Thursday, January 23, 2020

Conrad: Blatant Racist Or Political Satirist? Essay -- Conrad Racism E

Conrad: Blatant Racist Or Political Satirist? There have been many critics, predominantly Chinua Achebe, that have cast a cloak of racism upon the back of Joseph Conrad. Those authors base these allegations upon the novel Heart of Darkness, calling it a vile and most ungodly novel that only seeks to set the black race as a footstool of the white race. However, one must realize that there is a much deeper meaning to the novel than that of blatant racism. It is, in fact, a connection with the past that shows both the mindset, as well as the ignorance, of those who colonized Africa in the late nineteenth century. The entire novel is a boxed narrative, thus we can see into what the storyteller truly feels about his own experience rather than an third person analysis of what the protagonist does. In this case, Charlie Marlow retells his story of how he encountered a force that could only be described as â€Å"The horror, the horror.† It is, indeed, a catharsis of sorts, but not only from Marlow, but for Conrad as well. After all, Conrad did partake in such an adventure as this before he became an author, therefore the reader must comprehend that these words are not only of the protagonist, if Marlow can be truly called that, but also of Conrad. The first example of Marlow’s opinion towards colonial Africa occurs when his ship passes a French man of war. The man of war is shelling the coast because the men claim there were â€Å"enemies† in the bushes. The ideals of the Company were geared more towards the pacification of the tribes as well as good commerce with them, yet in the midst of this goodwill, a war ship has come to â€Å"pacify† the natives. Conrad indicates a type of doublespeak within the doctrine of the Company for which Marlow works. The actions of imperialism that existed in the nineteenth century are more in tune what Marlow sees, rather than the doctrine of civilizing the tribes that he has heard. In this act, Conrad does display his satirical capabilities by showing the hypocritical mindset of Europe that existed through the span of more than 400 years. Perhaps the most recognized point of imperialism in the book is when Marlow reaches the Outer Station. He is surrounded by the natives who have been enlisted as slave labor. Around him are great holes, filled with broken machinery. This appears as â€Å"some inferno† to him, yet he soon comes face to f... ...ould have secretly longed to be a part of this world, this jungle, yet the bonds of imperialism and the promise of fortune have a yoke about his neck. Conrad was a master of prose as many critics admitted, even those who proclaimed him a racist. The writing of Heart of Darkness was not only to show the potential of what man could become, but what he already was. Marlow is the everyday man, longing to become something that he cannot even fathom. Kurtz was the ideal man that Marlow, or any man for that matter, longed to become. Kurtz was tormented in his last days because he saw the evil that was in European trade and imperialism. In this, he finds a reassuring simplicity in the ways of the natives. Conrad conveys this theme to those who search for a quality that resides in all men, rather than seeking the errors of one group or person, which is what Achebe accused Conrad of doing as he portrayed the natives as â€Å"niggers† and â€Å"common savages.† The evils of society set in motion for what Conrad sought to banish from human thought. All men have the capacity to be evil or good, yet the one ideal that determines th is state of being is the realization of what good and evil truly are.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Sox Research Paper

Running head: Nonprofits and SOX Heather Tanenbaum Student ID: 3750548620 Accounting Capstone: Senior Seminar in Accounting ACC499 004016 Summer 2009 Nonprofits and the Sarbanes Oxley Act Submitted: Submitted to: Tee M. Thein Table of Contents Abstract Introduction SOX regulations for nonprofits Reasons for nonprofits to adopt SOX Conclusion Research file memorandum Communication memorandum References Abstract Introduction The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 (U.S. House of Representatives 2002) was passed by congress as a result of a wave of accounting scandals and related financial irregularities in corporations such as Enron, WorldCom and Tyco. SOX is called the most significant securities legislation since 1933 and 1934 securities ACT. The Act attempted to make ethics more black and white rather than a gray area. The increased guidelines have changed businesses and business relationships.These new requirements have placed greater demands on directors, audit committees, auditors a nd management. Most, of these provisions where only made towards publicly held companies, similar regulations targeted nonprofit organizations (Panel on the Nonprofit Sector 2005). Two hundred and fifteen nonprofit organizations have voluntarily adopted provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). Many, nonprofits are currently in the process of adopting SOX.The Panel on the Nonprofit Sector (2005), in its final report to Congress in June 2005, recommends more than 120 actions to be taken by charitable organizations, Congress and the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) to strength nonprofits against, transparency, governance and accountability. The most significant provision of the Act is the requirements in Section 404 the reporting on the effectiveness of internal controls over the financial reporting. PCAOB auditing standard 2 requires that the audit of internal control be integrated with the audit of the financial statements.The PCAOB requirements also only apply to public and private for profit companies, these would be new requirements for nonprofits wishing to adopt to SOX. The requirements of SOX section 404 requirements on internal controls have proven to be quite expensive for public companies (D’Aquila 2004; Pomeroy 2006), further research in to the current state of governance in the nonprofit sector would be beneficial before similar measures are mandated. Nonprofits have several reasons they might be compelled to adopt SOX provisions. First, several states are likely to emulate provisions similar to those of SOX.Some of these new laws incorporate elements of SOX including: expanding whistleblower protection, requiring officers of the organization to sign the corporation’s annual report, appointing an audit committee and increasing penalties against those who commit fraud or impede an investigation of fraud. California passed the Nonprofit Integrity Act in 2004. This Act addresses financial reporting, corporate governance, compensat ion, independence and fund raising (Silk and Fei 2005). New Hampshire requires audited financial statements for