Monday, December 23, 2019

How is technology affecting the younger generations...

How is technology affecting the younger generations perceptions of morality and the world? The advent of the internet signaled a revolutionary shift for society, in which participation in massive amounts of information was easily and rapidly accessible to any connected country. This digital revolution gave rise to monolithic digital communities that dominate the web and strongly influence the globe; Twitter helped Belarusian youth organize flash-protests against their authoritarian government in 2006, while Wikileaks continues to serve as a public international clearing-house for whistle-blowers. But despite these resounding stories of success, concern is spreading that there is an underlying problem with our digitally enhanced society†¦show more content†¦These teenagers are the undisputed leaders of persistent connectivity; any spare moment is spent attached to a media portal of some kind. Unfortunately most of them do not pursue activities of self-improvement, ignoring the availability of vast storehouses of information in favor of personal entertainment and th e drivel of their media idols. Supporters of the digital revolution as a replacement for traditional education insist technology allows students to fulfill all their thirst for knowledge. While technology does theoretically allow that to happen, the sad reality is students use new technology to continue the repetitive and dull social interactions with the same small peer-group. Instead of learning about the world and acting to change it, they publish complaints about it on social networking sites to their small group of peers and then go try to catchup on the latest entertainment news. â€Å"Visiting new places† used to mean traveling to foreign lands and experiencing new cultures, but has now come to mean clicking through new experiences. Although proponents of e-learning attempt to use this to support wider adoption of e-tech, the truth is this actually works against learning. If someones opinion goes against your own or is unsettling, its merely a matter of clicking away and ignoring it. A person is able to totally avoid opposing ideas without removing themselves from society. Without the influence of opposing ideas and different ways of looking at theShow MoreRelatedRacial Discrimination : American History X, Remember The Titans And The Blind Side Showed1864 Words   |  8 PagesIn the world today, the United States of America is a multicultural nation. This country has faced and still facing many racial issues from the Civil Right Movement till the present time. Racial discrimination has always been the most discussed topics when it comes to any soci ety problems. As we process what take place around the world, furthermore; community cohesive together to exchanging culture, information, technology, and knowledge. However, the negative side of society always tries to ignoreRead MoreDoes Media Influence Adolescent Girls Into Having Negative Body Images2580 Words   |  11 Pagesdisorders which are affecting adolescent girls. A child, (Body image problems, eating disorders and media messages, 2006) or adolescent is considered to have body image problems if they have negative thoughts and feelings about their body, often only modestly related to their actual appearance. Body image is psychological in nature. It is influenced by your self-esteem and self-worth and it in turn, influences your self-esteem and self-worth. It is how you perceive your physical body and how you feel othersRead MoreFilipino Adolescents in Changing Times*10342 Words   |  42 Pagescurrent knowledge about the beliefs, attitudes, perceptions and behavior of young people in their late teens belonging to different socio-economic classes and living in urban and rural areas. It examined the factors influencing their beliefs and behavior and determining the critical events or â€Å"turning points† in their lives that have shaped their self-concept or identity. Specific research questions included: †¢ What are the beliefs, attitude, perceptions and behavior of young people specifically aboutRead MoreGraphic Causes A Great Impact On The Consumers Mind3211 Words   |  13 Pagesgreat impact in the consumers mind because it evokes both, a feeling or emotion as well as a relation with time; this strategy is called â€Å"Nostalgia†. Basically, the word Nostalgia means â€Å"a preference towards objects that were common when one was younger in adolescence, childhood or even before birth† (Holbrook and Schindler, 1991, p.330) or in another view it can mean â€Å"when a â€Å"love of home† instinct controls one’s emotions and the individual experiences homesickness (Rutherford and Shaw, 2011). AlthoughRead MoreMy : My Virtual Life Assignment10439 Words   |  42 Pagestoddlerhood (birth to 30 months), early childhood (3 to 5 years), middle childhood (6-11 years), and adolescence (12-18 years). The last section of my paper includes my responses to the personal reflection questions. Infancy and Toddlerhood 8 Months 1. How does your baby’s eating, sleeping, and motor development compare to the typical developmental patterns? Describe your child’s behavior in each of these domains and refer to what might be expected at these ages. Support your response with evidence fromRead MoreGlobalization and It Effects on Cultural Integration: the Case of the Czech Republic.27217 Words   |  109 Pagesgrowing standards of the world and the existing concepts and complexities in political, economic and socio-cultural ideologies, man has always and continuously pondered over the aspects of his nature. Unity, equality, trade and commerce are at the forefront of mans complexities. With these thoughts in mind, man has moved through history trying to satisfy his desires in relation to others. The advent of the twenty-first century gave birth to the idea of making the world a single village, thus, globalizationRead MoreThe Effects of Advertising on Children33281 Words   |  134 Pagespositive respo nses when children identify features about the characters they like (younger children in particular); or identify emotionally with characters (older children in particular); and are positively associated with memory of and attitudes toward products advertised. Australian Communications and Media Authority 5 Television Advertising to Children Owing to their cognitive underdevelopment, younger children fail to differentiate between animated and real-life characters. Further, cognitiveRead MoreBoyer Dbq Teacher Guide10764 Words   |  44 PagesB and D. Another possibility would be a jigsaw activity using these documents. Divide your class into four groups and assign students from each group the homework task of writing a paragraph to analyze one of the documents (B thru E) and explaining how it shows features of the respective nation’s colonizing efforts in North America. Then put students in groups of four the next day, one with a paragraph written on each document. Have them present their paragraphs to the group and have each four-personRead MoreAn Assessment of the Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Nigerian Society: the Examples of Banking and Communication Industries18990 Words   |  76 Pagesdirect, though intangible investment in a healthy environment for his company. Miller specifically aimed at endowing his small industrial town with the ‘quality of life’ that would attract to it the managerial and technical people on whom a big high-technology business depends. Only if business and particularly Nigerian business learns that to do well it has to do good, can we hope to tackle the major challenges facing developing societies today. The economic realities ahead are such that ‘social needs’Read MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 Pagesto customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders. Hence it can be surmised that marketing is basically m eeting unmet needs for target markets, identifying those unmet needs and planning how to meet them through products, services, and ideas. Communicating the value to them along with pricing which is affordable and profitable and also distributing the products so that customers have appropriate accessibility and have quick and easy delivery

Sunday, December 15, 2019

How Can We Control Corruption Free Essays

CAN WE EVER REMOVE CORRUPTION? Corruption: This word corruption is something disreputable which we always come across in our day to day life whether it reveals in politics or is seen in our regular jobs. Corruption exists in almost all the countries of the world. The rich and  powerful people  are the real beneficiaries of corruption and they are never part of movement to eradicate the corruption. We will write a custom essay sample on How Can We Control Corruption? or any similar topic only for you Order Now All of them need to be made center of attraction before the society and media for their act of corruption. The question is that, we always  come across  this word, but is there any way out we can  get rid of  these termites which are eating up a country’s future and making it unhealthy ?. We need to be helpful to the weaker section of the society who are the real victims of corruption. Do we really think that only going against the politicians and  passing bills  by the parliamentary committee of a democratic country or electing a correct ruler/ leader would lead its country and remove corruption from its root permanently?. As per my view, only electing a good leader/ruler would not remove corruption as a whole from its root because they can show us the  right path  and in a big country which have its own huge and special problems, we cannot expect from the leaders heading the Govt. to reach every individual and keep a watch on the measures taken to remove the termite called‘ Corruption’ from its Country, City, State or the World. But it is agreed by all that politicians and greedy business tycoons are the backbone of corruption world over. A country and its responsibilities do not only fall on the shoulders of the political leaders of that country because the country not only belongs to them but it is also a responsibility of all of us. We should not only blame one person or a body of people but  should understand  that if the corruption has become a part of higher level and a country is getting effected – its present future, everything is in danger, then they are not solely responsible for all these things. If we want to remove the corruption from its root, we will have to  work hard  together towards this and first of all remove corruption from its root which is lying in our day to day life and within us. It is not possible for a single person to remove corruption Removing corruption has become so difficult because we all have adopted this as a habit in our daily life. For  some reasons  or the other, we adopt this method to achieve our desires, dream and also to get id of problems in a shortcut way. I can just make my friends count  few examples  at a go : – O When caught in a traffic jam and and we are asked to show our driving license, we prefer most of the time to bribe the traffic officer or  get rid of  spending more time in arguing or settling up with him. O When we  require to get some work done  from a person and we know that there is a difficulty in it, we prefer bribing such person(s)to get our  work done  very easily. O We even in the name of donation do not stop bribing schools and some of them also entertain this practice in the name of donation when its time for admissions of our children. In a short, we bribe or follow corruption every where in our day to day life, so how can we say that the leaders or the  political bodies  are only responsible for corruption in a country ? Giving chance to  eligible people  at  work place  and only following people whom we like is also a part of corruption. Wherever we go, every second of our life we practice corruption, so going against only a particular group of people, doing hunger strikes won’t help us until we become real enemies of corruption and each and every one of us starts thinking that we are the leaders of the country and our aim is to set an examples for  every other person. Being a part of corruption or not raising voice against it, is equal in every sense. As it is always said that â€Å" Charity begins at home†, we should always  understandthat the fight against corruption can only be fought with vigor and vitality to kill it from its root which is possible only when we all start a revolution and stop evensupporting  this kind of practice and activities at a very lower to higher level. Rules and Regulations – disciplines and laws should be equal for all,  supporting terror  in any ways,selfish thinking should be stopped and voice against wrong issues are the few initial steps which can be taken up by any of us, every individual,  peopleand all of our country men towards a  healthy future. At the end, the way to eradicate corruption is possible only when the society andyoung youths  of today promise to themselves to contain it and bring a clean environment for the growth of country and its people. If we all are united and theyoung generation  is determined to prioritize the eradication of corruption from the country, it will benefit a  common man  and would lead the country to a new height as well. How to cite How Can We Control Corruption?, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Cell Phones Social Interactions In A Wireless Era - Free Sample

