Monday, December 30, 2019

Domestic Violence Has No Gender Essay - 1496 Words

Violence Has No Gender Walking down the street you see a couple that is arguing, you hear hateful words being told to each other, and the argument seems to be escalating quickly. You see the men raise his hand, and punch the women. What do you do? Interfere in the fight, call the cops, or walk away and ignore the situation? Now let us turn the situation around. You are walking down the street, and you see the couple arguing, and the women punches the men. What do you do now? Would you react the same way as if it was the other way around or would you ignore it? Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any kind of relationship that is used by one of the partners to gain control of the other partner. â€Å"Anyone† can be a victim. When you think about victims of domestic violence who is it that comes in mind to you? If we answer honestly it is most likely â€Å"women†. As stated before anyone can be a victim when it comes down to domestic violence. If this is true why is gender equality not taken into consideration when an incident occurs? Gender equality is the state in which rights or opportunities are not affected by gender. If gender is not a problem why do so many laws protect women, but not men? Men have the same rights as women. Therefore, when men are victims, their cases should be treated as if it was a women’s. Let us picture it this way. When looking at a women and men body what do we see? What similarities do we both share? I would say head, nose, mouth, fingers,Show MoreRelatedDomestic Violence ( Dv ) And How It Has Been Portrayed As A Male Gender Issue1286 Words   |  6 Pagesis about Domestic Violence (DV) and how it has been portrayed as a male gender issue through media, govern ment, and leading organisations against DV; both internationally and within Australia. The researchers’ concerns are that DV organisations add fuel to the fire by using shock tactics and manipulated statistics, hoping to gain funding for their feminist causes. The article produces facts and figures from International and Australian surveys that support the fact that Domestic Violence is on theRead MoreGender And Gender Violence1482 Words   |  6 PagesGender-based violence is the unequal power relationships between men and women. It includes rape, sexual assault and harassment, domestic abuse, and stalking. Gender violence reflects the idea that violence is often used to uphold structural gender inequalities. Gender violence includes all types of violence against men, women, children, gay, lesbian, and transgender people. Gender violence may be experienced differently based on the social variables of race, age, gender, social class or anotherRead MoreThe Relationship Betwee n Gender and Domestic Violence1010 Words   |  5 PagesThe Relationship Between Gender and Domestic Violence Summary: This article discusses the relationship between gender and domestic violence. For many reasons, people commonly believe that domestic violence is more likely equal to wife abuse or woman abuse. But this prejudice is erroneous. On the one hand, because of the definition of domestic violence including dating or cohabitation and modern research finds that husbands as well as wives may be victims, domestic violence is not more likely equalRead MoreDomestic Violence Against Indigenous Women947 Words   |  4 Pagesarticle â€Å"Domestic violence against indigenous women is everybody’s problem† domestic violence is depicted as a serious social problem that involves â€Å"unspeakable acts of violence† that leaves victims experiencing fear and despair (Taylor 2014). More specifically, the social construction of domestic violence will be discussed with an emphasis on Aboriginal women and a typology of intimate partner violence. The social construction of domesti c violence has serious implications for victims of domestic abuseRead MoreDomestic Violence Against Women Essay1691 Words   |  7 PagesOrganization defines violence as: â€Å"The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation†. WHO has declared violence against women both a public health problem and a violation of human rights. Violence against women is of many types and has many faces. Also called Gender-based violence, public healthRead MoreDomestic Violence And Foreign Violence1251 Words   |  6 Pages Domestic Violence and Intersectionality Domestic violence, as defined by The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is, â€Å"The willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse. The frequency and severity of domestic violence can vary dramatically, howeverRead MoreThe Violence Against Women Act1498 Words   |  6 PagesElimination of Violence Against Women which called religious and cultural customs an excuse for gender-based violence (Goldscheid, 2008). In the early ‘90s, the Surgeon General referred to domestic violence as a threat to the health of Americans and in a similar move, the American Medical Association created a campaign targeted at ending domestic violence (Eisler, 1992). Taking its first formal stance on the issue, the outcry of the people lead the Unit ed States to pass the Violence Against WomenRead MoreThe Lecture On Domestic Violence Essay1736 Words   |  7 Pagesexplored the changes and influences of the Domestic Protection Act, 1982 and the Domestic Violence Act, 1996. The presentation put emphasis on the law and systems in dealing with domestic violence. Included also in the lecture, was the analysis of protection orders and police interference. Protection orders are in practice for the urgent safety of the victims of domestic violence. They are applied for through the family court with evidence of domestic violence or potential danger (Morden, 2016). TheRead MoreViolence Theory And Gender Role Theory942 Words   |  4 PagesThe violence that surrounds homes can be summarized in the culture of violence theory and gender-role theory. The culture of violence theory looks at the broad acceptance of violence in our society and concludes that its acceptance is the foundation for violence within the family. Gender-role theo ry blames the traditional socialization of children into gender roles. Domestic violence plays a huge part in which parent will have custody of minor children. The culture of violence that is presentedRead MoreFamily Violence And Domestic Violence1405 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Family violence, also known as domestic violence is the disorderly conduct by a person to another person, a family, or a family’s property. It is violence between family members and between people in domestic or intimate relationships. Generally family violence behavior is predicted to be as physical abuse, however there are a wide range of behaviors involved. These behaviors include, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, physical abuse, economical abuse, emotional abuse, social abuse, and spiritual

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Evolution Of Business Report On Human Resource Development

