Human Resources Specialist

Human Resources Manager in retaining its talents. T Company is a public utility firm which obtain 2,300 employees. The overall turnover rate In T Company is 5%; however, it is found that most of the leavers are from Customer Service Hotlist Department (â€Å"CASH†) which Its own turnover rate is 30% and 20% In 2010 and in 2009 respectively. Among the total number of leave within the hotlist department (33 employees out of 110 employees) 80% of the leavers were Generation Y.Since customer service is crucial for the success of T Company in terms of its profit and brand image, especially among the hotlist department which has a rack record in delivering trustworthy and outstanding services to the customers and distinguishing itself from its competitors, high turnover rate will definitely threatening the competitive edge of T Company. The Job responsibilities of a customer service officer is diverse and requiring lots of skills set, e. G. DOD communication and interpersonal skills , customer service skills, computer skills and product knowledge, thus it is reflected that the Job nature is generally stressful. Not only handling customer's enquiries on telephone, they have to handle complaints, help customer to register new user account and even selling reduces through phone call. More remarkably, they have to possess sufficient product knowledge and knowledge in handling of emergency cases e. G. Suspect of gas leakage, due to damage of the products. Heavy workload and stressful job nature may be one of the underlying cause of high turnover 2.Purpose of the Study The mall purpose of the study Is to examine the reason for high turnover rate In Generation Y group In the hotlist department In T Company. And base on the research findings, to advise possible solutions for the human resources manager to retain its employees, so as to uphold the service pledge in T Company for improving TTS organizational performance. 3. Importance of Problem I remover study Is regard as gallants In Don camel Ana managerial perspective. High turnover rate was detrimental in several aspects to the company e. G. Economic, staff morale, loss of intellectual asset, etc.Economically, it will increase the training and recruitment cost, while inadequate manpower brought about failure in meeting service standard, potential loss of business opportunities, which as a result decrease gross profit of the company. Besides, turnover may also bring about intangible negative impact, like, staff morale, customer service corruption, burnout/absenteeism among remaining employees, and the loss of institutional knowledge among experienced employees. (Mathis 2006) However, turnover could be beneficial to a company, which we regard it as functional turnover.For instance, when a weak performer is substituted by a more productive employee and when a senior retirement allows the promotion or acquisition of welcome ‘fresh blood' who may bring about synergies and new insights to the company. Yet, for the case of T Company, as supported by the figure of declining service standard and inadequate manpower bought by turnover, it is significant to advise Seibel retention method to the manager to tackle the problem of dysfunction turnover. Meanwhile, it is academically important, since lots of scholars had been doing research in finding out underlying causes of turnover.We may take this chance to understand and apply what we have read and learn from existing turnover model to real case. 4. Scope of the Review This research study enables the researchers to understand and analyze various reasons for turnover in the organization. This report provides enough scope to know about the characteristics of Generation Y people. It also facilitates to understand the activities and performances of the Generation Y employees in the organization. Various theories and models related to the turnover have been explained which will enhance the researcher's knowledge about the subject.T he research method has been properly designed to analyze the overall cause, outcome and steps of the organization to control it. This research study enables the researchers to gain knowledge about the research methods which may be beneficial in future research work. 5. Literature Review Researches done be scholars related to of turnover are reviewed in this part. For instance, the study of Generation Y turnover, Organizational Commitment and Job satisfaction which relate with employee turnover. I remover Introduction Turnover occurs due to the decisions of both company and the employer.The reallocation of Job is due to devastation and creation of Jobs across industries. The creation and devastation of Job rates as a directory of labor market have been used by â€Å"Organization for Economic Corporation and Development†. In a well-organized economy Job reallocation is highly important because it is related to the career of the individuals. An employee, who has been displaced a fter long term, suffers a lot from getting a Job or a permanent earning (Lane, 2000). Organization make different management decisions in setting an employment contract because there are different costs associated with hiring and firing employees.Various costs are associated with hiring process. These costs generally differ depending on the type of employee and the nature of the production processes. Turnover rate has been raised widely with the economy as the turnover is high in service sector than manufacturing sector. The attachment level of the Job is pended on various types of employees. Thus, the ‘quit level' also varies considerably. Turnover is also termed as the combined decision taken by the employee and the employer or the firm. Consequently, less educated employees who are engaged in Job have high turnover with comparatively less working experiences (Lane, 2000).The extent of turnover is determined in two ways. First is the employee based survey and the second is t he employer based survey. Employee based survey denotes the number of Jobs a employee have had within a definite time period. Employer based revere is the records of administration to examine the number of employees who has left or need to be hired. According to â€Å"Survey of Income and Program Participation† data, it has been estimated that average monthly turnover rate in 1991, in US was 7. 1%. Turnover rate varies depending on the age, sex, industry and skill.Manufacturing organization faces lower turnover rate than the service industry. A new firm may also experience high turnover due to low wages to the employees (Aerospace, 1997). According to Burblers, until 2006 over 1. 2 million cashier Jobs was available, but out of only 1 Job was available and others were turnover. On the other hand, out of 6. 5 million Jobs opening as low skilled work, only 1 million were new Jobs (Lane, 2000). Turnover varies according to the level of industry. The rate of turnover is highest i n retail and construction industry whereas lowest in manufacturing, administration, real estate along with finance.In retail and professional services out of 5 Jobs, 1 Job is available and the rest is employee based turnover. For new and small organization turnover rate is high. On the other hand, rate is low for large and older employers. Thus, differences of employers results in significant proposition for the employment of low income employees. High turnover firms have numbers of Job openings than low turnover firms (Lane, 2000). I en rate AT turnover Is comparatively enlarger In young employees tan ten 010 ones. Adult men with education only from high school changes Job frequently at a level of 40% higher than the college educated one.In 1997, Henry S. Barber stated that former mobility is a good forecaster of leaving the new Job. In 1996, one out of four employees with high school education lasted in a Job for less than a year after having Ewing compared with six numbers of col lege educated employees. The forecasted term period of Job is a vital determinant of decisions in training (Faber, 1997). Turnover Rate and Vacancy Rate of Hong Kong According to the First Quarter 2010 Survey of Manpower Statistics from Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management (â€Å"HOKIER), the turnover rate for the first quarter of 2010 was 2. 54%, 0. 5 percentage point higher than the fourth quarter of 2009 which was 2. 29%. Compared with the same period in 2009, it can be analyzed that the turnover rate is 0. 98 percentage point higher. Consequences of Turnover The highest turnover of Job in firm has no direct influence on the survival of the firm. When the turnover rate is high the employers are more likely feel the consequence of such a scenario. It can be examined that as the turnover rate of firm is high, there are less expectation to invest in training and human capital. There is less employees to transfer the specific knowledge of firm and offer fewer fringe bene fits.The change in Job leads to the suffering of the unskilled employees for a longer time. The less earning also makes them to suffer unemployment. The loss of work time embodied with lost skills result in unemployment. For skilled employees it leads to a reduction of skills pushing previously high-wage employees into the low-wage unskilled group. As the cause of the turnover is Job loss, employees have less chance of employment, advanced prospects of part-time work and lower earnings. These costs are higher for the least-educated employees. The earning which is lost from the dislocation is rather large and determined.After the several years of dislocation the estimation ranges from 10 to 25 percent. The results on the growth of wage along with the wage levels are of vital significance. Another outcome of higher turnover probability is reduced training, which may bring in flatter earnings. Thus, it has been observed that new Jobs have less benefit such as fringe benefits and other health insurances (Lane, 2000). The rate of high turnover is found where there is less unemployment and also in the place where people can be secured from the alternative employment.It has been found that the turnover rate is highest among service industry. The rates of turnover have lessened in the previous couple of years in demanding economic situation (CHIP, 2010). Theories and Concepts What is Motivation? Motivation is a reason for doing something and motivation is concerned with the factors that influence people to behave in certain ways (Armstrong 2007). Arnold et al (III cleat In Armstrong ) suggested tense components motivation . Nines are Direction – What a person is trying to do; Effort – how hard a person is trying; and Persistence – how long a person keeps on trying.With vast amounts of research and theories on motivation, it is often difficult to define a universally accepted definition. However, what is widely established is that motivational theo ries are concerned with he way people behave in a certain way, with a basic underlying question of â€Å"why do people do what they do? † In general terms, motivation can be described as † the direction and persistence of action† (Mulling, 2005). Intrinsic Vs. Extrinsic Herbert suggested that there are two different sets of factors affecting motivation and work, which he identified as ‘hygiene' and ‘motivator' factors.Hygiene factors included status, salary, environment, Job security and policy, and related to Job context. They are mainly concerned with Job environment and are extrinsic to the Job itself (Mullions 2005). These factors do not necessary give positive satisfaction but dissatisfaction would be predominant if they were absent. On the other hand, motivator factors – which are separate from hygiene factors – are related to the content of the work itself and these include being challenged, receiving recognition, gaining responsib ility, achievements and many other intrinsic aspects of the Job role.Mullions (2005) comments: † The strength of these factors will affect feelings of satisfaction or no satisfaction, but not dissatisfaction. † Herrings theory is more directed and applicable to the workplace and provides a better understanding of titivation factors when compared to Mascots Hierarchy of Needs Theory. However, Herrings theory has also been criticized for its application. Its critics claim that this model applies to people with largely unskilled Jobs or those with a less challenging and repetitive role, and lack of context.Also, different situations will affect one's motivational and hygiene factors. Broom 1964 Expectancy Model Expectancy theory aims to explain and predict individual behaviors in motivation. The theory explains how individuals assess the probable outcomes of behaviors and place values on these outcomes. Broom's model is based on three key variables: valence (the attractiven ess of, or preference for, a particular outcome), instrumentality (the perceived probability that behavior will lead to a reward) and expectancy (the perceived probability that effort will result in obtaining the reward) (Mullions, 2005).It is also about expectations and the possible dangers of misconception and misjudgment in anticipation for a reward that does not get delivered for the performance and effort made, which can cause dissatisfaction. Mullions (2005) also suggests that this theory goes beyond feelings of satisfaction individual gains when the task is completed buy the feeling of