Risk in Banking Sector

Paper presentation On Risk in banking sector. Abstract: The structure of the paper is three-fold, where we begin by what is risk in banking scenario and its effects on internal operations of a bank, followed by the various types of risk in Indian banks and what can be done or the measurements taken and finally the future look. Introduction: The Indian Financial System is tasting success of a decade of financial sector reforms. The economy is surging and has gathered the critical mass to convert it into a force to reckon with.The regulatory framework in India has sparked growth and key structural reforms have improved the asset quality and profitability of banks. Growing integration of economies and the markets around the world is making global banking a reality. The RBI requires all banks to comply with the standardized approach of the BASEL II accord by 31st March, 2007. This paper attempts to project the implications of this transition and its effects on the internal operations of a bank followed by its effects on the banking industry and the economy.What is Risk? For the purpose of these guidelines financial risk in a banking organization is possibility that the outcome of an action or event could bring up adverse impacts. Such outcomes could either result in a direct loss of earnings / capital or may result in imposition of constraints on bank’s ability to meet its business objectives Regardless of the sophistication of the measures, banks often distinguish between expected and unexpected losses.Expected losses are those that the bank knows with reasonable certainty will occur (e. g. , the expected default rate of corporate loan portfolio or credit card portfolio) and are typically reserved for in some manner. Unexpected losses are those associated with unforeseen events (e. g. Losses due to a sudden down turn in economy or falling interest rates). Types of risk in banks: In the course of their operations, banks are invariably faced with different ty pes of risks that may have a potentially negative effect on their business.The risks to which a bank is particularly exposed in its operations are: liquidity risk, credit risk, market risks (interest rate risk, foreign exchange risk and risk from change in market price of securities, financial derivatives and commodities), exposure risks, investment risks, risks relating to the country of origin of the entity to which a bank is exposed, operational risk, legal risk, reputational risk and strategic risk. Liquidity risk:  is the risk of negative effects on the financial result and capital of the bank caused by the bank’s inability to meet all its due obligations.Credit risk:  is the risk of negative effects on the financial result and capital of the bank caused by borrower’s default on its obligations to the bank. Market risk:  includes interest rate and foreign exchange risk. Interest rate: risk  is the risk of negative effects on the financial result and capita l of the bank caused by changes in interest rates. Foreign exchange: risk  is the risk of negative effects on the financial result and capital of the bank caused by changes in exchange rates.A special type of market risk is the  risk of change in the market price  of securities, financial derivatives or commodities traded or tradable in the market. Exposure risks:  include risks of bank’s exposure to a single entity or a group of related entities, and risks of banks’ exposure to a single entity related with the bank. Investment risks:  include risks of bank’s investments in entities that are not entities in the financial sector and in fixed assets.Operational risk:  is the risk of negative effects on the financial result and capital of the bank caused by omissions in the work of employees, inadequate internal procedures and processes, inadequate management of information and other systems, and unforeseeable external events. Legal risk:  is the risk of loss caused by penalties or sanctions originating from court disputes due to breach of contractual and legal obligations, and penalties and sanctions pronounced by a regulatory body.Reputational risk:  is the risk of loss caused by a negative impact on the market positioning of the bank. Strategic risk:  is the risk of loss caused by a lack of a long-term development component in the bank’s managing team. Risk management: Risk Management is a discipline at the core of every financial institution and encompasses all the activities that affect its risk profile. In every financial institution, risk management activities broadly take place simultaneously at following different hierarchy levels. a) Strategic level: It encompasses risk management functions performed by senior management and BOD. For instance definition of risks, formulating strategy and policies for managing risk etc; b) Macro Level: It encompasses risk management within a business area or across business l ines. Generally the risk management activities performed by middle management. c) Micro Level: It involves ‘On-the-line’ risk management where risks are actually created.This is the risk management activities performed by individuals who take risk on organization’s behalf such as front office and loan origination functions. Risk management in bank operations includes risk identification, measurement and assessment, and its objective is to minimize negative effects risks can have on the financial result and capital of a bank. Banks are therefore required to form a special organizational unit in charge of risk management. Also, they are required to prescribe procedures for risk identification, easurement and assessment, as well as procedures for risk management. The future: Risk management activities will be more pronounced in future banking because of liberalization, deregulation and global integration of financial markets. This would be adding depth and dimension to the banking risks. As the risks are correlated, exposure to one risk may lead to another risk, therefore management of risks in a proactive, efficient & integrated manner will be the strength of the successful banks Conclusion:By taking measures the smaller banks would not have sufficient resources to withstand the intense competition of the sector. Banks would evolve to be a complete and pure financial services provider, catering to all the financial needs of the economy. Flow of capital will increase and setting up of bases in foreign countries will become commonplace. Finally, the economy will stand to benefit as the banking sector develops. Savings will be mobilized in the right direction and the required funds needed for the country's development will be made available.

“Archetypes for a Contemporary Audience” Essay

Myths are an important cultural aspect that were, and are to this day, used commonly to help teach morals and life lessons. Strength, courage, and fortitude are just a few characteristics addressed in mythology. The archetypal layout of an exemplary story is composed of the Twelve Stages. The Twelve Stages of a hero’s journey are the steps every person must take in order to prove one’s self as a hero. Mythical heroes such as Theseus, Sigurd, and Beowulf clearly demonstrate the archetypal qualities of a hero. A typical hero is seen as a morally just individual, with a noticeably ethical intent. An archetypal quality of a hero is moral goodness. The hero is always opposing evil and wrong-doing, while attempting his best to halt it. The hero is selfless always willing to give his life in place of another. A villain, or monster, is the opposed force of the hero, whose intent is solely based around a malicious and self-centered motive. The shadow-self of a character is often portrayed as the villain, or monster, but it has a much greater importance. The shadow-self illustrates the two extremes of a personality. Since the shadow-self is the complete opposite of a character, the good and bad qualities of that character are shown, the shadow self of a character can have both good and bad aspects. When someone is able to control the good aspects of both characters, the individual is able to grow and learn from themselves. The shadow-self is often used in literature, because it is seen as the perfect challenge for the protagonist. An example in literature would be Beowulf and Grendel. Beowulf is a great hero driven by good morals and intentions, while Grendel is a soulless monster living only to cause pain and death. Another example would be Sigurd and Regin. Sigurd is somewhat naive and physically strong, Regin, being the opposite, is extremely intelligent and persuasive, but not physically robust. Monsters are often confused with the shadow-self, but the monster can share similar qualities, values, and goals with the protagonist. Most monsters are shown as creatures, or people, who are not bound by the conforming laws set in place for the average person. In many cases with monsters in literature, there is a figurative veil drawn over them; shrouding them in mystery and uncertainty. These aspects draw people’s fascination by providing the reader with a form of escapism. Thus, allowing the reader to break away from the dull, constant, day-to-day routine of  their lives, and discover a new unfamiliar world. By providing this new reality for the reader the monster’s role in the narrative is greatly enhanced. When combining heroic qualities with villainous attributes, a perfect balance is formed. Most literature contains some manner of conflict between heroes and villains. Without conflict, the story would have no distinguishable design or purpose. Without the purpose or design the story would ramble aimlessly, until a much desired conclusion is reached. This leads back into the balance between hero and villain, because the existence of a hero or villain depends greatly upon the existence of the other. The reason for this is simple, because there is no need for a hero if there is no villain, and the same applies to a villain, who has no hero to rise up against. The voyage and quest of a hero is often riddled with hardship and treachery: Then an old harrower of the dark happened to find the hoard open, the burning one who hunts out barrows, the slick-skinned dragon, threatening the night sky with streamers of fire. People on the farms are in dread of him. He is driven to hunt out hoards under ground, to guard heathen gold†¦ When the dragon awoke, trouble flared again. He rippled down the rock, writhing with anger when he saw the footprints of the prowler who had stolen too close to his dreaming head. So may a man not marked by fate easily escape exile and woe by the grace of God. (Heaney-155) This quote from Beowulf shows that quest for treasure is always challenging. The road to the treasure is filled with tests and confrontations that are put in place to challenge the hero’s skills and knowledge. When the location of the treasure is finally reached, there is always a final obstacle blocking the way of the treasure. A common example of this is a dragon in its lair, sleeping soundly, guarding its treasure from unwanted thieves. Beowulf’s final fight with the dragon is an obvious example. In the story, â€Å"Theseus and the Ariadne Thread† Theseus uses a thread given to him by Ariadne. â€Å"As may be imagined, he made no difficulty about that, and she gave him the clue she had got from Daedalus, a ball of thread which he was to fasten at one end to the inside of the door and unwind as he went on. This he did and, certain that he could retrace his steps whenever he chose, he walked boldly into the maze, looking for the Minotaur.†(â€Å"Theseus† 776) The thread was used to help Theseus remember where he had already been,  and to lead him back to his original starting position, and keep him from getting lost in the maze. A valuable lesson can be learned from this thread, as it symbolizes connection to a person, place, or thing that brings us back to reality, when we are in need of direction. The slaying of the dragon is seen as the overcoming of an obstacle: After what seemed minutes, he thought, I must risk it now. With that he straightened his knees and drove the sword upward with all his force. It tore up through the cloak, through the loose earth, and on with the force of his arm until it buried itself to the hilt. A great cry came from the monster. (Who Are You Quoting Here?) Being able to overcome an obstacle is important, because it allows the person to undergo change and growth. As a contemporary audience we are able to read this, and be able to apply the knowledge gained from reading, in our own lives. The heroic epic poem Beowulf is a remarkable example of archetypes in a story. Beowulf is centered on a Scandinavian hero who is both strong and cunning. Beowulf is the classic hero everyone envisions when they think of a hero. Grendel, Beowulf’s shadow-self, is an obvious archetypal villain. Beowulf’s many quests represent the typical hunt for treasure. Beowulf’s final adventure, which would lead to his death, was by far the most archetypal of all of his endeavors, completing the last few stages of the Hero’s Journey. The poem Beowulf has a lot of psychological depth contained within the story. In preparation for the battle with Grendel’s mother, Beowulf must sink to the bottom of a lake, to get to the underwater lair. Beowulf must sink for hours to get to the bottom, and in doing so, this event displays that Beowulf’s mental strength is just as robust as his physical strength. Once Beowulf reached Grendel’s mother’s lair, Hrunting, a sword that had never failed in battle, was broken when it attempted to pierce the monster’s skin. Beowulf was quick to disarm the sword and reequip with a giant’s  sword, which happened to be conveniently placed in the lair. The significance of this in the story demonstrates the idea that un-useful things should be quickly discarded, as they are only weighing you down. Letting go of things that only slow you down, or hold you back from your true potential, will free you to move forward in your life’s quest. Once an obstacle, or hindrance, in your life is gone, you are able to look for another alternative or way out. The last important archetypal piece in Beowulf is Beowulf’s final fight with the dragon. This fulfills two of the 12 stages: The Resurrection and the Return with the Elixir. When Beowulf defeats the dragon, but is also killed in the process, the resurrection is displayed when Beowulf comes to release his death. When Beowulf realizes his death is upon him he reminisces about his old heroic deeds, and comprehends the valor of his actions. The twelfth stage is exemplified when Wiglaf, the only one of Beowulf’s men who didn’t desert him, retrieves some of the treasure, won by Beowulf, and shows Beowulf the spoils. Finally, when Wiglaf returns to the people and tells them of Beowulf’s death, along with a prediction of the upcoming days, the people fully realize what their leader has done for them, and they feel sorrow and remorse. The works of literature Beowulf, â€Å"Sigurd the Dragon Slayer†, and â€Å"Theseus† still maintain relevance in today’s society. The heroic qualities of these heroes are still admired and sought after by the people of today. Reading these stories will provide the reader with a greater knowledge of how our society bases its morals. The morals of any society are based on the archetype of whom ever that society deems to be the ultimate â€Å"good† example. The age old battle between good and evil is still being fought out in everyday life, and each one of us is a character in the drama of human history. We all need heroes, because we all feel the threat of evil, or villains, in our lives.