nonprofits with revenues greater than one million.Massachusetts, Connecticut and Kansas have similar requirements (Anderson and Kelley 2006). Second, unethical behavior seems as common in the nonprofit organizations as it does in the private sector. Recent scandals in nonprofit organizations such as: The NYSE, Upsala College, United Way and Education & Research Foundation, have had a negative effect on the public trust in their charitable organizations (Gibelman 1997). For nonprofits trust from the public is vital because the majority of their funds come from donors.SOX could result in more positive responses from donors, investors and future board members (Orlikoff and Totten 2004). Finally, some provisions of SOX already apply to nonprofits. Nonprofits must establish whistleblower protection and document destruction policies. Other provisions are inevitable, because of t he large amount of grants nonprofits receive which come with the own regulations and restrictions (BoardSource 2003). The purpose of this paper is to provide a reasonable understanding of how nonprofits have been affected by SOX. SOX regulations for nonprofitsSOX requires that companies have an audit committee that includes independent members and members of the board. SOX also requires the company to disclosure whether one of the internal auditor is a financial expert and whether they are directly responsible for overseeing the external auditors. This is to ensure that the financial statements are understand, that there is proper communication with the external auditors and that there is an understanding of internal controls. In order to enhance standards for nonprofit accountability and financial reporting all nonprofits should have an independent audit committee (BoardSource 2003).Sox requires that nonprofits disclose whether a code of ethics has been adopted for senior financial officers. If they do not have a code of ethics reasons for not having one have to be disclosed. This is to encourage the development of a code of ethics in order to enhance trustworthiness to contributors and other constituents. The whistleblower protection policy applies to nonprofits as well as for profit organizations. This regulation protects whistleblowers from special damages and attorney’s fees. It also, prohibits the employer from punishing the whistleblower in any manner.SOX provides additional protection for whistleblowers by, instating criminal penalties for actions taken against whistleblowers. Nonprofits should develop confidential and anonymous procedures for handling employee complaints. Although the CEO and CFO do not need to sign financial statements they do need to understand them and ensure that they are fairly presented in all materially respects. The responsibility for approving the financial statements ultimately belongs to the board of directors. Secti on 404 of SOX requires companies to include an internal controls report along with their annual report.Their internal control report should state the responsibility of management to establish and maintain an internal control structure and procedures for financial reporting. It should also contain, an assessment at the end of the most recent fiscal year as to the effectiveness of internal controls and the procedures for financial reporting (O’Hare 2002; BoardSource 2003; Walters 2003; Tran 2005). SOX requires auditors of public companies to prepare and maintain audit workpapers and other information related to any report in sufficient detail to support the auditors conclusions, for a period not less than seven years.Failing to do so is a criminal offence subject to fines and up to ten years in prison. Existing standards for audits of nonprofits do not include a mandated audit documentation retention period. Instead, those standards require nonprofits and auditors to retain rec ords long enough to sastify any pertinent legal requirements of record retention. Reasons for nonprofits to adopt SOX Larger organizations with more resources will be more likely to adopt SOX. The public and media are more likely to be harsher on larger nonprofits, which makes them more likely to have stronger governance mechanisms.The board of directors have the ultimate responsibility of overseeing proper financial statement presentation (BoardSource 2003; Walters 2003). Research on the relationship between board size and firm value has had mixed results. Yermack (1996) provides evidence that smaller boards are associated with a higher firm value. In 2008, Coles find that are diversified among industries or have high leverage, are more likely to benefit from a larger board of directors. Corporate governance characteristics, have been shown to be related to the size of the board.Bradbury (1990) finds board size and intercompany ownership to be determinants of voluntary audit commit tees in public companies. In another study shows that larger boards are more likely to create audit committee boards (Beasley, Salterio, 2001). In a NASDAQ over the counter study done by Pincus (1989), he found that managerial ownership, leverage, size of the company, proportion of outside directors to total directors, use of Big 8 auditors and participation in the National Market System are related to voluntary formation of audit committees.As a result as the size of the board of directors of a nonprofit increases, so does the likely hood that they will voluntarily adopt SOX. Nonprofits with independent boards of directors are also more likely to adopt SOX. The main reasons nonprofits would voluntarily adopt SOX would be to increase the trust in the public in order to receive more funds. However some nonprofits, feel that the provisions in SOX burden the nonprofits so much that it is beneficial not to adopt SOX.These nonprofits strongly believe that SOX should not be required for n onprofits for the following reasons: †¢ One, nonprofits are grassroots organizations with small staffs and have boards filled with community- minded people with little or no business and management background. If SOX was required out of these nonprofits, the staff would be overwhelmed, along with the board and it would take away from the nonprofits primary mission. †¢ Two, nonprofits are already held to higher standards by the public then private or government agencies because, if the public doesn’t trust the organization they won’t donate their money.Also, nonprofits receive a large portion of their funds from government grants which are held to strict oversight and laws and regulations. †¢ Three, certain regulations of SOX will increase overhead costs and make the nonprofits look less efficient to contributors. On the other hand, by voluntarily adopting SOX, nonprofits are showing to the public that they are concerned about protecting funds, increasing operating efficiency and effectiveness, also enhancing accountability. Conclusion Research file memorandum Communication memorandum References Anderson, S. , and C. L. Kelley. 