Prevention of Suicide in Adolescents Essay - 1317 Words

The community impact, which includes national, state, and community level, is crucial for suicide prevention in adolescents. By having the community involved, it allows a more effective prevention plan, along with measures on how to properly handle the situation more efficiently. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Surgeon General and National Action Alliance for Suicide, revised the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP) in 2012. In which, they classified suicide prevention interventions into two categories: prevention targeted at the level of the individual and prevention targeted at the level of the population. (HHS, 2012). To target at the level of the individual, the NSPP emphasized the role†¦show more content†¦In which, they should provide the federal work force with information on suicide prevention along with ensuring the NSSP is being promoted and is included overall. And lastly, but most importantly, the federal level shou ld be dedicated to advancing the NSSP. According to HHS (2012), the state level should appoint a lead agency to be the head department for their state. The agency would not only coordinate and convent the public and private stakeholders, but also assess their needs and resources. They would also develop and implement a strategic suicide prevention plan for their state. The state level would also be a part of promoting mental health and emotional well-being that combines traditional and new media. This could be done by developing and implementing an effective communications strategy. Finally, the state level should spread their recommendations for reporting on suicide to news organizations. By doing so, it would help the community level with preventing the spread of suicide among adolescents through media. According to HHS (2012), the community level should have easy access for treatment in his or her’s community without the fear of being judged; properly share media informati on, especially when it comes to suicide; provide an efficient suicide awareness campaign that providesShow MoreRelatedThe Suicide And Suicide Prevention1534 Words   |  7 PagesSuicide is defined as death by an act of self-infliction as an effort to end one’s life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013), suicide was the tenth leading cause of death for all ages among Americans in 2013. It is the second leading cause of death among fifteen to twenty-nine year olds globally stated by World Health Organization (2015). Suicide being ranked that high on the lists of causes for deaths is astonishing because each of those deaths was preventable.Read MorePrevention, Intervention, And Treatment Options1560 Words   |  7 PagesPrevention, Intervention, and Treatment Options According to McWhirter et al. (2017), the act of suicide is neither comfortable nor easy; however, experiencing a series of painful events lessens the fear of death, which prepares individuals for attempting to take their own lives. Establishing a framework of evidence-based preventions, interventions, and treatment options provides opportunities to help at-risk youth and their families find solutions to difficult problems that they might encounterRead MoreSuicidal Behavior And Suicidal Ideation1321 Words   |  6 Pagesas significant health concerns among adolescents and you adults†. In fact, globally, suicide impacts adolescents making it the second leading cause of death. As a result, researchers continue examining aspects associated with suicide attempts fir preventative purposes. Furthermore, understanding the definition a suicide attempt in adolescents helps bring clarity to the importance of this issue. Anju and Subha define an adolescent suicide attempt as â€Å"am a dolescent (13-19 years of age) who had made aRead MoreSuicide Is The Point At Which An Individual Takes Their Own Life Away1267 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction and Description Suicide is the point at which an individual takes their own life away. When we consider suicide we don t think about a child committing suicide. We regularly associate suicide with adults, so when we hear about suicide in children it is quite shocking. However, it does occur and it is quite common. In an article, it discusses how girls are more prone to commit suicide than boys. Also, the most finished suicides are from Native Americans. Be that as it may, white AmericansRead MoreSetting Up Sucide Prevention Programs1427 Words   |  6 Pagessex education programs, but suicide, the third leading cause of adolescent deaths (Caine 1), is practically ignored. Many schools only offer hot lines for suicidal students. While some schools have implemented suicide prevention programs and the government has recognized teenage suicide as a growing problem, effective solutions need to be discovered and funded to prevent these catastrophic deaths. The U.S. federal government should develop and f und suicide prevention programs in high schools, whileRead Moreâ€Å"Dying Before Their Time: The Startling Trends in Adolescent Suicide†1217 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), suicide is the third leading cause of death for adolescents aged 15-24 years old. This calculates to 33,000 adolescents killing themselves each year (CDC, 2010). The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), reported that suicide amongst all individuals nation wide has declined over all, but despite the decline, adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 have shown suicide rates that has increased by 6 percent (NCSLRead MoreSuicide : The Suicide Rate For Young Individuals Essay1254 Words   |  6 PagesSuicide, otherwise known as completed suicide, can be described as a deliberate act to inflict harm upon oneself that results in death (Wagner, 2009). Suicide has been recognized as a significant public health problem among the adol escent community (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015; Jurich, 2007). Suicide has been ranked as the third leading cause of death amongst young individuals aged 15 through 24, with an average of 4,600 deaths annually (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;Read More†¢Title: â€Å"Reduce Suicide Attempts By Adolescents†. †¢Dates1716 Words   |  7 Pages†¢ Title: â€Å"Reduce Suicide Attempts by Adolescents† †¢ Dates of Implementation: January 26, 2017 and March 8-9, 2017 †¢ Healthy People 2020 Topic: Mental Health and Mental Disorders †¢ Healthy People 2020 Objective: MHMD-2: Reduce suicide attempts by adolescents (Healthy People, 2020, n.d.) †¢ My SLEP action plan is designed to educate the students of Boaz High School Health Science Department on the causes, signs and prevention of suicide attempts. I plan to make a pamphlet to hand out to all studentsRead MoreSuicide Should Never Be Cast Aside1337 Words   |  6 PagesSuicide is deliberately taking one’s own life, in the United States this continues to be a serious problem and is the third leading cause of death among adolescents. With rates of suicide among young people doubling over the past fifty years. Teenagers who experience a sudden trauma growing up can intensify negative feelings and for some teens suicide is the solution they turn to escape their stresses and problems. One of the myths of suicidal talk amongst adolescents is that it is often a ploy usedRead MoreHealth Care Challenges when Working with Adolescents Essay1174 Words   |  5 Pageswith the adolescent population we have many health care challenges. Adolescents experiences profound p hysical changes which occur rapidly. These include increased rate of bone and muscle growth, sex specific changes and development of the sexual reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. â€Å"†Changes are created by hormonal changes within the body when the hypothalamus begins to produce gnoadotropin-releasing hormones† (Potter Perry, 2005, p. 205). This is a time when adolescents become

Should Cigarettes Be Banned in the U.S. - 1444 Words

Tobacco has been around in the world for over 2.5 million years. It was not until a few hundred years ago when the tobacco industry decided to put these crops into use and conjure up tobacco products for the community. A popular tobacco product in society is cigarettes, as they are cheap and simple to use. As long as one is over eighteen, acquiring cigarettes is a straightforward process for a reasonable price, albeit the sin tax. It was not until recently when cigarettes became widely controversial due to the plant containing nicotine, an addictive drug to the body. Aside from containing nicotine and other hazardous chemicals to the body, cigarettes also cause a whole host of health implications to the user and the people around him or†¦show more content†¦Moreover, it stated that the test subjects inhaled an average of one cigarette per day through second hand smoking. But, this information was proven to be a puffery, as it was eleven times higher than the normal intake. F urthermore, a report in the British Medical Journal proved that after analyzing data from more than 100,000 Californians from 1959 through 1997, they concluded that â€Å"secondhand smoke has little if any negative impact on morality.† All of the sources also do not state the quantity of smoke one must inhale to increase the risks. A reasonable person would not loaf around in a casino or bar, inhaling all of the smoke around him or her. Sidenote, casinos and bars typically have a smoke-free zone for the non-smokers, thus avoiding the intolerable atmosphere. One could argue about parents smoking in their own residence and affecting their kids. But, the dangers of secondhand smoking are common knowledge everyone is aware of. If parents smoke in their own homes, knowing that it will affect their kids, then they are not deemed to be fit as parents in the first place. This would eventually cause the kids to require hospitalization for the damages the neglectful parent(s) has commi tted. If smoking were to become banned in the U.S., history would repeat itself with the Prohibition era. It began in 1920 when the U.S.Show MoreRelatedShould Cigarettes Be Banned in the U.S.?1400 Words   |  6 PagesShould Cigarettes Be Banned in the U.S.? Tobacco has been around in the world for over 2.5 million years. It was not until a few hundred years ago when the tobacco industry decided to put these crops into use and conjure up tobacco products for the community. A popular tobacco product in society is cigarettes, as they are cheap and simple to use. As long as one is over eighteen, acquiring cigarettes is a straightforward process for a reasonable price, albeit the sin tax. It was not until recentlyRead MoreThe Production of Cigarettes Should Be Banned Across the U.S1132 Words   |  5 PagesOne thing I hate is when someone is walking in front of me smoking a cigarette and next thing you know, BOOM the cigarette smoke comes right to my face! If you are that smoker it created many health problems and chances are you have to take many medications every morning before your day begins, does it become annoying? Smoking is an activity that has been around for many years, it helps reduce the stresses of life and put people in a com fortable position that enables them to cope with the hecticRead MoreEssay about Cigarettes Should be Banned939 Words   |  4 PagesSmoking cigarettes is common among most adults in the United States, yet it is one of the most dangerous things you can do to yourself. Many people feel that smoking should be made illegal. The reason they may feel this way is because it is very harmful to your health and can lead to death. I strongly agree that cigarettes should be banned from being sold and produced because to me they’re considered a dangerous drug. The first reason that supports my claim of smoking cigarettes should be bannedRead More Smoking should be banned all over the United States Essay1657 Words   |  7 Pagessome countries have placed a ban in public places such as Britain and the United States. However, to prevent the costs of smoking from rising and causing a larger number of deaths around the U.S, strict measures would need to be taken. I believe that the production of cigarettes should be banned across the U.S to prevent any diseases from occurring which would save thousands of lives. As mentioned before, numerous diseases have been associated with smoking. Diseases such as lung cancer, mouthRead MoreTobacco Smoking1372 Words   |  6 Pagessome countries have placed a ban in public places such as Britain and the United States. However, to prevent the costs of smoking from rising and causing a larger number of deaths around the U.S, strict measures would need to be taken. I believe that the production of cigarettes should be banned across the U.S to prevent any diseases from occurring which would save thousands of lives. As mentioned before, numerous diseases have been associated with smoking. Diseases such as lung cancer, mouth cancerRead MoreShould Cigarette Smoking Be Banned?899 Words   |  4 Pages Should Cigarette Smoking Be Banned Whether or not cigarette smoking should be banned completely, has become an object of controversy in many countries. Should cigarette smoking be banned for everyone in the United States? Smoking tobacco products have been around for decades and in many different forms. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deathsRead MoreShould Cigarette Smoking Be Banned?925 Words   |  4 PagesStates (U.S.), yet more than 45 million Americans still smoke cigarettes. The health threat posed by tobacco has been accepted by scientists since the 17th century. In 1928, studies linked smoking to cancer. In 1964, the first Surgeon General’s report on cigarette smoking summarized the evidence that tobacco poses serious health risks for those who use it. Cigarette smoking should be banned in the U.S. because smoking causes damage throughout the bod y, it is hazardous to non-smokers, cigarettes costRead MoreBans on Smoking in Public Areas1476 Words   |  6 Pagespeople that die because of smoking each year! Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. Each year more than 480,000 people die because of smoking. This is just one of the many reasons why I believe that cigarette smoking should be banned in public areas. I will argue this point in three ways. First, I will argue that the health effects of smoking are so harmful that cigarettes should not be allowed in public areas. Next, I will argue that the negative effects go beyond just healthRead MoreSmoking Essay1600 Words   |  7 Pagesand the most common, cigarette smoke. Smoking cigarettes doesn’t only affect the person who smokes but also the people around them. I believe that smoking should be banned from the United States. Even though this is a very unacceptable issue to the majority of the country, there have been smoking bans that were implem ented in early years to insure the safety of the people in businesses, and restaurant environments. Even though smoking has been banned in these facilities, we should expand these lawsRead MoreTaking a Look at Smoking1682 Words   |  7 Pagesthe drug known as nicotine. The main reason people smoke a cigarette is to ingest the drug nicotine. Nicotine triggers the release of dopamine, which stimulates a general good feeling in the body, and epinephrine, more commonly known as adrenaline. Along with with the increased energy and good feeling, cigarettes have a small array of other benefits. Smoking suppresses a person’s appetite which leads to smokers having less obesity than

