Benefits Of Having An Education - 1223 Words

Having an education improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money to improve the quality of life. According to the US. News, â€Å"Education has been widely documented by researched as the single variable tied most directly to improved health and longevity. And when people are intensely engaged in doing and learning new things, their happiness can blossom.† In a very short time, the Republic of Korea has achieved an educational transformation that occurred in the past quarter-century and has graduated from military dictatorship to one of the best countries to study with top universities as Seoul National University, Korean University and Sungkyunkwan University. South Korea today is one of the best destinations in Asia to receive a quality education. South Korea is a top-performing country, with 81% of adults’ aged 25-64 with a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 75%, according to the Organization for Economic Co–operation and Development (OECD). However, South Korea is one of the lowest places in life satisfaction, lower than those countries with a low education system, as Mexico and Brazil. In 2010, 33.5% of 100,000 people died from suicide, it is a high number compared the US with 12.5%, and Japan with 21.2%, according to the OECD. Why are people in some countries happier than people in other countries? This paper engages in comparative analysis of the education systems and its relation to the happiness in South Korea, as well asShow MoreRelatedEducation and the Benefits of Having a Good Education1096 Words   |  5 PagesEducation is as important as the air we breathe. It is the most important possession a person must have. Education is beneficial in many aspect of life especially, personal and social it is the only possession that cannot be taken away from you. Education is important because it will open up the windows of opportunities. In this competitive world having a good education is as impo rtant as the air we breathe because it is our weapon to conquer the world. Education will help you grow as an individualRead MoreCollege Is It Worth It?1317 Words   |  6 Pagesopportunities they think they could have with a college education. I am deciding to argue about this topic because I grew up in a household that didn’t grow up with parents who stressed college, as a result, I am making a strong effort to get through college. Although college does have some disadvantages, going to college is worth the time and money because it provides critical thinking and opportunities for job advancement. Getting college education is worth the time and money because it enhances theRead MorePurpose Of Higher Education773 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the purpose of a higher education? 1. The purpose of a higher education is to provide a better quality of life for the family. 2. Having a higher education can provide a better job stability with better pay. 3. The main purpose of having a higher education is determining a greater promotional opportunity. The purpose of a higher education is to be able to provide a better quality of life for my family. By having a higher education, you can improve the quality of life by able to provideRead MoreThe Issue Of Education And Funding Over Public Education1568 Words   |  7 PagesIn today’s society, we realize the importance of education and how it will benefit all to have an adequate education that will give the best opportunities. However, individual states have jurisdictions over the curriculum and funding over the public education. This means that California students may have a higher academic standing than Utah. The 14th Amendment and other various versions have brought upon the issue of equal, free and adequate education Yet, it has been denied several times because itRead More Music in Education1081 Words   |  5 PagesMusic Is Important To Having A Complete Education nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;With school budget cuts, and no music instruments, more and more people are beginning to realize the benefits of having music in education. Providing music as part of education helps develop intelligence that leads to greater success in school and in life. Everyone from VH1 Save The Music to The National Association For Music Education agree that, â€Å"Every student in the nation should have an education in the arts.† TheseRead MoreThe Importance Of Music Education790 Words   |  4 PagesTime Music education is a subject in school that should be essential for all students. If students continued to expand their music education, they would have higher test scores in subjects such as math and English. Having a school system where everyone is able to benefit from a school wide requirement of music education. Music education will help improve student test scores and improve students language development. Students who take music classes have higher test scores. Music education helps studentsRead MoreCollege Education Is Worth All That Money896 Words   |  4 Pagesbreaker. It seems that the many positive impacts a college education has gets over shadowed by a small negative. Having a higher education can create numerous opportunities through out ones life. The community and country as a whole gain benefits when more people have a higher level of education. Happiness can be found through college education. It is also clear to see how a higher level of education can give one more pay. College education is worth going through, despite the significant debt, becauseRead MoreCost Benefits of Attending College1082 Words   |  5 Pagesa successful individual in the future. Yes, college takes time, and a great deal of money, but in the end it is all worth it. People who graduate from college are more likely to obtain a high end paying job than a person with just a high school education. The cost of attending college may be expensive, but, the outcome of it all is worth the wait. The most expensive part of attending college would be the tuition. However, tuition is not the same for all colleges. At larger colleges of course,Read MoreGraduation Speech Over College Education Essay1686 Words   |  7 PagesOver the years, there has been a great deal of debate over college education and it’s worth to society and the students who is currently contemplating where they should go or not. In addition, the question of cost, and just how expensive college has become over the last decade has come to attention. It is clear that Americans and important figureheads have argued over whether the benefits of attending college outweigh the benefits of just high school diploma or another type of post-secondary schoolingRead MoreThe Importance Of A College Degree1181 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscourage you from obtaining a college education† (McGuire, 2011). Importance of a College Degree As a matter of fact,â€Å"Attending college provides students with the knowledge and experience they are unable to receive from a secondary education, and finding a way to fund a higher education now can pay off in a huge way in the years to come†(McGuire, 2011). Many kids enter young adulthood have no idea of a future career. Students can go to a college to learn an education, to find a job to provide for their

Rape And The Connection Of Feminist Criminology And...

The term rape is defined as an ‘unlawful sexual intercourse by force, and without legal or factual consent’ by Gennaro Vito, Jeffrey Maahs and Ronald Holmes (2006) in ‘Criminology: Theory, Research and Policy’ (Vito, Maahs, and Holmes, 2006: p. 280). Rape can be in the form of the penis penetrating the vagina, oral, anal and an assault using a foreign object. However, there have been many controversies of what is rape and the use of force that is required. Several researchers, practitioners, legal jurisdiction, as well as, a few rape statutes involving coercive rape rely on the use of force as part of evidence in their definition (Vito, Maahs, and Holmes, 2006: p. 280). Rape can occur both in men and women, however, most accounts of rape indicate that majority of men are perpetrators and women are the victims. This essay will discuss the gender differences of rape victims and the connection of feminist criminology and labelling theory, and stigmatisation; as followed with case studies that are relevant with both theories. Feminist criminologists states that rape is wrong, and sometimes it is ignored, legitimised and mischaracterised. Furthermore, feminist criminologists believe that there is difference in how the crime of rape is best acknowledgeable and how rape can be prevented both legally and socially (Whisnant, 2013). Feminist criminologists suggest that there are two approaches of rape per the liberal and radical feminists. Liberal feminist’s perspectives in regardsShow MoreRelatedLimitations of theories of sociology of deviance2475 Words   |  10 PagesTheories of Deviance are limited in their ability to explain deviant acts if one adopts the view that these theories are universal. There is no universal, right or wrong theory, rather each theory provides a different perspective which only fully makes sense when set within an appropriate societal context and values framework . The functionalist theories share a common structural explanation of causes of deviance . They assume that conformity in society is achieved through the existence of norms