2006.Advising nonprofit organizations. The CPA Journal 76 (8): 20-26. Beasley, M. S. , and S. E. Salterio. 2001. The relationship between board characteristics and voluntary improvements in audit committee composition and experience. Contemporary Accounting Research 18 (Winter): 539-570. BoardSource. 2003. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and implications for nonprofit organizations. Available at: http://www. boardsource. org/clintfiles/Sarbarnes-Oxley. pdf. Bradbury, M. E. 1990. The incentives for voluntary audit committee formation. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy 9 (1): 19-36. Broude, P.D. 2006. The impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on private & nonprofit companies. Foley and Lardner, LLP. Available at: http://www. foley. com/publications/pub_detail. aspx? puibid=3511. Coles, J. L. , D. D. Naveen, and L. Naveen. 2008 . Boards: Does one size fit all? Journal of Financial Economics 87 (2): 329-356 D’Aquila, J. M. 2004. Tallying the cost of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The CPA Journal 74 (11): 6-9. Gibelman, M. , S. Gelman, and D. Pollack. 1997. The credibility of nonprofit boards: A view from the 1990s and beyond. Administration in Social Work 21 (2): 21-39. Grant Thornton LLP. 2006.Grant Thornton National Board governance survey for not-for-profit organizations. Available at: http://www. granthornton. com/staticfiles/GTCom/files/Industries/NotForProfit/nfp_board1. pdf. GuideStar. 2005. Nonprofits, Sarbanes-Oxley, and the states. Available at: http://www. guidestar. org/DisplayArticle. do? articleId=779. Hempel, J. , and A. Borrus. 2004. Now the nonprofits need cleaning up; Cozy boardrooms at colleges and charities face increasing government scrutiny. BusinessWeek (June 21): 107. Hymowitz, C. 2005. The Sarbanes-Oxley era, running a nonprofit is only getting harder.Wall Street Journal (June 21): B1. O’Hare, P. 2002. Sarbanes-Oxley raises red flag for not-for-profits. Healthcare Financial Management 56 (10): 42-44. O’Regan, K. , and S. M. Oster. 2005. Does the structure and composition of the board matter? The case of nonprofit organizations. Journal of Law Economics and Organization 21 (1): 205-227. Orlikoff, J. , and M. Totten. 2004. Applying for-profit governance reforms. Healthcare Executive 19 (3): 52. Panel in the Nonprofit Sector. 2005. Strengthening transparency, governance and accountability of charitable organizations. Available at:

Monday, January 6, 2020

Is Owner Financing Or Renting - 1595 Words

I have a somewhat unique perspective when it comes to foreclosures. I have owned and operated businesses as a Real estate appraiser, real estate broker, mortgage lender, and insurance adjuster. For more than 15 years I specialized in the appraisal of foreclosed properties. Around 2008 virtually everyone in the appraisal industry became foreclosure appraisers. It was interesting to see people that had very little experience and knowledge in this area start to proclaim their expertise. It’s funny how little documentation or proof is needed to advertise as an expert. The first thing in the buying process that I would point out is that not everyone that claims to be an expert has the education and experience to lead you in a direction that is†¦show more content†¦I want to be very clear about something of great importance. I could go into all of the reasons why owner financing is better and there are many but I will simply say that as a former lending company owner that B anks exist to make money. They would like to see you finance your home and everything you buy for life. I am not saying that they have no good use. What I am saying is that you are typically going to pay more when you finance with the bank and the liability will likely be much greater. If you are going to owner finance you should make every effort to secure your position as leinholder. It is always best to have a deed issued although this might be something that the owner will promise to issue after a certain amount of time or number of payments. What I mean is that you should have legal representation and a valid contract should be in place and deed issued if possible. I have been drafting reviewing purchase contracts as an investor, real estate broker, real estate appraiser and mortgage banker for many years and very often there are errors or items within the contracts which make them not properly executed, expired, null and void, contradictory, or expose the parties to a great deal of liability. All of this may be avoided by having proper legal representation. Terms are often negotiable so don’t be afraid to ask for a better deal. If you aren’t embarrassed by the offer youShow MoreRelatedThe Economic Crisis That Hit The Country924 Words   |  4 Pagesseven years before that previous owner could be eligible for traditional loans. There are some programs to help such as the Federal Housing Administration that gives people a second chance with a foreclosure or short sale of a home. Low interest rates and low down payments, it gives people another chance to become a homeowner again. The potential buyer still needs to cleanup their credit to make themselves worthy of another chance. Many of the former owners are renting, but still have desires and hopesRead MoreThe Economic Crash Of The Late 1960s Severely Affected My Family857 Words   |  4 Pagesdepressions are the best times to buy real estate, and it’s an idea time for those who can’t purchase property to rent until they’re capable of excelling. Renting to own is a viable option for many financially-stricken Americans by eliminating the high costs of down-payments. Renting to own allows the seller to lock in a sale price while renting to another party, usually a small amount higher than a mortgage, but it allows the buyer to rent the house under contract until ready to purchase. The processRead MoreHome Owners And The Real Estate Market794 Words   |  4 Pagesothers. Many home owners are willing to consider the rent-to-own option, especially if they are in need of cash thanks to a move or other recent change in the sellers life-style. The rent-to-own option can be assimilated to a car-lease with a buy option per HowStuffWorks.com. Essentially a buyer pays rent as normal, and a portion of that rent is put towards payment towards the principal of the house. At the end of the lease or renting period the buyer can either continue renting the home with theRead MoreIssues Associated With The Private Rented Sector ( Prs ) Essay958 Words   |  4 Pageshousing will not be considered. The PRS is the fastest growing sector in the country and has surpassed the social housing sector (Wilson Johnson 2013). The PRS is one of the three main tenures in the UK housing market, next to Social Housing and Owner Occupation. The private