The Setting Affects Treatment And Management Strategies That Might be Essay

The Setting Affects Treatment And Management Strategies That Might be Employed In Clinical Practice of Podiatry - Essay Example This essay stresses that government came up with its ambitious agenda with National Service Framework Older People in 2001. The strategies was not just focused on the health or social care, rather it was based on the total well being of the older people. It promoted the independence of the older people by providing them support to compress the morbidity. It promoted the overall well being of older people living in community or home. Each setting like domiciliary, care home, school and community hospital has different features. The domiciliary setting where in the old people will be at their home requires certain specific skills from the professional i.e. follow of ethical standard of work, respecting the privacy of the patient and family. This paper makes a conclusion that various settings have certain limitations which have impact on the clinical practice of podiatry. These limitations can be based on skill and expertise of professionals to the facilities and resources available within that setting. The podiatry related problems are more prone in the old age group due to their aging body. There are several problems which can be taken care of with initial efforts of individuals. The treatment strategies at the domiciliary level will be simpler than the treatment strategies at the hospital based on the problems. The setting affects treatment and management strategies that might be employed in clinical practice of podiatry.

The Analects from the Writing of Confucius Essay

The Analects from the Writing of Confucius - Essay Example Confucius talked about ways through which a perfect social order can be established, arguing there is wisdom in encouraging the good characters and punishing to discourage bad deeds. Through this, Confucius envisioned a bright society that would thrive in what is good for all humanity. Consequently, Confucius belittled the principle that says, â€Å"Injury should be paid with kindness† (â€Å"Analects† 2), claiming that kindness should be reciprocated while injury should be met by justice. This is true even today, and the works of Confucius holds true to the establishment of many nations. The establishments of rehabilitation centers for offenders borrow from Confucius teaching. Moreover, punishing lawlessness is an act of helping the suspects so that they can become better individuals. Through this, people in authority do expand their humanness. Further, he questioned the disparity in society as he found nothing imperative in accumulating wealth because â€Å"riches an d honor are a floating cloud†. Confucius argued that virtuous does not stand-alone, and the rich requires the not so rich to survive. In this regard, a virtuous man is whom that shares his wealth.Confucius was angered by the laxity of a political leader. For instance, he reassigned from public office due to internal conflict and political disagreements (Zukeran). Thus, the short stint he had in the position of authority may have influenced his writing on what completes a man.

The Song of Rolan - the Foundation of French Literacy Essay

The Song of Rolan - the Foundation of French Literacy - Essay Example As the paper outlines, a large number of top knights and Duke Roland of the Brittany Marches were killed in the massacre. Ganelon accepted the task, certain that he would die. He threatened Roland, "If God should deign that I come back again then I shall stir up such a feud with you that it will last as long as you're alive!" (Anonymous, 1957, 20, pp. 289-291). Emperor Charlemagne was firm about sending Ganelon and said his command must be followed implicitly. Ganelon had no other option, but to comply with the order.  In the fight against Muslims in Spain Charlemagne made great strides and Saragossa was the only surviving city ruled by the Muslim King Marsile. Knowing the might of the army of Charlemagne, he dispatched messengers to Charlemagne promising his conversion to Christianity and submission of treasure. In return, he urged him to go back to France. Charlemagne too wished to buy peace as he and his men were tired of the long war. The issue was about the selection of a mess enger who would represent the King at Marsile’s court. The choice fell on Ganelon, stepfather of Roland. Ganelon, however, viewed this selection with suspicion and feared that he was being sent deliberately to die in the hands of the cruel pagans. He had always hated his stepson and he thought that he had an opportunity to settle scores with Roland.  Joining the Saracen peace ambassadors, Ganelon talked at length with Blancandrin as they rode together back to Saragossa. He spat venom against Roland and blamed him for inciting the Franks for the war that was fought without intermission. â€Å"If someone killed him," said Ganelon, "we might all have peace" (Anonymous, 1957, 29, pp. 391). Blancandrin was greatly excited about this observation and both of them pledged to each other and decided to design a plot to get rid of him. Roland was brave but failed to gauge the consequences of his actions and due to this weakness, treacherous Ganelon succeeded in outwitting his knightl y companions and his army.  

Foundations and It Starts with Me Research Paper

Foundations and It Starts with Me - Research Paper Example Moreover, this foundation would reduce the complexity of educational activities undertaken by this learning community. As a result, this foundation would have the most impact in this educational community. Introduction of this foundation in this educational community is a challenging task. This is because the educational community consists of several people with different abilities and roles. Several ways exist that can be used to introduce this foundation in an educational community. One of them is thinking processes involved in learning to educational activities. This method has been identified as an effective way of introducing system thinking among individuals involved in the learning process (Tilbury & Wartman, 2004). This could be done using thinking projects. If thinking projects and activities undertaken by educators and students were linked, the educators and students would be required to employ systematic thinking in the process of learning. This would have introduced system-thinking foundation to our learning community. As a result, the learning process in this community would be greatly improved. Building personal mastery among individuals in an educational community is essential. Senge describes building personal mastery as deepening personal vision, focusing energies, developing patience, and viewing reality objectively (Green & Stonkosky, 2010). This requires action to be taken. The action to take in building personal mastery in my educational community is encouraging members of this educational community to apply their creativity in the learning organization. This could be done by use of motivational tools and other incentives. These motivational tools and incentives would be employed to both educators and students. It is suspected that this would encourage individual’s creativity thus deepen their personal vision and