Americans health Free Essays

string(58) " consumption of the growth hormone when it stays below 1\." Americans are becoming more concerned with their health than ever before. This included regular exercise and as well as the quality of their diet. This has become a current phenomenon in the last few decades which the American public has yet to see before. We will write a custom essay sample on Americans health or any similar topic only for you Order Now Another recent development in the ways in which Americans regard the quality of their diet, is in the quality of the foods that they eat. The push now is for organic foods from livestock which were treated humanely. The injection of hormones into our nation’s cattle, many can say is an example of abuse towards the animals. This may or may not be true. However, hormone injection does offer a myriad of health problems which has caused the European Union as well as the nation of Japan, to be very reluctant in accepting beef imports from the United States in recent years. This has resulted in trade disputes and a sizable trade deficit between America and these two governing bodies. However, it is in the opinion of the EU, Japan and a sizable percentage of the American people, who are weary of scientifically altering one’s cattle in the face of higher profits. What makes hormone injections even more dangerous is the long lasting half life of the hormone injections which the cattle are forced to inject into their body. The hormones do not leave the cattle when it is slaughtered. This alone brings enough danger to the safety of the meat but the hormones continue to exist in the waste of the cow as well as in the sweat secretions of the cattle as well. This allows a further spread of the hormone and thus multiplies and creates environmental as well as health concerns which have only recently been addressed through the demands of a concerned public. However, in the face of such concerns, the beef industry will not be compelled to make the necessary changes unless forced to do so by Congress as there is simply too much money to be made in the eyes of the owners. Since the 1970’s, our nation’s cattle have been injected with growth hormones for the simple reason that such practices yield more profit for the owner. The cow grows larger than the cattle ever would have on his own and does so at a faster pace. This allows the cattle rancher to slaughter the cattle which will yield a larger supply of beef and at a faster pace; thus decreasing the time, cost and effort that the cattle owner would otherwise have to spend on the feeding and housing of the cattle. It is a win/win situation for the cattle owner and as a result, a high majority of the more than 33 million cattle which are slaughtered each year for the human consumption of their meat have within their systems, beef growth hormones. It seems surprising that such a wide spread practice would not have received more attention that it has in the recent past. Except for the high profile libel suit by the cattle owners of America against Oprah Winfrey who raised suspicion about the safety of the beef industry in America back in 2002; a libel suit which was eventually thrown out, there has been little concern by the American public as a whole, concerning the assumed damage which beef hormones cause in our nation’s cattle. This high level of apathy seems to now be a thing of the past as the number of concerned Americans grows exponentially. On January 1, 1989, the European community, now called the European Union, placed a ban on American beef imports where growth hormones were used. By the late 1980’s, this would constitute a very large percentage of America’s beef supply and a blow was sent to America’s beef industry. However much this decision riled the beef industry in America, such decisions were not without reason. Europe had become fearful of the growth hormone, diethylstilbestrol, the hormone used in making cattle grow past their normal size, since the 1980’s. This hormone was also seen in baby foods and there were more than a number of tragic cases in which small children were subject to brain defects from the injection of their baby food. It was because of growing fears against the hormone, as well as actual cases of Europeans that had gotten sick, that the ban was put in place. The ban was not geared only towards American but all countries in the world where Europe got their meat from. The ban was widespread and universal. Europe then, as well as now, has expressed their overwhelming preference for hormone free meat. Other countries have complied with the wish but America still continues to treat a large majority of its cattle with growth hormone in the desire to increase profits. These decisions are contrary to what the Federal Food and Drug Administration, in alliance with the US Department of Agriculture, have decided that beef that are treated with this hormone create no danger in those that eat it. This may be from the motivation of profits more than the safety of the cattle as well as the people who eat it. Cattle which are treated with this growth hormone, can expect to reach its targeted weight of 1,000 lbs 21 days sooner than cattle which are not treated with the hormone. Also, the relatively low cost of the hormone treatment; $1 per implant, yields a cost of more than $100 a head. This is sought in what is often times, a relatively unstable industry. There is a great deal of money to be made or lost with this decision and the United States has continued to fight the decisions by the EU and Japan over what they see to be blatant examples of unfair trade practices. The United States points to a 1988 report by the World Health Organization which states that human consumption of the growth hormone when it stays below 1. You read "Americans health" in category "Papers" 4 and 2. 1 micro kilograms provides no safety scare for the people who consume the meat. What was not shown by the United States was the fact that in the nearly twenty years since this report was published, the among of growth hormones which are injected into the cattle now exceed these paltry amounts as in America, the belief seems to be: more is better. Cattle are getting larger and larger every few years. The reason for this is overwhelm from growth hormones as the improved quality of the foods which the cattle now feed on, would never be able to yield such dramatic results as what is currently being seen in America’s cattle. Specifically, growth hormones have been thought to create the most damage in women and in small girls. Cancer can develop in the breasts as well as colon and pancreas. Also, â€Å"the growth hormone can cause girls to reach puberty at a faster clip than what is natural. † This is a key theme to the growth hormone as it speeds up the natural processes of the body and wreaks havoc on the internal organs of those who are treated with the hormone. It is believed that the levels of growth hormone which the cattle injects, does not completely pass from the meet to the individual and that the hormone is not meant for direct human consumption. What serves as the most dangerous aspect of this, are the occurrences when the hormone is not kept in the strict environment in which it was designed. When the growth hormone passes at a higher concentrated level than what is advised, either through human error, the beef industry being ignorant as to the modes of transportation that the hormone can take, or in the differences in the rate at which the cattle injects the hormone, adverse reactions will and have occurred. There are more than just the immediate health concerns which need to be examined. The strong half life of these hormones add to the environmental concerns which now need to be addressed, A large portion of the hormone passes through the feces of the cow and ends up in the environment and through the normal ecological system, can easily end up in other foods as well as the drinking water of the public. This could create a very large problem, not only for the cattle but also those who have the misfortune of consuming the water. It has been reported that cattle that have drunk downstream from cattle that have been treated with growth hormone have been underweight and have been subjective to a high level of health concerns and problems. In Central Illinois, this occurred but was not caught in time by the cattle rancher at the time. The cow was slaughtered with a high level of growth hormone within his body and the meat, officials now believe, was highly tainted and not only posed a serious threat to those who ate the meat, but in reality, caused a number of very sick individuals who took weeks to recover from their ailments. As it is very hard to pinpoint where the beef went, the FDA was able to nearly pinpoint where the beef was consumed and can only point out that such a high level of coincidence is not plausible. It is the mismanagement of this hormone which is creating concern in many of the country’s scientists and environmentalists. â€Å"We said that we would not be surprised if large levels of these hormones showed up in the nation’s drinking supply. † This, according to John McClain, director for the Centers of Biological Research states recently. Dr. McClain also states that he estimates that more than thirteen tons of the hormone DES is released into the nation’s drinking water every year. Not only does he state that such amounts will create an adverse living environment among the wildlife in the area, but for the people as well who have the misfortune of consuming the water as well. The concerns continue to mount as the United States and Canada stubbornly insist that there is no reason for alarm and that their cattle will continue to be fed this growth hormone. Scientists for the beef industry continue to claim that either the evidence is inconclusive or that no danger is presented to the general population as the levels of hormone which s used to treat the cattle is so minute as never to be able to cause harm of any kind. â€Å"The growth hormone which is used to treat our nation’s cattle, poses no threat to the environment or the people whom it comes in contact with. Our nation’s beef supply is safe to eat. † Although not to the same degree, such statements are reminiscent to the tobacco’s responses in the 1970’s and 1980’s concerning the growing concern over the safety of smoking cigarettes. Such statements were accepted by the general public when there did not exist, enough evidence to refute such statements but when it became clear that smoking caused cancer and other such diseases, such statements were no longer accepted. Many in the scientific community believe that the beef industry is going to suffer a similar fate if they continue to refute the concerns of the scientific community over the human consumption and environmental reactions when coming in contact with these growth hormones. Another concern is the safety of the milk which comes directly from cattle; many of whom are being treated with the growth hormone. A larger cow will create a higher yield of milk for its owner; thus increasing profits. The growth hormone BHG is often used to increase milk production in cows. However, the FDA’s decision in 1993 to allow for the treatment of cows with this hormone is outdated. This is a common theme which can be seen in much of the American research concerning the safety of growth hormones. The scientific research, or simply an expression of concern within the European Union, is relatively recent whereas the American research community is not being allowed to conduct the proper number of tests on the effects of the growth hormone. Either that or their findings are being refuted. There have been a number of concerns by large bodies of farmers and cattle growers in such situations. In 1994, the Wisconsin Farmers Union started a national hotline for concerned dairy farmers who were concerned over the quality of their milk from cows who had been subjected to the growth hormone. One New York dairy farmer was forced to replace 135 out of his entire herd of 200 cows because the growth hormone that he fed his cows, produced milk that was tainted. The growth hormone also led to hoof disease as well as open sores and eternal bleeding on more than a few of his cows. This should lead to a third tier of concern over the treatment of cattle with the growth hormone. Not only does the hormone present dangers to the population which consumes the meat and the environment which absorbs the waste products of the cattle, but the cattle itself. In the same way that steroids and other human growth hormones present stronger and faster athletes, only to yield a number of health concerns in the future, so too is the reaction of cattle who are subjective to the hormone. Usually, this is not a problem for cattle which is to be slaughtered by the end of the month as the hormone usually is not given enough time to cause damage in the cattle. However, cows which are used primarily for the milk that they give and thus are allowed to live, this increases the chances that adverse reactions within the cow will show itself within the cow. This is to be expected as â€Å"the growth hormones which are given to cows, creates an unnatural environment for the cow and as a result, the animal will often times react adversely and diseases will spread. † Also, cows who are forced to yield an unnatural amount of milk; a level which their bodies were not meant to provide, often times leaves the cow malnourished and sickly from an over stimulation of the cow’s body. This will lead to a shorter life span for these cows which are used to yield milk to its owner. A burn out effect for the cow will follow and whether the meat is fit for human consumption or not, the cow will simply be destroyed as his useful life on earth has been prematurely cut short through science and in the face of higher profits. Despite the evidence that the treatment of growth hormones creates in cows and in the people who eat and drink the milk and meat which these cattle provide, the FDA and other government sponsored scientific communities have stubbornly insisted that there is no adverse reactions on any level, to the consuming of the byproducts of cattle that have been previously treated with this growth hormone. Not only would the FDA be reluctant to place any restrictions or at least warning labels on such beef, they prohibited dairies from making such claims on their own products or in the press. There seemed to be a moratorium on the issue. However, the dates which these FDA rulings are more than ten years in the past as there has been a severe shortage of current government supported evidence from the United States to show to findings to the claims that growth hormones in our nation’s beef supply, results in the negative health effects which the rest of the developed world believes to be the case. The common use of growth hormones has resulted in a number of differences. According to Science News, more than 80% of US feedlots inject cattle with growth hormones and that traces of the growth hormone were still seen in the typical cow, more than 195 days after the initial treatment. This is important especially with cows which are used primarily for milk as the cow’s milk supply can be tainted for more than six months from a single treatment. Also, in what seems to be the reason behind the treatment of cows with growth hormones; in 1950, the typical cow produced more than 5300 pounds of milk a year. Today, a cow which has been treated with growth hormones, can expect to yield an amazing 18,000 pounds of milk a year. However, what advantages are given when many believe that this milk is tainted? This only increased the chances that the American consumer will be adversely affected by drinking what the FDS tells him to be safe and good for the body. There is a major difference in the FDA and USDA’s take on the apparent health concerns over the treatment of the nation’s cattle being subjected to growth hormones in order to increase production of their meat and milk, as opposed to what the rest of the world is stating. This is a problem which must be addressed. There is a great deal of money to be made or lost as well as the entire way of life for thousands of the nation’s cattle ranchers and others who are involved in getting the meat to our tables. This comes from the sheer number of tons of beef which Americans consume on a yearly basis as well as the fact that the alternative which is offered in our nation’s supermarkets, often times costs more than twice the price of beef which has been subjected with growth hormones. Coupled with this fact, the claims made by the Food and Drug Administration which states that the consumption of growth hormones is safe; many people will believe this to be the case and will blindly continue their previous eating habits with no concern for what the rest of the world claims to be the dangers of eating such meats. The evidence which the FDA and other government sponsored organizations are more than ten years old and in some cases, are reaching twenty years old whereas the scientific research which has compelled the European Union as well as Japan to implement bans on the trade of US beef, is much more recent. This fact alone should at least compel Americans to ask the question: â€Å"How safe is the meat and milk which comes from cows who are treated with growth hormones. † There is a push for more organic foods as well since many believe that the injection of hormones in not only beef but also our nation’s fruits and vegetables in order to grow gigantic and unnatural tomatoes and potatoes, can only create further health concerns as it is believed that the consumer is consuming a higher percentage of chemicals and hormones than the natural elements of these fruits and vegetables which people seek to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle. Growth hormones affect our nation’s beef supply in a number of different ways. First, it affects the life and health of the cow, affects the environment and the wildlife and fish through the fact that the hormone can be introduced to the environment though the feces of the animal as well as the resilient characteristics of the hormone itself, as well as affect the milk which the cow yields to the American public. As a result, major governing bodies in the world have placed a ban on beef, not only from America but in numerous parts of the world, where the cattle have been subject to growth hormones. It would behoove the entire American public to stress the importance of up to date scientific research in order to conclude that measures need to be put in place which will forever ensure that the food which we eat, is safe; safe not only for us but for the environment. WORKS CITED Carlson, Laurie An Informal Social History. New York: Ivan Dee Publisher 2001 Meinkle, James Beef Hormones Contributes to Mad Cow Disease London: The Guardian July 5, 1998 Narlikar, Armita The World Trade Organization London: Oxford 2005 Nelson, Gerald Genetically Modified Organisms in Agriculture New York: Academic Press. 2004 Naloff, Janet. Hormones: Here’s the Beef www. sciencenews. org Downloaded July 28, 2007 Penske, James. Beef Hormones Believed to Contribute to Health Concerns Charleston Times Courier June 8, 2005 www. FDA. gov United States Food and Drug Administration Downloaded July 27, 2007 www. USDA. gov United States Department of Agriculture How to cite Americans health, Papers

