Security Commision Malaysia

INTRODUCTION SECURITIES COMMISSION Securities Commission is a general term used for a government department or agency responsible for financial regulation of  securities  products within a particular country. Its powers and responsibilities vary greatly from country to country, but generally cover the setting of rules as well as enforcing them for financial intermediaries and  stock exchanges. The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), is responsible for the regulation and development of capital markets in Malaysia.Established on 1 March 1993 under the Securities Commission Act 1993, it is a self-funding statutory body with investigative and enforcement powers. It reports to the Minister of Finance and its accounts are tabled in Parliament annually. The SC's many regulatory functions include: * Supervising exchanges, clearing houses and central depositories; * Registering authority for prospectuses of corporations other than unlisted recreational clubs; * Approving authority for corporate bond issues; Regulating all matters relating to securities and futures contracts; * Regulating the take-over and mergers of companies * Regulating all matters relating to unit trust schemes; * Licensing and supervising all licensed persons; * Encouraging self-regulation; and * Ensuring proper conduct of market institutions and licensed persons. The SC's objective, as stated in its mission statement, is to promote and maintain fair, efficient, secure and transparent securities and futures markets and to facilitate the overall development of an innovative and competitive capital market.MALAYSIA CAPITAL MARKET A capital market is a market for securities (debt or equity), where business enterprises (companies) and governments can raise long-term funds. It is defined as a market in which money is provided for periods longer than a year, as the raising of short-term funds takes place on other markets such as the money market). The capital market includes the stock market (equity securities) and the bond market (debt). Financial regulators, such as Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) oversee the capital markets in their esignated jurisdictions to ensure that investors are protected against fraud, among other duties Capital markets may be classified as primary markets and secondary markets. In primary markets, new stock or bond issues are sold to investors via a mechanism known as underwriting. In the secondary markets, existing securities are sold and bought among investors or traders, usually on a securities exchange, over-the-counter, or elsewhere. Role of Securities Commission in Malaysian Capital Market The main role of securities commission is to regulate the Malaysian capital market by implementing Capital Markets and Services Act 2007(CMSA).This Act repeals the Securities Industry Act 1983 (SIA) and Futures Industry Act 1993(FIA). The CMSA which takes effect on 28 September 2007 introduces a single licensing regime for capital market intermediaries. Under this new regime, a capital market intermediary will only need one license to carry on business in any one or more of the following regulated activities such as dealing in securities, trading in futures contracts, fund management, advising on corporate finance, investment advice and financial planning.Licensing ensures an adequate level of investor protection, including the provision of sufficient safeguards to protect investors from default by market intermediaries or problems arising from the insolvency of such intermediaries. More importantly, it instills confidence among investors that the organizations and people they deal with will treat them fairly and are efficient, honest and financially sound. Through its authority to issue licenses, the SC regulates the market by ascertaining the fitness and propriety of companies and individuals applying for licenses.In considering whether an applicant is fit and proper to hold a license, the SC takes into account the following fact ors: * Probity – adherence to the highest principles and ideals; * Ability to perform such functions efficiently, honestly and fairly; * Financial status; * Reputation, character, financial integrity and reliability; Under this measure, intermediaries hold a Capital Markets and Services License as opposed to multiple separate licenses, which effectively reduces administrative and compliance costs, and ultimately saves time.In addition, SC also advised the public not to make any investment with companies that are not licensed or approved by them. SC provide a list of known companies and websites which are not authorized nor approved under the securities laws to deal in securities, trade in futures contracts, advise on corporate finance, provide investment advice, financial planning and/or fund management services related to securities and futures for the public to take note. Last but not least, SC will also continue to monitor those intermediaries that hold the Capital Markets and Services License from time to time, to ensure the albeit to their laws.The Malaysian Capital Market Compliance with International Standards and Transparency Although Malaysia has not undertaken the IMF/World Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP), the Securities Commission (SC), as the competent regulatory authority for oversight of the capital market, has voluntarily undertaken independent assessments under the various standards set by the IMF/World Bank, and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).The SC has also supported the move to comply with international best practices on accounting-related matters. A. Code on Corporate Governance for Listed Companies Malaysia embarked on extensive corporate governance reforms since 1998, included introduction of a code of corporate governance and immediate steps to implement changes in the composition and role of board of directors. Out of 10 recommendations to strengthen corporate governance stated in the Capital Market Masterplan by Securities Commission, nine of it has been carried out since 2004.These included strengthening of revelation rules, corporate whistleblower protection and major reforms to patch up government-linked corporations (GLCs). Malaysia voluntarily agreed to be assessed under the Corporate Governance Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes (CG ROSC) by the World Bank in 2005, based on a methodology that is benchmarked against the internationally accepted OECD Principles of Corporate Governance.Malaysia has published the CG ROSC that was completed in 2005. B. IOSCO (International Organization of Securities Commissions) – Assessment on Objectives and Principles of Securities Regulation (IOSCO Principles) In 2008, the Securities Commission undertook an independent assessment by IOSCO to benchmark its compliance against IOSCO's 30 core principles on securities regulation.The principles covered the responsibilities of the regulator, its enforceme nt powers, the regulation and supervision of primary and secondary markets, market intermediaries, the management and operation of unit trusts, and clearing and settlement. The Malaysian capital market regulatory framework was assessed as fully compliant with virtually all of the IOSCO Principles. Malaysia was rated fully implemented for 28 out of 29 principles, and also for 18 out of the 19 recommendations for Principle 30 on clearing and settlement.Furthermore, Securities Commission has continued to enhance its regulatory framework, processes and protocols in identified areas. Steps are also being taken to address the measures required to become fully compliant with the other two remaining Principles. C. Compliance of CRAs with IOSCO Code Following the release of the revised IOSCO Code, the domestic credit rating agencies (CRAs), RAM and MARC, have adopted the revised IOSCO Code in their own code of conduct.The updated codes, published in early 2009, broadly aimed at enhancing sta ndards and conduct of credit rating agencies in the quality and integrity of the rating process, CRA independence and avoidance of conflicts of interest, CRA responsibilities to the investing public and issuer, and disclosure of the code of conduct and communications with market participants. The adoption of the IOSCO Code by RAM and MARC is an important achievement as only seven CRAs had implemented the code, namely Fitch, Moody's and Standard & Poors, the Japan Credit Rating Agency and the Dominion Bond Rating Service.D. Assessments on Compliance with the 40+9 Recommendations by the FATF In January 2007, Malaysia was assessed for compliance with the 40+9 recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) an inter-governmental body whose purpose is the development and promotion of policies, both at national and international levels, to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. (AML/CFT). The Mutual Evaluation Report is published on the APG website. Measures undertaken by the SC for the capital market sector contributed to a high level of compliance.Malaysia was rated as fully compliant with nine and largely compliant with 24 recommendations. In 2008, the SC implemented several measures to implement the recommendations in the Mutual Evaluation Report. These included measures on market conduct and business practices for stockbrokers and licensed representatives, amending the provisions in the SC's guidelines relating to customer due diligence requirements and politically exposed persons and setting up a networking group to encourage a more proactive participation by the capital market intermediaries towards ensuring higher standards of AML/CFT compliance.E. Compliance with International Accounting Standards Furthermore, the SC is also operational directly with the respective Malaysian accounting boards to integrate accounting principles, with a commitment on full convergence with international accounting standards by 2012. RECO MMENDATION We hope that Securities Commission will continue to play their role well in Malaysian capital market to ensure all investors are protected by them.This will surely benefit all investors who invest in Malaysia capital market as their risks are reduced and accurate information is provided by SC. CONCLUSION After completing this project, we understand that the Securities Commission (SC) plays a very important role in the Malaysian Capital Market. As SC’s mission statement – â€Å"to promote and maintain fair, efficient, secure and transparent securities and futures markets and to facilitate the orderly development of an innovative and competitive capital market†.SC role is to regulate the capital market and protecting the investors is their ultimate responsibility. SC is also obliged by statute to encourage and promote the development of the securities and futures markets in Malaysia. As a Malaysian we should feel proud on this association as SC really p ut their very great effort on the work toward our country’s capital market and result in a very huge improvement in our capital market. As a result, everyone could earn money by investing in a â€Å"healthy† capital market.