Philosophy of Epistemology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy of Epistemology - Essay Example It is not the task of this essay to offer a total refutation of the Skeptics' claim, rather to analyze arguments which look at the justification for our beliefs. Two such arguments, which have traditionally been in contest with one another, are Foundationalism and Coherentism. The former claims that there are basic, self-evident beliefs which act as a foundation upon which all other beliefs are built. The latter asserts that all beliefs are justified if and only if they cohere with one another. There are obvious problems with these two modes of thinking, which will form the primary investigation of this essay. A possible solution, as offered by Haack, lies somewhere in the middle and is understandably termed "Foundherentism". The heart of this essay will be in the exploration of Haack's reasoning, but first, a look at the two competing theories from which it stems. Empirical Foundationalism claims that sense experiences offer the platform upon which we are able to place all other beliefs. They need no further justification and all other beliefs can ultimately be reduced to these basic beliefs. There is a clear initial problem with Foundationalism, in that it appears to rely on an essentially dogmatic approach. It does not seem unreasonable to ask, for example, how someone knows that it is Monday today. Is it because yesterday was Sunday In which case how does one know it was Sunday yesterday Did someone tell them If so, how did they know And so on for an infinite regress. However, it does seem reasonable, from a common-sense perspective to allow the pressed epistemologist sanctuary with his own sense experiences. Indeed, in her article, A Foundherentist Theory of Empirical Justification, Haack remarks that one of the merits of Foundationalism is that "it acknowledges that a person's experience- what he sees, hears etc.- is relevant to how just ified he is in his belief about the world" (p.420). It certainly seems to be the case that our senses play a key role in deciding our beliefs about the world. A further problem, one which is raised by supporters of Coherentism, is that sensory justification alone does not properly address the problem of why those beliefs have come about. There must be, according to Coherentism, some context within which the sensory beliefs make sense. Believing that one can see a computer in front of them is only justified in relation to another set of beliefs about what a computer is. Coherentism essentially allows justification on the merit of the coherence of the belief set within which it falls. It attempts to deny the validity of the regress argument by claiming that justification is a holistic approach. Though it may offer an alternative to the dogmatic approach of Foundationalism, it nevertheless leaves no room for the sense experience of the subject. It is quite plausible that a subject constructs a perfectly coherent set of beliefs which have little or no correspondence with the 'real world' to which it refers. It might, therefore be perfectly al low-able from a Coherentist perspective to hold a set of beliefs which are entirely justifiable but entirely untrue. Furthermore, the 'holistic' approach offered by Coherentists, is seen by its opponents as little more than a euphemism for circularity. The focus of Foundherentism is the "standards of better or worse evidence, of more or less justified belief"

Canadian Market Economic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Canadian Market Economic - Research Paper Example To accomplish this pure, here an effort has been to made to examine the macroeconomic structure of Canada. In chapter 1, the paper will discuss the economic and political structure of Canada, the economic social values of the country and characteristics of Canadian factors of production. Chapter 2 will explain the demand and supply structure of the Canadian economy. Finally, Chapter 3 will talk about the price control mechanism of the country. Chapter 1 1.1. Types of the economy and political structure Canadian economy is one of the wealthiest economies in the world as it is one of the top ten net exporters of energy. It is a member of OECD whose full form is Organization Of The Economic Cooperation And Development. As other developed nations, Canadian economy is also dominated by the service sector. There are two major economical sectors in Canadian economy. One is the service sector which comprises of seventy-five percent of the country’s population. The contribution of the service sector to Canada’s Gross Domestic Product is nearly about seventy percent. The other sector is the agricultural sector. Although this sector contributes only two percent to the country’s Gross domestic Product, a huge proportion of the labor force of the country is employed in the agricultural sector. ... His tenure is for about five years. (Lympany, n.d) The house of Parliament is situated in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada. The Canadian parliament consists of the Head of the state represented by the Queen, the Senate and the elected House of Commons. The Federal Government of Canada has the power to make laws on various subjects like defence, immigration, criminal law, international peace, border control and customs. (Lympany, n.d) 1.2 Social values of Canada One of the social values in Canadian culture is peace. Canadian people are basically peace loving people and that is very much reflected in their business dealings. Thus hostile business attitudes are not quite common in the Canadian market economy. Of course, competition is there in every economic sphere, but entrepreneurs are generally involved in healthy business competition. Another social value is that they maintain a unique blend of collective responsibility and individual autonomy. They also have an attitude of tolera nce and acceptance. Canada is also known for the level of economic freedom that it offers. In the world, one of the highest level of freedom in economic terms is available in Canada. (Canada25, 2010) 1.3. Characteristics of Canadian Factors of production There are various factors of production in Canadian economy. One of them is land. It is one of the primary factors of production. It is one of the natural resources gifted by GOD and its tangible. But its supply is limited to an extent. It cannot be moved from one place to the other nor can be destroyed. It varies in terms of fertility depending on the nature of location. In terms of land ownership, absolute ownership is not present in Canada. In this second largest country of the world, the

Diplomatic Relations between Countries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Diplomatic Relations between Countries - Essay Example For example, there is "rupture" which is often used to refer to a breach of diplomatic relations. However, it may also connote a lesser deterioration in relations between two states.1 Lesser deterioration is what may generally obtain in diplomatic relations and not complete breakdown which implies belligerent status such as war. Diplomatic relations are rather complex in that both relationship issues and substantive issues maybe involved. The first refers to the way countries deal with each other, whether logically or emotionally, clearly or ambiguously, honestly or deceptively.2 The second concern issues that are the subjects of discrete negotiations, for example, the terms of a treaty, the price of one product, the levels of armaments.3 Apparently, when relationship is not problematic, substantive issues are easier to deal with. History is replete with accounts of diplomatic relations gone sour and broken down, followed by corresponding actions taken. A complete breakdown is a serious matter, implying that the countries involved are not interested even in the future where they can be friends. 4 Nevertheless, there are ways of salvaging fledgling relationships, but they need to follow some basic principles. For this portion, this paper largely centers on discussions of Scott Brown,5 a founding member of the acclaimed Harvard Negotiation Project. Brown advises to be unconditionally constructive on relationship issues. He states that indeed, many diplomatic relations function poorly, and he explains why and how they can be improved. II. Diplomatic Relations Before any substantive issue is to be dealt with, relationship issues must be looked into. There are six categories of relationship issues according to Brown: 6 the balance of emotion with reason between the two countries; their level of common understanding; the extent and nature of communication between them; the degree of trust between the two; the level of coercion as a method of influence; and, the degree of acceptance of the legitimacy of the negotiating partner. Diplomatic relations may therefore be said to have strong correlations with understanding, communication, trust, influence, and acceptance of negotiator. If something is wrong with any of these, the diplomatic relation may not be exactly wholesome but tittering on the brink of rupture. A. Mediated relationships. Diplomatic relations may be understood as special relationships between countries where they ink agreements, whether economic, political, social, and the like. These relations are specially firmed up with treaties to keep peace and order in the region, and at times with the involvement of a bigger power. The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 was signed into law for the purpose of establishing a new relationship with Taiwan after U.S. recognized the People's Republic of China.(PRC)7 One thing that plagues Taiwan seemingly forever is its determination to be the China, and the United States in this case acts as mediator. Since it is the PRC that the United States has recognized, it also has to chalk up a relationship with Taiwan. In Wen Jiabao's 8 speech hosted by nine American Organizations, he said that people sincerely hope to see a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question in the midst of Taiwan's separatist tendencies. Batting for the One China policy, and challenging America to understand it, Wen Jiabao

