Competition in the Australian market for groceries

The price increase of commodities, especially of basic necessities such as groceries is a matter of concern for members of the public. In recent years, sustained criticisms have been leveled against the Australian retail grocery sector because of rising prices of goods.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Competition in the Australian market for groceries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Various reasons have been advanced to explain the reason why the sector has been experiencing the problem over the past couple of years.  Questions have been raised about the role that competition plays in determining prices in the Australian grocery market. A study commissioned by the Australian competition and consumer commission, (A.C.C.C) estimated that two stores; Coles and Woolworths accounted for about 70% of package grocery sales and nearly half of all the fresh food products that were sold in Australia. To comprehensively analyze the groceries market in Australia, it would be useful to apply microeconomic principles. The Concept of Perfect Competition In understanding the concept of Competition in the Australian market for groceries, a critical factor to consider is whether the market is perfectly competitive. A perfectly or purely competitive market is a phrase that is used in reference to a condition or situation where consumers and producers are too many and too small to have the ability to significantly alter the price of goods or services (Machovec, 1995 p3). Essentially it is a state wherein, the buyers or sellers cannot initiate any measure of individual control in determining the prices of goods and services. (Dewar, 2010 p.71-72). A perfectly competitive market is further characterized by having large numbers of producers and consumers who are free to enter and leave the market at will and who all have equal awareness and access to information about the prices, volume, availability and quali ty of goods and services that are being traded (Baumol Blinder, 2007 p.201). Moreover, the perfectly competitive market is distinguished by the fact that the goods or services being traded are homogeneous in nature and thus, it is possible to substitute one product or service for another.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The situation is also characterized by the presence of a complete mobility for the resources that are used in production. It is important to note that the perfectly or purely competitive market exists only as a theoretical framework or model and is impossible for it to be applied in reality (Goldberg, 2000, p.84-87). This description of the perfectly competitive market model makes it abundantly clear that the Australian retail grocery market is not a perfectly competitive market (justfood.com, 2009). This is because; although there is homogeneity in terms of the products being traded and a large consumer base, the market does not conform to the determining characteristics of the perfect competition model. An integral hallmark of the perfectly competitive market model is the fact that it is made up of a large number of buyers and sellers who do not have the individual ability to initiate any measure of control over the prices of commodities and services (Dewar, 2010 p.108). This is not the case in the Australian retail grocery market sector. In an inquiry commissioned by the Australian competition and consumer commission, (A.C.C.C) to determine the competitiveness of the retail grocery prices, it was revealed that the market was dominated by two retail grocery stores; Coles and Woolworths. The statistics indicate that these two stores had a substantial share of the retail grocery market, amounting to about 50% of the fresh food products and nearly 70% of the packaged food sales that were sold in the country. (accc.gov.au, 2008). This im plies that these two stores have virtually cornered the retail grocery market and consequently are in a prime position to determine the retail grocery prices. This is a fundamental deviation from the perfect competition model that is characterized by the fact that no individual buyers or sellers have the capacity to individually affect the prices of goods and services. The Australian retail grocery sector is not a perfectly competitive market because Woolworths and Coles, the largest players in the market have an advantage in terms of getting advance information and awareness about the prices, quality and availability of goods from their suppliers (wotnews.com, 2007). The two organizations enjoy this advantage because they are the largest market for the suppliers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Competition in the Australian market for groceries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is an advantage that is not e njoyed by other smaller players in the industry. This is in direct contrast to the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market that, according to Goldberg (2000), is characterized by equal awareness to information about the prices, volume, availability and quality of goods and services that are being traded. The fact that the Australian grocery market is not a perfectly competitive market has significant implications for the consumer. In recent years, consumers in Australia have been suffering from the adverse effects of rising grocery prices. This problem has been attributed to the fact that the market has been dominated by Woolworths and Coles, both of which have been criticized for setting high commodity prices and systematically increasing those already high prices. This situation has negative implications on the consumers and urgent intervention is required. Workable Competition Economic theorists have reached the consensus that the concept of perfect competition has nume rous shortcomings and limitations in the determination of public policy. In reaction to this, the alternative theory of workable competition was formulated. The workable competition, also known as the effective competition model was proposed in 1940 by J.M. Clark, a prominent economic theorist. The model is used in reference to a state of affairs that is characterized by the existence of a monopolistic power that exerts a significantly high measure of control over the market; however, the effects of this control are mitigated by the existence of adequate competition that is provided by near-monopolies. This has the effect of protecting the consumers from the effects of a monopolistic system. (Ferguson, 2008 p.78-80). The application of the workable competition model would be more relevant to the Australian retail grocery market because the perfect competition model has been shown to be ineffective in the market. The workable or effective competition model is geared towards protectin g the consumers from the effects of monopolistic practices. (Masters, 1955 p.37).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The domination of the grocery market by Coles and Woolworths implies that these two stores are enjoying what has been described as a duopoly of the market. In recognition of this fact, the workable model that is characterized by the presence of near monopolies that are meant to protect the interests of the consumers would be highly relevant (Ferguson, 2008 p.87). A comprehensive assessment of the Australian retail grocery market reveals that effective or workable competition does not exists in the sector. To justify this contention, it would be useful to examine the presence or absence of several indicators. According to Barthwal (2000) any given industry is said to be workably competitive if it has a number of companies that are selling or providing similar or closely related goods and services and that these companies are not in collusion with each other. Critical examination of the pricing trends adopted by both Woolworths and Coles reveals a level of complicity, especially in pr ice increases. Barthwal further contends that a workably competitive industry is characterized by the fact that the average cost-curve that will be applied to a new investor in the sector will not be significantly higher than that applied to an established company. The situation in the Australian retail grocery market is such that, new investors in the sector have a considerably higher average cost curve than that of established companies, notably, Woolworths and Coles This is because, the two companies have sufficient scale to leverage the costs of supplies. These factors serve to comprehensively justify the contention that the Australian retail grocery market does not conform to the workable competition model. Vertical Integration Retail stores are an integral component of the economy of any given country. Retail stores have the essential function of acting as the link between the manufactures and the consumers of products. The retail stores also have the important functions of ad ding value to products before they are sold to the public and offering the producers a means of selling their products directly and effectively to the public. Research indicates that a majority of profitable retail stores are vertically integrated. Vertical Integration is a micro-economic principle that is used in reference to a situation whereby all the supply chains, production processes, marketing initiatives and all other processes that are involved in the functioning of a company and organization are controlled by a single management or administrative body. Vertical integration stands for procedures in which all steps involved in the contraption and distribution of goods fall under the control of a single firm in order to increase dominance of its market area (Parker, 2007 p.18-20). Vertical integration can be further distinguished into forward and backward integration. Backward integration occurs when a company establishes control or ownership of the suppliers of its products (Vincent, Grantham,1997 p. 315). On the other hand, forward integration is where a company establishes control over the distribution of its products.(Ibid 317) These measures are instituted in an attempt to minimize dependency on distributors and suppliers and also to minimize expenses. Vertical integration is the management style that is the direct opposite of horizontal integration. Horizontal integration is the management principle that is distinguished by the fact that the various processes that are applied in the functioning of a business, company, organization or any other entity are controlled by a multiplicity of functionaries. (Hill Jones, 2010, p.228). Horizontal management also focuses on the expansion of a business at a similar position in the supply chan. In reference to the retail grocery business, the horizontally integrated retail store may sell groceries in addition to a wide selection of non-food items in an attempt to increase profitability. (Miler, 2010 p.12-17) Vertical integration is widely applied in the retail sector because it has several advantages. Vertical integration has the benefit of reducing logistical costs and fostering efficiency in the supply chain. (Grant 2005, p.393) The principle also has the advantage of restricting or limiting the entry of potential competitors into the market by means of having the sole access to a supplier. Vertical integration also ensures efficient supply and distribution of goods. However, the biggest advantage of vertical integration is increases in the profit margin. However, the principle is also associated with a number of disadvantages. Among these is the fact that vertical integration implies the lack of supplier competition and consequently higher costs. Another drawback that is associated with the principle is lack of flexibility and decreased capacity to increase the diversity of products on offer. Furthermore, the fact that vertical integration requires the acquisition of new departments for supply and distribution may lead to increases in the bureaucratic costs. (Parker, 2007 p.27-30) Vertical integration has adverse effects on the competitors in the grocer retail market. This is because, vertical integration enables an established company in the market to limit or restrict the entry of competitors into the market. This is because; the established vertically integrated company may have the sole access to a particular supplier. This is especially problematic in the case of scarce commodities. (Parker, 2007 p.33). To illustrate this fact, the supply of groceries such as gourmet food products for example truffles and caviar is practically impossible for new entrants into the grocery retail market in Australia. The supply problems eventually led some retail grocery stores to be forced out of business. The vertical integration also extended to the fact that Woolworths and Coles had a clause in their lease that restricted the smaller stores from being set up in the same shopping mall (theage.com.au, 2009). However, eventually, this practice was discontinued. In summation, vertical integration has negative impact on competitors. That being said, the most successful strategy for an entrant into the grocery retail business in Australia is the adoption of horizontal integration. Despite the fact that most retail businesses have adopted the vertical integration model, this model would not be well suited for a new entrant into the market, it is best applied by the established companies like Coles and Woolworths. The business should focus on diversification. Offering groceries for sale can be accompanied by venturing into non-food items such as magazines and cosmetics. This is the best strategy to compete in a market that is virtually a duopoly. Payoff Matrix To illustrate the contention that horizontal integration would be the orientation that would be best suited for a new entrant in the Australian grocery retail market, it would be useful to construct a payoff matrix. Adoption of Vertical Integration Adoption of Horizontal Integration Advantages Increased Profitability Efficiency in the supply chain Efficiency in product distribution Product diversity Competition among suppliers Concentration on the company’s core business Disadvantages Limited suppliers Higher logistical costs Higher bureaucratic costs Lack of flexibility Lack of product diversity Decreased profitability Dependency on external suppliers Inefficiency in distribution The payoff matrix reveals that both vertical and horizontal integration have advantages and disadvantages. However, the horizontal integration orientation would be the best option that would enable a new entrant in the Australian grocery retail sector to be successful References Accc.gov. au. (2008). Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Inquiry into the competitiveness of retail prices for standard Groceries. Web. Barthwal, R. R. (2000). Industrial Economics: An Introduct ory Text Book. India. New Age International Publishing. p.87-88. Baumol, W. J. Blinder, A. S. (2007).  Microeconomics: Principles and Policy.  U.K. Thomson Corporations Inc p.201. Dewar, D. M. (2010).  Essentials of Health Economics. MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers LLC p. 71-72. Ferguson, C. E. (2008).   A macroeconomic theory of workable competition.  California. Duke University Press, p.78-79. Goldberg, K. (2000).  An introduction to the market system: California. M. E Sharpe Inc p.84-87. Grant, R. M. (2005).  Contemporary strategy analysis. MA: Blackwell publishing Inc. p.393. Hill, C. Jones, G. (2010).  Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated  Approach. U.S.A.: Cengage Learning Inc p.228. Just food. (2009). Australian Retail Grocery Market Case Study: challenging the  dominance of Coles and Woolworths. Web. Machovec, F. M. (1995).  Perfect competition and the transformation of economics.  NY: Routledge Publishers. Masters, R. D. (1955).  Workabl e competition: a case study of the relationship  between economic analysis and public policy. MA: Harvard University Press p.3. Miller, F. Vandome, A. F. McBrewster, D. (2010). Horizontal Integration. Canada: Alphascript Publishing, p.12-14. Parker, R. C. (2007).  Vertical integration by grocery retailers: a market structures  Analysis. Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin – Madison Press p.18-20. Theage.com.au. (2009).  Coles and Woolworths duopoly to be shelved.  Web. Vincent, T. L. Grantham, W. J. (1997). Vertical integration by grocery  retailers: a market structure analysis. Canada: John Wiley sons inc. p.315-316. Wot- news. (2011). Woolworths and Coles. Web. This essay on Competition in the Australian market for groceries was written and submitted by user Joslyn Carver to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

