Why God Cannot Exist Using Descartes Arguements Essays -

Why God Cannot Exist Using Descartes' Arguements Philosophy 300 Sam Black God Cannot Exist Using Descartes' Argument Steve Cara JIBC/SFU Cohort #1 May 25th, 2000 Descartes sets about proving the existence of God through his meditations on knowledge in an effort to prove the skeptics of his time wrong. He first determines that human knowledge is based entirely too much on unproved presuppositions. He argues that this makes it difficult to distinguish between truth and error, since we cannot recognize true knowledge. Descartes proposes that the quest for knowledge must be based upon universal doubt. Specifically, he proposes the following in relation to his universal methodic doubt: 1. In order to seek truth, it is necessary once in the course of our life, to doubt, as far as possible, of all things. 2. We ought also to consider as false all that is doubtful. 3. We ought not meanwhile to make use of doubt in the conduct of life? 4. Why we may doubt of sensible things. 5. Why we may also doubt of mathematical demonstrations. 6. We cannot doubt of our existence while we doubt, and this is the first knowledge we acquire when we philosophize in order. Descartes proceeded to strip away his knowledge base in order to determine the one indubitable fact, Cogito, ergo sum. From this absolute knowledge of his own existence, he set about deducing the existence of God through ontological argument. ? In our minds, the idea of God is one of an infinitely perfect Being ? An infinitely perfect being must have existence, otherwise it would not be infinitely perfect. ? Therefore, God exists. In proving the existence of God, Descartes set the groundwork for determining that God created man. He further postulated that God, being infinitely perfect and not a deceiver, could not have provided man with the deceptive powers of knowledge. Therefore, man's mental faculties are determined to be trustworthy provided we separate what there is of clear and distinct in the knowledge from what is obscure and confused. Using this reasoning, man must discard all previous knowledge which is doubt-ridden, all sensory-based knowledge (as perceptions can be misleading), and all intellection. As a result, skepticism is removed and valid knowledge possible. Descartes primary purpose was the defense of human knowledge against the attacks of the skeptics. He was justified in excluding preconceived notions, presuppositions, and traditions in determining the limits of knowledge. Descartes discarded the ability of the mind to know truth and the human abilities of contradiction and sufficient reason. In doing so, he made a solution to the problem impossible. As it relates to his theory of the existence of God, Descartes universal doubt refutes his own conclusion as to God's existence. Descartes formed an idea of God as an infinitely good being. He would have had to discover this idea within his own mind. According to his principle of universal doubt, he cannot simply know whether his conception of God is correct or incorrect. He would have, as a matter of his own principle, considered it as false until proven otherwise. Therefore, since the idea of God is in doubt, the trustworthiness of man's reasoning must also be doubtful and Descartes cannot escape his own real doubt. Descartes uses a process of reasoning, a mathematical formulae, in attempting to demonstrate God's existence. If his reasoning is of demonstrably doubtful validity, how can Descartes demonstrate God's existence? The validity of Descartes reasoning is supposed to flow as a consequence of the infinite perfection of God; and God's infinite perfect is made certain through Descartes' reasoning powers before he has even proven that these reasoning powers are valid and trustworthy. Descartes assumes the very thing beforehand which he intends to prove afterwards. (Begging the question). Descartes accepts the trustworthiness of his faculties in demonstrating the existence and infinite perfection of God, and that is illegitimate. A doubtfully valid faculty will produce a doubtfully valid argument which will, in turn, produce a doubtfully valid conclusion. The entire argument for God's existence is therefore nullified by a suspect reasoning process. Since he proves the reliability of his reason and process by means of God's veracity, the proof of his reliability cannot be established beyond doubt. Thus, Descartes attempt to vindicate the validity of human knowledge failed, because, by rejecting the reliability of his own powers

Application of the spiral of silence theory Essays

Application of the spiral of silence theory Essays Application of the spiral of silence theory Paper Application of the spiral of silence theory Paper This public opinion concept refers to the way in which ‘the commonwealth is held together by prevailing views, habits and prescribed behavior;’ from which none can deviate ‘without running the risk of being ostracized’. (Noelle-Neumann, 1989, p. 6). The fear of isolation is the centrifugal force that accelerates the spiral of silence. (Griffin, E. M. ,2009). It is believed that most of the reason of the following suit behavior is that people like to be respected and do not want to be isolated. But, this theory still has some limitations. The critics of this theory most often claim that individuals have different influences that affect whether they speak out or not. Research indicates that people fear isolation in their small social circles more than they do in the population at large. When they are at work, they are in their small social circles, this fear of isolation is stronger than the fear of being isolated from the entire public. Also, personal characteristics will have an influence on whether a person will willingly speak out. Naturally, if one has a positive self-concept and lacks a sense of shame, that person will speak out regardless of how she or he perceives the climate of public opinion. (Ross, C. , 2007). Another important element for people not to speaking out is culture. What culture a person lives in affect their minds directly. Not every culture holds freedom of speech in as high regard as the United States, and in some cultures, open expression of ideas is forbidden. (Ross, C. , 2007) Scheufele Moy, further assert that certain conflict styles and cultural indicators should be used to understand these differences. Although the spiral of silence theory caused a lot of controversy, it still has a practical significance. Internal communication plays a key role in all organisations, particularly regarding employee engagement. Nowadays, all companies are experiencing rapid growth. P. Sanchez(1999) asserts that doing business and managing change makes effective internal communication a critical success factor. When internal corporate communication becomes smooth, managers could collect useful advice and wisdom, understand different point of view and evaluate different levels of suggestions, providing more reference for their decision-making. Maybe a little suggestion from one subordinate can have a greatly influence on the interests of the company. Furthermore, through the communication, employees feel comfortable and are respected, it will establish their loyalty and make them care about the development of not only themselves but the whole company. In fact, their engagements directly affect the company’s performance. The theory provides a unique perspective that the final consequence of the discussion in company is not the rational opinions and may be the convergence of the strong opinions. Sometimes, the strong opinions are not accurate and result in the wrong choice of managers. Because of the spiral of silence, some people hold their opinions in mind and do not speak it out, they will lose their enthusiasms of their work and make no contribution to the company. Usually, those people’s opinions are known as adverse opinion, which are opposite to the leadership or the mainstream. It may be correct, also may be wrong. So we cannot just treat it as wrong opinion. Only if the administrators make it clear, the employees would disclose their true own opinion. It is not normal that there is not a voice against the majority opinions, this actually means managers do not play a good role in creating a free, democratic environment for employees. As time passes, the staff are too lazy to put forward their opinions. If so, the managers of company will lose so many value aspects of the different voice. Amounts of adverse opinions may stimulate some other new, fresh ideas, sometimes these ideas are even better than the original advantageous opinions . For minorities to stimulate the thinking of the other group members, the minorities have to share their opinions. Factors that might encourage people to express minority opinions would include having personal qualities that can offset the risk ( Hollander, 1958); getting support for their position ( Latane Wolf, 1981; Tanford Penrod, 1984); and having a positive and accepting social atmosphere in the group ( Hackman, 1987). In fact, creating a nonjudgmental atmosphere is the cornerstone of group discussion techniques designed to maximize participant contributions (e. g. , Delbecq, Van de Ven, Gustafson, 1975; Osborn, 1957). There is no doubt that the existence of the spiral of silence in company is the last thing managers want to see. If it exists, minority will not comment about many things, they bend to the public opinion. Several different opinions precisely are the indispensable condition of making correct decisions. Critically, that doesn’t mean managers should adopt the minority opinions all the time. When discussing adverse opinions, managers should not reject them flatly, but let employees fully expound them views and reason, and then analysis their opinions seriously. The reasonable part should be accepted and the unreasonable part should be abandoned. Since some few people’s insights are profound, decision-makers need to determine whether the strategy should be changed. Managers must be able to recognize those wrong opinions, and according to their different properties, adopt appropriate methods. In order to maintain the enthusiasm of staff, it is important for managers to treat all opinions of the staff equally, no matter they are right or wrong, positive or negative and valuable or not valuable. For those right and valuable opinions, managers should not only verbally accept them, but give the presenters praise and reward. For those abandoned opinions, it is important to encourage the presenters to continue to point their opinions out. Only totally understand how the spiral of silence theory works in the enterprise and treat the disadvantageous opinions properly, administrators could create a smooth channel of internal corporate communication.

