraska, while the Central Pacific was erected eastward from Sacramento, California (Client file, n. pag. ). Even if only 40 miles of track were laid by 1865, the pace of the assembly increased at the end of war (Client file, n. ag. ). Majority of the workers that were recruited for the building of the railroad were from minority groups such as blacks, Mexicans, Asians and Irish (Client file, n. pag. ). Despite delays in construction (storms, harsh winters, occasional Indian attacks, migration of large buffalo herds, etc. ), the Transcontinental Railroad was finally completed at Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 1869 (Client file, n. pag. ). The Transcontinental Railroad boosted commerce in the Western Frontier, particularly the cattle industry (Client file, n. pag. ). Even though the cattle industry was already a major part of the western economy, the lack of transportation hindered its expansion into the eastern part of the US (Client file, n. pag. ). Hence, the development of railroads in the Western Frontier (along with entrepreneurs such as Joseph McCoy, who promoted beef as tasty and healthy) increased the demand for beef in the east (Client file, n. pag. ). Cowboys would drive large herds of cows from Texas and New Mexico to â€Å"railheads† – towns on or near the rail line, such as Dodge City, Abilene, Wichita and Colorado Springs (Client file, n. ag. ). Once in the â€Å"railheads,† the cattle would be kept in large pens or yards, where they would be fattened for market in the east (Client file, n. pag. ). During this time, a cowboy was paid usually around $25-$30 per month (Client file, n. pag. ). â€Å"Railheads† (also known as â€Å"railhead towns† or â€Å"cow towns†) became prosperous not only because of the cattle industry, but also because of saloons or â€Å"dance halls,† where cowboys spent their money on liqour, gambling and women (Client file, n. pag. ). It is likewise the saloon that gave â€Å"railheads† their reputation for lawlessness (Client file, n. pag. ). But it must be noted that this image was largely seen only in Hollywood films (Client file, n. pag. ). For one, most â€Å"railheads† were strict when it comes to gun control (Client file, n. pag. ). Gun control laws in â€Å"railheads† were enforced by tough sheriffs or marshalls with shotgun-toting deputies – one gun control law that they strictly implemented was that cowboys should surrender their guns to them while they were in town (Client file, n. pag. ). In addition, the saloon area in a â€Å"railhead† was usually located in the opposite direction of the â€Å"respectable† side of the town to minimize the possibility of untoward incidents (Client file, n. pag. ). Lastly, contrary to Hollywood films, cowboys were not hardened criminals but â€Å"just regular and adventurous young men letting off steam after several months of hard work† (Client file, n. pag. ). Most gunfights â€Å"were spontaenous events in a saloon or in the street between angry or drunken men who had not been relieved of their guns† (Client file, n. pag. ). They usually fought over â€Å"poker-related disputes, a woman, a perceived insult or some ongoing enmity between long-time adversaries† (Client file, n. pag. ). In most â€Å"railheads,† the murder rate was â€Å"acutally lower than the murder rate of many large American cities in the latter half of the twentieth century† (Client file, n. pag. ). Furthermore, extensive research has proven that in the period between 1870-1900, only five gun duels occurred in the entire Western Frontier (Client file, n. pag. ). It is true that emigration led to the development of the Trans-Mississipi west. However, it must be kept in mind that this progress did not come without a price – the Western Indian Wars killed around 1,000 US Cavalry soldiers and led to the death and enslavement of millions of Plains Indians (McConnell, n. pag. ). It would be fair to say that the circumstances surrounding the expansion of the Trans-Mississipi west became one of the precursors for future instances of US political, economic and military aggression abroad. The strategy remains the same – plunder the country (or in this case, region) as much as you can, fill the people's minds with deceiving propaganda and chop off a few thousand heads when necessary.

Lead And Manage A Team Within A Health Care And Social Care Setting

A team is a group of people working together in a related field to achieve an agreed goal, target or objective. In order to attain the overall goal activities and tasks are shared between the team members with give individuals their roles and responsibilities. The feature of an effective team performance include the factors that the describe the team structure and the process that enables goal achievement. Communication : Communication is a process through which information is passed from an encoder to a decoder through and agreed channel, which has a feed back loop.Given that all enabling conditions that eliminates barriers to effective information or date transition and feedback are in place. Effective communication is an important feature of an effective team performance, it enable the definition of the problem or overall goal to every members of the team, it also enable communication that define roles and responsibilities of every member and methods of operation, feedback, suppor t and reassessment of team and individual tasks or needs.An effective team permanence must have a structure, heirachy that enables decision making, delegation of duties, monitoring and motivation channels, support, training and supervision of team members. There must be a chair, leader or manager of the team who takes overall responsibilities and co-ordination of activities. Team cohesion is important to ensure that communication remain sustainable and effective. Therefore there also has to be a good conflict management plan – process and procedure to eliminate break down in work processes.Definition of roles and responsibilities this enables delegated duties to be clear and monitorable. Every individual is clear about what to do, their deadline and how to obtain support when required. Support and supervision a team must have access to training support and supervision available for all members, through meeting that evaluate work processes and individual performances thereby e nabling teams to meet their goal. 1. 2 Identify the challenges experienced by developing teamsTeams that are developing can have problems at the beginning these may include: impact of the feature and structure in team management. Communication Impact of communiction on the team process know what to report, when and in what format to report to the rest of the team. The team has to agree on these elements to facilitate the process for the team. Barriers in communication can affect team cohesion and slow down pace of work. Roles and responsibilities Defning roles and responsibilities how to determing an even share of taskes within the team members.Which one is delegated tasks, how to agree and set deadlines. Overlapping roles can have the problem of deciding who does what and who job it is questions. Team member performances Poorly performing team members can be a challenging in meeting deadlines and achieving the overall goal. The team leader sometimes may need to re-allocate tasks wi thin team, take on extra tasks, training and supervising of members of the team, which can impact on the team leader’s meeting up with his own roles/ tasks. 1. 3 Identify the challenges experiences by established teamsControlling and managing experts and expert opinion. A team with mixed skilled and experts may have difficulties agreeing on opinions and some times reaching a decisions Controlling deviations The team leader or manager has to monitor activities regularly and monitor performances to ensure that target is met and cost and expenditures are within budget. Dealing with risks Monitoring and controlling risks that can impact on the achievement of goals to deadline, assessing and reducing risks and also taking risk actions to ensure achievement of the goal. Dealing with emergencies that impacts on work processThe team has to decide on how to deal with emergencies, risks and uncertainties and how they impact on the overall objective of the team. Changes and re-planning processes Decided on how to implement changes and addressing issues and re-planning implementation plans. Also co-ordinating activities of every member of the team, collating work products into the whole or overall goal can be a big challenge to the team and the leader or manager of the team. 1. 4 Explain how challenges to effective team performance can be overcome Challenges to effective team performance can be overcome by :Increasing communication – team have to meet as often as possible to discuss issues of concern. Team has to clearly define methods and channels of communication to ensure that the right information is available at the right time, in the right form through the right channel for effective use and feed backs give timely. Conflict resolution policy Team has to agree on the methods to which conflicts can be resolved within the group, this has to be addressed as soon as possible to enhance team cohesion and progress team effort towards achieving its goals.The t eam manager has to provide support and supervision to team members, the manager to also ensure that all delegated duties are supervised where necessary, provide training to members in order to facilitate their ability to contribute to team effort in meeting the teams overall objectives. Team to ensure a member of the team is assigned to monitor, reports and and implement risk management plans. Monitor and report all concerns and issues arising timely for team deliberation and decision making. 1. 5 Analyse how different management styles may influence outcomes of team performanceManagement styles are methods used by manager for administration in the work environments, different managers have there preferred approached based on their belief or experience in the use of managerial theories or concepts. The main aim of management is to meet goals and achieve planned targets i. e profit making, therefore approached can be altered depending on the situation and volatility of the environmen t. Management styles include: taylorism, fayolism, the hawthorne effect, needs and motives, complex man, management by objectives.Taylorism – this is scientific management, which concept called is ‘one best way’ to task performance. The idea that is that management make decisions and direct the staff to carry decisions out, without any fear or favor or emotional attachment – thought or input, discretion of staff. This leads to standard method of task performance leading to uniformity of actions and outcomes, speeds up production and increase expertise. Additional advantage is that, it help in the staff selection process thereby ensure that only required skills are sort for and employed.As a result the team will achieve its objectives early enough and a good outcome as the members are expert in the field. Team members are trained to follow only standard procedure for their tasks. b) Fayolism Outcome will differ if the managers have the qualities as describe d by Fayol such as : Health and vigor, Cleverness, Moral qualities, General knowledge (culture), Management capacity and Notions about other functions (activities) and The strongest skills in the function managed If the managers have these qualities they will then be able to meet the required principle such as: Division of work, Authority, Discipline, Unity ofcommand, Unity of direction, Subordination of Individual Interests to the Common Interest, Remuneration of personnel, Centralization, Scalar chain, Order, Equity, Stability of personnel tenure, Initiative and Esprit de corps (Union is strength). The outcome is likely to be more productive, timely and good quality of outcome as every member have common interests and order in the team. Collective sharing of work load and responsibilities help to meet target sooner.The Hawthorne Effect – This is the management style that believe that a happy worker is a good worker. Is concept central on providing a good working environment and opportunity for staff, thereby encouraging them to work harder and give their best. The outcomes of team working in this environment is that the team are happy together working in the environment individual and collective motivation enable people put in their best, and improve performance.

