Discuss the portrait of al-Hajjaj Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discuss the portrait of al-Hajjaj - Essay Example Although al-Hajjaj is commonly considered a villain notorious for his relentless brutality, the portrait we obtain from the primary texts is not that simple and transparent, instead, the texts create a complicated image of the province governor illustrated in various situations. Thereby, ambiguities in portrayal can be explained by certain bias in attitude of the texts’ authors towards the governor. Many scholars assert that the commander was an extremely brutal and cruel governor, who caused numerous deaths and imprisonments in the course of his life. This assumption finds its confirmation in the texts, where we see that the commander is believed to be liable for a â€Å"hundred and twenty thousand† executions (Schroeder, p. 229). Many other situations described in the text provide evidence of al-Hajjaj’s bad temper and brutality: after defeating Ibn Zubayr in Mecca, al-Hajjaj is told to have killed and gibbeted him in the street. In a similar way, while coming to Kufa, he immediately executed the old man, who sprang on the corpse of Othman. Furthermore, we see numerous mentions of Hajjaj’s nasty character in the narratives, for instance, that of Ubayd son of Abu Mukhariq, who calls the commander â€Å"a fearsome master† (Schroeder, p.220). However, despite nasty character and brutality, which became his most famous feature, the commander seems to p ossess reason and a pinch of mercy in his nature, as it can be traced in the sources. For instance, as Hajjaj is in need of wise advise concerning the inheritance, he eventually rules according to the fairest of options: he is told to have given â€Å"each heir an equal third† of the inheritance. This fragment was told by al-Sha’bi, whose figure is rather controversial in terms of his relation to the Umayyads. Sha’bi probably supported the rebellion in Kufa, then fled to Khurasan and later returned to the Umayyad court willing to serve in the administration. Here,

Intelligence Definition Essay Example for Free

Intelligence Definition Essay Evaluate Spearman’s contribution to our understanding of Intelligence. Plan: * Introduction – definition of intelligence, and say what I am going to be talking about * Paragraph one /two– outline Spearman’s theory * Paragraph three/four – evaluate how organisations use Spearman’s theory * Paragraph five – evaluate strengths and weaknesses compared to Gardners theory * Conclusion – relate back to the question Essay Intelligence can be defined as â€Å"the capability of individuals to process information to behave effectively within the environment they are in and learn from previous experiences. † (Arnold 2010). Spearman in the 1900s came up with the General Intelligence Theory. Within this essay I am going to evaluate Spearman’s theory of general intelligence by looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the theory. Firstly, looking at how Spearman’s theory can be applied to organisations, then comparing it with Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences. Spearman (1900’s) developed the theory of general intelligence. Spearman’s research followed that of Binet, who was commissioned by the school system in France to develop a way to differentiate those students who were uneducable, or severely mentally handicapped, from other students. Binet developed an intelligence test to do so. This test consisted of items (questions) that required complex processes of the mnd and examined the comprehensive individual. The success of Binet’s test led to a much greater question: what exactly are these tests measuring? The claim was that they were measuring intelligence. This led to debates about what intelligence was. In endeavouring to answer this question, Spearman observed that schoolchildren’s grades across seemingly unrelated subjects were positively correlated. He then administered different types of test to many people. A statistical analysis of the results showed that there was a positive correlation between the tests for any given individual. In other words, if an individual performed well on a test of verbal abilities, then that same person also performed well on another test of a different cognitive ability, such as numerical reasoning. Spearman named this positive correlation ‘g’, that is ‘general intelligence’. He argued that ‘g’ was identified by using a large battery (number) of tests, that is ‘g’ was not measured perfectly by any single test. His work led to others trying to create tests that would assess this general underlying ability. Spearman was the first researcher to use factor analysis (a statistical test that he developed to identify underlying commonalities, or ‘factors’). His theory is sometimes called the Two Factor Theory as he concluded that intelligence consisted of two factors. The first of these he called the ‘g’ factor, that is general intelligence that influenced all round performance. The second of these he called the ‘s’ factor, for specific abilities, which he used to account for differences between scores on different tasks, including test-specific factors such as the impact of light, temperature, the time of day that the test was given. Spearman’s major contribution lies in his ideas about general intelligence, particularly the idea that general intelligence influences all round performance. Spearman’s ideas about general intelligence continue to influence the development of cognitive testing today. And it is in the area of testing that organisations most benefit from Spearman’s work. Specifically, the idea that there is one general intelligence influences much of the testing in selection processes within organisations. For example, many organisations use cognitive testing (verbal and numerical critical reasoning) at early stages in their selection process to filter out those candidates that do not perform at the level required. Following Spearman’s theory more thoroughly could suggest that organisations might be justified in basing their selection activities entirely on a measure of general intelligence. However, this would lack credibility, or face validity, for the candidates, and for many managers. Indeed, some would argue strongly that there are more particular skills that they want candidates to demonstrate that are more directly relevant to the particular job. A major weakness of Spearman’s general intelligence theory is that it can be misunderstood, leading for example to the idea that if an individual is good at one aspect of work they must be good at another aspect. For example, a computer programmer may be very good at their job, however when they are asked to write a report they may feel way out of their comfort zone and will perform badly. However, Spearman is not arguing about ability to perform a task. Rather, he is arguing that ‘general intelligence’ explains a person’s ability across a range of cognitive tests. At this point, there is value in contrasting Gardner’s (1980’s) theory of Multiple Intelligences, which could give us a better understanding of intelligence. Gardner disagreed with Spearman’s general intelligence theory (Mullins, 2010). Instead, he thought that there are many types of intelligence and if an individual excels in one topic, it doesn’t mean they excel at everything. Theses intelligences included: Musical, Numeracy, Literacy, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and Linguistic. Gardner found, therefore, that individuals can be intelligent in different areas. It might be argued that the value for an organisation would be a test that identified the particular kind of intelligence that each individual has. In conclusion Spearman’s theory of general intelligence has had a significant influence on how selection testing is designed and carried out within organisations. The desire to predict performance before hiring a new employee favours the idea that there is one general intelligence that can be assessed by a battery of cognitive tests. However, new theories such as Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory (1980’s) and Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence, challenge such a perspective.

Male Superiority within Domestic Life :: essays research papers

Male Superiority within Domestic Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the book To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, there are many burdens upon relationships in the storyline. One such burden is that of male superiority; through the belief of male superiority relationships are stressed because males constantly need to prove that they are better then females. This stress causes problems within marriages and affects the domestic life of husbands and wives. The unspoken problem between the sexes causes tension and affects thoughts shown within internal monologues more then it directly affects events.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Men in this novel need sympathy from the women in order to prove their superiority because by getting sympathy from a woman the man is acting superior over the woman. Mr. Ramsey proves this fact when he works to receive Lily’s sympathy. This is shown when Lily thinks, â€Å"You shan’t touch your canvas, he seemed to say, bearing down on her, until you’ve given me what I want from you† (150); about Mr. Ramsey as he approaches her while she is painting. In this scene what Mr. Ramsey wants from Lily is sympathy and he acts as if he is in control over Lily and therefore can force her to give him sympathy. Eventually, Lily gives Mr. Ramsay the sympathy he wants which is shown when she thinks to herself, â€Å"Why, at this completely inappropriate moment, when he was stooping over her shoe, should she be so tormented with sympathy for him that, as she stooped too, the blood rushed to her face and thinking of her callousness (she had called h im a play-actor) she felt her eyes swell and tingle with tears?† (154) and thus feels sympathy for Mr. Ramsay even when she decidedly did not want to. Not only does Lily feel sympathy for Mr. Ramsay but she also feels bad about thinking negatively about him. Lily’s feeling of guilt shows Mr. Ramsay being superior to her that is in turn an example of male supremacy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the dinner table discussion, Mr. Tansley shows male supremacy when he thinks, â€Å"he was not going to talk the kind of rot these people wanted him to talk. He was not going to be condescended by these silly women† (85). Mr. Tansley’s thoughts in this quotation show that he is putting himself above women by staying independent of their conversation therefore showing that they have no power over him. Mr. Tansley continues to exhibit male supremacy when his need to assert himself arises.