Evolution of Business Report Introduction Human resource is an important aspect of every organization and none can exist without it. Therefore, the human resource department is charged with the role of hiring, training and development as well as payroll management among other staff related activities. The human resource objectives must be aligned with the overall organization’s objectives in order to avoid conflict of interests. Consequently, it is important to develop a strategic plan which encompasses the various factors that are involved in human resource planning and development. This involves innovation in change strategies, management of diversity in technology in the implementation of the human resource role. Apart from the development, it is important to have monitoring and control in order to ensure that a proper foundation is laid out in ensuring long-term profitability of the organization. The Role of Innovation in Executing Change Strategies Innovation in human resource has over the years treated innovation and strategic planning as two distinct elements where strategic planning was dealing with known grounds while innovation was about the unknown and unpredictable factors. However, with the rise of globalization and technological advancement today, the role of innovation is not treated with the traditional perspective. The modern role of innovation is tasked with the improvement of the workplace creativity and enhancing efficiency and effectiveness. InnovationShow MoreRelatedTraining And Development Of An Effective Program Essay1639 Words   |  7 Pagesevolved over time and is likely not meeting the needs of employees and managers. ïÆ'Ëœ Many competing PA theories and practices exist making development of an effective program difficult. However, done well, a strong PA program reinforces organizational culture and helps employees achieve high levels of performance. ïÆ'Ëœ An effective PA program can improve key business measures such as Return on Assets, Return on Equity, profit margins and earnings. ïÆ'Ëœ Every strong PA program has three elements: performanceRead MoreThe Cloud Of Cloud Computing Essay1375 Words   |  6 PagesThe definition of â€Å"Cloud†, also called cloud computing, is an Internet-based computing that storing, accessing and processing data, resources, and programs on a free or pay-for-use basis to computers and other devices. Late in 1990s, the term â€Å"Cloud† was used to present shared resources and data over the Internet between the provider and the end user. History During the 1960s, the initial concepts of time-sharing became popularized. Using virtualization software, such as VMware, it became possibleRead MoreTalent Management Issues Facing International Organizations1161 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Facebook†, since Facebook’s talent managers put together a world-class business case to get funding for all of these features mentioned above. All of these features are designed for allowing employees to do the best work of their life and more uninterrupted time for innovation. Facebook’s talent managers believe that this will upsurge employee and firm impact globally. Furthermore, talent management is a part of Facebook’s business strategy and it is entirely integrated within all of the employee relatedRead MoreManagerial Accounting And The Certified Management1408 Words   |  6 Pagesinability to accurately determine the best course of action can lead to financial ruin for the company. Uninformed decisions by lead ership can derail a business’ prospects for success in the future. Business leaders must understand the differences between managerial and financial accounting, additional information needed for internal purposes, the evolution of managerial accounting, and the Certified Management (CMA) designation. To fully understand the importance of managerial accounting, leaders mustRead MoreHuman Resource Management And Significant Difference Between Administrative And Strategic Functions Of Hr1382 Words   |  6 PagesHuman resource management has evolved a great deal since its beginnings. It began as primarily clerical operation in large companies concerned with payroll and employee record. This paper will discuss the evolution of human resource management and the significant difference between administrative and strategic functions of HR. The evolution of human resource management and the significant difference between the two types of HR Human Resource Management (HRM) has evolved from many terms and functionsRead MoreRegulatory Compliance in the Health Care Institution1150 Words   |  5 Pageson the provision of high quality medical services. In more recent years however, while the institution preserved attention to the medical act, it also became more attentive to other business and administrative aspects. Some examples at this level include the more cautionary management and allocation of the resources, the recovery of the costs owed for the medical services provided or the ability to implement regulatory compliance. At the level of regulations, these are generally multiple and aRead MoreHrm 300 Week 1 Essay789 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Resource Management Overview Introduction Human resource management (HRM) has evolved into a huge industry in the business arena. The evolution and advancement of technology has created a global platform for HRM. The effect of globalization in many organizations has opened the door for HRM, and it is a crucial component for a successful business strategy and plan. This paper will define HRM, and discuss HRM’s primary function and roleRead MoreAccounting Software For A Business Essay1257 Words   |  6 Pagesthe language of business and figures and is widely used as a means of communication for financial world, without it businesses cannot survive. It is important because it helps in analyzing, decision making, information disclosure and it also helps in finding out the frauds and in avoiding them. According to the research of (Huang and Palvia, 2001) â€Å"there is an increasing need to implement a total business solution which supports major functionalities of a business. Enterprise resource planning (ERP)Read MoreTraining : Training Need Assessment1544 Words   |  7 Pagesmediations of human resource development process for cultivating competency, and for the critical goal of raising the standard of an organization’s performance. Training programs are focused on developing activities, that are appropriate and applicable to guarantee the success of an organization’s needs. Identifying of training needs hold the key to the attainment of any training program. Based on training need assessments, training programs are prepared as a answer to the development requirements

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Answering Children’s Questions Free Essays

All the children are very curious and they always ask a lot of questions because they want to know a lot of things. â€Å"Where does water come from? â€Å", â€Å"why is the sky blue? † and â€Å"what is infinity? † are among the questions that parents struggle to answer for their children. Another query that has tripped up mothers and fathers for generations is, â€Å"where do babies come from? † Most parents are unable to give a correct answer to the basic questions from children about the planet, outer space and the human body. We will write a custom essay sample on Answering Children’s Questions or any similar topic only for you Order Now Some of them say that â€Å"babies are delivered by storks†, others – that â€Å"babies are found under gooseberry bushes†. Also parents find moral questions about God and religion hard to answer. I think that every parent should follow some principles answering children’s questions, and the first of these principles is â€Å"Never to lie†. Because children are very quick-witted and they may think so â€Å"If you found me under a gooseberry bush it means that someone had left me there†¦ and who is this someone? † It would me much more difficult to answer. The second thing is that we all must learn till we live. And if we don’t know something it’s never late to learn. So if a child asks â€Å"What is a black hole† or something like that, it would be appropriate to say â€Å"Let’s look that up in the encyclopedia. † So we can show the child the way he can learn things and encourage him to seek response through authority in the future. One more thing we can do is encourage brainstorming, or consideration of alternative explanations. For example, if a child asks â€Å"Why are all the people in Holland so tall? , the parent can answer â€Å"Let’s brainstorm some possible answers. Maybe its genetics, or maybe its diet, or maybe everybody in Holland wears elevator shoes, or †¦ etc. † And then the child and his parent can decide which answer is the right one. We should never avoid answering the child’s question saying â€Å"I don’t know† because the child has nobody e xcept his parent to ask. Answering children’s question gives us an opportunity to revive the child in ourselves, awake our imagination and help the little one to understand the world better. How to cite Answering Children’s Questions, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Data Intensive Applications System †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Data Intensive Applications System. Answer: Introduction The data mining and data analysis tools play an inevitable tool for the modern business organizations. Due to the complexity of the operations of the modern business organizations, the importance of implementations of data analysis tools is of utmost priority. The data analysis and data mining tools can be said to be useful in terms of storing and customization. The entire processes of data mining can be further divided into various steps. These are data integration, data storage, data modification and data extraction. The given report also highlights the merits and de-merits of data analysis process. Based on the given analysis, certain recommendations will also be given. The methodology of data mining and data analysis will highlight the importance of several statistical tools. There are several tools of data mining like Weca , which the organizations can use. On the other hand, there are several statistical tools like SPSS, R, stata which the modern organizations can use in order to analyze their data. It is of great essence for modern business organizations to store information about all their customers in order to provide them effective services. On the contrary, it has been seen that there are many customers who are not willing to share their private information. Due to this reason, it is of utmost importance for the organization to use the tool of data mining in order to store the information of their customers (Chen Zhang, 2014) Findings and Discussion The process of data mining involves classification of data that further helps to secure personal data and information of the customers. In the initial stages, the process of data mining was useful for the end users that are the management of the firm. However, several implementations have taken place in the data mining process. Due to this reason, the organizations can easily minimize different ad-hoc issues with the help of the process of data mining. The given process involves different classification of data from a vast pool of information that further helps in the decision making process of the organizations. In addition to this, it can be also inferred that if data mining process is implemented in an effective manner, then, different malpractices in the operations process can be reduced. In addition to this, it can be also inferred that the organization can reduce slack times in their operational process and thus help them to reduce operational costs as well. On the other hand, it can be also inferred that the organization can enhance its sustainability with their respective data mining and data analysis tools. This is mainly because; data mining helps to increase the service quality of then organizations in an effective manner. In addition to this, the process of data mining helps the organization to understand macro and micro business environment trends and demands of its products among the customers. Based on the analysis and findings, the organization can take appropriate steps that will further help them to meet their short-term and long-term goals (Provost Fawcett, 2013). Marz Warre (2015) opine that there are several ethical challenges that a business organization can face during the process of data mining and data storage. It is of utmost importance to store personal information of their customers in their respective database. However, it has been that many companies can utilize the personal information of the customers and thus can breach their ethical code of conduct. It is of utmost importance for the firm to protect the privacy information of their customers and do not breach their ethical code of conduct. The employers of the firm need to abide by the code of ethics and should also ensure that no private information is leaked to any third party. If the employees of a respective organization fail to abide the code of ethics then, it will be harmful for the image of the firm. On the other hand, another ethical consideration may arise. If any organization interprets and provides wrong data, the, then, it may cause error of falsification. This can harm the firm in a bad manner. In addition to this, it can be also inferred that the management of the organization needs to cross check all the data before they can publish it officially. The employees of the firm also need to ensure all proper steps of data validation is followed in an effective manner. If the organization is successful in maintaining their ethical considerations, then, the customers will feel secure that their private information is safe. Therefore, the process of data mining and data analysis has wide range of consequences for both the firms as well its customers (Provost Fawcett, 2013). In addition to this, it can be inferred that there are several merits of using data mining tools. These are in the form of data storage, data modification, data validation and analyzing the internal and external trends. Conclusion It can be concluded that the process of data mining and data analysis helps to built up the brand image of an organization. It can be also inferred that both these processes helps to increase the level of competitiveness among the firms within the same industry. On the other hand, it is important for the firm to gather and record information in an ethical manner. This will further help them to gain the confidence of their customers. Therefore, the modern firms need to realize the importance of data analysis tools and techniques in order to gain a competitive advantage in the market. References Bates, D. W., Saria, S., Ohno-Machado, L., Shah, A., Escobar, G. (2014). Big data in health care: using analytics to identify and manage high-risk and high-cost patients.Health Affairs,33(7), 1123-1131. Chen, C. P., Zhang, C. Y. (2014). Data-intensive applications, challenges, techniques and technologies: A survey on Big Data.Information Sciences,275, 314-347. Delen, D., Demirkan, H. (2013). Data, information and analytics as services. Demirkan, H., Delen, D. (2013). Leveraging the capabilities of service-oriented decision support systems: Putting analytics and big data in cloud.Decision Support Systems,55(1), 412-421 Marz, N., Warren, J. (2015).Big Data: Principles and best practices of scalable realtime data systems. Manning Publications Co.. Provost, F., Fawcett, T. (2013).Data Science for Business: What you need to know about data mining and data-analytic thinking. " O'Reilly Media, Inc.". Shmueli, G., Patel, N. R., Bruce, P. C. (2016).Data Mining for Business Analytics: Concepts, Techniques, and Applications with XLMiner. John Wiley Sons. Steinberg, G. B., Church, B. W., McCall, C. J., Scott, A. B., Kalis, B. P. (2014). Novel predictive models for metabolic syndrome risk: a" big data" analytic approach.The American journal of managed care,20(6), e221-8.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Performance Appraisal