anticipation in gaining satisfaction. Expectancy theory further assumes that behavior is rational, and that we are conscious of our motives.This model offers to explain why people leave; if individuals feel that their effort is not awarded or reflected in some reward as they expected to receive then they will feel dissatisfied and denominated and therefore consider leaving. Subsequently, it is important for organizations to manage Analgesia's expectation Ana Tanat positive Demeanor Is acknowledge w ten n re It Is non- financial or financial. Managing expectations – Psychological Contract The psychological contract goes beyond any motivation theory and suggests a possible explanation of a more long term theory of why employee may choose to stay or leave an organization.Professor David Guest defined the psychological contract as â€Å"the perceptions of the two parties – employee and employer – of what their mutual obligations are towards each other† (CHIP, 2008) Arnold et al (2005) further identify that the psychological contract is â€Å"an individual employee's beliefs about the right and obligations of both sides in the employment relationship. † These obligations mess as promises or expectations can be vague. However, Mullions (2005) offers possible expectations that employees may have of the organization.These include providing a saf e and hygienic working environment, Job security, respect, provisions of challenging and satisfying Jobs, training and development, and rewarding all employee fairly according to their contributions and performance. These expectations are somewhat similar to Herrings two factor theory. As the psychological contract is a reciprocal â€Å"agreement†, employers will expect employees to work hard, sustain company reputation, show loyalty to the organization, be legible and be honest (CHIP 2008).Mullions (2005) further proposes that employer will expect employees to adhere to the rules, policies and procedure of the organization and maintain amicable relationship with colleagues. When the psychological contract is positive, employee commitment and satisfaction will increase thus having a positive impact on individual performance (Armstrong 2007). Similar to motivation, the psychological contract may also reveal denominating factors. When the psychological contract is breached I. E . Here employees believe that the organization have broken promises or failed to deliver on their expectations, employees will show clear signs of dissatisfaction, thus have a negative effect on Job satisfaction and commitment. It is unlikely that all expectation of the employee or of the employer will be met fully by employer must at least attempt to fulfill some expectations, otherwise employees may seek an alternative psychological contract with another organization. Organizational Commitment Theory Organizational commitment is playing a vital role in the study of organizational behavior.There is a great relationship between the organizational commitment along with behavior and attitude in the workplace of the organization. According to Bateman and Stresses, â€Å"organizational commitment is multidimensional in nature involving an employee's loyalty to the organization, willingness to exert effort on behalf of the organization, degree of goal and value congruency with the organ ization, and desire to maintain membership† (San Francisco State University, n. D. ). The empirical research study has shown that organizational commitment is an Important Interpreter AT turnover.According to Dalton, lord Ana Crankiest In 1 there were two types of turnover, which are dysfunctional turnover and functional turnover. From the viewpoint of organization, dysfunctional turnover takes place when an employee willing to quit the Job and there is positive evaluation to organization. Functional turnover occurs when an employee leaves Job on their own discretion but there is negative organization's evaluation of the employee (Blab & Bola, 1987). Price-Mueller Model, the model of voluntary and involuntary turnover has been described.Involuntary turnover generally takes place where the employee has no choice in their termination, such as long term sickness, death, or employer-initiated termination. Voluntary turnover occurs by the willingness of the employees. According to the opinion of Price, economic model also can explain the reason of turnover. The economists have proposed that the maximum sum of monetary income as a determinant has led to less turnover. Increase money may decrease turnover by increasing the Job satisfaction of the employees (Griffith & Homo, 2010). This model is illustrated along with a diagram provided below.The four exogenous variables in this model are: primary group, pay, communication and centralization. Pay is considered as a monetary income of the employees. It cannot be an important determinant unless it is valuable to the employees. The second is the participation in a primary group. Communication means transfer of information within organization. Centralization is the distribution of power within an organization (Griffith & Horn, 2010). Pay is generally important for the employees and is highly prioritize. High centralization leads to high turnover.The two variables of this model are Job satisfaction and opportunity. B oth of these variables have a different impact on turnover. Job satisfaction has positive impact towards organization. Opportunity refers to number of Jobs in the organization (Griffith & Homo, 2010). The exogenous variable can affect the Job satisfaction and dissatisfaction of employee. When the number of Jobs are increase in the market, there is an positive impact of turnover. The factor of opportunity also possess an effect on turnover. When there is plenty of Job in the market, it has positive impact in turnover intention (Griffith & Homo, 2010).High Turnover Rate of Generation Y People in workplace Generation Y is a group of individuals who have been born between the year 1982- 2000 (Cringle, n. D. ). Generation Y are different from other groups of people. Generation Y people are usually influenced by pragmatism and peers (Cringle, n. . ). This group of people desire for the relations beyond friendship and want understanding along with respectful community. This generation grou p also wants guidance in the form of a navigator (Cringle, n. D. ). This generation people work for living but they do not survive for work.Their communication style is also different from other generations of people. Generation Y people are advanced technology and are access to all the sophisticated technology (Cringle, n. D. ). I en companies nave Take tremendous generalness In order to attract Ana retain Generation Y people. This group of people has a shorter time period in the organization which lasts from 2-5 years (Sandusky & Freer-Reed, 2009). As a result companies bear losses from the huge turnover of this generation. Generation Y are fast and they enjoy challenging and they desire to have innovative style in their Job. They need quick promotion.Thus, if they get bored of the Job, they will quit the Job (Sandusky & Freer-Reed, 2009). They are not loyal to their employers, but they are loyal to their peers and managers (Sandusky & Freer-Reed, 2009). They may leave the over bu rden Job in order to maintain their personal and professional life. Generation Y people want freedom in the workplace. The latest technological equipments in the workplace can fulfill their desires. Apart from advanced technology, they are interested in the companies where can inspire them to grow and provide them with technological resources for self development (Sandusky & Freer-Reed, 2009).Before they get hired by the company they want to know their Job responsibilities and career path. According to KEY Group research team in 2008, 1020 respondents of Gene Y have provided prior preference to the health benefits provided in the organization. This benefit is followed by salary, work-life balance and rumination prospects (Sandusky & Freer-Reed, 2009). They prefer performance appraisal frequently because they want to know their work feedback and want to make correction if required. This will help them to make improvement rapidly (Sandusky & Freer-Reed, 2009).Generation Y people are f riendly in nature and provide preference to maintain relationship within the organization. They build both social and professional relationship with peers (Robert Half International, 2008). 6. Qualitative Methodology: Reasons of Choosing Qualitative Research and Data Source Qualitative research methodology is a descriptive research process. This type of research method produces in depth interview and collects broad information regarding the subject. The information includes broad understanding of the whole situation. This kind of research method helps the investigator to collect the total picture of the research.The detailed information related to the research are collected which enables the researchers to analyze the problem in detail related to the findings (Key, 1997). Qualitative research helps to build new theories and search for new research areas. This method enables the researchers to deal with valuable questions that are squired in the research process (Oklahoma State Unive rsity, 2011). Qualitative research work also prefers open-ended questions than close-ended questions as it describes the details of the questions to be asked to the respondents.The broad concept of information can be collected from the respondents. In this research work qualitative research process has catered importance as it will enable the researchers to recognize and examine the details of the problems and issues related to ten project work. I en qualitative research work provokes Drama concept and knowledge about the research topics. The sources selected for the research work are the former employees, current employees, supervisors and the Human Resources Manager of T Company. The demography details have also been collected but these are kept confidential.Besides questionnaires and interviews, data is also be collected from the organizational chart of T Company which turnover figure and number of vacancy are highlighted. From this point, turnover of employees in the Hotlist Dep artment can be analyzed. 7. Rationale Used For Selecting the Sources to Analyze For analyzing the overall causes and outcomes of high turnover rate among Generation Y employees in T Company, rationale has been selected by the company. The former employees have been chosen to analyze their reasons for leaving.The contact details of former employees are provided by the Human Resources Department. The opinions of current Generation Y employees have been taken into consideration in order to understand their expectation and the turnover intention of the employees. The main reason for turnover in this period was due to uncompetitive benefits and lack of career development opportunities. Therefore, the company is failed to meet the requirement of their employees. Supervisors are selected to understand the reason of high turnover rate among the Generation Y employees in their point of views.They are analyzed to examine the causes and outcomes of high turnover. Human Resource Manager has bee n interviewed to understand the retention strategies of T Company. 8. Data Collection Procedures Qualitative data collection procedure plays a significant role in providing information for understanding the process behind observed result. It also assesses changes in the perception of people. However, the data collection process used in the qualitative search method is time consuming and act as a constraint to the research paper (University of Wisconsin-AAU Claire, 2005).In order to collect data for high turnover rate in T Company, four rationales had been chosen from the company. Five numbers of former employees had been chosen, thirty current employees, three supervisors and one Human Resources Manager were selected as respondents. Separate questionnaire consisting of five questions had been provided to current employees. In the questionnaire, demographic information consisting of age, gender, marital status; education level and tenure were collected from each of them through e-mai l. Data collected from former employees by phone interview.While for supervisors and Human Resources Manager, the data is collected by face-to-face interview. The questionnaires are nana over to can Dormer Ana present employee, supervisors Ana Human Resources Department through e-mail. The response of the employees, supervisors and Human Resources Manager are observed properly through which various information of the company. 9. Data Analysis Qualitative data analysis is a simple process. The analysis was commenced after collecting all the data from former employees, current employees, supervisors andHuman Resources Manager. Observation The information can be collected through observing members of the company and from the organizational chart in which the annual turnover rate has been mentioned. It has been observed that the company is facing a problem of high turnover rate of Generation Y employees from the last few years. Human Resources Department is implementing various strategi es in order to retain employees. For example, training programs are conducted in order to upgrade their communication skills as well as providing growth opportunities to them.