Effective Communication Essay Example for Free

Effective Communication Essay Effective communication is the backbone of any business organisation. Discuss. Communication can be defined as a two way process of reaching mutual understanding in which participants not only exchange(encode and decode) information but also create and share meaning. Effective communication is whereby the information send must be received and understood by the receiver in the way intended by the sender and the receiver has to send feedback to confirm the results. Managerial time is largely spent on face to face, electronic or telephone communication with subordinates, supervisors and customers. Views of organizational communication can be categorized as those that view organizational communication as one aspect of an organization versus those that see it as the underlying basis of the organization itself. An example of the former is exemplified by Drenth et al. 1998), who define communication as the sending and receiving of messages by means of symbols and see organizational communication as a key element of organizational climate. The latter viewpoint is reflected by Myers and Myers (1982:34) who define organizational communication as â€Å"the central binding force that permits coordination among people and thus allows for organized Behaviour,† and Rogers and Rogers (1976:3) who argue that â€Å"the behaviour of individuals in organizations is best understood from a communication point of view. The success of the organization greatly depends on the effectiveness of organizational communication, hence to a larger extent, communication can be regarded as the backbone of every business organization and therefore communication needs to be effective and also this is the reason why effective communication skills form vital part of a job requirement, are prerequisite for promotion to higher positions and are essential to all problem solving since they ignite enthusiasm, enhance motivation and hone traits of leadership. The success of an endeavour hinges on the ability to communicate effectively in todays fast paced life, everyone is asked to do more with less. In such a scenario effective communication holds the key. Effectively communication centres round the usage of words, speed of delivery of words, pitch modulation and body language. Using the right tools to communicate the right messages at the right time can salvage crises and motivate people to work towards success. Communication in an organization is inevitable. Departments communicate from time to time in respect to daily activities and the organizations relationship with the external world. It says what it intended via written and unwritten means, either planned or impromptu. It could be hierarchical, that is, from top to bottom or vice versa. It could be formal or informal; vertical, horizontal or diagonal. Whichever means, modes or types of communication, what matters is that communication takes place. At a most basic level, good communication is necessary to be able to follow instructions and to carry out roles. If a member of staff misunderstands what it is that they need to do and the basic functions and roles of the management could not be performed without communication. Planning, organizing, coordinating, budgeting, monitoring, controlling, staffing, delegation; and including marketing, production, financing, staffing (human resource managing), research and development, purchasing, and selling could not be well coordinated, harnessed and their goals achieved without communication Effective communication strengthens the organization’s existing relationships and helps the subordinates to form strong positive bonds in future interactions. In essence through communicating subordinates and management get to agree on certain specific performance standards to control and guide activity towards the attainment of the organization’s overall objectives. If there is poor communication, there lacks uniformity between the required performance and actual performance therefore if communication improves relationships, misunderstandings are reduced. Effective communication is related to self confidence therefore if the organization has in place proper channels of communication subordinates are motivated in the sense that they get feedback for information that would have been passed. If subordinates are given room to respond to instructions in any way, that is, by asking questions or even suggestive questions, it shows to them that they are involved as part of the organization and the sense of belongingness motivates employees. Motivated employees are productive, so in essence one can say effective communication motivates employees hence increases productivity of workers as it even facilitates delegation of duties, reducing overlapping responsibility and work overload. Finally communication increases job satisfaction. Communication facilitates decision making, if two directional communication is used, lower level managers getting a chance to be heard by top management with their work needs being met, proper organizational decisions can be made. Operational managers and their subordinates are believed to have a closer contact with customers and clients, therefore they know better what the customers need at a specific time and the proper decisions are made as to what should the organization do to meet the demands of the consumers(delivering the right merchandise to the right people at he right time and place). Communication also increases participation, that is, if a goal is communicated throughout the organization, the subordinates with the aim of achieving self esteem would want to participate in the attainment of the desired outcome motivated by the rewards they expect from participation, effort and performance(Victor Vroom’s expectancy theory). Production of defects is also reduced by effective communication. Subordinates usually work under instruction, that is, there should however be proper clarification on what really needs to be produced, boiled or roasted chicken. If there are no proper channels of communication, producers end up producing the products that are not required. Effective communication also facilitates coordination between individuals and departments within an organization (production department and the marketing team or the research and development department). Communication reduces and resolves conflicts, for instance resource allocation conflicts, the marketing department and the production department need to communicate well on how the finance department has allocated financial resources for their purposes, failure to communicate results in departmental conflicts. However it is through communication that both individual conflicts and departmental conflicts can be resolved. Leaders should create open communication and state clearly what they could have seen that, heard or experienced that would have influenced their views in the matter at hand as conflict often arises from misunderstanding and misconceptions of what people meant. Everyone allowed should then be allowed to say what is important to them (communicate openly) why is it important and what they are hoping for. Effective communication gives the subordinates the ability to express new ideas and therefore policies and standards can be easily formulated and monitored. For organizations that use budgeting as a planning tool, communication is needed in the process of formulating budgets since the process involves individuals from all departments (functions) to participate in the formulation of functional budgets. Communication helps ensure uniformity and timing of the budgets hence proper allocation of financial resources. Open communication increases trust among subordinates, that is, they will have shared agendas and objectives are revealed to everyone. Open communication is therefore preferable since the parties involved can scrutinize the message fro hidden agendas and meanings without trying to understand the message itself, hence creates supportive climates for subordinates, team building and team work and coordination. Managers use downward communication to direct, inform, coordinate and evaluate subordinates and also to provide job descriptions, rules and policies as well as procedures to the subordinates and the subordinates use upward communication to supply information to the upper levels about what is happening at the lower levels and this comes in form of questions feedback and suggestions. However in the process of communicating, the parties involved encounter certain barriers that may haunt communication, these may include differing perceptions, language, noise inconsistent verbal and non-verbal communication, emotionality, information overload, filtering of information and increased specialization as in lateral communication. Differing perceptions, that is when the receiver often sees or hears information depending on his/her needs, motivations, experience and background. Language refers to the words used, words mean different things to different people for example the term ‘short term’ in the research and development would mean six to nine years while in the hotel industry the period may range from four to six months. Language difference may also come in the form of jargon. Non-verbal communication is often accompanied by oral communication for example showing anger in the tone of the voice. Emotional reactions such as anger, jealous, hate and fear influence how we understand others’ messages. Information overload occurs when the information received exceeds the capabilities of the human information system, that is, when the subordinate is overloaded with reports, manuals, letters, memos, which he/she has to go through within a limited time as a result the subordinate will ignore some of the things or there will be delay on his part which will hinder communication within the organization. Information can be shortened or lengthened such that at the end the original information can be distorted. To sum up one can say that regardless of the above mentioned shortcomings communication remains the backbone of any organization since there are certain measures that can be put in place to overcome the barriers, some of which are that parties involved should carefully understand the background of each other and thoroughly explain the message, emphasizing and seeing the situation from the other person’s point of view to remove ambiguity in messages. Using simple language and ask for feedback, confirming and restating the main points of the message. Gestures, postures and facial expressions and other non-verbal communication should agree with the message. Subordinates should talk about their concerns and should pay special attention to what they say. Organizations can also introduce casual recreational activities so that managers can meet their subordinates on an informal basis for example organizing a sports day where organizational problems can be discussed on an informal basis. In general, removing communication in an organization, we are going to have dead entity, good for nothing and worth been shut down. Communication is the backbone for organizations success since it increases the will to work, skill to work, and thrill to work.

The Role Of Accountants In Todays Business Organizations Accounting Essay

The Role Of Accountants In Todays Business Organizations Accounting Essay In the past ten years, a significant amount of research attention was focused on recognizing, analyzing, contradicting, favoring, and critiquing the changing roles of accountants. In the past ten years, we witnessed accountants assuming additional tasks such as strategy formulation, systems development, organizational re-design and a whole lot more. In the 21st century, we have seen accountants devoting much less of their time to routine financial analysis, transaction processing, auditing and statutory reporting. The roles of accountants in the business environment have become business oriented.  [1]  These changes posed crisis for accountants as the professions credibility has been questioned.  [2]   In this paper, we look into the traditional roles of accountants and compare such to that of the roles of the modern accounting profession. I discuss some ethical concerns binding these roles and express my opinion regarding these changes. This discussion leads to the main point of this paper- the importance of accountants in todays business environment along with the demands for new roles of the accountants. Moreover, I also discuss various sources and types of information available to the accountants and the quality that this information should possess. Information, an increasingly important asset for all business organization, is necessary for accountants to satisfy these new demands for their expertise. The Roles of Accountants Accountants face dilemma as they face two contrasting roles at the same time. First, they are seen as watchdogs for top management while they are also seen as helpers of the management. However, the second role seemed to have increased its importance in the recent years and accounting systems was seen as impetus for organizations improvement.  [3]   Specifically, the traditional roles of accountants include: auditing, managerial accounting, and tax accounting. These roles are the most basic functions that accountants are trained for as early as undergraduate education. On the other hand, the additional or modern roles of accountants are financial planning, business analysis and strategy, technology planning and consulting. Within these roles, the accountants serve more specified tasks. These are usually assumed in the actual practice; hence skills are acquired in the actual practice. Auditing. This is theoretically, the basic and most important role of an independent accountant. The tasks of the accountant as an auditor are to check the organizations estimate is in accordance to formulas that are used consistently every year.  [4]  However, the importance of auditing as a business process has decreased recently. In a survey done among academicians, practitioners and students, audit preparation only received a moderate rank in terms of importance of this task by accountants.  [5]   Managerial Accounting. This is usually the role of in-house accountants who act as either controllers or internal auditors. The task of an in-house accountant is to give the most accurate picture of the economic status of the company and to respect the truth about the report.  [6]   Tax Accounting. This is the role of a book keeper or tax preparatory. The tasks of the book keeper include: determination and estimation of tax liabilities of the clients whether individual or corporate.  [7]   Financial Planning. This is a rising role for accountants. The demand for this new role is brought about by their knowledge and expertise on taxation laws and financial investment markets.  [8]  Additional tasks under this role include: performing due diligence, organizing share-holder meetings, supervising cash management and payroll handling.  [9]   Business Planning and Strategy. This is the role of accountants to translate raw financial numbers into usable business information. Project accounting and knowledge management are also additional tasks under this new role for accountants. Under this role, accountants guide managers and business owners to improve productivity and maximize profitability.  [10]   Technology Planning. With the automation of various business processes, accountants also become involved in development and implementation of new information systems. Now, owners and managers rely on accountants to choose the most suitable technology solutions for financial and business management.  [11]   Consulting. Accountants also become consultants for financial management, income distribution, accounting and auditing functions as well.  [12]   The Key Drivers of Role Changes It has been made clear in the literature that the roles of accounting have changed in the recent years and these changes are expected to continue. The roles of accounting shifted from information provision to extended information facilitation. Specifically, this shift in roles made accountants from book keeping, data analysis, and tax preparation into much wider range of duties in management.  [13]  This is to say that the roles of accountants shifted into business oriented or entrepreneurial roles. This shift is brought about by the following key drivers: changes in business market conditions, re-designing organization, new managerial philosophies, more complex business processes, systems development, innovations in management techniques, and human resource development.  [14]   Because of these key drivers, changes in the roles of accountants are more likely to continue in at least another ten years. No longer bounded by numbers and formulas, accountants can feel free and rely on their creative and strategic side. The Challenge for Accountants Accountants will always be as important to business enterprises today. While others argue that change in orientation of accountant is a blow to the credibility of the profession, I believe this is rather a challenge that accountants need to glorify. Business oriented or entrepreneurial roles for accountants call for additional skills in these fields. In order to achieve credibility again, as others claim that the profession has lost it, accountants should master these additional fields to be considered experts of the field. Hence, this does them not mere practitioners of these new fields but experts as well. This is a call to the accounting education research to dwell more on these additional fields so accountants may gain more in sights as to how these fields may be associated firmly with the traditional accounting practices. This is also a call to the academe to train the aspiring accountants to be flexible and well rounded ones in order to for them to satisfy the demands that awaits them in the actual practice. This is also a call for students to be open minded and be willing to accept these changing roles not as insults but rather a challenge and opportunity to become more significant in todays business environment. Lastly, this is a call for certified and practicing accountants to get out of numbers and formulas and be willing to use their creative minds to do more analysis and strategizing- and more opportunities that may prove that accountants can satisfy the demands of the present business environment to them; without sacrificing of course, the core ethics of the traditional acco unting profession. Accountants should hold on traditional ethics and values. It is the roles, skills, and practice that will change and re-oriented. Sources and Quality of Accounting Information Moreover, in order to satisfy the present demands for accountants, information is also a necessary. Now, information is a vital resource for the survival of all contemporary business organizations. It has become of the basic and most important resource for business intelligence and achievement of competitive advantage. In this section, I discuss the sources of information and the quality of this information needed by accountants. In everyday business, various types and quantities on information flow to decision makers and users to meet internal organizational needs. The sources of information for the accountant may come from any of the components of information flow system within an organization. These include top management sources, middle management sources, operations management sources and operations personnel sources. This information flow is an exchange of performance information, day-to-day operations information and budget information and instructions.  [15]   Moreover, in order to be useful, accounting information should have each of the following qualities at a minimum degree: Understandability. Accounting information should be comprehensive and understandable to users who have reasonable knowledge of business and economic activities and economic information. This quality serves as a link between decision makers and the accounting information at hand. Decision Usefulness. Decision usefulness is also a qualitative characteristic needed to judge quality of accounting information. This is dependent on the availability of information and ability of the user to process the information for it to be used in decision making. Relevance. Accounting information should also be relevant in order to help the user of information analyze the outcomes of the past and present and predict the outcome of the future events according to prior expectations. In order to be relevant, the information must have predictive and feedback value and timeliness. Reliability. Accounting information will also be useful if it is reliable. This is to say that information must be free from error and bias; hence presenting faithfully what is intended to be presented. Verifiability. Accounting information must also be verifiable for measures to agree with the selected method without error or bias. Verification is useful in reducing measure bias because the same method can be used to repeat measurements to reduce intentional and unintentional errors. Comparability and Consistency. Lastly, accounting information must be comparable because information becomes more useful when compared with information from other companies. This allows accountants to identify and explain similarities and differences between two or more economic facts.  [16]  