The Fashion Channel Case

Introduction The Fashion Channel is losing highly valued viewers to competitors, causing a projected decrease in advertising revenue. TFH needs a plan to improve its ratings and increase its advertising revenue. We recommend that TFH implement scenario three and target the Fashion's and Shoppers/Planners. As we will show, this dual targeting plan has the highest income potential by bringing in the younger, highly valued viewers needed to increase advertising revenue. Analysis We recommend the third scenario of targeting both the Fashion's and theShoppers/Planners because it offers the highest ad revenue potential (see Appendix 1). Even though this plan has the highest total expenses, it results in the highest net income and margin potential (see Appendix 1). If TFH implemented scenario two and targeted only the Fashion's, the CPM would go up drastically. However, Fashion's only represent 15% of households and the average number of viewers would go down (see Appendix 2). On the other hand, if TFH targets both Fashion's and Shoppers/Planners the CPM and the average number of viewers will increase, exulting in higher revenues (see Appendix 2).The first scenario is not a good option because it increases advertising revenues only a small amount. Implementation The implementation plan involves 3 major steps. The first step is to research the two segments and find out what kind of programming will attract and retain both segments. The second step would be to invest in the new programming. The third step is to begin an advertising, promotions, and public relations campaign targeting the two segments. Risks The implementation of this plan has some risks that need to be mitigated.The three ajar risks are: 1) the plan only attracts Fashion's 2) the plan only attracts Shoppers/Planners 3) the plan alienates TFTP current customers. If the plan only attracts the Fashion's, then revenue will not be as high as expected, as shown in Appendix 1 under scenario 2. However, the exp enses would be much lower and income would still be much higher than in 2006. If the plan only attracts the Shoppers/Planners, then CPM would go down causing advertising revenue to decrease (see Appendix 3). This can be mitigated by focusing more on Fashion's than Shoppers/Planners while still trying to attract both. The Fashion Channel Case Starting in 1996 TFH (the fashion channel) had a great success because of a big audience and no competitors in the business. Noticing the great success competitors such as CNN and lifetime started to also have fashion-based programmer. Since viewers now having a choice to decide which channel they want to watch the viewer numbers of TFH starter to decrease. A reason for this is shown by an alpha research which pointed out that both CNN and lifetime got a better feedback in customers satisfaction in consumer interest as well as in awareness and also perceived value.Having their viewer numbers decreasing, TFH has to pay even more attention on their two main revenue streams: cable affiliate fees and advertising! Therefore they wanted to know who their audience is to can better react to them. They reached this with help of a detailed demographic breakdown which leaded to the result, that 61% of their viewers are female and 33% being aged 18-34 which is less then 45% being aged 35-54, but the younger group is stronger in this business Additional to this they did a SFA associated survey which divided the audience into 4 groups:Factionists: highly engaged in fashion with being 15% of all viewers, 61% being female and 50% being aged 18-34; Planners and Shoppers: participants in fashion on a regular basis with being 35% of all viewers, 54% being female and 25% being aged 18-34; Sustainability: participants in fashion for specific needs with being 30% of all viewers, 50% being female and 30% being aged 18-34. Also they have 45% with children in the household; Basics: not interested in fashion with being 20% of all viewers and 45% being female. 2) Which research method was most helpful to you in developing and evaluating the segmentation options?As mentioned before, there are four groups resulting from the SFA associated research. Combines with the results from the demographic breakdown we think it is really helpful for ETC. Indeed, with these researches they have the opp ortunity to realize who their audience is and so they can work on getting a new audience, probably within the other groups. They also understand who is the most powerful group in their business so that they can work on reaching their needs and with these information it was possible to work out the segmentation options. 3) What are the segmentation options?Broad-based marketing: The goal is to develop a multi-segment strategy with a strong focus on â€Å"Factionists† and the â€Å"Planners&shoppers† and also have a focus on women aged between 18 and 34 since this is the most powerful group – as mentioned before. â€Å"Fashions† segmentation: In this segmentation the focus is strong only on â€Å"Factionists†. The plan is to spend $ 15 million on programming. It is a single segment concentration. â€Å"Factionists† plus â€Å"Planners & shoppers† segmentation: This one is a product specialized segmentation with focus on both â€Å"Fact ionists† and â€Å"Shoppers & Planners†.TFH has to spend $ 20 million on programming in this case. 4) What is the project financial impact of each of the option? Scenario number 3 has the best financial result: against an increment of $20. 000. 000 in fixed costs and an increment of $4. 151. 347 in variable costs, the increment of revenue by Ad sales increases by $138. 378. 240 and the company can have the maximum net income ($168. 867. 232) and also the maximum margin (39%). Scenario number 1, instead, is the worst one: The Fashion Channel doesn't have extra fixed cost but also their income are the lowest one ($249. 080. 832) that is $96. 864. 68 lower than in scenario 3. In this case, the firm can match the same result that reached in 2006. Scenario 2 is a little worst than scenario 3: they have a little few fixed cost ($70. 000. 000) as they gain less revenue by Ad sales ($322. 882. 560) and also the net income and the margin are not performing as in scenario 3. 5) C ompare the segmentation options. What are the Pros & Cons (Strengths & Weaknesses) of each option? 1 . Broad Appeal (Broad multi-segment approach) – Scenario 1 Cross segment of Factionists, Planners & Shoppers, and Sustainability Woman aged 18 to 34 in all of the clusters 2.Factionists – Scenario 2 Alternative to a broad, multi-segment approach – focus on single segment (Factionists) 0 aggressive approach. Strong in the highly valued 18-34 female demographic. 3. The Factionists and the Shoppers/Planners – Scenario 3 Dual targeting of two segments (Factionists and Shoppers/Planners). 6) What is your recommendation? After the analysis of costs, revenues and net income and the review of advantages and disadvantages of the three options, according to us the best solution is the scenario 3: the â€Å"Fashions† plus â€Å"Planners/Shoppers† segmentation.We understand that the risk involved with this scenario is very high. TFH will lose some of the ir most loyal consumers by re-positioning the channel towards factionists and the planners/shoppers. Furthermore, Exhibit 5 show us that this scenario also requires more programming and operational expenses. On the other hand, â€Å"Factionists† has superior interest in fashion and â€Å"Planners & Shoppers† has the largest cluster size, so it is a good choice to combine them. Indeed â€Å"Planners & Shoppers† will improve he rating in order to attract more ad buyers and at the same time â€Å"Factionists† will enhance the CPM to gain more ad revenue.Moreover, from the Exhibits 4 and 5 we can observe that scenario 3 gives the more revenue that the others and it provides more net income and a better margin than the other two options. To conclude, the benefits truly do seem to outweigh the risks in this scenario and we recommend that targeting at two valued groups â€Å"Factionists† and â€Å"Planners & shoppers† is the best solution to this p roblem. It will create more revenues (above all from advertising), aka TFH get back market shares quickly and maintain Tiff's leading status and core viewer loyalty.Obviously, The Fashion Channel will also implement this new marketing plan. One of the more difficult challenges for TFH is trying to keep their older loyal consumers while attracting the new factionists and planners/shoppers (18-34 female audience), otherwise they could certainly lose more than they gain. In order to achieve this aim, TFH should analyze the loyal consumers' favorite programs and make sure to keep these programs when they begin their new marketing plan.Moreover, The Fashion Channel should look at Lifetime and their Fashion Today program to gain a better understanding of how they market to their 18-34 year-old female audience, so they will be in a very advantageous position to capture a large share of the market. Furthermore, TFH must continually find ways to improve consumer interest, awareness, and perc eived value. Lastly, TFH must be aware of its competition and be ready to differentiate and re-position its programs in order to earn the best TV ratings and capture the most market share. The Fashion Channel Case Introduction The Fashion Channel is losing highly valued viewers to competitors, causing a projected decrease in advertising revenue. TFH needs a plan to improve its ratings and increase its advertising revenue. We recommend that TFH implement scenario three and target the Fashion's and Shoppers/Planners. As we will show, this dual targeting plan has the highest income potential by bringing in the younger, highly valued viewers needed to increase advertising revenue. Analysis We recommend the third scenario of targeting both the Fashion's and theShoppers/Planners because it offers the highest ad revenue potential (see Appendix 1). Even though this plan has the highest total expenses, it results in the highest net income and margin potential (see Appendix 1). If TFH implemented scenario two and targeted only the Fashion's, the CPM would go up drastically. However, Fashion's only represent 15% of households and the average number of viewers would go down (see Appendix 2). On the other hand, if TFH targets both Fashion's and Shoppers/Planners the CPM and the average number of viewers will increase, exulting in higher revenues (see Appendix 2).The first scenario is not a good option because it increases advertising revenues only a small amount. Implementation The implementation plan involves 3 major steps. The first step is to research the two segments and find out what kind of programming will attract and retain both segments. The second step would be to invest in the new programming. The third step is to begin an advertising, promotions, and public relations campaign targeting the two segments. Risks The implementation of this plan has some risks that need to be mitigated.The three ajar risks are: 1) the plan only attracts Fashion's 2) the plan only attracts Shoppers/Planners 3) the plan alienates TFTP current customers. If the plan only attracts the Fashion's, then revenue will not be as high as expected, as shown in Appendix 1 under scenario 2. However, the exp enses would be much lower and income would still be much higher than in 2006. If the plan only attracts the Shoppers/Planners, then CPM would go down causing advertising revenue to decrease (see Appendix 3). This can be mitigated by focusing more on Fashion's than Shoppers/Planners while still trying to attract both.

Arguing for the Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage Essay

Arguing for the Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage - Essay Example Marriage involves very essential individual and state wellbeing and has a revered standing, both due to what it stands for and due to the significant gains to which individuals acquiring that standing are permitted. The value of the institution of marriage for society has been viewed as the obligation of prudent policymakers, the obligation to institute the guidelines legitimizing marriage. Hence, it is not unexpected that the bid to legally recognize civil unions of same-sex marriage is and will persist to be the target of extensive and fierce public debate. Marriage means a lot of things for the human society. It is a major decision that is made by infatuated couples. In reality, a lot of people regard their partner preference the most vital decision they ever make. Civil union is a permissible access to a large number of benefits, responsibilities, and securities, which most cannot be duplicated in any other means. Ultimately, marriage is the language where in ‘averageâ€⠄¢ individuals talk of life stages, self-sacrifice, commitment, family, and love. It is the language of equality, fairness, and love. Diane J. Savino, in the New York State Senate, argued that (from1:45 to 2:00 in the video) that marriage should be granted to sane homosexual couples who want to legally tie their bonds. Marriage is all about respect, love, and understanding. Therefore, same-sex marriage should be legally recognized.