A Comparison of the American and the Japanese Health Care Systems

Both the United States and Japan are part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, an organization composed of industrialized countries) and as such both countries are under the pressure to live up to a certain median when it comes to the quality of health care. Apart from the median created by OECD countries, the US and Japan are also equally pressured by such organizations as the World Health Organization (WHO) that sets up checklists for good health care systems. In a report last 2000 on the health care systems of 191 countries, WHO set some goals for a health care system.These goals are the following: good health, responsiveness, and fairness in financing (WHO in Bureau of Labor Education of the University of Maine 2001, 1). By â€Å"good health† WHO refers to the good health status of the entire population although out the human being’s life cycle. â€Å"Responsiveness,† on the other hand, refers to â€Å"the extent to which careg ivers are responsive to the client/patient expectations with regard to non-health areas such as being treated with dignity and respect† (Bureau of Labor and Education o the University of Maine 2001, 6).Fairness in financing generally refers to the progressiveness of the health care system wherein those who have less are also to spend less on medical care. These goals shall be utilized to evaluate and compare the Japanese and the American health care systems. But before an effective evaluation and comparison could be done, it will be important to individually describe the health care systems of these two countries. As such, this paper shall consist o the following parts: a description of the American health care system; a description of the Japanese health care system; an evaluation and the comparison of the two health care systems.The American Health Care System A. The Framework of the American Health Care System The American Health Care System could best be illustrated using figure 1. In figure 1, it could be noted that there are two insurance systems in America, public and private. Public insurance system refers to Medicare, Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP), and the Veteran’s Administration (VA). Private insurance system, on the other hand, refers to either employer-sponsored insurance or private non-group insurance. We shall discuss each of these types.Medicare is a federal program that insures seniors aged 65 and above as well as some disabled individuals (Chua 2006, 2). This is a single-payer, government-administered program that covers hospital services, physician services, as well as prescription drug services (Chua 2006, 2). Medicare is financed three ways: federal income taxes, payroll tax (paid both by employers and employees), and individual enrollee premiums (Chua 2006, 2). There are individual enrollee premiums because even if Medicare provides the above-mentioned services, there are still import ant services that are not covered without the premium coverage.These premium services include nursing facilities; preventive care coverage; and coverage for dental, hearing, or vision care. This means that the elderly who are covered by Medicare would many times still need to avail of premium services and as such, they contribute a total of 22% of their income for the cost of health care (Chua 2006, 2). Medicaid is a state-administered health insurance program that provides coverage to low income citizens and disabled; specifically, this insurance â€Å"covers very poor pregnant women, children, disabled, and parents† (Chua 2006, 2).As for its administration, Medicaid is paid for by the state and the federal government. At the very least, the federal government pays $1 for every dollar that the state pays for (Chua 2006, 2). Unlike Medicare, Medicaid offers a more comprehensive health benefits. S-CHIP is like Medicaid as regards administration but it is specifically for child ren whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid due to their income but still do not make enough money to provide insurance for their children. VA is a state-sponsored health insurance service for the veterans of the military.This insurance provides comprehensive health benefits that make the veteran spend almost nothing for health care. Employer-sponsored insurance refers to private health insurance services the premium of which are largely paid for by employers. Under this system are the many organizations that offer health maintenance (HMOs). This is where corporations like Aetna and Kaiser Permanente fall. The coverage offered as well as the degree of co-sharing by the different HMOs differ also (Chua 2006, 3).Private non-group health insurance is the sort of insurance availed by those who are self-employed and those that could not avail of employer-sponsored insurance. This sort of insurance allows the insurance company to impose rules regarding pre-existing conditions. Usually, pre-existing conditions are not covered by the insurance. This sort of insurance is fully administered by the HMOs and the benefits vary widely as well. B. Characteristics and Problems of the American Health Care System The American Health Care System is mostly a combination and interaction of public and private entities.This is most exemplified by the two general types of health insurance services: the public and the private. This fact could be demonstrated by a 2003 statistics on Health Insurance Coverage of the nonelderly (in Chua 2006, 1). This statistics shows that 62% of nonelderly Americans receive private employer-sponsored insurance, while 5% purchase their insurance in the market (Chua 2006, 1). 18% of these nonelderly individuals are in public insurance like Medicaid or Medicare, while the remaining 15% are uninsured (Chua 2006, 1).Elderly Americans aged 65 years and above are mostly insured through Medicaid (Chua 2006, 1). Or, better yet, we might as well look at statist ics from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid represented as a pie graph in figure 2(American Hospital Association 2005, 6). In the 2003 statistics on the â€Å"Distribution of US Health Care Expenditures by Payer Source,† of the total $1. 7 trillion expenditures on health care, more than half are paid for by private entities. The lion’s share goes to private insurance. In this statistics, 35.8% are paid for by private insurance (American Hospital Association 2005, 6). Consumer’s out-of-pocket spending on health care account for 13. 7% of the 2003 health care expenditure, while other private expenditure account for 4. 8% of the expenditure. Medicare, a government health insurance system, pays for 17% of health care expenses, while Medicaid, another government health insurance system, shoulders 16% of the expenditure. The remaining 12. 7% of expenditure is paid for by other government systems like the S-CHIP and VA (Centers American Hospital Association 2005, 6; Chua 2006, 2).As such, we could see that the American Health Care System’s expenditure is more than 50% private. In spite of the big percentage in the budget that the federal government allots to health care, probably the biggest budget allotment in the OECD countries, a big percentage of health expenditures is handled by private entities. It is worth mentioning that America is spending on the average 15% of its GDP on health care when the average on OECD countries is only 8. 6% (Chua 2006, 5).This also means that America has the highest per capita spending on health care compared to other OECD Countries. It was documented that almost 10 years ago, the US was already the biggest per capita spender among its OECD colleagues. It spent $4,178 per capita while Switzerland, then second to the US on per capita spending, spent only $2794 per capita on health care. In spite of the big role of private entities and the high percentage in budget that health care system has, a big percen tage of non-elderly adults are uninsured (15% are uninsured as we saw above).This means that millions of adults in the working age have to spend their own money for health services. This also means that probably America is the only developed country that does not provide health services to all its citizens (Bureau of Labor Education in the University of Maine 2001, 3). Another problem is the fact that the United States has a high infant mortality rate compared to the other OECD counties. In fact, the United States ranked 26th in infant mortality rate among the industrialized countries (Bureau of Labor Education in the University of Maine 2001, 5).Neither did America rank well in disability-adjusted life expectancy ranking 24th among OECD countries (Bureau of Labor Education in the University of Maine 2001, 5). This means that a number of Americans expect to live parts of their lives in disability which probably is a consequence of not having access to health care (as a big percentag e of nonelderly are uninsured). Aside from these problems, American health care is also characterized by a deficit in resources as most emergency departments in hospitals report of being â€Å"at† or â€Å"over† capacity (American Hospital Association 2005, 25).In figure 3, we could see a bar graph showing how some hospitals (especially teaching hospitals) could be at 43% beyond capacity. Such a lack could be accounted for largely by the lack of critical care beds, and not necessarily by overcrowding, in these emergency departments (American Hospital Association 2005, 27). This would mean that a number of hospitals, both in their emergency departments and intensive care units, would need to spend time on diversion (American Hospital Association 2005, 26). These are all ironical problems in a country that is supposed to be most advanced in economy and technology.The Japanese Health Care System A. The Framework of the Japanese Health Care System The Japanese Health Care System, in contrast to the American system, offers coverage for all the citizens. This system offers services that are fairly comprehensive. Currently, the Japanese Health Care System provides â€Å"a basic package of benefits (including medical consultation, drugs, and other materials; medical treatment, surgery, and other services; home care treatment and nursing; and hospitalization and nursing at medical institutions) and they may offer additional benefits (e.g. , funeral benefits, maternity allowances) under the collective scheme† (Ward and Piccolo 2004). This system is best illustrated by figure 4. Health services are paid for in four ways: health insurance contributions, by patient co-payments, by taxes, and by out-of-pocket payments (Jeong and Hurst 2001, 10). Health services are given by providers which could be categorized according to the following: hospitals, doctors’ clinics, health centers, and pharmacies. Most hospitals are categorized as general hospita ls which mean that beds are allocated for long term care.These hospitals are closed to doctors who have clinics, these clinics being capable of minimum bed capacity of 12 (Jeong and Hurst 2001, 11) and may have the latest medical devices needed for diagnosis. Pharmacies may have their own doctors who may dispense their own prognoses and prescriptions. Nursing services are also considered as health providers. The insurance services, though provided by more or less 5,000 HMOs, are largely non-autonomous non-governmental bodies (Jeong and Hurst 2001, 13). These HMOs are basically in charge of operating the compulsory national health insurance system (Jeong and Hurst 2001, 13).These HMOs experience control by the national and local governments. In fact, even doctors’ fees as well as other health services fees are standardized. The Japanese Health Care System may be categorized into two big divisions: the Social Insurance System (SIS) and the National Health Insurance (NHI) (Ward and Piccolo 2004). People are assigned to a health insurance such that those who are working in a company or office are assigned in the SIS, while everyone else who cannot be classified as working in a company or office (including self-employed professionals) should fall under the NHI (Ward and Piccolo 2004).63% of the population is insured under the SIS. Under the SIS, employers pay 50 to 80% of the premium while employees, depending on their income, pay around 8. 5% of their income for health insurance premium. In this system, the insured and their dependents pay 20-30% of in-patient and out-patient costs, at the same time act as co-payers in prescription drugs (Ward and Piccolo 2004). The NIH system, on the other hand, covers the remaining 37% of the population. Premiums paid by the insured depend on incomes and assets. The insured as well as their dependents are required to be co-payers of 30% of the cost.In spite of the requirement for co-payment, Japan offers a co-payment cap: â€Å"The cap is at ? 63,600 (US$600) per month, with the average monthly disposable income being ? 561,000 (US$5,300)† (Ward and Piccolo 2004). In addition, those who are elderly may benefit from long-term insurance which covers 90% of long-term maintenance costs. B. Problems with the Japanese Health Care System The Japanese Health Care System boasts of having state-of-the-art equipment accessible to its citizens. In fact, Japan has the highest CT and MRI scanners per capita among all countries.Japan also has low infant mortality rate in spite of lower GDP spending (7. 6%) for health care, well within the OECD median (Ward and Piccolo 2004). Japan is also able to provide co-payment cap though like the United States, Japan’s health system is also highly paid for by private entities: â€Å"Japan spent ? 29. 8 trillion (US$280 billion) on healthcare, of which 53% was covered by insurance, 32. 3% by the government, and 14. 8% by patients' co-payments† (Ward and Pi ccolo 2004). Nevertheless, the Japanese Health Care System has its own share of problems.For one, unlike in most Western countries, specialization does not matter as much as in America. What matters is where a doctor is affiliated, thus making the distinction between a general practitioner and a specialist blurred. This makes having a â€Å"family doctor† difficult to have and standardization difficult to come by (Jeong and Hurst 2001, 13). Also, Japan has 2 to 3 times longer hospitalization time compared to other countries which means that Japan would need more beds to accommodate patients (National Coalition on Health Care, 3).Probably the biggest problem that the system is facing is the increasing number of elderly population which would obviously strain (National Coalition on Health Care, 3). There is also the problem of weak preventive care as well as low public awareness on â€Å"taboo† illnesses such as HIV and AIDS (Ward and Piccolo 2004). Comparison Between th e Two Health Care Systems In the introduction, we spoke of the WHO requirement for good health, responsiveness, and fairness in financing. Let us evaluate the two systems based on these WHO goals.The American system, aside from the problems posed above, obviously lacks in its ability to provide â€Å"good health† for the entire population. For one, the American health care system does not cover the entire American population. There is just no mandate for such. The Japanese system is obviously different. Japan has a national mandate for universal coverage. This means that the Japanese system is made in such a way that all Japanese would have to fall into one of the two insurance systems.The fact that all Japanese are insured at the same time Japanese spending on health care against GNP is well within the OECD median is something that Americans would have to learn from. The very concept of a co-payment cap is a very good thing that makes health care more responsive to the call for â€Å"good health for the entire population. † As regards responsiveness, the fact that millions of Americans are uninsured automatically makes them not capable of even evaluating client/patient relations for issues such as dignity, respect, etcetera.Nevertheless, the Japanese system also has room for improvement as the existence of â€Å"taboo† sicknesses would obviously compromise the treatment of patients with dignity and respect. Lastly, as regards the requirement for fairness in financing, the Japanese system is way better than the American system. To a certain extent, the American system would make it difficult for certain parts of the population to be insured as they are not too poor to qualify for Medicaid but they are also not employed nor financially endowed enough to pay for private insurance. This is totally not a problem in the Japanese system.