Reflexivity: Crossing That Line Essay -- Ethnography Anthropology Essa

Reflexivity: Crossing That Line Traditionally, ethnographic works had always been about objective studies of the â€Å"other.† The discipline attempts to use non-biased methods to research of our subjects to qualify anthropology into the category of science. However, an increasing number of anthropologists begin to question the existence of objectivity in fieldwork. More recently, some anthropologists advocate the incorporation of the self, or the use of reflexivity, in the research to acknowledge our biases; at the same time, enhance the quality of our ethnographies. Others further assert that reflexivity is the only way to complete ethnographies. These propositions prompted concerns and provoked intense criticisms among scholars from different areas of study. One argument maintains that while moderate use of reflexivity is necessary in ethnographic research as exemplified by Dorinne Kondo and Renato Rosaldo, it is problematic when it is taken too far as did Ruth Behar. Before use of reflexivity can be analyzed, it is important to discuss what reflexivity is. As its use is controversial, to define the term is complex task. One way to describe it is to characterize it as a piece of work involving the self and some sort of reflection. Another mean to understand the concept is to imagine a mirror; and reflexivity is a description of the images reflected in the mirror, which includes â€Å"others† as well as the â€Å"self.† Interestingly, even though we have yet to define the idea, many uses and styles of reflexivity exist. Or perhaps, the difficulty to produce a working definition stems from its wide range of uses. For example, Kamala Visweswaran uses reflexivity to evaluate the discipline in which she belongs – namely feminis... ...r, anthropology is not a coherent discipline and should be divided to accomendate these difference styles of writing ethnography. Nonetheless, all these questions and confusions points out one thing, that subjectivity is inevitable. Otherwise, we would agree on all these issues. But, it is these issues that cause trouble that make the discipline attractive, exciting, and worthwhile. Reference: [1] Behar, Ruth. 1996. Anthropology that breaks your heart. In The Vulnerable Observer: Antrhopology that Breaks Your Heart, pp. 161 –177. Boston: Beacon Press. [2] Kondo, Dorinne K. 1986. Dissolution and reconstitution of self: implications for anthropological epistemology. In cultural Anthropology 1(1): 74-88. [3] Rosaldo, Renato. 1993. Grief and a headhunter’s rage. IN Culture and Ttruth: TheRremaking of Social Analysis, pp. 161- 177. Boston: Beacon Press.

King Philip Essay -- essays research papers fc

King Philip’s War was a disturbing war fought in America in 1675, almost certainly as a result of the early contact between the English Colonists and the Native Americans. The Natives were, and had always been fighting for their freedom and land, as well as their culture unharmed. Though the Natives had their own religious beliefs, the Colonists felt that they were the greater man, and that God would play a part by remaining on their side. The Natives did not trust the English with their multiple cheated promises and such, and it was only expected that the Natives would not believe in the English. There is no one established reason for this war, like many wars, but it is only probable that it be a result of the many differences between the Native way of life, and the English way. The Wampanoag Indians were a tribe that settled in the area of current day Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It is estimated that the number of tribe members was somewhere over ten thousand before the English arrived and brought along sickness and disease that the Natives were not accustomed to. By around 1675 it is imagined that the Wampanoag population plummeted to around only one thousand members. At first, the Wampanoag were accepting of the English because there appeared to be no immediate threat of endangerment of the Natives. The Natives actually became appreciative and dependent on the English in a sense, because they had been introduced to the various types of food, clothing, and most importantly, weapons. Massasoit, the Chief of the Wampanoag Indians at the time, signed a treaty of peace with the English that promised not to give up their land to anybody without the knowledge and consent of the Plymouth government first. It wasn’t until 1630 when the situation reversed with the increasing amount of settlers moving to The Massachusetts Bay Colony known as â€Å"The Great Migration†, that the Natives became angered. The new settlers, the Puritans, were in desperate need of land and would do anything to get it. They wiped the Pequoit Indians out in the Pequoit War of 1637, and other than those who chose to convert to the Puritan religion and way of life, the Pequoit had vanished. Many of the Indian tribes were in trouble with the threat of loss of land, as well as loss of lives. It was time to strike back and defend what was theirs. After Massasoit had passed on, Alexander would... ...sold into slavery in the West Indies, while others faced disease, cultural disruption, and the loss of their lands. Works Cited Bodge, George. Soldiers in King Philips War. NEHG Register many vol's 1886-1887. Bourne, Russell. The Red King’s Rebellion. Oxford University Press, New York, 1990. Church, Benjamin. Diary of King Philip's War, 1675-76. Chester, Conn. : Published for The Little Compton Historical Society [by] Pequot Press, 1975. Leach, Douglas. Flintlock and Tomahawk. Parnassus Imprints Inc., Hyannis, Massachusetts, 1995. Lepore, Jill. The Name of War : King Philip's War and the Origins of American Identity. New York : Knopf, 1998. Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Rowlandson. New England Chronology NEHG Register vol 7 October 1853. Schultz, Eric B. King Philip's War : The History and Legacy of America's Forgotten Conflict. Woodstock, Vt. : Countryman Press ; New York : Distributed by W.W. Norton, c1999. Shroeder, Betty. The True Lineage of King Philip (Sachem Metacomb). NEHG Register vol 144 July 1990. Webb, Stephen Saunders. 1676, The End of American Independence. New York : Knopf, 1984.