Aristotle on Moral Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Aristotle on Moral Responsibility - Essay Example A person is not morally responsible for an action if he or she does not know the possible consequences of his actions prior to the performance of that action, according to Aristotle. By such standards Aristotle tells us about the moral responsibility on a person for his or her actions. In this essay we will talk about the Aristotle’s take on moral responsibility of person for his or her actions. The voluntary acts and involuntary acts will be defined and how moral responsibility is a function of moral character will also be explained according to Aristotle. The film Dead Man Walking will also be discussed and its scenes will be analyzed keeping in mind the writings of Aristotle. Moral responsibility is defined by Aristotle to some extent through his concept of voluntary and involuntary acts. Moral responsibility can also be determined through the knowledge of consequences of the actions prior to the performance of those actions. Moral responsibility is also determined through the concept of impulsive and deliberate actions. A person is also morally responsible for inaction in certain situations therefore this is also a criteria through which moral responsibility can be determined. All these determinants of moral responsibility will be discussed in the paper. Aristotle talks about voluntary and involuntary acts. An act according to him is involuntary if a person has no control on his actions. Moral responsibility of an action does not lie on a person if he or she is forced to perform an action. An example would be that of a person who loses his cell phone and wallet to a thief at the gun point. Such actions that are not voluntary and performer of such actions cannot be held morally responsible for it. The definition of involuntary actions, by Aristotle, is very restricted and narrow. He believes that an action is only involuntary if the agent is not taking any willful part in the action himself. A person may be under force but

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) - Essay Example It is governed by ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act). A stock option gives an employees of an organisation the right to buy shares at a price fixed (usually the market price, but sometimes lower) for a defined number of years into the future. Several options such as those based on the percentage of pay basis, a merit formula, an equal basis, or any other formula the company chooses might be granted (NCEO, 2005). According to the US Securities and Exchange Commission "an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is a retirement plan in which the company contributes its stock to the plan for the benefit of the company's employees" (SEC). ESOPs were given a specific statutory framework in 1974. (NCEO, 2005) and through the plan employees are allowed to own stock in their companies without having to purchase shares (Employee Stock). ESOPs are generally more common among closely held companies and are usually created when a retiring owner wants to transfer ownership of the company to one or more employees (Employee Stock). Similar to other quali fied deferred compensation plans, a company's ESOPs must not discriminate in their operations in favour of highly compensated employees, officers, or owners (NCEO, 2005). To achieve this, companies are required by law to appoint a trustee to act as the ESOP's plan fiduciary. This fiduciary could be anyone, while larger companies tend to appoint external trust institutions; smaller companies typically appoint a manager or create an ESOP trust committee. (NCEO, 2005) In setting up an ESOP, a company first approaches a lender to borrow money; this is known as a "leveraged" ESOP. In this approach, the company first sets up a trust, which then borrows money from a lending institution. The company then repays the loan by making tax-deductible contributions to the trust, which the trust gives to the lender. The loan however must and can only be used by the trust to acquire stock in the company. Benefits of ESOP's. The objective of most stock option plans is providing a kind of investment for employees so they also can become part owners of a company. It has been observed that companies with employee-owners often boast higher productivity and increased employee loyalty, longevity and satisfaction. This is due to the fact that the employees are indeed co-owners of the companies and this is translated into benefits such as: efficiency and productivity. According to management experts the best way to make employees owners is to give them shares in the company rather than asking them to pay for their shares. Another advantage of the ESOP is that it costs the employees nothing to co-own the company and after employees leave the company or retire, the company distributes to them the stock purchased on their behalf, or its cash value (NCEO, 2005). In return for agreeing to funnel the loan through the ESOP, the company can save money through a number tax is deferments until the employee retires (Employee Stock). This is done in a number of ways: First, the company can deduct the entire loan contribution it makes to the ESOP, within certain payroll-based limits as allowed by law. This means that a company can in effect deduct both interest and principal on the loan, not just interest. Secondly, the company can also deduct dividends paid on the shares acquired with the proceeds of the loan that are used to repay the loan itself (in other words, the earnings of the stock

The USEC Inc Project Examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The USEC Inc Project Examination - Essay Example The key value driver of the NPV is the demand for Separate Work Units (SWU). It has been assumed by USEC that there will be 100% demand which will enable the ACP to operate at 100% production capacity. The sensitivity analysis shows that for every 1% decrease in demand, the NPV comes down by 2.74%. It is therefore recommended that Rivanna capital should take a long position in the project. This is because the stock price, after considering the ACP project, is undervalued by a massive 49.53% and Rivanna’s rule is to go long on any stock that is undervalued by 10% or more. 2. MAIN REPORT 2.1 The pursuit of ACP by USEC USEC is pursuing ACP because it will give it an edge technologically and cost-wise over its competitors. The cost efficiencies realised from ACP will make it the lowest cost producer in the uranium enrichment industry. The existing uranium enrichment process of USEC at the Paducah plant uses the gas diffusion process. This process requires intensive electricity pow er for operating a series of enormous industrial compressors. USEC has kept the cost of this electricity constant through a long term electricity contract. However, this contract will expire soon. After the expiry of this contract, the cost of production will rise and this will have a very negative impact on the profit margins of USEC. Consequently, USEC is very keen on pursuing the American Centrifuge project. The technology used in the centrifuge project will cut down the electricity consumption in the enrichment process by a whopping 95%.This would bring down the overall enrichment costs by 50%. The low costs mean higher profit margins for USEC. ACP will also double the scale of USEC and has the potential to dramatically improve the competitive position of USEC. 2.2... USEC is pursuing ACP because it will give it an edge technologically and cost-wise over its competitors. The cost efficiencies realised from ACP will make it the lowest cost producer in the uranium enrichment industry. The existing uranium enrichment process of USEC at the Paducah plant uses the gas diffusion process. This process requires intensive electricity power for operating a series of enormous industrial compressors.

Literature Review on Small-Group Learning Activities

On Small-Group Learning Activities - Literature review Example If collaborative effort is applied to any task then the productivity tends to increase (Zawojewski & Et. Al., 2003). The overall study tries to demonstrate the importance of the small group learning activities. Objective of the Study The main objective of the study has been to understand the role of the small-group learning activities. The study will be related to the United Kingdom undergraduate students in subject areas linked to health care. The study will provide certain supporting evidences in small-group learning activities for the small group to discuss and debate. A clinical based scenario will be selected upon which the overall literature review will be based. At first the literature review will try to make the reader understand as to what the term small-group learning activity denotes. It will further try to explain the clinical based evidences that can be used by the small groups of students to discuss and debate. Finally, the literature review will try to identify the imp act of such small group learning activities. ... Therefore, it is important to understand if the three terms that is collaborative learning, cooperative learning and small-group learning express the same meaning. Most of the practitioners consider all the three types of learning to have the same goals, that is, to change a passive classroom environment into active student-centered environment. However, it has been evident that most of the authors don’t view the three types of learning as synonymous. In this regards, it can be discussed that the two terms collaborative learning as well as cooperative learning can be distinguished from each other. However, both the terms seem to focus upon the notion that students need to engage themselves with the study material so that they can learn the information in a meaningful manner. These terms assist in creating the environment where the students engage themselves in the study material by partaking of their knowledge and ideas by means of providing the support, feedback along with en couragement and by teaching each other. It is to be pointed out that the term small-group learning is quite flexible as well as comprehensive. It further reveals that there might be circumstances when the members of the group don’t cooperate or it might even be the case when the members of the group simply collaborate. The type of task the group needs to accomplish determines the interaction among the group members in most of the cases. It can be demonstrated that the small-group learning has turned into current label that is given to the type of active-learning activity by putting the students into groups and they are asked to achieve the task (Kreke & Towns, 1998). Importance of Using the Small-Group