Accounting Education: an international journal Essay

ABSTRACT This study into the perceived importance of oral communication skills in accountancy included the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from a national survey of New Zealand accountants, followed by a series of semi-structured interviews. Survey and interview data reveal agreement with existing literature: New Zealand accountancy employers find all oral communication skills somewhat important and a number of specific skills extremely important, but employers also report seldom finding the required level of oral communication proficiency in new university graduates. The study produced an inventory of 27 individual oral communication skills that will be useful to similar investigations in different national contexts. Additionally, the findings of this study may be useful to curricular development both in the New Zealand and international contexts. See more: Satirical essay about drugs KEY WORDS: Oral communication, workplace communication, listening, presentation skills, telephone skills 1.Introduction Academics and practitioners do not always concur but, in the case of communication skills in accountancy graduates, these two sets of stakeholders are in firm agreement: both written and oral communication skills are extremely important in the accountancy work- place (Albin and Crockett, 1991; Albrecht and Sack, 2000; Borzi and Mills, 2001; Hock, 1994; Johnson and Johnson, 1995; LaFrancois, 1992; McDonald, 2007; Morgan, 1997). This agreement extends across international boundaries, as a number of studies around the globe have reported the high value placed on communication skills, for example in the UK (Morgan, 1997), USA (Smythe and Nikolai, 2002), and Australia (Tempone and Martin, 2003). In New Zealand, the site of the present study, academic studies into the importance of communication skills in accountancy and the challenges of teaching those skills (Gardner, Milne, Stringer and Whiting, 2005; McLaren, 1990) have multiple corollaries in the workforce. Accountancy job advertisements regularly request both oral and written communication skills; competency in oral communication is emphasised on the website of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA); and oral communication is an explicit component of the assessment structure of the PCE2 examination, which concludes the second (and final) stage of training towards becoming a Chartered Accountant in New Zealand. However, both formal studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that new accountancy graduates often do not possess communication skills sufficient to meet the demands of the workplace, particularly in the area of oral communication (Adler and Milne, 1994; Courtis and Zaid, 2002; Gray, 2010; McLaren, 1990; Zaid and Abraham, 1994). Students in New Zealand may graduate with a university degree in accountancy after three years of full-time study. (Accountancy may also be studied in less rigorous programs at polytechnics and institutes of technology.) The intensity of the university programs of study, which are accredited by NZICA, means students have a challenging workload of technical study and very limited opportunity to take elective or ‘liberal’ courses. Of course, limited class time and the resultant curricular pressures and inadequate skill mastery are not unique to the New Zealand accountancy classroom (Pittenger, Miller and Mott, 2004; Wardrope and Bayless, 1999). The globally-recognised problem of insufficient oral communication skill in accoun- tancy graduates leads to a series of questions that need practical answers: . How should university educators respond, strategically and pedagogically, to this reported lack of oral communication skills in new graduates?. What approaches and assessments within university courses will best meet the needs of students aspiring to successful accountancy careers? . To what extent is the development of such skills in students the responsibility of the university and what is the role of the workplace in developing oral communication skills? Before university educators can make any meaningful decisions concerning pedagogy or curricula, and appropriately teach the oral communication skills needed for a successful accountancy career, they need concrete information regarding exactly which specific skills are most valued and most needed in accountancy. Thus a research question was formu- lated: to ascertain the value of specific oral communication skills in new graduates, as perceived by New Zealand accountancy employers. It was hoped that answers to this research question would provide educators with specific information with which to consider their optimal pedagogical responses. The research question led to the construction and implementation of this longitudinal study. Initial research objectives were: . To determine how much importance New Zealand accountancy employers place  on oral communication skills in the new graduates they hire. . To determine what specific kinds of oral communication skills are required by New Zealand accountancy employers in new graduates. . To determine the degree to which accountancy employers are finding the required oral communication skills in newly-graduated accountancy students. The study included the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, from a national survey of New Zealand accountants, followed by a series of semi-structured Oral Communication Skills in New Accountancy Graduates 277 interviews. Initial findings from the first-phase survey have been reported elsewhere (Gray, 2010). Overall, survey and interview data revealed that accountancy employers find all oral communication skills somewhat important and a number of specific skills extremely important, but that the required level of overall oral communication skill was seldom found in new graduates. Accountancy employers agreed that the possession of strong oral communication skills improves a graduate’s chance of succeeding in the hiring process and also of progressing in his or her career. The study produced an inven- tory of 27 individual oral communication skills, of which listening skills were most highly valued by accountancy employers, and formal presentation skills were considered least valuable, although there was disagreement on this point. It is hoped the oral communi- cation skill inventory will be useful to similar investigations in different national contexts. Additionally, the findings of this study may be of use both in the New Zealand and inter- national context in the long-term planning of curricular development. 2.Literature Review Studies of communication in accountancy agree broadly on the importance of written and oral communication skills. Many formal and informal studies to this point have tended to use general terms such as ‘communication skills,’ or the even vaguer term ‘generic skills’;1 it is difficult to ascertain the precise meaning of such all-encompassing terms as they apply to chartered accountancy. For example, Zaid and Abraham (1994) studied the problems encountered by accountancy graduates early in their employment careers, and reported a primary area of difficulty to be in ‘communication with others.’ Baker and McGregor (2000) compared the importance perceived in communication skills by a number of accountancy stakeholder groups; this study, too, only uses the broad term ‘communication skills.’ De Lange, Jackling, and Gut (2006) surveyed Australian accoun- tancy graduates and found that students reported themselves to have a significant skill deficiency in the specific areas of ‘interpersonal skills’ and ‘oral expression’; these two broad categories, however, were no more closely examined or defined. Within the smaller number of studies that have examined a particular set of communi- cation skills in accountancy, most have focussed on written communication skill (Albrecht and Sack, 2000; Ashbaugh, Johnstone and Warfield, 2002; English, Bonanno, Ihnatko, Webb and Jon; Ng, Lloyd, Kober and Robinson, 1999; Webb, English and Bonanno, 1995). Very few studies have examined oral communication specifically, or identified individual oral communication skills. Morgan (1997) is an exception: in a study of accountancy professionals in England and Waleses, 1999; Hall, 1998 he identifies 13 individual skill areas within oral communication activities in accountancy. There is no agreement on a classificatory inventory of such skills. One study into oral communi- cation, by Maes, Weldy and Icenogle (1997), surveyed American business employers from a broad array of industries on graduates’ possession of another 13 distinct oral communication skills. Maes et al. (1997) and McLaren (1990) both specifically list ‘listening’ as a desirable communication skill and, more recently, Goby and Lewis (2000) have examined listening as a specific business communication skill. Other research has variously investigated a number of individual oral communication skills across a range of business industries, including conveying expertise through spoken communication and giving intelligible explanations (Smythe and Nikolai, 2002), delivering formal presenta- tions (Wardrope, 2002), and participating in a range of more informal presentations (Crosling and Ward, 2002). The first phase of this study drew together the foci and findings of previous studies in relation to the  production of a comprehensive list of oral communi- cation skills (Gray, 2010). 278F. E. Gray and N. Murray Ascertaining the particular requirements of accountancy employers in regard to specific communication skills should be of assistance to university educators planning the curricu- lar content and assessments of university courses, as academics and practitioners agree that written and oral communication skills are two major areas needing more attention in the university accountancy curriculum (Albrecht and Sack, 2000; Henderson, 2001; Simons and Higgins, 1993). However, the relationship between workplace demand and classroom instruction is not necessarily simple. While a considerable body of scholarship has recommended a variety of curricular improvements for university level accounting education (see, for example, Henderson, 2001; Sin, Jones, and Petocz, 2007; and Usoff and Feldmann, 1998), the literature reflects a significant concern in relation to the transferability of taught communication skills from the university classroom environment to the ‘real-world’ environmen t of the accountancy workplace (Beaufort, 1999; Cooper, 1997; D’Aloisio, 2006; Davies and Birbili, 2000; Kemp and Seagraves, 1995; Thomas, 1995). A number of academics and employers suggest that universities should not bear the entire responsibility for developing ‘workplace-ready’ communication skills in students. They argue that organisations employing new graduates—and graduates themselves— should share the responsibility for developing contextualised and discourse-specific com- munication competencies (Ford, 2009; Hayes and Kuseski, 2001; Muir and Davis, 2004; Triebel and Gurdjian, 2009). Such competencies, after all, are developed by means of a number of contributing factors, including age and maturity, as well as familiarity with and length of exposure to a specific discourse community. University training, however