Reflection of a Homily by Gregory the Great :: essays research papers

REFLECTION ON A HOMILY BY GREGORY THE GREAT   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Gregory’s homily it seems the congregation has trouble understanding the command of our Lord to love as He has. This entails loving even our enemies as Christ has. Yet, how do we love those who harm us? To often we believe that any harm to us demands a distorted form of justice. In other words, to give to them as we got. However, this is not the love of Christ, this is not justice, this is vengeance. So how do we love our enemies as He does? First, we must learn to seriously understand what it is to love those in family and community. If we love them seriously and fully, then we will learn to love our enemies, because loving truly has become a habit within us.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is it to love our family and friends seriously? As Gregory states, â€Å"cultivate the virtue of love in tranquil times by showing mercy.† We are to extend mercy to them so that mercy maybe shown to our enemies. To extend mercy toward family and friends is to forgive the irritations they create, provide for their needs when they ask for what they want, and above all learn to give without fear and merciless condition. In doing this daily and making it a habit, then we find that our enemies are in the same needs as our friends and we can give to them as well. As we say in the Marine Corps, â€Å"The more we sweat in practice, the less we bleed in battle.† This in turn will halt our false sense of duty, which turns our love into servile obligation and therefore never to be given as the Lord has. Charity in its most ordinary form would not be so if performed perfunctorily, it would be a tit for tat and we would all become useless servants only doing what we are supposed to.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yet, to prevent a false and fearful love from being given, we must learn what it is to love the Lord. How we love Him is how we would love our family, friends, and enemies. For our love to live after death and to even bring life to others, it must have the life of God within it first. This is Gregory’s thought as he interprets the scripture passage I have chosen you and appointed you to go and bring forth fruit into I have appointed you for grace.

Infomatics Needs Assessment Essay

Changes in healthcare and advancements in technology have allowed for new and exciting opportunities to intergrade in the two fields. The government has supported healthcare facilities during this transition since 2009, by providing stimulus money to assist in the transition from paper to electronic medical records (EMR). The Obama administration will start fining healthcare facilities that have not made this transitioned to EMRs by 2015. In order to take advantage of this opportunity and to avoid fines, we must heed this mandate. Many facilities are finding it difficult to find the right system for their work places. This proves the importance of a needs assessment. â€Å"A needs assessment is a systematic set of procedures that are used to determine needs, examine their nature and causes, and set priorities for future action.† Need for Needs Assessment A needs assessment is an integral and necessary part to implementing change. Preforming this assessment will save money by preventing facilities from spending money on needless changes. During the process it is determined if there really is a need for this change. It also can provide alternative options if the original plan was found to be suboptimal. If the assessment determines that the plan for change is appropriate, the assessment will help set priorities and determine how to allocate resources such as people, money and facilities. Important considerations There are a few important aspects of this assessment that must be considered such as: definition of the need, the targeted group and consequences. During a needs assessment the â€Å"need† will have to be clearly defined. â€Å"A need is a discrepancy or gap between what is and what should be.† For the purposes of healthcare the gap is between paper medical records and electronic medical records. The targeted group most also be defined to ensure that the need fits the group. The question; is this a critical  change? Must be answered. Finally, the consequences for misfortune must also be addressed. In healthcare the facility must consider the consequences if implementation of the electronic medical record failed. They would be at a great finical loss. Collection of data Data from internal and external environment must be collected. Internal data can be collected from employees, and current technology. Employees can be interviewed for data or the facility can request surveys be filled out. External data can be collected from published literature, information from vendors, regulatory and accreditation requirements, information trending, and organizations like HIMSS or KLAS. HIMSS. Health care information and management systems, vision is to improve health care through incorporation of information technology. KLAS is an organization that collects feedback about healthcare systems and produces ratings. Both these organization can help narrow down the electronic medical record that will fit this facility. Members involved in needs assessment During the assessment the people affected should be consulted and directly involved in both the needs assessment and the designing of the program. In healthcare, doctors and nurses should be involved because they will be using the systems. Unit manger will be able to give a unique perspective to help with the functionality of the system and will also be able to boost morale regarding the change. Finally, the designers of the system should be included in the conferences with all other stakeholders. It is important the designers are present to help keep expectation as close to reality as possible. Conclusion All medical facilities are faced with the need to implement an electronic medical record in the upcoming years. It is important that this facility finds the right system the first time to avoid unnecessary finical loss. Preforming a needs assessment is the best way to aid in making the best decision. References (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/compneedsassessment.pdf Why Is Assessment Important? (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/assessment-guide-importance DeSilets, Lynore D, EdD,R.N., B.C. (2006). Needs assessment. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 37(4), 148-9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/223317102?accountid=458 Hebda, T., & Czar, P. (2013). Handbook of informatics for nurses & healthcare professionals (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson. KLAS Helps Healthcare Providers by Measuring Vendor Performance. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2015, from http://www.klasresearch.com/ HIMSS – Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2015, from http://www.himss.org/ Jackson, D. (2013, September 23). Most health care records now are electronic. Retrieved March 17, 2015, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/07/16/obama-electronic-health-care-r ecord-keeping/2521217/

Political Bias Based on Demographic Region

â€Å"The biases the media has are bigger than conservative or liberal. They’re about getting ratings, about making money, about doing stories that are easy to cover. † This may seem like a trite saying but it holds an enormous amount of truth. As Americans, we trust what reporters write in the newspaper and say on television and radio stations. We expect them to report the truth. However, current media outlets distort stories and certain news reports are getting too much attention.The most important stories are never seen on television, or read in the newspaper, or heard on the radio stations, while minor and trivial stories get the most news coverage. Hence celebrity engagements, divorce, entrance in rehabilitation centers and DUI cases are sold to the media. American people are then left without valuable information contrary to what story is getting 24-hour news coverage.Media bias is a â€Å"term used to describe prejudice in news and media reports, in which it is perceived as an imbalance or unfair presentation of facts or selective reporting of which events or facts are reported. † The main point here is when biases in media distorts certain stories, and other stories are spoken about entirely too much, it hurts democracy in America. The media, in that case, fails to focus on real issues that underlie the American culture, it has one-sided opinions, favoring a liberal’s point of view, and it caters to the majority, favoring the wealthy.Media biases causes the America people to become misinformed or too well informed, often due to the tendency of the media covering unimportant stories about celebrities, while overlooking issues like war, poverty, disease, violence, and education. The media content and news coverage rarely display the underlying issues that the American people face. Rather, it only acknowledges news that may appeal to the audience â€Å"because of its dramatic or entertainment value. Senator Barack Obama recogni zes the failure of the American media in updating America with real issues at Southern New Hampshire University Commencement: â€Å"We see it in a media culture that sensationalizes the trivial and trivializes the profound – in a 24-hour news network bonanza that never fails to keep us posted on how many days Paris Hilton will spend in jail but often fails to update us on the continuing genocide in Darfur or the recovery effort in New Orleans or the poverty that lagues too many American streets† The media bonanza on Paris Hilton’s 14 day jail sentence was among one of most overplayed (unimportant) stories recently because TV news ran hundreds of hours of news coverage, while only showing 60-second sound bites of yet another death of an American soldier in combat in Iraq. Paris Hilton, a hotel heiress and the star in the media spotlight, was sentenced to a 14 day jail sentence at Century Regional Detention Centre in Lynwood, California on a traffic violation. The news media made the story seem so valuable and significant to report for so many hours.Some reporters believed that she deserved to be placed in jail because too many celebrities don’t receive the justifiable punishment they deserve like ordinary citizen because they are wealthy. Others believed that her jail sentence was too cruel just for a DUI charge, it was unfair and that she became the victim because of her prestige and as a famous figure in America. While Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, and ABC were breaking in the entertainment news, debating whether her punishment was too cruel or justifiable, they failed to inform the American people about.When Hurricane Katrina unfolded in New Orleans, the media placed a lot of dramatic biases on the issue and missed the underlying point, misinforming the public. On August 23, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck down in New Orleans becoming one of the most devastating natural disasters to hit the United States. The media unfolded the events that those most effected in the black community, remained in New Orleans looting stores in search of food and water that weren’t available by any other means. On the other hand of the issue, white Americans were â€Å"wading through chest-deep waters finding soda and bread floating in the water from a grocery store†.But while Paris Hilton was hogging the headlines the media failed to report that during that week the Washington Post reported â€Å"that about $854 million offered by allied countries worldwide after Hurricane Katrina. To date, the Post reports, only $40 million in foreign aid has been funneled to the Gulf Coast. The story goes this way: Apparently the Bush administration was stymied on what to do when offered this aid, since the U. S. is not usually in a position to need or accept such assistance. How, and from whom the $40 million was accepted is unclear, but what is eminently clear is that $800 million could have put the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast into f ast forward mode). † This goes to show that the media is filled with close-mindedness in which entertainment news surpasses â€Å"hard news every time. †5 Instead of bringing American people together to work in effort to make children lives better, the economy better, the living welfare of families better, the media devours our interest to support a difference by resembling soap operas and commercial television shows. Dateline is the same as ER or Friends.They all have to compete for prime time audiences. CBS and 48 Hours is the same as Everybody Loves Raymond. Notice how importance never enters into the equation. Notice how there isn't even a pretense to public interest. TV †news† has become celebrity trials and runaway brides, and sex — while foreign bureaus are closing and news budgets are shrinking and we become a people ever more thoroughly entertained than informed, even as we live through the most dangerous and portentous days in recent history . The media also has the tendency to uphold one-sided opinions, favoring liberals, whereas the mainstream media holds liberal biases.Liberals in a political sense relate to ideas and theories of government in which they advocate individual liberty, for example, race, abortion, affirmative action, homelessness, and gay rights. They use liberal principles and ideas that influence their news coverage and or selection of stories. Liberal biases undermine the American value. In the controversial book, â€Å"Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distorts the News,† Bernard Goldberg said â€Å"journalist doesn’t see their views as liberal but merely reasonable and civilized. † In contrast, the media, for the most part, is helpful in feeding the mass with stories that reflect America.In fact, America has never been provided with a broad arrangement and providers of news. However, government cannot solve the problems of media bias because part of the media bias is in part of political [government] decadence. The government embraces liberal views! The media only identifies problems for the government to solve, such as poverty, disease, and violence. To solve the problem of media bias, educational groups are needed to educate people about wanting to understand the truth and demand a balance in media coverage through advocacy and petitioning.