buy custom Disabled Students and Education in the U.S.A essay

buy custom Disabled Students and Education in the U.S.A essay Disability is a term that is used to refer to a set of conditions which may be medical, physiological or emotional/psychological which affect the day to day functioning of a person, rendering unable to function at optimum capacity in the various spheres of their lives. Education is one of these spheres of a persons life that may be affected by disability. However, disability should not be looked on as a complete failure of the disabled individuals to fit in an integrate into the society, but as merely a setback that can be mitigated by making available facilities, policies and guidelines that make the integration process of disabled students simpler. Indeed, disability is not an indicator of a persons inability, but a case of lacking opportunities which would make the individual as productive as any other member of society. More often than not, disabled people are generally looked down upon and thus afforded fewer opportunities to prove their worth to society. A study conducted by Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics concluded that the handicapped are only afforded about 39% of the nations total working force, and the bias is especially pointed against those with major disabilities such as total sensory deficit such as total blindness or deafness, mental instability or emotional disabilities. Helen Keller (27 June 1880-june 1 1968) was a political activist and author was the first deaf blind person to earn a degree in Bachelor of Arts. Having been rendered deaf blind by a disease she contracted as an infant, Helen Keller was taught to read and write by her instructor Ann Sullivan. Being disabled, Helen Keller was able to achieve a lot more than her disabled peers since she was lucky enough to find continued support for her education, although her own personal effort and initiative no doubt enabled her to rise to her position of fame. She effectively demonstrated that given enough opportunities, disabled people can be as productive as their contemporaries who are not disabled. Education has a crucial role to play in the empowerment and elevation of the disabled, as well as removing the negative stigma that surrounds disabled members of society. Education system in the United States has paid considerable attention to the plight of the disabled students that require an education, and to that effect has outlined various laws and policies that are meant to streamline the integration of the disabled into society. The United States has approached the issue of educating the disabled from two distinct approaches. The first approach involves ensuring that the disabled individuals are not deprived of their right to free education by passing federal laws that safeguard this right. One such federal approach to ensuring education for the disabled is the individuals with disabilities education act (IDEA) that was passed into law in 1990 and reauthorized in 1997. A major amendment of the law was carried out in 2004. IDEA is meant to safeguard the rights of all students who have disabilities, a student being defined as anyone between the ages of 3 to 21 years. IDEA isspending clause legislation, meaning that only participant states will receivefunding for it from the federal government, and they in turn are meant to uphold the act. Currently, all states are participating in the individual with disabilities education act. A cornerstone of the IDEA is the provision of free appropriate public education (FAPE) as well as the provision of educational facilities and services that will raise the level of education of the disabled to be at par or as close as possible to the level of education received by their non-disabled peers. IDEA 2004 proceeded to extend its scope to ensuring that the disabled students can readily integrate into mainstream society after their education, and maintains that one of the goals of the FAPE is to prepare the disabled student for further learning, education opportunities as well as employment and independent living. As of 2006, over 6 million children have benefitted from the special education services being offered through IDEA. IDEA caters for individuals who suffer from 13 specific types of disabilities, including but not limited to mental retardation, hearing handicaps such as deafness, visual impairments such as blindness as well as language and speech impairments, orthopedic challenges, autism, learning impairments and other impairments which necessitates the use of special education as well as other related services .individuals who do not qualify for the services afforded by IDEA may benefit from complementary laws such as the rehabilitation act of 1973 as well as the Americans with disabilities act.(ADA). An important point to note is that as long as a disabled person meets the qualification criteria set to determine eligibility for services provided under IDEA, the service(s) have to be provided by the school even f the student may be in a totally vegetative state and thus unable to benefit fully from the services, under the zero rejection rule that was passed by the court in two landmark cases, namely Parks v. Pavkovic, 753 F.2d 1397 (7th Cir.1985) and Timothy W. v. Rochester School District 875 F.2d 954 (1st Cir. 1989). IDEA works by ensuring that each individual is assessed independently in order to develop an individualized education program (IEP) since different individuals may have different needs, thus making it difficult if not impossible to develop a curriculum that will encompass all disabled students. The IEP is developed with the help of the parents of the disabled individual, regular teachers, educational professionals who are able to determine the implications of the education program as well as representatives from the committee of special education. The individualized education program must take into consideration the integration of the disabled individual into contemporary society, and to this effect, it is meant to operate at the least restrictive environment, which is the environment closest in condition to the environment in which a disabled individuals contemporaries are operating in. the incorporation of the concept of the least restrictive environment is key to the successful im plementation of IDEA. A second approach to providing education for the disabled is implemented at the local and state levels. Whereas the IDEA is a federal government initiative, local governments hhave also come up with legislation which is meant to make the education of disabled individuals easier. These local initiatives receive all their funding from local government, and all controls are exerted from the respective educational departments of the local governments. One of the features for these state initiated approaches is that they may or may not deal directly with disabled students, but by recognizing and addressing some of the problems that face the disabled within a society, the quality of life for disabled individual, including disabled students improves. Such initiatives includes such diverse events such those carried out by the state of Idaho which entailed renaming the various bodies that deal with disabled individuals as well as renaming specific disabilities to reduce bias and negative connotations as well as creating new bodies to deal with disabled individuals needs. the states of Idaho and Oklahoma increased the parking fines associated with handicapped parking spaces, and the funds that are accumulated from fines is used to develop or improve access facilities for the mobility disabled. The state of Kentucky recently introduced the American Sign Language as a foreign language in post-secondary and tertiary level education order to enhance communication between the deaf and other members of society. By making these as well as other seemingly small and insignificant changes to the societys approach to disability, the society at large is enabling more and more disabled individuals to live lives which are meaningful, productive as well as independent. As Helen Keller once said, it is by making these seemingly small and insignificant steps that advocates and policymakers can achieve the great and noble goal through the smaller victories we continue to pursue. In conclusion, disability is defined as merely a lack of opportunity and not necessarily as an inability to live a fulfilling and productive life. Education plays a key role in ensuring that disabled individuals are productive ad fully integrated members of society, as was clearly outlined by the case of Helen Keller. Various approaches have been taken to safeguard the right of disabled individuals to free and meaningful education. One of the major policies that shape way in which the United States approaches the issue of educating the disabled is the individuals with disabilities education act. It is a federal approach to ensuring that disabled individuals receive an education as per their current level of need as outlined by the individual education program which is tailor made for all the disabled students. IDEA has a twofold goal, which is to provide an education to the disabled individuals as well as ensuring their integration into mainstream society as well as readying them for an independent life. IDEA is funded by the federal government, and currently, all states are participating in this education policy. Another approach to educating the disabled is whereby the various states formulate their own education policies in order to cater for the needs of their disabled individuals. As small and insignificant as some of the actions taken by the local governments, they are steps in the right direction. 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Breast cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Breast cancer - Essay Example All these issues of giving importance to early screening, bringing into public the success stories of breast cancer survivors, raising money to help deprived sufferers, etc, etc are being carried out as part of Pink Ribbon breast cancer awareness campaign. This campaign is the subject of the article, Pink Ribbon Fatigue written by Barron H. Lerner, a physician and medical historian, in New York Times. However, the article looks at the negative side of this awareness campaign, by discussing how the Pink Ribbon campaign is not doing enough to solve this public health issue, as there are no major constructive actions or follow-ups. As stated by the author of the article, although the Pink Ribbon campaign has been a â€Å"spectacular success†, particularly in its attempt to bring recognition and importantly funding to the breast cancer cause, sizable sections view there is not much practical steps. â€Å"Pink ribbon paraphernalia saturate shopping malls, billboards, magazines, television and other entertainment venues†¦The pervasiveness of the pink ribbon campaign leads many people to believe that the fight against breast cancer is progressing, when in truth it’s barely begun.† (Lerner). This has led to growing impatience among some critics, who are deriding the â€Å"pink ribbon culture† as just another publicity exercise or marketing gimmick carried out with the aid of pharmaceutical companies, who have vested interests in them. The main grouse of these critics and which is turning breast cancer into a major public health issue, is that, awareness is not translating into actio n to cut down on the number of victims, and also not enough actions are being taken to alleviate the problems of the current sufferers, with wrong or main focus only on the survivors. The National Breast Cancer Coalition, a highly visible activist group based in Washington, D.C. has also taken a swipe at pink culture â€Å"and go beyond awareness into action to end breast cancer.†