comprehensive, cannot encompass all these variables. Research into accountancy education has also recognised the particular problems faced by English second language (ESL) speakers striving to develop written and oral communi- cation competency as well as the technical proficiencies required in accountancy work- places (Andrews, 2006; McGowan and Potter, 2008; Webb et al., 1995). Several studies in New Zealand and internationally report on the difficulties that ESL accountancy gradu- ates  face in a competitive hiring environment (Birrell, 2007; Jacobs, 2003; James and Otsuka, 2009; Kim, 2004). With regard to the specific question of developing communication skills within univer- sity-level accountancy instruction, scholars have suggested an array of learning and assessment approaches (Adler and Milne, 1997; Milne, 1999; Milne and McConnell, 2001; Tempone and Martin, 2003). This study recognises that developers of curricula must balance data regarding workplace demand with institutional and accreditation- related demands and a number of other pedagogical considerations. Notwithstanding, educational responses to the challenges of developing oral communication skills in students may be usefully informed by empirical data identifying the particular skills most highly valued and most pressingly needed within accountancy, as perceived by employers themselves. This study provides such data. 3.Method The project was conducted in two stages over the course of approximately six months. In phase one, a questionnaire was mailed to all New Zealand chartered accountancy firms, and this was followed in phase two by a series of telephone interviews with accountancy professionals. Prior to data collection, ethics approval was sought from and granted by the Ethics Committee of the authors’ institution. Questionnaire and interview respondents were provided with a written description of the project, were assured of confidentiality, and granted permission before their responses were recorded. Oral Communication Skills in New Accountancy Graduates 279 3.1Questionnaire In the first stage, a questionnaire was sent to all New Zealand chartered accountancy firms, containing a series of questions concerning the quality of oral communication skills pos- sessed by new accountancy graduates, the specific oral communication skills which employers desire, and the role of oral communication skills in the hiring process (Gray, 2010). The majority of the questions were designed to be answered on a five-point  Likert scale, but the questionnaire also included several short-answer questions. The questionnaire instrument was developed through a series of iterations. The findings and design of previous New Zealand and international research studies that had identified specific communication skills were consulted (including Gray, Emerson and MacKay, 2006; Maes et al., 1997; McLaren, 1990; Morgan, 1997; Smythe and Nikolai 2002), and the individual oral communication skills collated. The catalogue of individual skills was further extended through conversations with university colleagues in the communi- cation and accountancy departments, and then the input of New Zealand accounting prac- titioners was solicited from a pilot study. The aim of these iterations was to create the fullest possible inventory of oral communication skills, and to reflect the unique aspects of the New Zealand accountancy context. A foundational study was McLaren’s 1990 investigation into communication skill in New Zealand accountancy. One important construct borrowed from McLaren was the distinction between listening attentiveness and listening responsiveness. Constructs were also adapted from studies conducted by Morgan (1997), Zaid and Abraham (1994), and De Lange et al. (2006). Smythe and Nikolai’s oral communication concerns model (1996, 2002) proved particularly useful in the construction of this questionnaire. This model identifies three categories of concern as a framework for grouping oral com- munication skills: self-concern, task-concern, and impact (or outcome) concern. Smythe and Nikolai postulate that a progression takes place from one category of concern to the next in line with a person’s career progression and his/her growth in experience and confidence in communicating orally in the workplace. Since the target population for this study was a constituency at a mature career stage within chartered accountancy firms, Smythe and Nikolai’s ‘progressive’ divisions were not retained (although a number of their questions were incorporated, particularly in the areas of task concern and impact concern). Instead, divisions between questions were created in relation to different audiences, building on the finding of a related study (Gray et al., 2006) that New Zealand employers report new graduates to significantly lack audience awareness in their communications. After a comprehensive list of specific oral communication skills was generated, the questionnaire draft was piloted on four accountancy professionals, and their feedback enabled  questions to be refined. A number of skills that were initially individually ident- ified were modified and condensed into a smaller number of broader and more inclusive skills: for example, ‘Building audience confidence in recommendations’ and ‘Projecting an image of sincerity and commitment’ (both ‘impact concerns’ from Smythe and Nikolai’s taxonomy) were combined into the one, more inclusive skill category, ‘Convey- ing a knowledgeable and confident demeanour.’ Additionally, feedback from the pilot study led to the second of the two specified listening skills being more fully explicated, thus: ‘Listening responsiveness: (that is, acting appropriately on messages received).’ Again building on feedback from the pilot regarding usability, the questionnaire as a whole was divided into three sections. Section A captured introductory information including the size of the organisation and the qualifications held by new graduates hired in the last three years. Section B listed the full, final inventory of 27 individual oral 280F. E. Gray and N. Murray communication skills, collected into the following audience-related divisions: I. Listening skills; II. Collegial communication skills; III. Client communication skills; IV. Communi- cation skills with management; and V. General Audience Analysis Skills. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of each skill, as well as the frequency with which this skill is found in new accountancy graduates. At the end of Section B respondents were invited to add to the questionnaire any other oral communication skills that they con- sidered important for new accountancy graduates. Section C, Final Questions, asked respondents whether oral communication training was available in or through their organ- isation, whether oral communication training should be included in university accoun- tancy education programmes, and finally to estimate the hours per working week a new accountancy graduate would be engaged in communicating orally. At the close of the questionnaire, respondents were given the option to volunteer for a follow-up interview. 3.1.2 Respondents.The questionnaire was sent to all chartered accountancy firms listed on the New Zealand online business directory, and was addressed to the Practice Manager as the individual most likely to have  in-depth knowledge of the process of hiring new graduates. New Zealand’s professional accountancy body, the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA) reports that 40.7% of its members work in the private sector, while the second largest percentage, 27.5%, are employed in Chartered Accountancy practices (2008 annual report). Working on the assumption that CA prac- tices hire a percentage of new graduates proportionate to their sizeable percentage of NZICA members, CA practices were chosen as the focal population for this study as they represent (in contrast to the private sector) a readily identifiable and readily contact- able group of employers.2 While the New Zealand online business directory listed 1,111 chartered accountancy firms as of 1April 2008 , a number of listed organisations had ceased operations or were uncontactable, and the questionnaire was eventually mailed to 760 firms. Of 760 mailings, 146 questionnaires were returned, producing a response rate of 19.2%. While this response rate was higher than the 15% usable response rate reported by McLaren in her 1990 study of New Zealand accountancy professionals, it remains margin- ally lower than the typical response rate for postal-based questionnaires (20 – 40%, as given in Frankfort-Nachmias and Nachmias, 1996). Possible reasons for this relatively low response rate include the fact that time and funding did not permit follow-up mailings, and also the fact that the target population is frequently time-poor and frequently surveyed. While non-response bias is an unavoidable concern when the response rate is less than 100 per cent, a low response rate does not necessarily equate to a non-response bias (Gendall, 2000). A degree of representativeness was observable in the geographical spread of respondents, the positions held by respondents (see below), and the types of businesses responding, suggesting generalisation across a range of accountancy business types is viable. The questionnaire was mailed to separate groups of potential respondents in six post- ings, each approximately 10 days apart. The order in which responses were received generally mirrored the order in which postings were mailed: that is, the first group’s responses were received before the second group’s questionnaires began to be returned, and so on. As a record of receipt for each individual survey was not kept, early versus late response bias cannot be checked. As a single mail-out technique was used for each individual, it  may be argued that differences in respondent type are not as applicable as may be seen in a survey where some participants responded early, whereas others received several reminders and mail -outs before responding. Analyses were undertaken treating the six postings as separate groups to determine any potential differences by respondent type. All groups were similar in claiming that oral communication in general was either ‘essential’ or ‘very important’ in the accountancy profession. Furthermore, oral communication skill was ‘always’ important as a hiring factor for all mail-out groups. When comparing each group on importance and frequency of communication skills using a Kruskall-Wallis test, only one significant difference was found for frequency of listening skills seen in new graduates, x2  ¼ 11.60, P ,0.05. Post- hoc Mann-Whitney U tests subsequently revealed no significant differences in frequency of listening skills seen in new graduates between any of the six groups (using a Bonferroni correction). While the questionnaires were addressed to the Practice Managers of each organis- ation, respondents revealed a degree of variability. The majority of completed question- naires were anonymous, but the respondents who identified themselves ranged from partners in large firms, to senior employees in very small firms, to Human Resources directors. 