A play which explores the effect of relationships Essay

Task: Choose a play which explores relationships in a family/community. What strengths and/or weaknesses are apparent in these relationships and what is the overall effect on the family/community. A play which explores the effect of relationships in a family and community is â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† by William Shakespeare. The relationship between Romeo and Juliet, themselves, is key to the play and this relationship also embodies the family feud discussed in the play. Shakespeare conveys the lovers’ relationship as one built upon utter trust and devotion. Yet it is ill-fated due to the ancient feud between their families, the Montagues and the Capulets. The family grudge holds great importance and affects the lives of every citizen in the town of Verona. In the beginning of the play we are introduced to both the lovers. Romeo is portrayed as a depressed and melancholic person as the girl he loves does not love him back and Juliet as a girl who is unwilling to be married to a suitor of her parent’s choice. Romeo is in love with a Capulet girl called Rosaline and in order to see her he goes, uninvited, to a Capulet ball. He catches sight of Juliet at the ball and immediately falls in love with her. Much to his disappointment he finds out she is a Capulet: â€Å"Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt. † Although Romeo has fallen in love with Juliet he knows it is not that simple in Verona. He realises that because they are from rival families their relationship would never be permitted. From the very beginning their relationships is said to be â€Å"star-cross’d† as their families have been mortal enemies. There is a major difference shown between Romeo’s love for Rosaline and his love for Juliet. When he is â€Å"in love† with Rosaline, Romeo is depressed. But, when he sees Juliet, it is a whole different story. He suddenly experiences true love as he had never felt with Rosaline. From the moment Romeo first sees Juliet their bond is very intense. When describing the love between Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare often uses poetic and romantic language: â€Å"O she doth teach the torches to burn bright! † Romeo compares Juliet to a candle’s light and says that she is incredibly beautiful. Shakespeare’s use of this â€Å"love at first sight† scenario emphasises that the young lovers have and instant and deep connection. This emphasises the strength of their devotion to each other. In the balcony scene, although Romeo and Juliet have only known each other for a short while, their love is very intense. Shakespeare uses various images to convey this: â€Å"Two of the fairest stars†¦ do entreat her eyes† Juliet’s eyes are being compared to twinkling stars which shows how much Romeo loves her. Romeo believes Juliet to be the most beautiful woman he has ever seen and this image conveys this. This symbolises their strong love for each other. Later on we see that Romeo is overcome by his love for Juliet and he even risks his life to see her. When a fight starts to form in the street Romeo makes it clear that he is not interested in fighting: â€Å"Tybalt, the reason I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage† Even though the idea of being loyal to your own family is prominent throughout the play, Romeo is willing to forget the family feud and â€Å"love† his enemies for Juliet’s sake. This is important as is shows their commitment to each other. They are both willing to forget a centuries old family feud that shapes their whole life in order to be committed to each other and this is clearly a strength. Even when Juliet finds out that Romeo has killed her cousin, although she is upset and distraught, she is willing to forgive him as her devotion to him is so strong. Another aspect which shapes Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is the feud. The feud is the main weakness throughout the play and it has great impact on the community in Verona. When a fight breaks out in the street it is clear where the citizens loyalties are: â€Å"The quarrel is between our masters and us their men† In Verona, everyone is forced to take sides even the employees. It is clear from this why Romeo and Juliet’s relationship would be a problem as the feud has such a strong grip on society that there is no way of them being together other than in secret. Another scene in which the power of the feud comes through is when everyone is discussing what must be the consequence of Romeo’s actions: â€Å"Romeo slew Tybalt. Romeo must not live† Lady Capulet’s harsh words are conveying how the feud makes everyone stand their ground and the idea of forgive and forget is not even considered. The feud is the reason for Romeo and Juliet’s poor relationship as their families are so hostile towards each other. The feud causes the division in their community and the separation of the two families. In the end, it is only after the death of both Romeo and Juliet, a huge sacrifice, that their families reconcile and agree to live in peace. Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is one that is powerful yet it is always plagued by the feud of their families. Shakespeare’s use of imagery and symbolism to convey their relationship is highly powerful and only intensifies the bond between them.