Question: Part A Locate the following article using the librarys electronic journal collection: Humphreys, Lee. 2005. Cellphones in Public: Social Interactions in a Wireless Era New Media Society 17(6): 810-833 The article describes and analyzes how people use and respond to cellphones in public spaces, more specifically, it is concerned with the question of how social norms of interactions in public spaces are mediated by cellphone behavior. Once the article is read, the following questions must be answered in the introduction of your study: What are the basic differences between a single and a with? How does the author define cross talk? What sort of examples are provided by the author? Identify and briefly describe the different stages or scenarios in which cellphone cross talk can occur. Part B Select and identify a public area on the university campus where you can observe cellphone behavior during three separate sessions of 30 minutes each. You may choose the same setting and time OR for variety, may decide on a different setting or time for each of the three 30 minute observations. Remember to include your justification for choosing the times locations of your observations in your essay. Arrive at the setting and choose a place where you can comfortably observe what people are doing. Bring a notepad for recording observations. As you design your study, briefly describe the question that was the focus of your research. Note that you can choose either to observe cellphone voice calling or texting or other cellphone activities but you must differentiate and choose one of them only to study. Whatever the objective, your research should consider the concept of cross talk and ideas presented by the author of the above article. Part C Take fields notes of your observations. Be as detailed as possible when describing the setting, and especially, the kinds of behaviors about cellphone use in public spaces you are witnessing. Use the following template for each of your three observations; Observation Number:____ Location:_____________ Description of the social environment:___________ Dates of observations:_____________ Time begun:__________ Time concluded:___________ Field Notes:____________________________________________________________________ Upon completions, you will have several pages, and these are to be handed in along with your study results. Part D Once you have completed your three observations, use your field notes to answer the following questions, which will be incorporated into your results/discussion section of your paper. Does your study confirm any of the different stages or scenarios of cross talk identified by Humphreys? Which ones? What are two or three major insights or questions that emerge from your observations? What did you learn about conducting observations? What additional features would you add to this study in order to make it more comprehensive (further work)? Answer: Introduction The article on the social affect of cell phone technology on the social behavior f the individual by Lee Humphrey shows the experiments and the observations of the author about the changes in the individual behavior. The observation part in the article shows that if an individual is engaged in a phone call then the partner shows expressions of anxiety and annoyance and tries to be engaged in some other activities. Further, the article also determines the use of cell phones in public space to better understand the power dynamics of social relations (Hammersley, 2013). Part A The basic difference between a single and a with as mentioned in the article shows that a person is considered to be single by the society if the person does not have any company (Humphreys, 2005). Compared to the with person the single is considered to be potentially undesirable and is in a vulnerable mental condition. With on the contrary are the individuals showcasing huge accompaniment from different individuals showing a state of social desirability. Cross talk refers to the conversation between one of the partners of with with some other individual over the telecommunication channels like cell phone. Some of the instances of cross talk are seen in cases of cell phone conversations, and outsider disruption in between a conversation (Humphreys, 2005). The first stage of cross talk occurs when the cell phone rings and the person has to decide on how to handle it. The third stage of the cross talk is encountered when a third party interrupts the two parties having face-to-face conversation. The fourth stage of the cross talk occurs when the person interacts with the third party and simultaneously with the partner. The fifth and the rare stage is encountered when the individual interacts with the physical partner and the person over the phone at equal time (Konijn, 2008). Part B Location For observing, the social issues relating to cell phones in public spaces the researcher chose the canteen caf within the university campus. The justification behind the choice of canteen cafes being the large number of social conversations are initiated in these areas and the probability of receiving phone calls are also high in canteens and cafes. The choice of this location helped the researcher to have effective observations. The researcher will take the middle seat in the canteen so that the researcher will have a full view of the overall social environment of the canteen (Weisskirch, 2011). Time setting The researcher conducted the survey twice a week for 30 minutes each allocated for three types of observations. The researcher maintained a gap of one week was in between the observation. The researcher did this alteration to get diverse range of target representatives (DE LAME, 2010). Research question The researcher focused on three types of observations namely observation on social effect of cell phone voice calling, observation on effect of cell phone texting and observation of generation of cross talk in cell phone activities (Salkind, 2010). Observations The researcher selected the cell phone voice calling observation in order to analyze the occurrence of cross talk and the social effect of the same. The observation shows that cross talk occurs when an individual accepts the phone call irrespective of being in middle of a face-to-face conversation. In the first observation it is seen that the since the partner is engaged in phone call hence the single partner tries to occupy himself with activities like reading of the menu card in canteen, focusing on visitors of canteen. The observation shows that because of cross talk the individuals adopt various defense mechanisms. In the second observation, the single person is seen to be engaged in a phone call to avoid the apprehension and annoyance. This keeps the single person engaged in social behavior and is not left alone. In the third observation, the individuals eavesdrop on the cross talk between the partner and the third party. The action is not intentional however, it is a structured action of the single partner in order to avoid (Shaw Allen, 2012). Part D Results and discussions From the observations, it is clear that the stages of cross talk as discovered by Humphrey in the article are relevantly seen in the study. However, the observations do not confirm with the fourth stage of cross talk (Lin, 2010). The other stages of cross talk are present within the observations. The observations made here are in accordance to the cross talk emergence due to phone calls. However, there was no instance of third party cross talk. The first observation confirms with the first stage of cross talk. The third and the fourth stage of cross talk occurs when a third party interrupts a face-to-face conversation and the individual decides to interact with the third party. In the research study since no third party observation is seen hence the third and te fourth stage of cross talk cannot be noticed (Tufford Newman, 2010). From the observation it can be derived that cross talk can be avoided in certain stages by the third party as well as by the individual. The use of the cell phone shows the social behavior of the person and the social obligation of the individual. The research project helped the researcher in understanding the directness of field observation (Baym, 2010). However, the observation process lacks practicability and the researcher had to abide by the social ethics and avoid eavesdropping on the private conversations of the participants. Observer effect is another limitation that occurs in case of observational studies (Miller, 2012). As a future prospect, the researcher can make observational analysis of the other aspects of cell phone behavior. Moreover, the researcher can also conduct a primary data analysis on a selected sample group in order to record their behavior in accordance to use of cell phone in public space. This will further help the researcher to get accurate responses from the participants about their emotions of being single. Moreover, to extend the research the research in future can adopt a study of the new and emerging technologies and explore the social, economical, political and cultural context of the technology (Thyer, 2012). Reference list Baym, N. (2010).Personal connections in the digital age. Cambridge, UK: Polity. DE LAME, D. (2010). The cell phone. An anthropology of communication by Horst, Heather A. and Daniel Miller.Social Anthropology,18(2), 234-235. Hammersley, M. (2013).What is qualitative research?. London: Bloomsbury. Humphreys, L. (2005). Cell phones in Public: Social Interactions in a Wireless Era New Media Society 17(6): 810-833 Konijn, E. (2008).Mediated interpersonal communication. New York: Routledge. Lin, J. (2010). Acquired Cognitive Behavior Changes in Children from Cell-Phone Use [Health Effects.IEEE Microwave,11(4), 112-114. doi:10.1109/mmm.2010.936483 Miller, T. (2012).Ethics in qualitative research. London: SAGE. Salkind, N. (2010).Encyclopedia of research design. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage. Shaw, D., Allen, T. (2012). A Systematic Consideration of Observational Design Decisions in the Theory Construction Process.Syst. Res.,29(5), 484-498. doi:10.1002/sres.2157 Thyer, B. (2012). The scientific value of qualitative research for social work.Qualitative Social Work. doi:10.1177/1473325011433928 Tufford, L., Newman, P. (2010). Bracketing in Qualitative Research.Qualitative Social Work,11(1), 80-96. doi:10.1177/1473325010368316 Weisskirch, R. (2011). No Crossed Wires: Cell Phone Communication in Parent-Adolescent Relationships.Cyberpsychology, Behavior, And Social Networking,14(7-8), 447-451. doi:10.1089/cyber.2009.0455 Appendix Part C: Observations Observation Number: one Location: University Canteen Description of the social environment: Social conversation between two male friends Dates of observations: Day 1 of week 1 Time begun: 11 in the morning Time concluded: 11.30 in the morning Field Notes: One of the partners receives a phone call. He decides to take the call. While he is busy over the call, the other partner distracts himself by staring at the canteen menu. As the call extends the single partner shows actions of annoyance. Observation Number: two Location: University Canteen Description of the social environment: An ongoing social conversation is noted between a male and a female participant Dates of observations: Day 4 of week 2 Time begun: 4 O clock in the evening Time concluded: 4.30 in the evening Field Notes: The male participant receives a phone call and decides to attend the call. The female partner being left single decides to make a phone call to a certain person as a form of defense mechanism in order to avoid being single. Observation Number: Three Location: University Caf Description of the social environment: Two female participants are engaged in a deep conversation Dates of observations: Day 15 of week 9 Time begun: 2.30 in the afternoon Time concluded: 3.00 in the afternoon Field Notes: one of the female participants receives a phone call in between the deep conversation and decides to attend it. Initially the partners shows annoyance and as the phone conversation proceeds the other female partner unintentionally eavesdrop on the private conversation of her partner.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Racial Capitalism and Colonialism