The Behaviour of Employees in an Organization

Question: Write essay on "The Behaviour of Employees in an Organization". Answer: Introduction In the contemporary scenario, businesses are increasingly focusing their attention towards enhancing customer satisfaction and enhancing the level of profitability. Specifically mentioning, in order to accomplish such objectives, organizations have directed their attention towards fostering the development of employees such that they are capable of accomplishing their personal as well as professional goals. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that an assessment of the individuals based on their behaviour with regards to workplace setting is known as organizational behaviour (Schein, 2006). In other words, organizational behaviour can be regarded as the study of individuals as well as group dynamics in association with the organizational setting. Correspondingly, it must be noted an understanding of the organizational behaviour is vital towards organizational success since people belonging to different cultural backgrounds are attributed with possessing varied cultural values who w ork together in an effective manner (Robbins Judge, 2003). Hence, by taking into consideration the case of PC Solutions, this study aims at highlighting the issues that are prevalent in the organization and make certain recommendations that can be crucial for overcoming such issues. Moreover, the study would emphasize on highlighting the various aspects of organizational culture, its strengths and weaknesses and would further elucidate the aspects of culture that require change. Illustrating examples from the case scenario, this essay would further highlight several organizational behaviour theories that can be effectively implemented in the organization. Finally, prior to arriving at a conclusion, the paper would demonstrate an understanding of the leadership roles that must be required to manage behaviour of employees and ensure that they are able to direct their motives towards accomplishment of organizational goals. Identification of Organizational Issues and Recommendations With regards to the case of PC Solutions, it can be apparently noted that despite an increase in the growth of the organization, there has been a significant decline in relation to level of employee as well as customer satisfaction. Herein, it must be noted that a number of reasons can be highlighted with respect to the issue faced by the company. One of the most important challenges that can be noted with respect to managing organizational behaviour is the managerial change (Mills, et.al., 2006). It can be apparently noted from the case scenario that there are four department managers handling varied departmental responsibilities and working with a diverse workforce with varied organizational job roles. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that workforce diversity can be regarded as one of the problems that is faced by the organization towards managing its employees (Hersey Blanchard, 1993). As employees working in the organization belong to varied gender, ethnicity and race, they become heterogeneous in nature. Herein, it must be noted that it is the prime responsibility of the managers to ensure that the diversity existing amongst the employees is respected and proper training is being provided to them towards ensuring that they are able to respect the differences and focus towards higher productivity. Additionally, it must be noted that managing workplace diversity in an appropriate manner would play a key role in enhancing the performance of the employees and ensure that there is an improvement in the decision making processes along with enhancement in team performance (Marques, et.al., 2016). Furthermore, organizational behaviour can be strengthened through managing workplace diversity that would further enable providing better customer services and overcome challenges associated with dysfunctional conflict, team dynamics and communication. An increase in the level of creativity and innovation can be considered as yet another significant benefit underlying management of workplace diversity (Griffin Moorhead, 2011). Another important issue facing the organization is the change in expectations of the employees. Herein, it must be noted that change is considered as an inevitable part of human lives, which has a substantial impact on the quality of lives of people. With a change in work force dynamics, it is noted that there is a significant change in the expectations of the employees. Hence, there is a need for the managers to offer financial as well as non-financial benefits to the employees towards enhancing growth and productivity by motivating employees to perform their job roles effectively (Kinicki, 2004). Some of the motivating factors that can be taken into consideration are the factors such as job security, bonuses, attractive salaries and employee empowerment that play an imperative role in strengthening organizational culture. This would further require making use of democratic form of leadership skills by the managers that would ensure the incorporation of all the employees in the deci sion-making process of the organization (Brief Weiss, 2002). Ensuring an enhancement in the level of productivity and quality can be regarded as yet another significant issue that is faced by the managers in the competitive modern-day scenario. In this regard, there is a need to emphasize on the fact that managing quality and productivity of employees can be made possible with the help of implementing techniques such as Total Quality Management (TQM) that would play an important role in ensuring that customer satisfaction is attained as a result of improvement in organizational processes. Inclusion of the employees in the decision-making process can further play an important role in enhancing the level of organizational productivity and quality along with development of organizational culture. An important issue underlying organizational behaviour that can be noted from the case is the management of technology and innovations (Adler Gundersen, 2007). Herein, it must be noted that lack of integrity amongst the departments can have a negative i mpact on managing technological changes and implementation of innovative ideas. It has been noted that employees associated with the organization resist change owing to the fact that they are unable to operate such new techniques. Hence, in order to improve the organizational behaviour, it is the prime responsibility of the manager to focus on providing the required pertaining to the employees apart from maintaining a minimum level of flexibility in the workplace. On a similar note, stimulating employee creativity, boosting their morale and making them tolerant towards change can be successful in structuring organizational behaviour (Pinder, 2014). In addition to the aforementioned issues, another significant issue that can be highlighted in relation to the stated case can be attributed with the ethic behaviour amongst the employees. Conducting the business in an ethical manner and respecting the diverse needs of the people towards engaging in social responsibility plays a key role towards strengthening organizational behaviour. The issue underlying allocation of responsibilities can be considered as yet another problem that is faced by the organization. As can be noted from the case scenario, the manager of customer service department has appointed the team leaders for handling diverse job roles; however, she has allocated priorities and manages the provision pertaining to support services for all customers. This creates a negative impact on the employees who face challenge of lack of recognition and motivation, which further creates hindrance in the process of structuring organizational behaviour. Providing the employees with job adequate responsibility and accountability can play an important role towards ensuring that the organization is able to create positive organizational behaviour. Stress can be considered as another important issue that can be highlighted in relation to the case which suggests that the employees face challenges associated with increased amount of stress and workload, which significantly reduces their level of satisfaction. Correspondingly, high level of misunderstanding and intolerance against other cultures is considered as yet another important issue facing the organization. Herein, it must be noted that there is a need to change the existing organizational culture by focusing on providing motivation and lower dysfunctional stress levels existing amongst the employees towards ensuring that they a able to create a balance in their personal and professional lives. Specifically mentioning, organizing exercise programs and training sessions regarding organizational behaviour can f urther play an important role in strengthening organizational culture (Bowditch, et.al., 2007). Employee issue can be considered as one of the most significant challenges that are faced by the organization. Managing employees in considered as holding utmost significance and requires considerable amount of attention on part of the management. As can be noted from the case, employees associated with the company face challenge underlying lack of satisfaction, which can be attributed with personality conflicts and supervisory issues. This further result in development of communication gaps amongst the employees and the management, thereby weakening the organization culture. In addition, team problems can be considered another significant issue that the organization faces with respect to managing employees working in teams. For instance, the case reflects the situation of customer services department, wherein, employees are working in group. In order to ensure highest level of satisfaction, the intention of the employees must be directed towards working upon a set of specific goals. Personal disconnect and lack of proper coordination amongst the members can result in development of discrepancies amongst the employees and management, thereby affecting the overall effectiveness of organization. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that the team leaders must direct their attention towards the accomplishment of organizational goals through focusing on obtaining feedback from the employees and maintaining cohesiveness. Additionally, the team leader or department manager must focus on analyzing the problem and take appropriate measures that are directed towards avoidance of performance breakdowns. Organization related problem is considered yet another significant issue that is faced by the organization that has a direct influence on the organizational development and employee participation in the workplace. Strengths Weaknesses of Organizational Culture There are a number of strengths as well as weaknesses faced by the organizations with regards to the organizational culture. Herein, there is a need to emphasize on the fact that organization culture is regarded as an important phenomenon since it is associated with sharing the beliefs and assumptions concerned with strengthening organizational behaviour. Specifically mentioning, shared values and assumptions have a considerable impact on the organization and specifies the manner in which organization performs their organizational responsibilities. Considering the case example, it can be apparently noted that the organization faces the challenge of poor organizational culture. Hence, there is a need to identify the various strengths as well as weaknesses underlying the organizational culture towards highlighting the aspects of culture that require change (George, et.al, 1996). Factors such as thickness of culture that are measurable with the help of underlying shared assumptions can play an important role in the development of organizational culture. Moreover, extent of sharing along with clarity of ordering can be regarded as some of the other factors associated with highlighting the strength of organizational culture (Barney, 1986). Organizational culture can be facilitated with the help of sharing common beliefs and enable sharing of ideas towards ensuring that business operates in a successful manner. In addition, organizational culture as depicted in the case can play an important role in supporting the implementation of new initiatives as well as accomplish the organizational goals (Miner, 2015). Development of a workplace environment associated with fostering the growth and development of employees, apart from development of loyalty and creativity can play an imperative role in ensuring that the business is capable of developing organizational culture. Promoting a culture that is capable of implementing innovation can have a considerable impact on the development of organizational performance, apart from ensuring that the employees are directed towards performing organizational responsibilities effectively. Lack of effective organizational culture can result in development of negative consequences since employees might focus on accomplishment of their personal goals rather than prioritizing organizational goals (Luthans, 2002). Cultural transformation with the help of appropriate knowledge sharing and through gaining an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses underlying the organization can play an important role in ensuring that a proper organizational culture is esta blished. A positive organizational culture can play an important role in retaining as well as attracting committed employees, apart from development of positive relationship with the customers. However, organizational culture is required to be analyzed as well as nurtured in order to ensure that the employees are able to reflect upon fostering organizational behaviour. Proper decision-making along with performing leadership roles in an effective manner can play an important role towards ensuring that the business is capable of facilitating the changes that are required to establish a positive workplace culture (Martin, 2005). Implementing changes in the organization would require emphasizing upon leadership that is considered one of the most important techniques associated with growth and development of the organization. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that implementation of changes in an organization is considered as a complex process since it requires focusing on a variety of steps. Specifically mentioning, one of the most significant steps associated with fostering organizational culture can be attributed with an assessment of the overall organizational culture and performance. Notably, evaluation of the organizational priorities such as customer satisfaction, growth and profitability can play a lead role in ensuring implementation of the changes. Clarifying the vision, values and expected behaviour of the employees can further play an important role in facilitating change in the organization, which can result in development of a positive organizational culture. Moreover, providing the employees with knowledge pertaining to SMART goals by making use of extensive feedback along with prioritization of the objectives can play an important role in ensuring the development of strategic goals (Schein, 2010). On a further note, elucidating and highlighting the key measures that can be taken to support organizational priorities can be considered as playing an important role in implementation of recommended changes. Establishment of a management system that specifically deals with the prioritizing organizational goals and objectives can be considered as yet another significant factor underlying organizational development. Notably, an increased level of emphasis needs to be placed on communicating the habits about performance improvements and development of two-way communication can play a lead role in fostering establishment of positive organizational culture. Clarification of plans, addressing the questions, lowering drama as well as exposing rumours can be considered as yet anoth er significant factors underlying development of organizational culture. Finally, motivating the employees as well as recognizing their talent can further play a considerable role in ensuring that the business operates in a successful manner (French, 2011). Adapting Leadership Roles In order to ensure the establishment of a proper organizational culture and behaviour towards enhancing the level of satisfaction amongst the employees and customers, the manager needs to prioritize focusing upon adopting a number of leadership roles that can facilitate such changes. These roles might involve persuading the employees to adapt to these changes through motivating and encouraging them. Creating a strategic vision such as establishment of a successful organizational behaviour can further act as an important tool for facilitating the changes (Denning, 2011). Storytelling and acting as a role model can further be considered as some of the other leadership qualities that can enable inspiring the employees to focus on implementation of the job roles (Chance, 2009). Defining employees roles and responsibilities and holding them accountable for the job roles apart from establishing flexible communication channels can further play an important role in ensuring that the business operates in a successful manner (Schein, 2010). Conclusion The behaviour and attitudes of employees in an organization has a considerable impact on the organizational performance and its ability to accomplish long term success. In this regard, the essay enabled identifying some of the common problems underlying poor organizational behaviour such as change in employee expectations and workplace diversity. Correspondingly, the study highlighted a number of outcomes such as proper training and providing employees with financial and non-financial benefits that can have a successful impact on business development and establishment of positive organizational culture. Finally, the study highlighted persuasion, vision, storytelling and role modelling as some of the leadership roles that can be used to facilitate change. References Adler, N.J. Gundersen, A., 2007. International dimensions of organizational behaviour. Cengage Learning. Barney, J.B., 1986. Organizational culture: can it be a source of sustained competitive advantage?. Academy of management review, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp.656-665. Bowditch, J.L., et.al., 2007. A primer on organizational behaviour. Wiley. Brief, A.P. Weiss, H.M., 2002. Organizational behavior: Affect in the workplace. Annual review of psychology, Vol. 53, No. 1, pp.279-307. Chance, P.L., 2009. Introduction to educational leadership and organizational behaviour: Theory into practice. Eye on Education. Denning, S., 2011. How Do You Change An Organizational Culture? Leadership. French, R., 2011. Organizational Behaviour. John Wiley Sons. George, J.M., et.al, 1996. Understanding and managing organizational behaviour. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Griffin, R. Moorhead, G., 2011. Organizational behaviour. Nelson Education. Hersey, P. Blanchard, K.H., 1993. Management of organizational behaviour: Utilizing human resources. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Kinicki, 2004. Organizational Behavior 3E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Luthans, F., 2002. The need for and meaning of positive organizational behaviour. Journal of organizational behaviour, Vol. 23, No.6, pp.695-706. Marques, J., et.al., 2016. Teaching Leadership and Organizational Behaviour through Humour: Laughter as the Best Teacher. Springer. Martin, J., 2005. Organizational Behaviour and Management. Cengage Learning EMEA. Mills, A.J., et.al., 2006. Organizational behaviour in a global context. University of Toronto Press. Miner, J.B., 2015. Organizational behaviour 1: Essential theories of motivation and leadership. Routledge. Pinder, C.C., 2014. Work motivation in organizational behaviour. Psychology Press. Robbins, S.P. Judge, T., 2003. Essentials of organizational behaviour (Vol. 200, No. 1). Prentice Hall. Schein, E.H., 2006. Organizational culture and leadership (Vol. 356). John Wiley Sons. Schein, E.H., 2010. Organizational culture and leadership (Vol. 2). John Wiley Son