Teenage Pregnancy Essay Example

Teenage Pregnancy Essay Example Teenage Pregnancy Essay Teenage Pregnancy Essay as seen in Table 1. Thus, it appears that although a smaller percentage of teen-aged women plan their pregnancy than older women, for a substantial percentage (42. 6%) the pregnancy is unintended but not unwanted. Conceptualising and defining unplanned, unintended and unwanted pregnancies can be complex.A relatively reliable indicator of the unwantedness of a pregnancy (for whatever reason) is termination of pregnancy (TOP). Buchmann, Mensah and Pillay (2002) found the following age-related TOP rates at a hospital in Soweto, as measured over an eight-week period: 13 to16 years: 23% 17 to19 years: 14. 9% 20 to 34 years: 12. 7% 35+ years: 16. 2%. According to these statistics, more young teen-aged women have unwanted pregnancies than do older women. Low rates of termination of pregnancy (3%) were reported in the national household survey (Pettifor et al. 2005). This low level of reportage may, however, have to do with the stigma attached to termination of pregnancy. POTENTIAL CONSEQUE NCES The disruption of schooling The relationship between early pregnancy and school disruption is complicated. Data presented in Macleod (1999a) indicated that many young women who became mothers in fact left school before pregnancy. More recently, 20. 6% of the pregnant teenagers in the survey conducted by Manzini (2001) in KwaZulu-Natal had left school prior to conceiving.The 2003 General Household Survey statistics indicate that of all the females who had dropped out of school, only 13% cited pregnancy as a reason (Crouch, 2005). Nevertheless, this is higher than the 10. 3% in the household survey conducted amongst urban black youth by Richter (1996), prior to the introduction of the Schools Act, which prevents discrimination against pregnant learners. For those who leave because of pregnancy, a significant new factor may be the Department of Education? s (2007) guidelines entitled „Measures for the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy? hat makes it possible for educators to „request? that learners take a leave of absence of up to two years. There are thus numerous factors, besides pregnancy, that lead to school leaving. Some of the major reasons for leaving school before the end of Grade 12 include poverty, frustration associated with the inexperience of teachers, a lack of relevance of the curriculum and teaching materials, the absence of parents at home, and the need to care for siblings or sick family members (Human Sciences Research Council, 2007).Biddecom and Bakilana? s (2003) investigation of the transition to adulthood through significant events in young people? s lives (first sex, stopping school, pregnancy, birth and union) provides a glimpse into the complexity of the sequencing of these events. The researchers conclude that adolescents seldom experience all five events during their teenage years, and that there is â€Å"more disorder than order in terms of the variety of combinations and chronological sequences of import ant social and family formation transitions† (p. 15).Studies reviewed in Macleod (1999a) indicated that a substantial minority of pregnant or mothering young women did not plan to return to school. More recent evidence gives a better picture of actual returns (as opposed to plans to return). Manzini (2001) found that 48% of young women who left school because of pregnancy returned to school. The major reason cited for not returning to school was the need to care for the child. In the survey by Grant and Hallman (2006) 29% of the 14-19 year-old women and 52% of the 20-24 year-old women who had dropped out of school had returned.With every year that passes the chance of a return to school diminishes, with very little chance of return after four years (Grant Hallman, 2006). Various reasons for drop-out and return have been explored. Lloyd (2005) ascribes the drop-out rates to the child support grants (see later discussion of the controversy regarding this). Grant and Hallman (20 06) found that prior poor school performance (e. g. non-pregnancy-related repetition of grades) and having to be the primary caregiver for the child are strongly associated with the likelihood of dropping out when pregnant.In terms of returning to school, Kaufman, De Wet and Stadler (2000) suggest that the increased bride price that accompanies higher educational status is a motivating factor for parental support in this regard. Grant and Hallman? s (2006) data suggest that young women are more likely to return to school if they have never repeated a grade or withdrawn temporarily from school before, and if they live with an adult female. The presence of older female relatives allows a young mother to relinquish domestic duties to older women and return to school.Young women who marry and move to their husband? s household may, however, have increased domestic responsibilities and there may be less support for their continued education (Matthews, et al. , 2008). Grant and Hallman? s (2006) study debunks the frequently made assumption that, were young women not to conceive, they would continue their education. They discuss the concept of disengagement from school in which young women perceive few opportunities emerging from participating in education.If there is little incentive to participate in school, there is also little incentive to avoid pregnancy. For some young women it is a rational option to leave an unsatisfactory situation at school for the role of motherhood. It is possible, however, that not only school engagement but also school attendance is a protective factor against teen pregnancy. Harrison (2008) argues that school leaving, either through dropout or completion, represents a significant change in the life circumsta nces of young women.This is supported by statistics that indicate that there is an increase in pregnancy and HIV infection after school leaving, with the proportion of 17-18 year-olds who have been pregnant being nearly four times that of 16- year-olds. Early reproduction and health The studies cited in Macleod (1999a) that had a health focus tried to tease out the obstetric outcomes of early pregnancy. Some of these studies showed increased risks, while others ascribed the risk to socio-economic status or poor antenatal care. We failed to locate any recent South African research on the obstetric outcomes of early pregnancy.Instead the focus has shifted to concerns over the increased risk for young women in terms of contracting HIV (Jewkes, Vundule, Maforah Jordaan, 2001) and the level of antenatal care young pregnant women receive. According to the 2003 SADHS, compared to pregnant women 20 to 34 years old, pregnant women under the age of 20 are more likely to receive care from a nurse or midwife than from a doctor and are more likely not to receive care at all. The components of antenatal care also reflect less adequate antenatal care for younger women compared to women in the age category of 20 to 34 years .They are less likely to be informed of the signs of pregnancy complications, to have their weight, height and blood pressure measured, to have urine and blood samples taken or to receive iron supplements. Many young women report for antenatal testing only in their second or third trimester. This should be seen in the light of the finding that late presentation for pregnancy care is a general and persistent problem in South Africa (Myer Harrison, 2003). In addition, taboos associated with teenage sexual activity, denial of paternity by a male partner and lack of nowledge regarding the importance of antenatal consultations may be reasons for late attendance (Phafoli, Van Aswegen Alberts, 2007). Women who have accessed urine pregnancy testing tend to seek care up to four weeks earlier than those who have not. Barriers to young women accessing urine pregnancy testing within the public health sector include ignorance of protocols on the part of service providers and a negative attitud e to providing pregnancy tests for teenagers on the basis that this encourages them to be sexually active (Morroni Moodley, 2006). The outcomes of early reproduction for childrenResearch reviewed in Macleod (1999a) pointed to inadequate mothering, neglect, maltreatment and abuse as consequences of early childbearing. The concern about whether these effects were owing to the age of the mother or constraints imposed by poverty were raised. Interestingly, we were not able to locate any recent research that spoke to the issue of mothering or neglect/abuse. Data, albeit contradictory (see below), is, however, available on mortality rates. The 2003 SADHS is inconsistent in terms of its reportage of mortality rates by age of mother. Table 2 below contains figures featured in Table 6. of the 2003 SADHS. (Neonatal mortality is the probability of dying within the first month of life; post-neonatal mortality is the difference between infant and neonatal mortality; infant mortality is the prob ability of dying in the first year of life; child mortality is the probability of dying between exact age one and five; under-five mortality is the probability of dying between birth and exact age five). Data in the table indicate that, on all indices, children born to mothers below the age of 20 have a lower mortality rate than those born to women between the ages of 20 and 39 years.However, the text below this table in the 2003 SADHS states that, â€Å"The relationship between maternal age and child mortality shows the expected U-shape with women younger than 20 years having higher infant and under-five mortality rates than women between 20 and 40 years of age. † This appears to be in direct contradiction to the figures presented. It is not clear which of these (the figures or the statement) is accurate. The conditions that most frequently account for infant deaths are complications in the perinatal period (22%) and low birth weight 20%). Although it is possible that these conditions are more pronounced for young women who give birth, further clarification of the above contradictory data is required. Welfare concerns – the child support grant Macleod (1999a) reported that concerns around welfare dependency were a feature of the Euro-American, but not the South African, literature on teen-aged pregnancy. This is no longer true. With the introduction of the child support grant (CSG), research on the possibility of the CSG acting as a „perverse incentive? as been conducted. The popular concern, as raised in the South African media, that young women are deliberately conceiving in order to access the CSG is supported, to a certain extent, by the PPASA (2003) survey in which it was found that 12. 1% of pregnant teen-aged women who had deliberately conceived cited the CSG as the reason. However, other research (Department of Social Development, 2006; Makiwane Udjo, 2006) concludes that there is no evidence that the CSG leads to a „pervers e incentive? to conceive.These authors base their conclusion on the following: (1) early fertility decreased after the introduction of the CSG; (2) only 20% of teen-aged mothers are beneficiaries of these grants; (3) older female relatives who take over care of the child are often beneficiaries rather than the teen-aged mothers; (4) of those who would qualify for the grant, the proportion of teen-aged mothers taking them up is considerably lower than those in older age groups; and (5) during the period in which the CSG has been offered, rates of termination of pregnancy have increased.Indeed, the fact that many young women who are eligible for the grant are not receiving it should be of concern. In general, the CSG is associated with an increase in school attendance, and improved child health and nutrition, which in turn contributes to schoolreadiness of the child, as well as extra money to pa y for school fees and uniforms (Case, Hosegood Lund, 2005). The concern about the social cost of early reproduction through teen-aged mothers depending on welfare has also been criticised within the United States. Researchers compared teen-aged mothers with teenagers who were pregnant but had a miscarriage (i. e. ho would have been mothers had the miscarriage not occurred). Their conclusions are startling, given the usual assumption in the United States that early reproduction contributes to welfare dependency. They state that if all teenagers delayed childbearing, public assistance expenditure would increase slightly and that the lifetime earnings of these women would decrease (Hotz, McElroy Sander, 1996). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS While not all pregnancies amongst young women are unplanned, and not all unplanned pregnancies are unwanted, more young women find their pregnancies problematic than do women in their middle reproductive years.It is these young women specifically who should be assisted in terms of preventing unwanted pregnancies. An understanding of the contribu tory factors (which are complex and interweaving) is required for this to occur. Knowledge and sources of knowledge Within the context of HIV, much emphasis has been placed on education about condom usage. James, Reddy, Taylor and Jinabhai (2004) found that secondary school learners in the Midlands district of KwaZulu-Natal had a high level of knowledge regarding the causes of and protection against HIV/AIDS and STIs. In studies more directly related to contraception (e. . Oni, Prinsloo, Nortje, Joubert, 2005; Richter Mlambo, 2005), young people? s knowledge has been found to be variable, with some misconceptions abounding. For example, in Rutenberg et al.? s (2001) household survey in KwaZulu-Natal, few respondents (8%) knew about the menstrual cycle and the times a woman has the greatest chance of falling pregnant. This knowledge improved slightly with age. However, 80% of their sample knew that a woman could get pregnant if she had sex only once, almost all (99%) knew of at lea st one method of family planning, and 72% could name more than two.White respondents, urban African respondents and female respondents were more likely to know of more than one method than other respondents. Research on young people? s knowledge of emergency contraception is new. Indications are that this knowledge is quite poor. Mqhayi et al. (2004) found that only 17% of the young women they interviewed at urban and rural public health clinics had heard of emergency contraception, with significantly more urban-based women knowing of its existence than rurally-based women. These trends seem to mirror the knowledge of this kind of contraception in the general population (Smit et al. 2001). Macleod (1999b) noted that: There are a number of difficulties associated with the research which investigates the reproductive ignorance hypothesis. Firstly, the implied one-to-one correspondence between reproductive ignorance and teenage pregnancy is spurious. Obviously, a lack of sexual knowled ge is not a sufficient condition for conception, nor is it even necessary (p. 8). This is now recognised by researchers. For example, Ehlers? (2003a) survey suggests that young women in Tshwane know about contraceptives, but that this knowledge is not necessarily associated with effective usage. 