Heavy Drug Usage: Why Some Individuals Have More Addiction Over Others Essay

In order to understand why some individuals are more addictive than others, we need to look at the issue of addiction in our country’s usage of cocaine, crack, or methamphetamine. We also need to look at their dependency on them, and why some addictions carry more weight for some than for others. Heavy drug use is the highest among youth and young adolescents   especially young males   which is presently at its highest level in 9 years for that age, according to the 2006 PRIDE statistics. (PRIDE, 2006). According to their surveys, the fourth grade and the ninth grade were the highest users of heavy drugs (i. . other drugs or illicit drugs), even though they had a more difficult time getting them than the older adolescents. Marijuana is a minor drug, but one that the majority of drug users begin with to start the addictive path. Addiction begins in the brain, with the brainstem considered as the most primitive part of our body, controlling the heart rate, inhalation and exhaling, and resting. How drugs influence this area in regard to addiction is because the drug particle is similar in size and shape to natural neurotransmitters. Once they lock into the brain, they begin to release neurotransmitters. More and more â€Å"drugs† once entered into the brain will lock and release, with more and more neurotransmitters that become unnatural flooding into the brain. Many of the illegal drugs – – nicotine, crack, crank, cocaine, and marijuana – – affect the limbic system of the brain, which is the â€Å"reward† system, responding to pleasurable experiences by releasing dopamine, the main creator of pleasurable feelings or simply â€Å"feeling good†. Excess drugs will bring on a â€Å"drug high† or overdosing. Without addictions, there would not be serious drug usage for any individual. Addictions cause the â€Å"I have to have it† feeling that originally began as an minor experiment or a fun thing to do. As the body and mind becomes dependant on the drug for a good feeling, it eventually needs more and more in the system to maintain that feeling of goodness, until the craving becomes a number one obsession – – with the level of craving depending on the type of drug used. According to the American Heritage English Dictionary, the word addiction means, â€Å"Compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance,† or â€Å"The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something. This compulsion or addiction has ruined many lives, with drug incarceration in the U. S. the highest it ever has been, with an increase in 35% since 1995. (Colson, 2006, pg 2). Addictions begin because drugs are considered â€Å"the painkillers of physical and emotional pain. † Not everyone becomes addicted because not everyone is unhappy, has physical or emotional pain, or lives with huge amounts of unsolvable problems. But the foremost causes of addiction in youth or adolescents are also peer pressure, manipulation, or boredom, with other factors being included. There are three theories why addictions occur in someone: the first is the â€Å"biochemical† predisposition where some people react different than others do, regardless of the situation; the second theory is the â€Å"disease concept† where addiction is considered an inherited disease, where the individual is permanently ill at a genetic level; and the third theory is that addiction is a â€Å"mental weakness or flaw†, where a person can overcome it through will-power or mental processes – – another part of this theory is that of â€Å"falling from grace†, where recovery comes from a higher power. But so far, none of these theories have proved correct, which is why they are still theories. Kids continue using drugs because the feelings of unhappiness or hopelessness are buried by drug usage when using them. The addiction becomes the only way of life to live for someone to experience â€Å"happiness† or to feel â€Å"pleasure† – – anyway, as long as the money holds out for the drug purchases. If not, theft and selling drugs will begin another way of life for them to support their habit. After that, prison or death is the next and final level. Different levels of addictions are experienced by different individuals, because people are different: they are mentally and physically different; their life experiences are different; their values and ethics are different; and their problems or happiness are on different levels. Because of this, peer pressure and powers of persuasion affects different people in different ways. Peer pressure has a lot to do with influencing youth to begin using drugs of any kind. After all, nobody wants to look like they don’t belong, do they? Combined with the power of persuasion, an unhappy individual with lots of problems or filled with boredom cannot fight against it, as it promises a false sense of happiness that does not really exist, yet they still believe it is the easy way out. Self-concept of an individual has a lot to do with the usage of drugs and is considered the most vital ingredient in a happy and content individual. Once this begins to go down, drug usage and depression have an open door, as it falsely raises the lowered self-esteem. By keeping this part of the personality up, peer pressure and manipulation won’t have such a hold on the individual. To develop peer pressure, the individual needs to have friends or a group they run with – – or seek to belong to – – by doing things that goes against their personal moral beliefs, such as using drugs for the first time. Individuals who do not care what others think, will not be influenced on the same level of peer pressure. To impress someone, these peer groups exert a lot of influence over prospective new members, forcing them to conform to the group standards. Adolescent peer pressure has always been referred to in a harmful undertone, causing members to become involved in destructive behavior, such as using alcohol or drugs. Peer pressure or drug pushers use the power of persuasion as a marketing tool to obtain desire results. New members are prodded, manipulated, and debased by peer groups to do things they never would have done before, working against an individual’s vulnerable inability to fight against it. Once the individual is on the drugs, it usually is a one-way street to nowhere. Culture and social beliefs come into play with what is accepted as normal in a certain segment of society. Various racial or ethnic groups may hold specific morals, ethics, or biases about certain things that will affect what they consider normal or abnormal. But recent developments in our professional field over the past ten years or so have found that each culture has its own strengths, limitations, and differences – – yet that does not mean they are unequal to another race or culture as they were previously judged by courts, laws, and professionals. Prior to 1990, the U. S. began to undergo a lot of radical demographic changes with diverse populations. Unfortunately, drug usage began to go up with these changes, as it was not considered as abnormal in their own countries as here. When President Reagan began his drug war in October of 1982, certain segments of society, based on certain cultures, felt they were being targeted. But prior to that, society had already set the scene against drugs, â€Å"In 1982, when the drug war began, the recreational use of illegal drugs was in decline. Tonry points out that in 1982, surveys conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse showed significant drops in drug usage over long periods for a wide range of age groups. This decline impacted the use of both legal and illegal substances. For example, the percentages of respondents 18 to 25 years of age reporting marijuana use during the preceding year dropped by approximately 15% between 1979 and 1982, and continued to decline sharply throughout the decade of the 80s. Reported use of cocaine by the same age group also dropped by approximately 15% between 1979 and 1982, and continued to decline throughout the decade. Finally, 18 to 25 year olds who reported using alcohol during the preceding year rose only slightly from 1979 to 1982, but also declined sharply following a peak in 1985. According to Tonry, these statistics ‘signal a broadly based and widely shared change in American attitudes toward the ingestion of dangerous or unhealthy substances that can have little to do with the deterrent effects of law enforcement strategies or criminal sanctions. ‘ Consequently, Reagan’s declaration of war tapped into a growing public sentiment against illegal drug use. (Nunn, 2006). Drug efficacy is the power of a drug to produce a desire effect, or its effectiveness. Another meaning is the treatment against the drug users; â€Å"medical professionals have called for a greater emphasis on treatment for drug users rather than incarceration and felony convictions that made it hard for former users to get their lives on track. † (Connecticut News, 2005). The prisons are already over-crowded, and the drug usage does not seem to be getting any better. The drugs alcohol and marijuana are considered â€Å"gateways† to the heavier drugs or more addictive substances. Under the newer laws where non-violent events are punished with prison terms, and the youth or adolescent individual is convicted of these minor drugs, they carry a lifetime of punishment that prevents them from getting on with their lives. They feel the mistake stays with them the rest of their life, so why quit anyway? Professionals feel that because of this attitude, better treatment instead of prison or jail punishment needs to be the number one choice; due to the fact the United States has a highest population of their own citizens in prison than any other industrialized nation. (Nunn, 2006). Bibliography http://www.pridesurveys.com/customercenter/ue05ns.pdf http://www.socialistworker.org/2006-2/613/613_02_Prison.shtml http://academic.udayton.edu/race/03justice/crime09.htm

A library of ancient information

Inside most of the cells in each human being resides molecules known as DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid. These molecules are made up of four different bases which are assigned the letters G, C, A and T (for guanine, cytosine, adenine and thymine) and the manner by which these bases are arranged or sequenced defines the particular kind of protein that they will give rise to. Given that humans are highly complex organisms, it is natural and correct to assume that we are made up of a huge number of different proteins that are coded for by an equally large number of different DNA sequences known as genes (Krogh, 2003). The totality of an organism’s genes is known as its genome and since each gene provides the instructions for making a specific protein, the genome can be thought of as a collection or library of instruction manuals for producing all the proteins necessary for an organism to function normally and survive (Krogh, 2003). This collection though, is not one that is built up as the organism grows but rather, one that is inherited from the organism’s parents. Human beings have 46 sets of these instruction manuals called chromosomes. Chromosomes come in pairs but during reproduction, only half of each pair is passed on by each parent to their offspring so that the offspring would likewise end up having a total of 46 chromosomes (Krogh, 2003). This goes on for each new generation of offspring produced and so if we try to trace things back we can imagine how we have, for example, inherited the gene for our particular hair color from either our mother or father, and how they in turn have likewise inherited theirs from either of their parents. Going a long way back towards our ancestors’ generation, we can therefore imagine ourselves as having inherited inside us a library of ancient instruction manuals which tell our body how to produce proteins practically the same way that they have been produced in our ancestors. Naturally though it would be expected that during the course of time, modifications may have been made in these instructions but the fact still remains that these basic instructions were passed on from one generation to the next so that the information it carries may serve succeeding generations.

The Role of Insurance Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts in Assignment

The Role of Insurance Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts in Serving the Individual, Industry and the Property Market - Assignment Example Insurance is the increasing necessity of today’s life. Insurance companies are the best and the only place that can offer insurance. The increasing importance of the insurance companies can be realized by the fact the increasing role that insurance companies are playing in the lives of the individuals, industry and the market. The role of insurance companies can be categorized as hedging risk and capital formation. Insurance companies are a big help in hedging many different types of risks that can result in minimizing the losses. Another role of an insurance company is to provide and mobilize resources for the development of any country’s economy. The function of any insurance company is to provide insurance to protect individuals, the industries and the markets against losses that they can not afford. The insurance company does this by transferring the risks of the individuals, industries, business and so to itself. The company then reimburses the affected individual for the losses mentioned in the policy or the agreement. In today’s fast-paced world, where there is no time for the individual to look after their health and lives, insurance companies come to aid. How? The need for people to protect themselves against different risks that life offers, the insurance company provides a vast range of products that cater to the needs of different individuals. Some of the products that insurance company offers are health insurance, life insurance and so on. The need for the type of insurance depends on the people and their needs. Like pointed out before, life is full of unexpected surprises. These surprises can either lead to financial profits or financial losses. For instance, whenever anyone drives, there is always a possibility of running into a severe accident either accident of an individual’s life or that of the property.