Anthony Burgess essays

Anthony Burgess essays John Burgess Wilson, better known to the reading public as Anthony Burgess, is regularly lauded by critics and peers for his imagination, his humor, his varied knowledge and his sheer productivity. Abundantly reflected in Burgesss fiction is his Roman Catholic background, which is part of an ancient regional and family heritage. Mr. Burgess says, I was brought up a Catholic, became an agnostic, flirted with Islam and now hold a position which may be termed Manichee...I believe the wrong God is temporarily ruling the world and the true God has gone under. It is through his Manichean position that Burgess uses his novels as a social commentary, based on his desire for free will and free thought. While the novels written by Anthony Burgess contained (at times) deplorable violence, they also conveyed his points accurately and intelligently. For example, in A Clockwork Orange, a form of teenage dialect (nadstat) was used to downplay the actual violent crimes being committed while still shocking the educated reader (Malafry 1). Burgesss novels are entertaining, shocking and amusing, but, more importantly, they revel ever deepening shades of meaning as they are reread, meanings that challenge the imagination as they force readers to consider the human plight (De Vitis 89). One such plight, which is a central theme in many of Burgesss works is his resentment towards the state. Urged through several protagonists is the defense of self, no matter how twisted it may be. Condemned is the state, no matter how benevolent it pretends to be (Coale 14). An additional important factor that explains why Burgess feels the way he does about the state and society in general is his firm belief in Manichee. Shockingly, his vision of the world as one of constant reversals and repetitions within the ongoing conflict between good and evil reveals an essentially conservative Catholic eschatology...

The Influence of Accent on Person Perception Essay Example

The Influence of Accent on Person Perception Essay Example The Influence of Accent on Person Perception Paper The Influence of Accent on Person Perception Paper The aim of the experiment is to see if people make stereotypical judgements of other people based upon their accents. Various studies prior to this one have looked into this area of research for example, Strongman and Woosley (1967). They recorded two people reading out a passage, firstly in a Yorkshire accent and then again in a London accent so it actually sounded like four different people when in actual fact there were only two. 110 subjects took part in the experiment and were split into two groups (one group was from the north of England, the other from the south). They were asked to rate the speakers on various personality traits. They did this by way of a questionnaire; they rated the traits on a five-point scale and were asked to rate traits such as generous/mean, good looking/unattractive, intelligent/dull etc, there were eighteen pairs of traits in total. The results showed that one accent was not particularly favoured more than the other one but both groups held the same stereotyped attitude about the two accents for e. g. the London accent was found to be more self confident and the Yorkshire accent was found to be more honest and reliable. A slightly more recent study by Giles (1970) looked at Received Pronunciation, South Welsh and Somerset accents. These three examples each carried different status, RP having the highest status and Somerset having the lowest; Giles suggested that this same pattern would emerge when looking at personality traits. His study was rated on a seven point scale, where the subjects would rate the recordings played to them. The subjects themselves either had a South Welsh accent or a Somerset accent, the results showed that as suggested the RP accent was favoured more than the regional accents, but the regional accents were not favoured one more than the other, just on different traits for e. g. Somerset were shown to be good natured ness. This study looks at Received Pronunciation (RP) and Yorkshire accents. There are two hypothesis that will be tested; hypothesis 1: The speaker with the Received Pronunciation accent will receive a significantly higher competence rating than the speaker with the Yorkshire accent, and hypothesis 2: The speaker with the Yorkshire accent will receive a significantly higher social attractiveness rating than the speaker with the RP accent. The null hypothesis 1: There is no difference between competence ratings in the populations from which the samples come (i.  e. any difference between sample competence ratings for RP and Yorkshire accents will be down to chance). Null hypothesis 2: there is no difference between social attractiveness ratings in the populations from which the samples come (i. e. any difference between sample social attractiveness ratings for RP and Yorkshire accents will be down to chance). Method Design The experiment used a matched guise technique; this design is used because the same speaker adopted two verbal guises in the form of two accents. The speaker was a thirty-three year old white woman, who read the passage in the same neutral style with both accents. The recording lasted for one-minute and fifty-two seconds and the content was a short article from as Huddersfield community newsletter, this was chosen because it is supposedly a less interesting topic so that the speaker did not develop character whilst speaking which could influence the experiment. The independent variable is the rating scores and the dependant variable is which accent the person speaks in. Participants There were 151 participants in total, 68 of these listened to the RP recorded passage and 83 listened to the Yorkshire recorded passage. The participants were students attending a lecture on a psychology course. Apparatus/Materials The apparatus which were used were the tape recorded voices of the speaker reading the same passage first in the RP accent then in the Yorkshire accent, the tape player and the personality questionnaires (see appendix A). Procedure Once the students were in the room, the following standardised instructions were given: Before the tape recording was played: Today you will be taking part in an experiment which investigates the accuracy of everyday assessments of personality. In a moment you will hear a tape recording of a woman reading an article from a community newsletter. After listening to the recording you will be given a personality questionnaire which asks you to rate the speaker on ten personality traits. Does everyone understand? Okay, the tape recording is about to begin. After the tape recording was played: Having listened to the tape recording you should now rate the speaker on the ten personality traits listed on the personality questionnaire. Please read the written instructions on the questionnaire and do not confer with anybody else whilst completing it. Once the questionnaires were all collected in the students were all debriefed as to the real purpose of the experiment. Results From table 1 shown below we can accept hypothesis 1 that RP will have a higher competence score because RP scored 15. 00 and Yorkshire scored 13. 12. (To put the mean numbers into perspective and to further understand just how high/low they are, please see Appendix B).