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 10 Free Essays

string(22) " painted a blood red\." I Don’t Know How This Works After some more lifting in the basement, I put on my trash bag and run my ten miles. Afterward, I shower, spray some of my father’s cologne, and walk into the mist – just like Mom taught me to do back in high school. I roll on some underarm deodorant and then don my new khakis and my Hank Baskett jersey. We will write a custom essay sample on The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 10 or any similar topic only for you Order Now When I ask my mother how I look, she says, â€Å"Very handsome. So handsome. But do you really think you should wear your Eagles jersey to a dinner party? You can wear one of the Gap shirts I bought you, or you can borrow one of your father’s polo shirts.† â€Å"It’s okay,† I say, and smile confidently. â€Å"Dr. Patel said wearing this shirt was a good idea.† â€Å"Did he?† my mom says with a laugh, and then she removes an arrangement of flowers and a bottle of white wine from the refrigerator. â€Å"What’s this?† â€Å"Give these to Veronica and tell her I said thanks. Ronnie’s been a good friend to you.† And then Mom looks like she is going to cry again. I kiss her goodbye, and with my hands full of flowers and wine, I walk down the street and across Knight’s Park to Ronnie’s house. Ronnie answers the door wearing a shirt and tie, which makes me feel like Dr. Patel was wrong after all and I am underdressed. But Ronnie looks at my new jersey, checks the name on the back – probably to make sure I am not wearing an outdated Freddie Mitchell jersey – and says, â€Å"Hank Baskett is the man! Where did you get that jersey this early in the season? It’s great!† which makes me feel so much better. We follow the meaty aroma through their swanky living room and their swanky dining room to the kitchen, where Veronica is feeding Emily, whom I am surprised to see looking much older than a newborn baby. â€Å"Hank Baskett’s in the house,† Ronnie says. â€Å"Who?† Veronica answers, but she smiles when she sees the flowers and the wine. â€Å"Pour moi?† She stares at my puffy cheek for a second, but doesn’t mention it, which I appreciate. I hand her what my mother has sent, and Veronica kisses me on my un-puffy cheek. â€Å"Welcome home, Pat,† she says, which surprises me because she sounds sincere. â€Å"I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve invited someone else to dinner,† Veronica adds. She winks at me and then lifts the lid off the single pot on the stove, releasing a warm tomato and basil aroma. â€Å"Who?† I ask. â€Å"You’ll see,† she says without looking up from stirring her sauce. Before I can say more, Ronnie is lifting Emily from her high chair, saying, â€Å"Meet Uncle Pat,† which sounds strange until I realize he is talking about me. â€Å"Say hello to Uncle Pat, Emily.† She waves her little hand at me, and then I have Emily in my arms. Her dark eyes examine my face, and she smiles as though she approves. â€Å"Pap,† she says, pointing at my nose. â€Å"See how smart my girl is, Uncle Pat,† Ronnie says, petting the silky black hair on Emily’s head. â€Å"She already knows your name.† Emily smells like the mashed carrots that coat her cheeks until Ronnie wipes them clean with a wet napkin. I have to admit that Emily is a cute kid, and I instantly understand why Ronnie has written me so many letters about his daughter – why he loves her so much. I start to think about having children with Nikki someday and I become so happy that I give little Emily a kiss on the forehead, as if she were Nikki’s baby and I was her father. And then I kiss Emily’s forehead again and again, until she giggles. â€Å"Beer?† Ronnie says. â€Å"I’m not really supposed to drink, because I’m on medications and – â€Å" â€Å"Beer,† Ronnie says, and then we are drinking beers on his deck as Emily sits in her father’s lap and sucks on a bottle filled with watered-down apple juice. â€Å"It’s good to have a beer with you,† Ronnie says, just before clinking his Yuengling Lager bottle against mine. â€Å"Who’s coming over for dinner?† â€Å"Veronica’s sister, Tiffany.† â€Å"Tiffany and Tommy?† I say, remembering Tiffany’s husband from Ronnie and Veronica’s wedding. â€Å"Just Tiffany.† â€Å"Where’s Tommy?† Ronnie takes a long swig of his beer, looks up at the setting sun, and says, â€Å"Tommy died some time ago.† â€Å"What?† I say, because I hadn’t heard. â€Å"God, I’m sorry to hear that.† â€Å"Just make sure you don’t bring up Tommy tonight, okay?† â€Å"Sure,† I say, and then drink a few large gulps of my beer. â€Å"So how did he die?† â€Å"How did who die?† says a woman’s voice. â€Å"Hi, Tiffany,† Ronnie says, and suddenly she is standing with us on the porch. Tiffany’s wearing a black evening dress, heels, and a diamond necklace, and her makeup and hair look too perfect to me – as if she is trying too hard to look attractive, like old ladies sometimes do. â€Å"You remember Pat, right?† I stand, and as we shake hands, the way Tiffany looks into my eyes makes me feel really funny. We move back into the house, and after some small talk, Tiffany and I are left alone on opposite ends of the living-room couch as Veronica finishes cooking the meal and Ronnie puts Emily to bed. â€Å"You look very pretty tonight,† I say when the silence grows awkward. Before apart time began, I never ever complimented Nikki on her looks, and I think this really hurt her self-esteem. I figure I can now practice complimenting women on their looks so it will come naturally to me when Nikki returns, although Tiffany really does look pretty, even if she is trying too hard with the makeup. She is a few years older than me, but has a fit body and long, silky black hair. â€Å"What happened to your cheek?† Tiffany asks without looking at me. â€Å"Weight-lifting accident.† She just stares at her hands, which are folded in her lap. Her nails have been recently painted a blood red. You read "The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 10" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"So where are you working now?† I say, thinking this is a safe question. Her nose crinkles, as if I had farted. â€Å"I got fired from my job a few months ago.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Does it really matter?† she says, then stands and walks into the kitchen. I down the remainder of my second beer and wait for Ronnie to come back. Dinner is elegant, with candles going and fancy plates and special silverware, but awkward, as Tiffany and I are completely silent while Veronica and Ronnie talk about us as if we aren’t there. â€Å"Pat is a big history buff. He knows everything about every single U.S. president. Go ahead. Ask him anything,† Ronnie says. When Tiffany fails to look up from her food, Veronica says, â€Å"My sister is a modern dancer and has a recital in two months. You should see her dance, Pat. So beautiful. My God, I wish I could dance like my sister. If she allows us this year, we’re all going to her recital, and you should definitely come with us.† I nod carefully when Tiffany looks up for my response, thinking I’ll go just so I can practice being kind. Also, Nikki would probably want to go to a dance recital, and I want to do the things Nikki likes from now on. â€Å"Pat and I are going to work out together,† Ronnie says. â€Å"Look how fit my buddy is. He puts me to shame. I need to get in that basement with you, Pat.† â€Å"Tiffany loves the shore, don’t you, Tiff? The four of us should take Emily to the beach one weekend in September after the crowds have left. We could have a picnic. Do you like picnics, Pat? Tiffany loves picnics. Don’t you, Tiff?† Ronnie and Veronica trade facts about their guests for almost fifteen minutes straight, and then finally there’s a lull, so I ask if any of them knows anything about the Vet being imploded, and to my surprise Ronnie and Veronica both confirm that it was demolished years ago, just like my father said, which worries me tremendously because I have no memory of this or the years that have supposedly transpired since. I think about asking how long ago Emily was born, because I remember getting a letter and picture from Ronnie soon after her birth, but I get scared and do not ask. â€Å"I hate football,† Tiffany offers. â€Å"More than anything in the world.† And then we all eat without saying anything for a while. The three courses Ronnie had promised turn out to be beer, lasagna garnished with baked asparagus, and key lime pie. All three are great, and I tell Veronica as much – practicing again for when Nikki comes back – to which Veronica replies, â€Å"Did you think my food would be bad?† I know she means it as a joke, but Nikki would have used the question to prove just how witchy Veronica can be. I think about how if Nikki were here, after we went home, we’d stay up talking in bed like we used to when we were both a little drunk – and sitting now at Ronnie’s dinner table, the thought makes me feel sad and happy at the same time. When we finish our pie, Tiffany stands and says, â€Å"I’m tired.† â€Å"But we’ve hardly finished eating,† Veronica says, â€Å"and we have Trivial Pursuit to – â€Å" â€Å"I said I’m tired.† There is a silence. â€Å"Well,† Tiffany finally says, â€Å"are you going to walk me home or what?† It takes me a second to realize that Tiffany is talking to me, but I quickly say, â€Å"Sure.† Since I am practicing being kind now, what else could I have said – right? It is a warm night, but not too sticky. Tiffany and I walk a block before I ask where she lives. â€Å"With my parents, okay?† she says without looking at me. â€Å"Oh.† I realize we are only about four blocks from Mr. and Mrs. Webster’s house. â€Å"You live with your parents too, right?† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"So no big whoop.† It is dark, and I guess it’s about 9:30 p.m. With her arms crossing her chest, Tiffany walks pretty quickly in her clicky heels, and soon we are standing in front of her parents’ house. When she turns to face me, I think she is simply going to say good night, but she says, â€Å"Look, I haven’t dated since college, so I don’t know how this works.† â€Å"How what works?† â€Å"I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at me. Don’t bullshit me, Pat. I live in the addition around back, which is completely separate from the house, so there’s no chance of my parents walking in on us. I hate the fact that you wore a football jersey to dinner, but you can fuck me as long as we turn the lights out first. Okay?† I’m too shocked to speak, and for a long time we just stand there. â€Å"Or not,† Tiffany adds just before she starts crying. I’m so confused that I’m speaking and thinking and worrying all at the same time, not really knowing what to do or say. â€Å"Look, I enjoyed spending time with you, and I think you’re really pretty, but I’m married,† I say, and lift up my wedding ring as proof. â€Å"So am I,† she says, and holds up the diamond on her left hand. I remember what Ronnie told me about her husband having passed away, which makes her a widow and not married, but I do not say anything about that, because I am practicing being kind instead of right, which I learned in therapy and Nikki will like. It makes me really sad to see that Tiffany is still wearing her wedding ring. And then suddenly Tiffany is hugging me so that her face is between my pecs, and she’s crying her makeup onto my new Hank Baskett jersey. I don’t like to be touched by anyone except Nikki, and I really do not want Tiffany to get makeup on the jersey my brother was nice enough to give me – a jersey with real stitchedon letters and numbers – but I surprise myself by hugging Tiffany back. I rest my chin on top of her shiny black hair, scent her perfume, and suddenly I am crying too, which scares me a lot. Our bodies shudder together, and we are all waterworks. We cry together for at least ten minutes, and then she lets go and runs around to the back of her parents’ house. When I arrive home, my father is watching television. The Eagles are playing the Jets in a preseason game I did not know was on. He does not even look at me, probably because I am such a lousy Eagles fan now. My mother tells me that Ronnie called, saying it’s important and I should call him back immediately. â€Å"What happened? What’s on your jersey? Is that makeup?† my mother asks, and when I do not answer, she says, â€Å"You better call Ronnie back.† But I only lie down in my bed and stare at the ceiling of my bedroom until the sun comes up. How to cite The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 10, Essay examples