Racial capitalism does more harm than good especially to the colored individuals. It does a great deal in hindering progress in the fight against racial discrimination. Social capital should be the way to go because it promotes the community as a whole. The oppressions brought by racial capitalism are responsible for the transformation of the culture of Africans in the Diaspora in their attempt to raise against it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racial Capitalism and Colonialism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The white culture has also been greatly changed as it is forced to accept economic strategies that are not discriminative such as social capitalism thereby changing their culture significantly. Colonization gave birth to slavery and slavery is what brought about the Africans in the Diaspora. Africans had and still have their own unique culture. The mass movement of Africans from their homeland to work as slaves in their colonial master’s plantations is responsible for the cultural transfer that took place during the colonial era. Africans who moved in to the new lands took with them a rich African culture which they struggled to retain in the new land. It was not an easy task because they also found new culture in the countries they were taken. It proved unavoidable to borrow some new way of doing things and leading their everyday life in the new lands. Their colonial masters had their own unique culture as well which was equally affected by the presence of the Africans. A major contributing factor to the erosion of culture on both sides is probably the attempt to learn each other and the inevitable interactions that took place. There is even evidence of marriage between the two races thereby creating need for a compromised culture that accommodates both parties. As slavery was abolished in many parts of the world, the struggle for superiority between the blacks and the white s emerged. The transformation of the African culture rode on the bocks a wide platform of audience that was emerging in the 19th century. The audience developed as a result of social changes in theatre and music. Technological advancement in technology in the 19th century also played a great role in enabling the upcoming African black artist reach a wider audience through radio, TV and the print media. Ironically, the prolonged domination of racism and slavery and brought about the pinnacle of black culture which became very popular. This left many talented artists with no platforms of showcasing their expertise and instead they were left to entertain members of their own communities rather than being summoned by sovereigns to palaces to produce music and art aimed at praising great leaders (Clarke Deborah, 2006).Advertising Looking for essay on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More What is most amazing is the fac t that the oppressions experienced by the Africans during slavery in the new lands did not hinder their culture from spreading but rather made it popular. Slavery and colonization deprived Africans of education and a consequently reduced number of elites in their midst. Their most talented artists were therefore left to sing and amuse their own kin men. As a corollary, throughout Africa and the Diaspora, the effort of individual musicians and the wide traditions of well-liked culture increase reputation over the festivity of aristocrats and sovereigns in privileged courts. These artists’ talents developed diversely in music, narratives and fashion because their audience was the local community rather than the nobles (Clarke Deborah, 2006). They were able to develop new skills of talking to the popular audience where they addressed the fundamental issues of life and death in the deep and hidden meanings in their songs. The black culture continued to gain root through the vari ous artistic presentations and the ability to embrace technology, improvisation and change. This thought is metaphorically seen in jazz music as it views improvisation as key. Creativeness and thought to fresh audiences or latest practices have shaped most genres in black admired culture. The surfacing of black artists who have become famous in influential cultures can also be seen to be a causative factor towards the altering of the western culture by the African culture. Prominent writers and philosophers have all written their work with a significant attempt to try and praise the African culture. Roland Hayes made sure that he included spirituals in his classical recitals thereby giving the African culture a significant lee way to reach a wide audience. The artists used words such as â€Å"giving back† to refer to recognizing and appreciating the black community. The hot fire of African campaigns against racism has done a significant job in melting the cold ice of cultural discrimination. However, there are other things to consider after the ice has melted.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racial Capitalism and Colonialism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A major one is prejudice that is majorly based on the skin color. While it is true that racial capitalism and colonialism did a great job in shaping the African culture for the Africans in the diaspora, the same has had a significant effect of transforming the western culture. Works Cited Clarke, Kamari M., Deborah A. Thomas. (2006.) Globalization and Race: Transformations in the Cultural Production of Blackness, Durham. New York Duke University Press. This essay on Racial Capitalism and Colonialism was written and submitted by user Westin T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

How to Quote a Poem in APA Referencing

How to Quote a Poem in APA Referencing How to Quote a Poem in APA Referencing Many style guides have special rules for quoting poetry in an essay. In this post, for example, we will look at how to quote a poem using APA referencing. This will cover both: How to present quoted verse on the page How to format in-text citations for a poem in APA referencing If you are writing about poetry, then, make sure to follow the rules below. How to Quote a Poem The basic rules for quoting a line of poetry are the same as for quoting any other source. As such, to quote a poem, you should: Place the quoted text within quotation marks. Cite the author’s surname and year of publication in brackets. If available, include a page number for the quoted passage. Otherwise, a single line of poetry will look like any other quote. If you’re quoting two lines from a poem, though, you will need to include a include a forward slash to show where the line break was in the original text. A two-line quotation would therefore look like this: One of the most famous examples of nonsense poetry is  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Owl and the Pussy-Cat,† which begins thus: â€Å"The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea / In a beautiful pea-green boat† (Lear, 1983, p. 34). Here, for instance, we’re quoting the first two lines of an Edward Lear poem. Importantly, the date cited here is for the book the poem appears in, not the poem’s original date of publication (1871). The page numbers in the citation, meanwhile, show us where this poem appears in the book. Name a more iconic duo. Quoting Three or More Lines of Poetry If you’re using more than two lines from a poem, APA rules require you to format it like a block quote. Ideally, you will also recreate the presentation of the lines on the page from the original source: The final stanza begins with an interspecies wedding: â€Å"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling   Ã‚   Your ring?† Said the Piggy, â€Å"I will.† So they took it away, and were married next day   Ã‚   By the Turkey who lives on the hill. (Lear, 1983, p. 34) Here, for example, we indent the second and final lines more than the rest of the quote. This is because the original poem is presented in the same way. Furthermore, as with any APA block quote, the citation here comes after the final punctuation in the quote, not before it. Adding a Poem to an APA Reference List Finally, if you quote a poem anywhere in your work, it should also appear in the reference list at the end of your document. The correct reference format to use, however, will depend on how the poem was published: For long poems published as standalone works, use the standard book format. You can do this for anthologies with a single author, too, but make sure to name the editor as well as the author of the poems themselves. List poems published in an anthology as chapters from an edited book (i.e., include details for both poem and container volume). List a single poem found online as a web page. Whatever their format, make sure to provide full publication information for all poems and their container volumes (i.e., the book or website where you found the poem). This will allow your reader to find them if required. And if you need anyone to check your document for errors – including in citations and the reference list – don’t forget that we have expert academic proofreaders on hand and ready to help 24/7.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Field of Religious Studies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Field of Religious Studies - Assignment Example Evaluation skills also employ analysis skills such as semiotics and hermeneutical (Kessler 26). Explanations according to some scholars have the same meaning as interpretation. It is the comprehension gained through interpretation of data within a religious context. Explanation is independent and resistant to theory influence as opposed to unstable description and interpretation. Explanation can also be functional, structural or causal all of which assist in appealing arguments advanced in religious discipline. Interpretation also integrates the comparative aspects of the determination of the meaning of a religious data. Interpretation comprises of evaluation, explanation, and comparative studies. There is a close relationship between a descriptive analysis of religious theory and its interpretation. Pure description requires integration of interpretation and evaluation skills. Some research hypothesis accepts that explanation and understanding presents the most efficient platform for comprehension of religious literature and theory. Approach of explanation and understanding integrates the phenomenology of religion subject in self-generation of ethical arguments. Phenomenology discipline helps in self-generation of spiritual knowledge, which is imperative, as nonreligious theories cannot explain religious ideas (Kessler 23). Phenomenology discipline is more applicable than reductionism concepts that some scholars

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Disaster Preparedness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Disaster Preparedness - Essay Example The easiest way to help the situation out would be to enter the recovery stage in which aid can be given to victims on a priority basis instead of focusing on mitigation for which time seems to have passed. The first step would be to get drinking water supplies to the area since a lack of clean drinking water can only make the situation worse. In fact, medical supplies can be rationed for a while but drinking water simply can not be because people might start using unclean supplies of water which could lead to more problems in terms of the health situation. The second step would be to move out those individuals who have serious injuries and to begin treating less seriously injured victims on location. Later on in the recovery phase the rebuilding process can also be started. The difference between mitigation and preparedness is simply defined by the roles individuals play in those situations. In mitigation, the team tries to prevent the event from happening or reducing the negative effects if the situation is unpreventable (Wikipedia. 2007). For example, the construction of dams to prevent floods is mitigation for the long term while identification of present risks which might have developed in a disaster situation can be seen as short term mitigation. When it comes to preparedness, the management team focuses on preparing communication tools, establishing command controls and getting the necessary means for support to the people who have been affected by a disaster. Preparedness also involves planning with local resources such as healthy individuals and volunteers who can help with keeping a semblance of order (Wikipedia. 2007). However, professionals who are trained for the management of the disaster serve as the key to being

Monday, November 18, 2019

Plan for positive influence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Plan for positive influence - Essay Example There are several steps to motivation. First is to identify the goals and objectives, by being as precise as possible. Then the team has to decide on why you want to accomplish this objective and envisage the end result. Subsequently, visualize the goals and objectives of the team. Then, write these objectives and vision down. Then the team needs to break these goals into baby steps. Team will have to create an action plan for the upcoming year according to goals and objectives. This plan should be checked daily, and admit the team’s achievement, and make adjustments as you go along. This will create a hopeful atmosphere. The setbacks are to be learned from and the success be celebrated. The team members take responsibility for goal accomplishment. In the end, team needs to be in control of schedule and figure the resources and the determination that will assist the team (Peterson, 2007). A huge portion of the company’s success comes from the capability of team to meet the demands of the company, and also the customers’ demands. Therefore, it is the reason that keeps the employees content and satisfied in a way to make the business flourishing. There are certain steps to improve the satisfaction of team members. First of all make sure that each member knows about the business vision and mission. Team members should know about the business, comprising of basic necessities of customer satisfaction. Then the expectations need to be cleared among all the team members (Quick, 1992). Empowerment of employees needs to be on forefront for their satisfaction. Team members do better job and are more satisfied if they know they are trusted by team leader. Empowering the team members allows for enhancing customer relations as their satisfaction increases. Empowerment helps a team member accountable for the job and also productive for team as well. It allows the team to succeed in the organization and work for benefit of the company. Team members should be rewarded on their accomplishments, this improves their satisfaction level. The satisfaction of team members can simply be boosted by saying ‘Good Job’ to them. Many different types of rewards are gift card, cash bonus, promotion or initiative, and also a title, for enhancing the working conditions for the team members (Quick, 1992). To increase the morale and satisfaction of team members, several team building activities are to take place. To build on and improve the team should be the highlight of team members. These will include inviting team members on retreat where objectives and aims are discussed and new ideas generated. Also, a team building consultant can be hired to look after the team. A good remuneration always gives satisfaction to employees. It is not usually on the top of employee satisfaction but it is also mandatory for any organization (Bledsoe, 1995). The performance of employees will be increased by a three level formula. First of all, the aim is to get the teamwork and basic job skills in one place. This is achieved by differentiating for the members of the team a team and a crew. This will assist in moving from approach of crew to approach of team and instituting common aims and objectives which will agree on process and behavior. Level two aims at the performance measures. The change is in process in