3.2Interviews The second phase of the study involved employer interviews. Forty-five questionnaire respondents volunteered to be contacted for follow-up interviews, and 19 volunteers could subsequently be contacted by telephone for complete interviews. The interviewee sample size was considered adequate due to its purposive nature and the recent finding that, within such samples, data saturation (including metathemes and subthemes) occurs within the first 12 interviews (Guest, Bunce and Johnson, 2006). It was intended that the qualitative data from interviews would triangulate and extend conclusions arising from analysis of the quantitative data. The interview data incorporated into the study an ethnographic element, ‘thick description, a rich, detailed description of specifics’ (Neuman, 2003, p.  367), which helped produce more robust and credible conclusions. Telephone interviews were conducted between October and December 2008. Intervie- wees ranged from accountancy practice managers to sole practitioners, to partners in large firms. The semi-structured interviews ranged in length from 15 to 45 minutes and sought clarification of a number of issues arising from the questionnaire data, including the impli- cations of globalisation for oral communication in accountancy, the impact of new technologies and the importance of telephone skills, the centrality of listening skills, and the desirability of presentation skills for graduates new to the accountancy workplace. 3.3Data Analysis Once the data from the questionnaires was collated, statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Mean and median scores were calculated with regard to the importance scores given to each individual oral communication skill, and to the frequency scores (how often each skill is observed in new graduate hires). Each mean was the product of the addition of all the individual importance or frequency scores for each communication skill, divided by the sample size. The standard deviation (SD) of each mean score, as well as the inter-quartile range for the median, was also calculated to indicate the relative spread of responses, with higher figures equating to wider ranges of scores. Owing to a number of missing responses, the denominator of responses to each question shows some variation. As the skill variables violated the assumption of normality (expected given the general level of agreement in employers’ perceptions), non-parametric tests were used. Where relevant, all assumptions of the named tests below were met. 282F. E. Gray and N. Murray As mentioned in 3.1, Section B of the questionnaire invited respondents to write in any further oral communication skills which they felt were important for new accountancy graduates to possess, distinct from the 27 skills listed. Comments identifying additional skills were received from 36 respondents; these comments were recorded and analysed for thematic consistency. Once the interviews were transcribed, themes were also  identified and analysed. Grounded theory was applied to analyse these themes, that is, inductive analysis in which data produce meanings, rather than meanings being applied from exterior theory (Strauss and Corbin, 2000). 4.Findings 4.1Research Objective 1: How Much Importance do New Zealand Accountancy Employers Place on Oral Communication Skills in the New Graduates they Hire? The questionnaire data presented a clear answer to the first research question. Oral communication skill in general was considered to be ‘essential’ in a new graduate by 49.6% (n  ¼ 133) of respondents; a further 41.4% reported it to be ‘very important’. On a rating scale from 1 to 5, where 1 was ‘not important’ and 5 was ‘essential’, the overall mean for oral communication skill in general was 4.39 (Md  ¼ 4.00). A Kruskal- Wallis test found no significant difference in the importance value assigned to oral communication skill depending on the size of the organisation, x2(4)  ¼ 5.48, p . 0.05. During the second phase of the study, interviewees strongly reiterated the perceived importance of oral communication skill: CL called oral communication ‘a career divider,’ meaning it was indispensable to success within accountancy, and EK labelled strong oral communication ‘a distinguishing factor’ setting goo d accountants apart from the mediocre. SWS stated: ‘Being able to communicate is a number one priority .. . [and] it’s going to get more and more important.’ Interview data also supported the signifi- cance of a theme that emerged from written-in comments in the questionnaire: the impor- tance of oral communication skills in accountancy is perceived to be increasing rapidly as a direct result of globalisation, and an increased speaking flexibility and cross-cultural adaptability are considered particularly important in this context. Reporting that they ‘always’ take oral communication skill into account in hiring decisions were 64.1% (n  ¼ 131) of questionnaire respondents (a total of 90.8% reported this to be a hiring factor either ‘always’ or ‘often’). RT stated that strong oral communi- cation skills often proved the decisive factor in a hiring decision: The person who presents well †¦ verbally, if you had to toss a coin between two of them, same grades and all that, the one who can communicate better, you’d give it to that person I think. [.. .] It has to be one of the most powerful strengths or powerful weaknesses that people have. No questionnaire respondents reported ‘never’ taking an applicant’s oral communi- cation skills into account in the hiring process, and several interviewees reported incorpor- ating specific checks of a candidate’s oral competency into their hiring process. For example, TB stated that he telephones all job applicants prior to an in-office interview, in order to gauge their skills in speaking on the telephone. 4.2Research Objective 2: What Specific Kinds of Oral Communication Skills are required by New Zealand Accountancy Employers? Figure 1. Perceived importance of communication skills by perceived frequency of new graduate ability  importance of the individual communication skills against the perceived frequency with which these skills are seen in new graduates. Figure 1 shows that the importance and fre- quency measures follow a similar pattern. This may reflect the influence of the workplace in focussing on developing certain communication competencies in new graduates, or hiring based on those competencies being present to a certain degree. However, there is still an obvious gap between the importance of each skill and the degree to which it is seen in new graduates. 4.2.1Listening skills.On a rating scale from 1 to 5, where 1 was ‘not  important’ and 5 was ‘essential,’ the two skills considered most important were those of listening attentive- ness and listening responsiveness, valued respectively at 4.81 (Md  ¼ 5.00)—82% of respondents ranked listening attentiveness as ‘essential’—and 4.80 (Md  ¼ 5.00)—a further 82% of respondents classifying listening responsiveness as ‘essential’. In sub- sequent interviews, KC described listening to another person as being a more important skill than that of articulating one’s own thoughts: Sometimes, speaking less is better than speaking more. Sometimes you have to have more listening ability. That listening ability will give you the timing of when to say things and when not to say things.. .. A number of interviewees linked listening skill to a related set of competencies concern- ing a speaker’s ability to create rapport and adjust to audiences’ needs. These interviewees spoke of the need for accountancy professionals to communicate with others (clients, colleagues, and managers) ‘in their own language.’ We learn to use sometimes slightly different language in order to be able to communicate to different people and that’s certainly part of our job when we’re in a service industry like 284F. E. Gray and N. Murray  accountancy. We need to talk to people in their language and us[e] words and conduct that they are comfortable with (BR; emphasis added). It’s important to understand your client so that †¦ you’re speaking almost in ‘like language’ so that you know who you are talking to [and] you know they are understanding (SWS; emphasis added). I think it’s a horses for courses [principle], you’ve got to know†¦ your clients or the people you’re dealing with. If you happen to know someone didn’t like a certain style or you could pick from their responses †¦ [then] you reply with like with like (DW; emphasis added). JC mentioned adjusting vocabulary and PW mentioned adjusting message  channel, in relation to the particular needs of the audience. MT emphasised the importance for accountancy graduates to gauge appropriateness of language: They’ve got to realise that when they’re dealing with clients, or senior members of organis- ations, that they’ve got to communicate it appropriately and not in a manner that they may always communicate with their friends or colleagues. Interviewees agreed that this kind of reflective adjustment to an audience’s preferred register is dependent on a speaker’s ability to listen and make appropriate communicative changes. 4.2.2 Vocabulary and slang. Several individual oral communication skills identified in the questionnaire concerned engaging in dialogue and using language and channels preferred by the communication partner. These included ‘explaining or making a topic intelligible’ to colleagues (x  ¼ 4.28, Md  ¼ 4.00, ranked ninth); ‘giving feedback’ to clients: (x  ¼ 4.17, Md  ¼ 4.00, ranked 13th); and ‘using appropriate vocabulary for the audience’, a general audience skill: (x  ¼ 4.21, Md  ¼ 4.00, ranked 10th). Follow-up inter- view questions seeking more information concerning the importance of explanatory and vocabulary skills elicited a number of specific concerns with the use of slang by new accountancy graduates. TO stated: ‘A lot of them have devolved into .. . use of a lot of colloquialisms that may not be acceptable to the older generation.’ According to NM, overly casual language destroys credibility. It’s hard enough for a young person to break in and to be heard, I guess in a business sense when you’re trying to sell to, I guess older people or experienced people. If you come out with schoolyard slang, you don’t stand a chance. Interviews emphasised the desirability in new graduates of a wide-ranging and flexible vocabulary (described by one interviewee as a mental ‘drop-down menu’ of words), oper- ating in tandem with the ability to access the  correct level of spoken formality. After listening attentiveness and listening responsiveness, questionnaire results ident- ified the next five most highly valued individual oral communication skills as being: ‘Con- veying professional attitude of respect and interest in clients’ (x  ¼ 4.68, Md  ¼ 5.00); ‘Asking for clarification or feedback from management’ (x  ¼ 4.57, Md  ¼ 5.00); ‘Speaking on the telephone/making conference calls with clients’ (x  ¼ 4.53, Md  ¼ 5.00); ‘Describ- ing situations accurately and precisely to superior(s)’ (x  ¼ 4.47, Md  ¼ 5.00); and ‘Convey- ing a knowledgeable and confident demeanour to clients’ (x  ¼ 4.45, Md  ¼ 5.00). Please see Table 1 for a complete record of the average and median importance values accorded to each oral communication skill, as well as the reported mean and median frequency with which each skill was found in new accountancy graduates (see also, Gray, 2010).