5. 9% of the sample of pregnant young women knew of contraceptive methods but had still conceived. Abel and Fitzgerald (2006) argue that a rational, decision- making model regarding contraceptive usage, that equates knowledge with usage, ignores contextual issues which may prevent young women, especially, from negotiating condom usage. Young men and women are exposed to messages regarding sexuality and contraception from a variety of sources. These includ e elders, peers, the mass media, and formal, institutional sources uch as life skills programmes and family planning services. Parents are enjoined by a variety of sources to speak openly to their children about sexuality and to provide sex education. Ho wever, this may be an unrealistic expectation. Similar to the research reviewed in Macleod (1999b), recent research indicates that it is generally difficult for parents to engage in this kind of interaction with their children (Madu, Kropiunigg Weckenmann, 2002). Despite these barriers, a number of interventions, such as the PPASA? s parent education programmes and loveLife? Born Free dialogues, are aimed at parents to sensitise them to the need to speak with their children about sexual matters. What is becoming clear in the literature are the nuances of interaction between parents or elders and young women. MacPhail and Campbell? s (2001) research shows that while older women provide little or no information to young women, they will assist in taking a young woman to the family planning clinic. Although some young women are informed of a link between menstruation and pregnancy, their understanding of the nature of the association remains vague.Most often young women are admonished to stay away from boys, meaning that abstinence rather than contraception is emphasised. Adult surveillance may also actively impinge on contraceptive use. Information about youths? visits to family planning clinics, and about their suspected relationships and sexual activities is passed on to relevant others, who in turn reprimand the youth in question. As with research reported in Macleod (1999b), peers are found in recent research to be a frequent source of information (Rutenberg et al. , 2001).Again, however, peer communication is viewed as a double-edged sword. While some of their messages provide valuable information, some perpetuate the mystification and silence surrounding sexual matters. In contrast to research reviewed in Macleod (1999b), research in the last decade has concentrated more on the mass media, including magazines and radio and television broadcasts. This must be viewed in the light of recent efforts such as the sexual health campaign run by lov eLife. Research indicates that these media have reasonable reach – about half the population (Rutenberg et al. 2001) – although reception may be gendered, with more males than females being exposed to the messages (Oni et al. , 2005). Exposure to messages in the mass media has been positively associated with increased condom usage (Katz, 2006). Formal, institutional sources of knowledge, where operational, appear also to be effective in terms of imparting knowledge. For example, life skills education in schools has been shown to be of some benefit in terms of promoting sexual and reproductive health knowledge and perceived condom self-efficacy (Magnani et al. 2005). Nevertheless, there is still some way to go, and implementation appears to be uneven. For example, teenagers in Bushbuckridge, Limpopo, stated that they had not received school education that enabled them to understand sexual intercourse, sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, negotiation of sexual r elationships, and the difficulties of single parenthood (Richter Mlambo, 2005). Use of contraceptives It appears that some inroads are being made in terms of contraception use amongst teenagers.Moultrie and McGrath (2007) report from the Demographic Surveillance Site in rural KwaZulu-Natal that between 2000 and 2005 the proportion of young people who had e ver had sex remained relatively constant, but that contraceptive usage increased significantly. Simbayi, Chauveau and Shisana (2004) report a similar trend of increased contraceptive usage in their national survey as compared to findings from the 1990s. Dinkelman, Lam and Leibbrandt (2007) found a significant increase in condom usage and a decrease in multiple partners between 2002 and 2005 amongst women aged 17 to 22 years surveyed in the Cape Area Panel Study.Although contraception usage appears to be increasing, this varies considerably depending on a number of factors, including location and education. According to the 2003 S ADHS, women in rural areas and in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga, and those with lower levels of education, reported the lowest condom use. These trends are confirmed by Mqhayi et al.? s (2004) comparative study of rural and urban public health facility users, and by Kaufman, Clark, Manzini and May? s (2004) survey in KwaZulu-Natal.Factors that prevent the use of contraceptives that were reported in recent research are similar to those listed in Macleod (1999b). These include perceived lack of risk, peer norms, gender power relations (MacPhail Campbell, 2001), lack of availability and access, fear of adult attitudes to contraceptive usage, and the economic context of adolescent sexuality (Ehlers, 2003a). Research is beginning to tease out the nuances regarding contraceptive usage. For example, using condoms at sexual debut and speaking to partners about condoms have been reported as indicators of condom use at the respondents? ost recent sexual interaction (Hendriksen, Pettifor, L ee, Coates Rees, 2007), with one survey finding that younger respondents were less likely to speak to their partners than older ones (Manzini, 2001). Garenne et al.? s (2001) research in the Agincourt subdistrict of Limpopo Province shows that contraceptive usage increases significantly amongst young women after first birth. Data from the SADHS shows that youth are currently more willing to use contraceptives prior to first birth than previous cohorts of women. As indicated above, research on emergency contraceptives is new.I n the study by Mqhayi et al. (2004) only two out of 193 women had used emergency contraception, although 39% reported having had unprotected sex in the last year although they did not wish to conceive. Timing of first sexual intercourse and age of sexual partner The average age of sexual debut reported in recent research is somewhat older than that reported in Macleod (1999b), where the average reported age at first coitus was around 14 years. In the 2003 SADH S, the median age of first intercourse is reported consistently across all age groups to be around 18 years, in Pettifor et al.? (2005) nationally representative survey it is around 17 years, and in Simbayi, Chauveau and Shisana? s (2004) nationally representative survey, 16. 5 years. In the 1998 SADHS survey 46% of women reported that their first sexual encounter occurred before the age of 18. This percentage dropped to 42% in the 2003 SADHS survey, indicating a possible general trend in delaying first intercourse. Despite this, early sexual debut is a feature for a sizable minority of young teenagers. Factors affecting sexual debut, including education, provincial location, race, and orphan status, are elucidated more learly in recent research than in that reported in Macleod (1999b). According to the 2003 SADHS, there is a difference of one to three years in age at first sex between the lowest and highest education groups. The provinces reporting the lowest age of sexual debut ar e the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. The percentage of reported first sex by age 15 was lower among whites, Indians and coloureds than among Africans. Urban versus non-urban location did not make any difference. In a separate study, it was found that orphaned teenagers had an earlier sexual debut than non-orphans (Thurman, Brown, Richter, Maharaj Magnani, 2006).The age difference between partners and the possibility of transactional sex has gained more attention in recent research than was reported in Macleod (1999b). Jewkes, Vundule, Maforah and Jordaan (2001) report a mean difference of 5. 1 years in age between pregnant young women and their current partners in their sample of young women in Cape Town. This differed significantly from a comparison group of young women who were not pregnant, where the mean difference in age between partners was 4 years. Dunkle et al. (2007) report that 17. % of male participants in their study aged 15 to 26 admitted to engaging in transactional sex , and that a male partner was more likely to perpetrate genderbased violence within the context of a transactional sexual relationship. Factors affecting contraceptive use and risky sexual behaviour Macleod (1999b) reported that: The South African research on risk-taking behaviour is mostly descriptive in nature. Researchers in the United States have extended this to investigating the factors associated with risk-taking behaviour and to developing cognitively based theoretical models which may account for this behaviour in certain adolescents (p. 0). This has changed in the last 10 years with researchers analysing and theorising factors associated with sexual risk taking. This is possibly owing to the increased research into young people? s sexual behaviour in the light of the HIV epidemic. Brook, Morojele, Zhang and Brook (2006) researched the multiple pathways to risky sexual behaviour amongst young people through studying the relationship between what they call the proximal facto rs (personality, emotional status and behavioural tendencies), intermediate factors (parent-teenager relationship, peer influence) and distal factors (socioeconomic conditions).Their conclusion is complex, but illustrates the important role that poverty plays in sexual behaviour: The first pathway showed that poverty is related to a weak parent-child relationship, which in turn is related to vulnerable personality and behavioral attributes. Vulnerable personality and behavioural attributes are then observed to be related to associating with deviant peers, which in turn is related to risky sexual behaviour. The second pathway demonstrated that poverty is related to associating with deviant peers, which in turn is linked to vulnerable personality and behavioral attributes and risky sexual behaviour.A reciprocal relationship was observed between associating with deviant peers and having vulnerable personality and behavioural attributes. The third and fourth pathways show that family po verty and deviant peers are directly associated with risky sexual behaviours. †¦ There was no direct link between personality and behavioral risk factors and risky sexual behavior, but we found that this relationship †¦ was mediated by associating with deviant peers (p. 270).Researchers have used a range of social cognitive theories to explain sexual risk behaviour at a personal and interpersonal level amongst young people. For example, Jemmott et al. (2007) found that adolescents who had positive attitudes to condoms and positive behavioural control beliefs (i. e. believed they could use condoms effectively) had firmer intentions to use condoms than their peers. Bryan, Kagee and Broaddus (2006) found HIV knowledge and positive outlook (self-esteem and future optimism) to be associated with the intention to use condoms.The theory of planned behaviour holds that the intention to use condoms is the main determinant of actual use, an assertion that is supported by the researc h of Bryan, Kagee and Broaddus (2006). Boer and Mashamba (2007) found a gender difference in the psychosocial correlates of intention to use condoms. Among the males in their sample, attitude to condoms and subjective norms (perception of the normative beliefs of significant others and motivation to comply with these norms) were associated with intended condom use, while for females attitude to condom and self-efficacy were related to intended condom use.They relate this difference to the gender power imbalances prevalent in many young people? s lives, which means that young women need to have high levels of self-efficacy in order to negotiate condom use within a sexual relationship. S imilarly, Sayles et al. (2006) found that respondents with high self-efficacy engaged in fewer sexual risk behaviours. Perception of risk has been argued to play a role in sexual behaviour. It appears that the threat of contracting HIV is currently a significant factor in motivating young people to us e condoms (Varga, 2000).Despite this, the calculation of costs versus benefits may sway young people towards non-use of condoms. For some youth, decreased physical pleasure and fears of physical consequences (e. g. condom getting stuck in the womb) mitigates against consistent usage of condoms (James et al. , 2004; Varga, 2000). Beliefs concerning what using a condom means are also a factor. Young women? s carrying of condoms or insistence on their use during sex may be seen as a sign of promiscuity, infidelity, or HIV infection.This negativity does not extend to males (Varga, 2000). Harrison, Xaba and Kunene (2001) suggest that male youths understand condoms as something to be used within a casual relationship, while female youths see them as a signal of love and trustworthiness. Varga (2000), however, notes an overarching perception that condoms threaten trust and intimacy between partners. At an interpersonal level, messages from significant others and the ability of young people to negotiate with their partners about contraception have come under the spotlight.Boer and Westhoff (2006) indicate that communication concerning condoms is evident from both strong ties and weak ties within young people? s social networks. However, the level of positivity varied widely, with the most positive messages coming from teachers, mothers, and close friends, and negative messages coming from teachers propagating abstinence and from close friends. Their research indicates that young people tend to conform to messages (either positive or negative) if these messages are provided by strong social ties, but not if they are provided by weak social ties. Violent and coercive sexual relationshipsDunkle et al. (2004) found in their sample of women attending antenatal clinics in Soweto that over half of the women aged 15 to 30 had experienced physical and/or sexual violence from male intimate partners, with nearly one-third reporting incidences in the previous 12 months. Another s urvey, conducted by the PPASA in six provinces, found that 20% of teenaged females reported forced sexual encounters or had been sexually assaulted. While the research on violent and coercive sexual relations appeared in the review by Macleod (1999b), more is now understood concerning its relation to early sexual debut and early pregnancy.For example, Dunkle et al. (2004) found that the median age of first intercourse amongst their participants was 17 years. However, 97% of women who reported first intercourse before 13 years, and 26. 