sector declined in size over much of the 20th century from being the majority tenure prior to the First World War to the minority one about 8 decades later (David Rhodes 2006). The decline can be attributed to a number of factorsRead MoreRenting A House On The World Of Home Ownership843 Words   |  4 Pageschallenges that â€Å"boomerang buyers† are facing today, including (but not limited to) the option of renting-to-own. These strategies enable people who were once â€Å"foreclosure victims† to reenter the world of home ownership comfortably, taking gradual steps toward their ultimate goal of buying a new house. This is an essential component of the American dream, and one that everyone should be entitled to pursue. Renting a house on a month-by-month basis is a well-known strategy for people who are not yet willingRead MoreThe On The Foreclosure Crisis850 Words   |  4 Pagesmortgage. Unfortunately there were some very irresponsible decisions that contributed to the foreclosure of homes, for example, financing huge second and third mortgages to pay for frivolous activities and items. With the last half decade of hard lessons learned for previous home owners many are looking to venture into the market again with some more creative financing options. Many sellers are turning to options such as rent-to-own or seller carrying the contract with a down payment as well as buyersRead MoreBuying a House Is Better Than Renting an Apartment.1059 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Buying a house is a better option than renting an apartment.† In this essay I will discuss about the major benefits of buying a house rather than renting an apartments. While it can be costly it is a safer place to live that h as long term-investment and tax advantage. Buying a house may be difficult and it can be a confusing process, even for veteran buyers. Here are some tasks that housing experts say before getting into the buying a house. Get financials in order. Buyers should check their creditRead MoreThe Housing Crisis Of Boomerang Buyers954 Words   |  4 Pagesownership. Among these options, I like to explore some available avenues for those boomerang borrowers to include the rent to own option, Veterans Affairs backed loans, and owners financing option. First of all, the rent to own option is a superb option that allows the renters to apply the monthly rent to the purchase of the house. Renting to own, otherwise known as a lease-option, allow those people that are not in the immediate position to purchase a home due to financial constraints to save up the necessaryRead MoreThe American Dream981 Words   |  4 Pagesto get into this dream earlier than their predecessors did. I, myself, bought my first home when I was nineteen years of age. Maybe most aren’t quite that young, but typically I have a slew of clients that are looking to own a home, as opposed to renting, that are of the Millennial age group. You’d be surprised to find that the biggest reason for this is the fact that the cost of living has increased substantially and rentals are expensive. So, the logical form of thinking is to pay the same in rentRead MoreFirst Home Essay1529 Words   |  7 Pagesyoung couple was unable purchase their first home on the lake. The inability to come up with such a large initial down payment, the taxing stress that was encountered when figuring financing, and the cheaper rental opportunity that presented itself down the street ultimately derailed their initial thought of being home owners and the decision to not move into owning their first home was made. What was once the ever prevailing dream of owning a home in the United States has seen a change in the winds

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Emmy Noether, Mathematician

Born in Germany and named Amalie Emmy Noether, she was known as Emmy. Her father was a mathematics professor at the University of Erlangen and her mother was from a wealthy family. Emmy Noether studied arithmetic and languages but was not permitted -- as a girl -- to enroll in the college preparatory school, the gymnasium. Her graduation qualified her to teach French and English in girls schools, apparently her career intention -- but then she changed her mind and decided she wanted to study mathematics at the university level. Known for: work in abstract algebra, especially ring theory Dates:  March 23, 1882 - April 14, 1935 Also known as:  Amalie Noether, Emily Noether, Amelie Noether University of Erlangen To enroll in a university, she had to get the permission of the professors to take an entrance exam -- she did and she passed, after sitting in on mathematics lectures at the University of Erlangen. She was then allowed to audit courses -- first at the University of Erlangen and then the University of Gà ¶ttingen, neither of which would permit a woman to attend classes for credit. Finally, in 1904, the University of Erlangen decided to permit women to enroll as regular students, and Emmy Noether returned there. Her dissertation in algebraic math earned her a doctorate  summa cum laude  in 1908. For seven years, Noether worked at the University of Erlangen without any salary, sometimes acting as a substitute lecturer for her father when he was ill. In 1908 she was invited to join the Circolo Matematico di Palermo and in 1909 to join the German Mathematical Society -- but she still could not obtain a paying position at a University in Germany. Gà ¶ttingen In 1915, Emmy Noethers mentors, Felix Klein and David Hilbert, invited her to join them at the Mathematical Institute in Gà ¶ttingen, again without compensation. There, she pursued important mathematical work that confirmed key parts of the general theory of relativity. Hilbert continued to work to get Noether accepted as a faculty member at Gà ¶ttingen, but he was unsuccessful against the cultural and official biases against women scholars. He was able to allow her to lecture -- in his own courses, and without salary. In 1919 she won the right to be a privatdozent  -- she could teach students, and they would pay her directly, but the university did not pay her anything. In 1922, the University gave her a position as an adjunct professor with a small salary and no tenure or benefits. Emmy Noether was a popular teacher with the students. She was seen as warm and enthusiastic. Her lectures were participatory, demanding that students help work out the mathematics being studied. Emmy Noethers work in the 1920s on ring theory and ideals was foundational in abstract algebra. Her work earned her enough recognition that she was invited as a visiting professor in 1928-1929 at the University of Moscow and in 1930 at the University of Frankfurt. America Though she was never able to gain a regular faculty position at Gà ¶ttingen, she was one of many Jewish faculty members who was purged by the Nazis in 1933. In America, the Emergency Committee