By kim Essay Example For Students

By: kim Essay JFK John F. Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States (1961-1963). He was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917,the second oldest in a family of nine children, the son of financier Joseph P. Kennedy, who served as ambassador to Great Britain during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He graduated from Harvard University in 1940. In 1941, John Kennedy joined the Navy. He became the commander of a small boat assigned to the battle in the Pacific against the Japanese. After World War II he soon decided to run for political office. In 1946, he was elected to the U. S. Congress, Kennedy, a Democrat, served three terms (six years) in the House of Representatives, and in 1952 he was elected to the U.S. Senate. In 1953, he married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier. In the general election on November 8, 1960, Kennedy defeated Vice President Richard M. Nixon, in a very close race. Kennedy was the youngest man elected President and the first Catholic. Just after the election, the Kennedys second child, John Jr., was born. Kennedy wanted Americans to travel to a more distant destination. In May 1961, after Alan Shepard became the first American astronaut to fly into space, Kennedy asked Congress to spend more money on space exploration, with the goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In 1963, clashes between the police and demonstrating blacks in Birmingham, Ala., and elsewhere, especially in the South, induced the president to stress civil rights legislation. Kennedys new civil rights message included bills to ban discrimination in places of business; to speed up desegregation of public schools; and to end discrimination in the hiring of workers on federal construction projects. On Nov. 22, 1963, Kennedy was shot to death in Dallas, Texas, the fourth United States president to die by an assassins bullet. The state funeral of President Kennedy was watched on television by millions around the world. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. During his time as President, JFK had to make difficult decisions. Many of the hardest choices concerned the relationship between our nation and the Soviet Union.President Kennedys death caused enormous sadness and grief among all Americans. Most people still remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news of the murder. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington for the Presidents funeral, and millions throughout the world watched it on television. As the years have gone by and other Presidents have written their chapters in history, John Kennedys brief time in office stands out in peoples memoriesfor his leadership, personality, and accomplishments. Many respect his coolness when faced with difficult decisionslike what to do about the missiles in Cuba. Others admire his ability to inspire people with his eloquent speeches. Still others think his compassion and his willingness to fight for new government programs to help the poor, the elderly and the ill were most important. Like all leaders, John Kennedy made mistakes, but he was always optimistic about the future. He believed that people could solve their common problems if they put their countrys interests first and worked together. Word Count: 529