Performance appraisal is a process in which an employ contribution and worth to an organization is valued using accepted performance appraisal methods. There are a number of performance appraisal methods notably essay, forced distribution, graphic ranking scale, and behavioral anchored rating scale appraisal methods.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Performance Appraisal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, this report is going to give much credence to the management by objective method, 360-degree performance appraisal, and forced ranking/distribution performance appraisal. A detailed explanation of the three methods will be done bringing into perspective features that these three performance appraisal methods share in common and how they contrast to each other (Stone 1). Forced ranking/distribution performance appraisal method This performance appraisal method tries to order employees by comparing them to their colleagues. This helps in assessment of employees divorced from the usual specific judgments done on basis of job components. When straight ranking is to be done it is expected of the evaluator in terms of those who have the best attributes to those who have the worst attributes and those who are effective in their daily undertakings to those who are least effective in the way they do their job. It is imperative in this respect that a criterion is used. Alternative ranking slightly differs from straight ranking in the sense that it has to be done in a specific manner. Ranking like any other comparative evaluation system is fast becoming unpopular because it is discriminatory. This is so because even if employees perform well, a group will always find itself at the bottom and another group highly ranked. Ranking can also not be used to fairly compare employees across different groups, it is absolutely difficult to conclusively say that an employee ranked second in unit X is as good as or better than that employee who has been ranked second in unit Y. Nevertheless, if an organization has limited resources with which they can conduct other performance appraisal methods, the best performance appraisal they can make use of is the ranking method because it can successfully help in differentiating among employees (Stone 1).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In forced distribution, evaluators tend to rate subordinates in a given distribution. Forced distribution can be used in evaluation of myriad components of job performance as opposed to the ranking method that uses only one component. Forced distribution method is strictly used by managers who undertake to rate his or her subordinates in a given distribution. Some subordinates will fall into 10 percent low category, others in 20 percent below average, others 40 percent average, others 20 percent above average, and finally 10 percent high category. If there were 20 subordinates, 2 of them will be in the low category, 4 below average, 8 of them in the average, 4 in the above average category, and finally, 2 in the highest category. Forced distribution helps to eliminate errors that arise due to rating. These errors are normally attributed to leniency and central tendency. However, forced distribution can cause some grave rating inconsistencies because it tends to discriminate employees in cases where job performance is quite similar. This has caused a problem of acceptability of the results by the raters and ratees hence its unpopularity with this category of people. Problems of acceptability have been grave in circumstances where group members all have high ability (Stone 1). Management by objectives (MBO) performance appraisal method This performance appraisal method has much to do with the evaluator setting up specific measurable goals with employees. The evaluator has to perio dically discuss with the employee if he or she is meeting these goals that he or she set to achieve. This performance appraisal program has six main steps that have to be adhered to. Featuring prominently among these steps is the need for setting up the organizations goals. The organization should come up with a clear cut plan for what they intend to do in the next year and stipulate goals that have to met. Secondly, various organizational departments must come up with their departmental goals. This is the duty of the heads of the departments and their superiors.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Performance Appraisal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thirdly, the conceived department goals have to be discussed and allocated. It is at this stage that the subordinates in the department have to be brought on board. It is important that these subordinates come up with their own individual goals to make sure that ever y member of the department has an input into attainment of departmental goals. As a matter of fact, expected results have to be defined by setting individual goals. Heads of departments and their subordinates have to come up with performance targets that are short term. A review of the performance has to be done and results subsequently measured. It is the role of departmental heads to measure up actual performance of every member of staff with the projected results in their minds. Finally, there has to be a feedback mechanism where heads of departments conduct performance review periodically with their subordinates with a view to discussing and evaluating progress made towards achieving the set out goals and objectives (Stone, 11). This method of performance appraisal enhances better communication and coordination in an organization because of frequency within which reviews are conducted hence harmonious relationships. 360-Degree performance Appraisal In this method, the performanc e of an employee is evaluated by consulting different types of people (Farhaan, para. 1). These may be an organization’s customers, its suppliers, and an employee’s peers. Direct reports can also be used. If the performance of a manager is to be appraised using this method, it is the work of the employees to give an upward feedback on how this manager manages them. This performance appraisal method requires the human resource managers to coordinate the whole process to dispel fears associated with the leakages of ones performance among his or her peers. This can be very disappointing within an organization. This method of performance appraisal is mainly conducted to find the gap between ones own appraisal and how others may feel about it. This is critical in analyzing ones strengths and weaknesses and how this can help in improving his or her own performance. The system helps in elimination of biases among employees that is inherent with the forced distribution method. Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is imperative to note that the system has got its own shortcomings in the sense that if many employees are unhappy it is likely that they can become potential targets. It is therefore important that a right culture is inculcated into an organization before this method of performance appraisal is made use of. This performance appraisal consumes a lot of time and its complexity may eat into an organization time and resources. Its results are always very difficult to interpret. The feedback that is continually received after the evaluation can intimidate the employees and in the process interfere with their output. Conclusion Despite the fact that Forced ranking/distribution performance appraisal method tends to discriminate against employees, 360 degree performance appraisal and MBO also have their weaknesses. The feedback that is continually received in 360 degree performance appraisal interferes with an employee’s morale and can interfere with their performance. MBO enhanc es cohesiveness in an organization because of the frequent reviews. Works Cited Farhaan, Panagar. 360 Degree Performance Appraisal. 2009. Web. Stone, Thomas. Understanding Personnel Management. New York: Dryden Press, 2002. Print. This report on Performance Appraisal was written and submitted by user Susan Cortez 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. Performance Appraisal Introduction Performance appraisal is a systematic and continuous process that involves the rater and the ratee, where the former evaluates the performance of the later with respect to laid down standards (Bauer Erdogan, 2009). During the performance review cycle, the evaluator constantly interacts and observes with the employee in order to establish his or her level of performance based on the company criteria.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Performance Appraisal – Case study of Coca and General Electric specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Feedback is essential during this process to give the employee a vivid report with regard to achievement of objectives as initially set. This paper seeks to compare Coca-Cola and General electric’s performance appraisal policies and examine their effectiveness. In 2011, GE emerged number six on fortune 500 companies according to fortune magazine. On the other hand , Coca-Cola attained the rank of 70 on this list of top 500 fortune companies based on revenues and profits (CNNMoney, 2011). Analysis of Co-Cola’s Employee Performance Appraisal In Coca-Cola, performance management entails all programs designed for annual employee appraisal. This concerns procedures used in communicating work expectations and relaying of feedback on a continuous basis through yearly performance rating. Performance appraisal in Coca serves to promote and compensate employees among other management decisions (Bauer Erdogan, 2009). Management/Performance by Objectives (PBO) The company has implemented a single performance appraisal system for all employees geared toward achieving fairness based on job-related metrics. The process implemented offers an opportunity for improvement in internal oversight as a means to achieve equal employment opportunity (EEO). Management by Objectives’ (MBO) is a process by which employees and their seniors meet to identif y the underlying goals and objectives. In this process, employees set their own goals, but the set company standards are used as standard measures against which their performance will be rated. Peter Drucker introduced this concept of management by objectives in the early 1950s (Taylor, 1994). The figure below shows an overview of MBO process. Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At the beginning of the review period, each employee meets with his or her superior to establish measurable objectives together with required set of competencies for the year necessary for execution of the said objectives. Therefore, this mutual relationship offers an opportunity for a continuous feedback process. The feedback process also provides a framework for identification of other employee developments measured against the set plan. The company ensures a self-drive assessment where employees comm unicate their progress to their superiors from which managers make exclusive evaluation based on the initial standards. As a feedback oriented appraisal system, the management disseminated rating reports to the employees in which employees may appeal if need be (Taylor, 1994). To comply with the laid down best practices, Coca’s appraisal system involves a half-yearly employee review and mandatory training for two days where both managers and employees go through training on the functioning of the system. Employees work in conjunction with performance appraisal teams to plan, track and review their individual performance. At the end of the review period, the top managers undergo training to provide fair and accurate rating. In addition, an independent rater works to offer separate ratings for employees based on the ongoing performance e valuation. This process ensures consistency and fairness in the process. Purpose of the Performance system in Coca-Cola The major essence of t he appraisal system applied by Coca is to develop a set of employees who are aware of their duties, roles and responsibilities as expected of them by the company. The system thrives on the belief that clarity of objectives and continuous feedback lends an opportunity for achieving organizational and individual employee goals (Taylor, 1994). Effectiveness of the system MBO is a participatory process involving goal setting and selection of actions based on standard metrics in order to offer a basis for decision-making. Since the process involved in MBO is comparison of individual employee performance with the laid down organizational objectives, it follows that the process provides an objective evaluation for employee performance. An open-end feedback eminent in the process is likely to influence employees to fulfill their mandates. Management by objectives thrives on features such as clarity of goals, effective communication, and motivation. According to research, where employees eng age in the process of goal setting through an effective feedback oriented communication, they are more likely to offer best services aimed at meeting organizational as well as individual goals (Bauer Erdogan, 2009). It is worth noting that since the process entails a vigorous and inclusive evaluation, it is highly likely to achieve fairness and accuracy of the overall outcome.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Performance Appraisal – Case study of Coca and General Electric specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More General Electric General electric is one of the fortune 500 companies. It falls in a group of companies generally sought for employment by job seekers according to fortune magazine. General electric (GE) company employs forced ranking system of performance appraisal where the evaluator rates employees relative to other employees. This process provides an overall evaluation of the employees, but not becaus e of specific job descriptions and objectives (Bauer Erdogan, 2009). During this process, the rater groups the employees into categories from excellent to worst, effective to ineffective based on laid down criteria. GE applies relative ranking and believes that it has the capacity to offer best criterion for achieving employee performance. During the review cycle, the evaluator applies a method in which the upper cluster would have 20% of employees, 70% of employees would be in the middle, and the remaining 10% would be ranked at the bottom (Bauer Erdogan, 2009). The former Chief Executive Officer of General Electric conceived this system. According to GE, the technique helps to overcome leniency and errors of central tendency. Relative ranking do not use objective scale while assessing the effectiveness of the employees, but rather the performance evaluation of an employee depends on the entire group. As a performance management system, relative ranking purports to generate a per formance culture where the management declares intolerance to non-performance. Purpose of the system The major purpose of this performance system is to create a culture of performance while eliminating those employees with repeat performance problems. Through the ranking system, employees develop a tendency of performing better with an aim to achieve the set objectives. Forced ranking aims at eliminating errors associated with leniency and central tendency through grouping (Bauer Erdogan, 2009). Objectivity and effectiveness of Forced Ranking Although the method is effective in communicating the need for good performance, it has several downsides. The process does not directly engage employee competencies through vivid feedback and as such, employees are not generally aware of their responsibilities. The raters solely discharge the evaluation process in usually one-sided performance appraisal procedure (Bauer Erdogan, 2009).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Objectivity in this technique is impaired since individual performance does not find space as a basis for assessment. Despite the fact that the company communicates goals to its employees, there is no clear criterion to achieve objectivity of the entire process (Taylor, 1994). For a system to be objective, it must be able to offer a precise, clear and measurable metric upon which to measure employees. However well employees perform, the system will always result in high and low ranks. This performance system fails to offer comparison for a diverse group. For instance, it is challenging to tell whether the third-ranked individual in department X is better than an individual ranked as third in department Y (Taylor, 1994). The system has inherent disadvantage of inability to create a spirit of teamwork and may lead to negative competition among employees. References Bauer, T., Erdogan, B. (2009). Organizational Behavior. New York, NY: Flat World Knowledge. CNNMoney. (2011). Fortune 50 0. Retrieved from https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2011/full_list/ Taylor, C. (1994). Cultural diversity in organizations: theory, research, practice. New York, NY: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. This essay on Performance Appraisal – Case study of Coca and General Electric was written and submitted by user Boston Clements 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. Performance Appraisal