to Aid Displaced German Scholars obtained for Emmy Noether an offer of a professorship at Bryn Mawr College in America, and they paid, with the Rockefeller Foundation, her first years salary. The grant was renewed for two more years in 1934. This was the first time that Emmy Noether was paid a full professors salary and accepted as a full faculty member. But her success was not to last long. In 1935, she developed complications from an operation to remove a uterine tumor, and she died shortly after, on April 14. After World War II ended, the University of Erlangen honored her memory, and in that city, a co-ed gymnasium specializing in math was named for her. Her ashes are buried near Bryn Mawrs Library. Quote If one proves the equality of two numbers a and b by showing first that a is less than or equal to b and then a is greater than or equal to b, it is unfair, one should instead show that they are really equal by disclosing the inner ground for their equality. About Emmy Noether, by Lee Smolin: The connection between symmetries and conservation laws is one of the great discoveries of twentieth century physics . But I think very few non-experts will have heard either of it or its maker - Emily Noether, a great German mathematician. But it is as essential to twentieth century physics as famous ideas like the impossibility of exceeding the speed of light.It is not difficult to teach Noethers theorem, as it is called; there is a beautiful and intuitive idea behind it. Ive explained it every time Ive taught introductory physics. But no textbook at this level mentions it. And without it one does not really understand why the world is such that riding a bicycle is safe. Print Bibliography Dick, Auguste.Emmy Noether: 1882-1935. 1980.  ISBN: 0817605193

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Desiree s Baby By Kate Chopin - 1419 Words

In Kate Chopin’s story, â€Å"Desiree’s Baby,† written during the 19th century, Desiree is concerned that her child is of a distinct racial background. Her spouse, Armand, blames and accuses her of being half African-American. The worst problem she could ever imagine is to leave the one she admires the most, her husband. Feminist interpretation refers to the relationships encountered between separate genders. Like the article â€Å"Literary Theory† states, feminist interpretation presents the order of â€Å"behavior, ideas, enfranchisement, values, and power in correlation between the sexes† (Fung). In this story, society constantly blames women, even if they are not the ones at fault. Thus, accusation becomes apparent when Armand decides to blame Desiree for giving birth to an African American child. Throughout â€Å"Desiree’s Baby,† Chopin manifests the feminist perspective of women as subservient to their husbands when she portrays Desiree as a trite, compliant lady. A reflection of feminist criticism deeply relates to Desiree as she submissively faces Armand’s character and words. Desiree brings love to Armand in such a despairing way that she chases him and shows affection towards him through their difficult times. When â€Å"He frowned, she trembled,† but still loves him, and â€Å"when he smiled,† she feels that she is in a good position (Chopin 3). This quote displays a woman s ability to do anything necessary to assist the male character. Her actions emphasize how Armand means the world to her,Show MoreRelatedKate Chopin s The Desiree s Baby947 Words   |  4 Pagesin Chopin’s Desiree’s Baby In the short story Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin, the titular character is the wife of slave owner Armand and the new mother of a baby boy. The story follows Desiree as she finds out that her baby is of mixed ethnic background, and the aftermath of having a mixed-race baby in the 1800’s. In regards to the relationships between Desiree and other supporting characters, only one aspect remains constant; tension. While the relationships between Desiree and her husband, herRead MoreDesiree s Baby By Kate Chopin1770 Words   |  8 Pages In the short story â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† written by Kate Chopin, we have this setting of this older woman named Madame Valmondà © is on her way to visit her adopted daughter Desiree who has recently given birth to her son by her husband Armand Aubigny. Everything seems to be going well at the plantation due to master of the house being so thrilled about having his son being born. As time progresses, Armand become very ang ry over the few months and eventually Desiree comes to notice that her son looksRead MoreKate Chopin s Desiree s Baby2014 Words   |  9 PagesKate Chopin’s â€Å"Dà ©sirà ©e s Baby† was set in the days before the abolition of slavery, at a time when the ownership of another person was not only acceptable, but also economically impactful in the south. It was normal to see big plantations owned by whites and tendered by black slaves. We see all of this and more in â€Å"Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby†. One of the characters, Monsieur Valmonde finds an abandoned baby one day while out riding. His wife, Madam Valmonde, does not have a child of her own so she takes theRead MoreAn Analysis Of Kate Chopin s Desiree s Baby Essay1067 Words   |  5 Pages Kate Chopin life and her short story Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby Chopin was an American novelist and she also wrote many short stories. Chopin was a feminist pioneer movement on American literature and the world. Chopin was born in St. Louis Missouri on February 8, 1850. Her father was an Irish immigrant who was a very successful businessman. Chopin father died when she was a little girl. For that reason, she grew up with her mother and grandmother since she was a child. She was an insatiable reader and thatRead MoreAnalysis Of Desiree s Baby By Kate Chopin919 Words   |  4 PagesDesiree’s Baby†: An Annotated bibliography Thesis: Kate Chopin combines the racial and social differences on the eighteen century, in which people have to face racial discrimination amongst a social empire, which brings many conflicts within diverse couples about their firstborns. Chopin, Kate Desiree’s Baby. Short Stories (print 7/14/2015). In the short story, Desiree’s Baby, written by Kate Chopin there is a about of karma and consequences that produce the drama on the literature. The storyRead MoreAnalysis Of Desiree s Baby By Kate Chopin1446 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of Desiree’s Baby In the story Desiree s Baby by Kate Chopin the plot mainly revolves around race issues and also includes elements of sexism. In terms of race the difference between being white and being black shows vital importance in the characters lives through the story. As Desiree and Armand both originally associate themselves with the white class, once the plot unveils their black heritage they are faced with