Social Constructs of Beauty in America, Europe and Asia Research Proposal

Social Constructs of Beauty in America, Europe and Asia - Research Proposal Example The essay "Social Constructs of Beauty in America, Europe and Asia" will looks at the international constructions of beauty in various cultural locations all over the world precisely in the USA, Asia and European nations. The variations of the sexual connotation of beauty will be compared according to the region where the magazine adverts come from. The research will look at the points of commonality and the divergence in the construction of beauty in fashion. The running theme in the paper will be the effect of the cultural influences in the modeling of what is beautiful across the three regions of America, Europe and Asia. The paper will not assume a comparison point of view; instead, it will seek to look at the social constructs of beauty individually. The practical activities representing the social constructs of beauty take into consideration the increasing globalization effects. In line with the increasing globalization, the cultural influences in the design and fashion areas a re turning out to be hazy mazes. The dominant cultures are exerting their influences on the traditional concepts of beauty such that the end result is a dwindling effect of culture on the depiction of beauty. Majority of the western films have been credited for the erosion of the social constructs of beauty. This precedence is dangerous in that it threatens the actual existence of the beauty in its indigenous form. As a creative practitioner, the assignment will seek to expose the beauty in the cultural influences.

Laughing All the Way to the Bank Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Laughing All the Way to the Bank - Essay Example Consequently, one maybe compelled to advance his education by getting an MBA. However, the reality and frustration soon sets in when even after achieving higher credentials, no promotion is forthcoming. To this end, Adams came to the reality that it was not always guaranteed that the highly qualified and best suited candidate for a job gets a promotion. In addition, hard work done by one employee is normally accorded to another less deserving employee. Moreover, based on his comic strip on Dilbert, Adams present the view that only the ‘bright but clueless’ individuals are hired. Consequently, employees are promoted on the basis of low competence rather than merit. From Adam’s viewpoint, in addition to his economic degree, he had gone a step further to achieve an MBA. All of his extra effort was centered on the belief that he would achieve promotion. However, after realizing that no promotion was forthcoming, and a stagnated career, Scott Adams was compelled to qui t his job. It is quite evident that Scott Adams was frustrated with the corporate world. This was after realizing that job promotion and high academic qualifications are not always intrinsically linked. Consequently, Scott Adams opted to go fulltime into his entrepreneurial job as a cartoonist following its initial popularity and potential to flourish. What sources of information and expertise did Adams use in starting and developing his business? Did the start-up of the Dilbert cartoon follow the typical pattern of entrepreneurial start-ups? Why or why not? The concept of Scott Adams cartoon strip, ‘Dilbert’ was initially inspired through his personal experiences as an employee in the bank. To this end, Scott Adams cites that he used Dilbert to channel the frustration, absurdity and stress of working life that he experienced in the corporate world of America. In the onset of ‘Dilbert’s’ prominence, Scott Adams changed tact in the sourcing of informa tion for Dilbert’s development. To this end, Adams sought customer opinion by attaching his email address to every cartoon strip. The purpose for attaching his email address was to draw in suggestions and comments that would develop the Dilbert comic strip further. Consequently, Adams would receive between 350 and 800 feedback messages daily. The start up of Dilbert cartoon did not follow the typical pattern of entrepreneurial start ups. Foremost, Adams started off his cartoon strip while still working at Pacific Bell. To this end, his method off start up contravened the classical model norm that usually calls for total commitment and resource allocation for start up. Moreover, owing to the fact that Scott Adams started off his cartoon strip while still working, he incurred few risks. To this end, majority of classical entrepreneurial start ups involve the incurring a high extent of risk. For example, if the risk of failure in the enterprise comes to pass, the entrepreneur in most cases has no fallback plan. To this end, he/she risks not only losing investments made but also an optional resource pool. However, in Scott Adams case, if he failed in his cartoon strip, he had an immediate fallback plan within his job security. This is in recognition that Adams had not yet quite his job while starting up Dilbert. Adams claims that his success is due primarily to luck and persistence; do you agree or disagree? Do you think his advice is helpful to potential entrepreneurs? Why or why not? Based on Scott Adams view on

Business Report for Consideration by The Directors of Fuller, Smith & Assignment

Business Report for Consideration by The Directors of Fuller, Smith & Turner Plc Based on a Two Year Comparison - Assignment Example The other income exceptional item in 2010 arose from the disposal of property assets. The exceptional distribution costs and administration cost in 2009 arose mainly from the impairment of property asset values... Let us now move towards a ratio analysis of the company for the years 2009 and 2010. The current ratio for year 2009 is 0.49: 1 and for year 2010 it dropped to 0.19:1. This is quite alarming as it means that for every ?1 of its current or short term liabilities, it has only 19 pennies to meet this exigency. No wonder, it had to resort to a sale of land to get some more of the needed cash. The working capital deficiency dropped from ? 23.7 m in year 2009 to ? 101 m in year 2010. On the other hand, the total debt to total assets ratio remained fairly constant in both years, being 0.48: 1 in 2009 and 0.49: 1 in 2010 respectively. However, this means that in the case of liquidation of the company, the creditors can expect only about 50 pence to the pound at most for the clearan ce of their claims. This is indeed a sorry state of affairs. So both the short term and the long term solvency of the business are in question at this point (Meigs & Meigs, 1993, 943). Looking at the gross margin percentages for year 2009 and year 2010, we see that this figure remained constant at around 67 percent for the company. However, the net margin percentage has nearly doubled, from 4 percent in 2009 to 8 percent in 2010. This is a good improvement. Now we move on to an analysis of Recievables Turnover, which was 13 times in 2009 but improved slightly to 14.5 times in 2010. The asset turnover for both years 2009 and 2010 remained around 0.55 times. On the other hand, Inventory Turnover recorded a slight drop from 11 times in 2009 to 9 times in 2010. The Return on Assets, which was 2 percent in 2009, improved to 4 percent in 2010. Finally, the Return on Equity which was 4.5 percent in 2009 doubled to 9 percent in 2010. So, all in all, we can say that there remains little impr ovement in the company’s financial state of affairs and it would be better not to invest in this company at the present time. Sincerely, Investment Advisor Q.2. Appraisal of Different Products: Pacioli Accounting Software Systems Ltd. The finance director of any firm is most often concerned about two things: how to get surplus cash for investment and how to invest the surplus cash so as to get the best possible return. The Finance Director of Pacioli Accounting Systems is similarly trying to decide about investing in one of the three different tax accounting software packages which