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Theories of Therapeutic Alliance

Theories of Therapeutic Alliance QUOTE:- The therapeutic alliance is a key concept and quintessential variable whose importance is commonly accepted. It is seen as a multi-dimensional concept, emerging trends indicate four dimensions, namely: the patients affective relationship to the therapist; the patients capacity to purposefully work in therapy; the therapists empathic understanding and involvement; the client/therapist agreement on the goals and tasks of treatment. B. JUST 1997 Essay The concept of the Therapeutic Alliance has its roots in the seminal works of Freud when he began formulating his theories in respect of the various concepts relating to the phenomenon and dynamics of transference. (Freud S 1912). Freud began to refer to the concept in his early writings in different terms as a the therapeutic, working, or helping alliance which encapsulated the idea that a relationship between therapist and patient was important for therapeutic success. We note, in the context of this essay, that Freud’s opinion was that such a working arrangement was important but not essential for a therapeutic outcome. His early comments tended to refer to the â€Å"positive feelings that develop between doctor and patient â€Å" although, as his theories evolved, these concepts developed into more concrete forms. As is the case with most evolving concepts it was developed and expanded by a number of other notable figures. Zetzel looked at a number of different types of alliance formation (Zetzel E R 1956) and Greenson conceptualised this in a fuller form drawing a distinction between the real and adaptive forms of this type of relationship and drawing attention to the transferential properties and the possibility of the transference of fantasy in the adaptive elements of the alliance. (Greenson R R 1967) Working at about the same time as Greenson in the USA, Rogers characterised the Therapeutic Alliance in the terminology of â€Å"Client-centered therapy† and, for the first time in the literature, we find a reference to such an alliance being considered â€Å"essential† rather than â€Å"desirable† for the possibility of a positive outcome. (Rogers C R 1965). Rodgers referred to the Therapeutic Alliance as an â€Å"empathetic bond† which had to be actively developed by both doctor and patient and was an essential precursor to any form of exploration of the patient’s problems. Bordin expanded and generalised this concept further still and sought to increase its usefulness by adapting it to psychotherapy in all of its various forms. (Bordin E S 1979) and, in a seminal move towards Just’s analysis, proposed three elemental components of the Therapeutic Alliance, namely the identification of the goal, the identification of the task in hand and the formation of the doctor / patient bond of trust and empathy. In consideration of the title of this essay we should consider this analysis more fully. Bordin conceived of the Therapeutic Alliance as a totally bipartisan construction which required an equal (but different) input from both therapist and patient. This construction required the mutual identification and recognition of the shared goals that were going to be achieved together with an agreed and accepted delineation and acknowledgement of the various tasks necessary to achieve these goals and the bond which he saw as and â€Å"attachment bond generated primarily from mutual respect and empathyâ€Å". (Bordin E S 1979). It follows from this analysis, that Bordin conceived the Therapeutic Alliance not as something which arose spontaneously form the efforts and interaction of therapist and patient, but as the actual vehicle and mechanism by which psychotherapy worked. His attempts to apply this concept to the various contemporary forms of psychotherapy culminated with the realisation a nd articulation that the different forms of psychotherapy focussed in on, and exploited different aspects of the Therapeutic Alliance at different stages of the treatment. This finding is echoed in other writings. As we have outlined, the concept of the Therapeutic Alliance has its origins in the psychodynamic traditions of psychotherapy but has been embraced by the other traditions as well. Those theorists who are grounded in the cognitive school also acknowledge the establishment of a collaborative relationship between therapist and patient as an essential prerequisite to effective therapy. (Beck A T et al. 1979) More recent work as sought to quantify the nature and depth of the Therapeutic Alliance in the various disciplines. Martin’s tour de force on the subject is an impressive meta-analysis which sought to quantify the relationship between the strength of the Therapeutic Alliance and the eventual outcome of treatment. (Martin D J et al. 2000).His findings suggest that it depends how one quantifies the Therapeutic Alliance as to how strong the relationship is found to be. This is an area that we shall return to shortly. Horvath takes this point further with a similar meta-analysis across various forms of psychotherapy and comes to the conclusion that the impact of the Therapeutic Alliance is roughly similar in the different forms and the efficacy of outcome is directly related to the strength of the Therapeutic Alliance bond, irrespective of which particular mode of measurement is used. (Horvath A O et al. 1991). These issues, and indeed the thrust behind Just’s terminology of the Therapeutic Alliance as being the â€Å"quintessential variable are all totally dependent on just how one defines or measures the concept. It is clear from the discussions presented already that it is a â€Å"multidimensional concept†. One is certainly tempted to observe, from a brief overview of the literature, that it has at least as many dimensions as there are authorities writing on the issue. Although such a comment is superficially clearly bordering on the flippant, is can be taken at a much deeper level as a reflection of the fact that the Therapeutic Alliance is defined and measured by different authors in different ways. Historically the evolution of the ability to measure the strength of the alliance has evolved in much the same was (and to some extent in parallel) as the actual formulation of the concepts of the Therapeutic Alliance itself. (Luborsky L et al. 1983). In essence, a judgement of the extent to which one considers the Therapeutic Alliance essential rather than simply desirable, is dependent on the way that one either quantifies or measures it. If we consider the implications of this statement further we can cite comments by two authorities that we have quoted earlier in a different context. In their critical analysis of the role of the Therapeutic Alliance in the field of general psychotherapy, Horvath and Luborsky suggest that research is unlikely to provide guidance to clinical practice unless the relations between clearly defined therapist actions in specific contexts and the effect of these interventions on process or outcome can be demonstrated (Horvath A O, Luborsky L 1993 Pg. 568 ) The effectiveness of the Therapeutic Alliance is also demonstrably effected by other factors. In his book the Heart and Soul of Change, Miller (et al. 1999) puts forward the suggestion that what is of fundamental importance in establishing the alliance is not the persuasion, or theoretical background of the therapist, nor even how empathetic the therapist actually is to the problems of the patient (even if the criteria that one uses is how empathetic the therapist believes that they are being) but is actually the degree to which the patient believe that the therapist understands their own perceptions of reality. To quote Miller â€Å"It the client’s theory of change not the therapist’s that is important.† This thread of argument is taken further with Gabbard’s analysis (Gabbard G O et al. 1994) that the efficacy of the eventual therapeutic intervention, if measured in terms of transference interpretations, defence interpretations, and supportive interventions is ultimately dependent on factors that are therapist independent such as the strength of the patient’s ego, the state of readiness that the patient has reached in terms of their own self-exploration or elaboration, the current phase of the therapeutic process and even the timing within any particular session. Which implies that it is both dynamic and variable. If we consider the third of Just’s four dimensions, that being that the therapists empathic understanding and involvement is an essential prerequisite for the formation of the Therapeutic Alliance, then we can see that Gabbard’s analysis is clearly at odds with Just’s. It is fair to observe that Gabbard is not alone in his assertions as Sexton’s slightly later and incredibly detailed assessment of the status of the Therapeutic Alliance, came to essentially the same conclusions. (Sexton H C et al. 1996). A rather more controversial view is expressed by Kernberg who was admittedly considering the phenomenon of Therapeutic Alliance in the specific context of severe personality disorder (Kernberg O F 1994) and came to the conclusion that the Therapeutic Alliance has to be initially very strong to allow the possibility of negative transference in order for the therapist to sometimes avoid the possibility of either premature termination of therapeutic stalemates. To an extent, he vicariously supports Miller’s contentions by pointing out that the practical strength of the Therapeutic Alliance is largely independent of the therapist’s wishes if one is dealing with a patient who is angrily attacking or even overtly manipulating the frame and goals of treatment. He adds the comment that in these circumstances the strength of the Therapeutic Alliance is largely determined by the level of the patient’s intrinsic anxiety state. Perhaps this can be interpreted as an extension or perhaps a paraphrasing of Miller’s later suggestion. It therefore follows that if we are to agree or to disagree with Just’s original statement, we need to consider just how we can quantify the strength of the various parameters of the Therapeutic Alliance. This is no easy topic and the literature on the subject is vast. One of the first significant and serious attempts to produce some form of measuring tool came in the form of the Luborskys Penn Helping Alliance scales (Luborsky L et al. 1983). This had a number of serious shortcomings and was modified many times in the years immediately after its publication. The Penn Helping Alliance questionnaire was an offshoot of this collaboration and this evolved further into a 19 item scale. Many difficulties arose in the original tools because, to a degree they were dependent on the degree of benefit that the patient had already received from any previous attempts