My Christian Worldview Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Christian Worldview - Research Paper Example Although other belief systems may differ significantly from Christian Theism, it is worth looking at the Christian worldview of life, human beings, right and wrong, human history, cosmos, and death in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the Christian worldview. According to the Bible, the prime reality is the omnipresent and infinite God who watches over the world from the high heavens. God is not only infinite, but also he is also personal in the sense that he communicates with man through prayers and he is an omniscient God. As revealed in the Holy Scriptures, God is the creator of the heavens and the earth, meaning that he has control over the entire universe (Ekstrand, 2008). No other place can one learn about the triune God except by reading the Holy Scriptures because he reveals himself to humans through the Bible. Owing to His transcendent nature, God is sovereign over all matter and living things and he uses his power for the goof of all. In essence, the Goodness of God is means to save humankind from his sins that have been deeply rooted in man since the days of Adam. Christianity takes the belief that only one omnipotent God exists and Hi works closely with His Angels for the good of all human beings. It implies that God ranks hu mankind above all other living and non-living things within the cosmos (Edwards, 2010).   When it comes to the nature of external reality, Deism and naturalism agree to some extent with the Christian worldview that God created the cosmos. Perhaps the major differences surface among various theisms when one analyzes the motive of God in creating the open space. As for Christianity, God created the universe out of nothing, meaning that he created the cosmos ‘ex nihilo.’ In as much as other belief systems would like to disagree with the Christian perspective, there is a reason to believe in Christianity since such belief systems derive vast

Formal Report RadioTelevision Health Risks Essay

Formal Report RadioTelevision Health Risks - Essay Example Consequently, this rate of technological evolutions has evolved with unquantified health hazards being addressed. In this paper we try to excavate the negligible yet lethal health anomalies that are caused by the use of the contemporary technology like the Radio, Mobile phone and Television. Stern, Alan H. (1999): Radio frequency (RF) is electromagnetic energy that makes up the electromagnetic spectrum. This includes energies like gamma rays, X-rays, and light. This energy comprises of waves of electric and magnetic energy that moves together (radiating) through space. The RF waves are developed due to the movement of electrical charges in the aerials and radiate away from the antenna. This electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light. With the ionization effect inherent in the electromagnetic waves, electrons are therefore stripped from atoms and molecules which create molecular changes that lead to damage in the genetic tissues like the DNA cells. IEEE (2006) The energy levels related with radio frequency energy includes both radio waves and microwaves are so weak to cause the ionization of atoms and molecules, hence it's a non-ionizing radiation in the same category with the infrared radiation (heat). Large amounts of RF energy can heat up tissues and create a temperature rise. Radiation for example, that are emitted by the TV and the computer monitors have adverse effect on the eyes and testes because of the little blood in them to carry heat away. IEEE (2006) Radio Frequency (RF) fields us the supreme at its source, and diminishes quickly with distance. However, due to their lower frequency, at comparable RF exposure levels, the body absorbs up to five more of the signal from FM radio and television than from stations. The reason behind this is because, frequency used in FM radio (around 100MHz) and in TV broadcasting (relatively 300 to 400 MHZ) are lower than those employed in mobile telephony (900 MHz and 1800MHz) and because a person's height makes the body an efficient stations have been in operation for the past 50 or more years without any adverse health consequence being established. Radio technologies employ analog signals, while modern wireless telecommunications use digital transmissions. With wide spread base stations all over, the probability that people are cancer infected is very high, and prevalently near the this base stations. Based on studies that are carried out in the last century, a keen relationship between RF transm itters and cancer have been published. On the one hand, this evidence has not given evidence that RF exposure from the transmitters increases the risk of cancer. On the other hand, long term animal studies have not established

Regional policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Regional policing - Essay Example A recent manual promoting regional policing cites seven advantages of regional policing as compared to the previous system of devolved units: i) Improvement in the Uniformity and Consistency of Police Enforcement, ii) Improvements in the Coordination of Law Enforcement Services, iii) Improvement in the Distribution and Deployment of Police Personnel, iv) Improvement in Training and Personnel Efficiency, v) Improved Police Management and Supervision, vi) Reduced Costs and vii) Improved Career Enhancement Opportunities for Police Officers. (Regional Police Services, 2011, pp. 3-4). There are also some accepted disadvantages and these are a) Loss of Local Non-enforcement Services, b) Loss of Local Control and c) Loss of Citizen Contact. A close analysis of the advantages reveals that the main beneficiaries of regional policing are the government departments, and of course the taxpayers who fund them, because regional policing reduces costs and makes efficiency gains. It could also be argued that more uniformity and consistency, along with better management and supervision of personnel results in a fairer and more effective police force, which again benefits the taxpayer. The creation of bigger units of service delivery also benefits police personnel, because there is a greater potential to move sideways to try different roles and gain more experience, and to apply for promotion. The downside of emphasizing regional policing over local or community policing, is that some traditional practices, such as the use of police for particular local non-law enforcement functions, such as those related to parking and permits, may no longer involve police. This removes the reassurance of police presence from the public space, and results in lower visibility and perhaps also a reduced linkage between the local people and their police force. In a way regional policing

An evaluation of the effectiveness of security program for sensitive Dissertation

An evaluation of the effectiveness of security program for sensitive government buildings - Dissertation Example Some interesting cases studies as National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff , Corporation of London and Cabot Circus Shopping Center. Those examples proved the efficiency of the RIBA guidance in counter-terrorism measures. As recommended by RIBA architects and engineers should develop efficient security features with minimal cost extra. Therefore is important to valuate the security program costs. Kovacich and Halibozek in their book: â€Å" Security Management: How to manage the cost of an assets protection program† developed a powerful tool for security professionals setting out to design cost-effective programs. Finally and based on the previous research were suggested recommendations to improve the security of sensitive government buildings in OMAN. Risk Factors Abkowitz defines risk factors as the elements which are at the source of the disasters. These elements are classified in 10 basic risk factors: . Design and construction flaws: these flaws are related to the design spec ification in building or major facilities construction. . Deferred maintenance: related to the use of the operation/building. Flaws during this stage should be prevented. Unfortunately it doesn’t happen so often. ... . Schedule constraints: the control of the project schedule is also very important. Sometimes in order to accomplish a deadline some tasks are eliminated or some details are devalued. It can lead to error and sometimes to destructive outcome. . Inadequate training: In some kind of tasks the individual training is critical for a correct performance. Some organizations don’t invest as they should in the training of the employees. Therefore some flaws can occur. . Not following the procedures: this risk factor relates to the failing to follow procedure. In some organization the individual task is very well defined and documented by a procedure. When the procedure is not accomplished it can cause operational flaws. . Communication failure: this flaw is related to the communication between members of the same organization, between different organizations or between the organization and the public. . Arrogance: can lead into human flaw by underestimating the risk and can drive to in secure situations. Arrogance can appear also at the institutional level. At this level the arrogance is reflected in the culture of the organization. . Stifling political agendas: The governmental policies can lead into some risk. The political agendas are associated with the Terrorism. But the risk is not limited to the terrorist attacks. (Abkowitz, 2008). Contemporary Threats and Risk Management Nowadays the concept of security has been developed to a complex arena, including issues of health and safety, and components of risk evaluation and management, paying attention to a broader array of risks (forgeries, terrorism, emergency situations). Button in his work identifies the the pluralisation of security as one of the main trends security management ( Button, 2008).

Bleaching in dentistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bleaching in dentistry - Essay Example One may either opt for a treatment at the dentist’s office or use an OTC treatment tray in-house. Research studies have shown the there is not much difference between the two. Ghalili et al (2014) conducted a study to see the efficacy of novel in-house bleaching procedure using OTC bleaching tray system. They aimed to study the change in color, gingival irritation and tooth sensitivity in patients who opt for undergoing in-house bleaching process. For the study 43 participants within the age group of 18 -65 years and without teeth restorations were selected. Post exclusion, color shade, sensitivity and gingival measurement were done. The participants were given at-home bleaching systems containing 9% HP and treatment was done for 5 days. Assessment was done after treatment on day and day 5. It was seen that after day 1 of treatment significant color change was seen in all but only7 participants complained of discomfort while 2 suffered from buccal mucosal blanching. After Day 5, radical change in color was seen and 82% did not report any pain or discomfort at all. The study thereby concluded that home systems were effective on all in terms of restoring teeth whiteness however people should consult a dentist prior using such systems because some may suffer from discomfort or pain. Some studies have tried to understand if the bleaching mechanism of these agents could be enhanced with the help of energy supplied through heat or radiation. Cardoso et al (2012) conducted an experiment to measure the efficacy of bleaching agents activated by ultrasonic waves. Bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide are extremely efficient in producing free radicals which degrade the long chains pigments that make the tooth appear darker. Research showed that if these agents could be supplied with heat energy they would become much more efficient in breaking down teeth pigmentation to make the teeth appear lighter in color. In