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Gregor Vs. Mulan

Mulan vs. Gregor Samsa Solitude is a very key part in a hero’s journey to their final destination or goal. Often we find that heroes are subjected to periods of solitude en route to their acts or situations that could classify them as a hero. It helps to portray the hero as a person the reader can connect with not just some character in a story. Everyone has experienced some form of solitude or loneliness in his or her lives at some point; and in this way we can more easily relate to the hero. It helps the reader to view them not simply as some mythical superman but as a person that could quite easily be in the same room as them. Webster’s dictionary has several definitions for hero. One of them is that of an illustrious warrior. This definition comes to fruition in the ancient Chinese poem from around 500 A.D. â€Å"Mu-lan†. It is about a warrior woman Fa Mu Lan that leaves her family behind and disguises herself as a boy in order to fight in a war. She is gone for 12 years fighting side by side with thousands of her comrades, never revealing her true self to them. Only in the end to the other soldiers, much to their amazement, find out that she is a girl. Webster’s also defines a hero as the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work. It also defines hero as a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities. This is the case in Franz Kafka’s â€Å"The Metamorphosis†. In Kafka’s story the main character, Gregor Samsa, awakens one morning to find that he has transformed into a large bug. After his family finds out about their son’s great misfortune they are not sure how to treat this change. Therefore Gregor is confined to his room with little or no contact with the rest of his family. Only on several occasions does he have any contact with his family and others. These incidents usually do not end well for Gregor. One even leading to his demise. While these two stories are ent... Free Essays on Gregor Vs. Mulan Free Essays on Gregor Vs. Mulan Mulan vs. Gregor Samsa Solitude is a very key part in a hero’s journey to their final destination or goal. Often we find that heroes are subjected to periods of solitude en route to their acts or situations that could classify them as a hero. It helps to portray the hero as a person the reader can connect with not just some character in a story. Everyone has experienced some form of solitude or loneliness in his or her lives at some point; and in this way we can more easily relate to the hero. It helps the reader to view them not simply as some mythical superman but as a person that could quite easily be in the same room as them. Webster’s dictionary has several definitions for hero. One of them is that of an illustrious warrior. This definition comes to fruition in the ancient Chinese poem from around 500 A.D. â€Å"Mu-lan†. It is about a warrior woman Fa Mu Lan that leaves her family behind and disguises herself as a boy in order to fight in a war. She is gone for 12 years fighting side by side with thousands of her comrades, never revealing her true self to them. Only in the end to the other soldiers, much to their amazement, find out that she is a girl. Webster’s also defines a hero as the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work. It also defines hero as a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities. This is the case in Franz Kafka’s â€Å"The Metamorphosis†. In Kafka’s story the main character, Gregor Samsa, awakens one morning to find that he has transformed into a large bug. After his family finds out about their son’s great misfortune they are not sure how to treat this change. Therefore Gregor is confined to his room with little or no contact with the rest of his family. Only on several occasions does he have any contact with his family and others. These incidents usually do not end well for Gregor. One even leading to his demise. While these two stories are ent...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Services Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Services Management - Assignment Example An analysis and critic view of the service delivery of the organization in alignment with the service delivery or service excellence literature will also be portrayed. At the end an evaluation of what is being learnt from the organization will serve as a conclusion. In accordance with the requirements of the paper the service and the service organization undertaken for this study is a banking service organization in India called "ICICI Bank" Here is a brief outlook on the organization. "ICICI Bank is India's second-largest bank with total assets of Rs. 3,744.10 billion (US$ 77 billion) at December 31, 2008 and profit after tax Rs. 30.14 billion for the nine months ended December 31, 2008. The Bank has a network of 1,420 branches and about 4,644 ATMs in India and presence in 18 countries. ICICI Bank offers a wide range of banking products and financial services to corporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery channels and through its specialised subsidiaries and affiliates in the areas of investment banking, life and non-life insurance, venture capital and asset management. The Bank currently has subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Russia and Canada, branches in United States, Singapore, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Qatar and Dubai International Finance Centre and representative offices in United Arab Emirates, China, South Africa, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Our UK subsidiary has established branches in Belgium and Germany." (ICI CI bank online) History of ICICI bank "ICICI Bank was originally promoted in 1994 by ICICI Limited, an Indian financial institution, and was its wholly-owned subsidiary. ICICI's shareholding in ICICI Bank was reduced to 46% through a public offering of shares in India in fiscal 1998, an equity offering in the form of ADRs listed on the NYSE in fiscal 2000, ICICI Bank's acquisition of Bank of Madura Limited in an all-stock amalgamation in fiscal 2001, and secondary market sales by ICICI to institutional investors in fiscal 2001 and fiscal 2002. ICICI was formed in 1955 at the initiative of the World Bank, the Government of India and representatives of Indian industry. The principal objective was to create a development financial institution for providing medium-term and long-term project financing to Indian businesses. In the 1990s, ICICI transformed its business from a development financial institution offering only project finance to a diversified financial services group offering a wide variety of products and services , both directly and through a number of subsidiaries and affiliates like ICICI Bank. In 1999, ICICI become the first Indian company and the first bank or financial institution from non-Japan Asia to be listed on the NYSE." (ICICI bank Online) Literature - Service delivery /Service excellence : Service delivery and excellence in service is the key word for organizations involved in the service industry. In the book of "Service operations Management: Improving service delivery" Service delivery is explained as "understanding the needs of our customers, managing the process that delivers services, ensuring our objectives are met, while also paying attention to the continual improvement of our services." The book also defines service from the customer's perspective by saying, "service is the combinations of the customers' experience and their perception of the outcome of the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Video Analysis 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Video Analysis 4 - Essay Example At the commencement of 1990s, the company digressed from its dealings with other services and concentrated on telecommunications. Currently, the company leads in mobile communications with sales being approximated to be higher than $31 billion and still offers job opportunities to 56,000 individuals. The company has straightforward mission that is realized through consumer feedbacks thus ensuring consumer contentment. The company focuses on product design, network security and technological advancement experienced within the global environment. The information offered allows readers to understand how the background or foundation of Nokia was established, in order, to make certain that people within different contexts manage to communicate through utilization of its diverse phone brands. Nokia company has undertaken in diversified business ventures, to reach the current state that has enabled connection of billions of people around the globe. The mission that the company utilizes have considerably assisted in ensuring that the company acquires competitive advantage, with relation, to other mobile companies. Companies can easily switch activities provided the substitute has considerable potential and opportunities for receiving enormous sales (Kerin, Hartley & Rudelius,

Monday, November 18, 2019

Is poverty a human rights violations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Is poverty a human rights violations - Essay Example Poverty cannot be realistically or morally confined within the convectional parameters such as living under less than dollar a day as is the trend. Sane criticizes these ceiling and claims that their very existence in a way seems to legitimize and justify the existence of poverty (3). While governments are supposed to strive to achieve the millennium development goals in regard to halving poverty in the world, they needs must take cognizance of the fact that this goals justify the very existence of poverty which is in contradiction of all moral and human principles. In his quest to classify poverty as a human rights violation, Sane creates and systematic irrevocable connection between poverty and the five families of human rights, he argues that poverty invariably violates social rights and to a various extent all the other classes of human rights. By his reasoning, poverty is without doubt just as serious as genocide and political crimes; however, since these two are considered ille gal and against human rights, governments and international communities take it as their onus to expedite their elimination to whatever extent they can with a remarkable, albeit not complete success. When human beings are disenfranchised of any or one of all their social, cultural political or economic rights, poverty inevitably gains ingress into their life, therefore as long as individuals and communities are deprived of their basic human rights, poverty inevitably results (Sane 3). Governments are tasked with the responsibly of ensuring the welfare of their citizens, therefore in every society or state where poverty exists the government can be viewed as having failed in its mandate of protecting its citizenry. Poverty is just like any other injustice and atrocity that faces humanity; consequently, at the end of the day in the self-same way the state rushes to protect its people from epidemics such as floods or violence, it should mobilize support against the scourge of poverty. By considering the existence of poverty as a violation of human rights, the steps towards the development of a lasting solution can be taken from local and international perspectives. The elimination of poverty can only commence if its perception as a natural qualitative or qualitative shortfall is radically changed, this way, the political will and by extension means to tackle it will be galvanized into action. Sane makes a bold claim to the effect that poverty should be abolished, this comes off initially as a naive point and the writer admits that much, nevertheless he argues that the notion should not be dismissed on the basis of face value. Poverty can be abolished but for this to happen the lenses through which society considers it were to undergo a radical change, to this end, poverty should not be seen as passive condition a deplorable consequence of the struggle for limited resources. Instead it should be seen as a systematic and enduring violation of hum rights therefore a nd injustice that required expedient redress (Sane 3). By virtue of the fact that human rights are universal and the bodies charged with the task of enforcing them such as the UN have global latitude automatically makes poverty a global issue. Nevertheless, despite the fact that globalization is popularly perceive as a progressive concept but global corporates and governments use it to conceal their sinister agenda under euphemism such as free trade (Klein 247). Through