7% of those reporting at the ages of 13 and 14 years also reported non-consent to coitus. Data confirming forced or coerced sexual debut is provided by Rutenberg et al. (2001) and Jewkes and Abrahams (2002). Jewkes et al. (2001) found that the partners of pregnant young women in their sample were more likely to be older, to not be in school and to have multiple girlfriends than the partners of non-pregnant young women.The pregnant women experienced sig nificantly more violence in their relationships and were more likely to have been forced to have sex for the first time. Similar to research reported in Macleod (1999b), the gender dynamics underpinning coercive sex have received attention in recent research. Varga (2000) contends that gender ideology enforces double standards in behaviour and inhibits the ability of young women to negotiate with a partner. Constructions of masculinity in part rely on sexual performance, particularly the construction of isoka, a dominant and sexually vigorous version of masculinity.However, the threat of HIV seems to have diminished this norm, with young men reporting being more cautious than in previous studies. Jewkes and Christofides (2008) suggest that paternity is so important to masculinity, that some young men might actively seek an opportunity to father a child. Cultural factors Macleod (1999b) reported that the exploration of cultural factors in relation to teen-aged pregnancy fell into two broad camps – the breakdown of tradition and the cultural value placed on fertility. The first of these has received less attention in the last 10 years.The practice of vaginal inspection, which was reported as one of the traditional practices that was being broken down, has, however, been debated. Recent initiatives have attempted to use this rite to promote abstinence from sexual intercourse and as a means of avoiding STIs and pregnancy. Maluleke (2003) argues that while there is reason to believe that the rite can be used to pass on valuable information regarding reproductive health to young women, it is a gendered cultural institution. The procedure is seen as demeaning to the women who are tested, and as a violation of personal privacy.There are also possible unintended outcomes, including older men seeking out younger women because of their potential virginity and low HIV risk status (Simbayi, Chauveau Shisana, 2004). The cultural value placed on fertility has receive d less attention, although PrestonWhyte (1999) and Jewkes and Christofides (2008) discuss the issue. They indicate that women of all ages in most African societies experience pressure to have children. Importance is placed on fertility and procreation, such that young women may be labelled as barren if they do not conceive. Pregnancy is understood as the epitome of womanhood.Childbirth may be regarded as a rite of passage, and thus raises the status of a young woman. Furthermore, pregnancy is valued by young African women for the meaning it imparts to re lationships. In the context of multiple relationships, an acknowledged pregnancy may strengthen bonds between partners. Health service provision Macleod (1999b) reported on research which found that access to service provision was difficult for young people. There seems to be some change in this, although there are still difficulties. The majority of participants in MacPhail and Campbell? (2001) research reported obtaining their con doms from the local clinic. In a national sample of adolescent mothers (Ehlers, 2003b), the majority reported waiting only 30 minutes to receive assistance at a family planning clinic, and 86% experienced nurses as being very helpful. The Department of Health? s National Adolescent Friendly Clinic Initiative (NAFCI) was begun in 1999 and works with service providers to improve the quality of health care for young people. Research has identified changes in the perceptions of youth when a clinic has received NAFCI support (Dickson, Ashton Smith, 2007).However, this is not universal and access to condoms is especially difficult for young women who have to negotiate the negative attitudes of nurses at some local clinics (MacPhail Campbell, 2001). CONCLUSION A number of shifts in focus with regards to research on the consequences and contributory factors of teen-aged pregnancy are evident in this review. Researchers no longer pontificate about the obstetric outcomes of teen-aged pregna ncy, but rather concentrate on the services that are provided to young women.The mothering capabilities of young women do not feature as a research question, although (contradictory) data on infant and child mortality rates are available. Relationship difficulties with family of origin and partner, which were reported on in Macleod (1999a) are no longer really an issue. Demographic concerns have disappeared from the radar screen, but welfare concerns have emerged with the introduction of the CSG. Disruption of schooling remains a topic of debate with respect to the outcomes of early pregnancy. Reproductive knowledge, the source of knowledge, sexual debut and the use of contraceptives remain as central points of focus.Researchers seem to have lost interest in expounding early menarche, psychological problems, family structure, and peer influence as contributory factors, all factors that featured in the research reported in Macleod (1999b). Coercive sex and cultural issues remain of i nterest to researchers, although more nuance is evident in the former and less in the latter. The level of health service provision, as a contributory factor, continues to be an important area of focus. In general, we feel that the quality, depth and breadth of the research have improved over the last ten years.This is as a result of (1) the nationally representative as well as localised health surveys being conducted, (2) researchers? teasing out of the nuances surrounding particular issues (such as school return; CSG; interactions between young people and elders around sexual issues, condom usage, and coercive sex) and (3) increased levels of theorising around particular issues. The data that we have access to and the engagement of researchers with the complexities of issues arguably provides a much better basis for thinking through, planning and implementing interventions. Teenage Pregnancy Essay Example Teenage Pregnancy Essay Teenage Pregnancy Essay Essay Topic: Teenage Pregnancy The problem of teenage pregnancy is usually seen as a controversial issue, which affects not just the mother and her child but society as a whole. Teenage pregnancy happens among women under age 20. This problem is not limited to culture, religion, education or moral values and beliefs. Here are some facts: Every year almost a million teenage girls become pregnant. The U. S. A has double the adolescent pregnancy and birth rates than any industrialized country. One- third of the girls who became pregnant as teenagers keep their babies (Teenage pregnancy, Robert T. Brown, 2002). What are the causes of teenage pregnancy? What do parents do wrong? In this essay, I would like to present some of the causes and effects of teenage pregnancy. There are three main factors that have an influence on teenage pregnancy: media, family and wanted pregnancy. The Media is one of the factors that could diminish the sexual risk that adolescents take. However, a lot of advertisement and entertainment are obsessed with sex but they usually do not show the negative consequences of sex. People on TV or movies are depicted as having sex without consequences, which leads to young people thinking that sex is safe and they do not have to worry about the consequences of their acts. Family is the most important thing for many people. But in the last decade, people started to spend most of their time at work. As a result of this change they do not have time for their children. The absence of communication leads to loneliness and unhappiness in their children. They do not feel loved so they start looking for love somewhere else. Many of the adolescents are not particularly developed to make decisions based on reasoned understanding of the future consequences of their actions. This is called immaturity (Teenage pregnancy, Robert T. Brown, 2002) Young people also have a feeling of being protected from risky behaviour. They hope that anything bad will not happen to them. This personal myth leads to unprotected sexual activity, with all it’s consequences. (Teenage pregnancy, Robert T. Brown, 2002)Girls in teen age are more sensitive about things that are happening around them. They often feel lonely and upset. Low self-system is often connected with depression. This may lead to sexual activity, alcoholism or drug addiction. Girls who grow up without father have a tendency to look for older man who can give them the feeling of being loved and protected. Teenage pregnancy, Robert T. Brown, 2002)Wanted pregnancy is a special type of teen pregnancy. Girls become pregnant because they really want to. They want to make their partners happy or they expect that the baby will give them love. Other girls see peers in their social circles having a baby. And because the government contributes certain amounts of money f or children, they can see the material benefit for themselves and their families (Teenage pregnancy, Robert T. Brown, 2002)The effects of teenage pregnancy are not limited to having to decide whether or not to keep the baby. The pregnancy influences society, the mother’s health, finances and emotions. One of the biggest problem are finances: Most working mothers who have had children too early are not qualified enough to get a better paying job. The amount of money they earn is sufficient only for survival. It leads to cheap, unhealthy food, unsanitary houses and poorly equipped school for children and defective medical care. A single mother is also forced to pay bills and utilities as others but in her case it is a big problem. Inability to support her child and pay bills causes physical and mental stress. Dealing with an unplanned pregnancy has a great impact on a girl’s psyche and emotions. It is not just about changes in her body: there are other factors which a teenage mother has to deal with. This includes frustration, initial excitement, fear, resentment or confusion. Young mothers become overwhelmed with the pressure of supporting their children financially. Children suffer for the mistakes of their parents. Children raised by teenage parents start their lives with a handicap. They are automatically placed in the lower class. Children become lonely and confused. Many of these children end up having their own children at an early age. Because of poor education they end up in dead-end jobs, jail or joblessness. (The effects of teen pregnancy on children, Waltohar)In developed countries, teenage pregnancy usually happens outside of marriage, and for this reason it is viewed as a social stigma in many communities and cultures. By contrast, in societies were teen parents are wed pregnancy is welcomed by the family and society. However, in these societies, early pregnancy may combine with malnutrition and poor health care to cause medical problems (Teenage pregnancy, Wikipedia 2006)The most immediate effects of pregnancy are changes in the body. A teen’s body immediately starts the process of adaptation and for preparation for childbirth. A teenager needs to consider the effects of activities on a baby. Because activities common for teenagers, such as drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, lack of sleep or unhealthy eating can have an impact on a growing child. Complications in pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of mortality among young girls. There are several factors which could help to solve this problem. Sexual education can teach effective contraception if teenagers choose to have a sex. It educates people about the risks of alcohol, drugs and unprotected sex. In my opinion, however, the most important thing is that parents should realize that they provide for young people during their teen years and that they should find time for talk with their children.