Genres Of Literature Essay

Genres of literature are important to learn about. The two main categories separating the different genres of literature are fiction and nonfiction. There are several genres of literature that fall under the nonfiction category. Nonfiction sits in direct opposition to fiction. Examples from both the fiction and nonfiction genres of literature are explained in detail below. This detailed genres of literature list is a great resource to share with any scholars. Types of Nonfiction: Narrative Nonfiction is information based on fact that is presented in a format which tells a story. Essays are a short literary composition that reflects the author’s outlook or point. A short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative. A Biography is a written account of another person’s life. An Autobiography gives the history of a person’s life, written or told by that person. Often written in Narrative form of their person’s life. Speech is the faculty or power of speaking; oral communication; ability to express one’s thoughts and emotions by speech, sounds, and gesture. Generally delivered in the form of an address or discourse. Finally there is the general genre of Nonfiction. This is Informational text dealing with an actual, real-life subject. This genre of literature offers opinions or conjectures on facts and reality. This includes biographies, history, essays, speech, and narrative nonfiction. Nonfiction opposes fiction and is distinguished from those fiction genres of literature like poetry and drama which is the next section we will discuss. Genres of Fiction: Drama is the genre of literature that’s subject for compositions is dramatic art in the way it is represented. This genre is stories composed in verse or prose, usually for theatrical  performance, where conflicts and emotion are expressed through dialogue and action. Poetry is verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that evokes an emotional response from the reader. The art of poetry is rhythmical in composition, written or spoken. This genre of literature is for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts. Fantasy is the forming of mental images with strange or other worldly settings or characters; fiction which invites suspension of reality. Humor is the faculty of perceiving what is amusing or comical. Fiction full of fun, fancy, and excitement which meant to entertain. This genre of literature can actually be seen and contained within all genres. A Fable is a story about supernatural or extraordinary people Usually in the form of narration that demonstrates a useful truth. In Fables, animals often speak as humans that are legendary and supernatural tales. Fairy Tales or wonder tales are a kind of folktale or fable. Sometimes the stories are about fairies or other magical creatures, usually for children. Science Fiction is a story based on impact of potential science, either actual or imagined. Science fiction is one of the genres of literature that is set in the future or on other planets. Short Story is fiction of such briefness that is not able to support any subplots. Realistic Fiction is a story that can actually happen and is true to real life. Folklore are songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a person of â€Å"folk† that was handed down by word of mouth. Folklore is a genre of literature that is widely held, but false and based on unsubstantiated beliefs. Historical Fiction is a story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting. Horror is an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by literature that is frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting. Fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread in both the characters and the reader. A Tall Tale is a humorous story with blatant exaggerations, swaggering heroes who do the impossible with an here of nonchalance. Legend is a story that sometimes of a national or folk hero. Legend is based on fact but also includes imaginative material. Mystery is a genre of fiction that deals with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets. Anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown. Mythology is a type of legend or traditional narrative. This is often based in part on  historical events, that reveals human behavior and natural phenomena by its symbolism; often pertaining to the actions of the gods. A body of myths, as that of a particular people or that relating to a particular person. Fiction in Verse is full-length novels with plot, subplots, themes, with major and minor characters. Fiction of verse is one of the genres of literature in which the narrative is usually presented in blank verse form. The genre of Fiction can be defined as narrative literary works whose content is produced by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact. In fiction something is  feigned, invented, or imagined; a made-up story. Basic Parts of Essay Introductory Paragraph The introductory paragraph accomplishes three purposes: it captures the reader’s interest, it suggests the importance of the essay’s topic, and it ends with a thesis sentence. Often, the thesis sentence states a claim that consists of two or more related points. For example, a thesis might read: A college essay has an introductory paragraph, several body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. You are telling the reader what you think are the most important points which need to be addressed in your essay. For this reason, you need to relate the introduction directly to the question or topic. A strong thesis is essential to a good essay, as each paragraph of your essay should be related back to your thesis or else deleted. Thus, the thesis establishes the key foundation for your essay. A strong thesis not only states an idea, but also uses solid examples to back it up. A weak thesis might be: Wikipedia is a powerful resource in many ways. As an alternative, a strong thesis for the same topic would be: Wikipedia is a powerful resource because it allows users with knowledge in a specific area toshare  their knowledge, because it allows users to quickly find information about a vast array of topics, and because studies have confirmed that it is as accurate as any other encyclopedia. Then, you could separate your body paragraphs into three sections: one explaining the open-source nature of the project, one explaining the variety and depth of information, and a final one using studies to confirm that Wikipedia is indeed as accurate as other encyclopedias. Tips Often, writing an introductory paragraph is the most difficult part of writing an essay. Facing a blank page can be daunting. Here are some suggestions for getting started. First, determine the context in which you want to place your topic. In other words, identify an overarching category in which you would place your topic, and then introduce your topic as a case-in-point. For example, if you are writing about dogs, you may begin by speaking about friends, dogs being an example of a very good friend. Alternatively, you can begin with a sentence on selective breeding, dogs being an example of extensive selective breeding. You can also begin with a sentence on means of protection, dogs being an example of a good way to stay safe. The context is the starting  point for your introductory paragraph. The topic or thesis sentence is the ending point. Once the starting point and ending point are determined, it will be much easier to connect these points with the narrative of the opening paragraph. A good thesis statement, for example, if you are writing about dogs being very good friends, you could put: A dog is an example of a very good friend because X, Y, and Z. Here, X, Y, and Z would be the topics explained in your body paragraphs. In the format of one such instance, X would be the topic of the second paragraph, Y would be the topic of the third paragraph,  and Z would be the topic of the fourth paragraph, followed by a conclusion, in which you would summarize the thesis statement. Example As we travel through our lives, we will identify many people as friends. In truth, most of these individuals are simply acquaintances. They will enter and depart from our existences as matters of mutual convenience. True friends will be there for you always. There is no friend truer than a dog. Identifying a context can help shape the topic or thesis. Here, the writer decided to write about dogs. Then, the writer selected friends as the context, dogs being good examples of friends. This shaped the topic and narrowed the focus to dogs as friends. This would make writing the remainder of the essay much easier because it allows the writer to focus on aspects of dogs that make them good friends. Body Paragraphs Each body paragraph begins with a topic sentence. If the thesis contains multiple points or assertions, each body paragraph should support or justify them, preferably in the order the assertions originally stated in the thesis. Thus, the topic sentence for the first body paragraph will refer to the first point in the thesis sentence and the topic sentence for the second body paragraph will refer to the second point in the thesis sentence. Generally, if the thesis sentence contains three related points, there should be three body paragraphs, though you should base the number of paragraphs on the number of supporting points needed. If the core topic of the essay is the format of college essays, the thesis sentence might read: A college essay has an introductory paragraph, several body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. The topic sentence for the first body paragraph might read: The first paragraph of an essay is the introductory paragraph. Sequentially, the topic sentence for the second body paragraph might read: The introductory paragraph is followed by several body paragraphs. And the topic sentence for the third body paragraph might read: The college essay’s final paragraph is its concluding paragraph. Everybody paragraphs uses specific details, such as anecdotes, comparisons and contrasts, definitions, examples, expert opinions, explanations, facts, and statistics to support and develop the claim that its topic sentence makes. Tips When writing an essay for a class assignment, make sure to follow your teacher or professor’s  suggestions. Most teachers will reward creativity and thoughtful organization over dogmatic adherence to a prescribed structure. Many will not. If you are not sure how your teacher will respond to a specific structure, ask. Organizing your essay around the thesis sentence should begin with arranging the supporting elements to justify the assertion put forth in the thesis sentence. Not all thesis sentences will, or should, lay out each of the points you will cover in your essay. In the example introductory paragraph on dogs, the thesis sentence reads, â€Å"There is no friend truer than a dog. † Here, it is the task of the body paragraphs to justify or prove the truth of this assertion, as the writer did not specify what points they would cover. The writer may next ask what characteristics dogs have that make them true friends. Each characteristic may be the topic of a body paragraph. Loyalty, companionship, protection, and assistance are all terms that the writer could apply to dogs as friends. Note that if the writer puts dogs in a different context, for example, working dogs, the thesis might be different, and they would be focusing on other aspects of dogs. It is often effective to end a body paragraph with a sentence that rationalizes its presence in the essay. Ending a body paragraph without some sense of closure may cause the thought to sound incomplete. Each body paragraph is something like a miniature essay in that they each need an introductory sentence that sounds important and interesting, and that they each need a good closing sentence in order to produce a smooth transition between one point and the next. Body paragraphs can be long or short. It depends on the idea you want to develop in your paragraph. Depending on the specific  style of the essay, you may be able use very short paragraphs to signal a change of subject or to explain how the rest of the essay is organized. Do not spend too long on any one point. Providing extensive background may interest some readers, but others would find it tiresome. Keep in mind that the main importance of an essay is to provide basic background on a subject and, hopefully, to spark enough interest to induce further reading. Example A true friend will be there for you whenever you need them. Any dog owner will say that there is nobody that will stick with you through thick and thin as much as a dog. My own dog can barely contain her joy when I come home from a hard day. Regardless of my mood, and my attitude towards her, she is always happy when I am home, and that is usually enough to make me feel better about everything. True friends will help you when you are in need. Whether it is to protect their owner against some sort of threat or to help a blind person walk across the street, dogs are the most reliable companion a person could have. Few villains would attack a person walking a dog at night, and statistics show that homes with dogs are among the least likely to be broken into. The above example is a bit free-flowing and the writer intended it to be persuasive. The second paragraph combines various attributes of dogs including protection and companionship. Here is when doing a little research can also help. Imagine how much more effective the last statement would be if the writer cited some specific statistics and backed them up with a reliable reference. Concluding Paragraph The concluding paragraph usually restates the thesis and leaves the reader something about the topic to think about. If appropriate, it may also issue a call to act, inviting the reader to take a specific  course of action with regard to the points that the essay presented. Aristotle suggested that speakers and, by extension, writers should tell their audience what they are going to say, say it, and then tell them what they have said. The three-part essay model, consisting of an introductory paragraph, several body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph, follows this strategy. Tips As with all writing, it is important to know your audience. All writing is persuasive, and if you write with your audience in mind, it will make your argument much more persuasive to that particular audience. When writing for a class assignment, the audience is your teacher. Depending on the assignment, the point of the essay may have nothing to do with the assigned topic. In most class assignments, the purpose is to persuade your teacher that you have a good grasp of grammar and spelling, that you can organize your thoughts in a comprehensive manner, and, perhaps, that you are capable of following instructions and adhering to some dogmatic formula the teacher regards as an essay. It is much easier to persuade your teacher that you have these capabilities if you can make your essay interesting to read at the same time. Place yourself in your teacher’s position and try to imagine reading one formulaic essay after another. If you want yours to stand out, capture your teacher’s attention and make your essay interesting, funny, or compelling. Example It is no accident that many people consider their dogs as part of their family. Just like every other member, dogs contribute to the happiness and well-being of the home, making the burdens of caring for them well worth the effort. Dogs deserve love and respect every bit as much as they love and respect us. After all, what more can a friend be? In the above example, focus shifted slightly and talked about dogs as members of the family. Many would suggest it departs from the logical organization of the rest of the essay, and some teachers may consider it unrelated and take points away. However, contrary to the common wisdom of â€Å"tell them what you are going to say, say it, and then tell them what you have said,† you may find it more interesting and persuasive to shift away from it as the writer did here, and then in the end, return to the core point of the essay. This gives additional effect to what an audience would otherwise consider a very boring conclusion.

Personal statement MA publishing Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MA publishing - Personal Statement Example I know that there are so many things I still need to learn about especially those which could be handed down to me by experts in the field. Quality training and education are among the reasons for me why I would like to study at University College London (UCL). I value education given by experts not only in theoretical studies but especially those who worked to gain more knowledge and understanding of the theories taught. I understand that UCL offers high quality services from professors of the aforementioned caliber. In addition, it would be an honor to become a part, a learner of one of the world’s top universities which prides itself of achievers. Cultural diversity is another reason why I choose the school because as I really want to indulge myself in media, I know how important it is for me to meet different people from different cultural backgrounds. This would be another angle of my learning experience which would open my eyes to a wider scope of perception. I believe the atmosphere in the school encourages an opportunity for students to lead and excel in their chosen field of specialization and I look for ward to an engaging and highly profitable experience in the school. I graduated Accounting and Finance at the University of Birmingham in 2011, with second class honour degree. I am currently taking Foundation Diploma for Postgraduate Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies which, in some way propelled me to decide on pursuing MA in Publishing. As mentioned earlier, media is now becoming more and more indispensable and is rather a topmost essential with the development of technology. I am looking forward to landing a job as a marketing manager as my post-graduate study will strengthen my qualifications having graduated Accounting and Finance. If not, I am also inclined to aiming a Public Relations Executive position, which of