Friday, November 15, 2019

Evolution of Investment Banking

Evolution of Investment Banking INTRODUCTION At a very macro level, ‘Investment Banking as term suggests, is concerned with the primary function of assisting the capital market in its function of capital intermediation, i.e., the movement of financial resources from those who have them (the Investors), to those who need to make use of them for generating GDP (the Issuers). Banking and financial institution on the one hand and the capital market on the other are the two broad platforms of institutional that investment for capital flows in economy. Therefore, it could be inferred that investment banks are those institutions that are counterparts of banks in the capital markets in the function of intermediation in the resource allocation. Nevertheless, it would be unfair to conclude so, as that would confine investment banking to very narrow sphere of its activities in the modern world of high finance. Over the decades, backed by evolution and also fuelled by recent technologies developments, an investment banking has transf ormed repeatedly to suit the needs of the finance community and thus become one of the most vibrant and exciting segment of financial services. Investment bankers have always enjoyed celebrity status, but at times, they have paid the price for the price for excessive flamboyance as well. To continue from the above words of John F. Marshall and M.E. Eills, ‘investment banking is what investment banks do . This definition can be explained in the context of how investment banks have evolved in their functionality and how history and regulatory intervention have shaped such an evolution. Much of investment banking in its present form, thus owes its origins to the financial markets in USA, due o which, American investment banks have banks have been leaders in the American and Euro markets as well. Therefore, the term ‘investment banking can arguably be said to be of American origin. Their counterparts in UK were termed as ‘merchants banks since they had confined themselves to capital market intermediation until the US investments banks entered the UK and European markets and extended the scope of such businesses. Investment banks help companies and governments and their agencies to raise money by issuing and selling acquisitions and other types of financial transactions. Investment banks also act as intermediaries in trading for clients. Investment banks differ from stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. However some firms operate as both brokerages and investment banks; this includes some of the best known financial services firms in the world. More commonly used today to characterize what was traditionally termed† investment banking† is â€Å"sells side. This is trading securities for cash or securities (i.e., facilitating transactions, market-making), or the promotion of securities (i.e. underwriting,research, etc.). The buy side constitutes the hedge funds, and the investing public who consume the products and services of the sell-side in order to maximize their return on investment. Many firms have both buy and sell side components. Definition An individual or institution, which acts as an underwriter or agent for corporations and municipalities issuing securities. Most also maintain broker/dealer operations, maintain markets for previously issued securities, and offer advisory services to investors. Investment banks also have a large role in facilitating mergers and acquisitions, private equity placements and corporate restructuring. Unlike traditional banks, investment banks do not accept deposits from and provide loans to individuals. Also called investment banker. Who needs an Investment Bank? Any firm contemplating a significant transaction can benefit from the advice of an investment bank. Although large corporations often have sophisticated finance and corporate development departments provide objectivity, a valuable contact network, allows for efficient use of client personnel, and is vitally interested in seeing the transaction close. Most small to medium sized companies do not have a large in-house staff, and in a financial transaction may be at a disadvantage versus larger competitors. A quality investment banking firm can provide the services required to initiate and execute a major transaction, thereby empowering small to medium sized companies with financial and transaction experience without the addition of permanent overhead, an investment bank provides objectivity, a valuable contact network, allows for efficient use of client personnel, and is vitally interested in seeing the transaction close. Most small to medium sized companies do not have a large in-house staff, and in a financial transaction may be at a disadvantage versus larger competitors. A quality investment-banking firm can provide the services The main activities and units The primary function of an investment bank is buying and selling products both on behalf of the banks clients and also for the bank itself. Banks undertake risk through proprietary trading, done by a special set of traders who do not interface with clients and through Principal Risk, risk undertaken by a trader after he or she buys or sells a product to a client and does not hedge his or her total exposure. Banks seek to maximize profitability for a given amount of risk on their balance sheet An investment bank is split into the so-called Front Office Middle Office and Back Office. The individual activities are described below: Front Office Investment Banking is the traditional aspect of investment banks which involves helping customers raise Corporate Finance (often pronounced corpfin). mutual funds) . Research and Structuring. Sales desks then communicate their clients orders to the appropriate trading desks, which can price and execute trades, or structure new products that fit a specific need. Research is the division which reviews companies and writes reports about their prospects, often with buy or sell ratings. While the research division generates no revenue, its resources are used to assist traders in trading, the sales force in suggesting ideas to customers, and investment bankers by covering their clients. In recent years the relationship between investment banking and research has become highly regulated, reducing its importance to the investment bank. Structuring has been a relatively recent division as derivatives have come into play, with highly technical and numerate employees working on creating complex structured products which typically offer much greater margins and returns than underlying cash securities. Middle Office * operational risk and the assurance Middle Offices provide now include measures to address this risk. When this assurance is not in place, market and credit risk analysis can be unreliable and open to deliberate manipulation. Back Office Operations involve data-checking trades that have been conducted, ensuring that they are not erroneous, and transacting the required transfers. While it provides the greatest job security of the divisions within an investment bank, it is a critical part of the bank that involves managing the financial information of the bank and ensures efficient capital markets through the financial reporting function. The staff in these areas are often highly qualified and need to understand in depth the deals and transactions that occur across all the divisions of the bank. New products Investment banking is one of the most global industries and is hence continuously challenged to respond to new developments and innovation in the global financial markets. Throughout the history of investment banking, many have theorized that all investment banking products and services would be copyrighted, they are very often copied quickly by competing banks, pushing down trading margins. For example, OTC contract has to be uniquely structured and could involve complex pay-off and risk profiles. Listed option contracts are traded through major exchanges, such as the CBOE, and are almost as commoditized as general equity securities. In addition, while many products have been commoditized, an increasing amount of profit within investment banks has come from proprietary trading, where size creates a positive network benefit (since the more trades an investment bank does, the more it knows about the market flow, allowing it to theoretically make better trades and pass on better guidance to clients). Potential conflicts of interest may arise between different parts of a bank, creating the potential for financial movements that could be market manipulation. Authorities that regulate investment banking (the Chinese wall which prohibits communication between investment banking on one side and research and equities on the other. Some of the conflicts of interest that can be found in investment banking are listed here: Historically, equity research firms were founded and owned by investment banks. One common practice is for equity analysts to initiate coverage on a company in order to develop relationships that lead to highly profitable investment banking business. In the 1990s, many equity researchers allegedly traded positive stock ratings directly for investment banking business. On the flip side of the coin: companies would threaten to divert investment banking business to competitors unless their stock was rated favorably. Politicians acted to pass laws to criminalize such acts. Increased pressure from regulators and a series of lawsuits, settlements, and prosecutions curbed this business to a large extent following the 2001 stock market tumble Many investment banks also own retail brokerages. Also during the 1990s, some retail brokerages sold consumers securities which did not meet their stated risk profile. This behavior may have led to investment banking business or even sales of surplus shares during a public offering to keep public perception of the stock favorable. Since investment banks engage heavily in trading for their own account, there is always the temptation or possibility that they might engage in some form of front running. Types of investment banks underwrite (guarantee the sale of) stock and bond issues, trade for their own accounts, make markets, and advise corporations on capital markets activities such as mergers and acquisitions Merchant banks were