Financial Research Report Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Financial Report - Research Paper Example Also, the company has an enviable customer base that is extremely loyal towards the iOS platform. The company has maintained historical records of maintaining a customer retention percentage of more than 90%. The analysts and the investors are considering Apple as a strong buy based on the Fibonacci model. The Fibonacci retracements state that the stock prices follow a trend of rising strongly, then falling down to a lower price followed by a significant upturn. This justifies the fall of the stock prices in the fourth quarter of 2012 followed by a steep rise in the stock prices starting from the first quarter of 2013. Apple is considered as a fundamentally and technically strong company ideal for investment in its stocks (Edwards, 2007). The value driven mutual funds consider Apple as an important stock for investment and almost 40% of these mutual funds hold positions in Apple with more than USD 1 billion of assets. The biggest investors of the world are expected to accelerate the growth of shareholder value of Apple through buy backs and dividend pay-outs. The balance sheet of Apple is strong with zero debt value and high cash reserves of more than USD 1.45 billion. Around 74% of the analysts in the Wall Street hold a strong buy on the shares of Apple Inc. Moreover, the company is projected to surpass the earnings expectations by the end of the last quarter of 2013. The stocks of Apple Inc. represent more than 13% of the 100 stocks in NASDAQ and remain the most famous stock to invest by the hedge funds. Ratio analysis   Ratio Analysis for Apple Inc. Ratios 2013 2012 2011 Return on assets 0.18 0.24 0.22 Current ratio 1.68 1.50 1.61 Quick ratio 1.64 1.48 1.58 Debt Equity ratio 0.68 0.49 0.52 Debt ratio 0.40 0.33 0.34 Price earnings ratio 13.96 11.75 13.77 EPS 39.75 44.15 27.68 Working Capital 29628000 19111000 17018000 Return on Assets The Return on Assets percentage indicates the profitability of the assets of a business in terms of earning revenue for the business (Brown, 2003). Ideally, the return on assets should be greater than 5%. In the case of Apple Inc. the ratio of net income to total assets decreases from 22% in 2011 to 24% in 2012 and to 18% in 2013. The return on assets ratio for Apple is quite high compared to the industry standards and indicates that the business is efficient in employing the stakeholder’s assets in generating income. The better use of the assets i.e. debt and equity in a business is represented by a higher percentage of ROA. Though the ROA percentages of Apple Inc. have decreased from 2011 to 2013, yet the investors would consider 18% ROA as a positive factor for investing in the stocks of Apple Inc. Current ratio Current ratio is used to measure how equipped the business ids to pay off its short term obligations like payables and debts using the current assets in the business like inventory, cash and other receivables. Current ratio is simply calculated by dividing the current assets by the curr ent liabilities which include short term debts and other liabilities that are due within a period of less than a year. An ideal current ratio is valued at 2:1. The current ratios of Apple Inc. are measured at 1.61 in 2011, 1.50 in 2012 and 1.68 in 2013. Thus, the current ratios of Apple Inc. are strong over the three years indicating that the business

Business Globalisation in Central and Eastern Europe Assignment

Business Globalisation in Central and Eastern Europe - Assignment Example These changes have occurred in different stages and businesses have undergone various transformations in order to remain relevant in the market. This paper explores different stages of globalization with a special focus on how Coca-Cola Company has responded to every phase of liberalization. Pearce (2006: 28) argues that every institution and business must commit to enhancing its global competitiveness as a crucial strategic goal. In the current business environment characterized by intense competition, no business organization can succeed if it fails to match with the high standards set by its competitors in the particular market niche. There are two phases of globalization recorded in the history of international trade namely old and new globalization (Manea and Robert, 2004: 203). International trade undertaken from 1893 to 1913 is classified in the old phase while the new phase entails trade from 1915 to the present. Although these phases are defined by an increasing gross domest ic product ratio and growing international investments, there are distinct differences. In the old phrase, there were high barriers to trade caused by high tariffs. However, the new phase has witnessed a drastic reduction of tariff barriers, resulting in the opening international borders to a high volume of trade (Manea and Robert, 2004: 215). The new globalization has witnessed the expansion of new markets, services and the emergence of global brands. Many countries are members of international trading organizations formed to set the norms and standards of trade. In addition, emerging issues such as democracy, human rights, and market economy are increasingly defining the norms and rules of new globalization. At a business level, the new globalization creates the necessity of expanding from local to regional levels. This implies that businesses should no longer distinguish between foreign and domestic market, but concentrate on enhancing the quality of their products, because of in tense competition at both levels (Anderson, 2000: 62). Businesses undergo five stages before becoming global firms. Generally, exporting goods or services is the initial stage of engaging in international business by local firms. In later stages, most businesses establish ventures in foreign countries (Anderson, 2000: 86). Narula (2003: 35) identified five stages that businesses undergo before developing into a global corporation. The first stage entails exporting using overseas dealers and distributors. In this stage, the business is predominantly domestic and it engages the services of foreign dealers as it expands into new overseas markets. In the second stage, the company has already established a foothold in foreign markets and therefore exporting its products using its own distributors and dealers (Narula (2003:43). During the third stage, the company is more established in the foreign markets. The firm begins undertaking to manufacture its products, sales, marketing, and othe r activities on its own (Pearce, 2006: 57).  

Legal Issues Essay Example for Free

Legal Issues Essay From both a spiritual and an ethical perspective Benji Watson should not sign the contract being offered at New Gen Health Sciences. Completely understanding that he is newly out of college, most likely with student loans and upcoming bills he is responsible for, an extremely decent salary of $80,000 looks very ideal for him. In this day and poor economy the average graduated student would jump at the opportunity to accept a high ranked position like this. It is not everyday one gets invited to attend a weekend long event with a company like New Gen. To be lavished by free merchandise for like an iPad and polo shirts. One of my favorites quotes is, â€Å"They best things in life are free.† For many that would have finalized the deal, but money is not everything. In the Holy Bible Jesus teaches us about money. â€Å"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.† (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV) Jesus makes it clear that having the wrong treasures leads to our hearts being in the wrong place. What we treasure the most ends up controlling us. Statistics show that young Americans who possess a college degree struggle at mediocre paying jobs all across the United States. I do not know Benji’s financial situation, whether or not he desperately needs this job in order to survive but should he compromise his spiritual and ethical beliefs for this job? I truly do not think it’s worth losing self-dignity. God said that he would provide all of our needs, so regardless I think Benji should rest on that promise. My spiritual mind is telling me that one should never exploit their beliefs for a company’s gain. Spiritually speaking I believe in the faith I have in Jesus Christ. I feel as though if Benji accepts this position he would be settling. If New Gen offered a nice salary plus bonuses, I am sure they are more ethical companies out there willing to hire a well-educated college graduate such as Benji. The fact this company willingly falsely advertised their company for consumers discredits it as a whole for me. Putting up a facade shows the lack of integrity New Gen shows. Business ethics is the study of what makes up good and bad conduct as related to business actions and values. (Kubasek, 2012) In the business world CEO’s and top leaders decide whether or not they’ll follow good ethics  for there company. Clearly Benji sees the dark route New Gen is taking. Not only are they dishonest with investors and distributors, who poured into the company leading to profits, but also consumers. What disturbed me most as a Christian was when the CEO placed himself on such a high pedestal addressing the large crowd at the pep rally. Disrespecting the Christian faith, using the word salvation in a negative way to hype the crowd bothered me. â€Å"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. â€Å" (Galatians 6:7-8 NIV) As a believer I would not be comfortable working for a man who disrespected and took my faith so lightly and used it for personal gain. Furthermore the company showed mixed messages in regard to the possible hiring of Benji. New Gen Health Services made it seem like they didn’t interview him based on his Master’s degree, but because they assumed he was a Christian who could â€Å"talk the talk† to hoard new distributors in. Why would anyone want to work for a company who just wants to exploit you in order to increase the company’s profits and to potentially negatively hurt these lured distributors in the long run? God calls us to do good and live like Jesus. â€Å"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.† (Matthew 7:12 NIV) I feel another big reason why Benji shouldn’t sign the contract is because the true motivation for New Gen is corrupt. It is the motivation for the action that determines whether the act is fundamentally ethical or economic. (Dobson, 2012) There is a clear distinction of what form of ethic New Gen chose to do. They went the strategic-ethic path, aiming for the best monetary results for them. The economic benefits to be derived from superficially ethical behavior can be significant. (Dobson, 2012) If Benji did consider signing the contract with New Gen he may have felt that this is how all businesses are run in the real world. The scheme â€Å"Get rich quick!† is popular among many. It is common to familiarize such with corporate culture which is defines as a set of characteristics that define a business. It involves employee attitudes, standards (policy and procedures),  and rites and rituals. Though I believe that this is true and common, I know that they are plenty of businesses choose to do differently. Lastly Benji should avoid signing that contract because he’ll have to deal with his conscience. Would God be pleased with his decision to join such a corrupt company? Would Benji himself be content and comfortable waking up everyday to work for people who truly don’t care about anyone but themselves? I believe the answer to those questions are â€Å"no†. They are so many opportunities for Benji, he just needs to grasp them! In conclusion I am certain Benji is better off working for a company who truly acknowledges good business and spiritual ethics. References (1997) Life Application Study Bible. New International Version. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc (2013) What is Corporate Culture? Retrieved on November 19, 2013 from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-corporate-culture.htm Kubasek, N. K., Brennan, B. A. Browne, M. N. (2012). The legal environment of business: A critical thinking approach (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Flood Coping Mechanisms