Elegiac Couplets Explained

Elegiac Couplets Explained An elegiac couplet is a pair of sequential lines in poetry in which the first line is written in dactylic hexameter and the second line in dactylic pentameter. The Roman poet Ennius introduced the elegiac couplet to Latin poetry for themes less lofty than that of epic, for which dactylic hexameter was suited. The typical meter of an elegiac couplet can be represented as:  ¯ ˘ ˘ |  ¯ ˘ ˘ |  ¯ ˘ ˘ |  ¯ ˘ ˘ |  ¯ ˘ ˘ |  ¯ x ¯ ˘ ˘ |  ¯ ˘ ˘ |  ¯ |  ¯ ˘ ˘ |  ¯ ˘ ˘ |  ¯ The first two lines of Ovids Amores I, which is written in elegiac couplets, can be scanned (a note on scansion in Latin poetry) as follows, where bolding marks the long syllables, the non-bold are short or anceps, dashes separate syllables, spaces separate words, and the ends of feet are marked by vertical lines: Ar-ma gra- | vÄ « nu-me- | rÃ…  vi-o- | len-ta-que | bel-la pa- | rÄ -bamÄ“-de-re, | mÄ -te-ri- | Ä  | con-ve-ni- | en-te mo- | dÄ «s.

International Finance Airbus and Boeing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Finance Airbus and Boeing - Essay Example Boeing Company is the largest aerospace company of US. Its operations are in more than 90 countries. The commercial airplane division is the most prominent of all divisions. The company is headquartered in Illinois and known as premier US aircraft manufacturer. Boeing's revenue in the year 2010 was $64.31 billion and first-half revenue in 2011 was $31.45 billion. The company is subject to foreign currency exchange risk for company's revenue comes through its operations in various locations and company also makes payments to suppliers in foreign currencies. The company needs to manage foreign currency risk by entering into the foreign currency forward contracts, hedging the price risk associated with receipts and payments with respect to current business. The forward contracts neutralize the effect of any negative exchange rate fluctuations and safeguard the company. Airbus is headquartered in Toulousse and owned by EADS. Airbus' operations are spread throughout the world with total workforce of more than 119,000. The company's costs are made in euro but bulk of the revenues comes in US dollar. Airbus has long delivery periods for the order received today for the aircraft the delivery will be made only after 4-5 years. In view of this, they need to enter into forward contracts to lock currency exchange rates to safe guard themselves because they should not lose when the final payments are made to them on delivery. The company’s half of the cost are paid in Euros and the company needs to hedge for at least two years at the appropriate rates against dollar for bulk of its revenue comes in dollars. The company should also make its European suppliers to bill them in dollars so that currency risk is passed on to them. Discuss a framework a firm might adopt for capital budgeting internationally. A multinational or for that matter any firm operating internationally is always worried about the revenue streams or cash flows that their investments in some other country will bring. The conversion value fluctuations between host and home currencies may make all the difference in budget and actual cash flows received after implementation of the project. 1. An international firm may adopt a simple approach as per the following. 2. Estimating future cash flows in host country currency where investment has been made. 3. Estimating an appropriate discount rate in foreign currency based on the interest rate and prevailing inflation rate in that country. 4. All revenues streams for the expected life of the project are calculated in the foreign currency of the country of operation and the same are converted to Net present value (NPV) using the discount rate also called cost of capital. 5. Converting the foreign currency NPV as calculated above into own currency using the spot exchange rate In another approach, a firm may first convert the foreign cash flows into own currency at the exchange rate expected to prevail. Then the firm may calculate its NPV based on the cost of capital prevailing in its own country. Any of the above approaches will bring the same result s. Again, in order to safeguard and mitigate the risk involved with the capital invested at international shore, the company needs to enter into a suitable forward currency contract as per the cash flows available to them for remittance to own country. Critically assess the work of the credit rating agencies and suggest possible reforms to improve their functioning. Briefly discuss whether your reforms could have prevented the â€Å"Credit Crunch†. The credibility of credit rating agencies has gone downhill after subprime crisis. The high ratings they awarded to residential mortgage-backed bonds facilitated commercial transactions across all financial markets in US and Europe. At times, their action raises host of doubts in the investor's mind. The Enron case reminds us how rating

Chapter2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter2 - Essay Example The name was later changed to Google. Over the years, the company has experienced immense growth. In March 1999, Google started the sale of advertisements through the use of search keywords. Google faced a lot of competition from other companies like Yahoo. Additionally, others accused it of infringements on their rights, but the disputes were solved in court. In 2001, Google got a patent for its PageRank mechanism. By 2003, Google had grown in such a way that the name Google was added to the English dictionary. By September 2013, Google had been operating 70 offices in more than 40 countries. In October 2014, Google was ranked as the second most valuable brand in the world valued at $107.4 billion. So far, the corporation has been estimated to run more than a million servers and data centers in the world and processes more than a billion requests. In 2013, Google was the most visited site according to various studies and statistics. According to me, Larry Page has been very successful. It is clear that he had formulated a goal in mind and worked towards that goal (Opentextbc.ca,. 2015). He must have been a hard worker even long before he started the company. The reason for saying this is because he studied hard that he got to the level of earning himself a Ph.D. Also, he did formulate a mission statement for his company so that it could act as the driving force. As Page would say, everything comes down to ambition. The triple bottom line is a framework of accounting that involves three parts: environmental, social and financial. The three divisions are sometimes referred to as the three Ps: people, planet, profit. Another name that is commonly used is the â€Å"three pillars of sustainability† (Opentextbc.ca,. 2015). The Coca-Cola Company is a well-known company that has a working triple bottom-line. The company has really tried to assist in the protection of our planet from destruction through

Financing and Real Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financing and Real Investment - Essay Example The Ryan family of UK started the business with 1 15-seater Bandeirante aircraft and 25 staffs. Within the span of less than 30 years, it has become the best low cost line service provider in entire European market. It is operating in the European market with 8,896 staffs, 272 Boeing 737-800 serving more than 73,553,580 passengers annually. It has achieved tremendous growth in terms of finance, passengers and market share. Its no-frill strategy for low cost has made it to achieve cost leadership in their entire Europe (RyanAir, â€Å"History of RyanAir†). Competitive Position of RyanAir With rapid growth of passengers and market share, it is become the leader of low cost airline industry. Its effective no-frill strategy for low cost leadership has brought a revolution in the market. It has been able to achieve the upper hand position in the market by offering lowest prices, by serving the largest coverage and by achieving the highest traffic growth. The following figure presen ts a comparison of low cost competitors in the European market. ... Financing and Real Investment Activities in RyanAir With the increasing market share and increasing volume of operational business, RyanAir requires a significant amount of aircraft and other assets including plant, property and equipment. As per the reported consolidated balance sheet of 2011, RyanAir has increased its net value of plant, equipment and property by â‚ ¬619.5 million. The consolidated cash flow of RyanAir has presented the â‚ ¬897.2 million outflow of cash in 2011 comparing to â‚ ¬997.8 millions in 2010. However, 2011, RyanAir has made lower investment comparing to the previous years but, management has decided to invest in the real assets with increasing market share (RyanAir-c, p.3-8). The financial activities of RyanAir also show a positive indication. The management has disclosed that within the last three years, RyanAir has returned â‚ ¬850 million to its shareholders but still its financial position is quite. In 2011, the net cash flow from financing activities has reduced in 2011 as it has repaid the long term borrowings of â‚ ¬280.7 million and also pain dividend to shareholders of â‚ ¬500.0 million. This is good indication for the shareholders as in spite of paying â‚ ¬500.0 million of dividends its retained earnings stood at â‚ ¬1,967.6 million. Besides, the company has also made investments in financial assets and derivatives in the previous years and in 2011, it holds the Derivative financial instruments of â‚ ¬23.9 million and Available for sale financial assets of â‚ ¬114.0 million (RyanAir-c, p.3-8). A5 Introduction In order to assess the financial condition of any organisation, the financial analysis techniques are quite necessary important. However, for the financial analysis techniques, certain skills are required which is