uncertainty, and ultimately their lives become meaninglessRead MoreAn Analysis Of Kate Chopin s Desiree s Baby 1705 Words   |  7 Pagesand published in 1893, Kate Chopin’s work â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† is a short story about miscegenation within a French family living in Louisiana in the late nineteenth century. Miscegenation is defined as the mixture of different racial groups, through marriage or cohabitation, between a white race and a member of another race. Chopin writes this piece of realistic fiction which exposes the issues of society that woul d not be faced until many years after her death. â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† revolves around two mainRead MoreKate Chopin s The Locket And Desiree s Baby1575 Words   |  7 Pages Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Locket† and â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† are two stories where heart-rending news changed main characters lives. In the beginning of the both stories love between couples is described. Desiree is happy being wife and mother to newborn male baby while in the Locket Edmond is constantly thinking about his sweetheart Octavie. Both stories touch different sides of love, which appears fortunate in the Locket, but destructive in Desiree s Baby. In â€Å"Desiree’s Baby†, Armand begins distancingRead MoreDesiree s Baby By Kate Chopin999 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby† is a short story written by Kate Chopin in 1892 during the time that racism against African Americans is on the rise. In the story, Armand Aubigny falls in love with Dà ©sirà ©e, a young woman who has an obscure background but is adopted by local slave-owners. They marry and have a child, who is found to be part black a few months af ter birth. Armand seems to be enraged by the baby’s color and throws Dà ©sirà ©e out with the child, and she walks into a bayou and disappears forever. HoweverRead MoreDesiree s Baby, By Kate Chopin888 Words   |  4 PagesIn Kate Chopin’s short story, Desiree’s Baby, she tells the story through the eyes of the characters. This story is told in the omniscient point of view. The omniscient point of view means that the storyteller knows all of the thoughts and emotions of all the characters throughout the story. In the nineteenth century there was a lot of racial discrimination against African-Americans. The protagonist is Desiree; she is formed throughout the many situations in the short story. She is fought by the

Friday, December 13, 2019

Social Media’s Negative Effect on Academic Performance Free Essays

Social Media’s Negative Effect on Academic Performance Researchers with the Miriam Hospital’s Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine say social media has a negative impact on academic performance of freshmen students, the Science Daily reported. Researchers show a link between social media and academic performance among the freshmen in a study, which is the first of its kind. The study looked at students engaged in any form of media use including texting, music, the Internet and social networking. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Media’s Negative Effect on Academic Performance or any similar topic only for you Order Now The study shows an average freshmen woman spends 12 hours every day engaged in any form of media use. The impact of such indulgence results in poor academic performance. Researchers, however, excluded listening to music and reading newspapers as it boosts academic performance unlike other forms of media. â€Å"Most research on media use and academics has focused on adolescents, rather than new college students, or has only examined a few forms of media. So we were curious about the impact of a wider range of media, including activities like social networking and texting that have only become popular in recent years,† said lead author Jennifer L. Walsh, PhD, of The Miriam Hospital’s Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine. â€Å"We also wanted to know how media use related to later school performance, since there aren’t many longitudinal studies looking at media use and academics. † For the study, Walsh and her colleagues interviewed 483 freshmen women during from a northeast university. Researchers noted 11 different forms of media use that had an impact on academics, which included television, movies, music, surfing the Internet, social networking, talking on a cell phone, texting, magazines, newspapers, non-school-related books and video games. Students were asked to report an average time spent on any forms of media throughout the previous week. Students were also asked to report their grades in the academics for the fall and spring semesters and their intellectual confidence, behavior and troubles, the report said. As a result, researchers listed that cell phones, social networking, television and magazines had severe impact on students’ academic results for their fall semesters. Walsh further noted that students who spent more time engaging in these forms of media, had â€Å"fewer academic behaviors, such as completing homework and attending class, lower academic confidence and more problems affecting their school work, like lack of sleep and substance use. † Researchers noted that the major use of social media among the students was found to be more on campus than off. Walsh suggested that professors could use social media as a means of communicating with their students in reminding of their assignments and referring them to helpful resources that could fetch them higher grades in academics. Also limiting media use within the college campus, especially in classrooms could go a long way, researchers said. The findings were reported online by the journal  Emerging Adulthood. Copyright @ Headlines Global News. http://www. hngn. com/articles/1929/20130415/social-medias-negative-effect-academic-performance. htm How to cite Social Media’s Negative Effect on Academic Performance, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Procurement Report Computing - Engineering and Mathematics