Determination of nitrogen dioxide content of the atmosphere Lab Report

Determination of nitrogen dioxide content of the atmosphere - Lab Report Example Apparatus include sampling probe, absorber, gas drying tube, air-metering device, thermometer, manometer, air pump, spectrophotometer, and stopwatch. Reagent grade chemicals have been used. Water free from nitrite and deionized according to specification D 1193 for type I or II reagent water has been used. Anhydrous sulfanilic acid has been used as the absorbing reagent, N-(1-Naphthyl)-Ethylenediamine Dihydrochloride stock solution (0.1 percent), Sodium Nitrite standard solution (0.0246 g/L) and NO2 permeation device were reagents and materials that were used in the experiment. 5.0012 g of anhydrous sulfanilic acid was dissolved in 1 L of water containing 140 mL glacial acetic acid. The process was gently heated to speed up the process. 20 mL of the of N-(1-naphthyl)-ethylenediamine dihydrochloride 0.1 % stock solution and 10 mL acetone were added, and diluted to 1 L. 0.1 g of the reagent was dissolved in 100 mL water.Calibration and StandardizationThe flowmeter was calibrated using practice D 3195. The gas meter was calibrated using test method D 1071. Standardization was based on observation. 0.82 mol of NaNO2 produced the same color as 1 mol NO2. 1 mL working standard solution contains 24.6 Â µg NaNO2. The amount of NO2 given by (24.6/69.1)x(46.0/0.82), which is 20 Â µg NO2. Standard conditions of 101 kPa and 25C were taken, and the molar gas volume was 24.47L (ASTM International 3). Graduated amounts of NaNO2 solution were added to a series of 25mL volumetric flasks up to 1 mL.

Assessing and Managing Patients with Musculoskeletal Conditions Article

Assessing and Managing Patients with Musculoskeletal Conditions - Article Example The journal, which is the focus of this critique, is entitled "Assessing and Managing Patients with Musculoskeletal Conditions", written by Nicola L. Judge. It was published in the Nursing Standard last September 2007. The journal dealt with how a nurse should assess patients presenting with musculoskeletal conditions. Some of the aims of this journal were for the readers understand the pathology of several common musculoskeletal conditions as well as the principles of common symptom management. The population discussed in this journal is musculoskeletal patients, and these would include athletes or people who engage themselves in an active lifestyle.Judge gave important anatomy and physiology concepts regarding the musculoskeletal system such as the type, classification and function of muscles, bones, ligaments and joints. The author also discussed common musculoskeletal conditions such as osteroarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteroporosis, fractures and sports injuries.Judge (200 7) also considered examination techniques and principles of nursing care. The health assessment procedures stated in this journal includes some of the most important information to ask the patient during history taking. The author stated that the cause, whether it is traumatic or non-traumatic should be first established. Next, the onset of the symptom, whether it is acute or gradual and the severity, pertaining to the extent of the affectation should be asked. Any precipitating and relieving factors should also be noted.

Financial analysis of Sainsbury plc and Tesco Plc Essay

Financial analysis of Sainsbury plc and Tesco Plc - Essay Example The paper will highlight the Key features and the current strategies directed by the companies followed by the Calculation of financial ratios for each company, and Compare with earlier years, that allow to judge the financial performance and position for the company, and to interpret if the company's assessment of its own performance as shown in the Financial Highlights and Chairman's Statement a good representation. Then comparison of the two companies together, followed by comparison with the industrial average. The basic structure of this research essay will be divided to five sections: Firstly: Brief definitions of the company’s activities and their major business, when they operate as well as the current strategies directed by the company and also why choose these two firms; Secondly: The calculation of the financial ratios; Thirdly: Financial Analysis; Fourthly: the limitations of ratios; Finally summary and conclusions. This research essay will also make a research int o thedifferent type of stock price prediction models and will select the time series model to predict the stock price for two years and then compare them with the actual stock price of the above companies and present the reasearch findings and will make a detailed analysis of the same.A intercompany analysis between Tesco and Sainsbury will be carried over and also a comparison with the industry’s average will also carried over to know how these companies are performing as compared to the industry’s average. 1. Short Narration of the Activities of the Companies Sainsbury Plc Sainsbury being a supermarket chain, J. Sainsbury Plc is a renowned retailer operating from London and also ventured into construction activities, real estate and owning a commercial bank in UK. Established in the year 1869, Sainsbury is having around 337 convenience stores and 557 Supermarkets, and Sainsbury owns a floor space ranging from 15,000 to in excess of 40,000 square feet and has supermar ket branches throughout the UK and in the UK and about forty percent of these products are own brands of Sainsbury. Salisbury is having more than 5000 own brands in health and food sector. Apart from the grocery and food products, the majority of the Sainsbury stores offers fish and meat counters, a delicatessen, bread baked on the premises of Sainsbury, coffee shops, pharmacies, gas stations and restaurants. By sales value, Salisbury is the largest UK retailer of Fairtrade products as it sourced ethically and responsibly around ?280 million in the year 2011 alone. Under the brand names of Jackson’s and Bells Stores, Sainsbury manages its convenience stores and also offers a variety of the local brand mainly through the Shell franchise. Sainsbury also markets its own brands along with specialty and ethnic food products like Indian, American, Asian, Italian, low-priced products and organic products. Sainsbury also added house wares and clothing to its retail list of products. Sainsbury also owns a bank in collaboration with the Bank of Scotland, which was the first-ever bank owned by a supermarket in the UK, and its clients numbers have surpassed more than two million numbers as of date. With regard to land associated with the Sainsbury Supermarkets, it is being managed by Sainsbury Property Company and JS Developments, a Sainsbury’s real estate development company. State the different sectors in which saninsbury deals, % revenue In 2006, Sainsbury acquired 4 stores from Somerfield. (Plunkett 2008). As of 2011, Sainsbury is having in a week around 21 million customer transactions and have a market share around 16% in the UK. Sainsbury is offering employment to more than 150,000 individuals. During the year 2011, Sainsbury opened extra 47 convinient stores, and it had

System Identification and Security Categorization Essay

System Identification and Security Categorization - Essay Example The principles of the CIA triad; integrity, availability and confidentiality are highly prioritized in the information system. Necessary control mechanism has been incorporated into the information security system in order to provide protection. These controls have been categorized to technical, management and operational controls. VA’s contain critical information and therefore effective organization, an accomplishment and supervision controls should be conducted with care. The main obligation of the e VAs is to accomplish the highest level of security while meeting the critical needs of an organization. The VA has been typically viewed by the majority as a mechanism for protecting information and information systems. This is not the case since its major concern is to protect the availability, confidentiality and integrity of the information and the information system. The control principles form the pillars of the CIA triad. Actions regarding risk management can be executed when planning, assessment of the significance of the risk and identification are carried out in a proper way. Though risk management will not absolutely eliminate risk, it possibly reduces the risk actualization, provides significant remedy and penitential risks in the future. The main goal of the VA is to protect information and information system through risk management program to achieve strategic and operational goals. The strategy adopted by the Information Security Management Act is based on risk approach. This is sated in the VA (2007), â€Å"the operating unit is responsible for conducting an accurate and thorough risk assessment to identify potential risk, vulnerabilities and threats to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of sensitive information held by VA.† The possibility of incurring a threat is potentially construed by the management  controls.  

Ratios assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ratios - Assignment Example Average collection period can also be referred to as the number of days the sales are tied up in the accounts receivable. Thus, the average sales per day for the four years have been increasing. A snapshot on the yearly collection period, the year 20X1’s average is half the year 20X2’s average; this is a ratio of 1:2 associated with the increase in net sales by the same ratio. Inventory turnover measures the rate by which the inventory is used annually. From the computation, the rate at which inventory is used annually is 4, which is equal in the four years. This implies that inventory is used equally across the years. Current ratio measures solvency. This is the ratio between current assets and current liabilities. In the year 20X1, they current ratio is 3.333 which implies that for every one dollar of the current liabilities, the company has $3.333 in the current assets. For the year 20X2, the company has $1.90 in the current assets, in 20X3 the company has $1.542 and in 20X4 it has $1.339 in the current assets for every $1 of the current liabilities. This trend has been reducing from the 20X1 to 20X4. Quick ratio measures liquidity which is the number of dollars in cash and account receivable for every single dollar in the current liabilities. For the year 20X1, the company has a quick ratio of 1.333 which means that for every single dollar o current liabilities, the firm has $1.333 in the cash and accounts receivable to pay the liabilities. The trend of quick ratio is decrease from year 20X1 to 20X4, 1.333, 0.7, 0.541 to 0.459. Debt to equity measures the financial risk of the company which is the number of times dollars are owed for every single dollar in the net worth. From the computations, the year 20X1 has a quick to equity of 1.250 which means that for every single dollar of the net worth invested by the stockholders, the company owes $1.250 of the debt to the creditors. Hence, the trend of debt to equity for this

Men and Women in Business Society Essay Example for Free

Men and Women in Business Society Essay It is said that in nowadays we live in a modern and developing world where people have unlimited opportunities for development.Widely supported statement is the one which says that the individual success fully depends on the individual abilities and skills.Although it is true,still there are some prejudices which reflect on us and our choice.In our more tolerant community(compared to the past) discrimination is unacceptable but unfortunatelly it still exists. More particularly we will pay attention to one popular belief in the sphere of business according to which men are better leaders than women. Where does this statement come from?What are the differences between businessmen and businesswomen?We will compare men and women in the business society and we will try to find out the truth. It is not a secret that men and women have some significant misunderstandings in their way of thinking and character. As it is said-Men are from Mars and Women from Venus. But lets take a closer look at what exactly show the surveys and statistics.According to them in tensed situations men are more cold-blooded while women are subordinated to emotions.Women are more insecure and prefer to do the things on their own,while men would rather give the task to someone else.That is why because unlike women,men feel comfortable giving orders to other people.Men prefer using competition to cooperation,in the contrary women prefer cooperation to competition because women really appreciate their social contacts on their working place.In difficult moment men accept that obstacle as ‘’problem-solution’’while women-‘’situation-reaction’’.For men taking risks is a question of profits. They ask themselves-‘’What will I win taking this risk?’’For women taking risks is a question of sacrifice or ‘’What is the price of this risk?’’, ‘’What will I have to sacrifice taking it?’’Women accept success as happy concurrence of circumstances while men in case of success take merit to themselves. From all mentioned above we come to a conclusion that women are more emotional and they pay more attention to their feelings-Business as a game of interests does not tolerate such behavior. That is why the sensibility of women and their subordination to criticism are perceived as disadvantage. In spite of all statistics and statements of psychologists my personal opinion is that we do not have to make a difference between a man and a woman. In spite of all supporting the thesis that men are better business leaders we-women know that the best way, in which men can obey to the women, is to remain them to belive that they are the leaders.So weather men are better business leaders or we women let them(in purpose) believe so is still a question with no answer.