the life of charles dickens, a essays

the life of charles dickens, a essays As a member of one of the lower classes as a child Dickens had dreams of comfortable middle class life, and worked for this goal without forgetting where he came from. Dickens was the first mainstream writer to reach out to the semiliterate class. He did much to make sure his writings were available to the middle class. He published serial novels on monthly bases. One shilling (one twentieth of a pound) would buy you the next installment to your novel. In a time when novels were almost thirty times as much as one of these serial novels, it put reading within the reach of the middle class, thus highly popularizing Charles Dickens works. By the popularity of his work he was able to afford a humble middle class life, which was what he always desired. Charles Dickens, like most authors of fiction, included characters in his writings that reflect aspects of his own life. Dickens has certain staple characteristics that are included in the majority of his stories that are derived from Dic kens family, friends, and even himself. Charles Dickens was one of the literary geniuses of the 19th century. Charles Dickens did not begin his life as a humble middle class child. In fact it was quite the opposite. He was born in Portsmouth, England in 1812. He was the second child of John and Elizabeth Dickens. John Dickens was a clerk in the Navy pay office. In 1817 Charles got the first taste of the life he would so strongly desire later in his life. His family moved to Chatham, a small port town in England. Charles enjoyed all the comforts of a humble middle class life, fresh country air, decent schooling, and books to read on sunny afternoons. It was a short idyll, John Dickens money supply was lacking. He was recalled to London and forced to put his family of six in a small, smelly, bleak house in the ugly suburb of Camden town. Then in 1824 an event that shaped Charles Dickens views on the world occurred. His family increasingly in...

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Anecdote - Essay Example This is precisely the reason why beauty of art and literature does not affect as anymore. In the meanwhile, art is also transforming humbly, digressing from its earlier norms and requiring more skills to analyze it and understand it. At the same time, no matter how obese Americans are, no matter how indifferent they have become towards political and economic issues around them, a desire of human contact and affection remains there. However, it is hard to identify if this need is sufficient enough to provoke one to notice beauty of life once again. Tuma mentioned that there are rays of hope still available by mentioning a dying lady who is more than willing to take care of nature and protect it. Hence, life has evolved, people even art has shown evolution. It’s just a matter of time when this change becomes acceptable and becomes part of our lives without making us socially ignorant. Part B In my view, anecdote is an interesting way of telling a story and creating main theme by using abstract ideas and symbolization. Detailed analysis of Tuma’s mannerism of telling an anecdote helped me in understanding that in order to tell a story, one does not need to be straight forward. One has to leave an element of surprise and let the reader think and get indulge in the story. Similarly, events defined should be interwoven effectively and whole fabrication must follow a logical pattern. However, the element of surprise must not be aggressive that readers find it hard to relate to anything that they are aware of. Simple example can be Tuma’s anecdote called ‘Shooting the Air’. When he began, the readers had no clue what he is about to talk about and this was... Anecdote is an interesting way of telling a story and creating main theme by using abstract ideas and symbolization. Detailed analysis of Tuma’s mannerism of telling an anecdote helped me in understanding that in order to tell a story, one does not need to be straight forward. One has to leave an element of surprise and let the reader think and get indulge in the story. Similarly, events defined should be interwoven effectively and whole fabrication must follow a logical pattern. However, the element of surprise must not be aggressive that readers find it hard to relate to anything that they are aware of. Simple example can be Tuma’s anecdote called ‘Shooting the Air’. When he began, the readers had no clue what he is about to talk about and this was precisely the gist of his writing, ignorance towards society and art. He began with simple cluster of unrelated event and went onto explanation of a dead man followed by Iraq war and Americans’ indiffere nce attitude towards government policies. By explaining series of unrelated events, he continued to demonstrate how art has evolved over the period of time; it is abstract with a certain degree of humility. Hence, reader continues to ponder what element he will discuss in the next paragraph. An anecdote has to have a degree of spontaneity and surprise in it which is what Tuma’s writing is all about.

Jpmorgan income&growth PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Jpmorgan income&growth PLC - Essay Example The professors further theorized about the market value a any given firm being determined by not only the earning power of the given firm, but also by the risk associated to he underlying assets of the firm with the firms value being independent of the way it chooses to finance its investment or the distribution of the dividends. The capital structure theorists who are perceived to be orthodox are mainly divided into two different groups with the fundamentalists like Modigliani and Miller making arguments bout the world approaching perfection very much closely with the imperfections which might be offsetting to a great extent which consequently makes gearing not to matter in the real sense. Amongst the scholars classified as the revisionists include finance text authors who are famous for writing for a wide group of audience for whom theoretical ingenuity may in real terms not imply to the highest value but instead make attempts towards accommodating, though, within the confines of o rthodoxy in what is described as the stark difference between Modigliani and Millers both theoretical analysis and empirical observations as regards to the importance that has been based on a firms capital structure not only by the firm itself, but by also the investors (Findlay and Williams, 1985). It is therefore evident that what they are in real sense arguing about is the importance of imperfections which further which further attributes to the reason making gearing very important hence they play quite a critical role in making us understand why different firms make the gearing decisions the way they do. This study will therefore critically analyze both the fundamentalist and revisionist positions. The Modigliani and Miller argument is mainly founded on the following basic assumptions; That there is absence of taxes, the absence of the costs of transactions, that there are no costs of bankruptcy, that there exists equivalence in the costs of borrowing not only for the companies, but also the investors, that there exists symmetry in the flow of market information as regards to both the companies and investors being in know how with the given information (Edwards, 1987). Lastly, the theory is based on the assumption that there exists no significant effect as regards the effect of debt on the earnings of the company before interest and taxes (Findlay and Williams, 1985). It must however be noted that the reality existent in the real world is that there are taxes, costs of bankruptcy, the costs of transactions, existence of various differences in not only the costs of borrowing, but also the asymmetries in the flow of information and the effects debts has on earnings. Thus, to gain a better understanding of the failures of Modigliani and Miller (MM) economic models of gearing, we will first briefly look at both prepositions. Modigliani and Miller’s Capital-structure Irrelevance proposition The capital structure irrelevance proposition propagated by Modi gliani and Miller makes assumptions of the lack of both taxes and the costs of bankruptcy. According to the proposition, they argue that the weighted cost of capital of any given company remains constant in disregard to the numerous changes in the structure of any firm’s capital structure. A good example would the rate of borrowing of a given firm which would result in no tax benefits resulting from payments of interest hence resulting to no changes or benefits as regards the companies weighted average cost of