Presentation+finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Presentation+finance - Essay Example rder to get vital information since one of our objectives of our research was to report truly and fairly on the financial affairs and the performance of the business. Therefore out of all the possibilities we had, we landed an evergreen bar and restaurant a newly established and independently owned business in town. First we wanted to know how the business was financed and how it continues to be financed. But to get an answer to this, we asked for the balance sheet and our main aim was the financial structure in the capital structure of the firm. We found from the financial structure that most of the firm is owned by ‘owner’ unlike outsiders. By â€Å"owners† it means the ordinary shareholders formed 85% of the financial structure. The other 15% represented ownership from preference shareholders. Then on whether the firm uses bank facilities like bank overdraft, we found from the balance sheet that at one point in time the firm used the facility. But we had to obtain confirmation from the bank whether the overdraft was given. This was confirmed to know whether the restaurant sells its products and services at recommended prices. b) We compared this prices with what other similar restaurants are offering. We found out that the firms sells their products and services at slightly higher prices and enquiry were told that evergreen bar and restaurant enjoys and enviable goodwill in the area. But goodwill as an asset cannot be measured reliably and therefore we ha to compare the number of customer who visit the restaurant vis–a-vis other restaurants. They exceed the other restaurants and therefore enjoy relative goodwill. We also used the questionnaire method of collecting information to establish whether the customer were satisfied with both he services given whether the price they paid for the goods and services was worth. Our team also wanted to establish whether all daily sales were promptly and accurately recorded and also whether all purchases we

Alternative ecocnomic futures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alternative ecocnomic futures - Essay Example Larson Inc. should hedge itself against any adverse price movements and fluctuations. What Larson Inc. could have done is to buy its inputs in one country and at the same time sells a futures contract for the same amount of input. When the inventory is utilized, the company can buy back the futures contract. The price change occurring during the two transactions will effectively be cancelled by the mutually compensatory movements in the cash and the futures holdings. In this scenario, futures will provide insurance. Larsons Inc. is betting on the correlation between the spot and the futures prices to move together. Another use of alternative economic futures by Larson Inc. can be that of interest rate futures, which will help it to lock the future investment rate. The use of debt to finance its expansion needs and working capital expenses can protect it from any changes in the interest rates. For any anticipated upwards movement in the interest rates, Larson Inc. can buy the futures contract and pay the seller an amount that will be equal to the difference that it benefits from any rate that has been mentioned or committed in the futures contract. Similarly, if the interest rates fall the seller will compensate Larson Inc. at the expiration of the futures contract between the two parties. The foremost advantage is that for an American operation trading of futures in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange is easy. Since Larson Inc.

Germans children Essay Example for Free

Germans children Essay The children of the Jewish Holocaust during the Nazi era were placed under very unjust, cruel, and exacting circumstances. Education, a basic right of children in developed nations of that era, was denied to Jews in areas of Europe where Hitler’s rule and influence were adopted. During the time of transition during which the exclusion of Jewish children from schools was being implemented, non-Jewish children were formally taught that their Jewish counterparts were inferior. In order to do this, Jewish youth were used to demonstrate the appearance of inferiority by placing them in front of the class and pointing out their characteristic phenotypes as being undesirable. Occurrences like this placed severe limitations on the ability of Jews to learn in these schools, as they were constantly mistreated, neglected, and abused because of their race. Growing restrictions were also placed upon these children’s accessibility to the resources within the schools, until finally they were prevented altogether from attending schools, which were open now only to Germans children (FCIT). Fred Spiegel describes his first weeks of school (shul) in Dinslaken, Germany, where he had to attend a Jewish shul, as the German schools were no longer open to Jewish children (Spiegel 27, 29). The alternative Jewish schools were understaffed and unsupported by the state. Spiegel himself recalls his school’s having only one teacher (29). Later, Arnold Blum recalls an even more frightening occurrence in which his school was being burned before his very eyes (Blum, 20). He immortalizes this event in his memoir â€Å"Kristallnacht† (20). More than just restricting these Jewish children’s ability to attend state schools, they were being stripped of their right to any education at all in the burning of their Jewish school. The parks were also an area in which Jewish children felt the abuse of Nazism. German children, who were armed with the idea that Jews were inferior, played in the parks and discriminated against the Jews they found there. The Jewish children were called names, spat upon, and otherwise abused by non-Jewish children. Spiegel also describes his time spent in the park behind his house in Dinslaken. The last time he remembers going there, he was cursed and called a â€Å"Dirty Jew† by the other children (Spiegel, 28). His grandfather too was cursed by his friends. Kristallnacht, which occurred on November 9-10, 1938, ushered in the destruction of all that was Jewish. Beyond the burning of schools came the burning and destruction of Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues (Blum, 20). Fred Spiegel recalls the night he was forced to leave his home and the abuses even he as a child faced. He was already emotionally crippled by the sight of his community being gutted by fires. He further recalls being cursed and spit upon by the non-Jews as he and his family were being forced from their homes. Some Jews were evicted to concentration camps and ghettos. Others were turned out of the country altogether. Spiegel writes about the events he witnessed upon entering his home, which had been destroyed, for the last time as a child: â€Å"My mother, sister, and my Aunt Klara were standing on the balcony crying. My grandfather had been arrested and taken away by two policemen. [†¦] Soon the two policemen returned. We were told we could not stay in our apartment and had to go with them. On the way out we passed by the downstairs apartment that was empty because the Abosch-family, a Jewish family who had rented it from my mother, had been expelled to Poland a few weeks earlier. Their apartment too was totally destroyed† (Spiegel, 30). Children were also abused through the mandate that they live in the ghettos. Because the ghettos were sequestered from the rest of the German civilization and restrictions were placed on items that could be brought into the area, children often suffered hunger. Many of them were reduced to smuggling food into the ghettos in order to aid in the support of their families. While these were very risky actions, some Jewish children were left even more vulnerable as their parents were killed or taken away to concentration camps. These orphaned children were left alone in the ghettos to make a living under doubly cruel circumstances.