Prosopography Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prosopography - Assignment Example They also have a traditional leadership structure, where there is a council of religious leaders, specifically men, who makes decisions on behalf of the entire community. Additionally, this community tends to grow apple trees, cherry together with significant amounts of wheat. Majority of the Druze family tend to grow their own fruits, vegetables and bake their own bread. Druze women traditionally dress in long blue or white dresses with a white headscarf, while their men had abandoned their traditional modes of dressing, specifically the shirwal and grow moustache (Gordon, 12). Their houses are scarcely furnished, with a characteristic low wooden table and thin cushions lined against the walls. Their language has an Egyptian origin; their language can easily be recognized due to the fact that they have a sharp pronunciation of the letter â€Å"q†. Basically, the life of Druze man revolves around his family and attendance of religious meetings on every Thursday night. They hav e a high sense of hospitality in their culture and tend to visit each other in their homes (Gordon, 14). In regard to divorce, it is a rare action among the Druze; however, men may initiate divorce when a wife fails to bear children. Consequently, the Syrian Druze has a unique religion, which can be traced back to Egypt; in most cases, their Druze religion has been disavowed by Muslims (Gordon, 16). The Community had a positive relationship with the Assad regime, basically owing to the fact that Assad managed to seek tremendous support from the minority communities; however, currently the community is torn in between supporting Assad and the Islamist extremists. Some of the Druzes has claimed that Assad failed them by not providing them with weapons to protect themselves from the Jabhat Al-Nusra attacks (Gordon, 22). The Druze of Syria are poorer as compared to other minority communities; this has been attributed to the fact that they have spent many years on war issues rather than

Take a stand for or against the proposition Jakob Nielsen should be Essay

Take a stand for or against the proposition Jakob Nielsen should be empowered to set mandatory usability standards for Internet web pages - Essay Example According to Nielson’s web site user interface usability is higher for intranets than for the internet. The reason for this lies in the intranets usability design and in the fact that an intranet is controlled and a user won’t find themselves at a dead link, or fraudulent site (as can happen on the internet). According to Nielson’s website (useit.com) the internet â€Å"is the interface to a vast amount of information, and so the emphasis must be on usability†. According to Frank Spiller (Spiller, 2004) Jakob Nielson â€Å"promotes best practices, he preaches obedience to his guidelines and when he postulates opinions they are interpreted as instructions". Spiller argues that Nielson may be interpreted wrongly and when translated, from the Danish, meanings get lost or misunderstood. The translations do sound a bit egocentric as Nielson declares that: "In the future, first of all, websites will be designed by my guidelines†. It is here that the argument moves away from usability into the realm of personality and professional ethics problems (Spiller, 2004). Nielson comes across as flamboyant and arrogant. He often cites his work a â€Å"we† but doesn’t mention the others he is working with. His professional ethics have been questioned on some occasions. For example, he charges 35,000 for a half day consulting appearance while claiming that usability is the least expensive way to go (Spiller, 2004). There are many arguments against usability as introduced by Jakob Nielson that include: Who will pilot a new usability program? Who will mandate the standards and ensure compliance? What will happen to those who choose not to follow Nielson’s standards? Will their websites be denied web access? Will those trying to access denied sites be redirected to another web address? Any mandated plan will need to be well thought out. Perhaps Nielson needs to visit the