Flood Coping Mechanisms Adaptive Strategies of household in terms of flood coping mechanism. Introduction Background of the problem International and national literature related to the problem to be studied Floods are defined as extremely high flows of river, whereby water inundates flood plains or terrains outside the water-confined major river channels. Flood hazard is measured by probability occurrence of their damaging values, conceived generally as flood risk, or by their impact on society, conceives usually as the loss of lives and material damage to society (Rossi et al., 1994). Flood is natural events that can occur at any time and often able to create loss and damage that can be suffered by property, population and environment. Flood event cannot be prevented, but it can only be controlled and reduced the impact. Flood came relatively quickly, so we must have the effective strategies in order to reduce the impact from flood event. Flood is the most damaging event in Indonesia. Of total disaster in Indonesia, 57.43% is floods. Those events cause 587,190 affected people and 68 casualties (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNBP/National Coordinating Board for the Management of Disaster), 2008). Geographically, Sampang is located in Madura Island and included as plain area because it has elevation almost the same as sea level. Due to this physical condition, Sampang, as a waterfront city, has been suffering with flooding almost every year. Combination between high intensity of rainfall and high tide of sea, improved water discharge of Kamoning River and then inundated several areas in Sampang. The triggering factor is small holding capacity of Kamoning River. The strategies from local community to cope the flood are mostly developed by the initiative of affected community in inundated area. For instance, they have added the floor height or the number of floor in order to avoid the water flow and save their belongings. The coping activities that have been done by local community revealed due to the disability of local community to move in safer area. Besides, those coping strategies also have uniqueness related to the physical condition of this area. It means that the strategies can be explored through several perspectives, e.g. the magnitude of flood, income, education, etc. By elaborating the existing adaptive strategies in Sampang Regency, it is expected that the general and specific description of flood coping strategies can be obtained as an effort to establish the recommendation in case of local government policy in facing with a given flood. 1.2. Statement of Problem Flood becomes a major issue for the local government of Sampang Regency because it is one of the most frequent and most disastrous natural events. Tremendous losses and damages as results of severe flood have been occurred. Historically, Sampang City already has been stricken severe flood in three times which were in 1921, 1991 and 2002. The most flood disaster in Sampang was in 2002, where a third area of Sampang was affected and caused more than 14 casualties, many damaged houses and public infrastructures, and many evacuated people. The recent of flood occurrence in Sampang were in 2008 and 2009, where the flood event has a little damaged. The flood occurrences in this regency demanded the awareness both from local community and local government for conducting disaster reduction actions. Those actions were aimed to minimize the impact of flood. One of those actions is flood investigation in terms of flood characteristics and coping strategies. The action is intended to gather information related to the characteristic of flood, how the affected community survive with flood, and the coping strategies that have been done by the local government. The collected information about flood and flood coping strategies will be useful as an important input to arrange capacity improvement in disaster reduction process. On the other words, local community and local government will be involved in establishing the more appropriate flood coping strategies, particularly by examining flood characteristics and existing flood coping mechanism. Moreover, it can be decided whether the existing flood coping strategies are adequate or not. There are many parts of Sampang Regency which are often stricken by flood every year, but the study about flood has not been done yet. Besides, more detail of local community’s strategies in overcoming the flood is not established. Local government commonly only calculated the losses and damages without investigating the flood characteristics and coping strategies done by local community. Find the thesis with Sampang as study area. Research Objective General objective of this research is to identify the adaptive strategies of household to cope the flood event and local government actions in supporting the strategies. The general objective is then elaborated into four specific objectives, as follow: To identify the characteristics of the flood. To explore the adaptive strategies of household to cope the flood. To recognize influencing factors of selected adaptive strategies. To identify the government strategies in terms of reducing the flood impacts. Research Questions The main question of this research is what are the adaptive strategies of households to cope the flood event and how can local government support the adaptive strategies in reducing the impact of flood Sub questions are: What are the characteristics of the flood event? What are the adaptive strategies of household to cope the flood? What are the factors that influence the selecting adaptive strategies? What have done by local government to cope the flood in term of reducing the impact of the flood event? Research Method * Make the adaptations necessary to adjust the text according to your own situation: Type of Research The type of research is an explanatory research which seeks to identify the adaptive strategies of household to cope the flood event and local government actions in supporting the strategies of household. This research will use qualitative and quantitative method. 2.2. Data Collection Literature study Secondary data will be collected mainly from government institutions, various data will be collected is listed on the following table: Table Secondary Data No Data Type Source 1 Annual report of JFP Perum year 2008 JFP, Perum of JFP 2 Documentation of tidal flood (picture and report) JFP, NJM 3 Fisheries statistic year 2008 JFP, BPS, Perum of JFP, NJFA 4 Spatial Plan NJM 5 Flood Preventing Program JFP, NJM Flood Preventing Program JFP, NJM Secondary data such as (reports, articles, etc) will be collected through a literature study from (governmental agencies, private, other). The sources of secondary data are shown in the following table X; 2.2.2. Fieldwork Primary data will be collected through a fieldwork for (duration, time of the data collection and place (s)). The research instruments will be a combination of an (in-depth interview, survey with questionnaires, others). The choice of key respondents (government officials/ experts, others) for interviews (with semi-closed interviews, closed interviews, etc) is based on a (purposive or other way of sampling). Further, the list of respondents to be interviewed is shown in the table X1; The research population at which the survey about (perception or other issue) using (questionnaires and/or other instrument) will be applied to (citizens, NGOs, etc..) The sampling technique for selecting respondents from citizens is a (purposive, random, or other) sampling. Considerin g that time and finance are the main limitations of the research, the expected number of respondents is X . The dissemination of questionnaires will be done by (visiting offices, schools/campuses and association centers of respondents, by using internet or other means). The list of respondents is presented in the following table X2; 2.3. Data Analysis How your collected data will be analyzed, techniques to be used for the analysis (statistic methods: means, percentages, frequency distribution, etc)) and for the display and organization of the collected data (tables, matrix, graphic (type)). Unit of Analysis, Variables and Indicators Unit of analysis of this research is the †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Variables and indicators are summarized in the following table X3; 2.6. Research Design In order to have a clear guidance about how to do the research, it is necessary to make a research design. The research design consists of some stages as is shown in the following figure X The thesis report will be structured into X chapters. Those six chapters are as follows; Chapter 1 includes the background of the problem, problem statement, justification of study, research objectives, research questions and hypotheses. Chapter 2 deals with literature review/conceptual framework used in the research. Chapter 3 describes the general condition of the research area. Chapter 4 explains the research method. Chapter 5 discusses the results/findings of the research. Chapter 6 is concerned with conclusions and recommendations Time Framework Table X; Important dates and deadlines Budget Table X; Budget of research Reference List Appendix 1; Copy of the Interview Questions to be used in the field visit Appendix 2; Copy (s) of the Questionnaire(s) to be used in the field visit. Appendix 3; Map of the research area. CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD Research method used deals with the goals and objectives achieved in this study. It consists of pre field, data collection method and data analysis method. Preparation This stage has main purpose to prepare some certain materials which will be used in the field data collection. There are three main activities, which are literature review, design survey, and questioner. The literature review is a process to obtain research background justification and to formulate research questions. Then, it is harnessed as a guide in the research process. The literature review itself yields a theoretical background that provides framework analysis of the research. It also organizes such kind of research which should be accomplished in order to achieve the research objective. Data Collection The data needed for the research analysis are primary and secondary data. Primary data collection interview both household and contact person in particular community (government official, community leader, NGO, etc). Questioner distribution will be held by considering the number of samples taken. In this case, the number of samples is obtained by using the following equation (Public Work Department): n = [image] Where : n = The number of samples N = The number of population (3 Sub district 29337) d = The level of significancy for about 10% (it represents all population) Regarding to the equation, the number of samples used is 100 samples (see the following calculation): = 99,66 = 100 On the other side, the secondary data are gathered from literature review and previous research reports. Secondary data are the available statistical data compiled from those institutions. The result of this fieldwork is a database containing all information related with people perception on flooding, physical aspects (structural types of buildings and building contents) and socio-economic aspects (age, gender, occupation, income, educational level, length of stay and housing status) and people’s coping mechanism due to flood. Data Analysis Method The method of analysis is a descriptive analysis that explores and investigates the data. Questionnaires were double checked for differences and corrected, and individual and housing records linked using SPSS software. The main variables collected from the households interviews such as : height of water level during flood, and the duration, flood history, coping mechanism, and the socio –economic were analysed. From the analysis, it is expected to find a new integrated flood management that is possible to apply in overcoming flood hazard in Sampang Regency. The output from this analysis process will be utilized as a guide to develop a new flood management system. Research Question Variables Indicators Data Source Interview Question Numbers What are the characteristics of the flood event? Characteristic of flood History of Flood Cause the Flood Flood Depth Flood Duration Interview (using questionnaires) with households, and observation The Impact of Flood Physical Damage Infrastructure House/Building Appliance Furniture Outside properties Economic Income Occupation Disruption in business Social Injuries sustain Illness suffered Loss of life Interview (using questionnaires) with households, and observation What are the adaptive strategies of household to cope the flood? Economic Reconstruction of house with the reinforced material Preparing place for storage at the higher place Storing basic food items such as : rice and sugar Building dikes in front of house using sand bags Repairing minor damage of the appliance Repairing important damage to the house Fixing things Continue working Purchasing cheap food Repairing minor damage of the appliance Repairing important damage to the house Saving money Interview (using questionnaires) with households. Technological/structural Construction of house with the reinforced material Closing the door and windows properly to avoid water Do nothing Securing house entrance to avoid debris Cleaning the house by draining Repairing minor damage of the appliance Repairing important damage to the house Fixing things Cleaning the canal surroundings the house Interview (using questionnaires) with households. Social Cleaning the house and surroundings Continue patrolling the neighborhood Helping other’s community member in doing work Guarding the house to ensure safety belongings Searching relief materials Evacuating the family, especially children and elderly to the safer place, Preparing temporary place at friend’s or relative’s place Preparing place for storage at the higher place Cleaning the canal surroundings the house Interview (using questionnaires) with households. What are the factors that influence the selecting adaptive strategies? Physical Infrastructure Geographic Location Interview (using questionnaires) with households. Economics Status of Property Income Occupation Interview (using questionnaires) with households. Social Household’s size Household’s structure Interview (using questionnaires) with households. What have done by local government to cope the flood in term of reducing the impact of the flood event? Structural Build dykes, Build dam, Build reservoir, Improve infiltration of rainfall into the ground. Interview with local institutions which have duties related to disaster coping mechanism Non structural An early warning system Regulation Interview with local institutions which have duties related to disaster coping mechanism The sample was chosen from households affected by coastal erosion/flooding and the ones who knew the details of adaptation strategies. A sample of 40 households was selected randomly.