The Introduction To Cyber Bullying Media Essay

The Introduction To Cyber Bullying Media Essay Young people today are using the internet more than ever. They view the internet and even more so the mobile phones as positive aspects of our society. The internet and mobile phones systems are the two biggest systems of communication which play a crucial role in our daily activities and development of identities. On the other hand, these same technologies are also often used negatively. Many children are the targets of bullying via the internet or mobile phones resulting in total confusion on the part of the target. Very often, children are not able to understand that what they are going through is a form of bullying. As a result the previously safe environment of the internet is now becoming a source of confusion and anxiety. As a teenager myself, I am not immune to factors that influence everybody else in our society. I am very concerned about what is happening so I therefore wanted to look into the reasons behind cyber-bullying and who should be blamed for it. Is there any way for cyber-bullying to be stopped? The internet holds many dangers such as viruses and programming faults that could be dangerous for people but also two of the most menacing problems for young people today; child pornography and cyber-bullying. I decided to focus on the issue that tends to influence a large portion of teenagers and not solely, cyber-bullying. It seems that, now, in 2010 cyber-bullying is increasing dramatically as more and more children are becoming victims of this type of bullying, though not only children. I will research this problem in detail as it is saddening me that a system that makes information flow and communication easy, is turning into a dangerous place to be. I cant understand why such a useful system is used in so negative a way where one can cause psychological harm to others. Although cyberbullying does not pertain to the USA alone, I chose to focus on the USA is because it seems to have more documented incidents which apparently make it one of the countries with a higher percentage of cyber-bullies and victims of cyber-bullying. In fact, there has been a number of shocking incidents that caught my attention, some of which I will report in the main body. There are many countries that do deal with cyber-bullying but not to the point that the USA does. I strongly believe that if cyber-bullying reaches an end one day it will certainly start from the U.S.A. I deem that the USA covers all aspects that I am looking into so this is the reason why I chose it. In recent years many US states have started to impose laws specifically regarding cyber-bullying. Some other states support that laws imposed for traditional bullying also cover cyber-bullying. The internet provides anonymity and the chance to create a profile with a hidden identity; so how possible is it for cyber-bullying to be stopped? The truth is that this question cannot be answered easily as it is not something so simple. Being already concerned about it and seeing that more and more cyber-bullies are getting away with it, I will attempt to investigate how possible can this be. The research question which I will develop is the following: Can cyber-bullying and bullying through the internet and mobile phone systems stop? In this essay, I will look into cyber-bullying by defining what it is, report incidents and show statistics of how bad the situation in the U.S.A. is. I will also examine if blame can be attributed. Through my research I hope to reach a conclusion on whether there is a chance for cyber-bullying to be stopped. What is Cyber-Bullying Cyber-bullying has more than one definition, cyber-bullying can be defined as when the Internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person  [1]  or as a situation when a child or teen is repeatedly tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child or teenager using text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging or any other type of digital technology.  [2]  The last definition I gave refers only to teens or children because bullying through the internet or cell-phones from adults to adults can be referred to as cyber-stalking which due to word limitation I will not go into. A cyber-bullying situation can be as simple as sending e-mails to someone that wants no further contact with you but it can also be very serious when it includes threats or sexual bullying or when a forum is created and that person is ridiculed. Cyber-bullies may post personal data of their victims at websites or forums or even pretend to be someone else in order to publish different material to the victims name that diminishes or humiliates him. The biggest percentage of the bullies use pretty much the same tactic as they send threatening messages to their victim or call them mean names. Who is a Cyber-Bully A cyber-bully is generally more of a product of his environment in which he too is abused in many ways, verbally or physically or he might even be cyber-bullied. Perhaps however, they are simple bored or completely rotten to make everyone elses life messy. Many times cyber-bullies work in groups because in that way they feel stronger but they inwardly, sometimes, do not enjoy their actions. Their main problem is that they cannot move away from their team because they feel unsafe and they have the fear that they will get cyber-bullied themselves. As it is identified by researchers, tormentors are sometimes likely to be more depressed than their victims. What should be worrying us is that cyber-bullies get a false feeling of satisfaction when they send threatening and flame e-mails to their victims because that means that they amuse themselves. The number one objective of cyber-bullies but also traditional bullies is to have power. They want to have the control of each situation. They want to be dominators and subjugate everyone. Effects of Cyber-Bullying In my mind, cyber-bullying shows the ugly face of the internet. Victims of cyber-bullying can become depressed and in extreme cases even commit suicide. We can therefore understand that the internet is dangerous and unknown to most people, capable of hurting them if they are not aware of the internet as a whole. Cyber-bullying has several negative effects on individuals or groups of people. Usually, it starts with a confused feeling on the part of the victim, feeling hurt because a person or a group of people has targeted them and insulted them for no other reason than simply to be mean. Most would ask why they are the target but perhaps even cyber-bullies do not know why. They gradually get feelings of fear or of loneliness, fear of leaving their home or fear of going to school. If the victim is being bullied continuously, his grades may drop or even show symptoms of paranoia that would make it difficult for him to communicate with people of his age or make new friends. Depression can be one of the symptoms of cyber-bullying, and I am calling them symptoms because it seems that cyber-bullying is now a disease for our society. A feeling of helplessness occurs as the victim does not know where to turn to for help. It is of course true that in serious cases of constant bullying, suicide may be part of the story. Cyber-bullying should be stopped but the question still exists, can it be stopped? Proper individual reaction I believe that the reason why the U.S.A. is more concerned about cyber-bullying is the big amount of their population that is affected and the relatively big number of incidents reported that has prompted them to impose laws against it. What should the average person suggest? Ignore the bully, do not take him seriously, not answer to him and if he is at your school just ignore him once more. It is suggested that you report it to your counselor or your parents so they get the chance to help you. It is possible that cyber-bullies will be discouraged if you do not answer to them and they will move on to their next victim. Nevertheless, these suggestions would only help an individual to be saved from cyber-bullying. Furthermore, cyber-bullying will not stop but it is a good start for individuals to save themselves from resulting victims. Significance of Cyber-Bullying How real is the threat of cyber-bullying? Is it such a big issue? Opinions seem to vary. Adults mostly support the opinion that cyber-bullying, along with regular bullying, is responsible for many of the social, anxiety and depression problems kids live with since this situation mostly influences them. On the other hand, many teenagers do not agree with this claim, they support the idea that cyber-bullying is not such a problem because nothing is real on the internet and things said or done should not be taken into consideration so much. In my mind, we, teens, understand better the evolution of technology than adults and so we are not tricked by the media as their role is always to report every situation in its most dramatic way but that cannot explain the rising number of suicides among young people. I believe that anyone who claims being bullied knows nearly nothing about how to protect themselves in the digital world, even when it comes to simple computer problems. It is true that the internet does not show its real face immediately and cyber-bullying is not the only internet issue that should be worrying us. Internet is full of dark pits, full of lies that could trick anyone into confusion. My opinion is that cyber-bullying is a very big issue that is shocking our society every day but I also believe and agree that cyber-bullying is not the last thing that we should consider as a problem. People need to be educated on how to be immune to internet dangers and of how to avoid being mocked or cheated through the internet. Proof of the significance An example of a severe case of cyber-bullying took place in 2008, it shocked most people in the U.S.A. into understanding what cyber-bullying is when Megan Meier, a 13-year old girl from Missouri, committed suicide in her room. Investigators found that Megans death was the result of constant stress caused by relentless and cruel cyber-bullying. A group of people that lived in Megans neighborhood, including adults such as Lori Drews, the father of a friend of Megans who she had a fight with, and an 18-year old officer who worked for M. Drews, pretended to be a new boy in the area where Megan lived and developed a relationship with her through Myspace (a social networking site). The group had created a hoax in order to make Megan believe that she had a growing relationship with the boy. When the hoax was revealed, Megan did not have enough mental strength to deal with the humiliation of being mocked and she decided to take her life. Back then, Missouri did not have any laws against cyb er-bullying so they were not able to prosecute any of the members of the group.  [3]  Having taken this incident into consideration, Missouri has now imposed laws against cyber-bullying which I will report on next in my extended essay. Another suicide took place in Massachusetts. Phoebe Prince was a 15-year old Irish immigrant who was harassed both at school, web sites and over her cell phone. For fear of losing her few friends, she refused to change her Facebook settings or cell number. Unfortunately, the idea of her being a loser led her to kill herself.  [4]   The statistics are as shocking as the incidents. A Cyber-bullying research survey in 2008 of 2.000 middle-school students shows that around 43% of them have been victims of situations that can be defined as cyber-bullying: > Receiving an instant message that made them upset (15.8%) Having something posted on their MySpace that made them upset (14.1%). Even more alarming, a Survey of AM/MTV in September 2009 of 1,247 young people, aged 14-24, found that: 50% of youngsters in this age group have experienced digitally abusive behavior, with older teens aged 18-24 (52% vs. 47%) and females more likely to be targeted (53% vs. 42%) 45% of young people report that they see people being mean to each other on social networking sites.  [5]   The relation ship with traditional bullying There is a phrase that says: Sticks and stones can break your bones but names will never hurt you Personally, I cannot agree with that claim. Although cyber-bullying is less physical than traditional forms of bullying, it has very destructive and longer-lasting effects on individuals. It is very easy to access a computer and ruin someones mental state. Something that people ignore is that online everyone can be a bully, even a small, physically weak child that was a victim of traditional bullying. However the difference being that someone is now in the position to cause even greater damage than a big brute can cause. As British bullying victim, Emily Moor said, The internet is a sinister, silent enemy: you simply dont know where to start to tackle the problem. But faceless as a computer may be, it is every bit as threatening as a physical bully, if not more so because the audience reading these horrible messages can be enormous.  [6]  It is true that if you are bullied at school then you can just go home and end it, if you are cyber-bullied you have nowhere to go. Laws against Cyber-Bullying It is now well known that with the existence of fake profiles or profiles with hidden identities, the guilty party is hard to be traced. Lawmakers are seeking to pass new legislations on cyber-bullying because it seems that there are currently no specific laws on the books that deal directly with it. They want to address cyber-bullying with laws that would call the action of intimidation, bullying or any other actions that cause severe emotional distress illegal. Nevertheless, I was not able to find lots of information on laws against hidden identity or fake profiles but only from states like Texas and Georgia which have passed laws that deal directly against posing as someone else on the internet. What is important is that people who post fake profiles in social network sites could be charged for their unsocial behaviour.  [7]   In a respected number of U.S. states including New York, Missouri, Rhode Island and Maryland, legislation geared at penalizing cyber-bullying and digital bullying has been introduced. In 2007, at least seven states passed specific laws against bullying through the internet. For example, Dardenne Prairie of Springfield, Missouri passed a city law making online bullying a misdemeanor. Another city of Missouri, the city of St. Charles has passed a similar law. Furthermore, in Jefferson City of Missouri, state lawmakers gave final approval to a bill making cyber-bullying illegal in 2008.  [8]  It is believed by supporters that this bill will cover bullying from computers, text messages and other electronic devices. In August 2008, the California state legislature passed the first law to deal directly with cyber-bullying. The legislation was named Assembly Bill 86 2008 and the idea was that it would add provisions related to bullying committed through an electronic communication device or system and a definition of electronic communication was added for this purpose to the School/Law Enforcement Partnership program. Eventually, this law took place at January 1 of 2009. Even if it is due to the following changed that many schools are now able to confront cyberbullying, I will keep the following information in the Laws against Cyber-Bullying section. In Arkansas in 2007, they passed a law that would allow school officials to deal with cyber bullies even if a persons bullying did not take place or start on school property. After the law was imposed, the result was that school administrators gained more freedom to punish individuals that were the bullies. In Iowa, several laws have been passed that forced schools to adopt anti-cyber bullying policies which cover bullying in the school or in school property or generally at a school function or activity sponsored by the school. In New Jersey the Garden State has always maintained tough legislation against bullying, but until 2007 there werent any laws enforced which included cyber-bullying. Once again, the law gives the power to the school staff to punish people related with bullying against their fellow students. In Idaho, in 2006, its lawmakers passed a law that allowed staff of the school, especially officials, to suspend students that were using a computer or another electronic device to harass specific students. At Oregon state, they decided to look in detail at cyber-bullying and broadened its definition. Recently, the governor of Rhode Island tried to pass a bill which would take cyber-bullying offenders to court with the charge of being illegal against the states laws. Vermont, had already very strict laws against bullying and cyber-bullying but its lawmakers recently added a fine of 500 dollars for those who where offensive to other people on the internet. Vermont is considered as one of the states with the strictest legislation against this type of bullying.  [9]   School action It is important to mention that many schools are adopting policies to address cyber-bullying and that is something really important. Since cyber-bullying is mostly a problem because of the existence of the internet, many schools reduced their internet sites range so as to protect children from entering sites that could lead them to becoming the victim of a cyber-bully. Also, many schools have passed anti-bullying rules and policies which address cyber-bullying. They closely monitor students use of computers at school and have bought tracking software but without relying solely on it in order to screen out problematic online behaviors and bullying. Many educators try to educate students, teachers and different staff members about the dangers of cyber-bullying and about what should be done in order to avoid it Who should be blamed? Despite attempts at changing laws and policies and trying to implement them, what is worrying, is the fact that no law can really stop cyber-bullying while communication through the internet or cell phones provides anonymity, many fake profiles are created in order to tease or bully people in social sites like Facebook and Myspace. Really, is there anybody we can accuse or blame for this mess? Is there any way to identify the extinction of a fake profile? Our society promotes violence and that does not help to overcome this problem. Video games, television and all mass media mostly project violent incidents. Because of this children and teens become familiar with the idea of violence and they think of it as the normal. Parents on the whole are not familiar with the idea of cyber-bullying and they are not able to protect their children from being cyber-bullied. It is not really their fault as technology is developing very fast and many of them cannot keep up with it. Teens do not usua lly talk to their parents about their problems and that makes it very difficult for the parents to help their children. Many schools make the mistake of not informing students enough about it or showing them how to protect themselves. Children should have some knowledge about cyber-bullying so as to get through it without any wounds. I believe that the society as a whole is the only that can be blamed for this issue. Conclusion In conclusion although the internet and mobile phones communication systems make our lives easier and play a very important role in our activities, it is unfortunate that they have been poisoned and destroyed by being used to abuse others. The positive aspects of the internet and mobile phones cannot be questioned or enumerated however what I am mostly certain of is that the negative aspects are just as great in number and in seriousness. As a Kevin Brennan said: Cyberbullying is the unacceptable face of new technology, and we need concerted action across society to address it. Schools must play a key role, and this new guidance will help them to identify and tackle instances of cyberbullying more effectively, as well as providing practical advice and information on how to prevent it.  [10]   Cyber-bullying is on the rise and it affects almost anyone that possesses and uses a computer or a cell-phone but the idea of stopping or obstructing cyber-bullying seems to be very far. Cyber-bullying exists in schools, out of schools and everywhere and since parents are not totally controlling their childs actions in and out of school, it is very hard to follow the plans of bullies. While school violence as a whole is declining, bullying behaviors have increased by 5%.Furthermore, the last months of 2010; there were multiple suicide deaths as a result of cyber-bullying.  [11]  There are lots of reasons that could lead a person to bully another and there are even more sources of traps that could lead the bullied person to remain silent and contribute in this way to the growing problem. After much research, I no longer wonder if this whole situation could be stopped but whether it can at least decrease. It seems that there is no way for it to be stopped since most states of the U.S.A. do not have any legislations that deal directly with cyber-bullying. Even where legislation does exist it does not have the power to reduce cyber-bullying to any great amount because of the anonymity or the hidden identity that the internet provides. This could even be a great research question for another extended essay. Should the internet provide anonymity and the choice to retain your identity hidden? Existing legislation in states of the U.S. which I have mentioned have only worked in very few situations where the bully has not hidden his identity. What could make us think that legislation could stop anonymous bullies? What will always be needed to overcome such a situation is the support of adults towards children and young people that have fallen victims to the dark pits of the internet. Parents especially must not forget that. Since bullying through internet and mobile phones cannot really be stopped then the next best way to deal with it, is to make children immune to it. Children should be taught to avoid it and go on with their lives. They should be taught how to prevent bullies from using them as victims. Parents should help them build a strong personality.