Anecdote Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Anecdote - Essay Example This is precisely the reason why beauty of art and literature does not affect as anymore. In the meanwhile, art is also transforming humbly, digressing from its earlier norms and requiring more skills to analyze it and understand it. At the same time, no matter how obese Americans are, no matter how indifferent they have become towards political and economic issues around them, a desire of human contact and affection remains there. However, it is hard to identify if this need is sufficient enough to provoke one to notice beauty of life once again. Tuma mentioned that there are rays of hope still available by mentioning a dying lady who is more than willing to take care of nature and protect it. Hence, life has evolved, people even art has shown evolution. It’s just a matter of time when this change becomes acceptable and becomes part of our lives without making us socially ignorant. Part B In my view, anecdote is an interesting way of telling a story and creating main theme by using abstract ideas and symbolization. Detailed analysis of Tuma’s mannerism of telling an anecdote helped me in understanding that in order to tell a story, one does not need to be straight forward. One has to leave an element of surprise and let the reader think and get indulge in the story. Similarly, events defined should be interwoven effectively and whole fabrication must follow a logical pattern. However, the element of surprise must not be aggressive that readers find it hard to relate to anything that they are aware of. Simple example can be Tuma’s anecdote called ‘Shooting the Air’. When he began, the readers had no clue what he is about to talk about and this was... Anecdote is an interesting way of telling a story and creating main theme by using abstract ideas and symbolization. Detailed analysis of Tuma’s mannerism of telling an anecdote helped me in understanding that in order to tell a story, one does not need to be straight forward. One has to leave an element of surprise and let the reader think and get indulge in the story. Similarly, events defined should be interwoven effectively and whole fabrication must follow a logical pattern. However, the element of surprise must not be aggressive that readers find it hard to relate to anything that they are aware of. Simple example can be Tuma’s anecdote called ‘Shooting the Air’. When he began, the readers had no clue what he is about to talk about and this was precisely the gist of his writing, ignorance towards society and art. He began with simple cluster of unrelated event and went onto explanation of a dead man followed by Iraq war and Americans’ indiffere nce attitude towards government policies. By explaining series of unrelated events, he continued to demonstrate how art has evolved over the period of time; it is abstract with a certain degree of humility. Hence, reader continues to ponder what element he will discuss in the next paragraph. An anecdote has to have a degree of spontaneity and surprise in it which is what Tuma’s writing is all about.

Service encounter journal and analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Service encounter journal and analysis - Essay Example The paper throws light on strategic marketing as the process of analyzing the way a company can achieve the satisfaction of its customers and thus, enlarge its profits. Strategic planning is of huge significance to any organization and is fundamentally directed from the top management. It is governed by several principles that include but are not limited to understanding the requirements of customers, setting clear objectives and delivering value. In order to gain competitive advantage, it is imperative that a company determines the sources of its products’ demand and draw a clear competitive landscape whereby the customers want its products more than its competitors in the market. In order to achieve this, the company should divide customers into individual segments and look out for techniques to gain their consent and satisfaction. This is a very challenging task as the needs of different segments call for different marketing mixes. One of the most important principles of st rategic marketing is the establishment of clear objectives of the company in terms of its position in the market. Market share is a key variable for this principle because a company keeps its prices higher and its long-term position in the market is stronger when it dominates in a specific segment of consumers. In addition to satisfying the individualistic needs of consumer segments and gaining increased share in the market, it is equally necessary for a company to add value to its product. This provides a company with a strong foundation upon which it can build its strategic marketing planning. ... found that application of TOC in the work resulted in the reduction of cycle times by 65 per cent, inventory levels by 49 per cent and lead times by 70 per cent. With this reduction in the respective times, companies successfully managed to deliver the customers their products on time. Their performance in the delivery dates upon application of the TOC was improved by 44 per cent. Application of TOC was also profitable for the companies in terms of revenue as it increased the profit by 76 per cent. I know some of the most renowned companies that are currently offering the worst customer services around. Good customer services can provide these companies with great competitive advantage particularly in these years of financial crisis when there are more companies than ever before in the market to produce the same goods or services along with equally increased expectations of the consumers (Milakovich, 2003, p. 62). Unfortunately, not many gurus have realized this simple formula to suc cess. In this paper, I have discussed my five experiences with different companies in which, I have been given a poor customer service. Some of the companies I shall discuss are very famous and my complaint might sound inconsistent with the quality of service generally given by these companies, but I am writing what happened to me anyway! May be I am a bit too particular about what good customer services mean†¦ I had a slight problem in the working of my laptop few months back. I took it to the Apple Genius Bar for checking. I can understand that these bars are very busy and have a lot of work to do. I was not the only one to have taken my laptop to them. They have hundreds of customers coming to them on daily basis for the same reason. So it would have been quite acceptable to me had the

Unilab Vitastat Essay Example for Free

Unilab Vitastat Essay Also, On top of the usual sampling and detailing conducted by the sales team, product symposia( such as speaking on the merits of Vidastat to a large group of doctors) were held simultaneously in all big hospitals to communicate the low price of the product to target doctors. Roundtable discussions were conducted and promotional materials such as product brochures and Rx pads were given to doctors, which resulted in increased prescriptions of Vidastat E. Management Capabilities – They have a dedicated management wherein they have this mind-set to be on top of the game. They have already come up with low-priced products that made them expand their market. F. Core Competencies Product – they have released equal quality products to Zocor that made Unilab competitive, these products were priced lower than Zocor which gave the patients an advantage, and this would help their patients adhere to their medication regimen. G. External forces Technology- Technology is very vital in manufacturing. Since the company needs to maintain the quality of the products they need to be efficient in the operation. Socio-Cultural aspect made Unilab successful, through its â€Å"Bayanihan† (a Filipino term which refers to people working together to achieve a partifuclar goal) they have lived and survived by that philosophy II. Problem Statement Due to the continuing economic conditions where things are expensive and no more room for price penetration, its viable concern is sustaining its financial needs in the long run. Also, the bases of their prices are its competitors. Also, the products that Unilab offers are of the same products that can be offered by the competitors. Evidence of the problem * Vidastat’s price was set 50 percent lower to penetrate and grab market’s share form Zocor. * Simvastatin when taken can reduce cholesterol level the competitors has â€Å"fish oil† which are â€Å"natural anti-cholesterol agent† III OBJECTIVES * To be able to sustain its financial needs * To be able to give the doctors enough satisfaction for them not to shift and patronize the competitors product * To be able to create innovative products. To be able to maintain the companys market by product offerings III. Alternative Courses of Action . Market penetration a) Intensify research and development of technology to be able to generate idea’s that would make Unilab a brand of innovation b) Improve the company’s reputation by increasing its quality but still having the same price c) To strengthen its promotional efforts in their chosen market and make information more available through more symposiums and sponsorships during popular conventions in the field of medicine d) Give freebies or discounts to those doctors who patronizes the product e) Increase production to decrease cost . Market Development. Develop a product that caters an individual’s need b) Create a product that would create technological advances ( soon let there be a cure for those diseases that presently cannot be cured ) 4. Related Diversification Strategy a) Come up with an extended line of products that is still related to medicine such as skin whitening and height enhancer V. Recommendations Based on the gathered facts, I would strongly recommend Market Penetration this is for them to keep and maintain or even widen their potential markets. Product Development should be implemented constantly to enable the company to attain competitive advantage and improve the line every so often. The Extended line is applicable to those patrons, the lien will satisfy their needs and wants.