Motivation For Language Learning Among Libyan Students English Language Essay

Motivation For Language Learning Among Libyan Students English Language Essay The motivation to learn a foreign or second language is a subject of some considerable interest nowadays. This has not always been the case. In 1956, Wally and Lambert believed that learning another language involved verbal ability and intelligence but notions like motivation, attitudes and anxiety were not considered to be of significance. Opinions have since changed and one might occasionally think that affective variables are the only influences worthy of consideration. Learning a foreign language can be a difficult and lengthy process and I would not be at all surprised to learn that several variables, so far not considered significant, were found to be of importance in second-language acquisition. Hitherto, research has concentrated on individual difference features of the student such as, language anxiety, attitudes and motivation, self-confidence, personality variables (e.g. risk-taking, desire to succeed, empathy and so on), intelligence, field independence, language learning strategies, and language aptitude. However, there are other variables and other classes of variables that could be considered. This essay will focus on motivation, as I believe that many of these other variables are reliant on motivation for their effects to be realized. For example, language-learning strategies are unlikely to be used if the learner is not motivated to learn the second language and a learner will be disinclined to take risks using the second language if he / she has little intention of learning it. Therefore, motivation is crucial, in the same way that language aptitude is, in determining the success or otherwise of learning a foreign language in a classroom setting. Ellis (1985) states that motivated individuals who integrate both linguistic and non-linguistic outcomes of the learning experience will accomplish desirable attitudes and a higher degree of second-language proficiency. Recent years have seen an increase in the number of Libyan students coming to the UK to study for postgraduate degrees. A major issue for most of these students is their poor command of English, both verbal and written. This naturally has a negative impact on their ability to integrate into life in England, both on and off campus. An examination of their motivation to learn English may highlight the linguistic challenges they face in England and the process of their adaptation to both their degree study and the new society and culture. Therefore, this essay will first undertake a literature review to look at research carried out into motivation for second-language acquisition. It will then describe and examine adult Libyan students instrumental and integrative motivation in learning English as a second language. Secondly, it will introduce a short semi-structured interview with postgraduate Libyan students who have not long been in the UK. The purpose of the interview is to establish whether their goal orientation is mainly instrumental or integrative. Some conclusions will be made before some implications for classroom teaching are drawn. Literature Review According to Dornyei (2009), it is necessary to know what motivation is so as to enhance the motivational intensity of students. He defines motivation as a cluster of factors that energize the behaviour and give it direction. Alkinson (2000: 123) defines motivation as the effort that learners put into learning a second language as a result of their needs or desire to learn it. According to Gardner and Lambert (1972), there are two types of motivation: integrative motivation and instrumental motivation. Gardner and Lambert (1972) state that integrative motivation occurs when learners are interested in learning about the second languages culture and want to communicate with speakers of that language and become integrated into that culture: a more interpersonal quality of learning. On the other hand, Gardner (1996) states that instrumental motivation refers to those students who learn a second language in order to gain some kind of advantage be it economic (better paid job) or social (better status). They are thus more practical and self-oriented. Lamp (2004) finds that most Libyan students who study English as a second language are instrumentally rather than integratively orientated. Dornyei Ushioda (2009: 53) believe that integrative orientation is an essential source of motivation because it is based firmly in learners personalities. As such it is likely to exert its influence over an extended period and to sustain learning efforts over the time which is necessary to achieve language learning success. Also, Skehan (1989) suggests that being integratively oriented leads to greater motivation, which in turn helps to sustain the learner throughout the long process of mastering a second language, particularly when that learner only starts learning the new language in high school. Instrumental motivation on the other hand is less effective because it is not rooted in the learners personality. It is therefore more susceptible to negative external influences and the learner is less likely to put in the effort required to attain cumulative progress. According to Lamb (2004), over the last few years, motivation has nevertheless been reconceptualised. He argues that integrative motivation is becoming increasingly unimportant in a globalizing world in which English is the medium of communication between speakers of many languages, from many cultures, for many purposes. The desire to integrate with the first language community hardly makes sense anymore. Therefore, the debate about the integrative concept has intensified and has taken a new turn. Dornyei Ushioda (2009), ask whether we can apply the concept of integrative orientation when there is no specific target reference group of speaker. In other words, does it makes sense to talk about integrative attitudes when ownership of English does not necessarily rest with a specific community of speaker, whether American English or British English? Moreover, does the notion of integrative motivation of learning English have any real meaning, given the increasing curricular reframing o f English as a universal basic skill to be taught from primary level alongside literacy and numeracy, and given the predicted decline in numbers of English as a foreign language learners by the end of this decade? These questions have led some second-language motivation researchers to rethink the concept of integrative motivation. Yashima (2002: 57), for example, expands the notion of integrativeness to refer to a generalised international outlook or international posture, which she defines with reference to Japanese learners of English who have an interest in foreign or international affairs, willingness to go overseas to stay or work, readiness to interact with intercultural patterns, and openness or a non-ethnocentric attitude toward different culture. Dornyei Ushioda (2009) expand this concept of international posture such that the external reference group moves from being a specific geographic and enthnolinguistic community to being a non-specific global community of English language users. Ushioda (2006) questions whether it is meaningful to conceptualise these points, i.e. is it meaningful to conceptualise the global community as an external reference group or as part of ones internal representation of oneself as a defacto member of that global community? This theoretical shift of focus to the internal domain of self and identity by researchers such as those mentioned above makes this a radical rethink of the original integrative concept. Dornyei and Csizer (2002) speculate that the process of identification theorised to underpin integrativeness might be better explained as an internal process of identification within the persons self-concept, rather than identification with an external reference group. Dornyei (2005: 175) developed this idea further by drawing on the psychological theory of possible selves. According to this theory, possible selves represent individuals ideas of what what they might become, what they would like to become, and what they afraid of becoming, and so provide a conceptual link between the self concept and motivation. Dornyei (2005) also builds on this theory of possible selves to develop a new conceptualisation of second- language motivation, the second language motivational self-system. Its central concept is the idea of self, which refers to the representation of the attributes that someone would ideally like to possess (i.e. a representation of personal hopes, aspirations or desires). In relation to second-language motivation, Breen (2001) argues that second-language aquisition theorists have not developed a comprehensive theory of identity that integrates the language learners and the language-learning context. Breen (2001) uses the term identity to describe how a person understands his/her relationship to the world, how that relationship is constructed across time and space, and how the person understands possibilities for the future. Breen (2001: 45) developed the motivational concept of investment to capture the socially and historically constructed relationship of the learner to the target language, and their often ambivalent desire to learn and practise it. When learners are interested in a language, they do so with the understanding that they will acquire a wider range of symbolic and material resources, which will enhance their culture capital, their identity and their desires for the future. Therefore, an investment in the target language is an investment in the learners own identity. Arnold (2002) proposed that in addition to the current research and theories, there is a need to draw on a wider variety of theoretical viewpoints in order to further our understanding of motivation in second-language learning. Of these, the more important ones that are relevant to this essay include the cognitive perspective of learner goal orientation, the theory of goal-setting and attributional theory, all of which will now be briefly discussed. Firstly, according to Pintrich (1989), the cognitive perspective differentiates two major learner goal orientations: intrinsic and extrinsic. Students demonstrate an extrinsic orientation if their reasons for engaging in a task are to acquire grades, rewards, or approval from others. Conversely, Arnold (2000) maintains that if the rationale for students engaging in a task is curiosity, challenge, mastery, or learning, then they are considered to be intrinsically oriented. Arnold (2000) also adds that there is much evidence in second-language acquisition literature to support the claim that intrinsic motivation is strongly connected to the outcomes of second-language learning. Harmer (2007) suggests, even where the original reason for taking up a language course, for example, is extrinsic, the chance of success will be greatly enhanced if the students come to love the learning process. According to Philips (2005) most Libyan students are extrinsically oriented. For example, all Libyan schools place a strong emphasis on tests, grades and competitiveness, all of which only serve to promote Libyan students extrinsic motivation. The students are only learning the second language to impress their parents and teachers rather than learning it because they love to do so. As a result, adult students who come to study in the UK have been extrinsically motivated to simply do enough to pass exams and get a well-paid job after graduating. Secondly, according to Locke Latham (1994: 55) the theory of goal setting is based on the principle that much human action is purposeful, because it is directed by conscious goals. This theory explains why some people carry out tasks better than others: those who are goal oriented perform better and achieve more. Garden (1985) states that there are two important aspects of goals: goal mechanisms and goal attributes. Content and intensity are the most widely studied goal attributes. However, goal specificity and goal difficulty are aspects of content which are most researched. Dornyei (2005) states that commitment is the most commonly studied feature of intensity and this is the degree to which a person is attracted to the goal, considers it significant, is determined to achieve it, and sticks with it in the face of difficulties. Locke and Latham (1996: 40) propose three direct mechanisms by which goals regulate performance: Firstly, goals direct activity toward actions which are goal appropriate at the expense of actions that are inappropriate. Secondly, goals adjust expenditure in that individuals regulate their effort according to the complexity level of the goal or task. Thirdly, goals influence the perseverance of action in situations where there are no time limits. Finally, Dornyei Ushioda (2009) define the attributional theory of motivation. This portrays human beings as scientists who are motivated to achieve a causal understanding of the world. These strivings for a causal explanation are supposed to have behavioural implications. In an achievement-related context, the chief sets of causes considered responsible for failure and success are: effort, ability, luck and task characteristics. Weiner (1992) states that these are analysed along two dimensions: stability and lack of control. The stability dimension contrasts ability and task difficulty, both of which are thought to be unchangeable, with effort and luck possibly changing on subsequent attempts to carry out a task. The lack of control aspect contrasts ability and effort (both internal factors) with task difficulty and luck (both external factors). In principle, individuals might attribute causes to any one of these four factors. Dont know if this is what you mean also not sure if it s very clear, especially the bit about dimensions and the following couple