at therapy. A number of commentators made the suggestion that the tools, in order to maximise their applicability and usefulness, should be as independent as possible from the degree of benefit that the patient had already received. (Marmar C R et al. 1989). If we return to our consideration of Bordin’s tripartite assessment of the Therapeutic Alliance which can be considered a fundamental progenitor of Just’s model, then we can cite Horvath and Greenbergs Working Alliance Inventory (Horvath H O et al. 1989) as a useful tool to measure the Therapeutic Alliance in terms of the three subsections of the Bordin definition mentioned earlier. This is perhaps the best direct justification and support of Just’s hypothesis that we can find as Bordin’s threefold thrust of assessment is essentially the same as three of the four elements of Just’s and the fourth element that Just included of the therapist’s empathetic understanding and involvement as being an â€Å"essential prerequisite† of the Therapeutic Alliance, is largely dismissed by authorities such as Gabbard and Sexton who we have cited earlier. Clearly we do not presume to make a judgement as to which authority is essentially correct as we have to observe that the evidence base to support either view is not particularly strong. To return to the original thrust of the concept of measurement, we can state that authorities have regarded Horvath and Greenbergs Working Alliance Inventory as being highly reproducible and as having high levels of interrater reliability in both the 36 item and the shorter 12 item version. (Horvath H O et al. 1989) A degree of vindication for Just’s analysis of the Therapeutic Alliance can be found in the California Psychotherapy Alliance Scales (CALPAS) , which essentially measures the strength of the therapist / patient alliance as a multidimensional construct. It uses four subscales to assess the strength of the bond namely: (i) the patients capacity to work purposefully in therapy, (ii) the affective bond with the therapist, (iii) the therapists empathic understanding and involvement (iv) the agreement between patient and therapist on the goals and tasks of treatment. Which, in essence, cover the four basic premises of Just’s hypothesis. Like the other scales already referred to, the CALPAS scale utilises a 6 point Likert scale for each item. This particular scale has achieved wide acceptance in research literature with a good predictive ability which appears to be valid across the majority of psychotherapeutic disciplines including cognitive behavioural therapy (Fenton L R et al. 2001), psychodynamic psychotherapy (Barber J P et al. 2000) and across several other different treatment areas (Gaston L et al. 1991). It has been found to be especially useful among neurotic patients, but it does appear to be only a weak predictor of outcome with cocaine-dependent patients (Barber J P et al. 1999). In terms of the arguments set out earlier, we note that all of the scales that we have already cited have both a therapist rated and patient rated version as well as an independent observer version. If one considers the literature we can see that the patient self-reported versions tend to give better predictions of outcome than those reports that are therapist based (particularly when assessed early in treatment trajectory). This gives credence to Miller’s view that it is the patient ‘s perception of the Therapeutic Alliance which is the single most important prediction measure of outcome in the psychotherapeutic field. Thus far in this essay we have largely considered the presence of the Therapeutic Alliance as being a comparatively static modality which is either present or not. Although we have acknowledged some views that refer to its dynamic state, we should perhaps examine this in more detail. We have referred to the evolution of the strength of the Therapeutic Alliance as therapy progresses, but we should point to the fact that a number of authorities refer to the relationship of either the variability of the fundamental stability of the Therapeutic Alliance to a number of both clinical and empirical implications. (Hatcher R L et al. 1996). As long as three decades ago Luborsky wrote about the dynamic nature of the Therapeutic Alliance which was actively responsive to the dynamic and changing demands of the evolution of the various phases of therapy. (Luborsky L 1976). A further aspect of this dynamism is to be found in the writings of Bordin who, while acknowledging that the role of the therapist is generally one of support, noted that the role of the therapist tends to be the dominant factor at the beginning of the therapeutic relationship and this evolves into a more shared responsibility as goals and treatment plans are both articulated and defined. He writes that it is the inevitable cycle of the Therapeutic Alliance bond being strained, ruptured and then repaired that is central to the therapeutic process. (Bordin E 1980) Writers such as Gelso and Carter (Gelso C J et al. 1994) formalised (some would say stylised) the evolution of the alliance over the therapeutic interaction as involving â€Å"a weakening after an initial development, followed in successful therapy by an increase to earlier, high levels.† Other authorities have taken a more idiosyncratic view, which may reflect their own personal experience rather than necessarily an informed overview. Horvath characterises the typical trajectory as â€Å"an initial phase of development for the alliance, held to occur within the first five therapy sessions (and probably peaking during the third session), followed by a second, more critical phase, during which the therapist challenges maladaptive patterns, the effect of which is a weakening or rupturing of the alliance that must be repaired if therapy is to continue successfully†. (Horvath A O et al. 1994). In order to provide a balanced picture of the literature, one could also cite the opinion of Greenberg who appears to have a more philanthropic outlook when he describes the process of evolution of the Therapeutic Alliance in successful therapies as â€Å"either rising or holding a steady value over time†. (Greenberg L S 1994) In consideration of the evidence that we have assembled thus far we can state that the Therapeutic Alliance, in Just’s words, is clearly a key concept. We would suggest that the evidence points to the fact that not only is it a key concept but that it is both crucial and fundamental to the whole discipline of psychotherapeutic intervention. References Barber J P, Luborsky L, Crits-Christoph P, Thase M, Weiss R, Frank A, Onken L, Gallop R: 1999 Therapeutic alliance as a predictor of outcome in treatment of cocaine dependence. Psychotherapy Research, 1999 ; 9 (1) : 54 – 73 Barber J P, Connolly M B, Crits-Christoph P, Gladis L, Siqueland L: 2000  Alliance predicts patients outcome beyond in-treatment change in symptoms.  J Consul Clin Psychol 2000 ; 68 (6) : 1027 – 1032 Beck A T, Rush A J, Shaw B F, Emery G: 1979  Cognitive Therapy of Depression.  New York : Guilford Press, 1979 Bordin E S: 1979  The generalizability of the psychoanalytic concept of the working alliance.  Psychotherapy : Theory, Research and Practice 1979 ; 16 (3) : 252 – 260 Bordin E: 1980  A psychodynamic view of counseling psychology.  The Counseling Psychologist 1980 ; 9 : 62 – 66 Fenton L R, Cecero J J, Nich C, Fankforter T L, Carroll K M: 2001  Perspective is everything: the predictive validity working alliance instruments.  Journal of Psychotherapy Practice Research 2001 ; 10 (4) : 262 – 268 Freud S: 1912  The dynamics of transference.  Standard Edition 1912 ; 12 : 97 – 108 Gabbard G O, Horwitz L, Allen J G, et al: 1994  Transference interpretation in the psychotherapy of borderline patients: a high-risk, high-gain phenomenon.  Harv Rev Psychiatry 1994 ; 4 : 59 – 69 Gaston L, Marmar C R, Gallagher D, Thompson L W: 1991  Alliance prediction of outcome beyond in-treatment symptomatic change as psychotherapy processes.  Psychotherapy Research, 1991 ; 1 (2) : 104 – 113 Gelso C J, Carter J A: 1994 Components of the psychotherapy relationship: their interaction and unfolding during treatment.  Journal of Counseling Psychology 1994 ; 41 : 296 – 306 Greenberg L S: 1994  What is real in the relationship? Comment on Gelso and Carter (1994).  Journal of Counselling Psychology 1994 ; 41 : 307 – 310 Greenson R R: 1967  The Technique and Practice of Psychoanalysis.  New York : International Universities Press, 1967 Hatcher R L, Barends A W: 1996  Patients view of the alliance in psychotherapy: exploratory factor analysis of three alliance measures.  J Consult Clin Psychol 1996 ; 64 : 1326 – 1336 Horvath H O, Greenberg L S: 1989  Development and validation of the Working Alliance Inventory.  J Couns Psychol 1989 ; 36 (2) : 223 – 233 Horvath A O, Symonds B D: 1991  Relation between working alliance and outcome in psychotherapy: a meta-analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology 1991 ; 38 : 139 – 149 Horvath A O, Luborsky L: 1993  The role of the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy.  J Consult Clin Psychol 1993 ; 61 : 561 – 573 Horvath A O, Gaston L, Luborsky L: 1994  The therapeutic alliance and its measures, in Psychodynamic Treatment and Research, edited by Miller L, Luborsky L, Barber J et al.  New York, Basic Books, 1994, pp 247 – 273 Kernberg O F: 1994  Severe Personality Disorders: Psychotherapeutic Strategies.  New Haven, CT, Yale University Press, 1994 Luborsky L, Crits-Christoph P, Alexander L, Margolis M, Cohen M: T 1983  Two helping alliance methods for predicting outcomes of psychotherapy: a counting signs versus a global rating method.  Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 1983 ; 171 : 480 – 492 Luborsky L: 1976  Helping alliance in psychotherapy, in Successful Psychotherapy, edited by Cleghhorn JL. New York; Brunner / Mazel, 1976, pp 92–116 Marmar C R, Gaston L, Gallagher D, Thompson L W: 1989  Towards the validation of the California Therapeutic Alliance Rating System. Psychological Assessment:  J Consul Clin Psychol 1989 ; 1 : 46 – 52 Martin D J, Garske J P, Davis M K: 2000  Relation of the therapeutic alliance with outcome and other variables: a meta-analytic review.  J Consulting and Clin Psych 2000 ; 68 : 438 – 450 Miller E A et al. 1999  The Heart and Soul of Change  APA : Detroit 1999 Rogers C R: 1965  Client-Centered Therapy.  Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1965 Sexton H C, Hembrek K, Kvarme G: 1996  The interaction of the alliance and therapy microprocess: a sequential analysis.  J Consult Clin Psychol 1996 ; 64 : 471 – 480 Zetzel E R: 1956  Current concepts of transference.  Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 1956 ; 53 : 16 – 18 ################################################################ 11/01/07 Word count 3,493 PDG