Activities in a Childcare at Home Setting

Activities in a Childcare at Home Setting IDENTIFY THE CORRECT DOCUMENT REQUIRED FOR CHILDCARE  IN A HOME SETTING The correct document for setting up a Child Minding Business, which will receive approval  from OFSTED, (an Independent Regulatory Body) for schools includes; 1) Child Record Form : This form must contain the Child’s Name, Date of Birth, the parent/carers’  Address and contact details, the Doctor’s name and address, details of two emergency contacts,  Medical history, Immunisations (DTP, Whooping Cough, MMR, Hib, Chickenpox), any allergies,  Dietary, Medical conditions, Religion (if any). This Record Form provides important  information about the child being cared for and will be the first form to be accesses in case of  emergency. 2) Child Information Record Form: This book is to write down in information required by OFSTED.  The document contains daily reports about the child being cared for. This includes: food eaten,  Nappies changed (if necessary) or anything that happens to the child during the day. This  Information book can be A4 or A5 binding exercise book. It must be taken home every day  or weekly by the parent so that they will be aware of what their child is learning or doing in  the Care setting. This book also enables the parent and the Child Care Provider to communicate  every day on matters that are not urgent. 3) Child Care Agreement Form: This form contains the contract agreement between the Parent  and the Care Provide. The agreement form contain necessary information such as child’s contact  details, parent/guardian information, starting date, Days and hours the child will attend the  Care Setting, collection time, payment and fees paid to the Care Provider. This form can be  purchased through the National Association of Child Minders (NCMA). This association can  also provide Legal issues if there is any. The form contains what the parent is agreeing on. 4) Accident Record and Incident Form: This form provides full report of any accident that  have occurred, where it happened, name of any person present at the time and the type  assistance or First Aid given to the child (if any). Also, the form must include date, name  and signature of the person who filled the form. There is also a section in the form that  the Parent of the Child must sign to confirm that they are aware of the accident.  A duplicate copy should be made in case the parent needs a copy. The Incident form is to  write down what may happen after the accident. Like depression or upsetting the child. 5) Existing Injuries Form: This form is to document what happened before the chid  started the Child Care setting. Any mark or injury found on the child, must be written down  on this form before the parent drop the child. The parent and the Care provider must sign  the form that they are aware of the injury. The form must be dated. 6) Fire Safety Form: In case of fire outbreak in a Child Care Home, this form is needed to  write down details of how the children are evacuated. The children must be given  training or fire drilling from time to time. Dates and numbers of children that participate  in this drilling must be documented in this form. All this activities must be dated and  signed. Local Fire Service can also carry out free safety checks. 7) Vehicle Records and Parent Permission for a Child to Travel in a Vehicle:  This form is used to record information about the vehicle being used to  transport children to trips in the Care setting. The vehicle must be registered for the purpose of driving the children around and must be insured. Parents must  give consent before the children can travel in the vehicle. This trip can be organised  regularly to a park, playgroup or a planned group outing. 8) Prescription and Non-Prescription Medical Record Form:  This is a medical form that is needed to be filled, when drugs is giving to a child in  a Home care setting. The form must include Name of drug, dose and how often  the drug should be given to the child. The parent of the child must give permission  on how the drug should be given, and must be recorded on the form. Non-prescription  drugs like Paracetamol or antihistamine must also be given with the parent’s permission. 9) Outing and Consent Form ; These forms are in two types, One for writing small  Trips and the 2nd for arranged large trips. The form contains what types of trip,  type of transport, by foot, by the Carer’s Car, or the Child Carer’s Car. A consent letter  must be written and signed by the parent before the trip and filed in the child’s file.  Another form may also be needed for big outings, or financial contribution. 10) Financial Forms – This contains Record of Payment of Fees, Invoice and Receipt .  There are 3 types of financial forms for recording fees paid into Home Care  Setting. The form is use for payment of fees and record fees paid by the parent, it must  be signed by both parent and the Care Provider. A tear-off-slip can be used as a receipt  to the parent. This receipt is necessary in case of disputes or when purchasing educational  products from the Child Care Provider. Also, the original Invoice is necessary. It contains the  Child Carer Provider’s Name and Address, Invoice Number, Date, Description of goods being  Invoiced for and total amount paid. 11) Record of Complaint: This form contains who made a complain, the nature of complain, incident date, full details of complain, how it was dealt with and action taken. The form should be signed and dated by the Child provider. This is necessary in-case of future reference or required  by OFSTED, especially if the allegation is serious or is an abuse.   DESCRIBE THE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE USED TO STIMULATE A CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT.   (REFERENCE MADE TO PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR BOTH BABIES (0-12months) AND CHILDREN (1-5years) The following are skills that can aid a child’s development; GROSS MOTOR SKILLS: This term mean a whole range of physical movements made by a Child or Baby like Crawling, Rolling, Walking and Skipping. Play is very essential for a child’s development. Throwing or catching a ball, Riding a Bicycle and Hopscotch helps for develop a child’s growt. FINE MOTOR SKILLS: This skill involves the control of muscle movements like, Fastening Clothing,  writing, drawing, using a knife/ Fork and using Scissors. It makes a child to use all their movements  to do all this activities in the Child Care setting. Multi-sensory Toys are also part of this skill to  develop baby’s sense. These Toys can be used by baby’s from 9 months, when they can be able to  pick up and grasp an object. Some Toys can be squeezed to make noise, some soft fruits like Banana or sticks of soft Bread can be given to the child to eat. They are good for baby’s hand and  Eye co-ordination. From 12 months old, a baby loves dropping toys from their Cot. Babies like bright colours  and the noises of dropping toys into a sorter. By this, Fine Motor Skills are developed. From 24 months, this Fine Motor Skills activities changes, a dressing up box is now needed in the  Home Care, were colourful dresses, buttons and zips are stored. This is because, dressing and  undressing are favourite pastime for many baby’s and the dressing up box encourages them to  Be creative. Also, Painting, drawing and colouring are good ways of developing children skills,  especially colouring books. Water is also a good way of fine motor skill, with children playing  with water in warm weather outside the Care Setting. INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT: Babies – There are many Multi-Sensory baby books which are good  for the development of a child’s knowledge. These books have pictures, and are made of Mirrors,  Crinkly fabric and Sandpaper’s attached to them. Babies like to touch them when reading  Stories. Also, Music, Singing and Colourful, Noisy Toys are good for a child’s development. TODDLERS: Toddler’s loves Card games like Flash Cards, Board games like Dominoes, ‘Connect 4’  Which are popular games that are good for numeracy skills. They also have enquiring mind which  makes them ask questions about their surroundings and what they learn daily in the Care setting. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Play is a good way in developing social skills on children in a safe environment. Children can act different type of rolls like, a Post Office, were children talk to customers and staff behind the counter. Or Hospital setting, were they act as Doctors and patients. All these rolls have different cloths that the children can put on, and can be stored after used. WRITE A DRAFT FOOD HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY THAT CAN BE USED IN HOME CHILD CARE  SETTING, AND EXPLANATION OF GOVERNMENT STANDARDS 6 AND 7 SHOULD BE INCLUDED. In a Home setting, Government have 14 standards that a Child Provider requires. Two of this  are Safety and Health. SAFETY: Every registered Home Care setting must make safety inside and outside a very important  part of the setting. This is to prevent accident in the home. Government Standard 6 Policy must be considered by the Care Provider to promote Safety  outside, Safety in the Home environment and to prevent accidents. This safety standard  includes, safety and security outside and indoors, Gardens, Out building, Kitchen, Gas/Electricity,  Fire safety, outings and transport. Also, the Care Provider should make sure that Plugs are blocked  with plastic safety plugs, child Car seats are fitted properly, all straps are fitted, Stairs must have  gates if required, and Toys must be clean and checked regularly. HEALTH: In a Home Setting, healthy environment is necessary to prevent the spread of infection and in-case a child is ill, necessary measures must be taken. Government standard 7 Policy is concerned  with health and hygiene of children in and outside a Care setting. This standard deals with Hygiene, Sandpits, Animals, Medicine, Handling of food, Sick children, First Aid and Smoking. Children can  contract infectious bacteria from Sandpits, Animals and Sick children in the Care setting, and this can be dangerous for them. Therefore, it is important to remove any person, structure or animal that  is contaminated by bacteria, in-order not to cause harm to a child or adult working in the Care  Setting. It is also important that strict food hygiene in the Care setting is necessary to prevent contamination. CONSTUCT A TRAVEL PLAN WHICH DISCUSES THE VARIOUS FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN  INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN CARRING OUT A VISIT AWAY FROM THE CHILD CARE SETTING Plans to take into consideration when taking children to trips to new destinations includes; WALKING: The Child Care must have a suitable Pushchairs, Reigns, Reflective Tabards to know how many children are walking with them. All the children must be taught Road Safety, that is, how to cross the Road. Adults must accompany the children walking for this planned trip. Emergency equipment like, Contact details, Mobile Phone, First Aid Kit or any Medication a child may need for the trip. BY TRANSPORT: Permission must be taken from the parent before travelling on public transport. The type of transport used must be known by the parent. In-case the children are travelling by Bus or Train, make sure that they wait safely at the Bus stop or at the Train Station before the Transport arrive. -Number of children travelling by public transport and those travelling by car or  a staffs registered Car must be known. Children travelling during rush hour must be old enough to stand. TRAVELLING BY CAR: The Car being used must be insured for business purpose. Written permission from parent must be taken. The Car must have enough sit. The Car must have enough fuel in the tank. The Car must have a First Aid Kit and necessary medicines. All the children travelling must be safe to travel with sit belt. The Care Provider must have a Breakdown Insurance Cover and Mobile Phone to use in-case of emergency. It is important to carry out a Risk Assessment when going on a trip for the first time. The Risk Assessment form contains anything that is dangerous to a child’s health, safety or in-case of any danger they may encounter on the trip. The trip can be postponed or avoided, depending on the result of this Risk Assessment.