Performance Management at Jet Food Services Essay Example for Free

Performance Management at Jet Food Services Essay It is now the end of Sampada’s first year as regional manager for Jet Food Services. As regional manager, Sampada supervises a total of ten districts, each of which has a manager responsible for sales and service to customers in that area. Jet Food provides contract food services for hospitals, schools, colleges, business firms, and other institutions that need meals prepared on site but that do not wish to be responsible for operating such services. Jet Food Services hires all necessary kitchen employees, purchases all supplies, and prepares meals in accordance with specifications agreed on with customers. The district manager is responsible for coordinating all customer activities. This includes planning, budgeting, hiring and supervising Jet`s on-site representative (customer service manager), customer satisfaction, and contract renegotiations. Sampada was recruited after years of experience as director of food services for a multicampus university. In that job, she had oversight responsibility for the food services at several campuses. The Jet Food position offered an opportunity for continued growth and advancement. In her first year, Sampada has concentrated on getting to know the district managers and the customers with whom they work. She spent more than a week with each district manager and visited each customer with him or her. At this point, she feels comfortable with her job and the knowledge she has gained of both operations and personnel, and it is time to appraise the performance of the district managers and to schedule review meetings with these employees. Sampada`s assessment of Ranjan: Ranjan is the longest term district manager in Sampada’sregion. He completed less than one year of college, held several short term jobs, and then joined Jet as a shift supervisor of the company`s services at a large college. At present, he is completing twelve years of employment with Jet. He has been a district manager for three years. In working with Ranjan, Sampadahas observed his strengths, along with some problems. Ranjan has a talent for working with people, Jet employees and customers alike. In fact, in his years with Jet, no customer he worked with has ever switched to a competitor. Many on-site supervisors recruited, trained, and supervised by Ranjan have gone on to become managers of other districts.On the other hand, Ranjan’s unhealthy eating habits – despite doctors` warnings – have contributed to some serious medical difficulties. During the past year, Ranjan was out of work for three months with gallbladder and heart problems, attributable in part to obesity. And Ranjan’s behaviour towards others can be overbearing. Sampada kept track of her phone calls from district managers during the year, and there were more calls (or messages) from Ranjan than from the other nine district managers taken together – calls to promote or advertise his own efforts. Although Ranjan can be charming, he has started to be loud and rude with regional personnel whom he perceives as excessively rule – oriented. All in all, Ranjan’s style and appearance have become entirely different from what Sampada is accustomed to in colleagues and employees.Further, it has been announced that Sampada’s region is going to be expanded and that a new position, that of assistant regional manager will be created. Ranjan has made it clear that as Jet`s longest tenured district manager in the region, he feels entitled to this promotion. However, Sampada does not feel she could work with Ranjan as the assistant regional manager. She feels that their management styles are too different and that Ranjan’s behaviour might irritate regional and corporate personnel. As Sampada looks over Jet`s performance assessment and management instrument, she realises that her honest assessment of Ranjan’s performance in his current job is generally excellent. She glances at the last page of the assessment and management form and the overall ratings from which she will have to choose. Jet`s overall rating system is on a 1-10 scale, with 10 as outstanding; 7-9, different degrees of excellent performance; 5-6, satisfactory; 3-4, below average; and 1-2, unacceptable. Sampada is uncertain as to what overall rating to assign. If she gives Ranjan too high a rating, he will expect to be promoted. If the rating is too low, Ranjan will doubtless be angry, feeling that an injustice has been done. Ranjan`s Self-Assessment and Management: Ranjan sees himself as different from the other district managers. An outgoing, gregarious type, he loves to visit his customer locations and work with his company`s personnel. His idea of a successful day is one spent teaching a customer service manager a new operating procedure or management technique. In fact, Ranjan is known to roll up his sleeves and teach Jet employees a new recipe or how to improve an existing dish.Ranjan has worked for several district managers and has always liked to keep them informed about his activities, sometimes phoning two or three times a day. From discussions with Sampada, he is aware that she thinks many of these calls are not necessary, but he wants her to know how things are going with his employees and customers. He is also aware of Sampada’s views regarding his ignoring medical advice. Ranjan is proud of his career and of what he has been able to do without much higher education. He feels he is qualified to become a regional manager, and he looks forward to the possibility of promotion to the new assistant regional manager position as a step toward this ultimate goal. Ranjan’s Assessment Rating: In reviewing the situation, Sampada decides to give Ranjan an overall rating of 6. She feels justified, given that Ranjan did miss months of work as a result of neglecting his health. She knows that Ranjan will expect a higher overall rating, but she is prepared to stand behind her evaluation. Sampada then goes back to considering the separate ratings she will assign and to making plans for their feedback review. Questions:1 How would you describe Sampada’s approach to the assessment and management of Ranjan’s performance? 2 Are Sampada`s concerns with Ranjan’s performance legitimate? Will Ranjan have justifiable reasons for feeling dissatisfied with the assessment and management results?

Pressure Groups Essay Example for Free

Pressure Groups Essay Pressure groups play an important role in indian politics Pressure groups provide the link between the people and the government. A pressure group is an organised body of individuals who share some goals and who try to influence public policy. Pressure groups are a vital part of a healthy democracy. Indeed the sustained and rapid expansion of pressure group activity and involvement in the political process is often heralded as a sign of growing political involvement among many thousands of people. Pressure groups Promote discussion and debate and mobilise public opinion on key issues ,they perform a role in educating citizens about specific issues , they can enhance democratic participation, pluralism and diversity, they raise and articulate issues that political parties perhaps wont touch because of their sensitivity e. g. The 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement were a series of demonstrations and protests across India which intended to establish strong legislation and enforcement against endemic political corruption. ake the example of the recent gang rape case. The people of delhi, and then the entire country joined to form a pressure group and forced the govt. to make fast track courts so that the culprits could be punished as soon as possible. There is intense pressure on the government to make harsher laws for rape . pressure groups provide an important access point for those seeking redress of grievance They represent minorities who cannot represent themselves Groups can be an important and valuable source of specialist information for an overloaded legislature and civil service Many groups play an important role in implementing changes to public policy Pressure groups encourage a decentralisation of power within the political system. They act as a check and balance to the power of executive government. Several laws have been made , several ministers and beaureacrats who were corrupt, were asked to go because of the pressure groups. Several states have been made because of pressure groups. Prices of public utilities like electricity , water have been reduced because of pressure groups. Farmers have got the right price for their commodities because of pressure groups. So we can see that pressure groups are a must for democracy, and they strengthen democracy and not weaken it.