Three Architecture Styles Essay Example For Students

Three Architecture Styles Essay In this essay information will be given in order to compare and contrast data about three different styles of architecture. The three styles are Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Neo Gothic. In order to fully give a clear explanation of these styles, information about architecture will be given first then the three styles will follow with comparing and contrasting points in between. First, to inform about architecture, one must explain what it is. Architecture, referring to building is defined as The practice of building design and its resulting products; customary usage refers only to those designs and structures that are culturally significant Ferrier 20. Someone might say that architecture must appease its intended uses, but must be technically sound, and must convey tasteful meaning. Although some of the greatest buildings outlast their original uses, these buildings now stand not only as beautiful works of art, but as history of our culture. We will write a custom essay on Three Architecture Styles specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Achievements in architecture show, the true accomplishments of the society in which they were constructed. It is amazing how architecture has blossomed. As technology has grown and people have gained knowledge in the wide array of architecture many different forms have developed. Although we will be looking into only a few, it will be easy to see why people find architecture so interesting. For instance the Art Nouveau style, which became very popular across Europe and in the United States, is an elegant decorative art style, and is characterized by its intricately detailed patters of curving lines. An excellent example of this type of art is the John Hudson Thomas W. L. Locke House 1911, in Oakland, CA Partridge. Art Nouveau is an international style of decoration and architecture. This style spread rapidly. It grew as a reaction to the other excessive academic art revivals that were taking place at the time. At the time artists set out to create a new kind of art. They wanted to have something that would be a total and complete decorative style that combined all arts including, painting, graphics, sculpture, decorative arts, and architecture into an expressive package. The importance of Art Nouveau can not be denied Earl A Powell III, director of the national Gallery of art in Washington DC explains, The Art Nouveau style was self-consciously international. He goes on to say, As interpreted by architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, the movement in America set the stage for modernism that in turn had a great influence on progressive art and architecture in the United States, Europe, and Japan Partridge. Art Nouveau remained popular until World War I, and was ultimately replaced by the Art Deco style. What is Art Deco? Art Deco is a style of art that was created in hopes of finding something new, something to set things apart from one to another. The Art Deco period began in the early 1900s and ended in the 1930s. The Art Deco name derived from the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, an exposition of modern decorative and industrial arts held in Paris, France Hewitt. Art Deco designers used stepped forms, rounded corners, triple-striped decorative elements and black decoration often. The most important thing about Art Deco is the designs created were always in geometrical order and in simple formats. A good example of an Art Deco Style would be the Empire State Building. The building was completed in 1931-32 and ended the era of Art Deco Skyscrapers. Art Deco is all about machines, mass-production, metal and concrete Hewitt. Like Art Nouveau, Art Deco exploded with peoples interests. In fact the earliest forms of Art Deco exhibited a slight reminder of the previous Art Nouveau movements graceful nature motifs, while in later years geometry and mass take over to concrete what is sometimes referred to as Art Moderne or Streamline Jacobs 5. .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .postImageUrl , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:hover , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:visited , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:active { border:0!important; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:active , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Fashion Boutique Industry of Kathmandu EssayArt Nouveau being characterized especially by sinuous lines and foliate forms, sets it apart from the way Art Deco is characterized by bold outlines, geometric and zigzag forms, and the use of new materials. Like Art Nouveau, Art Deco was created for a newer, fresher feeling. A great way to Characterize the Art Deco style is by saying it is a diverse mix, sharing geometry and simplicity, and often combining lively colors. Unlike Art Nouveau, Art Deco packed up, do to a crash in the stock market in the 1930sHewitt. As Art Nouveau was put out be a new more modern style of art. Just like Art Deco, Art Nouveau infused the world with an elegant style of complexity. Next, a look at the Neo-Gothic style. This style is one that borrowed elements from Gothicism for decorative use. It is generally agreed that Gothic architecture made its initial appearance C. 1140 in the Ile-de-france, the royal domain of the Capetain Kings Religious architecture. The Neo-Gothic style tried to understand the basic principles of Gothicism, and used them. An important moment in the development of Neo-Gothicism is the year 1853, when the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church was fully restored in the Netherlands Religious architecture. This year formed the first highlight of a process that had been going on for a few years already, and which was to lead to full catholic emancipation. Individual components in Gothic architecture, such as ribbed vaulting and the pointed arch, had been employed in Romanesque construction, they had not previously received such a purposeful and constant application. The structural value of the gothic rib has been contested, its formal significance can not be overestimated. It served above all to delineate the vaults with a skeletal web that gave to the entire structure an articulation of impressive clarity Religious Architecture. When you are looking at Neo-Gothic architecture it is important to see how the spiritual and mysterious of light is an important element of the religious symbolism of Gothic cathedrals. Neo-Gothic architecture in most cases has a simple rectangular ground plan, with only a small tower at the front facade Religious Architecture. Some say this style was characterized by a purely decorative use of Gothic elements. Between the three styles in which we have discussed Neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco each is very different in their own ways, but are similar in others. Neo-Gothic has sharp points unlike Art Nouveau, which has many curving lines. These two styles are analogous due to their mysterious darkness and varying lines. Each style is alike in the ways in which they use geometry in each design. Art Deco is said to have streamlines that continue to flow Hewitt Whereas, Neo-Gothic lines seem to come to points and stop. The lines that make up Art Deco and Art Nouveau are very similar in many ways. Their lines seem to have a smooth, constant, flow that looks as if it is never-ending. Art Deco and Art Nouveau are subtle. All three architecture styles have made the bold transition to modernism in America. In conclusion, these three styles are very important to the history of architecture. Each style used another to find its own individuality. So without one you would not have another. Each style adds contrast and flare to one another. Looking back we can see just how important each style is. For instance Art Nouveau added writhing plant forms and an opposition to the historicism, which had plagued the 19th century Partridge. Although there was tension implicit throughout the movement between the decorative and the modern. Art Deco added order. Stepped forms, rounded corners, triple stripped decorative elements and black decoration shows just how Art Deco added to history with order Jacobs. Neo-Gothic architecture added beautiful design to many churches and other buildings. Architecture is something that is often over looked. Its beauty is exquisite. The work that goes into each and every piece of artwork is intense. It shows how much people love what they do and how creative they really are. Architecture is something that people have to have an interest in to really love.

Studying and Preparing for Final Exams

Studying and Preparing for Final Exams Final exams are stressful for many studentsand its no wonder. Finals are designed to allow students to demonstrate how much information they have retained from an entire semester. When it comes to preparing for finals, every subject is a little bit different, so you should specialize your study skills for each particular exam. A General Strategy for Preparing for Finals Studies show that certain methods are important when it comes to memorization. If youre studying for a topic that involves a lot of new terms and concepts, you must prepare for a test with a reusable practice test. Fill in the practice sheet and repeat until you get all the answers right.Believe it or not, students have reported that lots of points are lost because they get careless on bubble sheets! Review these common and very costly bubble sheet errors that can wreck your test performance. If you misalign by a single space, you can get every answer wrong!Review common instruction words that teachers use. Know the difference between contrast, analyze, and compare, for example. You may think these the same thing when it comes to writing your answer essay, but there are very specific expectations for each word.If finals week means lots of back-to-back exams for you, you should prepare yourself mentally and physically for the many consecutive hours you can spend writing. Dont make your essay answer too short because your hand is getting tired!Fill in the blank e xams require special preparation. You start by reading over your class notes to underline new terms, important dates, noteworthy phrases, and the names of key people. If part of your final involves constructing a long essay outside of the classroom, you should become very familiar with all the behavior that constitutes plagiarism. You might be surprised to find out how easy it is to plagiarize. And plagiarism normally results in an immediate fail! Preparing for Finals in English and Literature Classes Literature professors are most likely to test you with long and short essay questions. First rule when preparing for a literature exam: read the material again! Be prepared to compare two or more stories that youve read. Also, know the traits of every character. Before going into any essay test session, you should review basic punctuation rules. Preparing for Exams in Foreign Language Classes If youre mainly concerned about memorizing a list of new words when learning a foreign language, you can use this color-coding method to memorize vocabulary words. If youre preparing for a final exam in Spanish, you can review a list of common mistakes students make when composing Spanish essays. You may also need to insert Spanish symbols as you create your final essay. Practice early and practice a lot to ace a Spanish test! Thats the advice from readers. Sometimes its necessary to cram for a foreign language final. If you need to learn a lot of French in a little bit of time, try some practice techniques offered by our Guide to French Language. Preparing for Science Finals Many science teachers like to use multiple choice questions to test students. To prepare for this type of test, you should look closely at the concepts behind themes to make sure you are prepared for all of the above and none of the above answers. Look at any lists of components or traits. When taking a chemistry final, be sure to mind dump every memorized equation at the start. Join a study group and seek study advice from other students. Use common sense when you prepare for test day. Eat right and get enough sleep! Preparing for a Psychology Final If your psychology teacher offers a test review, it is important to take smart and sensible notes. You can use your review notes to create a practice exam. When preparing for a psychology test, its particularly important to review psychological theories youve covered in class and apply them to real-life examples when you can. Preparing for Math Finals For many students, math finals are the most intimidating of all! Some of the best advice for preparing for math exams comes from our readers. Work slowly and review each problem at least ten timesthats the kind of wisdom readers share. Review these problem-solving strategies to know how and when to use certain procedures. Its critical to memorize the basic rules that are necessary for working on many problems: divisibility rulesorder of operationsnegative and positive rulesgeometry formulas Final Exams in History History exams will involve memorizing dates as well as memorizing new history terms for your exam. Be sure to brush up on techniques for preparing for a short answer test. Many teachers in the social sciences prefer to use essay exam questions. To prepare for an essay exam, you should read over your notes and textbook chapters to search for hidden themes, Your history final may involve writing a long history paper. Make sure your essay fits the assignment and is formatted correctly. Our Guide to Ancient History provides excellent advice for last minute study tips for history class. Finding a Study Partner It is very helpful for many students to study with a good partner. Find a serious student and find a good study space to exchange practice questions and compare notes. A great study partner will understand some methods or problems that you dont. You will be able to explain some problems with your partner in return. Its a trade-off.

Egyptian Elections Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Egyptian Elections - Essay Example Similarly, this paper traces the history of the Middle East concerning matters of political, economical and even social nature. Additionally, the discussion delves into the driving factors of the Arab Spring and the lessons the new president of Egypt should learn (Lesch 43). Furthermore, this essay is going evaluate the different forms of regimes and democracies practiced in the Arab nations such as Islamic Republic, absolute monarchies, liberal democracies and competitive authoritarianism among others. Therefore, the president I have predicted is Amr Moussa and below explain why. In the forthcoming Egyptian elections, there are fundamental issues in the context of elections that merit a discussion. Similarly, in making truthful predictions of the president and party, which are likely to ascend to power, other paramount considerations of the long journey Egyptian citizens, have travelled, should be noted down. On that account, this essay is going to look briefly at the history of the Middle East of which Egypt is a member and how it has come to be in the modern history in the context of development. For instance, it is a well known that civilization begun in Middle East in the period of 3500 BC, namely in Mesopotamia, which is currently in Iraq and ancient Egypt. Similarly, ancient Egypt facilitated the spread of civilization along the Nile River valley which was led by the Pharaohs in order to bring change (Lust 123). Similarly, before making a prediction concerning the elections that are on May 23 and 24, 2012, this essay highlights the different phases of history Egypt has endured. These include the prehistoric Egypt and Ancient Egypt that was characterized with kingdoms from 31 to 1070 BC. Furthermore, this period marked the beginning of a monarchy where Pharaohs practiced authoritarian leadership upon their citizens. After Ancient Egypt, came the Greco-Roma Egypt where Egypt began trading with other worlds to acquire economic autonomy. After the Greco-Roma Egypt came the Medieval Egypt and, finally, Modern Egypt, which was begun in 1882 until the ouster of Hosni Mubarak (Eva 153). In other words, the paper attempts to link the transition of the forthcoming elections with the past regimes of Egypt and how to chart a way forward. However, when we study at the history of the modern Middle East, there are critical issues that are worth mentioning to understand the situation. For example, it has metamorphosed into a zone of conflict where democracy does not exist but instead authoritarian monarchs persecute the people. Such countries include Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain among others that have been affected. For countries that practice democracy such as Iran and Egypt, the elections are always flawed with leaders extending their political terms to their advantage, which only breeds violence (Lesch 47). As a result, this has spawned liberal democracies where the real fruits of democracy are not enjoyed but trampled upon by the leaders. O n that note, countries that practice of democracy include Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait and Israel among others. Egypt under the former president, Hosni Mubarak, was also known to practice competitive authoritarianism where he exercised coercive tactics to win elections despite the efforts of the opposition. However,