Tackling Low Level Disruption in the Classroom

Tackling Low Level Disruption in the Classroom Hina Kamal Adham Introduction: It is a harsh fact that emerging numbers of children in the United Kingdom show disrupting, or expressing behaviour (also referred to as antisocial, challenging, defiant, noncompliant, aggressive, and acting-out behaviour), beyond the infrequent negligible incidents typical of most children throughout the usual progression of their development. Such behaviour has become one of the most unyielding concerns in schools (Bullock, Reilly, Donahue, 1983; Evans Evans, 1985; Hranitz Eddowes, 1990).There are implications when schools fail to prepare for behaviour disorders in secondary schools. Emotional behaviour disorder, aggression, defiance and disruption are most common reasons why students dont do well in school. One of the biggest challenges facing the classroom today is the on-going need to address problem behaviour (Calvin, 2010), according to Cowley(2001) one of the most essential characteristics of a good teacher is the ability to manage good behaviour, so that effective learnin g takes place . This vital aspiration can be generated of learning, if we can get children to focus, to have self-discipline, to behave themselves. In this essay I will discuss low level disruptions (LLD) as classified by Capel (2009) . What are the most effective strategies for combatting low level disruption? The YouGov investigations indicate that pupils are theoretically behind up to an hour of education every day in English schools because of this kind of distraction in classrooms. This is comparable to 38 days of learning lost each year. An enormous number of pupils, therefore, are being denied a major amount of valuable learning time. Typical features of this type of behaviour comprise pupils: talking pointlessly or conversing; calling out without authorization; being sluggish to start work or track rules; presenting an absence of esteem for each other and staff; not bringing the correct apparatus; using mobile devices improperly (Ofsted, 2014). According to Bennett (2011) this is anything that slows down the flow of your lesson without actually blowing it out of the water. School X has a very strict behaviour policy and it is maintained throughout the school, and it was proved during observation of high sets classes that pupils were engaged and there were very minor behaviour problems. However, low level disruption was observed in year 9 bottom set class, which was mostly disrupted by three students and followed by other students. This bottom set class is doing Higher GCSE curriculum, which is very challenging for them and with this LLD in the class on constant basis, will not help them to learn and progress. Therefore, I decided to do my research on this class as it is very important to diffuse this LLD for better learning and teaching[M1]. The strategies I have decided to apply in this class are reminding routines and providing starters as soon as they enter the class, moving around the class and providing worksheets during lesson. Research questions and sub questions: What are the most effective strategies for combatting low level disruption? How can reminding the class routines and starters best be used to engage pupils? How worksheets can help to engage pupils? How moving around the classroom can help pupils to remain on task? Focus: The main focus of this essay will be observing low level disruptive behaviour occurring in classrooms and how this has effect on learning also on the teacher. In addition the importance of this observation is to discover the successful strategies that defuse LLD in classrooms and applying to my own teaching and observe how effective those strategies are during my lesson which can be shared to make future decisions based on data collected during this research. A case study will be formed to examine the approaches I can practise to reduce the level of LLD. This case study will involve around using different strategies to diffuse LLD and see which method is most effective diffusing low level disruption. It is clearly shown that teachers use different ways of handling unacceptable behaviours therefore doing a case study at the ways they handle this to sustain good effective lesson will be done. Also, there will be different types of LLD behaviour which will be considered as well. Information will be gathered by creating questionnaires and focus groups with the students. Observation will be based on year 9 set 4 who I will be teaching, to gather a combination of LLD behaviours that occurs. This will take place using each technique in each lesson so that defined data can be collected and then compared. Observations will be taken by same teacher to avoid biased data. This will be collected using a tally chart which will then be transferred to give pictorial demonstration as graphs and bar charts. Research Plan There are many different approaches that can be employed when collecting data. According to Walliman (2010) data is divided into two categories; qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data is grounded on understanding opinion of others, to describe a problem and develop into an approach. Qualitative depends on cautious description of the meaning of words, the progress of concepts and variables and plotting the relationships between these. Concepts such as Peoples judgement, feeling of comfort, emotions, ideas, beliefs etc. can only be described in words. Common data collections used are in-depth interviews, focus groups, literary texts, historical records or observations. Qualitative data rely on human interpretation and evaluation and cannot be objectively measured in a typical way. Checks on consistency and extensiveness of qualitative data can be completed by referring a range of source of data relating to same event, called as triangulation (Walliman, 2010). It is the ins ights rather than statistical perceptions of the world (Bell, 2005). Quantitative research can be measured more precisely because it comprises some form of extent, usually expressed in numbers. Mathematical procedures can be used to analyse the data (Walliman, 2010) and according to Bell (2005) can be used to study the relationship of one set of facts with another. These can be mostly simple such as amounts or percentages or further sophisticated, such as statistical trials or scientific models. Examples of this type of collection are surveys and questionnaires (Walliman,2010). My analysis will be centred on using qualitative and quantitative methodology in order to observe and accumulate data to produce effective conclusion. The investigation will be carried out through the school that I am currently in to observe and gather data for producing the outcomes. The predominant methodology in this research is a blend of case study and action research. Case study surpasses at taking us to knowledge of an intricate matter or object and can spread understanding or add strength to what is previously known through former research. This research is also based on action research, as it is an experiment that if the desirable approach when applied shows any outcome. Action research should be reflected as a way of life in the classroom. As an insightful specialist it can be observed what occurs in the class and then classify a problem that needs to be addressed (Brown, 2015). The key features of action research comprise its combined nature, its open approach to power and teaching in the research practice, and its importance on taking action on a matter. The widespread cooperation between investigators and associates in action research must spread through each phase of investigation, from recognizing the problem to propagating the outcomes (BMJ, 2008). If the conclusions show a change in behaviour in-favour of the research question there is the possibility of offending the current practice of other teachers (Bell and Waters, 2014) Case study will provide useful insightful information about Low level disruption and why it occurs bearing in mind three probable features that may subsidise; beginning of the lesson with class routines reminded and starters; using worksheets in middle of lesson; moving around the class to help students to stay on task. Case studies are advantageous when considering directly at cause and result especially when the investigator has partial control of events that occur during a study (Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2011). After consulting relevant literature, I will then formulate an approach or intervention, which I will carry out in my classroom. Therefore, I will use action research and work with this intervention and I will reflect and reconsider its effectiveness and impact and the cycle can start again. For a practice-based investigation I may go through several sets or complete one set only. The advantage of the action research is that it naturally develops from your teaching pract ice and that it addresses real issues within your classroom. Typical criticism of action researches would be that they are not rigorous or systematic enough. I aim to produce better learning and reduce LLD, based on initial observations by manipulating pupils experiences such as getting on with starter, using worksheets to engage them, moving around the class so that stay on task. To avoid biased results, Mr A will be observing the lesson. The data will be taken in form of tally table where different types of LLD behaviour will be monitored and noted. The different types of LLD include taking, calling out, slow at working, not bringing the right equipment, taping, throwing objects, walking across the room, using mobile devices, giggling or laughing. The data collected during different lessons using different strategies to control LLD, for example data collected when teacher is moving around the class and when teacher is not moving around the class, from this examination it will then be converted into graphical demonstration, analysed and further evaluated and compared to be able to answer the difference that how these strategies are combatting LLD. Although observations can provide you vast amount of data, but many errors can occur during observations, one of the main error can occur due to the presence of observer, students can act differently or observer can be biased, therefore despite the many advantages of the case study procedure, it has limitation mainly due to subjectivity by the researcher therefore I will need to bear in mind this when carrying out the results. Along with the case study, questionnaires will be produced for students to answer. Using this method, I will be able to gather data from their viewpoint on how well they think teacher manages the class especially when LLD behaviours are prompted. This is also to know their point of view that how they feel when these techniques are used in class to diffuse LLD. Questionnaires permits data to be congregated into numerical arrangement as the questions are more inflexible as the respondent can only select from customised set of answers you have given. This procedure is a fast way to gather data and more unbiased; its easy to analyse and they are quick for respondent to answer. However, there are some disadvantages for instance, if people are not interested in the topic they will respond skewing the sample, or they will ignore some questions. When formulating the questions, it is significant to plan them to help answer the research question in mind. Focus group will be generated for the s tudents. Focus groups also called as group discussions an effective and reliable technique for accumulating data. The focussed groups will be used to ask the students questions regarding their own perceptions of LLD, what do they think of strategies used to diffuse LLD, how often LLD occurs in their classroom also how well they think the strategies used can help to concentrate more and do well during lesson. Focus groups are advantageous as it delivers rich information that can highlight issues not previously considered as Wilson (2009) claimed. Therefore, using questionnaires and focus groups it will verify the data collected during observation[M2]. Ethical Considerations It is important to consider ethical consideration, when a research is performed and it requires involvement of people. The ethical considerations implemented are the framework formed by Cohen, Manion and Morrisons (2004). It is ensured in this research that there is enough data to draw into conclusions with evidence. There is no name and identity revealed in this research, which is very important. The purpose and procedures of research have been informed to the teachers and the students, providing them with full details that what is being looked into. Concern was made into how the research would be beneficial for school rather than being risky as all ethical characteristics have been reflected. Additionally the investigation can be favourable to teachers with respect to how to handle LLD in classrooms. Any debatable concerns that may arise will be measured with great thoughtfulness as the research will be unbiased as possible. Every teacher handles LLD using their own strategies, hen ce it is expected some will vary to control and disregard this. Everything will be kept anonymous to avoid insecurity from teachers on their ability of handling LLD. The way this research has been designed and will conduct, very careful though has been taken into account, to keep it as objective as possible[M3]. Outcomes: Figure (1) shows the bar chart of two different lessons of same class started differently, blue bar shows the data collected when class routines were not reminded to class before entering the class and no starter on board, grey bars shows the data collected when students were reminded of class routines and starter was already on board. The systematic observation results are quite evident, and show the relation between the beginnings of two lessons. When no routines were reminded and no starter was on board they were less prepared, they didnt take out books and equipments straight away as they entered the class, they lost concentration and were not ready to learn, therefore low level disruption was triggered straight away as there was no structure in place as compared to the results when students were reminded of clear routines as soon as they entered the class and starter was already on board for them to get started with work. Figure (2) shows the graphical representation of questionnaire results from students during the lesson when no routines were reminded to them while entering the class and no starter was on the board. 