Theories of Stress and Stress Management

Theories of Stress and Stress Management Psychology and Management of Stress Jane Jerard Outline and evaluate Selye’s (1956) General Adaptation Syndrome of stress Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome of Stress is a model that analyses an individual’s response to long term stress which is broken down into three main stages, the initial alarm stage, the interim resistance stage and finally the exhaustion stage (Nicky Hayes, 1994). If the stressor persists the individual will progress through each of the stages, and in some cases disease and even death can result. During the alarm stage the body reacts to the stressor with a ‘fight or flight’ response in which the parasympathetic nervous system is activated and hormones (e.g. adrenalin and noradrenaline) are released from the adrenal medulla (Richard Gross, 2010). If the stressor remains, the body then goes into the resistance stage during which it may outwardly appear to be functioning normally, however levels of blood glucose, cortisol (stimulated by adrenocorticotrophic hormones known as ACTH) and adrenaline remain higher than normal and the individual’s heart rate, blood pressure and breathing will be higher than normal. The individual may appear calm but they are physically and mentally at ‘action stations’ (currentnursing.com, 2014). During the final, exhaustion stage the further release of ACTH is inhibited by the hormones it has already stimulated and the levels of ACTH itself circulating in the blood. At this point the body begins to use up its energy reserves or resources and the body cannot function adequately. Blood sugar levels drop and the individual becomes vulnerable to disease and death. As Nicky Hayes (1994, p450) states ‘This [final stage] produces an immediate and strong – sometimes excessive – reaction to even mild sources of additional stress’. As a model of stress, the General Adaption Syndrome (GAS) is focused primarily on the bodies’ physiological response to stress. It does not take into account other factors influencing an individual’s response to stress such as their thoughts, perceptions or feelings and how these cognitive and psychological factors impact upon their experience of stress itself (garysturt, 2004). Nonetheless the GAS was a hugely influential model which generated a lot of further study (currentnursing.com, 2014). Folkman Lazarus’ (1984) Cognitive Appraisal Theory of stress Unlike the GAS model of stress, the Cognitive Appraisal Theory of stress focuses on an individual’s cognition of a stressor which informs their emotional response. It is ‘a theory of emotion which implicates peoples personal interpretation of an event in determining their emotional reaction’ (psychcentral, 2014). The way in which an individual interprets the stressor is significant and according to Folkman and Lazarus we respond to a stressful event or situation by making a primary appraisal, during which we assess whether the event is harmful to us either physically or in terms of our esteem, core beliefs and our values or goals (Folkman, 1986). During the secondary appraisal (which can take place before, at the same time or after primary appraisal) we consider whether we have the resources to manage the stressor; the outcome of which affects our coping strategy. Coping strategies can be understood as either: problem based; where the stressor is perceived as a challenge and we generate strategies to manage it or solutions to remove it, or emotional based; where the problem is considered to be a threat that cannot be resolved and various coping strategies such as avoidance, distancing and acceptance are employed (blackswanstress, 2014). According to the Cognitive Appraisal of Stress model then, in response to a stressor we establish if there is a threat, employ coping strategies and then reassesses the threat which results in identification of emotional responses (Nicky Hayes, 1994). Stress is viewed in a more transactional sense, as a two way process in which individuals respond dynamically to their environment. Unlike the GAS model then, cognitive approaches are of paramount importance and it is a more fluid and responsive model, recognising the importance of the individual in each and every stress response. With reference to the case study, examine the evidence that there is a link between personality and stress. There is little dispute that life events can have a dramatic effect on an individual’s mental health, and even their physical health. However an individual’s reaction to a stressor is subjective and influenced by their cognitive and psychological makeup. An individual’s experience of stress will depend upon their personality. Kobasa (1979) proposed that this response to stressful events will be determined in part by an individual’s hardiness, with those low on hardiness more likely to experience psychological and physiological illness in response to stressful life events, whilst those high on hardiness are buffered to a certain extent from the effects of stress, using research amongst executives to back up this hypothesis. Hardiness is to be understood as having a sense of commitment (both individual and work related), as having an internal locus of control and, as a positive response to change viewing it more as a challenge and less as a threat (psych.uft .ed, 2014). Other studies of personality support the work done by Kobasa, for example Ironson (2010) completed a study on disease progression in HIV in which she found that ‘Those low on optimism (25th percentile) lost CD4 cells at a rate 1.55 times faster than those high on optimism (75th percentile) †¦ reap[ing] health benefits partly through behavioural (proactive behaviour), cognitive (avoidant coping), and affective (depression) pathways’. Although some studies such as Funk Houston 1987, and Schmid Lawler 1986, have not supported or replicated Kobasa’s findings it is believed that at least in terms of cognitive processes, personality and an individual’s subjective response to life situations (stressful or not) directly impact their experience of stress, and the degree to which they experience stress (fatih.edu.tr, 2014). With reference to the case study, Nick could be described as having low levels of hardiness. Although his commitment to his work seems high it is at the expense of his sense of commitment to himself (evidenced by his persistent failure to take a lunch break). In addition his feeling out of control may indicate that he has an external locus of control and finally his rigid attitude towards his work life may suggest that he might struggle with change, viewing it more as a threat and less as an opportunity. According to Kobasa et al, this could explain why he suddenly experienced chest pains (which could be either a panic attack or symptoms of a heart condition). Nick’s GP prescribed the anti-anxiety drug Benzodiazepine to help him cope with stress symptoms. Briefly explain how benzodiazapene works on the body Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter, which inhibits neuron activity in the brain. Around 40% of the brain responds to the presence of GABA and so when an individual takes benzodiazepine which boosts the activity of GBA, they experience a general calming effect, or a slowing down of the brain. ‘It [GABA] is in some ways the bodies natural hypnotic and tranquilizer’ (benzo.org.uk, 2014). The neurons are less responsive because they have become supercharged by the presence of chloride ions which have been channelled through GABA receptors. The presence of benzodiazepine (which locates itself within the GABA receptor site) serves to increase the rate at which chloride ions flood the neuron making it less responsive to other stimuli. Discuss two advantages and two disadvantages of taking benzodiazepine to relieve stress The advantages of benzodiazepines are that they are anxiolytic (relieve anxiety) and so reduce the physiological symptoms of a wide range of panic and anxiety disorders as well as phobias. They are also hypnotic and cause sleepiness which can assist with any sleep problems that an individual may experience (insomnia, or other kinds of sleep disorders often accompany anxiety). Over a short term period then, benzodiaepines can be beneficial, especially for those who suffer from anxiety and have disturbed patterns of sleep. However they are highly addictive and so cannot be used for more than a 4 week period, therefore they are not a solution in themselves and for this reason they are rarely prescribed in isolation. Usually some kind of CBT is prescribed concurrently with a course of benzodiazepine. In addition the body quickly adjusts to the drug and higher and higher doses are required to achieve the same affect. Nicks GP also suggested that he undertakes cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) Outline the main features of CBT and discuss its usefulness in treating stress. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a practical therapy which focuses on problems in the present, rather than issues from an individual’s past. The client and the CBT clinician will agree specific goals, and a strategy and timescale at the outset. There is a strong emphasis on the therapeutic relationship between the client and the clinician and the client is much more active in terms of putting the therapy into practice; the skills and techniques learnt during each session is ‘tested’ by the client in their homework. They are to experience directly through repeated practice whether or not these techniques are effective. The general underlying assumption of CBT is that maladaptive ways of thinking stem from cognitive errors which are to be challenged systematically throughout the course of the therapy. Different disorders are characterised by different cognitive errors. Because of this there is a wide variety of CBT methods available. The way in which CBT is delivered is also flexible and includes self-help (books, DVD’s and increasingly popular PC or online formats), group CBT (particularly useful with social phobias) and CBT informed specific interventions (training courses) (Graeme Whitefield, 2007). CBT is useful in treating stress because it challenges the core assumptions we make (our maladaptive thinking) that contribute or even create our experience of stress, or our interpretation of an event as stressful or not. In the above case study, Nicks belief that he requires control in the workplace, or that controlling his work environment is an achievable goal could be challenged. His homework would include different approaches to his working day such as ensuring he takes regular breaks and he would ‘see for himself’ the cognitive errors that have resulted in the maladaptive thinking that you have to be on the go all the time at work to succeed etc. Because CBT focuses on symptoms experienced in the here and now, and because stress is just such a symptom, it (CBT) is a very effective method of treating stress with a strong evidence base to support this (it is also cost effective and efficient in terms of time). Read the following case study and: Identify two life events and two daily hassles that could be causing Selina stress Selina’s mother has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and she has recently divorced from her husband. Both these are considered significant life events according to the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS). The scale ranks divorce as the second highest source of stress with a mean value of 73, whilst the change of health of a family member comes in at 11th on the scale with a mean value of 44. In terms of daily hassles her children frequently quarrel and she encounters congestion which can sometimes make the children late for school. How, according to Holmes and Rahe, do life events cause stress and how do they effect people in the long term? The Holmes and Rahe questionnaire identifies what it considers to be significant life events in the causation of stress, and ranks them according to the associated levels of stress that they would induce. Upon completing a questionnaire, individuals who scored highly (i.e. experienced a significant number of life events within the last twelve months) are expected to be at a greater chance of suffering from stress and developing illness than those who did not. The results of their studies showed a small positive correlation meaning that life events are part of (but not wholly) the cause of illnesses (simplypsychology, 2014). The kinds of physiological effects stress can have on the body include heart disease, high blood pressure, a repressed immune system and gastric ulcers (psychology4a, 2014). Other effects include being more prone to accidents. The underlying assumption being that these life events are negative changes and that they cause us to experience stress which in turn has a n effect on our wellbeing in the long term.

Importance of Parental Involvement with Students Essay -- parent-teach

In schools today, there is a growing need for strong home-to-school connections. Students are faced with ever-increasing decisions and they need a strong support system to fall back on, which would be their parents. Geert Driessen (2005) stated that parental involvement is being seen as an important strategy for reaching the best quality of education that is possible in schools. He also stated that the main objective for teachers should be to expand the social and cognitive capacities of the students. With expanding the social and cognitive capacities of the students the teachers are able to incorporate into their lessons about learning about life lessons and what the children will need to learn to survive in today?s world. With parental involvement the parents are able to continue the education at opportunities that teachers may never have with the students. Alyssa Gonzalez-DeHass (2005) went to state that there is a huge benefit from the relationship between parental involvemen t and the many motivational constructs, which include school engagement, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, perceived competence, perceived control, self-regulation, mastery goal orientation, and the motivation to read. When parents set a good role model for their children they are more likely to achieve the motivational constructs that are listed above. As educators in the 21st century, it is very easy to look at the state of schools in the present and to compare then with schools from twenty years ago. Geert Driessen (2005) stated that the importance of education should be on working with the parents to strengthen the cooperation between schools and parents and with that the teacher and the parents are creating many more learning opportuniti... ...nal achievement. The British Educational Research Journal, 31 (4), 509-532 Gonzalez-DeHass, Alyssa. (2005). Examining the relationship between parental involvement and student motivation. The Educational Psychology Review, 17 (2), 99-123. Griffith, J. (1997). Relation of parental involvement, empowerment, and school traits to student academic performance. The Journal of Educational Research, 90 (1), 33-41. Kelly, S. (2001). Do increased levels of parental involvement account for social class difference in track placement? Reports/Research, (143), 2-25. Lazar, A. & Slostad, F. (1999, March-April). How to overcome obstacles to parent-teacher partnerships. Clearing House, 72, 206. Retrieved March 29, 2006, from Academic Search Elite database. Machen, S. (2003). Parental involvement in the classroom. The Journal of Instructional Psychology, 32 (1), 13-16.