Steps to Ethical Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Steps to Ethical Decision - Essay Example Three main assumptions that define how this issue could present an ethical challenge. The conflict involved is to what extent is the appreciation token genuine but not a bribe. More apparently, the winner of a tender out of good will decides to present appreciation to the entire panel openly inform of either cash, a party or any other form that may appear inducement. No doubt, many will find it within the sound business practice considering it happens publicly and more importantly out of the willingness of the rich supplier. Secondly, such offers are hard to be defined within the context of bribery because this is not done in secret, and everyone gets an entitlement to a fair share. Lastly, this occurs after the panel has established successfully that the supplier justly deserves the tender, however accepting gifts or goodies could jeopardize other potential competitors in future.Concisely, some parties may argue that it may be unethical to accept offers from business partners. Howev er, the manner at which this offer is given appears fair and not an inducement. When trapped in such a dilemma and case, the eight clearly outlined steps are fundamental in bringing the conflict to sanity. Basic Ethical Principles. Situation analysis of benefits versus burdens. While some decisions may appear ethical, it may bring huge burden to an organization. Loss of integrity and the perception of lack of fairness are two critical challenges that may accrue from a controversial ethical decision.

Importance of having a scholarship in Canada Essay

Importance of having a scholarship in Canada - Essay Example In addition to financial and educational benefits, the scholarship provided me with career benefit. Earning a prestigious scholarship makes me a more attractive job candidate. Most employers understand the competitive nature of the scholarship and as such, they recognize scholarship as an accomplishment. It demonstrates to potential employers that I have exceptional abilities in the academic realm. Listing scholarship on my resume helps me to stand out when searching for a job and possibly help me to achieve the career that I want. The scholarship also came with personal benefit; it made a significant difference regarding how much resources and time that I had during college to spend to enhance my knowledge and experience through internships, volunteer opportunities, and service-learning. The security and money afforded by a scholarship allowed me to be more selective regarding how much I spend and how I spend my free time. I am delighted to have studied in Canada as the country prov ided me with an unforgettable experience. As I had mentioned earlier, I am originally from Saudi Arabia and I have lived for a while in the United States. Studying in Canada meant a lot to me; I was able to learn from the leading lecturers and in excellent modern facilities that inspired forward-thinking progress, and innovation. Regardless of the level of education one is pursuing, the cost of education in Canada is affordable and enables one to acquire globally recognized qualifications that will set them on the path to success.... It demonstrates to potential employers that I have exceptional abilities in the academic realm. Listing scholarship in my resume helps me to stand out when searching for a job and possibly help me to achieve the career that I want. The scholarship also came with personal benefit; it made a significant difference regarding how much resources and time that I had during college to spend to enhance my knowledge and experience through internships, volunteer opportunities, and service-learning. The security and money afforded by a scholarship allowed me to be more selective regarding how much I spend and how I spend my free time. I am delighted to have studied in Canada as the country provided me with unforgettable experience. As I had mentioned earlier, I am originally from Saudi Arabia and I have lived for a while in the United States. Therefore, studying in Canada provided me with a completely new form of experience. Studying in Canada meant a lot to me; I was able to learn from the lea ding lecturers and in excellent modern facilities that inspired forward thinking, progress, and innovation. Regardless of the level of education one is pursuing, the cost of education in Canada is affordable and enables one to acquire globally recognized qualifications that will set them on the path to success. I am no different. All my classes in Canada reflected multicultural and diverse society. Canada has high academic standards, as well as rigorous quality controls, which meant that I earned high-quality educational qualifications that will open doors for my future and be of great benefit to my long-term career goals. A Canadian certificate, diploma, or degree is recognized globally as being equivalent to