21.6% students agreed and strongly agreed that they learned a lot in the lesson, they felt challenged in the lesson, and they worked well in the lesson, however 32% disagreed and strongly disagreed with the above statements. 30% students agreed that they felt distracted during lesson and only 25% students disagreed. 20% of students manage to finish work. Figure (3) shows the graphical representation of the results of questionnaire completed by students. The bar chart shows that 35% of students agreed and strongly agreed that they learned a lot in that lesson, felt challenged and worked well in the lesson and 18% students disagreed with the statements. 12.5% students agreed and 37.5% disagreed that they got distracted in the lesson. Hence if the two results of figure 2 and 3 are analysed and compared, it can be seen clearly how effective reminding routines and displaying starter at the beginning of the class, if the starter is already on the board for students it challenges students energy. Lastly during focussed groups, students answered about how they feel when routines were reminded, their answers matched to the data collected through observations and questionnaires, they felt reminded that they are in the class and they should be ready to do work, similarly they thought when the starter is not on the board they dont feel challenged and focussed as they dont know exactly what to do. Figure (4) shows the mathematical representation of two sets of data collected in two different lessons of same class, blue bars shows the data collected when there was no movement in the class and teacher stood by the board while students were given a task. The systematic data is very clear and shows the difference that how LLD changes when teacher is moving around the class, which show how teachers presence is influential. If teachers remain still at the front of class students can easily get distracted and it can be seen from the bar chart that many students were talking and were off-task. When teachers move around and talk to students about their task, it helps them to remain on task and focussed. Figure (5) shows the graphical representation of the results of questionnaire from students during the lesson when teacher was not moving around the class and was standing at front of the class. 21% of students felt they learned a lot, they felt challenged and they worked well during the lesson. 30% of students felt distracted and 20% disagreed that they felt distracted during lesson. Only 15% of students finished all work and 40% disagreed that they managed to finish their work. Figure (6) shows the graphical representation of questionnaire results during the lesson when teacher was moving around the class to check students work and to help them. 31% students agreed and strongly agreed that they learned a lot, they felt challenged and worked well during this lesson. 20% students felt distracted and 30% disagreed that they felt distracted. 28% students finished all their work and 22% students disagreed that they managed to finish their work during this lesson. The outcomes between two situations can be compared and analysed, there is a difference of 10% of students better learning and less distraction when teacher was moving around the classroom and these results relate to observations taken in figure 4. It shows very clearly that when teacher moves around the classroom, students remain focussed and stay on task and ask questions, teachers spot common mistakes made by students and it helps teachers as well to assess them during this time. Hence it can be evaluated by focus group answers, when teacher is standing at front of the classroom, students dont work and get a chance to talk to their peers, whereas when teacher is moving in the class, they feel focussed and try to get engaged, and added that sometimes they feel shy to ask questions and if the teacher is moving around, its easier for them to ask questions. Figure (7) shows the mathematical representation of the data collected from two lessons of same class, blue bars shows the data when there were no worksheets used between the lesson and grey bars shows the data when worksheets are used in the lesson. It is evident that the LLD is much lower when worksheets are used in the class, especially for low set classes as they get distracted by looking at the board for a longer time, also it causes less anxiety for struggling students, and they feel successful repeating over and over again. When there are no worksheets, sometimes students find it boring and nothing different been done in the class[M4]. Figure (8) shows the results of the questionnaire requested by students to answer after lesson when No worksheets were provided during lesson. The data collected shows that 21.6% students strongly agreed and agreed that they learned a lot, felt challenged, and worked well this lesson; however 28.3% students disagreed and strongly disagreed about these statements. 30% students agreed and strongly agreed that they felt distracted this lesson and 22.5% disagreed and strongly disagreed. 20% students agreed that they finished their work and 30% disagreed that they finished their work. Figure (9) shows the results of questionnaires from students when worksheets were provided to students during the lesson. The graphical representation shows clear results that students learned better when they were provided worksheets during lesson. 32.5% students strongly agreed and agreed that they learned a lot, they felt challenged and they worked well. 22.5% agreed that they felt distracted and 25% disagreed and strongly disagreed that they felt distracted. 30% of students agreed that they finished all their work and 20% students disagreed that they finished their work[M5]. The data between two different situations can be compared and it shows a clear result that only 21.6% students were concentrated during lesson when no worksheets were provided as compared to 32.5% students learned a lot during the lesson when the strategy was applied to diffuse LLD and worksheets were given to students, 22.5% students agreed that they felt distracted during that lesson as compared to 30% students who agreed that they felt distracted during lesson when there were no worksheets provided. This analysis shows that the strategy to diffuse LLD using worksheets is very effective and especially for lower ability sets who gets uninterested and disengaged by the middle of the lesson[M6]. Results of providing worksheets in the class can be triangulated by students focus group feedback, where they responded that it gets boring for them to see the board and copy questions from there, and they lose attentiveness, if worksheets are provided they feel focussed[M7]. Conclusion: The first investigation carried out to diffuse LLD was reminding routines to the class and starter on board or ready for them to hand over, to conclude it is essential to point out the reality showed during a controlled and disciplined approach, shows from all three methodologies by observations(case study), questionnaires and focus group with a group of students that the LLD was massively reduced, as reminding routines fairly worked as it reminded students that they are in a learning environment, same as setting up the starter reduced all sort of LLD, students felt that they managed to [M8]do work well when they are given a direction as soon as they enter the class and they have work from previous lessons as starter, it keeps them enthusiastic about the lesson and focussed. Similarly, second investigation carried out was The effects on learning when teacher moves around the classroom, the results drawn and analysed shows clear and positive outcome of this defined strategy that there was less LLD during the class, quantitative and qualitative both results conclude that it is an effective strategy whereas when the teacher was not moving during the lesson, students were disengaged and LLD was higher, students took advantage that teacher is not looking at their work so they can either talk or remain quiet and stay off-task. It was also proved while I was moving around and checking their books, students were trying to solve questions and focused as they knew teacher is present in the class and checking their progress[M9]. Third investigation carried out was How providing worksheets can help to reduce LLD. At first observations and questionnaires were carried out when no worksheets were provided during lesson and questions were displayed on board, it was quite evident that they got disengaged and lost concentration copying questions from board, it can be the effect of seating of this class too as this class seating is they all sit in one columned desk and they find it difficult to look at the board for 60 minutes. Clear indications from observations, questionnaires result and lastly focus groups shows that student learn better if they receive a worksheet, as they are only focussed on the worksheet and not moving their head around and get distracted[M10]. The strategies applied to diffuse LLD shows clear results in improvement of behaviour, however for each strategy only one lesson was observed due to time constraint, which can give biased results, and students were informed that a research is taking place, and their behaviour could have been altered as defined by Hawthorne effect. Other than this human errors can occur while taking data and topic of lesson can affect these factors too as this is a lower ability class and doing higher GCSE, some topics are challenging and harder for the class to remain focus on. Therefore, the results are inconclusive, as there was no repetition of observations and the conditions of the class was not same throughout[M11]. Ways Forward: This research has proved that to minimize or diffuse LLD in low ability classes: Students should be reminded routines of the class as they enter the class. Students can be anxious when they do not know what is going to happen during the day, students needs to be reminded and explained what are the expectations and what is going to happen during the lesson. Prepare starter and display on board or hand in to students as they enter the class, this is a basic one but it allows teachers to challenge students energy, setting out resources, finding papers and setting up the classroom while students wait only encourages LLD. Move around the classroom while students are given a task, teachers presence is extremely important and powerful. Moving around the class helps students to stay on task and not to get distracted. Talking to them about their task giving them deadlines can help to reduce LLD. Provide worksheets for the lesson, as it helps especially lower ability groups to stay focussed, as students lose concentration easily copying questions from board and lesson becomes boring for them, as moving around their head encourages to see around and talk to their peers rather than concentrating on the task. As discussed in conclusion, to draw more reliable and successful understanding of this research, further investigations have to be supported in the following way. Each strategy used to minimise LLD, would have to be repeated, so that more accurate and wide data can be drawn, so that the degree of accuracy is higher. Students will not act or be conscious about the research and will be more comfortable in the research environment. This study should take place on a wider range and research should be carried out with different year groups and different abilities. Recording a lesson is another way to make data more reliable, as there will be no biased results or human errors involved. The following research can help other teachers and the school, in order to maintain better learning of pupils and minimising LLD[M12]. References: Bullock, L., Rielly, T., Donahue, C. (1983), School violence and what teachers can do about it. Contemporary Education,55(1), 40-43. Colvin, G. (2010) Defusing Disruptive Behaviour in the Classroom, California: SAGE Cowley, S. 2001, Getting the buggers to behave, Continuum, London. Capel, Leask and Turner. (2001). Learning and Teaching in the Secondary School. A companion to School Experience. London. RoutledgeFalmer. Ofsted(2014) Below the radar: low-level disruption in the countrys classrooms ,[Online], Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/379249/Below_20the_20radar_20-_20low-level_20disruption_20in_20the_20country_E2_80_99s_20classrooms.pdf [september,2014] Bennett, T. (2011) Behaviour Low Level Disruption, [online], Available: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storyCode=6087267 [19/12/2013] Walliman, Nicholas. The Basics : Research Methods: The Basics : The Basics (1). Florence, US: Routledge, 2010. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 12 November 2016. Brown, Nicole. (2015)Action research or Case study.[Online],Available: http://www.nicole-brown.co.uk/action-research-or-case-study/ BMJ 2008;337:a567 Bell, J. and Waters, S. (2014). Doing Your Research Project. 6th ed. England: McGraw Hill Education Cohen, L. Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2011). Research Methods In Education. 7th ed. London: Routledge. Lawrence, T(2013). 10 ways to deal with Low Level distruption,[online], Available: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/may/21/classroom-disruption-top-tips [M1]Good to see that you have used sources and you build a good context. This is sufficient but EBI you have focused on some detail here on particular strategies. (i.e. given that starters is a strategy you look at could you have used the lecture where start the lesson before the lesson was considered?) [M2]Good, this part is sourced well, you understand some important methodology concepts and have built a reasonably clear plan. <