Richard Nixon :: essays research papers

Richard Milhouse Nixon was a very prominent politician in the mid 1900’s. His solid upbringing and vicious campaign tactics led to many political wins. It also led to many political enemies. Much of the public thought of him as a great American president until his down fall in March of 1973. I think that Richard Nixon was a good president, but in the end went to far.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Richard Nixon grew up in a small town in California. His dad operated and owned a grocery store where Nixon spent most of his time working. The town that he lived in was very religious and even prohibited alcohol. Nixon’s classmates thought of him as a cocky yet bright student. When Nixon was in high school his older brother died. This is the time when Nixon felt he had to prove something to his mother. Nixon’s first political campaign race was for senior class president. He lost. This was one of only two political loses ever dealt to Nixon in his whole political career. Nixon, after high school, was offered a scholarship to Harvard, but couldn’t go because family illness. Nixon went to college and later law school and became a known Republican in his area. Nixon was now going to run for public office.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nixon’s first stab at political office was when he ran for the Republican seat in the House of Representatives against Jerry Voorhis. Nixon started his dirty campaigning in this election when he made suggestions that Jerry Voorhis might be a Communist. This is where I feel Nixon went to far. In a public election you let the people decide whether or not Jerry Voorhis is a Communist. That is why the people have the right to vote. If you use the name-calling tactic you are completely going against the reason public elections are held. Nixon won his seat in the House of Representatives. While he was in the House he was on the Un-American Activities Commission. This “commission'; specialized in the hunting down of Communists in America. This is one of the sickest displays of American paranoia I can even think about. These people on the commission would scare, coax, and make people say that their neighbors, colleagues, and sometimes-even relatives were Commu nists and then they would put the people whose name they got in black books. These black books would assure that the person couldn’t get a job or get a loan or even friends.

black and chinese americans :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the present day, people view America as a land where everyone can be seen equal to one another, but this was not always the case. In the 1800s black and Chinese Americans went through a ruthless period of discrimination, due to the white man’s ignorance. Even though the Chinese and blacks were singled out they both were treated differently but also had many similarities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harsh treatment, long hours, and extremely low wages were only a small part of the brutal-ness both races faced. The Chinese men came to America hoping to provide a better life for theirs families back in China. Most of them received jobs working for the corrupted railroad companies. They faced horrific working conditions, which some died from, low wages, and long hours. The Chinese men wasted years of their lives and sacrificed seeing their families so that they can make enough money to support them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The blacks have faced similar conditions to the Chinese men. They too worked long hours and earned very low pay. Many of the blacks became sharecroppers once they were emancipated. Sharecroppers were tenant farmers who gave a share of the crops raised to the landlord in lieu of rent. These landlords were cruel and took a good portion of the crops grown by the black farmers. Whatever the landlords did not take was left for farmer and his family, which was not much. They had to survive through the winter with the limited supply. Both the Chinese and blacks could not do anything about the working conditions due to the fact they could not unite and form labor unions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though both Chinese and blacks faced many similarities they also had differences. The blacks have lived in American for generations while the Chinese were just starting to immigrate. Blacks were forced to come to America to be slaves as opposed to the Chinese coming here by their own free will. Also the America did not allow Chinese women into the country due to the fear of an even more rapid rate of increase in the Chinese population, while black women were in the country and had a prominent role in their family lives. Another difference between the two races was that the black Americans had families in the country and the Chinese left their families back in China. Another differentiation was that once the blacks were emancipated most stayed in America while a good number of the Chinese left to go back home.

My Dreamed Husband

Good afternoon everyone present. Today, I would like to talk about â€Å"My Dreamed Husband†. We all have very high expectations or ideals about our future husbands. It is quite natural to have preconceived ideas about our future husbands. It will indeed, be rare to find a husband with all the virtues and qualities that we exalt. Perhaps that is the reason why some relationships that have strong initial potential tend to become sour. It is not wrong to have dreams and fantasies about our future husbands but they should remain just that – dreams and fantasies. In reality we have to adapt ourselves and accommodate our spouses’ faults and shortcomings to make marriages successful alliances. I also have my dreams and fantasies of how my dreamed husband should be. In the first place, he should be a gem of character with a heart of gold. Good character and personality traits top my list of priorities. I would not want a man with Mel Gibson’s physique or Robert Redford’s charm because, then, he would be sought after by every other woman and if he happens to have a roving eye, then he may be unfaithful. No, I would prefer a man with average looks but who has a good reputation and without any major flaws in his character. My dreamed husband should also share some of my interests. I am an extrovert and I enjoy socializing and meeting people. Similarly, I would also expect my dreamed husband to be outgoing and friendly. I also enjoy shopping and travelling. I have expensive hobbies and therefore tend to be extravagant. It is, therefore, quite natural for me to expect my husband to be thrifty and who would, at the same time, try to curb my spending habits. Although I would like my dreamed husband with a financially secure job, I would not like him to be over-ambitious and put his career above his family. If his focus is solely on enhancing his career prospects, he might neglect his family. He might also insist that I stay home and take care of the children. As I hope to be a career woman, I will not be satisfied to be a mere housewife. I would love to be financially independent. Like most girls, I hope that I can find a perfect man in my future. He does not have to be a gorgeous-looking man but he must be a loving and responsible man. Not only should he be a good conversationalist but he should also have a good sense of humor. That, in a nutshell, are some the things I look for in my dreamed husband.

Organization of the Police Department

Running a police department and preventing crime can be a complex task. Every individual within the police department including patrol officers, detectives, and clerical staff are vital in maintaining smooth order within the department and community. The organization of the police department is only effective when the officers know his or her roll and can fulfill the assigned duties based on the area, time, and purpose of the mission. The organization of the police department is what ensures an easy flowing and effective department. The organization does not just include the chain of command, but it includes how each officer will maintain order in the community by working different shifts and locations. Police officers can patrol the community in different areas known as beats or posts, zones, and precincts. A beat or post is generally a small area in which one or two officers can patrol by either squad car or on foot. The beat or post officers should be familiar with the people and businesses within the area, and also be aware of the risks and concerns in which officers may need to seek additional assistance. However, the beat or post area should be large enough to prevent boredom, but small enough to maintain with limited manpower (Dempsey & Frost, 2005). Next, a zone area within a community is when â€Å"a number of individual beats are grouped together† (Dempsey & Frost, 2005, p. 72). The purpose of zonal policing is to implement community policing, while providing a fast response time, performing visible patrols, and providing localized service to the community based on its needs (City of Windhoek, 2010). Finally, a precinct is an entire group of beats or posts in a specific area within a community. A precinct is used in larger communities with more officer manpower than a traditional small town. This keeps officers in assigned areas to ensure rapid response time and organization (Dempsey & Frost, 2005). Every police department across the world has to make good use of time and manpower to avoid stress and fatigue, and to ensure that more officers are on shift during the highest times of call volume. Police departments run on shifts that ensure that there are officers on duty 24-hours a day. Some departments may operate the three-tour system, whereas other departments may use fixed tours. The three-tour system uses three shifts a day that operates on either 8 or 12 hours per officer. Sometimes the shifts may overlap which can be used for additional manpower to patrol the community or used for training purposes. However, the numbers of officers may vary per shift due to the typical call volume every day. Some cities may experience a higher call volume at night; therefore, there is a need for a higher percentage of officers on the graveyard shift compared to the morning or afternoon shift. Additionally, the stress of the three-tour system can affect the personal life of the police officer and cause additional stress because the officer may work rotating shifts. Rotating shifts is when an officer may work all nights for an entire week, then the next week the officer may work the morning or afternoon shift to accommodate the three-tour system. The other type of shift, which is a fixed shift, is when officers are assigned to mornings, afternoons, or nights and usually maintain the same schedule. This option for the shift can be based on seniority; however, it does ensure that each officer gets adequate time for personal and social time (Dempsey & Frost, 2005). Another way to organize a police department is to place particular functions into separate groups to ensure a continuous flow throughout the department, as well as to prevent any confusion inside the department. The best way to keep the department organized is by grouping each job title together and keeping them separate from the rest. For instance, patrol officers should be grouped in the same unit, detectives should be grouped in another unit, and administration should be kept separate from these two groups. However, those are not the only groups within the department that should be kept separated. There are other positions such as juvenile, evidence, and communications that need to be secluded from other groups (City of Iowa City, Iowa, 2011). The purpose of each police department, however, is to ensure citizen safety by maintaining order within the community, enforcing state and local laws, as well as providing service to each member of the community (Dempsey & Frost, 2011). Although the tasks of the police department seem to be vast and complex, in reality each department is setup to provide organized service to the ommunity through careful planning of area, time, and purpose. Additionally, the way each police department is setup, it provides better service by ensuring that each area of the community is covered and that each officer has sufficient time to be relieved from duties for essential sleep, socializing, exercise, and family time. The planning and organizing of each department is as important as the protection and services that the department provides for each commun ity.