How Important Is the Study of Globalization to the American Economy Research Paper

How Important Is the Study of Globalization to the American Economy - Research Paper Example It has been argued that globalization will intensify the economic disparities and conflicts subsidizing progression of relatively poorer economies. Several studies have inspected if globalization procedures have decreased or intensified wealth dissimilarities within developed economies and emerging economies. Notably, globalization studies have gained much importance in the American economy as it can impact on financial condition and strategies of organizations of a country (Brahm, 2005). Due to the influence of globalization, international economies influence the success of market players to a large extent. It has been disputed that directness associated with globalization can benefit every nation; while some think globalization has the potential to broaden the differences within nations. Globalization is reliant on a range of national and international aspects. Globalization raises the global business and exchanges in gradually open, incorporated and borderless global economy. Sign ificant development has been observed not only in transaction of products and services, but also in money transfers, travelling, immigration, sharing of ideas and information. The impact of globalization can be seen through measurement of the quantity of global monetary dealings. For instance, in New York, almost 1.2 trillion USD worth transactions flow per day and the quantity of global stock market dealing surpasses the huge amount (Intriligator, 2003). Globalization has a significant influence on every economy of the world, with diverse impacts. It can impact on manufacturing of products, employment market, and other efforts of the production procedure. Moreover, it also impact on investment, wealth, technology and results in transmission of skill and knowledge from originating countries to other countries. Globalization also has a major impact on the competency and output in the economy. In the context of international economy, globalization has resulted in increasing competitio n. Though some organizations fear competition, but there are several advantageous impacts of competition which can raise output or effectiveness of the company. Competition and the spreading of markets in globalization can lead to specialism and division of work (Intriligator, 2003). The participation of the USA in the international economy can also be signified from a political perspective. The international economy is an extremely competitive place where organizations from several nations are struggling for employment expenses, gaining technological and cost advantages over other organizations. Thus, organizations are significantly considering health tactics, wage and remuneration programs, and job positions as a vital aspect of their competitive approaches. Some organizations in USA believe that they should outsource the resources from inexpensive traders, move some business operations to other international sites and continually innovate themselves (Pearson Education, 2010). It is worth mentioning that American citizens see globalization as a blend of positive and adverse components for the economy. With the affect of globalization, USA has emerged as an international civilization. It is in this context that critical decisions of USA are likely to have an impact on the global economies. Conversely, decisions adopted by other economies can also have significant impact on economy of USA (Tay, 2010). Globalization generates open occupations which in turn generate opportunities in the

Assignment asks you to check newspapers and other news websites and Essay

Assignment asks you to check newspapers and other news websites and come up with a list of at least 12 examples of news stories revolving around religion - Essay Example The winners, if holding spirits in the same, always link the most to their gods for handing them victory. However, this is not the case because winning games are subject to fate. The Super Bowl is one amongst these games linked to religion. Super Bowl serves as a major religious festival to Americans relevant to conservation of the culture. Joseph Price , in the article, â€Å"The Super Bowl as Religious Festival† retrieved on February 23 2014 from http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1375 asserts that in such events, various personalities always become party, thus elevating the spirits and enthusiasm amongst those in attendance. As a cultural event, Super Bowl serves to reinforce religious myths connoting national innocence as well as apotheosis. The issue of religion and banking is of crucial importance. Vicente Sansano asserts in his article, â€Å" Islamic banking, halal banking† retrieved on February 23, 2014 from http://www.webislam.com/articles/68057-islamic_banking_halal_banking.html that several issues have arisen following the possibility of Islamic banks offering loans and finances to people of different religions. The issue of accessing such banks has been a subject of discussion following the terms and conditions of borrowing from halal banks. However, it is welcoming that Islamic banks share risks, lend money to borrowers as well as grant credits. This is similar to other banks owned by other religions. However, it is worth noting that Islamic banks lack financial speculation. They focus most on real money. The issue of religion and politics has been a major subject of concern. Nicholas Didonato, in the article, â€Å"Five ways religion can influence politics† retrieved on February 23, 2014 from http://www.patheos.com/blogs/scienceonreligion/2013/06/five-ways-religion-can-influence-political-beliefs/ asserts that religion can influence one to decide which political party to cast a vote. The issue

Economics Term paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics - Term Paper Example In various means, advertising and customer researchers continuously encounter the test of making images that depict respondents to marketing-related stimuli, this represents as a data for purposes of analysis. This data will incarcerate the fundamental nature of significant utilization practices; that will be communicated to research findings for interested audiences; or play a role in executing the pictorial components of marketing stratagem (Morris, 1997). Generic advertising was the common methodology used in enticing consumers to purchase a product or avail a certain service. This method captures the public attention in an instant, but this will not sustain if the advertisement is boring and dry. The generic approach is very important in preparing advertising messages that concentrates on the customer benefits that apply to all brands in a product category, as opposed to benefits that are unique to specific brands. Rather than being generic, companies and advertising agencies are finding effective means and faster communication of messages to the direct consumers. In the new millennium, the internet-based technology has played a key role in expanding a wide array of consumers in a small span of time worldwide. The potential of the World Wide Web on the Internet as a commercial medium and market has been widely documented in a variety of media. However, a critical examination of its commercial development has received little attention (Ricciuti, 1995). In this fast-paced environment, technology was always an important tool in spreading the good news and to easily communicate with direct customers. The development of internet-based technologies opened endless possibilities for Marketers. Marketing research can be carried out subtly by actively archiving the procedures that each individual undertakes on the Web, through Web tracking software (Culnan, 1999). When we make a whole new set of variables available to the marketer, the