st patrick and the druids :: essays research papers

ST. PATRICK & THE DRUIDS OF IRELAND Patrick was a Christian priest whose job it was to convert the population of Ireland to Christianity. The Druids, however, stood in his way. The Druids were very important people in Ireland at that time, and their symbol was the Snake of Wisdom. Druids could be priests of the old religion of Ireland, but there were also much more. One part of the Druid class were the "Bards", whose job it was to remember all of the history of the people, as well as to record current events. Because the Irish Celts did not rely on a written language, everything had to be memorized. Bards were poets and musicians, and used music and poetry to help them remember their history exactly. Because of this, Bards were highly respected members of the Irish society. The Irish believed that history was very important, for if you didn't remember what had happened in the past, you couldn't safely plan for the future. Bards, therefore, held the future of the people in safekeeping. Another important part of the Druidic class were the "Brehons". Brehons were the Judges and the Keepers of the Laws. The Celtic people had a highly complicated society, and with it, a highly developed set of laws. Brehons trained for many years to learn the laws of the people, so that whenever there was a dispute, the Brehon could fairly decide the matter and make peace. The laws were there to make sure that everyone; man, woman, and child, were treated fairly and with respect. Because of the wisdom that the Brehons held, and the knowledge of the laws of the society, they too, like the Bards, were held with much respect. And, of course, there were the Druid Priests. This branch of the Druid set were the keepers of the knowledge of Earth and Spirits. It was their responsibility to learn the Spirit World, in order to keep people and Earth in harmony. Priests performed marriages and "baptisms", they were healers, and psychiatrists. The Priests were the wise grandparents to whom you could go with a problem. They were there to help you solve them, with the help of the Earth and the Spirit World. Into this world of the Irish Celts entered a highly energetic and devoted Christian Priest named Patrick. Because he believed so strongly in the tenets of Christianity, he thought that anyone who was not Christian had to become one in order to be "saved".

Ethical Management Essay

This essay seeks to identify the study of ethical management on a broad scope, and to specifically sieve out the issues which are common within the banking sector. This would include a case study on UBS and ethical problems which UBS have faced. As ethics cannot be divorced entirely from the study of sustainability and corporate social responsibility, this essay will also feature a look at banks, and their decisions which might be been unethical. The Study of Ethical Management While there might be many reasons why unethical behaviour happens, this essay would be looking at three of them in particular: 1) Personal Gain, 2) Strong Organisational Identification, and 3) Personality. . To examine the relationship between organizations and why ethical issues occur within them, we first define the term â€Å"Business† and â€Å"Businessperson†. The book, â€Å"Business Ethics†, written by William(2008), states that a business can represent and range from a start-up venture by some students, to a multinational corporation. Businessperson might be a sole proprietor running a business for themselves, or a CEO responsible for a multinational corporation. To take a broader view, we view the businesspeople under the personal point of view, and couple them with the other individuals who are within the organization. This would allow us to see why unethical behaviour can derive not only from the top management, but from every aspect of the organization. To expound on the individual, we refer to the book written by Schminke(2010), â€Å"Managerial Ethics†, where he identified â€Å"four individual decision-making styles†. The first belongs to an individualist mentality, this mentality ignores the stakeholders. The second mentality is altruistic, where the benefit of others is of the essence. The third group is the pragmatists, and lastly, the idealist, whose decisions are governed by principles and rules. Common Ethical issues faced in the Banking sector 1) Insiders Trading Insider trading, defined by Cornell University Law School, is when company’s stocks or other securities are traded by individuals who have access to undisclosed and confidential information. These individuals are known as insiders. To better comprehend the concerns of insider trading, we refer to the paper by Yulong & Huey-Lian(1998). Two things must first be addressed. First, who do these insiders refer to? Secondly, how is insider trading illegal? By definition from the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission(S. E. C. ), insiders are, â€Å"chairmen, directors, officers, etc. , and principal shareholders with 10 percent or more of their own firm’s common stock†. People in these positions are likely to be able to gain access to the firm’s undisclosed information. However, not all insiders trading are illegal. For example, managers of firms can often purchase its own firm’s stocks to increase their own individual share and voting power within the firm. This train of thought also believes that the more stock of the firm the manager holds, the greater their ownership and thus a higher work morale is derived from it. Insiders are still allowed to purchase its own firm’s stock, if they truly believe that it is a good investment. Insider trading becomes illegal however, when trades are made by insiders with the prior knowledge of an announcement for the investor’s personal gain. When an act as such is committed, insider trading becomes illegal. This action is deemed unethical as it is unfair to investors who do not possess the material information. Other transgressions can include the handling of undisclosed firm’s information from a firm’s insider to a public investor. For a trade to occur under the basis of the privileged information, and for the recipient to have personally gained from the trade, both parties can be charged under the S. E. C. ’s regulation of Fair Disclosure. An example of illegal insider trading within banks can be seen from as recently as January 16, 2014, where David Michael Gutman from J. P. Morgan colluded with Christopher John Tyndall from Meyers Associates. As â€Å"long time close personal friends†, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority(FINRA) discovered that Gutman had shared material, undisclosed information with Tyndall over a span of 19 months. This information included pending corporate mergers and acquisition transactions, which allowed Tyndall to make informed, no-risk trading using personal and family accounts. Quoting from Cameron K. Funkhouser, he said, â€Å"David Gutman had the keys to the kingdom through his position at J. P. Morgan as a gatekeeper.. †, we can see to how unethical behaviour driven by an individual in the position of power, can taint the image of the firm. Enforcements have been put in place to prevent and to deter insiders from carrying out such behaviours. The SEC has instituted new rules, 10b5-1 and 10b5-2 under the code of Federal Regulations, and the enforcement of these regulations being made global just recently in 2013 after the insider trading inquiry regarding the acquisition of H. J. Heinz Company. 2) Profits before Ethics The relationship between business ethics and profits can be complicated at times. Profits values will sometimes conflict with ethical values which will lead to unethical business behaviour in the manager’s bid to raise profits within the firm, consequentially affecting the firm’s stakeholders. Watkins (2011) brings about the argument that for those who ethics concerns, the chase of pecuniary values creates a potential compromise between social ethics and profitable opportunities, a factor that links to the Goldman Rule. The rule states that the greater the profitable opportunities, the higher the opportunity cost for the firm to consider ethical behaviours. This is further described by Weber (2006), as he states that companies are not evaluated on their success based on â€Å"their reputation for ethics†, but on the basis of profitability. It is plausible now to see why banks are driven by a sole concern for profit and to raise the value of their stock. With that in mind, what are some ethical boundaries a bank could trespass upon? As a corporation whose sole objective is to increase profit, they carries the potential turn a blind eye to internal ethics; explained in the book by Reynolds (2011) titled, â€Å"Ethics in Investment Banking†, which defines internal ethics as ethical considerations in regards to their employees’ welfare and the considerations in the use of the shareholder resources. These transgressions can range in forms of overworking employees, to an audit coverage of losses to portray a higher stock market price. As individuals looking for greater profits either for self or the firm, especially under the investment wings of banks, individuals can turn rogue and make unauthorised transactions which goes beyond the risk limits of the banks in hope of a greater profit. Jerome Kerviel’s case in 2008; where even the hierarchy turned a blind eye to his risks due to the profit he was generating, and Nick Leeson’s famous collapse of Barings Bank in 1995 are two such examples. Investments in environmentally harmful industries Environmentally harmful projects have been a major factor against Global Warming Awareness efforts. Such investments are being funnelled by banks who are less ethical in the area of sustainability. There have been numerous campaigns to counter banks from investing into unethical projects, some of which protestors even boycotted such banks. Citigroup the world’s largest project finance bank has been known to grant loans to these projects, which are harming the environment. Citigroup was indirectly related to the Camisea pipeline in Peru which has at least 5 spillages along the pipeline to date. Which not only damages the local ecosystems, but also detrimental to the livelihood of people around the world and threatens the well-being of mankind via climate change (Hogue, 2002). A glimpse of such unethical activities reveals something prevalent. It destroys our natural environment, by means of deforestation and the release of harmful gases from the burning of fossil fuels. However, Citigroup has yet see that their funding of major oil drilling and pipe laying companies not only worsens the global warming situation but also encourages environmental insecurity. Several other big-scale European banks, such as Dutch Bank and ABN Amro, came up with a policy which prevented funding of these industries. According to (ABN Amro’s) sustainability policy, â€Å"limited to financing of companies or projects related to timber, paper, agricultural plantations, mining and/or oil and gas. The bank would consider exceptions only â€Å"when extractions are delicately prepared, and holds responsibility on issues of national forest management. † A positive example of how banks can fund environmentally friendly projects can be seen from analysing the Banking Environment Initiative (BEI), it aims to lead the banking industry in directing bank investments towards environmentally and socially sustainable economic development. The objective of the BEI is to also unravel ways to invest in clean energy and soft commodities. As quoted from (CPSL, online), â€Å"the group, currently comprises of 10 global banking institutions which stretches across Asia to Europe, the United States and Latin America. † The best way of creating a united force amongst them was if they were acting on behalf of their clients. Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has the intention to eliminate deforestation from their supply chain. As such they would prefer to form alliances with banks and work together to counter and ultimately eliminate deforestation. Banks have got to find ways to come up with a significant source of funding to finance the journey to sustainability. 4) False Accounting Frauds False accounting fraud, defined by the United Kingdom’s police, is the practice where a business, works in tandem with an accounting firm to overstate or understate company’s asset or liabilities with the intention of making the business appear financially stronger or healthier than it really is. As there are a multitude of reasons to commit false accounting fraud, we will not be listing all. False accounting allows for a corporation to gain higher credit ratings, report unrealistic profits, and hide losses to appeal to potential shareholders with an inflated share price. Some extraordinary cases which occurred regarding the falsification of accounts are such as the Enron scandal in 2001; where the audit and accountancy firm, Arthur Andersen was involved and convicted of assisting in audit fraud and subsequently dissolved. Enron was declared bankrupt and new laws were instituted to increase the accountability of firms who are auditing to remain independent of the clients whom they audit. Didn’t the code of conduct promise proper handling of UBS’s assets? He first began his illicit deals in late 2008, doing it for personal gains while covering his tracks with false accounting to the back office. This led to the back office being ignorant of the unauthorised trades as the regular books did not show it, instead, the profits were filed into a secret account called his Umbrella. Adoboli’s desk colleagues admitted to being in the know of the secret accounts, and his two bosses did not enquire into the suspicion despite the daily trading maximums being exceeded. This breakdown in corporate beliefs at the managerial level led to the unethical trading arising within the ranks of the department, and it going by unnoticed. While the integrity of the individual must be questioned, the work culture of UBS could be a factor to encourage the individual to behave unethically. Since the incident, UBS has taken a few measures to facilitate the new risk management practices. Firstly, the bank has taken step to refrain from proprietary trading. A bank would engage in proprietary trading as it benefits firms to make extra revenue. However, the disadvantage of engaging in this form of trading is that with high returns, often comes high risks. Conclusion In summary, how ethical management is derived has no hard and fast rule. However, implementations such as a Code of Conduct, or a company policy helps in setting the tone right within an organization. Through the paper, it is seen how ethical dilemmas can arise on an individual level or an organizational level. If one were to follow the many trains of thoughts regarding ethical management, they would get lost in the plethora of unions and activist fighting for ethical beliefs.