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Virtual-Reality Helmet :: Technology Essays Research Papers

Virtual-Reality Helmet Battered and bloody, I sluggishly rose to my feet. At first, it took me awhile to realize where I was. The toilet bowl where my head had been dangling into just seconds earlier was smeared with blood from cuts on my face. My hair was dripping with toilet water. Downhearted, I calmly approached the mirror to see just how bad it was this time. With a sigh, I began cleaning myself. Perhaps I'm starting too far into my story; let me rewind. It was my senior year in New York, and I was preparing for college. There was a new computer, which had satellite connection capabilities to the internet that would be perfect. I had finally saved enough money to buy it; so on a Friday, I went to the mall. I wore a long coat hoping no one would recognize me. Creeping into the computer outlet, I told a clerk what I wanted. As I made my way out of the store, I was jumped. Looking up, I saw it was the popular, rich kids who were enraged by me owning something nice. They had no trace of kindness this time. They dragged me kicking and screaming into the secluded bathroom. Forcing my head into the toilet, they flushed and kicked me in the abdomen, until I passed out. After spending a great deal of time rinsing and cleansing the crud from my hair and the gunk from my face, I walked out of the bathroom. As I had figured, the mall was closed and the entrances locked. I walked around until I came to the computer store where all this had started. The doors had been suspiciously left open, so I went in. It wasn't like it had been before; there were what looked like futuristic helmets that filled most of the store. Curious, I treaded over towards one and touched it. Lights of all colors illuminated on the helmet and I froze. Seconds later, I bravely grasped the helmet and, with my eyes closed, slipped it on my head. When I opened my eyes, I was no longer where I had been. I was looking over glimmering white cliffs down at an ocean. There was a group of people around a fire, making smoke signals, who wore clothing from which I had only seen in history books and movies. Confused, I walked to them and asked, "Where am I? Virtual-Reality Helmet :: Technology Essays Research Papers Virtual-Reality Helmet Battered and bloody, I sluggishly rose to my feet. At first, it took me awhile to realize where I was. The toilet bowl where my head had been dangling into just seconds earlier was smeared with blood from cuts on my face. My hair was dripping with toilet water. Downhearted, I calmly approached the mirror to see just how bad it was this time. With a sigh, I began cleaning myself. Perhaps I'm starting too far into my story; let me rewind. It was my senior year in New York, and I was preparing for college. There was a new computer, which had satellite connection capabilities to the internet that would be perfect. I had finally saved enough money to buy it; so on a Friday, I went to the mall. I wore a long coat hoping no one would recognize me. Creeping into the computer outlet, I told a clerk what I wanted. As I made my way out of the store, I was jumped. Looking up, I saw it was the popular, rich kids who were enraged by me owning something nice. They had no trace of kindness this time. They dragged me kicking and screaming into the secluded bathroom. Forcing my head into the toilet, they flushed and kicked me in the abdomen, until I passed out. After spending a great deal of time rinsing and cleansing the crud from my hair and the gunk from my face, I walked out of the bathroom. As I had figured, the mall was closed and the entrances locked. I walked around until I came to the computer store where all this had started. The doors had been suspiciously left open, so I went in. It wasn't like it had been before; there were what looked like futuristic helmets that filled most of the store. Curious, I treaded over towards one and touched it. Lights of all colors illuminated on the helmet and I froze. Seconds later, I bravely grasped the helmet and, with my eyes closed, slipped it on my head. When I opened my eyes, I was no longer where I had been. I was looking over glimmering white cliffs down at an ocean. There was a group of people around a fire, making smoke signals, who wore clothing from which I had only seen in history books and movies. Confused, I walked to them and asked, "Where am I?

Monday, November 11, 2019

MAS 500 operating system

MAS 500 operating system can increase efficiency in management. It was built up with Microsoft office and Visual Basic and has been seen as good financial accounting software. (Sage software) MAS 500 can integrate business intelligence; order processing, distribution and manufacture (Sage software) and is designed to help companies manage operations. The software is dependable and reliable and covers all areas of e –business and can support large volumes of data and respond to growth in the business. (Tech target. 2008) MAS 500integrates with other applications and can be customised without programming.(Tech target. 2008) The disadvantage in its implementation is the cost involved to purchase the software and then train staff to use it. However, with the increased efficiency MAS 500 is often seen as a good investment reducing costs in the long run. The time taken to upgrade can be seen as a disadvantage as it cuts into business profits. MAS 500 have been seen that leading comp anies have taken this new software. Fortune Brands has upgraded and MAS 500 performs general ledger, accounts payable and cash management tasks. (Best software, 2003).MAS 500 can automate areas of business management such as core and advanced financials, customer relationship management, project accounting, time and expense tracking, wholesale distribution, discrete manufacturing, warehouse management, human resources, payroll, e-business and business intelligence. (TechTarget. 2008)MAS 500 is user friendly and allows most companies to run it quickly in less time then previous soft wares. (Best software, 2003) Thus the cost constraint would eventually be outweighed by the many benefits this software has to offer.References Best software (2003) A most admired company selects MAS 500 and ASP. Retrieved from the World Wide Web on the 14Th of November 2008:http://whitepapers. silicon. com/0,39024759,60040974p,00. htm Sage software. Sage MAS 500 retrieved from the World Wide Web on the 1 4Th of November 2008: http://www. sagemas. com/products/sagemas500/ Tech Target. (2008) Sage Software. Sage MAS500. Retrieved from the World Wide Web on the 14Th of November 2008: http://www. 2020software. com/products/Sage_MAS_500. asp

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Cause and Effect of Java Progr essays

Cause and Effect of Java Progr essays It is the nature of human nature that problems will arise and it is commonplace for solutions to be created from these problems. With the advent of the 1990s computer enthusiasts and programmers alike began to embrace a new innovation, the internet. As the internet grew in popularity a problem emerged, the bandwidth (size of a communications channel, e.g. 56k modem) available wasnt large enough to retrieve big packets of data from the internet. Therefore web-sites, mobile phones and interactive television, to name a few, were all very limited in what they could do. To solve this problem, a group of engineers at Sun Microsystems developed a language they called Oak; now known as Java which is object-oriented, secure, small and platform independent; it became the perfect language for the internet and our new fast-paced lifestyles. In the days before Java there were many popular programming languages; Basic, FORTRAN and Assembly to name a few. Although these languages were popular, the most popular and widely used language was C. C was used to write operating systems (The operating system is the program that manages a computer's resources., e.g. Windows, Linux, Mac OS.) and almost all other programs. Many programmers would religiously protest C as the perfect programming language. It combined the best elements of low-level assembly language as well as higher-level languages into a programming language that fits computer architecture. It was liked by its programmers. Even though C was extremely popular, it wasnt perfect by any means and as languages before it, C ran into its fair share of problems. As C programs grow larger they become more unwieldy, an error in the last line of code could negatively effect the first line of code, so programmers had to keep the whole program in mind while coding, as opposed to focusing on certain aspects of a program. A solution t ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Ali M. Ansaris Confronting Iran essays

Ali M. Ansaris Confronting Iran essays Ali M. Ansaris book Confronting Iran (2006) is especially timely given the current discussion of Iran and its future and concerns about what the U.S. may do to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and becoming a much greater threat. Of course, also in the news is the recent National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) stating that Iran is not the immediate threat President Bush has been implying it is and that Iran ended its nuclear program several years ago. None of this means that Iran is not a threat or that a confrontation with Iran would not be the sort of devastating action critics believe it might be. Ansari considers the nature of Western diplomacy in the region primarily form 1953 to the present and suggests a number of reasons for the failure he discusses. For the first two decades or so, relations were good enough because the country was under the rule of the Shah, rule that was largely imposed by the West. This rule also created great resentment among the population and would contribute to the angry reaction once the Shah was deposed. The taking of the American hostages at the embassy in Tehran was one of the consequences of the failure of diplomacy in the first period, while the subsequent history has been largely more failure to make any inroads into the country, usually based on an American refusal to speak to Iran for one reason or another, as if not talking at all would produce the best outcome, which clearly it has not. American involvement with Iran actually extends back into the nineteenth century, and as Ansari notes, the failure to recognize the nature of the society in that region and to find a way to accommodate it and communicate with its leaders began at the same time and has continued ever since. Essentially, a pattern was set with the first relationships, as Ansari notes when he writes, These formative experiences were crucial in shaping Iranian attitudes to the West. It was increasi...

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Causes of the Financial Crisis in 2008 Essay

The Causes of the Financial Crisis in 2008 - Essay Example It played a striking role in the failure of key businesses. It also contributed to the decrease in consumer wealth estimated to be in trillions of US dollars and a downturn in economic activities that led to global recession of 2008 – 2012 and also contributed to the European sovereign – debt crisis. It led to the increase of the TED spread that reflected an increase in perceived credit risk. The TED spread is the difference between rates of interest on interbank loans and on short – term U.S government debt. The spread of TED increase is shown in the graph below: The spread (in red) increases significantly during the crisis. The spread size is usually denominated in basis points e.g. if the bill rate (T - bill) is 5.1% and ED trades at 5.5% then the TED spread is 40 basis points. The TED spread has fluctuated over time but generally has maintained the range of within 10 and 50 basis points except during the financial crisis. In general the financial crisis cause d a very big damage to the world economy and many researchers have carried out studies to explain the causes of this crisis. We try to look into some of the causes below. Imprudent mortgage lending is considered a cause to the crisis as compared to a backdrop of abundance in credit, reduced interest rates, and over the roof prices for houses, lending standard became hassle free enabling many people to engage in the purchase of houses they couldn’t afford. ... Competitive pressures contributed to the increase in the amount of subprime lending during the years preceding the crisis. Source: U.S census bureau, Harvard University. State of the nation’s housing report 2008 The graph shows the dramatic expansion of subprime lending in the U.S between 2004 and 2006. Another cause was the housing bubble where the Federal Reserve allowed housing prices to sour to an all-time high that was unsustainable. Once the bubble burst as it was bound to, it triggered the crisis. The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates artificially low, per month payments to mortgage were low too and housing prices went up. Home owners took equity loans to pay their initial mortgages and credit card debts until the home prices peaked and the house of cards started to crumble. Mortgage debts would not be increased to pay previous debts. Lack of transparency and accountability in mortgage financing also did contribute to the 2008 financial crisis. Many participants in the housing finance sector contributed to the crisis through the creation of bad mortgages and selling of bad securities with confidence that they won’t be held accountable. Lenders would sell exotic mortgages to home owners without considering the repercussions in case the mortgages failed. Similarly, a trader would sell to investors’ securities that are toxic with fear of personal responsibility in case the contracts failed. The system collapsed through the maximization of personal gains and passing of the problem down the chain from brokers, to realtors, to individuals in rating agencies, and to other market participants. The great promise of managing risk by the ‘originate – to – distribute’ model of finance failed with