Asset and liability management

Asset and liability management ASSET AND LIABILITY MANAGEMENT In banking, asset and liability management (ALM) is used to manage the risks that arise due to mismatches between the assets and liabilities (debts and assets) of the bank. Banks face several risks like the liquidity risk, market risk, interest rate risk, credit risk and operational risk. Asset Liability management (ALM) is a strategic management tool to manage interest rate risk and liquidity risk faced by banks, other financial services companies and corporations. Banks manage the risks of Asset liability mismatch by matching the assets and liabilities according to the maturity pattern or the matching the duration, by hedging and by securitization. Asset and liability management remain high-priority areas for bank regulators, with an emphasis on management of market risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk. Asset/liability managers face the challenge of keeping pace with industry changes as new areas of risk are identified and new tools and models are developed to help measure and manage risk. In other words Asset-Liability Management (ALM) can be known as a risk management technique designed to earn an adequate return while maintaining a comfortable surplus of assets beyond liabilities. It takes into consideration interest rates, earning power, and degree of willingness to take on debt and hence is also known as Surplus Management. But in the last decade the meaning of asset liability management has evolved. It is now used in many different ways under different contexts. ALM, which was actually pioneered by financial institutions and banks, are now widely being used in industries too. The Society of Actuaries Task Force on ALM Principles, Canada, offers the following definition for ALM: Asset Liability Management is the on-going process of formulating, implementing, monitoring, and revising strategies related to assets and liabilities in an attempt to achieve financial objectives for a given set of risk tolerances and constraints. Basis of Asset-Liability Management Traditionally, banks and insurance companies used accrual system of accounting for all their assets and liabilities. They would take on liabilities such as deposits, life insurance policies or annuities. They would then invest the proceeds from these liabilities in assets such as loans, bonds or real estate. All these assets and liabilities were held at book value. Doing so disguised possible risks arising from how the assets and liabilities were structured. Consider a bank that borrows 1 Crore (100 Lakhs) at 6 % for a year and lends the same money at 7 % to a highly rated borrower for 5 years. The net transaction appears profitable the bank is earning a 100 basis point spread but it entails considerable risk. At the end of a year, the bank will have to find new financing for the loan, which will have 4 more years before it matures. If interest rates have risen, the bank may have to pay a higher rate of interest on the new financing than the fixed 7 % it is earning on its loan. Suppose, at the end of a year, an applicable 4-year interest rate is 8 %. The bank is in serious trouble. It is going to earn 7 % on its loan but would have to pay 8 % on its financing. Accrual accounting does not recognize this problem. Based upon accrual accounting, the bank would earn Rs 100,000 in the first year although in the preceding years it is going to incur a loss. The problem in this example was caused by a mismatch between assets and liabilities. Prior to the 1970s, such mismatches tended not to be a significant problem. Interest rates in developed countries experienced only modest fluctuations, so losses due to asset-liability mismatches were small or trivial. Many firms intentionally mismatched their balance sheets and as yield curves were generally upward sloping, banks could earn a spread by borrowing short and lending long. Things started to change in the 1970s, which ushered in a period of volatile interest rates that continued till the early 1980s. US regulations which had capped the interest rates so that banks could pay depositors, was abandoned which led to a migration of dollar deposit overseas. Managers of many firms, who were accustomed to thinking in terms of accrual accounting, were slow to recognize this emerging risk. Some firms suffered staggering losses. Because the firms used accrual accounting, it resulted in more of crippled balance sheets than bankruptcies. Firms had no options but to accrue the losses over a subsequent period of 5 to 10 years. One example, which drew attention, was that of US mutual life insurance company The Equitable. During the early 1980s, as the USD yield curve was inverted with short-term interest rates sky rocketing, the company sold a number of long-term Guaranteed Interest Contracts (GICs) guaranteeing rates of around 16% for periods up to 10 years.Equitable then invested the assets short-term to earn the high interest rates guaranteed on the contracts. But short-term interest rates soon came down. When the Equitable had to reinvest, it couldnt get even close to the interest rates it was paying on the GICs. The firm was crippled. Eventually, it had to demutualize and was acquired by the Axa Group. Increasingly banks and asset management companies started to focus on Asset-Liability Risk.The problem was not that the value of assets might fall or that the value of liabilities might rise. It was that capital might be depleted by narrowing of the difference between assets and liabilities and that the values of assets and liabilities might fail to move in tandem. Asset-liability risk is predominantly a leveraged form of risk. The capital of most financial institutions is small relative to the firms assets or liabilities, and so small percentage changes in assets or liabilities can translate into large percentage changes in capital. Accrual accounting could disguise the problem by deferring losses into the future, but it could not solve the problem.Firms responded by forming asset-liability management (ALM) departments to assess these asset-liability risk. Techniques for assessing Asset-Liability Risk Techniques for assessing asset-liability risk came to include Gap Analysis and Duration Analysis. These facilitated techniques of managing gaps and matching duration of assets and liabilities. Both approaches worked well if assets and liabilities comprised fixed cash flows. But cases of callable debts, home loans and mortgages which included optio.ns of prepayment and floating rates, posed problems that gap analysis could not address. Duration analysis could address these in theory, but implementing sufficiently sophisticated duration measures was problematic Accordingly, banks and insurance companies started using Scenario Analysis. Under this technique assumptions were made on various conditions, for example: * Several interest rate scenarios were specified for the next 5 or 10 years. These specified conditions like declining rates, rising rates, a gradual decrease in rates followed by a sudden rise, etc. Ten or twenty scenarios could be specified in all. * Assumptions were made about the performance of assets and liabilities under each scenario. They included prepayment rates on mortgages or surrender rates on insurance products. * Assumptions were also made about the firms performance-the rates at which new business would be acquired for various products, demand for the product. * Market conditions and economic factors like inflation rates and industrial cycles were also included. * Based upon these assumptions, the performance of the firms balance sheet could be projected under each scenario. If projected performance was poor under specific scenarios, the ALM committee would adjust assets or liabilities to address the indicated exposure. Let us consider the procedure for sanctioning a commercial loan. The borrower, who approaches the bank, has to appraise the banks credit department on various parameters like industry prospects, operational efficiency, financial efficiency, management qualities and other things, which would influence the working of the company. On the basis of this appraisal, the banks would then prepare a credit-grading sheet after covering all the aspects of the company and the business in which the company is in. Then the borrower would then be charged a certain rate of interest, which would cover the risk of lending. * But the main shortcoming of scenario analysis was that, it was highly dependent on the choice of scenarios. It also required that many assumptions were to be made about how specific assets or liabilities will perform under specific scenario. Gradually the firms recognized a potential for different type of risks, which was overlooked in ALM analyses. Also the deregulation of the interest rates in US in mid 70 s compelled the banks to undertake active planning for the structure of the balance sheet. The uncertainty of interest rate movements gave rise to Interest Rate Risk thereby causing banks to look for processes to manage this risk. In the wake of interest rate risk came Liquidity Risk and Credit Risk, which became inherent components of risk for banks. The recognition of these risks brought Asset Liability Management to the centre-stage of financial intermediation. Today even Equity Risk, which until a few years ago was given only honorary mention in all but a few company ALM re ports, is now an indispensable part of ALM for most companies.. Some companies have gone even further to include Counterparty Credit Risk, Sovereign Risk, as well as Product Design and Pricing Risk as part of their overall ALM. * Now a days a company has different reasons for doing ALM. While some companies view ALM as a compliance and risk mitigation exercise, others have started using ALM as strategic framework to achieve the companys financial objectives. Some of the business reasons companies now state for implementing an effective ALM framework include gaining competitive advantage and increasing the value of the organization. Asset-Liability Management Approach ALM in its most apparent sense is based on funds management. Funds management represents the core of sound bank planning and financial management. Although funding practices, techniques, and norms have been revised substantially in recent years, it is not a new concept. Funds management is the process of managing the spread between interest earned and interest paid while ensuring adequate liquidity. Therefore, funds management has following three components, which have been discussed briefly. A. Liquidity Management Liquidity represents the ability to accommodate decreases in liabilities and to fund increases in assets. An organization has adequate liquidity when it can obtain sufficient funds, either by increasing liabilities or by converting assets, promptly and at a reasonable cost. Liquidity is essential in all organizations to compensate for expected and unexpected balance sheet fluctuations and to provide funds for growth. The price of liquidity is a function of market conditions and market perception of the risks, both interest rate and credit risks, reflected in the balance sheet and off-balance sheet activities in the case of a bank. If liquidity needs are not met through liquid asset holdings, a bank may be forced to restructure or acquire additional liabilities under adverse market conditions. Liquidity exposure can stem from both internally (institution-specific) and externally generated factors. Sound liquidity risk management should address both types of exposure. External liquidit y risks can be geographic, systemic or instrument-specific. Internal liquidity risk relates largely to the perception of an institution in its various markets: local, regional, national or international. Determination of the adequacy of a banks liquidity position depends upon an analysis of its: * Historical funding requirements * Current liquidity position * Anticipated future funding needs * Sources of funds * Present and anticipated asset quality * Present and future earnings capacity * Present and planned capital position As all banks are affected by changes in the economic climate, the monitoring of economic and money market trends is key to liquidity planning. Sound financial management can minimize the negative effects of these trends while accentuating the positive ones. Management must also have an effective contingency plan that identifies minimum and maximum liquidity needs and weighs alternative courses of action designed to meet those needs. The cost of maintaining liquidity is another important prerogative. An institution that maintains a strong liquidity position may do so at the opportunity cost of generating higher earnings. The amount of liquid assets a bank should hold depends on the stability of its deposit structure and the potential for rapid expansion of its loan portfolio. If deposit accounts are composed primarily of small stable accounts, a relatively low allowance for liquidity is necessary. Additionally, management must consider the current ratings by regulatory and rating agencies when planning liquidity needs. Once liquidity needs have been determined, management must decide how to meet them through asset management, liability management, or a combination of both. B. Asset Management Many banks (primarily the smaller ones) tend to have little influence over the size of their total assets. Liquid assets enable a bank to provide funds to satisfy increased demand for loans. But banks, which rely solely on asset management, concentrate on adjusting the price and availability of credit and the level of liquid assets. However, assets that are often assumed to be liquid are sometimes difficult to liquidate. For example, investment securities may be pledged against public deposits or repurchase agreements, or may be heavily depreciated because of interest rate changes. Furthermore, the holding of liquid assets for liquidity purposes is less attractive because of thin profit spreads. Asset liquidity, or how salable the banks assets are in terms of both time and cost, is of primary importance in asset management. To maximize profitability, management must carefully weigh the full return on liquid assets (yield plus liquidity value) against the higher return associated with less liquid assets. Income derived from higher yielding assets may be offset if a forced sale, at less than book value, is necessary because of adverse balance sheet fluctuations. Seasonal, cyclical, or other factors may cause aggregate outstanding loans and deposits to move in opposite directions and result in loan demand, which exceeds available deposit funds. A bank relying strictly on asset management would restrict loan growth to that which could be supported by available deposits. The decision whether or not to use liability sources should be based on a complete analysis of seasonal, cyclical, and other factors, and the costs involved. In addition to supplementing asset liquidity, liability sources of liquidity may serve as an alternative even when asset sources are available. C. Liability Management Liquidity needs can be met through the discretionary acquisition of funds on the basis of interest rate competition. This does not preclude the option of selling assets to meet funding needs, and conceptually, the availability of asset and liability options should result in a lower liquidity maintenance cost. The alternative costs of available discretionary liabilities can be compared to the opportunity cost of selling various assets. The major difference between liquidity in larger banks and in smaller banks is that larger banks are better able to control the level and composition of their liabilities and assets. When funds are required, larger banks have a wider variety of options from which to select the least costly method of generating funds. The ability to obtain additional liabilities represents liquidity potential. The marginal cost of liquidity and the cost of incremental funds acquired are of paramount importance in evaluating liability sources of liquidity. Consideration m ust be given to such factors as the frequency with which the banks must regularly refinance maturing purchased liabilities, as well as an evaluation of the banks ongoing ability to obtain funds under normal market conditions. The obvious difficulty in estimating the latter is that, until the bank goes to the market to borrow, it cannot determine with complete certainty that funds will be available and/or at a price, which will maintain a positive yield spread. Changes in money market conditions may cause a rapid deterioration in a banks capacity to borrow at a favorable rate. In this context, liquidity represents the ability to attract funds in the market when needed, at a reasonable cost vis-Ã  -vis asset yield. The access to discretionary funding sources for a bank is always a function of its position and reputation in the money markets. Although the acquisition of funds at a competitive cost has enabled many banks to meet expanding customer loan demand, misuse or improper implementation of liability management can have severe consequences. Further, liability management is not riskless. This is because concentrations in funding sources increase liquidity risk. For example, a bank relying heavily on foreign interbank deposits will experience funding problems if overseas markets perceive instability in U.S. banks or the economy. Replacing foreign source funds might be difficult and costly because the domestic market may view the banks sudden need for funds negatively. Again over-reliance on liability management may cause a tendency to minimize holdings of short-term securities, relax asset liquidity standards, and result in a large concentration of short-term liabilities supporting assets of longer maturity. During times of tight money, this could cause an earnings squeeze and an illiquid condition. Also if rate competition develops in the money market, a bank may incur a high cost of funds and may elect to lower credit standards to book higher yielding loans and securities. If a bank is purchasing liabilities to support assets, which are already on its books, the higher cost of purchased funds may result in a negative yield spread. Preoccupation with obtaining funds at the lowest possible cost, without considering maturity distribution, greatly intensifies a banks exposure to the risk of interest rate fluctuations. That is why banks who particularly rely on wholesale funding sources, management must constantly be aware of the composition, characteristics, and diversification of its funding sources. Procedure for Examination of Asset Liability Management In order to determine the efficacy of Asset Liability Management one has to follow a comprehensive procedure of reviewing different aspects of internal control, funds management and financial ratio analysis. Below a step-by-step approach of ALM examination in case of a bank has been outlined. Step 1 The bank/ financial statements and internal management reports should be reviewed to assess the asset/liability mix with particular emphasis on. * Total liquidity position (Ratio of highly liquid assets to total assets) * Current liquidity position (Minimum ratio of highly liquid assets to demand liabilities/deposits) * Ratio of Non Performing Assets to Total Assets * Ratio of loans to deposits * Ratio of short-term demand deposits to total deposits * Ratio of long-term loans to short term demand deposits * Ratio of contingent liabilities for loans to total loans * Ratio of pledged securities to total securities Step 2 It is to be determined that whether bank management adequately assesses and plans its liquidity needs and whether the bank has short-term sources of funds. This should include * Review of internal management reports on liquidity needs and sources of satisfying these need.. * Assessing the banks ability to meet liquidity needs Step 3 The banks future development and expansion plans, with focus on funding and liquidity management aspects has to be looked into. This entails. * Determining whether bank management has effectively addressed the issue of need for liquid assets to funding sources on a long-term basis. * Reviewing the banks budget projections for a certain period of time in the future. * Determining whether the bank really needs to expand its activities. What are the sources of funding for such expansion and whether there are projections of changes in the banks asset and liability structure. * Assessing the banks development plans and determining whether the bank will be able to attract planned funds and achieve the projected asset growth. * Determining whether the bank has included sensitivity to interest rate risk in the development of its long term funding strategy. Step 4 Examining the banks internal audit report in regards to quality and effectiveness in terms of liquidity management. Step 5 Reviewing the banks plan of satisfying unanticipated liquidity needs by. * Determining whether the banks management assessed the potential expenses that the bank will have as a result of unanticipated financial or operational problems. * Determining the alternative sources of funding liquidity and/or assets subject to necessity. * Determining the impact of the banks liquidity management on net earnings position. Step 6 Preparing an Asset/Liability Management Internal Control Questionnaire which should include the following Whether the board of directors has been consistent with its duties and responsibilities and included o A line of authority for liquidity management decisions. o A mechanism to coordinate asset and liability management decisions. o A method to identify liquidity needs and the means to meet those needs. o Guidelines for the level of liquid assets and other sources of funds in relationship to needs. Does the planning and budgeting function consider liquidity requirements. Are the internal management reports for liquidity management adequate in terms of effective decision making and monitoring of decisions. Are internal management reports concerning liquidity needs prepared regularly and reviewed as appropriate by senior management and the board of directors. Whether the banks policy of asset and liability management prohibits or defines certain restrictions for attracting borrowed means from bank related persons (organizations) in order to satisfy liquidity needs. Does the banks policy of asset and liability management provide for an adequate control over the position of contingent liabilities of the bank. Is the foregoing information considered an adequate basis for evaluating internal control in that there are no significant deficiencies in areas not covered in this questionnaire that impair any controls. Guidelines on Asset-Liability Management (ALM) System -Amendments Reserve Bank had issued guidelines on ALM system vide Circular dated February 10, 1999, which covered, among others, interest rate risk and liquidity risk measurement / reporting framework and prudential limits. As a measure of liquidity management, banks are required to monitor their cumulative mismatches across all time buckets in their Statement of Structural Liquidity by establishing internal prudential limits with the approval of the Board / Management Committee. As per the guidelines, the mismatches (negative gap) during the time buckets of 1-14 days and 15-28 days in the normal course, are not to exceed 20 per cent of the cash outflows in the respective time buckets. 2. Having regard to the international practices, the level of sophistication of banks in India and the need for a sharper assessment of the efficacy of liquidity management, Reserve Bank of India has reviewed guidelines on 24th October 2007 and decided that : (a) the banks may adopt a more granular approach to measurement of liquidity risk by splitting the first time bucket (1-14 days at present) in the Statement of Structural Liquidity into three time buckets viz. Next day , 2-7 days and 8-14 days. (b) the Statement of Structural Liquidity may be compiled on best available data coverage, in due consideration of non-availability of a fully networked environment.Banks may, however, make concerted and requisite efforts to ensure coverage of 100 per cent data in a timely manner. (c) the net cumulative negative mismatches during the Next day, 2-7 days, 8-14 days and 15-28 days buckets should not exceed 5 % ,10%, 15 % and 20 % of the cumulative cash outflows in the respective time buckets in order to recognise the cumulative impact on liquidity. (d) banks may undertake dynamic liquidity management and should prepare the Statement of Structural Liquidity on daily basis. The Statement of Structural Liquidity, may, however, be reported to RBI, once a month, as on the third Wednesday of every month. 3. The format of Statement of Structural Liquidity has been revised suitably and is furnished. The guidance for slotting the future cash flows of banks in the revised time buckets has also been suitably modified and is furnished at Annex II. 4. To enable the banks to fine tune their existing MIS as per the modified guidelines, the revised norms as well as the supervisory reporting as per the revised format would commence with effect from the period beginning January 1, 2008 and the reporting frequency would continue to be monthly for the present. However, the frequency of supervisory reporting of the Structural Liquidity position shall be fortnightly, with effect from the fortnight beginning April 1, 2008. Asset Liability Management in Indian Context The post-reform banking scenario in India was marked by interest rate deregulation, entry of new private banks, and gamut of new products along with greater use of information technolog.To cope with these pressures banks were required to evolve strategies rather than ad hoc solutions. Recognising the need of Asset Liability management to develop a strong and sound banking.system, the RBI has come out with ALM guidelines for banks and FIs in April 1999.The Indian ALM framework rests on three pillars. Â · ALM Organisation (ALCO) The ALCO or the Asset Liability Management Committee consisting of the banks senior management including the CEO should be responsible for adhering to the limits set by the board as well as for deciding the business strategy of the bank in line with the banks budget and decided risk management objectives. ALCO is a decision-making unit responsible for balance sheet planning from a risk return perspective including strategic management of interest and liquidity risk. The banks may also authorise their Asset-Liability Management Committee (ALCO) to fix interest rates on Deposits and Advances, subject to their reporting to the Board immediately thereafter. The banks should also fix maximum spread over the PLR with the approval of the ALCO/Board for all advances other than consumer credit. Â · ALM Information System The ALM Information System is required for the collection of information accurately, adequately and expeditiously. Information is the key to the ALM process. A good information system gives the bank management a complete picture of the banks balance sheet. Â · ALM Process The basic ALM processes involving identification, measurement and management of risk parameter.The RBI in its guidelines has asked Indian banks to use traditional techniques like Gap Analysis for monitoring interest rate and liquidity risk. However RBI is expecting Indian banks to move towards sophisticated techniques like Duration, Simulation, VaR in the future. For the accrued portfolio, most Indian Private Sector banks use Gap analysis, but are gradually moving towards duration analysis. Most of the foreign banks use duration analysis and are expected to move towards advanced methods like Value at Risk for the entire balance sheet.some foreign banks are already using VaR for the entire balance sheet. Conclusion ALM has evolved since the early 1980s.Today, financial firms are increasingly using market value accounting for certain business lines. This is true of universal banks that have trading operations.Techniques of ALM have also evolved.The growth of OTC derivatives markets has facilitated a variety of hedging strategies. A significant development has been securitization, which allows firms to directly address asset-liability risk by removing assets or liabilities from their balance sheets. This not only eliminates asset-liability risk; it also frees up the balance sheet for new business. Thus, the scope of ALM activities has widened. Today, ALM departments are addressing (non-trading) foreign exchange risks as well as other risks. Also, ALM has extended to non-financial firms. Corporations have adopted techniques of ALM to address interest-rate exposures, liquidity risk and foreign exchange risk. They are using related techniques to address commodities risks. For example, airlines hedging of fuel prices or manufacturers hedging of steel prices are often presented as ALM. Thus it can be safely said that Asset Liability Management will continue to grow in future and an efficient ALM technique will go a long way in managing volume, mix, maturity, rate sensitivity, quality and liquidity of the assets and liabilities so as to earn a sufficient and acceptable return on the portfolio.