In Othello, Shakespeare creates characters who reinforce social stereotypes and others who abandon more traditional roles

In this essay I aim to discuss the way Shakespeare creates characters who reinforce social stereotypes and others who abandon more traditional roles and how it helps his play by looking at the language form and structure. In Shakespeare's time there were different standings in class, race and in gender, men were above women and whites were above blacks a character that reinforces this stereotype of the time is the character of Brabantio, he is the father of Desdemona who is the object of Othello's heart. Othello is black and Desdemona is white, these two being together let alone married would've been a great shock to audiences in Shakespeare's time, so Shakespeare needed a character to represent the way most people think and this was Brabantio. An example of Branbantio as being stereotypical is when he says where hast thou stowed my daughter? Damned as though art, though hast enchanted her. This shows him as being stereotypical in a varied number of ways the first being he believes that Othello has used magic to make his daughter love him which shows the belief of the dark arts at this time but also the only reasons he believes Othello has used dark arts to enslave his daughter is because he is black, black people at this time were very much looked down upon and were thought of evil and users of the dark arts so it is understandable to the audience of Shakespeare that Brabantio is so annoyed and shocked although it would be different now. Another way he shows thast he is stereotypical is by the way he thinks he knows that his daughter could not love a black person and should only love the people he sees good enough for her this taking away her rights and feelings are being disregarded but at this time it was normal for the women to be objectified and men control them. Brabantio also shows the stereotypical view of a patriarch in this society and he believes that Othello is a direct threat to the patriarchal society he believes that the pagans will be come statesman which in his eyes would create social chaos an example of this belief is shown when he states for instance Bond slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be. This statement would shock most people of a high standing of this time, the play would have been performed in England and even the thought of this happening in England is preposterous and would decrease the amount of people going to this, so Shakespeare deliberately sets the play in Venice where there are more blacks and it is somewhere fair away from home so it is believable to the audience but other than the fact that it tells you this play is set in Venice, nearly all of the characters can be directly linked to the English lifestyle at the time. On numerous occasions Brabantio makes numerous comments showing his stereotypical views on his daughter and shows that he thinks he owns her by objectifying her, a quote that supports this idea is â€Å"Ay to me, she is abused, stolen from me and corrupted† when he says this you can see he sees his daughter as his own and only thinks she should do what he thinks she should. A character that is not stereotypical and abandons their own typical role in this play is Desdemona she does this by disobeying her father and society by marrying a black man who is seen as a peasant in her fathers eyes, the time this play was shown daughters and women alike were controlled by men, so the disobedience of Desdemona would surprise the audience and is also the reason that Brabantio thinks that Othello has poisoned her with magic but as Othello denies using magic to win her over by saying that it was his stories that she fell in love with, Desdemona also states that she should be loyal like her mother to her husband, which uses her own fathers patriarchal views against him but this is also uncommon at this time as she is choosing her lover instead of her father causing much anger as she is not dropping in line like a girl should in this time. Furthermore Desdemona is not a typical woman of the time that should be quiet love there husband and obey their father, Desdemona has different ideas of what she wants and Othello believes that she fell in love with him because of his stories and that she wants to become a great warrior and all he represented, a quote that shows this is when Othello tells us â€Å"She wished she had not heard it, yet she wished that heaven made her such a man† this suggests that Desdemona does not love Othello for his heart but for what he represents to her, a black man who should be looked down and despised upon becoming a great warrior and even gaining the respect of her father, she had never met anyone of this type before and she became hooked but the fact that she told Othello † If I had that loved her. I should teach him how to tell my story† shows that she was flirting and really does love him causing distress to father and others that have tried to court her before. Othello is another character that defies stereotypes and standing at this time as he has overcome many a trial in his lifetime, he is a black man living a white orientated world and to get to his standing and stature as one of the heads of the Venetian army's as the Venetian empire at this time had much power behind it with strongholds as Venice and Verona his shows how much of a struggle it was to get there and makes it more surprising, from being a slave sold from Africa to a warrior and being respected for his talent and not prejudged due to his skin colour. In his speech he tells us that he has been through many a hardships of war and slavery telling us he has had a hard life and the use of language tells that he is going to go through more hardships but with Desdemona we can see this when he says â€Å"but that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition† he is saying her that he would give up his freedom from slavery to stay with her, this is an i dealised romantic notion which is not practical which in turn shows us that it will end in tragedy.

What are the similarities and differences in the very disturbed or disturbing characters which are presented in Havisham, Hitcher and The Laboratory?

There are many similarities between each of the characters in these poems but they also all vary in many ways.It appears that all of the characters are homicidal or otherwise intent on violence towards another person,but each of the characters does it in a different way. The poem â€Å"Havisham† is is a monologue spoken by Miss Havisham, a character in Dickens ‘Great Expectations'.After being left at the alter by he fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, she continues to wear her wedding dress and sit in her room without washing or changing her clothes for the rest of her life, while she plots revenge on all men.She tells the reader that has has prayed everyday for the death of her fiance and that her eyes have shrunk hard and her hands have sinews strong enough to strangle with – which fits her murderous wish for revenge on her, â€Å"beloved sweetheart bastard.Not a day since then have I not wished him dead.† Read this  Respiratory Activity Though Miss Havisham has not actually harmed another person she is willing to and wants to either kill or badly hurt the man who left her standing at the altar. She is similar to the speaker in Hitcher by her wish to hurt another person but she is has more in common with the speaker from The Laboratory because she has also been hurt by a man and wishes revenge. The poem â€Å"Hitcher† has a character who expresses violence in a completely different manner.The poem is a sort of monlogue where the speaker casually admits to possibly murdering an innocent hitchhiker.The speaker tells us that he has been taking time off work – faking illness and not answering his phone. Being threatened with the sack, he goes in to work again and gets a lift to his hired car. As he drives out of Leeds he picks up a hitchhiker who is travelling light and has no set destination. Some little way later he attacks his passenger, and throws him out of the still-moving car. The last he sees of the hiker, he is â€Å"bouncing off the kerb, then disappearing down the verge† – we do not know if he is dead or just badly injured. The driver does not appear to care. The speaker in this poem has actually harmed or possibly killed another person and does not seem even slightly troubled by what he has done. This person is similar to the other speakers because he wants to hurt people but is largely different because he has actually carried out his actions by killing or injuring somone instead of wishing or plotting. The Laboratory is a poem about a woman in 18th century France who is planning to kill her rival in front of her lover at the King's palace. It is in the form of a monologue and she is at an alchemist's shop or an apothacary, telling the proprieter about her plans.As she tells the shop owner and the reader of what she plans to do she expresses an interest in the type of poison the old man is preparing and exactly what it will do to her victim- – like the gum in the â€Å"mortar†.†This seems to suggest that she is unstable in someway or becoming deluded.The speaker has begun with a specific purpose – of poisoning one person – but now she seems to want to poison more than one person (Pauline and Elise). The desire and will to inflict pain on others is a similarity is still present in this poem.The speaker in this poem is closer to actually commiting murder than the speaker in ‘Havisham' but has not yet gone as far as possibly killing someone like in ‘Hitcher'. Overall there are many similarities and differences between all of the speakers in the poems.All show signs of a decaying sanity because of what has happened to them.Though each either plans to commit murder or has commited murder because of a different reason or in a different manner.