Non-Existence of God and Critiques of Religious Belief Essay Example

Non Non-Existence of God and Critiques of Religious Belief Essay Non-Existence of God and Critiques of Religious Belief Essay Essay Topic: Religion a) Durkheim believed that God does not exist, but is an invention of society. By worshiping God, people are really worshipping society. By worshipping society all its members are controlled, as they have the same set of beliefs and values that gives society order and power, and the ability to control everyone. With out these beliefs and values that people have there would be no society. Religion gives people a reason to keep order, and abide by the laws given to them, however these rules are given by society, not God. By believing there is a God and worshipping him, people keep order and abide by the laws that are set down for them. By using religion, the collective conscience is reinforced. Durkheim used Totemism as an example for a society. This society is divided into clans and each member is totally devoted to its clan. Each clan has a totem, a statue that they use to represent each clan. When they worship this, it represents God and society. It is like a flag or an emblem that represents our country. Therefore by worshipping the totem, Durkheim concluded that they are worshipping their God but they are really worshipping their society. However some say that Totemism is not a real religion. The idea that Durkheim portrays is only relevant to smaller, non-literate societies. Therefore they are not relevant to modern societies such as ours and cannot be generalised. Also people do not set out to become part of a society, they believe in the god and then they are brought into the society by their beliefs. Even thought this argument is interesting, it is not a proof. Durkheim has failed in attempting to prove the non-existence of God. Freud suggested later that religious beliefs are nothing more than illusions, fulfilments of the oldest strongest and most insistent wishes of mankind. In foreign societies, people use religion as a sort of protection against their fears, e.g. flood, fire, death etc and religious beliefs help them stay controlled. By worshipping gods they feel they can control the forces. They give them names, so they can talk to them and worship them. This is an attempt to control the rain and the thunder. Therefore Freud suggested that God is an invention of the human mind. Associated with Freud is the Oedipus complex, where sons banded together to attempt to kill their fathers to gain the love of their mothers. They feel guilty and they realise they cannot all succeed their father. By feeling guilt they have the urge to worship an all-powerful father figure, known as God. They also feel love and awe, as well as guilt before this all-powerful God. Freud has suggested we need to rid ourselves of this psychological crutch. And see the world as it really is. There are many rejections of Freuds description of pre-history, which he took from Darwin. Even though the Oedipus complex is interesting it does seem to be the reason for our actions. In relation to this point there is no empirical evidence that this is the case, it is just Freuds interpretation. This again is not a proof, but again interesting. b) Freud presents an interesting argument however it is greatly flawed. First and foremost, it lacks any empirical evidence. So straight away it cannot be a proof as there is no indication that it is a factual theory. However many do agree with Freud when he has made some claims. The Oedipus complex does seem a little too simplistic and many believe that this is not a substantial verification that this is why men behave the way they do. There is no factual evidence that this is the basis for our behaviour. It is just one interpretation of the information. John Hick Has suggested that inadvertently Freud has compiled an argument as evidence for Gods existence with his idea of this all-powerful father figure. It is a possibility that God has wanted to create this idea in the human mind. He wanted us to think of him as an all-powerful father figure. Hick argues that it is not surprising that humans should think of God as being a powerful, loving father figure who has a wonderful relationship with his children. However many have agreed with Freud when he has suggested Religion has the quality of fantasy thinking. So it is our minds that have created this wonderful being. In conclusion The Freudian theory may be true however it has not yet been shown to be so.