Vygotskys Work on the Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotskys Work on the Zone of Proximal Development Critically evaluate the contribution of Vygotskys work on the Zone of Proximal Development Vygotskys original ideas on the relationship between child development and learning, leading to his concept of the ‘zone of proximal development, have become hugely influential in education and teaching practice, spawning much research in this field in recent years.   It is important firstly, to situate  Vygotskys work alongside that of Piaget, whose theories have underpinned much of educational thinking and practice for many decades.   The concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) has opened up many new ideas, not only about the nature of child development itself, but also about how children may be helped to learn more effectively within the classroom context.   Researchers have studied work within the ZPD from a variety of perspectives and there are clearly contrasting views, emanating from Vygotskys work, about the nature of childrens learning and how it might best be enhanced through the interrelationships between children and adults and children and their p eers.   Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist writing in the 1920s and early 1930s, presented a view of child development and learning which was radically different from that of his contemporary, Piaget. Piagets work achieved recognition and subsequently became highly influential in the realm of education and teaching practice. However, as highlighted by Schaffer (1996) and Faulkner and Woodhead (1999), Vygotsky died in 1934 and his ideas became recognised only more recently, having been translated, during the 1960s and 1970s, into English from Russian.  Vygotsky criticised Piagets basic notion that the developmental process begins in infancy with the child progressing through a period of relative egocentricity, eventually reaching a condition in which his or her thinking and behaviour become socialised.   He suggests that this approach â€Å"precludes the notion that learning may play a role in the course of development or maturation of those functions activated in the course of learningâ⠂¬  (Vygotsky, 1978, p.79).   Whilst Piaget, then, essentially saw the child as initially egocentric, only gradually becoming a social being, Vygotsky turned this view completely around, suggesting that even the youngest infant is profoundly social.   In contrast to Piaget, Vygotsky believed that development moves from the social to the individual, the child progressively achieving self-awareness and a capacity for reflection through his or her interaction with others. Vygotsky, then, argued that interaction with others is crucial for the childs achievement of mental maturity and individuality.   He suggested further that this achievement depends upon interactions with those people, within the childs environment, who are more capable and advanced than the child.   Processes of interaction, through discussion and argument between the child and these others, become the basis for processes which take place within the child at an individual level (Faulkner and Woodhead, 1999).   These notions form the basis of what Vygotsky has termed the ‘zone of proximal development (ZPD).   Vygotsky (1978) points out that it has been commonly understood that learning, and instruction, should be matched in some way to the childs developmental level.   The teaching of reading, writing and arithmetic, for example, has been traditionally initiated at a specific age level.  However, according to Vygotsky, we should not â€Å"limit ourselves merely to d etermining developmental levels if we wish to discover the actual relations of the developmental process to learning capabilities† (Faulkner and Woodhead, 1999a, p.11).   Instead, he suggests that we must take account of at least two developmental levels. Vygotsky acknowledged the existence of the actual developmental level which is the summation of a childs mental functions, as determined through the childs performance on a battery of tests or tasks at varying degrees of difficulty.   He argues, however, that, through testing in this way, we tend to judge the level of the childs mental abilities according to those things that children can do on their own.   If the child is offered leading questions or is helped towards a solution in collaboration with other children, thereby perhaps just missing an independent solution to the problem, this is not regarded as evidence for his or her mental development (Vygotsky,1978).   We have failed, then, according to Vygotsky, to recognise that what children can do with the assistance of others could be even more indicative of their mental development than what they can do on their own. The zone of proximal development, then, constitutes those mental functions which are currently in an embryonic state but in the process of maturation.   Vygotsky summarises this idea thus â€Å"the actual developmental level characterises mental development retrospectively, while the zone of proximal development characterises mental development prospectively† (Faulkner and Woodhead, 1999a, p.12).   Vygotsky suggested, then, that if we were to seek to discover the maturing functions of a young child, his or her capabilities as shown in collaboration with others, we will be able to obtain an accurate picture of that childs future actual developmental level.   In terms of classroom practice, instruction which aims for a new stage in the developmental process, rather than oriented towards learning which has already been mastered, is seen as ultimately more effective for the learning process.   Vygotsky essentially argued that the relationship between learning and developme nt is not straightforward with development following school learning in a linear way.   Rather, the two processes tend to interact with each other continually in highly complex and dynamic ways (Vygotsky, 1978). The Vygotskian concept of the zone of proximal development, along with others, such as scaffolding and guided participation, is central to the socio-cultural approach to development.   Guided participation, for example, as outlined by Rogoff (1990), is rooted in the idea that cognitive, linguistic and social competencies are developed through childrens active participation in a variety of adult-guided activities.   Meadows (1994) describes how the more expert person, whether adult or peer, provides a context or â€Å"scaffolding† within which the child may act as though he or she were able to solve the problem posed and, ultimately, indeed master the problem.   The adult, for example, gradually leaves more for the child to do as he or she becomes more familiar with the task and is able to accomplish the whole task successfully and independently.   Once the task, together with its associated cognitive competency, is achieved, the child is then able to develop and pass o n these skills to peers.   Commentators such as Faulkner et al (1998) and King and ODonnell(1999) have highlighted that Vygotskys concept of ZPD has been commonly understood to imply that neither the task difficulty nor the guidance given to children should be too far in advance of their current level of ability.   The research evidence, particularly that presented by Tudge et al (1996) and Tharp and Gallimore (1998), for example, seems to be generally supportive of this observation.  Schaffer (1996) expands on Vygotskys emphasis on the importance of the ‘knowledgeable other for childrens learning and development.   He highlights the distinction between vertical and horizontal (also known as asymmetrical and symmetrical) relationships, and the unique contribution that each kind of relationship makes to childrens development.   Vertical relationships are those in which partners have unequal power and knowledge, such as that between adult and child or achild and older sibling.   The equal status between peers in horizontalrelationships, as Schaffer points out, allows children the opportunityto acquire skills, such as those involving co-operation andcompetition, turn-taking, sharing and leadership qualities moreeffectively than might be possible through, say family relationshipswhich are not egalitarian in terms of knowledge and power. Many researchers focus on play as an important medium through whichyounger children develop skills in negotiating shared understandingswith each other.   Pretend play, in particular, was seen by Vygotsky asproviding opportunities for children to explore role relationships andacquire social skills, perspectives and cultural roles that are far inadvance of their ‘actual developmental level.   Pretend play, thus,constitutes a good example of learning within the ZPD since childrenare constructing for themselves many possibilities for learning.   Whenwe consider peer collaboration in general, whether inside or outsidethe classroom, the concept of prolepsis, first articulated byRommetveit (1979), cited in Goncu (1998), has been identified as animportant mechanism through which children construct and communicateunderstandings with each other.   Stone (1993), for example, describesprolepsis as a communicative device whereby children take for grantedthat their partners share the ir knowledge and, therefore, will leaveimplicit some of the meaning embedded in that knowledge (cited inFaulkner and Woodhead, 1999).   This, in turn, is said to motivatepartners to test out assumptions about each others meanings andunderstandings, creating a climate for intersubjectivity to develop.   Schaffer (1996), however, points out that simply providing childrenwith appropriate experiences, whether in play or structured group workwithin the classroom, is insufficient for effective new learning totake place.   In keeping with the concept of ZPD, Schaffer defineseffective tuition as teaching which elicits from the child performanceat a developmentally advanced level.   Like Meadows (1994) mentionedearlier, Wood (1988) and Schaffer (1996) also argue that effectiveteaching involves the gradual transfer of responsibility for masteringthe task in hand from adult to child, as the child is able to masterincreasingly complex aspects of that task.   Although these lattertheorists focus upon adult-child tuition, these ideas could applyequally well to the transfer of skills and knowledge between childrenand their peers (Vygotsky, 1978). Vygotsky saw the ZPD as an essential feature of learning,maintaining that â€Å"learning awakens a variety of internal developmentalprocesses that are able to operate only when the child is interactingwith people in his environment and in co-operation with his peers†(1978, p.90).   However, as Faulkner and Woodhead (1999) point out,children do not necessarily acquire communicative and social skillsfrom each other.   Neither can it be assumed that effective learning isachieved by the strategies teachers use through discussion.   It seemsclear that, for example, in group situations the social dynamicsdictate that individuals tend to take on different roles.   Someindividuals emerge as dominant or natural leaders; some take on therole of mediator or critic or perhaps adopt a very passive stance.   Itcannot be assumed, therefore, that even the most skilled tutor canensure that group discussion and interaction will create an effectivelearning space for each participant (F aulkner and Woodhead, 1999). Researchers such as Wood (1988) and Mercer (1995) have noted thatformal teaching and learning contexts are ‘contrived encounters in thesense that, in contrast to informal, spontaneous gatherings, peoplehave to acquire specific ways of talking and behaving according toparticular ground rules.   Edwards and Mercer (1987) have presented adetailed analysis of one common teaching strategy, defined as theinitiation-response-feedback (IRF) mode of exchange.   In the IRF mode,the teacher initiates by posing a particular question or problemassociated with the topic of the lesson and pupils respond and aregiven feedback in terms of the rightness or wrongness of theiranswers.   However, it is argued that this reduces learning into asomewhat sophisticated guessing game which renders children as passiverespondents, merely trying to search for the answers required of them,rather than as active participants, through perhaps posing questions oftheir own, in the learning process (Wood, 19 88).   Mercer (1995) explores this theme further in his analysis of classroomdiscourse and its role in knowledge creation.   He describes how jointunderstandings and shared frames of reference between pupils andteachers are established in effective classroom discourse.   The aims ofskilled teachers are seen as firstly, to orientate students learningactivities to the formal curriculum, secondly, to co-construct with thestudents a shared understanding of educational knowledge and thirdly,to help students commit their learning to memory (Mercer, 1995).   Inhis socio-cultural analysis of the teaching/learning process, Mercerhighlights the many ways in which teachers sustain classroom discourseby â€Å"confirming, reformulating, repeating, elaborating, rejecting orignoring the contributions learners make to classroom discussions†(Faulkner and Woodhead, 1999, p.84).   