Balance Sheet and Tax Basis

Week 5 Problem Solution Set Accounting/547 October 5th, 2012 Chapter 15, #83 a) Significant tax issues or concerns that may differ across entity types are: * The business structure’s flexibility * Protection of the liability * The time and cost of organizing the entity Significant non-tax issues or concerns that may differ across entity types are: * Lowering of self-employment and FICA taxes * Flexibility of special allocations * Adding new owners b) My recommendation for forming CCS is LLC.I chose LLC because the organizing business members may reduce their individual tax liabilities by operating as a LLC. CCS should be concerned about FICA and self-employment taxes. LLCs must pay self-employment taxes. As the business grows past 3-4 years, I recommend CCS to look at the possibility of switching to and S Corporation. At this point, compensation needs may have reduced and the members would wish to fully benefit from self-employment tax removal. Chapter 19, #39 A. What amount o f gain or loss does Zhang realize on the transfer of the property to her corporation?Loss Realized = FMV(Stock Received)+Mortgage Assumed–AdjustedTaxBasis = $300,000 + $100,000 – $410,000 Loss Realized= ($10,000) B. What amount of gain or loss does Zhang recognize on the transfer of the property to corporation. No loss is recognized on this transfer because of the requirements of Section 351. C. What is Zhang’s tax basis in the stock she receives in the exchange? Tax Basis = Substituted Basis of the Assets Transferred – Assumed Mortgage = $410,000 – $100,000 Tax Basis= $310,000 D. What is the corporation’s tax-adjusted basis in each of the assets received in the exchange?The corporation’s carryover basis is $400,000; the value of assets received minus the aggregate loss on the assets transferred applied to land. Inventory = $10,000, Building = $100,000, and Land = $290,000. Assume the corporation assumed a mortgage of $500,000 attache d to the building and land. Assume the fair market value of the building is now $250,000 and the fair market value of the land is $530,000. The fair market value of the stock remains $300,000. E. How much, if any, gain or loss does Zhang recognize on the exchange assuming the revised facts?Realized Gain: $300K Stock FMV + $500K Mortgage – $410K Aggregate Tax Basis = $390,000 Realized Gain Tax Basis of Property: $500K – $410K = $90,000 Zhang would recognize a gain of $90,000 on the transfer under the new conditions since the assumed liability is greater than the total tax basis of the transferred property. F. What is Zhang’s tax basis in the stock she receives in the exchange? Tax Basis of Stock Received = Tax Adjusted Property Basis Transferred + Exchange Gain Recognized – Mortgage Assumed $410,000 + $90,000 – $500,000 = 0, Zhang can defer recognition of the $300,000 in stock. G. What is the corporation’s tax-adjusted basis in each of the as sets received in the exchange? Inventory = $10,000 + ($20,000/$800,000 x $90,000) = $12,250 Building = $100,000 + ($250,000 / $800,000 x $90,000)= $128,125 Land= $300,000 + ($530,000 / $800,000 x $90,000) = $359,625 Total= Inventory + Building + Land = $12,250 + $128,125 + $359,625 Total = $500,000 The corporation’s total tax basis is the $410,000 carryover basis plus the gain recognized on the exchange.

Case study on Google.com Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Case study on Google.com - Essay Example The company also serves corporate clients, including advertisers, content publishers and site managers with cost-effective advertising and a wide range of revenue generating search services. Google's breakthrough technology and continued innovation serve the company's mission of "organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful.""( http://www.google.com.au/profile.html) As a company Google holds the reputation of the pioneer company in website maintenance, and maintains a website which is one of the most popular in demand. It serves the need of a five year old as well as fifty year old. The search engine has attracted interest of great number of internet users because of its simple design and user-friendly interface. Google has been able to achieve this by maintaining an index of more than 8 million web pages on the web. The versatility of the search engine has appeal to wide range of customers and any one with an Internet connection can use this website to search for information. Google has achieved the status of brand name search engine because of its popularity, ease of use and the wide indexing of categories. The user interface is user-friendly and has versatility and appeal to hundreds of languages worldwide. It is also a very popular advertising medium for other sources, and this is the main source of revenue. "The company generates revenue t hrough the advertising programs. The advertising program consists of advertisers advertising with Google and then Google uses its search technology selecting which web page should host the ad. Every time someone clicks the ad revenue is shared between Google and the publisher of page where the ad is being hosted." (http://www.19.5degs.com/element/19344.php) Revenue is also accumulated through Google Search Appliance, which is hardware and software solution that companies can use to implement Google search technology to their internal and external information. Google maintains a very efficient network of support in 14 countries with 25 sales offices spread out in major locations.. Apart from providing support to existing users there exists direct sales teams. These teams target advertisers with large advertising budgets and are more in a role of relationship building than one off sales. (http://www.19.5degs.com/element/19344.php) Google has been primarily recognized as company with primary interest and focus in the area of web content. Google had made attempts to diversify its umbrella with experimenting interest in other markets like radio and print publications. This is confirmed by the fact that in 2006, Google announced its first purchase of a radio advertising company "dMarc", which provides an automated system that allows companies to advertise on radio. (Levingston, 2006) Google is making strides to combine tow niche advertising media-the internet and radio. This strategic union of the two synergistic media streams combined with Google's ability to penetrate and focus on the tastes of the consumers, is an invincible attribute of the company. In the process of diversification Google has also focused on selling advertisements from his advertisers in offline newspapers and magazines. They have been filling unsold space in the newspaper that would normally have been used in for

Hiring a Bank Teller Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hiring a Bank Teller - Assignment Example satisfies the requisite skill, experience, education and other job-related requirements of the employment position such individual holds or desires, and who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of such position. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability against a qualified individual† (Manju Banerjee et al 144). If Anna were to file a suit, the burden of proof would be on her to prove that she was in fact a qualified individual who would be able to handle the job functions that the boss described to her in the interview process. The crux of the issue with regards to the critical terms related to the ADA and their requisite consideration hinges upon the letter of the law with regards to whether Anna could ultimately represent the â€Å"skill† and â€Å"job related requirements† that the teller position required. Although Dave found himself in a difficult situation, and ultimately asked an illegal interview question, the fact of the matter was that he was ultimately unsure if she would be able to live up to the job related requirements that Dave required of all his bank tellers. In a word, Yes. If the employer is able to show that he/she cannot provide the accommodations that the individual requires because the cost of doing this would place an unreasonable burden on the company – it is possible that he/she may not have to do this. 5. What about Carl’s point the multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease and that Anna will almost certainly get worse, thus creating potential problems of absenteeism and health care costs. Can Dave consider this issue in his decision? The answer to this is both yes and no; however the fact remains that these factors should not enter into the discussion due to the fact that they are future eventualities and not based on anything other than the employer’s interpretation of stated fact and conjecture. Ultimately, he is unable and bound by law NOT to ask Anna bout

Madoffs Ponzi Scheme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Madoffs Ponzi Scheme - Essay Example Still it took a long time to assess for the authorities to verify that it was a Ponzi scheme. It was one of the most cold-blooded, deliberately devised and implemented Ponzi scheme. This fraud had serious impact on people’s view about investment. All investors start viewing investment firms and charities with a lot of suspicion and firms faced a considerable fall in business. The only positive element was the fact that it acted as an eye-opener for both the authorities and the public. While public became aware about the need to be careful about the promises of unbelievably high returns, the authorities too understood the need for new statutes to prevent such frauds. Madoff’s intentions still remain a mystery It still remains a mystery why such a prominent figure who was well aware about the movements in the market and also about the implications of such a Ponzi scheme decided to implement such a devilish idea that caused irrevocable loss to many people. It is yet to be resolved as to why he went on paying the withdrawals if he wanted to cheat the investors. In addition, Madoff tried to hold back the firm’s imminent fall ten days before his arrest by receiving a huge sum of 250 million dollar from a close friend (Frank and Efrati). It seems closer to insanity that he admitted that his scheme was a Ponzi scheme and that he did not invest any money as had promised. However, it seems a calculated move that he managed to keep all his family members away from legal complexities by taking the responsibility of the fraud all to himself. One has to assume that seeing his irrational behavior, all other members managed to secure their position by avoiding any position in the company that involved the responsibility of money management. However, a man who could con the authorities and auditors for nearly two decades could easily devise a better plan than this Ponzi scheme if he wanted to. Thus, it still is to be ascertained as to why he chose a Ponzi s cheme, the outcome of which he knew pretty well. The best assumption possible is that his extreme wizardry might have turned him insane. I. What are the ethical issues involved in Madoff case? One has to admit the fact that the Madoff’s system was unethical in nature from head to toe as the scheme was a Ponzi scheme. While attracting the investors, Madoff was well aware of the imminent failure of the scheme. All financial experts and even common investors are well aware of the fact that Ponzi scheme always fail due to its own weight as such schemes require an ever-increasing flow of money to pay the retiring and withdrawing clients. Once the inflow of fund diminishes, the system collapses. 1) Misusing the office of trust The first element of unethical practice is in Madoff’s misusing his position of repute in the society. He was an educated and experienced person in a position of trust, respectability, responsibility and trust. The aura of authority he created in this field is evident from the list of his clients including influential people, big organizations and even banks. Some of them were The Fairfield Greenwich Group, Tremont Group Holdings and Westport National Bank. All his investors gave him money on the belief that there were many checks and balances to make his investment plan legitimate.