of sentences Motivation for Language Learning among Adult Libyan students in the UK: Instrumental or Integrative? It has been established that individuals learn a second language in two main ways: they are either instrumentally or integratively motivated. Among Libyan students, it would appear that instrumental motivation is more evident than integrative motivation and that teaching and learning for exams have dominated foreign language teaching in Libya. According to Philips (2005), in Libyan education, English is compulsory. The majority of Libyan language learners do not choose to learn English; consequently, many lack the internal drive for learning English and they have to depend on external driving forces. Philips (2005) adds that because English is compulsory, students see it as a means of improving their social standing. Moreover, the Libyan people think that almost everything can be attained through hard work, even if they take no personal interest in it. So, it is not unusual that Libyan EFL students learn English to qualify for graduate and postgraduate education, to prepare themselve s for the best future employment possible and to pass exams; all of which are external factors and which align with several collective social expectations. Johnson Krug (1980) believe integrative motivation to be more prevalent than instrumental motivation in the learning process, since without external influencing factors, the student becomes unmotivated to learn. This however is not the case in cross-cultural situations. Johnson Krug (1980) find that external driving forces, particularly those nurtured and supported by the exam system and curriculum in formal education, continue to motivate the Libyan EFL student. Many studies have looked at motivation in a Libyan context, and found that instrumental orientation is very common among Libyan EFL students. Kara (1992) maintains that 99% of Libyan students of English are only learning English for reasons of certificate motivation. Philips (2005) argues that most Libyan individuals learn English for utilitarian and patriotic reasons, for personal advancement as well as for national modernization and material gains. Libyan students are motivated to learn English because they believe that they will be financially better off in the future. Interview The aim of this short and semi-structured interview is to prove what has been shown through the research discussed above: namely that adult Libyan students who come to study in the UK exhibit signs of instrumental orientation rather than integrative orientation when it comes to their English learning experiences. This researcher will examine the motivation behind second-language acquisition in an informal setting and will interview postgraduate Libyan students who are undertaking MA and PhD studies in the UK. Research Questions Several questions were considered important for the purposes of this research. These were as follows: What has motivated Libyan students in the UK to learn English? Do you think it is important to learn English, and why? What was your reason for learning English in the UK? What are your attitudes towards British people? And finally what work youll be doing in your country after graduating in the UK? Participants and Data Collection Procedures Two postgraduate Libyan students who are studying for degrees in the UK participated in this study. For both students, this was their first time in the UK and their first time in an English speaking country. Both respondents were found through my own social network and were friends of a friend. See further details in Table (1) below. Name Gender Age Current subject Duration of study in the UK Mohammed Male 26 MA Medicines Three years Laila Female 29 PhD TESOL Four years Table 1 Data were collected from both students separately and at different times. Both students had already been in the UK for 18 months. Each interview took approximately 30 minutes. Both students gave permission for their answers to be taped during the interviews. Discussion Both respondents believe that English is of great importance to their academic education in the UK. Both had come to study at a postgraduate level in the UK in order to improve their career prospects and benefit financially upon graduating. As discussed before, these reasons show a distinct instrumental orientation in their motivation for learning English. Both respondents felt a current and urgent need to further improve their four skills reading, listening, speaking and writing of English despite their achievements in learning English in Libya before they came to the UK. Their experience of learning English in Libya involved particular training programs and / or formal instruction. This meant that they excelled at passing English exams rather than being able to converse in a practical way with English-speaking people. Having recognised that they might have some problems when they got to the UK, both respondents spent a year improving their knowledge of English before applying for their postgraduate courses. They also did this to assist them in their actual postgraduate work as both felt that they needed additional language skills in order to cope with their studies. Mohammed said oral skills are important to me because they help me to communicate with people from different parts of the world and also help me in my academic degree. With good oral skills I can cope more easily with academic activities such as communication or discussions with my supervisor, understanding seminars and talking to other students about their studies. Laila however, said (English) reading and writing skills are particularly significant when it comes to writing my thesis. It was obvious that both respondents tended to be more preoccupied with an instrumental orientation. Kara (1992) found that Libyas motivation for learning English is very job-oriented and certainly very pragmatic. Libyans learn English because learning English provides them with a sense of achievement and helps them secure better-paid jobs. For Mohammed, the practical aspects of the English language seemed to far outweigh the integrative dimension. He said Ill need English for my future career because I desire to work in the UK after graduating. My area of study is popular with the medical field in many countries, particularly in the UK. Working in the UK will be more lucrative for me than working in Libya. However, he added that if I were to find a job as a doctor and live in the UK, maybe I will have intrinsic goal orientations when it comes to learning English then because then I will want to be able to communicate with English people and have a deeper understanding of their comm unity and culture so that I can integrate and adjust to the society. The second interviewee, Laila said Studying English is essential to me since without it, an individual cannot be successful in any respected field, and also for me, studying English can be significant because if I am skilled in English, others will respect me more. In addition, she said, In my country Libya, people who get a good degree in an English speaking country find it easier to find a well-paid job because my country lacks qualified English teachers in higher education. She also added I am interested in using the Internet as a communication tool to help me learn about people from different countries. It is also useful for finding information and learning materials in English. Both respondents had negative attitudes towards British people that they had met. They felt that British people were arrogant, impatient and prejudiced. This could be considered further evidence of instrumental orientation. According to Dornyei Ushioda (2009), negative attitudes towards the target language community, may lead to a lack of interest in interacting with the people of the target language. Mohammed had experience of being treated rudely and impatiently by an English person when he had asked for directions. Having had this experience, he was less willing to interact with English people in case it happened again. Laila said my English landlord treated me less favourably in the allocation of rooms than English tenants who shared the same house. This is a sad example of a negative experience as a result of Lailas aspiration towards integrative motivation. Laila felt that her landlord was prejudiced against individuals from developing countries. She too has had negative experiences when trying to interact with ordinary British people in the street. Laila asked a woman for some directions to the coach station and this woman not only ignored the question but also walked quickly away. As a result, Laila has felt frustrated by some British people who she found to be very arrogant and would have preferred to avoid. Both respondents, despite their negative attitudes toward English people, felt that they were more successful in learning English in the UK than at home. Johnson Krug (1980) suggest that people who rated foreign people negatively were more successful than those who rated them positively and that the expression of negative feeling towards them only spurred them on to overcome and manipulate the people of the target language. Finally, both respondents were able to agree that their motivational goals with regard to learning English were instrumental. Both said that they hoped to get better-paid jobs after graduating and English skills were part of this overall plan. In summary, the interview process has shown that both Libyans were highly motivated to learn English and that they had a higher degree of instrumental motivation than integrative motivation. According to Pintrich (1989) and from his cognitive perspective, the data would indicate that both respondents exhibited extrinsic goal orientations. Both believed that learning English would assist them in their postgraduate studies, enhance their career prospects, improve their English interactions and communications and assist them in integrating into British communities. In other words, learning English was seen to improve their quality of life in the UK. Conclusion Motivation is one of the most significant factors influencing learners second-language proficiency and achievement. Libyan students show signs of being instrumentally motivated rather than integratively motivated. In order to illustrate this, an interview was set up to investigate motivation to learn English among Libyan postgraduate students. Data gathered during the interviews supported the theory that they had been motivated to learn out of the belief in the instrumental or extrinsic value of English, primarily for their studies and future career prospects. Some research showed that current English teaching methods in Libya are targeted towards achieving good grades rather than promoting proficiency. Whilst many Libyan students do well in the English exams in Libya, their ability to use English in an English-speaking environment on a day-to-day basis remains limited. It has been shown that instrumentally motivated EFL students in Libya learn English to increase their employment pr ospects, increase their salary expectations and for social advancement. Instrumental motivation is maintained through the exam system and its attendant teaching environment. Classroom implications According to Dornyei and Csizer (2001), teachers play an important role in maximizing students motivation to learn a second language in the classroom. To this end, there are some teaching and learning strategies, which could be employed in the English-learning classroom. Firstly, Dornyei and Csizer (2001) suggest that teachers should dispense with the traditional teacher-centered teaching methods and instead encourage students to use their initiative. English could be introduced using multi-media examples such as music, film, TV and literature. Once their interest is induced, students will be motivated to take part in classroom activities and so attain the goal of language learning. Teachers need to take on many roles: cooperator, organizer, informant, initiator, guide, participant and advisor. A learner-centered class is a successful class with learners playing the dominant role. Learner-centered dynamic classrooms can help learners to make progress and encourage them to practise the second language. Secondly, Dornyei (2001) states that teachers should create a relaxed atmosphere in the classroom because a tense atmosphere can cause anxiety amongst learners and this hinders their motivation and effectiveness in a foreign language. Additionally, teachers should choose teaching materials that are appropriate for the learners and that create a desire for learning. Authentic and interesting teaching materials enable learners to improve their verbal and oral communication skills in real-life situations. Thirdly, Dornyei (2001) adds that teachers should increase self-confidence among students of English through encouragement rather than scolding or criticising. Finally, Dornyei and Csizer (1998) assert that a teacher can increase students natural curiosity towards the English community and its culture by discussing things like geography, history, lifestyle, political matters, day-to-day living and using written, audio and visual information. Drawing upon the experience of students who have visited English-speaking countries is also a clever way to introduce interesting information. Teachers should help students to realize that they are not just learning English to pass exams. Students should look upon the exercise as a means of learning about other cultures, people and societies. Teachers of English should cultivate positive attitudes among their students towards English speaking people and cultures, thereby promoting integrative motivation for learning English. Check the spellings of the researchers names you quote there were several inconsistencies which Ive corrected (after checking in google) but you might like to check that they are indeed spelled correctly.