Threats to Urban Bird Populations

Threats to Urban Bird Populations Emily Bailes, Ann Bailey, Matheus Blezer Plumm, Tom McClellan-West, Lizzie Yarwood Introduction The enigmatic creatures of the sky, birds are creatures that are treasured by many around the world, by some as cultural symbolism, others a hobby to indulge in and some just find their presence a pleasant addition to a grey and largely urban world. Human colonisation has had a huge impact on nature, birds included, with some able to utilise the new urban habitat to great effect; feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica) exploit waste products and buildings as a place to nest. However, some species have found it much harder to adapt to the threats that are present within the ever increasing urban environment. In recent reports, the conservation status’ of 246 bird species were evaluated of which 52 (21.1%) were placed on the Red list, 126 (51.2%) were on the Amber list and 68 species (27.6%) were placed on the Green list (Eaton et al. 2009). Over a period of 35-45 years, there were 28 species with statistically significant population declines of greater than 50%. One of these species is the Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur); according to the CBC/BBS trend it has showed a severe decline in abundance since the 1970s (Figure 1), and it is a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. In the period of 2002-2012 the Turtle Dove had an 80% decline in population size in the UK. Whilst there are many threats facing urban bird populations, there are four key threats that have been focused on in this review. Cat predation, window collisions, habitat loss and general human disturbance all have variable effects on bird abundance and have been discussed in the following paragraphs. Predation by Felines Whilst there are several high risk threats to urban bird populations, the most severe is that of cat predation. Cats have long been known to have a negative ecological impact. They are responsible for multiple cases of extinctions in ground nesting birds in island habitats, where they come into contact with species possessing little or no defence mechanisms against predation. This inevitably leads to extinction. The current global impact of free-ranging domestic cats on bird mortality is estimated to be up to 4 billion birds, annually (Loss et al. 2013). In the UK alone it is estimated that across a 4 month period, up to 100 million prey items are caught by cats, 24% of these being bird species (Woods et al. 2003). With cats bringing home an average of 13.4 prey items per year (Heezik et al. 2010), this can have a drastic impact on wildlife populations. One study that focused on the bird populations of a typical urban UK village found that 16% of birds caught in a year were House Spa rrows (Passer domesticus) which are a red listed and highly endangered species (British Trust for Ornithology 2002) (Figure 2). It was also found in the same study that cats were responsible for 30% of Passer domesticus deaths in that area. Cats are also responsible for the deaths of many other red listed species such as the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (British Trust for Ornithology 2002) (See fig 3). Another more worrying issue is that the number of bird deaths increased if that household was providing food for birds (Woods et al. 2003). This is especially troubling as cat owners trying to conserve endangered species may be doing more harm than good. These trends all point to cat predation being the number one threat to urban bird populations. However, research has been conducted that suggests that the impact of cats on ecosystems may not be wholly negative. As an apex predator, an animal with no natural predators of their own, cats have free reign to hunt in UK ecosystems without fear of predation. As well as suppressing the abundance of birds they also frequently predate other animals and some mesopredators such as rodents. Whilst their impact on bird diversity and population is clear, they also play a key ecological role in the suppression of bird’s natural predators (Ritchie Johnson 2009). Window Collisions Window collisions are considered to be the second largest cause of bird fatalities in urban areas (Loss et al. 2014). This however may not be accurate due to the lack of quantitative estimates and research on other continents (Bayne et al. 2012). There have been few attempts to estimate the number of fatalities per year within populations, however the US and Canada have had some input. Klem JR (1990a) estimated a range of 100 million to 1 billion birds killed per year within the USA, which was later considered to be a conservative estimate (Klem 2006). Bayne et al. (2012) believed these estimates to be unlikely due to a lack of research in other geographical areas. Windows pose a threat as birds do not perceive glass within their vision, and they will see windows and corridors as a route to other habitat areas (Klem et al. 2009). Reflections from windows are also perceived as a continuation of the sky-both of these things occur during light hours (Machtans et al. 2013). At night, windows become a source of light pollution which is particularly a problem for migratory birds (Loss et al. 2014). Upon collision, birds suffer fatalities due to head traumas, intracranial pressures and bleeding on the brain, rather than the â€Å"broken neck† explanation (Klem 1990b), fortified by the results found by Veltri Klem (2005) in which 91% of birds found dead from window collisions had no skeletal or cervical fractures. Urban environments, and the increase in buildings that feature glass, are proportionately linked to collision mortality rates (Hager et al. 2012). Glass is considered to be a non-selective lethal hazard by Klem (1990a) who found that sex, age and resident status does not affect the mortality rates of window collisions, neither is there a differentiation between smaller and larger species. However, this result may not be universal, with data only collected from two different buildings in differing locations. It would be favourable to take samples from a range of buildings in a number of locations around the world to see what impacts exist to which species, because although there is plausibly no difference between small and large species in terms of collision rate, those collisions impacts on individual species could be more profound. Whilst being a threat to individual birds in large quantities globally, in the US there is a lack of research into the effects of this particular mortality along with other collisions on population dynamics, with one study going as far to suggest that collisions with man-made structures, including windows has ‘no discernible effect’ on the population trends in North America (Arnold Zinc 2011). Bayne et al. (2012) explain that more research needs to be done to obtain a reliable estimate for bird mortality caused by window collisions. Research can then be done to get a better perspective of what the mortalities are doing to the population numbers. This should also be done in other locations to give more clarity on the issue, and provide greater understanding moving forwards. Habitat Loss Habitat loss is becoming a big issue over the world due to urbanization from human development. On average in the United States, urbanised areas have as few as 35% tree coverage, with another 118,300km2 of forest land expected to be lost in the next 50 years. Forest land is important as not only does it provide shade, it also provides hidden nesting areas and food (Lerman et al. 2014). Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss not only causes a community diversity loss within the animal kingdom, it removes the nesting areas for these birds, leaving them vulnerable. Bird feeders that can be found in peoples gardens can help to reduce the lack of food caused by the removal of plants and trees, of which birds and their prey feed from. However this cannot prevent, or even counterbalance, the decrease in the diversity of species which are lost and replaced by non-native species (Shochat et al. 2010). In Malaysia, nearly half of their land has been urbanised and changed by humans, causing a l oss in biodiversity. However they have created little ‘pockets’ within the urban areas for wildlife, such as nature reserves, local parks and plazas. Although, it has been noticed that exotic vegetation is not popular with the native insects and their prey-which impacts majorly on the bird population. Despite exotic plants not helping to increase native bird numbers, they are still being planted for ornamental reasons and as part of their local plants scheme so this does not help with the conservation of native birds (Idilfitri Mohamad 2012). Human Disturbance Human disturbance is a threat to bird species in urban areas and can come in many forms ranging from pollution of waterways to introduction of non-native species into the environment. Habitat fragmentation and introduction of exotic species to urban environments has seen a decline in urban bird populations. Within urban areas there are a range of habitats, from parks containing primarily native tree species, to recently developed streetscapes that do not contain any mature tree species. Here, many of the tree species found are non-indigenous. Other habitats that can be found in an urban environment are streetscapes with only native tree species, and those with only exotic tree species (White et al. 2005). Higher species richness of birds and abundance is observed in habitats with more resources, such as parks, with the greater availability of food and nesting sites. In habitats with non-indigenous tree species, nectarivorous birds are less prolific as flowers that they specialize in are not present. Insectivorous birds are also less common in such habitats; native insects have evolved with native plants, so will be absent where these trees are absent, thus insectivorous bird species will be absent. Recently developed and exotic streetscapes often lack the shelter required for certain bird species, so these birds are driven out of potential habitats (Bhuller Majer 2000). Bird species require specific flora species within distinct habitats that meet all of their requirements; some bird species are more tolerable of disturbed habitats with exotic species, whilst other species are dependent on the native flora and undisturbed habitats. Urbanisation may lead to an increase in non-indigenous bird species and the simplification of bird communities if exotic plants are planted and streetscapes continue to be created. Therefore native vegetation must continually be planted and parks protected in order to maintain complex bird communities and conserve native bird species (White et al. 2005). The effects of light pollution from urban areas on birds are also of particular concern. A study conducted on European Blackbirds (Turdus merula) showed that birds exposed to 0.3 lux of illumination at night time had an irregular molt pattern with respect to individuals that were exposed to a dark night. Male European blackbird’s production of testosterone is stimulated annually by light, in a process called photorefactoriness. After the breeding season, the birds stop being photosensitive, and so the gonads are diminished whilst they are not in use. Gonads re-develop after photostimulation by shorter daylight hours in the autumn and the increase in day length thereafter. Following long periods of exposure to light at night time, the reproductive cycles of male birds stop, with testosterone concentrations in the plasma at a minimum. Thus, it can be suggested that artificial light could confuse birds, as they miss important photo-cues for photorefactoriness. Without these cues, testosterone concentrations remain at a minimum, gonads fail to re-develop and the bird will not reproduce come breeding season. The light pollution caused by urban environments is a threat to urban bird populations, as it leaves individuals unable to reproduce through confusing their photosensitive reproductive cycles. (Dominoni et al. 2013) Conclusion It is apparent that the threats mentioned in this review all have the potential to impact urban bird populations around the world and have all been reported in literature to have a negative effect on birds. However the threats mentioned have a great deal of complexity about them due to the interchangeable effects each threat can have on one another which may make distinguishing the effects of one individually difficult. A great example of this is the provision of bird feeders in gardens. Whilst the benefits of providing food will be greatly received by a number of bird species, it can increase the frequency of predation by cats (Woods et al. 2003). It is also shown that providing bird feeders near urban buildings can increase the frequency of bird-window collisions (Klem 1990a). However, a dynamic could be present, where the ‘fear factor’ of cats is influencing the birds into quick flight paths that lead them to collide with windows. It is here that the two dynamics of the threats are interlinked. Mortality rates of birds killed by window collisions with single building may be small, but deaths from window collisions with several buildings across the urban environment accumulate to give a high percentage of mortality. To reduce this high percentage of mortality, something must be done to the structure of buildings (e.g. urban residences) so birds do not confuse window panes as a pathway, thinking that it is clear for them to use (Loss et al. 2014). Furthermore our constant introduction of exotic non-native species to parks and streetscapes changes the habitat and prey items available to urban birds which will further increase their population decline- some bird species have easily adapted to changing conditions, whilst populations of others have been disturbed with the loss of specific habitats. Not only do the exotic species disrupt the local ecosystems, they also replace habitats that would otherwise be suitable for many native invertebrates that are an important source of food for birds. Whilst this threat isn’t as obvious or as directly damaging to birds, it is still a serious threat to be considered and further researched. Exotic plants are leading to declining native bird populations, but in spite of this they are still being planted for ornamental reasons (Idilfitri Mohamad 2012). Urbanisation may lead to an increase in non-indigenous bird species and the simplification of bird communities if exotic plants are planted and streetscapes continue to be created. Therefore native vegetation must continually be planted and parks protected in order to maintain complex bird communities and conserve native bird species (White et al. 2005). All things considered there are a number of aspects that need to be addressed. Bayne et al. (2012) pointed out how there is a lack of quantitative estimates and lack of research in other geographical areas as reasons why window collision mortality and its effects on a population may not have particularly accurate data. The statement could be extended to various aspects of urban bird population. Threats mentioned above would benefit from extra research, however this is difficult to achieve when the practicalities of working in an urban environment, resources and time are taken into consideration. References: Arnold, T.W., Zinc, R.M. (2011) Collision Mortality Has No Discernible Effect on Population Trends of North American Birds. PLoS ONE, 6, e24708 Bayne, E.M., Scobie, C.A., Rawson-Clark, M. (2012) Factors influencing the annual risk of bird-window collisions at residential structures in Alberta, Canada. Wildlife Research, 39, 583-592. Bhuller, S., Majer, J.D. (2000) Arthropods on street trees: a food resource for wildlife. Pacific Conservation Biology, 6, 171-173. British Trust for Ornithology. (2002) Investigation into the causes of the decline of Starlings and House Sparrows in Great Britain. Norfolk: BTO Dominoni, D.M., Quetting, M., Partecke, K. (2013) Long-Term Effects of Chronic Light Pollution on Seasonal Functions of European Blackbirds (Turdus merula). PLoS One, 8, e85069. Eaton, M.A., Brown, A.F., Noble, D.G., Musgrove, A.J., Hearn, R.D., Aebischer, N.J., Gibbons, D.W., Evans, A. Gregory, R.D. (2009) Birds of Conservation Concern 3: the population status of birds in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. British Birds, 102, 296–341. Shochat, E., Lerman, S.B., Anderies, J.M., Warren, P.S., Faeth, S.H., Nilon, C.H. (2010) Invasion, Competition, and Biodiversity Loss in Urban Ecosystems. BioScience, 60, 199-208. Hager, S.B., Cosentino, B.J., McKay, K.J., Monson, C., Zuurdeeg, W., Blevins, B. (2012) Window Area and Development Drive Spatial Variation in Bird-Window Collisions in an Urban Landscape. PLoS ONE, 8, e53371. Heezik, Y.V., Smyth, A., Adams, A., Gordon, J. (2010) Do domestic cats impose an unsustainable harvest on urban bird populations? Biological Conservation, 143, 121-130. Klem JR, D. (1990a) Collisions between Birds and Windows: Mortality and Prevention (Colisiones de Pà ¡jaros con Ventanas: Mortalidad y Prevencià ³n). Journal of Field Ornithology, 61, 120-128. Klem JR, D. (1990b) Bird Injuries, Cause of Death and Recuperation from Collisions with Windows. Journal of Field Ornithology, 61, 115-119. Klem JR, D. (2006) Glass: A Deadly Conservation Issue for Birds. Bird Observer, 34, 73-81. Klem JR, D. Farmer, C.J., Delacretaz, N., Gelb, Y., Saenger, P.G. (2009) Architectural and Landscape Risk Factors Associated with Bird-glass Collisions in an Urban Environment. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 121, 126-134. Lerman, S.B., Nislow, K.H., Nowak, D.J., DeStefano, S. King, D.J., Jones-Farrand, D.T. (2014) Using urban forest assessment tools to model bird habitat potential. Landscape and Urban Planning, 122, 29-40. Loss, S.R., Will, T., Loss, S.S., Marra, P.P. (2014) Bird-building collisions in the United States: Estimates of annual mortality and species vulnerability. The Condor, 116, 8-23. Loss, S.R., Will, T., Marra, P.P. (2013) The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States. Nature Communications, 4. Machtans, C.S., Wedeles, C.H.R., Bayne, E.M. (2013) A First Estimate for Canada of the Number of Birds Killed by Colliding with Building Windows. Avian Conservation and Ecology. 8, 6. PECBMS (2014)  Trends of common birdsin Europe, 2014 update.  CSO, Prague. Ritchie, E. G. Johnson, C. N. (2009) Predator interactions, mesopredator release and biodiversity conservation. Ecology Letters, 2, 982-998. Idilfitri, S., Mohamad, N.H.N. (2012) Role of Ornamental Vegetation for Birds’ Habitats in Urban Parks: Case study FRIM, Malaysia. Procedia- Social and Behavioural Sciences, 68, 894-909. Veltri C.J. and Klem JR, D. (2005) Comparison of fatal bird injuries from collision with towers and windows. Journal of Field Ornithology, 76, 127-133. White, J.G., Antos, M.J., Fitzsimons, J.A., Palmer, G.C. (2005) Non-uniform bird assemblages in urban environments: the influence of streetscape vegetation. Landscape and Urban Planning, 71, 123-135. Woods, M., McDonald, R. A., Harris, S. (2003) Predation of wildlife by domestic cat Felis catus in Great Britain. Mammal Review, 33, 174-188.