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Breast Feeding vs. Formula Feeding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Breast Feeding vs. Formula Feeding - Essay Example In this article, the benefits and disadvantages of breast feeds and formula feeds will be highlightened through review of suitable literature. Breast milk has the right composition of various nutrients essential for the survival, growth and development of the baby (CDC, 2011). It is easily available, non-expensive, warm, and stable. For the baby, breast feeding has several advantages. It enhances the immunity of the baby because of transfer of maternal antibodies, thus preventing several infectious diseases. It also protects the baby from other conditions like allergies, atopy, asthma and some autoimmune related diseases. Other than antibodies, breast milk has many antiinfective factors (AAP, 2010). Breast fed babies are at decreased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and are likely to be more intelligent than those on exclusive formula feeding. They are also less likely to develop necrotizing enterocolitis in the newborn period and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and childhood o besity later in life. Mothers too have several benefits. Exclusive breast feeding causes lactational amenorrhoea, a natural means of postpartum birth control. It helps the mother shed the extra weight gained during pregnancy.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Describe the strengths and limitations of project management compared Essay

Describe the strengths and limitations of project management compared with operations - Essay Example Only 9% of software projects for large companies were delivered on time and within budget. For medium-sized and small companies the numbers improved to 16% and 28% respectively. (Standish Group, 1995) The success rate for software projects is very low. Although there are a great many reasons of project failure, the analysts mark out main three messages: 1. Software development is still highly unpredictable. Only about 10% of software projects are delivered successfully within initial budget and schedule estimates. 2. Management discipline is more of a discriminator in success or failure than are technology advances. 3. The level of software scrap and reword is indicative of an immature process. (Royce, 1998) According to Royce, the main reasons why software project got into trouble are: Poor requirements definition Inadequate software project management Lack of integrated product teams Ineffective subcontractor management Lack of consistent attention to process Too little attention to software architecture Poorly defined, inadequately controlled interfaces Software upgrades to fix hardware deficiencies Focus on innovation rather than cost and risk Limited or no tailoring of standards So for many projects it's normally never to be finished. But I think that it is possible to accomplish successfully any project, if some necessary efforts are undertaken. Only highly qualified specialist in project management should decide what kind of efforts must be undertaken. (3) Can a measure be reliable, yet invalid Give three examples and explain. A data source is said to be reliable if repetitions of a measurement procedures results that vary from another by less then a pre-specified amount. Validity measures the extent to which a piece of information...Effectively managing these projects means delivering them on time and within budget. How successful an operations manager is will be strongly influenced by his or her project management skills. So for many projects it's normally never to be finished. But I think that it is possible to accomplish successfully any project, if some necessary efforts are undertaken. Only highly qualified specialist in project management should decide what kind of efforts must be undertaken. A data source is said to be reliable if repetitions of a measurement procedures results that vary from another by less then a pre-specified amount. Validity measures the extent to which a piece of information actually means what we believe it to mean. A measure may be reliable but not valid. A mismarked 36-inch yardstick pretending to be a meter stick performs consistently, so it's reliable. It does not however, match up accurately with other (standard) meter rulers, so it would be judged not valid. Scientific School of Management. It emphasizes scientific analysis of work methods. Scientific analysis of work methods is still a valid approach to enhance efficiency and productivity, also for ergonomic analysis. It can be applicable to the modeling of the interaction of the plant's owner with the trade union, because they are adversaries and have opposite views. Process School of Management.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

High school student drop out Essay Example for Free

High school student drop out Essay The increasingly high rate of school dropout is worrying all the stakeholders in the education sector including parents, teachers and the government. This is because these people are aware of the challenges that will face students who drop out of school. Although leaders have called on communities, families and schools to make efforts to ensure that students remain at school, the rate at which the students drop out of school is still high. It is therefore important that we analyze the problem with a view of understanding it better, so that we may know how to resolve it once and for all. see more:research paper about tardiness The number of students who complete school in the US has been steadily declining over the years. In fact, over the last decades, this figure has only increased in seven states. In ten states, the percentage of students who did not complete school was 8% or higher, which reflects a disturbing trend. US is currently ranked tenth among the countries in the world which have the highest school completion rates. When a country that is considered to be the superpower is ranked tenth on school completion rates, this shows that there is a major underlying problem. Factors that contribute to the high school student drop out rate. Family cohesion and background. This is one of the major reasons why students drop out of school. Students who come from families where there is violence, abusive homes or poor parental relations have higher chances of dropping out of school, compared to those who come from stable homes. This is due to the fact that such children are more likely to have stress and depression because of the problems that they have. They are also likely to start abusing drugs at an early age, which may contribute to their dropping out of school. Statistics also show that children who come from single parent families are also more likely to drop out of school than those who have both parents. This situation is linked to low self esteem as well as problems that children who come from single parent families face. Early pregnancy. Early pregnancy is a major challenge for young girls, and is a contributor to their dropping out of school. This situation is compounded by situations where the young girls families are not financially stable, or cases where the boy responsible for the pregnancy is either unwilling or unable to support the girl. Many young girls who face this situation usually take breaks to give birth, but fail to return to school due to various reasons. The girls who are not financially well off are forced to drop out of school to take care of their children, while others fear going back to school due to stigmatization. School violence. This is a factor that is increasingly contributing to the dropping out of school by students. School violence has increased in the recent past, and takes various forms. It might take the form of serious security breaches that involve use of deadly weapons, like was witnessed in the 1999 Columbine high school massacre (Rosenberg 2008). It may also take the form of bullying and harassment of students by fellow classmates. Both these forms of violence have the potential to create fear to actual victims, and may discourage them from attending school. In these cases, there is genuine fear for their lives and they may drop out of school. Employment. Poverty or general unemployment of members of the family may make students drop out of school. This is because the students may be forced to work in order to support their family. In these cases, the students may not have adequate time to study due to the responsibilities that they have. Employment opportunities may not only be available to the students who are not well off financially. Some students come from financially stable families but look for employment opportunities so that they might save money. These students are also likely to drop out of school since it is difficult to work and study at the same time. Psychological or personal characteristics. There are certain characteristics that students may possess, which may make them drop out of school at an early age. These may be either physical or psychological characteristics. Psychological characteristics may include low self esteem, mental illnesses, depression and stress, among other problems. In case students have these problems and they are either not addressed early enough, or these students lack learning facilities that accommodate their unique needs, they are highly likely to drop out of school. According to Kenneth (35-39), students may also face physical disabilities that hinder the learning process. Such include blindness, deafness or other physical disabilities. If such students also lack facilities that can handle their needs, they are also likely to drop out of school. Substance abuse. According to David and Wayne (4-8), students who engage in substance abuse have very high chances of dropping out of school. Students who abuse alcohol or other hard drugs such as cannabis, heroin, cocaine or other drugs are likely to drop out of school. This is due to the disciplinary problems that they are likely to face in school as well as the fact that such drugs hinder the learning capabilities. Such students are unlikely to perform well in school, and this has the effect of demotivating them. They are also more likely to face stress and depression, and all these factors work to increase their chances of dropping out of school. Perceived loss of value of school diplomas. The modern business environment has become very competitive, and this is attributed to globalization. Success in the modern world is increasingly based on merit and job performance. Employers are nowadays looking for very high academic qualification when recruiting employees. In this regards, high school diplomas are generally perceived to have lost value, and students need to pursue further education so that they might get employment opportunities in this competitive business environment. Some students therefore opt to drop out of school and pursue other interests due to this perception. Such interests include drama, movies, modeling or the music industry. However, what most students are not aware of is that one has to have basic education in order to be successful in these fields. High school education acts as a platform for pursuing further education and building a career. Limited number of counselors. Statistics point to the fact that the average number of students who are served by a single counselor is 500. In high school, the average number of students served by a single counselor is 285. These counsellors have many tasks to accomplish and have very little time to interact with students. According to Jill (311-317), students who are about to drop out of school may therefore not find someone to talk to and get advice regarding the situation. This is also compounded by the fact that most of these students have poor relations with their parents, since teenagers and parents usually have communication problems. Students therefore opt to drop out of school due to lack of advice on the consequences of making this decision. Solutions to these problems. Counseling. Most students may reverse their decision to drop out of school if they are advised on the consequences of making this decision by someone that they trust. In most of these cases, counselors are the best people to advice the students since there are young counsellors who understand the problems that these students go through. The government should ensure that there are enough counselors to serve all students. Sometimes students may be depressed and they only need someone to share their problems with. When they are unable to find someone, they take drastic steps like dropping out of schools. Counselors will advise students that education is very important for success in life. Safety. The government and all education stakeholders should also ensure that the school environment is safe for all people. There should be adequate controls that prevent and deal with security breaches, either involving deadly weapons or bullying. Some problems like bullying may appear to be petty and they are ignored in most academic institutions. However they are serious problems that should not be ignored, since they have high psychological impacts on the victims. When students can feel safe in the school environment, they will look forward to going to school to learn. After all, these students spend most of their time in schools, and once they feel that they are unsafe, they are likely to drop out of school. Family problems. According to Gail (211-216), it is evident that family problems is a major factor that contributes to dropping out of school. It is a very sensitive issue considering that there is a limitation to which strangers may involve themselves in family matters. It is however imperative that problems such as violence and abuse are reported to the authorities, and these will be addressed through the relevant laws. These problems cannot be condoned, since once students are not comfortable in their own homes, it will be difficult for them to concentrate in class and learn. Other family issues such as parental and child conflict should be addressed through dialog, either between the school administration and the individual families, or through counseling by qualified professionals. This dialog will enable the underlying problems to be identified and solved, so that the children may stay in school. Early pregnancy. This problem is best solved by preventing the issue, rather than addressing it after it has occurred. The young people should be told about the consequences of early sex, especially unsafe sex. These students should be made to understand that in addition to the risk of pregnancy, there is also a risk of contracting STIs such as HIV/AIDS. However, one a girl becomes pregnant, she should be allowed to stay in school until the time to give birth, after which she is given a break. She should resume school after giving birth, as this is very important. Counselors and parents should play a crucial role in guiding girls who are undergoing this experience. The government should also set up funds to help girls who are pregnant and do not have the resources to take care of the baby, and go back to school. Facilities for the handicapped. The government has a crucial role of ensuring that there are learning facilities that will take care of the needs of students who face either physical or mental disabilities. There should also be enough teachers who have been trained on how to take care of the needs of these students. This will ensure that these students learn just like their peers, and that they have equal opportunities in life. Value of diplomas. The stakeholders in the educational sector have a crucial role to play in publicizing the value of the high school diplomas. There should be regular talks between these stakeholders and the students regarding the issue. Students should be made to understand that although the modern world has become very competitive, it is imperative that they obtain at least the high school diploma. The reason is that the diploma acts as a platform in acquiring further employment opportunities and joining a profession. Employment. The government should enforce the laws that bar the employment of young people who are below the legal age. It should also hold regular forums with employers regarding employment of young people with a view of regulating the hours that they work. The employers should also be made to insist that young employees pursue education, since this will be the platform for promotions and advancement in the careers. This will enable that the young people who work have enough time to study. Conclusion and recommendation. The stakeholders in the education sector should join hands in ensuring the the drop out rate drastically reduces, and that each child knows the value of education. The solutions to the problems that have been discussed above should be implemented, so that this objective may be achieved. Above all, students should be made to understand that the high school diploma is a platform for opportunities in life.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Four Control Objectives Of Wages System Accounting Essay