traditionally banks which engaged in trade financing. The modern definition, however, refers to banks which provide capital to firms in the form of shares rather than loans. Unlike Venture ca pital firms, they tend not to invest in new companies. Investment banks provide four primary types of services: Raising capital, advising in mergers and acquisitions, executing securities sales and trading, and performing general advisory services. Most of the major Wall Street firms are active in each of these categories. Smaller investment banks may specialize in two or three of these categories. Raising Capital An investment bank can assist a firm in raising funds to achieve a variety of objectives, such as to acquire another company, reduce its debt load, expand existing operations, or for specific project financing. Capital can include some combination of debt, common equity, preferred equity, and hybrid securities such as convertible debt or debt with warrants. Although many people associate raising capital with public stock offerings, a great deal of capital is actually raised through private placements with institutions, specialized investment funds, and private individuals. The investment bank will work with the client to structure the transaction to meet specific objectives while being attractive to investors. Mergers and Acquisitions Investment banks often represent firms in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Example projects include the acquisition of a specific firm, the sale of a company or a subsidiary of the company, and assistance in identifying, structuring, and executing a merger or joint venture. In each case, the investment bank should provide a thorough analysis of the entity bought or sold, as well as a valuation range and recommended structure. Sales and Trading These services are primarily relevant only to publicly traded firms, or firms, which plan to go public in the near future. Specific functions include making a market in a stock, placing new offerings, and publishing research reports. General Advisory Services: Advisory services include assignments such as strategic planning, business valuations, assisting in financial restructurings, and providing an opinion as to the fairness of a proposed transaction. Terms Related To Investment Bank Buying and Selling Buying Deciding on the proper time to purchase a security that you would like to add to your holdings can be a daunting task. If the price drops immediately after you buy, it may seem as if you missed out on a better buying opportunity. If the price jumps right before you make your move, you may feel as if you paid too much. As it turns out, you should not let these small fluctuations influence your decision too much. As long as the fundamentals that led you to decide on the purchase have not changed, a few points in either direction should not have a large impact on the long-term value of your investment. Similarly, the fact that an investment has been increasing in value of late is not a sufficient reason for you to purchase it. Momentum can be very fickle, and recent movement is not necessarily an indicator of future movement. Therefore, buying decisions should be based on sound and thorough research geared toward discerning the future value of a security relative to its current price. This analysis will probably not touch upon price movement in the very recent past. As you learn more about investing youll get better at deciding when to buy, but most experts recommend that beginners avoid trying to time the market, and just get in as soon as they can and stay in for the long haul. The proper time to buy a security is quite simply when it is available for less than its actual value. These undervalued securities are actually not as rare as they sound. However, the problem is simply that they are never sure bets. The value of a security includes estimates of the future performance of factors underlying the value of the security. For stocks, these factors include things like earnings growth and market share. Changes can be predicted to a degree, but they are subject to fluctuation due to forces both within and beyond the control of the company. The overall economic climate, changes in the industry or even bad decisions by management can all cause a security poised to ascend in value to become an under performer. Therefore, it is essential to practice your analysis before putting your money into action. Make some mock purchases based on your personal analysis technique and track the results. Not all of your decisions will lead to the results you were expecting, but if most of your choices turn out to be good and there are mitigating factors that you can learn from to explain your missteps, then you may be ready to put your analysis technique and investing strategy into action. At this point, the need to continuously monitor your investments does not disappear. Both under performers and overachievers should be studied carefully to fine-tune your strategy. You should also regularly look at your securities to make sure that the fundamentals for success that led you to buy in the first place are intact. If not, you may need to prepare to cash in and start looking for the next opportunity. One way to avoid the hassles of deciding when to buy altogether is to practice dollar-cost averaging. This strategy advocates investing a fixed dollar amount at regular intervals. The price when you first invest is relatively unimportant (as long as the fundamentals are sound) because you will be purchasing shares at a different price each time you buy. The success of your investment then lies not with short-term fluctuations, but with the long-term movement of the value of the security. Selling: There comes a time when investments must be liquidated and converted back into cash. In a perfect world, selling would only be necessary when investment goals have been reached or time horizons have expired, but, in reality, decisions about selling can be much more difficult. For one thing, it can be just as hard to decide when to sell as it can be to decide when to buy. No one wishes to miss out on gains by selling too soon, but, at the same time, no one wishes to watch an investment peak in value and then begin to decline. Investors often seek to sell investments that have dropped in value in the short-term. However, if conditions have not changed significantly, drops in price may actually represent an opportunity to buy at a better price. If the initial research, which led to the purchase, was sound, a temporary decline does not preclude the success that was originally predicted. Of course, things change, and if the security no longer meets the criteria that led to its purchase, selling may in fact be the best option. Selling may also become necessary if investment goals change over time. You may need to reduce the amount of risk in your portfolio or you may have the opportunity to seek out greater returns. Additionally, a security may have increased in value to the point that it is overvalued. This creates an excellent opportunity to cash in and seek out new undervalued investments. Often you will need to make this type of sale in the course of rebalancing a portfolio necessitated by gains and losses in different areas. Selling can be especially difficult when an under performing stock must be dumped. Some investors let their emotions dictate their actions and hold on to stocks that have fallen in value rather than to sell, thinking that selling at a loss is like admitting that they made a mistake. However, realizing the loss and moving on to better investments is often preferable to continuing to hold onto a loser in the hopes that it will somehow rebound. When considering any sale, you must factor in the costs of the sale itself. Fees and taxes will eat into profits, so they must be subtracted from any increases in value to understand the true impact of the transaction. Capital gains taxes are higher for gains on investments held less than one year, so its often wise to invest for the long term rather than to buy and sell quickly. On the other hand, it can be dangerous to hold an investment longer than you want to, simply to reduce the tax burden. It is essential to remember that just because an investment increases in value after it has been sold does not necessarily mean that it was sold prematurely. Managing risk and diversification are often more important than capitalizing on short-term gains in a particular security. Keeping in mind the initial goals for the investment and adjusting them to fit your present goals will allow you to make smarter decisions about selling. Principles of Investing 1. Start Investing Now We say this not just to discourage procrastination, but because an early start can make all the difference. In general, every six years you wait doubles the required monthly savings to reach the same level of retirement income. Another motivational statistic: If you contributed some amount each month for the next nine years, and then nothing afterwards, or if you contributed nothing for the first nine years, then contributed the same amount each month for the next 41 years, you would have about the same amount. Compounding is a beautiful thing. 2. Know Yourself The right course of action depends on your current situation, your future goals, and your personality. If you dont take a close look at these, and make them explicit, you might be headed in the wrong direction. Current Situation: How healthy are you, financially? Whats your net worth right now? Whats your monthly income? What are your expenses (and where could they be reduced)? How much debt are you carrying? At what rate of interest? How much are you saving? How are you investing it? What are your returns? What are your expenses? Goals: What are your financial goals? How much will you need to achieve them? Are you on the right track? Risk Tolerance: How much risk are you willing and able to accept in pursuit of your objectives? The appropriate level of risk is determined by your personality, age, job security, health, net worth, amount of cash you have to cover emergencies, and the length of your investing horizon. 