The Awakening :: essays research papers

In The Awakening Kate Chopin uses several symbols and motifs to reveal greater themes throughout the book. The protagonist, Edna Pontellier, goes through a series of â€Å"awakenings† in which she discovers her independence and longing for a life which is less conformed. Yet Edna ultimately finds that independence and solitude come hand in hand, and that the expectations of women in the 1800’s conflict with her desire to be an individual. Several events and characters influence Edna’s awakening such as Robert Lebrun, Adele Ratignolle and even her several visits to Grand Isle. Yet there is one character who seems to be the most influential in Edna’s development and that is Mademoiselle Reisz.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mademoiselle Reisz is an unconventional and somewhat unpopular older woman but also an excellent pianist. She is unmarried, childless, and homely, devoting all her time to her music. Even her living style reveals her character; an apartment above everyone else, with a view, but often disagreeable and cold. Mademoiselle Reisz serves as a muse for Edna representing independence and freedom, and she is thus also a foil for Adele who represents everything an acceptable woman would have been in the nineteenth century. Even though neither Edna nor Mademoiselle Reisz can really claim to have been very fond of each other, Edna seeks her companionship as she begins to pursue her independence and is attracted to Mademoiselle because of her blunt manner. Mademoiselle Reisz is the only character who knows of Edna’s feelings for Robert and therefore serves as an important link between the two characters. Mademoiselle Reisz also realizes that Edna is the only guest who s eems really touched by her music, made obvious in a passage in which Edna first hears her play â€Å"Perhaps it was the first time she was ready, perhaps the first time her being was tempered to take an impress of the abiding truth... she saw no pictures of solitude, of hope, of longing, or of despair† (chap.9 pg. 33). In this light Mademoiselle Reisz serves as a true confidant for Edna and these details bring these two contrasting personalities together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Edna becomes increasingly aware of her sexuality and need to be independent she realizes that Mademoiselle Reisz is the epitome of artistry and female independence, one who lives in eccentric isolation. Mademoiselle Reisz tells Edna that she must be brave is she wishes to be an artist, that artists must have a courageous and defiant soul, â€Å"Courageous, ma foi! The brave soul.