Question: Discuss about the Environmental Analysis of Wesfarmers Companys. Answer: Introduction Wesfarmers was founded in June of 1914 as famers co-operative with the leading function for stipulation of services as well as agricultural products to the countryside local community of the western Australians. The wesfarmers began the path to the diversification back in 1950s with the pioneered plan of disseminating the liquefied petroleum fuel (Da Silva, 2012). It and then extended to glide into the fertilizer manufacturing as well as syndication in 1994 , coal exploration in 1989 , unveiled the insurance business venture in 1991 , hardware as well as forest merchandise in 1994 , industrialized as well as the safety merchandise in 2001 also got in retail conglomerate in 2008 . In this period to permeate many versatile areas, there was clearly transformation in relation to the size and shape of the operation of the enterprise by way of the strategic acquisitions as well as divestments (Kenny, 2013). The organization has currently turn out to be the major public corporation in sever al business activities which include retail store , insurance coverage , commercial as well as energy with as many as 33 brands that are there in Australia . At present the organization employs over 200, 000 people across Australia and New Zealand and display four hundred thousand shareholders (Da Silva, 2012). The organization is now recognized for their focus in the supply valuable to the shareholders as well as progression of relationship of confidence, loyalty as well as the commitment. The organization business is extremely diversified that vary from liquor to supermarket to coal. In the recent past, the wesfarmers organization acquired Coles as a retail division. Coles is a sizable organization, which has over one hundred and sixty thousand individuals who take part in it. This plan struck in 2007, which is a landmark deal as it offers scope for the exceptional control over the marketplace by the wesfarmers (Featherstone, 2009). The plan was properly displayed with all of the financial as well as shareholding control under dialogue. The describing over the package is beneficial in the direction of determing the nature of the relationship, which the organization as well as the clients are savoring. The external environment contains the outside influences on the business. They can be political, economic, sociable as well as ethnic naturally. To keep the Wesfarmers at the primary Focus, the competitive environment, and the remote environment to the external peripheries, a research report into the external environment of the Wesfarmers have been tested out (Featherstone, 2009). Nevertheless , the study has covered on the competitive environment which is mainly steered by Competitors , customers , vendors , workers , supervisors , affiliates of the board , monetary , community , ecological environment as well as the society generally . The study also will address the SWOT assessment. It is essential to note that not all these aspects should be segregated and they often positioned to be overlapping naturally. SwotAnalysis On the SWOT, analysis of the Wesfarmers provides a strategic analysis of the company business and the operations. The summary is done on a table, which represents the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strength 1. The company emphasis on the community development initiative 2. It delivers on the convenience and customer service (Kenny, 2013). 3. The company keeps on the importance to quality and the performance. 4. It offers special discounts in order to attract the customers. 5. The company has large number of stores, in-store staff and a workforce that is strong over two hundred thousand. Weaknesses 1. The company being the market leader it is always under scrutiny for any decision they take. 2. The experiences is limited to Australia thus this means there is a low geographic presence. Opportunities 1. The company expand to outside of Australia. 2. The company enhances on quality, services and experience benchmark that is across the stores. 3. There is employees and the customers loyalty across the businesses. Threat 1. The company faces threats from the competitors. 2. When there is economic downturn it leads to plummeted consumer confidence levels, and a lower demand (Kenny, 2013). 3. The competitors to the company they also offer specialized products and the services at the same equitable prices. Internal Analysis On the internal analysis on the Wesfarmers Company, it will focus on the internal aspect that affect the market. Some of the concepts the report will focus on are; management talent, the resources and capabilities. Management Talent In the wesfarmers company, retaining talent has been the biggest challenge they are experiencing (Walsh, 2002). According to Managing Director of the company Richard Goyder, he elaborated that the company faces aspect of attracting, recognizing and retaining talent for the company. He further explained that these aspects is affecting the western Australia and the only way is to provide equality and diversity in the workplace which in turn will offer competitive advantage in order to attract talent over the other companies (Butera, 2011). Moreover, there is need to have quality of individuals that are employed in the organization. On the aspect of retaining and developing on the internal talent, the managers need to recognize the potential in employees better. They need to be better especially in selecting talent and having conversation with the people (Tilt, 2001). The company also need to have more women in senior management roles to help develop better the business. There is need t o diversify so that there is greater representation of gender in the business and more women are incorporated. Resources and Capabilities The resources of the company are grouped into various components. These resources are human example the skilled and creative employees. Wesfarmers Company has employed over two hundred thousand employees who have the experience to undertake various roles and functions. There are also various organizational capabilities that are embedded in the business in the routines, processes, and culture (Butera, 2011). Wesfarmers Company has ventured its business in various segment in Australian market like energy, insurance, chemical and fertilizers. The company has various advantages over the resource acquisition like reputation the company it enjoys, brand recognition that is well known by many household in Australia and New Zealand, and attractive locations. Furthermore, on the resource and capabilities, the company has identified a value chain of research and development whereby they have the ability to produce products that are innovative, they have the capability of basic research and the y have speed of development of new products. An example of this is in the mining of coal where the company has the best technology all over Australia and the world as compared to the competitors. External Analysis On the external analysis, it looks about the macro and the micro analysis of the company. The macro environment analysis is essentially the first step of the strategic analysis in which kicks of the traditional, and the strategic planning cycle. This analysis is referred to as the pest or the pestle analysis (Morgan, 2006). The purpose of the macro analysis is to identifying the possible opportunities and the threats, which will influence on the industry as a whole for the Wesfarmers Company and those aspects they can control in the industry. On the Pestel analysis is based on six macro environment factors these are