3. Get Your Financial House In Order Even though investing may be more fun than personal finance, it makes more sense to get started on them in the reverse order. If you dont know where the money goes each month, you shouldnt be thinking about investing yet. Tracking your spending habits is the first step toward improving them. If youre carrying debt at a high rate of interest (especially credit card debt), you should unburden yourself before you begin investing. If you dont know how much you save each month and how much youll need to save to reach your goals, theres no way to know what investments are right for you. If youve transitioned from a debt situation to paycheck-to-paycheck situation to a saving some money every month situation, youre ready to begin investing what you save. You should start by amassing enough to cover three to six months of expenses, and keep this money in a very safe investment like a money market account, so youre prepared in the event of an emergency. Once youve saved up this emergency reserve, you can progress to higher risk (and higher return) investments: bonds for money that you expect to need in the next few years, and stocks or stock mutual funds for the rest. Use dollar cost averaging, by investing about the same amount each month. This is always a good idea, but even more so with the dramatic fluctuations in the market in the past 10 years. Dollar cost averaging will make it easier to stomach the inevitable dips. And remember; never invest in anything you dont understand. 4. Develop A Long Term Plan Now that you know your current situation, goals, and personality, you should have a pretty good idea of what your long-term plan should be. It should detail where the money will go: cars, houses, college, and retirement. It should also detail where the money will come from. Hopefully the numbers will be about the same. Dont try to time the market. Get in and stay in. We dont know what direction the next 10% move will be, but we do know what direction the next100% move will be. Review your plan periodically, and whenever your needs or circumstances change. If you are not confident that your plan makes sense, talk to an investment advisor or someone you trust. 5. Buy Stocks Now that youve got a long term view, you can more safely invest in riskier investments, which the market rewards (in general). This requires patience and discipline, but it increases returns. This approach reduces the entire universe of investment vehicles to two choices: stocks and stock mutual funds. In the long run, theyre the winners: In this century, stocks beat bonds 8 out of 9 decades, and theyre well in the lead again. According to Ibbotsons Stocks, Bonds, Bills and Inflation 1995 Yearbook, here are the average annual returns from 1926 to 1994 (before inflation): Stocks: 10.2% (and small company stocks were 12.1%) Intermediate term treasury bonds: 5.1% 30-day T-bills: 3.7% But is it really worth the additional risk just for a few percentage points? The answer is yes. 10% a year for 20 years is 570%, but 7% a year for 20 years is only 280%. Compounding is Gods gift to long-term planners. If you buy outstanding companies, and hold them through the markets gyrations, you will be rewarded. If you arent good at selecting stocks, select some mutual funds. If you arent good at selecting mutual funds, go with an index fund (like the Vanguard SP 500). 6. Investigate Before You Invest Always do your homework. The more you know, the better off you are. This requires that you keep learning, and pay attention to events that might affect you. Understand personal finance matters that could affect you (for example, proposed tax changes). Understand how each of your investments fits in with the rest of your portfolio and with your overall strategy. Understand the risks associated with each investment. Gather unbiased, objective information. Get a second opinion, a third opinion, etc. Be cautious when evaluating the advice of anyone with a vested interest. If youre going to invest in stocks, learn as much as you can about the companies youre considering. Understand before you invest. Research, research, Read books. Consider joining an investment club or an organization like the American Association of Individual Investors. Experiment with various strategies before you put your own money on the line. Examine historical data or participate in a stock market simulation. Try a momentum portfolio, a technical analysis portfolio, a bottom fisher portfolio, a dividend portfolio, a price/earnings growth portfolio, an intuition portfolio, a mega trends portfolio, and any others you think of. In the process youll find out which ones work best for you. Learn from your own mistakes, and learn from the mistakes of others. If you dont have time for all this work consider mutual funds, especially index funds. 7. Develop the Right Attitude The following personality traits will help you achieve financial success: Discipline: Develop a plan, and stick with it. As you continue to learn, youll become more confident that youre on the right track. Alter your asset allocation based on changes in your personal situation, not because of some short-term market fluctuation. Confidence: Let your intelligence, not your emotions; make your decisions for you. Understand that you will make mistakes and take losses; even the best investors do. Re-evaluate your strategy from time to time, but dont second-guess it. Patience: Dont let your emotions be ruled by todays performance. In most cases, you shouldnt even be watching the day-to-day performance, unless you like to. Also, dont ever feel like its now or never. Dont be pressured into an investment you dont yet understand or feel comfortable with. The following personality traits will hurt your chances of financial success: Fear: If you are unwilling to take any risk, you will be stuck with investments that barely beat inflation. Greed: As an investment class, get rich quick schemes have the worst returns. If your expectations are unrealistically high, youll go for the big scores, which usually dont work. It is generally a good idea to avoid making financial decisions based on emotional factors. 8. Get Help If You Need It The do-it-yourself approach isnt for everyone. If you try it and its not working, or youre afraid to try it at all, or you just dont have the time or desire, theres nothing wrong with seeking professional assistance. If you want others to handle your financial affairs for you, you will nevertheless want to remain involved to some degree, to make sure your money is being spent wisely. Initial Public Offerings Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) are the first time a company sells its stock to the public. Sometimes IPOs are associated with huge first-day gains; other times, when the market is cold, they flop. Its often difficult for an individual investor to realize the huge gains, since in most cases only institutional investors have access to the stock at the offering price. By the time the general public can trade the stock, most of its first-day gains have already been made. However, a savvy and informed investor should still watch the IPO market, because this is the first opportunity to buy these stocks. Reasons for an IPO When a privately held corporation needs to raise additional capital, it can either take on debt or sell partial ownership. If the corporation chooses to sell ownership to the public, it engages in an IPO. Corporations choose to go public instead of issuing debt securities for several reasons. The most common reason is that capital raised through an IPO does not have to be repaid, whereas debt securities such as bonds must be repaid with interest. Despite this apparent benefit, there are also many drawbacks to an IPO. A large drawback to going public is that the current owners of the privately held corporation lose a part of their ownership. Corporations weigh the costs and benefits of an IPO carefully before performing an IPO. Going Public If a corporation decides that it is going to perform an IPO, it will first hire an investment bank to facilitate the sale of its shares to the public. This process is commonly called underwriting; the banks role as the underwriter varies according to the method of underwriting agreed upon, but its primary function remains the same. In accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, the corporation will file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The registration statement must fully disclose all material information to the SEC, including a description of the corporation, detailed financial statements, biographical information on insiders, and the number of shares owned by each insider. After filing, the corporation must wait for the SEC to investigate the registration statement and approve of the full disclosure. During this period while the SEC investigates the corporations filings, the underwriter will try to increase demand for the corporations stock. Many investment banks will print tombstone advertisements that offer bare-bones information to prospective investors. The underwriter will also issue a preliminary prospectus, or red herring, to potential investors. These red herrings include much of the information contained in the registration statement, but are incomplete and subject to change. An official summary of the corporation, or prospectus, must be issued either before or along with the actual stock offering. After the SEC approves of the corporations full disclosure, the corporation and the underwriter decide on the price and date of the IPO; the IPO is then conducted on the determined date. IPOs are sometimes postponed or even withdrawn in poor market conditions. Performance The aftermarket performance of an IPO is how the stock price behaves after the day of its offering on the secondary market (such as the NYSE or the NASDAQ). Investors can use this information to judge the likelihood that an IPO in a specific industry or from a specific lead underwriter will perform well in the days (or months) following its offering. The first-day gains of some IPOs have made investors all too aware of the money to be had in IPO investing. Unfortunately, for the small individual investor, realizing those much-publicized gains is nearly impossible. The crux of the problem is that individual investors are just too small to get in on the IPO market before the jump. Those large first-day returns are made over the offering price of the stock, at which only large, institutional investors can buy in. The system is one o