Fpi Assignment Essay

Summary The report is regarding to the knowledge of analyzing the accounting data of a listed company, using the various accounting information that provided to identify and examine the competitiveness and efficiency of the listed company. Besides, in order to examine the reliability of the data provided, analysis of the balance sheet and income statement is required. The financial information can be obtained from the annual reports of Harbour-Link Group Berhad. In addition, the report is required to include the top-down approach which consists of Economic analysis, Industry analysis and Fundamental analysis to analyze the listed company in the point of view for investors. Table of Content 1. Introduction 1. Objectives 2. Analysis of the statement of financial position, the statement of financial performance and cash flow statement. 1. Financial Analysis ratio: Asset efficiency ratio Capital Structure ratio Liquidity Ratio Profitability Ratio Share Price 3. Economic Analysis 4. Industry Analysis . Conclusion 6. Findings 7. References Introduction In this report, Harbour-Link Group Berhad is chosen among the listed companies. Harbour-Link Group Berhad is an investment holding company which provides shipping, forwarding and transportation, plant and machinery hiring, and engineering contract services primarily in Malaysia and Singapore. Harbour-Link Group Berhad was founded in the year of 1975 and it is based in Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia. It was officially listed on Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad in the year of 2004. Today, Harbour-Link Group’s success lies in its strong foundation of expertise in the industry and its ability to established the company as a reputable brand-name within the shipping, sea freight forwarding and transportation industries. Objectives 1. To identify the sources of funds, Balance Sheet and profit or loss of the Harbour-Link Group Berhad. 2. To analyze accounting data of Harbour-Link Group Berhad to examine its financial performance using Financial Performance Indicators (ratio analysis) 3. To analyze the economy status, competitors within the same industries and evaluate the operating efficiencies of the listed company. 4. To examine the competitiveness and efficiency of the listed company by using the various accounting information provided. Financial Analysis Financial analysis ratios are used to examine the financial performance of a company in which it will be reflected in the ratios calculated. (Giles et al, 1994, p. 371) Asset efficiency Ratios Asset turnover ratio From the data calculated, the asset turnover ratio for the financial year of 2008, 2009 and 2010 are 109. 9%, 92. 12% and 79. 65%. This indicates that the Harbour-Link Group Berhad is not doing well in the sales of the products or services because the asset turnover ratio is decreasing from year to year. Debtor turnover (in days) Debtor turnover is the debtor collection period of a company. Harbour-Link Group Berhad had a debtor turnover of 73 days in the year of 2008. In the year of 2009, the debtor t urnover is 77 days. However, its debtor turnover is decreased to 71 days. This reflects that the possibility of default risk for the debtors is decreasing. In fact, this is a good thing in a company. Inventory Turnover Inventory turnover measures how many times the company can sell through its inventory for each year. In the year of 2008, Harbour-Link Group has an inventory turnover of 163 times. The turnover increased to 212 times in the financial year of 2009 but the inventory turnover decreased to 127 times in the year of 2010. This reflects that the company can sell better in the year of 2009 but it dropped tremendously in the year of 2010. Capital structure Ratio Debt to equity ratio The debt to equity ratio of Harbour-link Group Berhad is decreasing from the year of 2008 to 2010 by 2%. This is caused by the reducing of total liabilities and the increasing of the total equity. Time interest earned The times-interest-earned ratio allows a lender to evaluate the company’s ability to meet its debt obligation. It is a ratio of the earning before interest and tax over the interest expenses. The time interest earned has a slightly increased from the year of 2008 to year 2009 but it has a greater decrease in ratio amount from the year of 2009 to year 2010. This means that in the year of 2010, Harbour-Link Group Berhad have lesser earnings are available to meet the interest payments and this makes the company to be more vulnerable to the increases in the interest rates. Liquidity Ratios Liquidity ratio is the ratio that is used to examine the liquidity of a company. It includes: Current Ratio Current ratio is the ratio of current assets to current liabilities. Harbour-link Group Berhad has it current ratio decreasing from the year of 2008 to 2010. Its current ratios are 1. 90, 1. 76 and 1. 57 respectively. The ratio is decreased by 14% and 19%. The data is calculated as shown in the findings. Liquid Ratio Liquid ratio is the ratio of (current assets-inventory) to (current liabilities-bank overdraft). Harbour-Link Group Berhad has borrowings so there is bank overdraft existed and that’s why it is classifies as a debt financing organization. The company has a higher liquid ratio of 2. 34 in the year of 2010 compared to the year of 2008 and 2009 which is 1. 88 and 1. 75 respectively. The liquid ratio of the 3 financial years exceeded 1 and this indicates that the current assets are greater than the current liabilities. Higher liquid ratio reflects better performance of the company. Net working Capital Net working capital is the difference between current assets and the current liabilities. In the three financial years, Harbour-Link Group Berhad has the highest net working capital of RM 51. 4 million in the year of 2008. The figure of net working capital for Harbour-link Group Berhad decreased in the year of 2009 and 2010 by 0. 43% and 12. 32% respectively. This shows that there is a drastic drop in the net working capital of year 2010. Profitability Ratios EBIT to total funds ratio EBIT to total funds ratio of Harbour-Link Group Berhad is decreasing in the range of 22% from the financial year of 2008 to 2009 and 21. 4% from the financial year of 2009 to 2010. The total funds consist of shareholders’ funds and borrowings. According to the annual report, Harbour-Link Group Berhad is practicing debt-financing to raise funds because there is borrowing existed. Return on Equity (ROE) Harbour-link Group shows a decrease in net income from year 2008 to 2010. This situation leads to the decrease in the return on equity (ROE) of 5%. In the financial year of 2010, it has the ROE of 0. 08 which indicates that for every RM1 of the capital that the shareholder invested into, they will get 8% of return. Return on Assets The return on assets measures the productivity of assets in terms of the level of profits each dollar of assets generates. (Karen D. H, 2004, p. 131) The return on assets of the Harbour-Link Group Berhad is decreasing from the financial year of 2008 to 2010. It decreased from 8% of year 2008 to 7% in the year of 2009 and then 5% in the year of 2010. This implies that the productivity of the company’s assets is not doing well in terms of profits that the assets generated. Net Profit Margin The net profit margin is the ratio of net profit after tax to the total revenues. In the financial year of 2008 and 2009, Harbour-Link Group Berhad has the net profit margin figure of 8%. It indicates that the company has a net income of RM0. 08 for each RM1 of sales. However, the net profit margin for the year of 2010 decreased by 2% which is only 6% in the financial year. This shows that for every RM1 of sales made by the company in year 2010, the net income is only RM0. 6 which is RM0. 02 lower than the previous year. Share Price Price to Earnings Ratio (P/E) Price to Earning ratio is calculated by using the share price of the year 2010 over the earnings per share. The market price of Harbour-Link Group Berhad was amounted to RM 0. 72 in the year of 2010. From the annual report of the financial year of 2010, the earning per share is R M 0. 11. By using the formulae, the price to earning per share of 2010 is calculated as shown in the table with a figure of RM 6. 825. Current Economic Analysis Roots of Global financial crisis Global financial crisis are usually caused by bad regulation of the banking sectors, failure of fiscal and monetary policy implemented and so forth. In the year of 2008, Financial crisis began with the declared of bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. which is the fourth largest investment bank in United States. It was a severe ongoing world financial problem that began in U. S in the year of 2008. This recession has entirely hitting on the fragile global economy with the tremendous devastation in countries all around the world. The U. S government was trying to point the finger of the financial crisis to the rating agencies, who knew about the great risk that was coming but kept giving high reliability ratings to companies that did not deserve them and thus investors invested in the wrong companies. The cause of the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc was the accumulation of debt and the increasing of loan defaults. Why it evolved into a world crisis The news on bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Company led to the drastic fall in the share price all over the world. The company had billions of dollars losses incurred in the mortgage market of United States. (BBC NEWS, 16th Sept 2008) In Lehman Brothers’ case and the other investment banks, the problem was provoked by 2 major factors which are the very high level of leverage ratio and the dependence on short-term debt financing. Commercial banks cannot leverage their equity more than 15 to 1 as they are regulated but for Lehman Brothers Company, it had a leverage ratio of more than 30 to 1. According to the table 1, Lehman Brothers had only $3. 30 of equity for every $100 of loans. With this ratio, it makes the company to be insolvent. Conversely, the instability arose from the leverage problem was aggravated by the strong reliance on the short term debt. Based on table 1(Lehman Brothers Liabilities and shareholder’s equity), at the beginning of the crisis, the company financed greater than 50% of the assets. Reliance on short term debt financing is profitable indeed when it comes to a low interest rate market environment. However, when the company faced rumors of the insolvency problem, the short term lenders will start to have doubt on the company’s performance and therefore, they will start to withdraw their funds from the company for self interest protection. This scenario will lead to a shortage of liquidity for the borrower and thus the company tends to default. After the crisis began, Lehman Brothers did try to decrease its leverage and reduce its dependence on the short term borrowing but it was too late for them to amend the situation and therefore, bankruptcy occurred. The bankruptcy of Lehman’s brother forced the reassessment of risk in the market by looking at the price of the credit default trades. Impact on Malaysia and world economies The crisis started in the year of 2008 had a great hit on Malaysia and world economies. It causes the gas price had a drastic drop, decreasing of the value of real estates, the increasing of unemployment rate, Federal debt crisis and inflation. There is a global explosion in commodities price. The price of crude oil was remaining at high levels for few years till the end of 2008, the crude oil price dropped from the peak in July 2008 of US$145 to US$30. 28 per barrel in December 2008. (Forbes, 2008) According to the findings in table 2, the unemployment rate of Malaysia increased by 3. 13% from the year of 2008 to 2009 and 12. 12% from the year of 2009 to 2010. Malaysian future economic At first, Malaysia was aiming to have 9% of average annual Growth Domestic Product (GDP) until 2020. Suddenly, according to the Economic Planning Unit, the government noted that the number is absurd then they changed and told that Malaysia was capable to achieve 5. 4% of Growth Domestic Product (GDP) annually over the next 10 years to achieve the objective of becoming a high income economy by 2020, which is the vision 2020 (East Asia Forum, 2009). These seem that Malaysia’s economic future is uncertainty. It keeps changing. Besides, Malaysia’s government has a close relationship with its private businesses. Because of the relationship with some business groups have ostensibly led to the emergence of political cronies with unlimited access to public resources. Not only the relationship that mention above but also the experience of neighbouring Indonesia shows that it is a dangerous trend that could negatively affect economic development in the future. In this matter, changes in political leadership led to unstable political environment. Although it does not directly effect on Malaysia, it threatens he influx of refugees caused damage regional stability and social stability. Malaysia’s maritime economy can be defined as the production and manner of use of the range of goods and services that are linked to the maritime sector (Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, 1997). It covers the activities that are resource based, including fisheries, oil and gas, marine biotechnology and those that are service base d such as shipping ports, shipbuilding and repair and the myriad range of ancillary maritime services (Maritime Institute of Malaysia,2005). Malaysia’s main concern is the future of marine economy of the future of Malaysian trade, because the country’s foreign and domestic trade, or even almost totally dependent on sea transport facilities. From this we can know that it will have a very bright prospect in maritime economy. If Malaysia is to achieve the goals of industrialization, productivity-driven growth and enhancing competitiveness will depend on how the maritime sector is managed. The maritime sector has a main role to play in enhancing productivity-driven growth. An important element that will affect efforts to sustain international competitiveness is productivity. But, for longer term, Malaysia will need to maintain its international competitiveness, since there is rising competition from other emerging markets for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and for the transfer of modern technologies. Environmental issues are also important for Malaysia in the longer term as deforestation and global climate change may destabilize the country’s agriculture, which still plays an important role in the national economy. What is the most important is the political will effect a change to system-centred thinking in planning the future of the economy. So, a stable political environment is very important to Malaysia. If the political environment of Malaysia is good, it will have a bright future of economy. Solutions to the Global Financial Crisis or crises in general. Banks and financial institutions can cause a downswing of an economy because of their ignorance of the business cycle. Besides, bankers are greedy with the fat bonuses that they will gain if they get the highest market shares results. When the economy is doing well, they expect that there will be no recession problem is going to occur and therefore they will give loans to their customers without considering their customers’ affordability to repay the loans. Once their customers cannot afford to repay the loans, recession will occurs. To overcome these crisis problems, several steps can be used. Government and bankers often intervene to smooth the peaks and valleys of the economic cycle. There are two objectives that the government and bankers can do to prevent serious downswing of an economy. 1) Speedy intervention to prevent a self-perpetuating downward spiral, which means protecting depositors at minimal long term cost to the taxpayer. For example, the Federal reserve may restrict the money supply in good times to slow the expansion phase of the economic cycle, or deficit spend and cut interest rates to ease the recessionary phase of an economic cycle. 2) Ensure so far as possible that future booms are less exaggerated. This has implications for the form of any rescue package, and for the system of financial oversight that is put in place. The growth of consumer credits will increase the consumption of the consumer. The increase in the consumption will increase the aggregate demand of the country whereby AD equals to C + I + G + (X-M). Mc Taggart et al, 2007 p. 766). When the AD is increasing, it means that GDP is also increasing. This shows that the consumer credits provided will also be increased and therefore people will keep on borrowing money from the banks for consumption. This situation actually can amplify the business cycle and extend the upswing of the economy. Industry analysis The domestic and the world economy were in a downturn in the year of 2009. All the industry was affected and they are making an effort to maintain their previous performance and growth momentum. In the year of 2009, Harbour-Link Group Berhad suffered revenue declined by 5. 9% to RM 327. 6 million. The revenue decreased again by 5. 76% to RM 308. 7 million compare to the previous year due to lower selling prices and softer consumer demand. One of the Company competitors, Swee Joo Berhad was also suffered by achieved a turnover of RM 346. 7 million which is 9. 9% lower than the previous financial period. The lower turnover was also impacted by the recovery state for the economy. Swee Joo Berhad has a reduce in current ratio from 0. 648 to 0. 278 which seems to be lower than that of the Harbour-Link Group Berhad and therefore Harbour-link seems to have a better current ratio. Swee Joo Berhad has a negative figure for its Earnings before interest and tax of -11. 32 million and -176. 82 million in the year of 2009 and 2010. This is a huge loss for the company. It shows that Harbour-Link has a better performance than its major competitor, Swee Joo Berhad. Although the economy showed signs of recovery, but most of the economists hold that the sustained global recovery is still vague. This situation greatly influenced the consumers spending behavior. According to the Edge, Harbour-Link Unit obtained the secured contracts of RM75. 2 to supply gantry cranes for the Bintulu Port Sdn Bhd. The contracts were expected to be done in the year of 2012 and it’s also expected to escalate the future revenue and earnings positively for Harbour-Link Group Berhad. (The Edge, 11 April 2011) There are several ways for the companies to perform better during this hard period. However, the suppliers are also important causes which will affect the company performance. Although Harbour-Link Group Berhad suffered lower revenue during the year, however, it obtained quite a number of big projects with a favorable amount of contracts worth which is believed to boost the revenues for the future of the company itself. This scenario will assist Harbour-Link Group Berhad to create a stronger visibility and allow it to be well positioned for the economic recovery. Findings [pic] Table 1 shows Lehman Brothers Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity Source: Lehman Annual Reports |Year |Unemployment Rate |Percentage Change | |2006 |3. 60 | | |2007 |3. 50 |-2. 78% | |2008 |3. 20 |-8. 7% | |2009 |3. 30 |3. 13% | |2010 |3. 50 |12. 12% | Table 2 shows the unemployment rate in Malaysia Source: CIA World Factbook Conclusion In conclusion, although the Harbour-Link Group Berhad has a downturn in its overall performances in the financial year of 2009 and 2010 as the results shown in the findings, but it has a better performance than its main competitor, Swee Joo Berhad in the shipping industries. The Harbour-Link Group Berhad is overall well organized in its financial statements as shown in the annual reports and it can be categorized as a profitable and successful listed company in Malaysia. On the perspective of investors, Harbour-link is counted as a good investment company and therefore investors are advised to consider Harbour-link Group Berhad as one of their investment company because the company has a good expectation to have a huge increase in its future economic benefits. The future economy of Malaysia is expected to have a good return and therefore this ensure that Harbour-Link Group Berhad is a wise investment for the future benefits. References Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, 1997, The Maritime Economy of Malaysia, Pelanduk Publication BBC News, 16 September 2008, http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/business/7615931. stm Bursa Malaysia 2010- Equities, Bursa Malaysia Berhad, viewed on 26 April 2011 http://www. bursamalaysia. com/website/bm/market_information/prices/ East Asia Forum, Malaysia’s Economic Future, view on 1 May 2011, http://www. eastasiaforum. org/2009/11/24/malaysias-economic-future/ Encyclopedia of the Nations, Malaysia- Future Trends, viewed on 2 May 2011, http://www. nationsencyclopedia. com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Malaysia-FUTURE-TRENDS. html Forbes 2008- Crude Oil Prices 1861 – 2009, Forbes. com 2010, viewed on28 April 2011, http://www. forbes. com/2008/05/13/oil-prices-1861-today-real-vs-nominal_flash2. html Giles, R & Capel, J 1994, Finance and accounting, 3rd Edition, MacMillan, London Harbour-Link Group Berhad 2011, harbour. com. my; Total Logistics &EPCC Provider N. V 2009&2010, Harbour-Link Group Berhad, viewed on 22 April 2011, http://www. harbour. om. my/ Karen D. Halpern, 2004, Understanding Finance: Money, Capital and investments, Pearson, New Jersey. Maritime Institute of Malaysia, Malaysia and Port Competitiveness, 2005 Mc Taggart et al, 2007, Macroeconomics, 5th Edition, Pearson, Australia The Edge Financial Daily, 11 April 2011 viewed on 24 April 2011. http://www. theedgemalaysia. com/ The Star Online 2011- Market watch, Star Publ ications (M) Berhad, viewed on 24 April 2011, http://biz. thestar. com. my/marketwatch/charts/l. asp? code=2062~HARBOUR&p1=0. 99&p2=0. 985&p3=0. 99&p4=0. 985&p5=0. 99&p6=0&p7=0. 00&p8=915&p9=0. 532