Essay --

Junior Thesis Rough Draft Roland Ko Yellow 1/29/14 Research Question: How did the Great Depression affect women in both the household and in the job industry, in addition to the long-term benefits for equality for women? Through putting in hard work under strenuous conditions at the factory, in addition to maintaining their households for their families, and with built up motivation, women were able to make strides towards equality. At the workplace, women persevered through the arduous conditions of the factories and the animosity from their coworkers. At home, women had to additionally maintain as well as take care of their families after working from their jobs. Through their overwhelming contributions towards their households and jobs, women were able to gather motivation to strive for equality. Through their dedication and hard work in both their households and jobs, women were convincingly able to authorize themselves as identical. Women during the Great Depression were given the challenge of maintaining their households while financially seeking jobs in an effort to support their families. In addition to the long hours and bad working conditions women had to endure when they were working outside of their houses, women were met with the same responsibilities at home to both maintain and support their households by cooking, cleaning, and being sympathizers for their men. With women additionally maintaining their households in addition to working full time jobs, women were able to greatly show their impact on the Great Depression through their hard work and dedication, as well as prove that they were just as capable as men in providing for their families. To begin with, women had to start makin... ...s fair to say that they were successful. Not only were women able to unify more in protests by performing sit-ins, women were also being addressed at a national level, thus pushing their movement and recognition for equality even further. In conclusion, despite the fact that women were considered to be exclusively housewives and sympathizers for their men, women during the Great Depression were able to show that they were capable of doing what men could in showing they did better than men in academics and showing that they were able to equally work in labor jobs, ultimately being one of the major factors in pushing their movement for equality through their contributions in both the household and in the work industry, creating the first real steps toward women achieving equilibrium with men in both the household lifestyle and in the public working conditions at work.

Attitudes Essay -- essays research papers

Attitudes What are attitudes? How are they formed, measured and changed? What degree of influence do they exert on behavior? What important effects does prejudice have on attitudes, and how is prejudice caused? These are all questions that are central to the study of social psychology and, by reviewing the findings of psychological research into these areas, this essay will attempt to provide a balanced explanation of the topic. The fundamental question of what attitudes are cannot be answered easily, as many psychologists offer differing definitions. These range from simply describing them as likes and dislikes, to the definition provided by Tiffin and McCormick, in Attitude and Motivation(1971), where they summarize attitudes as being, â€Å"a frame of reference that influences the individual’s views or opinions on various topics and situations, and influences their behavior.† It is widely accepted, however, that attitudes include both beliefs and values. Beliefs, although considered to be based on the knowledge gained about the world around us, can vary greatly in their importance and influence, and therefore ibn their resistence to change. For instance, an individual’s belief in God is highly influential, not only on its own but also in its effect on many other beliefs held by the individual, whereas a belief that eating late at night may cause indigestion is far less central and inf luential in its effect. Beliefs, both major and minor, form the cognitive component of attitu...

Business Communication †My Role Model in Career Essay

Mr. Mahbub Hossain, my line manager of my previous office, is my role model for my career path. He is the CSM (Customer Service Manager)of Joydebpur branch, Brac Bank LTD. In brief, he is getting MBA from IBA along with his job. Was graduated from DU (Finance), prior that he took places in both HSC & SSC examinations. As I worked with him, I found many good qualities in him. By times, I took him as a role model as his qualities impressed me. I am going to point out two of them which is leadership quality and secondly, quick decision (appropriate) making ability. As I have seen him closely, I found all the qualities that a leader should have. He guided the team successfully to achieve the organizational goal. He teamed us up too strongly & cheered us to act spontaneously to meet up the goals. He used to take initiatives for cheering us up. So that we never been tired in meeting our business targets. Theory says, a leader has to have seven qualities, but I found more in him. Out of the theoretical ones, his friendly & caring attitude made us believe that we are not only team players, even more than that. Personal recognitions helped a lot to follow his leadership willingly, not only for his designation. His interpersonal communication skill & ability of finding out team member’s strength or weakness made him a successful leader. I found him always remain calm in critical situations and controlled tactfully. Always stand with subordinates against all odds (from outside) is remarkable. His keen knowledge and prompt decision making ability is an effective quality for any career. I always found him deciding with the best option. Some of his effective decisions saved potential losses. He even made critical decisions over the phone in instant. His knowledge on current issues, updating about the recent changes made him up to this standard. We people learn from the surrounding. I passed a long time with Mr. Mahbub inside & as well outside of our office. I try to adapt these two qualities in me. I wish to be a leader like him as my team members also think like that we are in a team, not like a orderer & follower relation. To get leadership quality like him I try to spend more time with him. Whenever we meet, we share our ides. I am gathering theoretical data as I can even exceed his leadership quality. It was said, â€Å"Leader’s are born, not made. † But recent studies proved that these leadership qualities can be developed to a great extent. I attended a training program at Briddhi with him (arranged by our organization), which was meant for mid level managers and up comers. Finding out colleges ability seems tough to me. I found this as my area of developments. At any stage of career I should be prompt in making quick decisions with accuracy. As I said just ago, I discuss about every issue with him. If there is any situation I have to decide anything at once, I let him know about the issue and exchange ideas for improvement scopes. Knowledge gathering is a key to professional success. That’s why, I get myself admitted MBA here. I am studying here with hope, I can implement these theoretical knowledge at my workplace. I read a lot of articles written on banking & FI (Financial Institutes). Current issues mostly published on web or newspapers. For making myself up to date about, I go through them. Internal circulars helps a lot to updating myself.