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Free Hamlet Essays: Importance of Minor Characters :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Importance of Minor Characters in Hamlet  Ã‚   A now-dead philosopher once said that people need three relationships in life—confidant, lover, mentor. Horatio acts as Hamlet’s confidant, fulfilling that relationship for Hamlet. As a result, we can contrast Hamlet’s dialogue with Horatio to Hamlet’s soliloquies. In Act III, Scene 2, lines 65-70 Hamlet tells Horatio about his idea: to use the players to prove Cladius’s guilt. There is a play to-night before the king; 65 One scene of it comes near the circumstance Which I have told thee of my father's death: I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot, Even with the very comment of thy soul Observe mine uncle†¦ 70 Hamlet isn’t commanding Horatio to do this—the relationship isn’t based on Hamlet’s princehood. Hamlet has fully told Horatio what he suspects. He has confided in Horatio. From our perspective as readers, this relationship gives us insight into Hamlet’s state of mind. One great question about Hamlet is whether Hamlet is mad. The things Hamlet tells Horatio indicate that Hamlet is perfectly sane. Hamlet declares (alone) in Act II, Scene 2, line 535-538, "Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,/ That I, the son of the dear murderà ¨d,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,/ Must like a whore unpack my heart with words." These lines alone don’t point toward or away from madness. But look at it with III, 2, 65-70 in mind. We see him resolve to prove Cladius’s guilt; understand the situation as it really is; and talk with Horatio, telling him how he feels. All these things show Hamlet as rational, calculating, perceptive—sane. And we know this because Horatio is there. In Act V, Scene 2, Hamlet stabbed Laertes, watched his mother die, and poured poison down his uncle’s throat. How can we possibly know what Hamlet is thinking, especially because he will soon be dead himself? Horatio the Confidant is there, the good friend who will listen to Hamlet, who would kill himself to follow Hamlet, who vows to devote his life to Hamlet’s message. Another big question about Hamlet: Did Hamlet’s revenge come at too great a price? It’s a judgment call: the evidence can be interpreted either way. That there is evidence at all is due to Horatio. In lines 321-328, Hamlet tells Horatio this: As thou'rt a man, Give me the cup: let go; by heaven, I'll have't. O good Horatio, what a wounded name,