Four Control Objectives Of Wages System Accounting Essay According to Millichamp Taylor (2008), control objectives of wage system are as follows: To ensure that wages are paid to the existing employees at authorized rates of pay To ensure that wages are computed in accordance with work-performed records, in respect of working time, units produced, and other criteria To ensure that gross pay and net pay are calculated correctly and payments are made to the correct employees To ensure that payrolls deductions to Central Provident Fund Board are correctly accounted and paid (b) As the external auditors of Blake Ltd, write a management letter to the directors in respect of the shift-workers wages recording and payment systems which: Identifies and explains FOUR deficiencies in that system Explains the possible effect of each deficiency Provides a recommendation to alleviate each deficiency [14m] The Board of Directors Blake Limited 1208 Chancery Lane, Strand, London. 08th DEC 2010 Dear Sirs/Madams, BLAKE LIMITED REPORT TO MANAGEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH DECEMBER 2010 Following our recent audit, we bring to your attention certain observations in the companys operations which we believe can help you in improving the profitability and efficiency of the business. First Deficiency: Logging in process The logging in process using an electronic identification card is not monitored. Possible effect: Card scanned doesnt mean that work starts! As the logging in process is not monitored, collusion between employees by helping each other scanning the identification cards may result receipt of wages on the non-approval leave days or working hours. Recommendation: Replacement of electronic identification card to finger-print scanning may effectively cut off the collusion, yet it may be costly for the management. Spot check on the number of workers on the production line by shift manager from time to time and compare the number of employees logged in via the time recording system. Second Deficiency: Overtime supervision The shift foreman is not required to monitor the extent of any overtime working. Possible effect: As overtime working is not supervised, the employees may get wages paid at overtime rates for no work done by logging-off late. This phenomenon not only reduces the productivity, but also increases the labor costs. Recommendation: As each group of shift workers (25 persons) is allocated with specific vehicle at specific amount, the management may adopt piece-work systems, where employees are paid for output instead of time [Dunn, 1990]. Change of existing working environment where the overtime working should be monitored by the shift foreman or through the installation of CCTVs. Third Deficiency: Code word in computerized wage system The authorization code word (pets name) uses in comparing the accuracy of time worked from the time recording system to the computerized wages system is generally known around the department. Possible effect: Unauthorized alterations may be made by the employees inside and outside the department. Recommendation: Further security steps should be carried out, such as authorization using personnel identification number and password. This will help in keeping the records of the employees name who certified the wages amount of particular employees. Change of code word on a regular basis and only inform to the responsible employees instead of whole department, may help in reducing this deficiency. Forth Deficiency: Termination of employees No effort in ensuring the receipt of e-mails sent from personnel department to payroll department which stating the details of employees termination. Possible effect: Terminated employees may remain on the payroll system [Leung, Coram, Cooper Richardson, 2009] and hence the accounts department clerk will continue making payments to those employees as there is no link between accounts and personnel department. Recommendation: It is essential in ensuring that the termination e-mails are received in personnel, and this can be done by sending a notification feedback mails from payroll department to personnel department. We hope to discuss the report with you at our forthcoming meeting. May we take this opportunity to express our thanks to you and your employees for the assistance provided during the audit period. If you require any further information on the above, please do not hesitate to contact us. Disclaimers: This letter does not identify all the weaknesses in the company internal control systems. This letter is for management use only. Yours Faithfully, Fung Jason Smith Audit Co. (c) List THREE substantive analytical procedures you should perform on the shift managers salary system. For each procedure, state your expectation on the result of that procedure. [6m] Substantive procedures are designed to obtain audit evidence to reduce detection risks relating to specific financial statement assertions [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005], using the tools: tests of details of transaction and balances, and analytical procedures. Analytical procedures consist of the analysis of significant trends and ratios, which entail the use of relationships and comparisons to determine the balance of accounts and reasonability of data [Porter, Simon Hatherly, 2008]. When analytical procedures serve as substantive tests in the shift managers salary system, substantive analytical procedures may be conducted by auditors comprise of: (i) Trend Analysis The analysis of changes in an account balance over time [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Procedure: Regular independent comparisons of shift managers salaries paid with budgets and previous year, through investigation of variances [Porter, Simon Hatherly, 2008]. Expectation: Assuming that the budgeted shift managers salaries included the 3% increment in second half year and the 5% annual bonus, variances between actual and budgeted total salary expenses should persist at similar level. On the other hand, presuming that the number of total shift managers remained unchanged, only inflation rates supposed to take place when comparing current and previous years salary expenses. (ii) Ratio Analysis The comparison of relationships between financial statement accounts, the comparison of an account with non-financial data, or the comparison of relationships between firms in an industry [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Procedure: Data collection of employment and rates payment of each shift manager in Blake Ltd from HR department [Porter, Simon Hatherly, 2008]. Calculation of aggregate amount and compare it with the actual salary disclosed in financial statement [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Expectation: As non-financial data may serve as a basis for comparisons, the estimated total payrolls can be achieved through the multiplication of total number of shift managers with the mean salary rates. (iii) Reasonableness Testing The analysis of account balances or changes in account balances within an accounting period in terms of their reasonableness in light of expected relationships between accounts [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Procedure: Data collection of number of shift managers hired and terminated, the timing of pay changes (increment of 3% in July and annual bonus of 5% in November), and the effect of vacation and sick leave, a model on shift managers payroll expenses could be created [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Expectation: As reasonableness testing develop explicit information, the monthly salary expenses should be quite constant in the first half years and an approximately 3% increment took place from July onwards and a further increment in November due to the annual bonus paid. (d) Audit evidence can be obtained using various audit procedures, such as inspection. APART FROM THIS PROCEDURE, in respect of testing the accuracy of the time recording system at Blake Ltd, explain FOUR procedures used in collecting audit evidence and discuss whether the auditor will benefit from using each procedure. [8m] The collection and gathering of audit evidence lies at the heart of the audit, where Mautz and Sharaf claimed that Auditing in its entirety is made up of two functions, both closely concerned with evidence. The first one is the evidence-gathering function; the second is that of evidence evaluation. [Dunn, 1991]. Test of controls is the tool uses in testing the effectiveness of control policies and procedures in supporting the detection of control risk [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Apart from inspection, the procedures and techniques used in collecting audit evidence and the benefit to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system are as follows: (1) Confirmation The receipt of a written or oral response from an independent third party verifying the accuracy of information that was requested by the auditor [Loebbecke, 1999]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: As the evidence is from independent third party, it is highly persuasive. However, the time recoding system manufacturer may feel reluctant to share the weaknesses and problems of the system in order to protect its product and business. Due to the time constraint and the inconveniencies in obtaining information, this procedure is less likely to be selected by auditors. (2) Observation A control consists of looking at a process or procedure being performed by others [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005], which can be a significant procedure in determining whether the control system is operating [Mascarenhas Turley, 1990]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: This procedure enables the auditor to find out whether collusion in logging-in and out among shift workers takes place. However, observation may not provide an accurate reflection as employees will usually perform duties appropriately while being observed. Hence, combination with other procedures in gathering evidence may be necessary step in order to achieve higher accuracy [Mascarenhas Turley, 1990]. (3) Recalculation The procedure of checking the arithmetical accuracy of source of documents and accounting records or performing independent calculations [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: Recalculation helps in confirming the total hours paid are the same with the total time logging-in and out on the time recording system. Recalculation may provide strong evidence but the evidence is rarely persuasive and conclusive by itself [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. A further step via re-performance procedure may help in increasing the overall accuracy of the time recording system. (4) Analytical Procedure The analysis used to evaluate financial information by studying plausible and predictable relationships among both financial and non-financial data [Mascarenhas Turley, 1990]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: This procedure could be a reasonably effective test, which enables the auditor to monitor the number of total hours claimed (time recoding system) and the total cost of wages paid (computerized wage system) through standard costing system [Dunn, 1990]. Any excessive variance occurred should be investigated. In conclusion, auditors always face difficulties in deciding the most suitable procedures which is most appropriate to achieve the objective. Guideline on Audit Evidence suggests the following: Documentary evidence is more reliable than oral Evidence obtained from independent sources outside the enterprise is more persuasive than that secured solely from within Evidence originated by the auditor is more reliable than evidence obtained from others [Dunn, 1990]