Through his extensive experienceof classroom research across different societies, Mercer concludes thatsuch guidanc e strategies, although commonly used in schooled societies,are underpinned by certain ‘common-sense assumptions about teachingand learning and may, therefore, be questioned and challenged. Mercer and Fisher (1998) argue that scaffolding, as a concept, isuseful for analysing how teachers may actively organise and supportchildrens learning when they in pairs or small groups.   However, theymaintain that a focus upon learning within the ZPD is too narrowlyrestricted to the dyadic interactions between adults and children andis therefore less useful within the classroom context.   They suggestthat in terms of analysing the quality of teaching and learning inclassrooms, the ZPD seems to have limited applicability becauseâ€Å"practical circumstances force most teachers to plan activities on thescale of classes or groups, not individuals.   The notion of any groupof learners having a common ZPD seems untenable!†(Mercer and Fisher,1998, p.127).   Other researchers, however, such as Moll and Whitmore (1998), haveargued that the ZPD concept can be useful in classroom contexts.   Theysuggest that traditional conceptions of ZPD based on dyadicinteractions are, indeed, too narrow and do not account for thesocio-cultural dimensions of the classroom as a context for learning.  Moll and Whitmore (1998) use examples of childrens written work todemonstrate how one particular class teacher provided a series of‘authentic social contexts within which her bilingual students wereable to explore the myriad of oral and written conventions of theirlanguages.   Moll and Whitmore (1998), thus, suggest that it isunnecessary to view ZPD simply in terms of the characteristic of eachindividual child but that classrooms can accommodate ‘collectiveZPDs.   They redefine the ZPD as â€Å"a zone where children can beencouraged to participate in collaborative activity within specificsocial (discourse) environments† (Moll and Whi tmore, 1998, p. 132).  They conclude that classrooms should be viewed as socio-cultural systems where, over time, teachers and students build up a history of shared understandings and generate new knowledge. The idea of creating shared meanings and joint understandings, whilst central to the socio-cultural approach to teaching and learning, has been queried in other circles.   Stone (1998), for example, has been concerned to elaborate more precisely the mechanisms involved in the process of intersubjectivity.   He argues that the quality of the interpersonal relationship between teacher and learner is crucial for the quality of learning that takes place within the classroom.   Stone emphasises the importance of shared understanding between teacher and learner and observes that adults may not always be sensitive enough to the lack of understanding, particularly in younger children, of the pragmatic conventions apparent for effective communication and dialogue.   He is particularly concerned to point out that shared understandings and commonly understood frames of reference between teacher and pupils do not occur instantly but take time to develop.  The argument for longitudinal studies, such as the research by Moll and Whitmore (1998) mentioned earlier, is therefore a strong one since these provide a richer description over time of teacher/learner relationships than ‘snapshot studies of isolated teaching and learning exchanges which can often produce a skewed and negative view of teachers competence. King and ODonnell (1999) point out that although Vygotsky himself focused more on the benefits of adult-child interactions rather than those of peer collaborations, his theory has â€Å"tremendous implications for our understanding of peer collaboration† (p.40). Many researchers have explored the ways in which peer interaction impacts upon childrens learning, problem solving and cognitive development.   Forman and Cazdan, for example, investigated how â€Å"the reasoning strategies of collaborative problem solvers differ from those of solitary problem solvers† (1998, p.192).   They compared the performance of three pairs of 9 year old children working on a series of scientific reasoning tasks with the performance of three pairs of 9 year old children working alone on identical problems.   They found that, when a Vygotskian perspective is adopted, children gained more valuable social and linguistic experiences through working collaboratively on the tasks than throu gh working alone on the same tasks. King and ODonnell (1999), along with Light and Littleton (1998),provide evidence that, in some circumstances, peer interaction does not promote individual cognitive progress.   Not all children work well together, and not all tasks are conducive to joint problem solving.  King and ODonnell (1999), for example, argue that applying Vygotskys theory to collaborative problem-solving involves more than simply pairing a child with a more competent other and focusing on the interactions between them.   They suggest that relying on the ZPD in terms of the interpersonal aspects of interaction is insufficient.  What is required instead, according to King and ODonnell, is anâ€Å" interweaving of different aspects of development, involving the individual and the cultural-historical as well as the interpersonal†(1999, p.40).   They cite evidence which demonstrates that not all social interaction has beneficial effects and, under some conditions, collaboration can, in fact, have detrimental outcomes.   Factors such as age, gender and ability level of the child and partner(s) and childrens motivation to collaborate can all affect the quality of learning outcome.   The extent to which children are exposed to more sophisticated reasoning by a partner together with willingness to accept and use that reasoning can also play a key role.   King and ODonnell, thus, note that â€Å"individual and contextual factors interact and mutually affect each other† (1999, p.46). King and ODonnell (1999) cite other research by Ellis and Rogoff(1982; 1986) and Gauvin and Rogoff (1989) which provides support for the idea that a ZPD can be constructed with either an adult or a peer.  However, they also point out that this research â€Å"indicates that pairing with an adult has different consequences (often more beneficial) for childrens learning† (King and ODonnell, 1999, p.50).   Many researchers have explored the ways in which teachers can guide knowledge construction through promoting effective group work in the classroom.   As mentioned earlier, children are likely to need adult input if they are to work on collaborative tasks productively.   Tharp and Gallimore (1998), for example, use the concept of scaffolding to support their argument that individual self-determined competence in any area may be generated only after successful performance has been achieved by assisted learning in the childs ZPD.   They characterise the ZPD not as a disti nct, discrete growing point for an individual child but rather as a complex array of growing edges involving all areas of developing competence.   They describe in some detail how the adult assistance provided between parent and child is not a linear, step-like procedure but an ongoing process involving a myriad of reciprocal interactions which reflect, monitor and adjust to the childs learning needs at any given time.   Tharp and Gallimore argue that â€Å"attempts by assisting adults to assess a childs readiness for greater responsibility (in the mastery of a task) often are subtle and embedded in the ongoing interaction† (1998, p.105). One example of teaching as assisted performance through the ZPD, as delineated by Tharp and Gallimore (1998), is the study by Baker-Sennett et al (1998) which explored the relationship between group collaborative processes and the nature of childrens creativity.   This study includes a fascinating account of the ways in which the ideas, planning and organisation of a play based on a fairy tale by one group of six girls, aged between seven and nine, changed over a period of one month.   The role of the class teacher in structuring the task for her pupils was also discussed.   The ways in which this teacher encourages the girls to reflect upon and address the interpersonal dilemmas they encounter are also illuminated in the research report.   Baker-Sennett et al (1998) draw out the evidence in the study for the girls movement, collectively, through parallel interpersonal zones as well as literary, creative zones.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tharp and Gallimore (1998) suggest, however, that the kind of assisted performance commonly evident, and successful, in the interactions of parents and children is rarely found in teacher/student relationships within the classroom.   The assistor, if he or she is to work effectively within the ZPD, must remain in close touch with the learners relationship to the task.   In short, it seems that commonly in the classroom, there are too many children for each teacher and not enough time available for working closely enough with the ZPD.   As Tharp and Gallimore observe, â€Å"public education is not likely to reorganise into classrooms of seven pupils each† (1998, p.107).   They do remain optimistic, however, suggesting that small group collaborative working, promoted through innovative instructional practices, together with the increasing use of new materials and technology could create the conditions for assisted performance to flourish in the future. In conclusion, then, Vygotskys work on the zone of proximal development, and its associated concepts of scaffolding and guided participation, has stimulated thinking and research about the nature of child development itself, its relationship to childrens learning and the implications for classroom practice.   It seems clear that there are contrasting views on the ways in which children relate to the ‘knowledgeable other, the nature and value of peer collaboration, the nature and extent of adult-assisted learning and the implications of all this for the quality of learning achievable.   As Tharp and Gallimore (1998), King and ODonnell (1999) and others argue, it seems that working effectively with the ZPD must take account of not only individual factors and immediate interpersonal interactions between children, adults and peers, but also the myriad of cultural-historical influences upon children and adults.   This undoubtedly presents a challenge in terms of current constr aints on classroom size and organisation in public education.   Some research studies, for example the account by Baker-Sennett et al (1998), have shown that through sensitive and creative classroom practice the conditions for optimal learning through working with the ZPD can be created.  Ã‚  Ã‚   References Baker-Sennett, J, Matusov, E, Rogoff, B (1998) ‘Sociocultural processesof creative planning in childrens playcrafting, in Faulkner, D,Littleton, K, Woodhead, M, Learning Relationships in the Classroom,Routledge, London, pp. 237-257 Edwards, D, Mercer, N (1987) Common Knowledge: the development of understanding in the classroom, Methuen, London Faulkner, D, Woodhead, M (1999) Child Development in Families,Schools and Society Study Guide, The Open University, Milton Keynes Faulkner, D, Woodhead, M (1999a) Child Development in Families,Schools and Society Offprints, The Open University Press, MiltonKeynes Forman, E, Cazdan, C (1998) ‘Exploring Vygotskian perspectives ineducation: the cognitive value of peer interaction, in Faulkner, D,Littleton, K, Woodhead, M, Learning Relationships in the Classroom,Routledge, London, pp. 189-206 Goncu, A (1998) ‘Development of intersubjectivity in social pretendplay, in Woodhead, M, Faulkner, D, Littleton, K, Cultural Worlds ofEarly Childhood, Routledge, London, pp. 117-132 King, A, ODonnell, A.M (1999) Cognitive Perspectives on Peer Learning, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, London Light, P, Littleton, K (1998) ‘Cognitive approaches to group work,in Faulkner, D, Littleton, K, Woodhead, M, Learning Relationships inthe Classroom, Routledge, London, pp. 171-188 Meadows, S (1994) ‘Cognitive development, in Bryant, P, Coleman, A (Eds) Developmental Psychology, Longman, Harlow Mercer, N (1995) The Guided Construction of Knowledge, Multilingual Matters Ltd, Clevedon Mercer, N, Fisher, E (1998) ‘How do teachers help children tolearn?   An analysis of teachers interventions in computer-basedactivities, in Faulkner, D, Littleton, K, Woodhead, M, LearningRelationships in the Classroom, Routledge, London, pp. 111-130 Moll, L.C., Whitmore, K.F (1998) ‘Vygotsky in classroom practice:moving from individual transmission to social transaction, inFaulkner, D, Littleton, K, Woodhead, Learning Relationships in theClassroom, Routledge, London, pp. 131-155 Rogoff, B (1990) Apprenticeship in Thinking: cognitive development in social context, Oxford University Press, Oxford Schaffer, R (1996) Social Development, Blackwell, Oxford Stone, C (1998) ‘What is missing in the metaphor of scaffolding?,in Faulkner, D, Littleton, K, Woodhead, M, Learning Relationships inthe Classroom, Routledge, London, pp.156-167 Tharp, R, Gallimore, R (1998) ‘A theory of teaching as assistedperformance, in Faulkner, D, Littleton, K, Woodhead, M, LearningRelationships in the Classroom, Routledge, London, pp. 93-110 Tudge, J, Winterhoff, R.A., Hogan, D.M (1996) ‘The cognitiveconsequences of collaboration and feedback, in Child Development, Vol.67, pp. 2892-2909 Vygotsky, L.S (1978) Mind in Society: the development of higher psychological processes, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA Wood, D (1988) How Children Think and Learn, Blackwell, Oxford