The Taco Bell Dog :: essays research papers

1 Oversize corn chip + 1 Undersized dog = Millions of dollars   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people say that the US is the land of opportunity, but the latest money making opportunity has come from south of the border. Chihuahuas, Talking Chihuahuas. Taco Bell has struck a gold mine in its latest advertisement campaign involving a talking Chihuahua, fueling an instant craze for the little dogs, and all of their merchandise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The actual filming for all of the commercials was shot in western LA using a simple white background. Four look alike dogs were filmed in many situations at many angles. Using simple verbal commands such as sit, stay, and lie the trainers instructed the dogs out of view of the cameras. The entire process of shooting all of the footage for all of the commercials took only four days. On the final day of the shoot, a party was thrown in honor of the soon to be stars. Each was served a specially made cake consisting of carob, Carrots, and decorated dog biscuits. Three of the pups refused to touch the cakes. The forth one ate a portion of his and proceeded to vomit on the set floor. The dogs were also presented with Custom leather jackets by one costume designers. Another crew member gave the dogs a large inflatable Godzilla figure. The dogs reportedly attempthed to sexually gratify themselves on the tail several times and then chewed the toes off.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After filming the footage was sent to an animation company in Texas. Using computers, the animators morphed frames to create the effect of the dogs talking. Backgrounds, many of which are not actually Taco Bell, but a little deli called Sals, were added along with music and voices. And thus a new sensation was born.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The overwhelming success of the campaign is not limited to combo meals and gorditas, The Chihuahuas image can be seen on every thing from hats to t-shirts to dashboard ornaments to Vases.