economic, social, technological, environmental and the legal factors. Political Factors The Australia government formulated a legislative framework of the mining environmental, and the states governments can make different laws in their concrete situations. The exploitation is thus controlled by the state governments agreements. Moreover, the carbon tax law has been published as well. Therefore, the energy division and the resource business unit of the Wesfarmers Company has been influenced. The company also faced various political decisions such as a right for the buyers that may restrict monopolies in the markets. An example, of this is in the past where there had been several changes in the energy sector like the removal of the barriers to the interstate trade of electricity, which gave Wesfarmers Company opportunities to be able to expand to other states. Economic Factors The economy of Australia trend has a direct effect on to the consumption of the market since it depends on the buying power, which may directly affects on the GDP of the country. When there was a global financial crisis in 2009, the consumption behavior of the market was greatly influenced thus affecting on the disposable income of the households (Kenny, 2009). Since the acquisition of the group of Coles back in 2007, the GFC had hindered on its short-term growth. Moreover, the companys sales of their chemical and fertilizer division was greatly affected by the natural disasters and the climatic changes propositions. Sociological Factors In the culture of Australia, it is reasonable for a family to spend a lot on money on the household goods in the supermarket. Therefore, it is an opportunity for the Wesfarmers Company to make a lot of money from spending of different households on shopping ( Kroenert, 2010). Target and Kmart shopping Centre sell both clothes and electronic at a low price, thus, the consumers can have a one-stop shopping and this can increase on the revenue return of Wesfarmers Company. Technological Factors In Australia, it is usually among the best exploration nations on the globe. The state mines natural resources not to mention mining sector equally are greater than any country globally. Wesfarmers distinct business functions covers the exploration of the coal, energy, chemical substances and fertilizers that is an excellent technical basis as well as a significant assurance for the growth and development of this organization. Legal Factors Australian legal unit is sound, which includes labor law, the natural resources law, alongside a variety of business law. As a large enterprise, these regulations offer Wesfarmers organization management significant criteria. Environmental Factors The Australian government usually focus on the environmental protection. Environment is important for the Australia and related laws and department usually control air pollution (Kenny, 2009). Furthermore, the natural resources are also maintained in Australia. Micro Environmental Analysis The microenvironment factors are the immediate elements in the organization that affect the performance and decision making freedom. The factors that affect Wesfarmers Company are competitors, customers, and the suppliers. Suppliers The supply market mainly ascertains on the degree to which there exists efficient competition can be achieved by an organization. The bargaining capability of the supplier could be seen as an upheaval for the earnings of the organization, and the Wesfarmers Organization has been conscious of this information. The organization is thus attempting to have good contract with the merchants (Tilt, 2001). The management makes certain they take advantage of the agreement whilst the suppliers enjoys the contract together with them. Consequently, within this type of business there is certainly a restricted competition in the supply market. Competitors Wesfarmers company like any other company in business, it is facing many competitors of whom are offering the same specialized products and services that are equitable to the price levels. Some of these competitors are Myer, Woolworths, Safeway and Foodworks companies (Biddle, 2016). These companies are segmented in different sectors in the industry since Wesfarmers Company is a large business organization that competes in these segments. Customers Wesfarmers company customers are loyal to the company because the products they are offered are enhanced in quality, services are excellent and the company offers special discount to the customers in order to attract more of them (Da Silva Rosa, Meemeduma and Watson, 2006). The company across its variety stores in Australia offers variety of product thus offering the customer one stop to shop to the products they need in their households. Conclusion Wesfarmers Company is the largest retail conglomerate in Australia in that they have ventured in different market segments. They are ventures in mining, insurance, electronics, clothes, chemicals and fertilizers. The company has gained a wide market share, trough offering special discount on the products and services to attract more clients. Further, the company offers high quality products at a fair price than the competitors do. On this report, it has analyzed on the environmental analysis of the company. The focus has been the internal analysis and external analysis of the company. There was also a need to look at the SWOT analysis of the company to identify on the threats and opportunities to help the company tackle the threat and to take advantage of the opportunity. References Da Silva, M., 2012. A broad business challenge-Sustainable Company of the Year. Ethical Investor, (98), p.14. Da Silva Rosa, R., Meemeduma, N. and Watson, I., 2006. Wesfarmers: The challenges of pursuing shareholder value in a conglomerate. Working Paper UWA Business School. Biddle, I., 2016. The Wesfarmers/Woolworths duopoly war: The Bunnings vs. Masters battle. Busidate, 24(3), p.3. Butera, G., 2011. Research Guides: Harvard Citation Style: Company Information. Featherstone, T., 2009. Finding the light [Company boards are learning to deal with the global financial crisis.]. Company Director, 25(8), p.16. Kenny, G., 2009. Diversification strategy: How to grow a business by diversifying successfully. Kogan Page Publishers. Kenny, G., 2013. The stakeholder or the firm? Balancing the strategic framework. Journal of Business Strategy, 34(3), pp.33-40. Kroenert, T., 2010. Off-course Offsets. Inside Film: If, (137), p.28. Morgan, S., 2006. Blueprint for success [Profile of Richard Goyder, Managing Director and CEO of Wesfarmers.]. Management Today, (Oct 2006), p.6. Tilt, C.A., 2001. Environmental disclosure by Australian companies: what is happening outside the annual report. University of Adelaide. Walsh, R., 2002. Executive Material: Nine of Australia's Top CEOs in Conversation with Richard Walsh. Allen Unwin.