Conflict In Cairngorms National Park Environmental Sciences Essay

Conflict In Cairngorms National Park Environmental Sciences Essay The Cairngorms National Park is the largest in the UK which covers 3800 sq. m. area. It has typical natural environment, cultural heritage and local communities and also included eight different natural reserves. It has wild lands, moorlands, forests, rivers, lochs and glens. The national park has Scotlands five highest mountains. The majority area of the forest in the park is covered by pine. Spey, Dee and Don Valleys are found in lowland areas from where rivers, lochs and marshes are originated. This park has provided home for 16000 people and 25% of the UKs threatened wildlife species. Aviemore, Ballater, Braemar, Grantowin, Kingussie, Newtonmore and Tomintoul are populated areas in the park. The park is one of the renowned outdoor recreational sites in the world. Visitors are allowed to visit the park by walking, wheelchair, horse, bicycle and boating. They can enjoy in golfing, fishing, cycling, hill walking, skiing and deer hunting. The Cairngorms mountain area was listed as national park in 2003.It provides conservation site for pine, recreational purposes such as tourism development and deer hunting sites. The land area in the national park is occupied by certain land owner and the area is call as states. Due to the difference interest of the land owner there are conflicts in the land management. The Forestry Commission has major role and also responsibility to conserve the forest of the national park. The Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has major role in management of Cairngorms which supports fund for overall management and conservation of the national park. Due to gradual change in land used pattern natural ecosystem has changed into cropland, pasture land, tree plantation, timber harvesting and urbanisation. The river Dee is major source of drinking water supply in Aberdeen which is originated from Cairngorm Mountain. The land management system of Deeside is divided into woodland, agriculture land, heather and forest. The woodland of the Deeside has owned by landlords or estate. Most of the forest in Cairngorms have owned privately, which are Balmoral estate and Glen Tanar. The Balmoral estate is owned and funded by the British Royal Family. The aim of the Balmoral estate is for conservation of natural environment, deer hunting and farming. The Royal Family and their guests visit the Balmoral estate for recreation. During the time they enjoy with deer shooting. Similarly, Glen Tanar was the property of a single person from Manchester in parts but now the ownership has shared with other people. The main focus of the Glen Tanar is to conserve the natural Scot pines for timber production and salmon fishing in river Dee. Several conflicts due to human activities regarding land use pattern, biodiversity conservation, aquatic habitat, landscape in Cairngorms have been found. Major conflicts are given below Conflict between Pine Forest and Deer Management Balmoral estate and Glen Tanar have the same boarder. Each of the area has its own objective. Conservation of dear for hunting is the main objective of Balmoral estate and the conservation of Scot pine is the objective of Glen Tanar. The deer graze the young shoots of the pine which is nutritious for the deer. The grazing of the pine shoot by the dear is major conflict in Glen Tanar. This is the main problem for pine regeneration and deer management in the Cairngorms area. Similarly, pine forest is natural habitat of a bird called capercaillie. The bird has poor sight and low flying. The birds select the habitat of pine trees for feed, nesting and check rearing. The estate has constructed the fence to protect the pine from the grazing of the deer block the movement of the bird and decree the population of birds. Forestry Ownership There is conflict between forest ownership and forest management sectors. Scottish Natural Heritage supports partial fund for conservation of cultural heritages of the estates. The woodland are managed by traditional estates .The private forest owners are not giving proper attention to manage wildlife and natural environment. Forestry Commission has taken the responsibility for conservation and regeneration of the forest. Overgrazing of deer and sheep in upland area of the mountain also related with the conflict to wildlife and forest conservation. Impact on Biodiversity The land owners who managed the private forest sell their woods which cause loss of biodiversity. Agriculture The owners have planted trees and they used agrochemicals which caused pollution in the River Dee .The pollution affects the salmon population in the river. Recreation Some parts of the Deeside are selected to manage salmon fishing and hunting of grouse and deer. Heather and birches, fishing, skiing are beneficial for tourism. But the skiing caused change in land use and also affects the hill birds and ecology. Similarly, cycling, dog walking, hill walking, climbing are also responsible for conflict in local area. Conclusion The Cairngorms National Park has high value for natural and environmental concerns. Different issues related to conflict are still found in the national park areas. There is conflict between deer grazing and forest ownership, utilization of forest resources and land ownership land management. There is necessary to find the root causes of the conflict among the stakeholders to improve the environmental quality of the park.

Lysergic Acid Diethlamide (lsd) :: essays research papers

Lysergic Acid Diethlamide (LSD)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LSD or lysergic acid diethlamide is a commonly used drug of teens. LSD is a hallucinogenic drug which effects the nervous system. The drug is ingested in many different ways, absorbed through the skin, taken orally or absorbed through the eye or ear. This drug was originally developed by the government of the United States as a treatment for psychological conditions such as alcoholism and drug addiction. In Canada, where experimentation is not heavily restricted, LSD has been used to reduce the suffering of terminally ill cancer patients. The drug was tested for the effects it would have on autistic children. This drug induces a physiological response that is consistent with that of a central nervous system stimulant. Little is known about the effects of LSD, but what is known shows that it is harmful to the nervous system. Physically, there is an increase in heart rate, an increase in blood pressure, dilation of the pupils, and some facilitation of the spinal reflexes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once ingested, LSD takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes to fully onset and the effects last anywhere from six hours to four days, depending on the dosage. If taken in large enough amounts, one can die of an overdose of LSD.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychologically, LSD has a tremendous effect on a person. LSD is an unpredictable drug in which the effects are different each time it is ingested. A person under the influence of LSD ifs flooded with visual experience, as much when the eyes are closed as when open. Light is greatly intensified; colors are vivid and seem to glow; images are numerous and persistent, yielding a wide range of illusions and hallucinations; details are sharp; perception of spaced is enhanced; music may evoke visual expressions, and light may give the impressions of sound. Quite often, mood swings occur with unpredictable actions of the person under the influence of the drug. A feeling of awareness of one's self is greatly enhanced. The lapse of time may slow down or time may pass

Does Creatine Supplementation Really Enhance Athletic Performance? Essa

Does Creatine Supplementation Really Enhance Athletic Performance? The Purpose of Creatine In our competitive society, being the best is of utmost importance. Athletic performance is no exception, and athletes are constantly striving to find new ways to train which will help them to become the best. Many supplements promising results have come and gone, but creatine may actually be able to deliver improved athletic performance. Many athletes are currently supplementing their diets with creatine to increase their strength, muscle mass, and weight by providing their bodies with more available energy, thus reaching new heights in athletic performance. What is Creatine and how does it work Improving Energy Production Creatine is a nutrient that is found naturally in the diet as well as the human body. The primary dietary sources of creatine are raw beef and fish, as heating tends to destroy creatine . However, moderate increases in meat consumption are unlikely to increase muscle creatine levels because one must consume approximately 12 pounds of meat per day to achieve the same creatine levels as supplementation. When dietary consumption is inadequate to meet the body's creati.ne needs, it is manufactured in the liver and kidneys from a combination of the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine. Creatine is present inside muscles, especially skeletal muscles. In the muscles, creatine. is used to form creatine phosphate (CP), a potent chemical which can indirectly supply the energy our muscles need to contract, especially for quick and explosive movements such as in sports. All work done in human cells (including contracting muscles) is fueled by the breakdown of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to adenosine... ...ation on power output and fatigue during bicycle ergometry. Journal of Applied Physiology, 78(2), 670-673 Earnest, C.P., Snell, P.B., Rodriguez, ., Almada, A.L. Mitchell, T.L. (1995). The effect of creatine monohydrate ingestion on anaerobic power indices, muscular strength and body composition. Acta Physiologica Scandiavica 153, 207-209. Febbraio, M.A., Flanagan, T.R., Snow, R.J., Zhao, S. F., Carey, M.F. (1995). Effect of creatine supplementation on intramuscular Tcr metabolism and performance during intermittent, supramaximal exercise in humans. Acta Physiologica Scandiavica, 155, :387-395. Harris, R.C., Soderlund, K. & Hultman, E. (1992). Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation. Clinical Science 83, 367-374. Sahelian, R. (1997). Creatine: Nature's muscle builder. Let's Live, 65(3), 104