The Mystic River Film Review Essay Example

The Mystic River Film Review Essay Example The Drama Mystic River Essay Example The Drama Mystic River Essay Example The drama Mystic River directed by Clint Eastwood is rather serious, tragic, and deeply ambiguous about the lifelong human ties. The film has got two Oscars, numerous positive responses from critics and, to my mind, it is really worth attention. Mystic River depicts the development of three male characters on the back of a tragedy which happens in Boston, 1985. One event, happened in their childhood, has changed all the further decisions of the boys and later men. One of the main reasons which predetermined the further events development was closely connected with the sense of guilt felt by Jimmy and Sean. But finally, this feeling does not appear to be stronger than distrust and suspicions. I believe that only two of the men, Dave and Jimmy, have stayed real friends after all. Though they could feel pity and some guilt for Dave, they were not able to understand deeply what he felt those awful days which he spent captivated by pedophiles. Although three friends grew apart during the last ten years, they still are linked together by the event happened in the past and by the native neighborhood which always reminds about their boyhood. According to Barbara Mennel, the image of the city is quite important in the movie; hence, besides the influence of human upbringing and the wider public behavior on the characters’ formation, it is essential to examine the impact of the peculiarities of Boston neighborhood on the depicted events (15). From the first view Boston, like any other city, is â€Å"a tremendous concentration of buildings, images, and people,† as Georg Simmel would call it (Macionis and Parrillo 170). Nevertheless, people always react on the physical environment of the cities in different ways and, therefore, the image of Boston neighborhood in the film becomes essential. All the events take place in the same dull Irish district of Boston where the main characters, being children, were writing thei r names on the wet concrete of the sidewalk. Two heroes, Dave and Jimmy, have remained living in the same surroundings, and only Sean, who has become a homicide policeman, moved out to another district of Boston. Regardless his move, the murder of a girl makes Sean come back to his native vicinity and reunite with his old friends. Speaking about the urban neighborhood and limited mobility, it is essential to recollect that Lynch discovered such five elements as paths, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks as those which build the image of the cities (Macionis and Parrillo 170). Therefore, it is necessary to highlight that in Mystic River, the heroes do not move to distant places much: even when taking his son to school, going to work, or to the bar, Dave goes on foot, as every point of destination is not far from another. The Charles River can be defined as the major edge which separates the districts of Boston from each other. At the same time, it becomes a symbol of the past wher e Jimmy hides the evidences of his criminal activities. All the residents of the above mentioned neighborhood are different, but this does not prevent them from creating â€Å"gemeinshaft-like relations† (Macionis and Parrillo 184). A tight social network, connecting all the members of the Boston Irish neighborhood, can be traced. There are numerous examples from the film, which can prove it. The first one is the connection between three main heroes Sean, Dave and Jimmy who were friends in childhood and knew each other well. The second one is the fact that the wives of two of these men are cousins. Another one is that a guy who was in love with Katie appeared to be the son of the man, killed by Jimmy. The partner of Sean has heard about Dave because he works in police and knows about the pedophilic case in which he was involved. Finally, two boys who were the murderers of the 19-year-old girl appeared to be her boyfriend’s brother and his friend. The neighborhood ties all these different people together into one social netwo rk where each of them takes his own place. All the characters are different and not obligatory acquainted with each other personally, but strong ties between the urban neighbors are obviously forged. It shows how the city unites all the residents into one big community where finally, the deeds and behavior of one member would influence the life of another. The difference between three main characters can be also observed even regarding their appearance. Sean, who has been quite law-abiding since the very beginning and has left the same, has got the profession of a homicide policeman and always looks neat, wears a suite. His appearance reflects his inner world which tends to do the right things and make the right decisions. Jimmy is also well-groomed and makes him appear as a well-adjusted and successful man, but his tattooed body is the reflection of his criminal life. At the same time, the wind-blown hairstyle of Dave and his clothes only supply to his image of a psychologically volatile person. All the above mentioned descriptions bring the men’s appearance into accordance with their characters. The friends were estranged from each other not when they grew up and one of them left their native neighborhood, but much earlier. It becomes obvious when regarding the behavior of Jimmy who kills his old friend. Finally, he says that he has lost his friend long before the murder when he watched him sitting in the car and going away with two cops in childhood. He was sure that everything would be different if he was the one who was taken away by those men. He could not trust that the kind soul of Dave could be sensitized against the offenders and people of their kind, but not against the young girl Katie. Jimmy, being in prison, became much crueler than Dave who has suffered from pedophiles’ abuse. The mate of Sean was the first who noticed the print of prison on Jimmy. Sean tried to believe into Dave’s innocence and seemed to be his friend longer until he got the evidences making him think that he was a murderer. On the contrary, when it goes about Jimmy, regardless he knew about the money he sent to the families of those men whom he killed, Sean has not betrayed him. The cinematic vision of Boston in Mystic River emphasizes the public spaces, especially the streets (Mennel 20). Through the entire movie, the heroes, who are the Boston inhabitants, are mostly walking along the sidewalks, and all the buildings look alike and dull. Nevertheless, all the pedestrians are on the street for a reason (Macionis and Parrillo 177). For instance, the scene with the boys who were playing hokey in the street can be regarded as a crucial moment of the movie. The street where they played was not crowded, and there were no people to help them. It can also be regarded as a symbol of human’s unconcern about what is happening to others. Another important fact connected with the sidewalks is the concrete with three boys’ names: the names of two boys are written completely, and only a half of the last one is imprinted on the sidewalk. This makes the observers understand that he is different from two others. It is also essential to highlight the importance of communication in the family between the wife and the husband. In Jimmy’s family in comparison to Dave’s one, mutual love and support predominates. Be it any decision of a husband, the wife supports him even when it goes about the murder. In Dave’s family, no loyalty can be observed. Dave’s wife has much suspicions and distrust about him: instead of being kind and supportive, she is eager to help strangers rather than her husband. The fact that Dave was not willing to talk about his feelings and even about what happened with him the evening, when Katie was killed, is one more example of the importance of the communication. Being more sincere and frank with his close people could prevent many negative consequences. The murder of a young girl was considered to be a crime while the murder of Dave was regarded as something inevitable. Jimmy was ready for everything to revenge and to find a murderer of his daughter, and even though he has killed the wrong person, he was â€Å"justified†. He did not feel himself guilty and his wife soothed him as she considered the life of her daughter to be more precious than the life of some weird guy who has had a psychological trauma in his boyhood. Afterwards, not only Jimmy’s wife but almost all the inhabitants thought so. Everything mentioned above proves that there are many factors which influence the person’s character development and, finally, people can never understand the feelings of another person until they feel it themselves. The psychological trauma carried by Dave has influenced not only his personal development, but also the attitude of the society to him. Though common secrets and neighborhood usually unites people, the sense of guilt and the common past can also tear them apart and build a high wall of misunderstanding between them. live CHAT

Power and risk management in organizational context Essay

Power and risk management in organizational context - Essay Example Power according to organization context is defined differently by various scholars. The description by Max Weber (1947) as reported by Lindley (2006); defines Power as the likelihood that a performer within a social relationship will be in a position to do whatever he or she desires despite the resistant. However, Pfeffer (1992) as reported by Walker (2011); defines Power as the potential ability of a person to change the course of occurrence, make people do things that they would rather not do and to overcome resistant. Hatfield & Rapson says that Psychologist Bertram Raven and John French, confirms that power can be classified into five different categories. These grouping may include the Reward power, legitimate power, Expert power, and Coercive power and Referent power.Reward PowerReward power majorly depends on the resources and ability that a person has to reward others (Bertocci, 2009). For it to be effective, the target group must value the reward being offered. When consider ing an organization, managers have many possible rewards. These rewards may include promotion, more responsibility, praise, and recognition. Some may also include pay increment, favorable working assignment, new equipment, and feedback. Even though the managers have the power to implement positive reinforcement, the recipients are the one who holds the key. If the manager does not think that he or she is giving reward through listening, but subordinate sees this as rewarding, then, the manager poses a rewarding power.

The federal budget deficit Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The federal budget deficit - Research Paper Example The US budget picture has evolved through leaps and bounds. The current federal deficit for the government went down by 37% from the previous years pictures. The decline in the fiscal deficit shows improvement in the economy. But is the decline in the deficit figure enough for the economic longevity and prosperity? What factors can help in improving the deficit picture of the country? We will conduct an analysis to comprehend the federal budget deficit situation and find answers to the above questions. The US deficit has not always been in a bad shape with the 19th century showing surplus figures and holding deficits only during wartime. Initially the deficit was very small with numbers peaking in the World War 1 and 2. During the 1960s till the 1990s there can be seen a steady increase in the deficit. The deficit crossed the ten percent GDP barrier owing to the crises that hit the economy in the year 2008. The movement of the federal deficit can be seen from the graph below: (Usgove rnmentspending.com, 2013) Now looking at the deficit scenario one needs to understand the current market implications and the forecasted figures of the federal budget deficit. ‘The federal government took in $680 billion less revenue than it spent, or about 4.1 percent of gross domestic product. In 2012, those numbers were $1.087 trillion and 6.8 percent of GDP. That means the deficit fell a whopping 37 percent in one year.’ (Irwin, 2013) The reason behind the figures for the year 2013 is the increase in the government receipts due to the high payroll taxes that are a result of the increased income. The effect of this is the decrease in expenses is terms of unemployment insurance benefits that decreased with the improving economy. The US economy has cut its fiscal tail in order to achieve the results. But one can argue that the decline in the federal deficit is very rapid. The austerity measures taken by the government has taken a deficit that was 4.5% in the first quar ter of the this fiscal year to a 3% when the figures were published at the year-end. According to many economists the drastic measures by the government cannot improve the economy in the long run. The economy needs to grow at a steady pace keeping all its factors of production in line, leading to a better and positive growth of the country. ‘Goldman's projections indicate that simply allowing the economy to grow will result in significant deficit reduction without painful spending cuts.’ (Carter, 2013) Comparing the US economy with Greece and the like shows that the position of the economy is not alarming but a fixture is required in the near future. The President has laid a budget that does not tackle the federal budget deficit in its entirety; he has set a commission in order to obtain ideas as to bridging the gap between the public revenue and expenditure in a more meaningful manner. The effects of these changes have to be long term. The economy needs more than just an yearly decrease in the federal budget deficits. The decrease in the figure is good but not enough for long-term survival of the economy. The recent shutdown of the government offices show that deep down the picture is not that simple and although the economy has recovered from the downfall and crunch much needs to be done before it is stable in terms of growth and activity. The changes in the US economy are evident with improved standard of living and better job opportunities in the country. But along with the positives