Comparing the Second Coming and to Things Fall Apart :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Second Coming Compared to Things Fall Apart    The book Things Fall Apart , by Chinua Achebe , is very similar to the poem , The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats.   Seeing the line â€Å"Things fall apart† in the poem , Achebe makes an outstanding association. At this point in time he says to himself, â€Å"I should name my book Things Fall Apart, It will show the main idea of the book.† One of the many coinciding concepts between the two is the daunted apprehension of both the poem and the book. In Things Fall Apart it seems like whenever the main character, Okonkwo, gains hope things happen to fall apart . The contents of The Second Coming told of a chaotic world and a base that could not hold because of it’s own inner conflicts. In Addition to the synonymous feeling both the book and the poem give, they both expose a great shift from and old era to a new era. The Second Coming reveals an apocolypse. Yeats shows this change by describing the conversions our world, as a global community, made throughout history. Key lines that refer to these changes in time are â€Å"Turning and Turning in the widening gyre the falcon cannot hear the falconer†. These lines refer to the constant adjustments we have to make and also the fact that we cannot go back in time . Chinua Achebe also reveals a major shift by describing Umuofa as it was in the beginning. In descr ibing Umuofa as it was originally he makes it easier to catch sight of the major changes throughout the story. Another coinciding idea in both pieces is the sacrifice of something to avoid changes that come along . Okonkwo ends his life as a last resort . In doing this he feels that he saves his honor and heritage . He also kills himself to dodge the pain and suffering that Christianity brought to his culture . â€Å"The Second Coming† warns us of an apocolypse . The apocolypse is the end of civilization in our world . What makes the poem so synonymous to the book is that in either case it is not possible to stop the changes from happening . A fourth coinciding idea in these two literary pieces is the loss of control of a higher power over a lower power .

The Book of Kells by R.A. Macavoy Essay -- The Book of Kells Christian

The Book of Kells by R.A. Macavoy The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript from the eighth century. It is currently located at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. The images and icons in this book of gospels are Christian; however, the style of the work is pre-Christian in origin. Since the illustrations show both Irish and Germanic influences, they are referred to as Hiberno-Saxon art. The Book of Kells is called an insular manuscript, because its script is in a style known as â€Å"Insular majuscule,† a style that was common at that time in Ireland (Meehan 9). The Book of Kells represents a high point in the development of Hiberno-Saxon illumination. In the words of the art historian Carl Nordenfalk, the manuscript is a work of â€Å"exquisite perfection† (118). This paper will discuss the Book of Kells in an effort to examine its artistic and historic contribution. In the sixth century, the Christian Church began spreading its influence by establishing monasteries throughout Europe. The people of Ireland had begun converting to Christianity, as early as the fifth century, and by the seventh century, the nation had become an integral part of the Church’s international monastic system. The monks of the Irish monasteries took religious texts and decorated them, thereby creating what are today known as illuminated manuscripts. The ornamentation of these texts included large, ornate initial letters, interlace patterns, human, animal and religious figures, and various symbolic and iconographic motifs. There were many Irish illuminated books of this period; however, the Book of Kells was the most magnificent of all (Meehan 9-10). The Book of Kells, is a Latin version of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Book of Kells, was quite large and was usually placed at the altar (NGA 2000). Although the Book of Kells is Christian in theme and principle, its illuminated decorations illustrate a pagan origin. The Irish monks who produced the illuminated manuscripts retained local artists to do the artwork (Nordenfalk 109). The designs and motifs that the, recently converted, artists used were similar to those used by traditional metalworkers and goldsmiths of the time. Therefore, many of the designs of Christian manuscripts have a likeness to the embellishments found on helmets, shields and other ancient pagan artifac... ...ging Christian and pagan motifs, the end result was the creation of an entirely new art form. The Book of Kells and other insular gospels of that time made an influential contribution to the further development of illuminated manuscripts. Thus, it is apparent that the Book of Kells had an important influence on later artists. In addition, because the Book of Kells provided an artistic treatment of the Christian gospels, it helped further the spread of Christianity in Europe. Works Cited Henderson, George. From Durrow to Kells: The Insular Gospel- Books, 650-800. London: Thames and Hudson, 1987. MacCorkill, Nancy A. â€Å"Scottish Highlands and Islands – The Celtic Site.† 1 June 1997. http://members.aol.com/heather130/celtic.html Meehan, Bernard. The Book of Kells: An Illustrated Introduction to the Manuscript in Trinity College Dublin. London: Thames and Hudson, 1994. National Gallery of Australia (NGA) Official Website. â€Å"The Book of Kells and The Art of Illumination.† 2000. http://www.nga.gov.au/kells/Index.htm Nordenfalk, Carl. Early Medieval Painting from the Fourth to the Eleventh Centuries. Lausanne, Switzerland: Editions d’Art Albert Skira, 1957.

Essay --

In recent years the number of organizations is rising, consequently the competition between them is increasing. In order to remain competitive ability, organizations should provide high performance in production. For identifying what leads to high productivity, the key elements of organization should be analyzed. It’s obviously that the core of any organization is human element. There is not product without employee, and consequently there is not organization without workforce. Human naturally has aim in doing any action. People study for working, and then they work for earning and try to find their places in society. Though they seem always have aim and toward which they go forward. However, some people can’t decide what they want, and refuse doing attempts to change anything in their boring life. The same situation may occur in workplace. Furthermore, workers doing the same work every day, they often feel dull and bore from their work, as a result productivity starts decreasing. Therefore the organization’s leadership and management have been searching out various effective methods which lead workforce to high level of performance for many years. Researches and studies determined that employee should be motivated and engaged, moreover it was determined that it is responsibility of organization’s leadership and management to engage and motivate workforce. Consequently, as Gordon said, ‘Now the main job of leaders and managers are to motivate employee’ (Gordon, 2010). This assignment is going to point out why and how leadership and management of the organization responsible for engaged and incentive workforce. Therefore, firstly will be studied the nature of motivated workforce, engaged workforce and difference between terms of l... ...ng their way. The reson of this is that another organizations’ leaders and mangers didn’t focus on psychological factor. They didn’t pay attention to the behaviour and treatment. The employees of Toyota were intrinsic motivated and they believed to their purpose concerned with the future of the company. In the own way this trust and purpose were appeared with efforts of leaders and manager. As can be seen from above discussion, management and leadership take a large amount of importance in engaging and motivating workforce. Because, the aim of leaders and managers is amplify the productivity of organization. The level of productivity of the organization rises if performance of the employees increases. Consequently the performance of employees depends on the amount of their motivation. Apparently the leadership and management role in engaging workforce is very big.