Principles of supporting business events Essay

Principles of supporting business events Section 1 – Understand how to support the organisation of a business event 1. When organising a business event, describe the range of support activities that may be required. You will have to organise a venue, depending on type of event get appropriate size, make sure venue is available for particular dates, depending on location check transportation and accessibility get appropriate equipment for different types of presentations, what types of gadgets, will be or not needed some hearing aid, depending on size of venue and event. Arrange speakers, food and drinks : that will depend on how long the event is, will it be just few hours or all day or perhaps few days. Make sure range of food available, for example vegetarian or diary free. Send invitations, advertise the event, get documentations, licence and insurance cover if necessary travel and accommodation: that again will depend on type of event and how long it is going to be, for example if the event is international I have to organise things like visas, airport pick up, hotel and arrival to the event itself 2. Complete the table below by identifying two ways of providing support before, during and after a business event. Before During After 1. Invite speakers 1. Meet and greet, look after during the event, distribute documentation. Collect feedback. 1. Analyse feedback, circulating notes. 2. Book travel and accommodation. 2. Offering information, book taxi, deal with lost property, collect informal feedback 2. Contributing to analysing event. Section 2 – Understand the purpose of displaying professional and helpful behaviour whilst supporting a business event and how to do so 1. Explain the purpose of displaying professional and helpful behaviour when supporting a business event. Professional and helpful behaviour will make more efficient and effective event leave external and internal customers satisfied. Always helps to meet people with a smile and asking if you can help with anything, give people clear instructions what is happening for example when breaks will be taking place, how much time will occupy different speakers or activities so keeping everyone informed and as a result resources will be not wasted and people are generally more cooperative towards professionalism. On contrary not been helpful, for example, will create tension within people and lack of knowledge will leave people unsatisfied. 2. Describe ways of exhibiting professional and helpful behaviour whilst supporting a business event. There are few ways to exhibit professional and helpful behaviour. First thing people note, of course, is appearance. It is pleasant to see clean, well groomed people. It gives first positive impression and people’s mind already set for professionalism. Again a smile can do a lot when meeting people, smile means you want to help and ready to help. Smile invites to ask questions and leaves with positive attitude. When listening to a person it is important to keep eye contact as it relaxes people and if you listen attentively people again feel positive and that is exactly what you want them to feel about whole event and experience. Keeping everyone informed and get your job done such as paperwork, materials for event, answer questions, including phone and computer your main aim and recipe for successful event. Section 3 – Understand how to deal with problems encountered when supporting a business event 1. What are the main types of problems that may occur when supporting a business event? You should include at least three different types of problems in your answer. There could be many problem occur during event from very stressful to minor. They all fall into three categories: People problems Equipment problems Process problems 2. Identify possible solutions for each of the problems you have listed in Question 1 above. Possible solutions to event problems: 1. Always remain calm and polite, apologise to attendees if they experiencing a problem. 2. Find out exactly what the problem is and solution and if you can solve the matter, if not identify the colleague that can 3. Take appropriate action or undertake tasks specified by the colleague in charge† 4. Double check everything, use reliable supplies, proven techniques. Check equipment yourself and ask to do so your colleagues. Seek advice from experience people, reviews and other available sources. Remember what kind of problems you had at the previous events. 5. Ask yourself what kind of things could go wrong, what if main speaker doesn’t arrive in time, what if equipment fails etc. Plan what solution to problems could be beforehand. You should always check that problem was solved and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Blueprint of Life essays

Blueprint of Life essays The French Naturalist Jean Baptiste Lamarck pronounced the first comprehensive theory of evolution in the beginnings of the 19th century. His theory, the theory of acquired characteristics, had three parts and is as follows: 1) Theory of need- the production of a new organ or part of a plant or animal results from a need 2) Theory of use and disuse- organs remain active as long as they are being used but disappear gradually with disuse 3) Theory of inheritance- all that has been acquired or changed in the structure of individuals during their life is transmitted by heredity to the next generation. He believed evolution took place over a very long period of time. Lamarck also divided animal life into the categories of vertebrates and invertebrates. The contributions of Lamarck are worth considering, not because he successfully accounted for the process of evolution, since his ideas have never been supported by evidence, but because he at least provided a plausible theory for the multiplicity of forms of living things. His work attempted to change how people of the time thought about themselves and their origins by challenging the popular belief in creationism. Lamarcks real contribution to scientific thinking, however, lies in his division of animal life into the vertebrate and invertebrate categories. However scientific understanding was hardly changed by his incorrect hypothesis about evolution as few truly believed in his theory. Lamarck did have an impact on future advances as some of those, who were doubtful about his ideas, started doing their own research. For example, in 1870, an English Biologist, Weismann, proved that the transfer of acquired characteristics to other generations was impossible showing Lamarcks theory to be incorrect. His work also helped make Darwins ideas more acceptable by exposing people to non-religion based explanations on the origin of life. The British Natura...

Definition and Examples of Conjunctive Adverbs

Definition and Examples of Conjunctive Adverbs In English grammar, a conjunctive adverb is an adverb  or adverbial phrase that indicates a relation in meaning between two sequential  independent clauses  (or main clauses). It is also called a conjunct, a transitional conjunction, or a cohesive conjunction. A conjunctive adverb is commonly placed at the beginning of the main clause (where its usually followed by a comma); accordingly, it may follow a semicolon, but only when both clauses (the one before and the one after the conjunctive adverb) are independent and can stand alone. A conjunctive adverb  may appear, on the other hand, almost anywhere in the clause. When used as an interrupting word or phrase, the conjunctive adverb is usually set off by commas on either side. If you are uncertain whether a connecting word is a  conjunctive adverb, test by moving the connecting word to another place in the clause, author  Stephen Reid writes in  The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, Conjunctive adverbs can be moved;  subordinating conjunctions  (such as  if  and  because) and  coordinating conjunctions  (but, or, yet, for, and, nor, so) cannot. (2003) Contrast With RegularAdverbs Unlike a conventional adverb, which typically affects the meaning of only a single word or phrase, the meaning of a conjunctive adverb affects the entire clause of which it is a part.   For example, a conventional adverb modifies a verb or adjective, such as in The child just couldnt bear to walk slowly, where  slowly gives more information about the verb  walk. Or, in The Halloween costume looked absolutely ridiculous, the adverb absolutely emphasizes the adjective ridiculous. In contrast, a conjunctive adverb pertains to the entire sentence and connects two parts. Or, if it starts a sentence, it can serve as a transition from one statement to another, as in when you want to make a point of contrasting two things in consecutive sentences: The Halloween costume looked absolutely ridiculous. However, Sam thought it provided the perfect effect. In another distinction between the two types of adverbs, as shown in the list below, a conjunctive adverb may also consist of more than one word, such as in the meantime or at last. Common Conjunctive Adverbs in English Here is a list of examples of conjunctive adverbs. Please note that some words in this list can be other word forms as well; usage will determine which it is.   For example, if a sentence reads, She really should act accordingly, that is a regular adverbial usage. A conjunctive adverbial usage of the word could be something like, The law changed in the state to allow liquor sales on Sundays; accordingly, retailers had to decide if they would be open that day or remain closed by choice. accordingly afterward again also anyhow anyway as a result at last at the same time before besides certainly consequently conversely earlier eventually finally for example for instance further furthermore granted hence however in addition in any case incidentally in conclusion indeed in fact in short in spite of instead in the meantime later lately likewise meanwhile moreover namely nevertheless next nonetheless now on the contrary on the other hand otherwise perhaps rather similarly so still subsequently that is then thereafter, therefore thus undoubtedly

Are Bonus Schemes an Effective Way of Motivating Employees Essay

Are Bonus Schemes an Effective Way of Motivating Employees - Essay Example The definite development of interest in employee motivation can be traced back by about a hundred years to the beginning of the twentieth century, when in essence behavioural scientists studied the behaviour and the response to stimuli, with particular emphasis on material benefits derived from work, for the initial studies had led to the belief that workers increased their effort, based on the monetary benefits received. This led to material benefits and its impact on employee motivation becoming the focus of studies and the basis of motivational action within business environments during approximately fifty years of the history of employee motivation (Latham, 2006). 2. Literature Review Several content and process theories on work motivation have emerged from the efforts put in by work motivational theorists, leading to the requirement of further classification in any study of work motivational studies. This classification is based on human behaviour and that which underlies human motivation in the form of needs, reinforcement, cognition, job characteristics and feelings or emotions (Ramlall, 2004). In 1954, the behavioural scientist Maslow published his theory in motivation called Maslow’s need hierarchy theory or the hierarchy of needs theory. In this theory Maslow postulates that the main driver in human behaviour is the satisfaction of an individual’s needs and he categorised these needs consisting of physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs and put them into five levels (Halepota, 2005). Incentive schemes in business organizations are set up with the purpose of enhancing performance through meeting the needs of the employees. The success of incentive schemes would be high or low depending on the personal context of the employee. In the case of employees at the lower levels of Maslow’s need hierarchy cash rewards by itself act as a means to meeting these basic needs, Those at the highe r levels of Maslow’s need hierarchy may require in addition to cash rewards other rewards, which we could term as ‘satisfaction income’ in terms appreciation, interesting work, freedom at the work and empowerment for satisfaction at the work place. Such rewards have to be fair and irrespective of the various other aspects of motivation at the workplace cash rewards still remain a key incentive for employee performance (Rai, 2004). Kauhanen and Piekkola, 2006, evaluating the motivational effects of performance-related pay schemes and bonus schemes on upper white collar employees in Finland found several important features. Among these features was the finding that for performance-related pay schemes and bonus schemes, the levels of these schemes should be high and frequent enough for positive motivational effects. Lower levels of performance-related pay schemes and bonus schemes do not bring about the desired increase in motivational levels for higher performance behaviour (Kauhanen & Piekkola, 2006) Human relations practices are important to organizational performance