Advantages and Disadvantages of Playing Computer Games

l Attention Grabber When I was young, my dad bought a computer for my brother and I. I was very excited because I never had a real computer before. My brother and I tried to figure out how to use the computer. After we figured out, my brother started to installed the computer games. Eventually, my brother and I were attracted to the computer games but is it a boon or a bane? It depend on us. lI Introductory Remarks Everyone in this room has at least one computer at home. And everyone here must have played computer games before.After you will know some interesting facts about playing computer games. III Reveal Topic I would like to talk about some of the advantages and disadvantages of playing computer games. IV Preview Computer games help in releasing stress while we are having fun. However, they also have negative effects on us too. [ Let me start with the advantages of playing computer games ] Body I Computer games can release out stress A. They provides us to have fun -When we ae very bored,tired or stressed. Computer games are a good source of enjoyment. We have fun playing computer games because they give us time to be with our friends. It is a great opportunity to socialize. -We can chat with our friends and relax with them. We have more energy for other work. [ Computer games not only help us to release our stress but they also let us learn something new ] II Computer games serve a range of educational functions A. Encourage different ways of learning, imagination, creativity and exploration. -Simulation games could be uses as means of preparing learners for the world of work. Help pupils to develop key learning skills such as cognitive process, logical thinking and independent decision making. -treat a variety of disorders and disabilities. [ Now, let me tell you the negative effects of playing too much computer games ] III Playing too much computer games can cause negative effects on our health and wasting our time A. Negative effects to our health -Lo oking at the computer screens without resting the eyes for long period of time, will spoil our eyesight. -less exercise. B. Waste our time Some people get hooked on to computer games too much that they tend to lose interest in other more important things like studies. -Students neglect their studies. -Cost money every time you play. Conlusion I Summary Of Main Point In conclusion, playing computer games it help us to release our stress and make new friends. But when we play too much of computer games it cause negative effects to us. II Concluding Remarks If we know how to manage our time, we will get the pleasures and benefit of playing computer games.

Fair Value Accounting Essay

This paper attempts to answer the questions: Is Fair Value Fair? In so answering the question there is a need to determine whether the use of fair value accurately portray the value underlying financial and economic transactions; to determine whether there is basis to have one universal standard of valuing the assets and obligations of all firms; to find out whether accounting standards would allow for both historical and fair value and still produce meaningful information for decision making; and establish one is more important between relevancy and reliability and whether one’s the importance each depend upon the financial user. 2. Analysis and Discussion 2. 1 What is meant by being fair? To be fair means giving what is due to a person. If applied to an asset purchased or liability assumed in business, fair value would simply mean that said asset or liability is neither overpriced nor underpriced as a matter of perception. Under the law of economics, fair value would refer to that market price which is approximated by the equilibrium price of a thing or good, which is the value of the something from a seller that is not forced to sell or from a buyer that is not forced to buy. In a business transaction there are always are investors, creditors, and other persons who must get their due in transactions that they will enter into. An investor will know what is fair if the person or entity will earn just enough return above cost of capital and in exchange for the risk that such person or entity is taking. The same must be true with a creditor that the person must also get paid on time on his credit plus a sufficient return for the risk in form of interest and penalties. In terms of viewing the corporation as a business entity, what is fair to it is what will allow it to have a sufficient return for the risk that it is taking above its cost of doing business or cost of capital. To arrive at what is fair the investors and creditors who are called users of financial information, these users must know the true or accurate information about of the company so that they will know whether they are going to earn or lose and make the necessary decision whether they will sell, buy or hold to their investments. In other words, to have the chance of being treated fairly from a transaction, one must have the opportunity to have the true or accurate value of asset or liability being dealt with in a business transaction. The opportunity is thus normally supplied by financial reports prepared by companies and which are made public. It is in these financial reports where values whether fair or historical are reported in accordance with prescribed accounting standards that may come from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in the case of US companies and IFRS in case of companies operating in the European Union and in other countries which have adopted the IAS or IFRS. Fair value accounting was made pursuant to FAS 157 as issued by US FASB for companies to reflect the accounting information on how much are the real values of assets, liabilities and equity in the balance sheet as contrasted with presenting the information using the historical cost accounting. The purpose of FAS 157 then was built on a framework whereby financial users are given the chance about the true state or fair value of assets, liabilities and equity for decision making under the impression that things will be fair to users of financial information about a company. Incidentally, FAS 157 defines fair value almost very closely to what was discussed and analyzed so far. It is the price that would be received â€Å"to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants in a measurement date† (Sortur, 2007). 2. 2 Does the use of fair value accurately portray the value underlying financial and economic transactions? To the extent that fair value concept is discussed so far, there is the presumed proposition that the use of fair value will accurately portray the value underlying the financial economic transaction. As to whether this is true, this subsection will have to evaluate the subsequent result on what happened upon the application of 157. In the case of banks, there are those who have to write down the value of assets because of their perception that values have declined due to existing market conditions (Chasan, 2008: Rees-Mogg, 2007). The economic effects however were not favorable to affected interested parties since this action of the banks has produced a backlash. Investors of these banks have lost values of their investments. As a result, the banks have become more risky and depositors lost their trust too in the banking system. If indeed the banks were just reflecting the true values of the assets, how come the reaction of these banks as matter of complying with the requirements of the FAS I57 was not good for many of the affected parties? Would it proper then to deduce that the application of FAS 157 is not fair or that FAS 157 fair value is not fair? If the answers to both of these questions are in the affirmative, then this would have the connotation that what is unfavorable to others is not fair. But how if the values being reflected in the write down are indeed the true values, would the fact that users of financially information get adversely affected make the FAS 157 not fair any more? It would seem that it would be not correct to say fair value accounting or the use of fair value will not be fair if users get affected or have the perception of not getting what they feel or perceive to deserve even if the information is indeed accurate. Otherwise, fair value accounting would be equated with sure profits which could never be within the contemplation of the use of information in decision making. Being fair therefore must first and foremost be characterized to represent the true and accurate information and consequence would be justified by such quality of information. To answer squarely whether the use of fair value accurately portray the value underlying financial and economic transactions, this paper would have to answer in the affirmative. Based on foregoing analysis the FAS 157 aims to reflect the values what would approximate the market price since it is â€Å"the price to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants in a measurement date† (Sortur, 2007). FAS 157 fair value is therefore the result of the business transaction using the exit price (Sortur, 2007) and is determined by the buyers and sellers in the market. It is therefore not the job of FAS 157 to create what is unfair but would have only to reflect the true values of assets or liabilities that would have to be reported. Therefore, fair value accounting or the use of fair value must be upheld to be fair if it would reflect or would cause the reflection of what are true values. Indeed, it must be the capital markets or the buyers and sellers who will determine the market value or fair value and not the accounting standard. The only role of the accounting standard is to cause its reflection in financial reports of companies because of the requirement to make public their financial statement to investors which would reflect the fair values of assets and liabilities. There is argument that the intention of 157 Accounting rule FAS 157 is good but one cannot prevent people from taking advantage of the new rule to what could further their interest. It is further argued that in whatever one would like to look at it, the generic thing about business is still the desire for profit by which people are motivated with their personal interest to get more wealth (Brigham and Houston, 2002). In response, the use of fair value does consent to allowing people to be taken advantage but cannot prevent those who would want to and those who do not know how to process information for decision making. If the banks which wrote down asset values are indeed taking advantage of the use of fair value accounting, it is still the transactions between the previous buyer or seller that have caused the reaction which started it and the role of accounting standard is just to reflect them (Meigs and Meigs, 1995). If the requirement to report what is happening is unfair, what will then be fair? Chasan (2008) narrated about some investors expressing their doubts on the effectiveness or fairness of fair value accounting method used especially in the context of evaporating markets caused by the financial crisis. The author however admitted that the use of FAS 157 as an accounting standard was made to improve transparency to investors. Citing big write-downs being made big companies like Citigroup and Merrill Lynch & Co Inc. which has made multibillion-dollar reductions on subprime-related asset-backed securities and other assets described as hard-to-price assets, the issue of whether fair value is still fair has become a controversial question (Chasan, 2008). The argument being asserted is about the volatility of being caused the use of fair value. Rephrased simply, can fair value justify the volatility? Volatility is a term used in business which connotes changes in market prices and which causes risks to investors (Droms, 1990; Helfert, 1994). It is feared that with the desire to create transparency, increased risk from the use of fair value is coming out as a result. To resolve the issue, the previous answer to the question on whether the use of fair value could justify big losses if what is being reflected or reported about company values are still true, would in effect cover the issue of volatility being blamed on the use of fair value. Hence, this paper believes, that fair value which stands for what is true must be upheld as argued earlier. There are concerns that because of volatility caused by the use of fair value accounting, the money makers would just be benefiting hedge funds since they are those to profit from volatility (Chasan 2008). In answer, it could argued that such is the nature of fair value accounting, to allow the market forces to move freely without people being compelled to enter into buying and selling transactions. If there are losers, there are also losers and they are part of the process. It is also argued that those who are complaining about the effects of credits being blamed on the use of fair value accounting are investors or groups of them, who may have been instrumental in pushing for the shift to fair value accounting. One of these groups is called the CFA Centre for Financial Market Integrity, with analysts and portfolio managers composing the group (Chasan 2008). The group and other groups 2007 had their aggressive lobbying to use fair value more in financials. These investor groups could not be only be winners in a market transaction, they could also be losers sometimes; otherwise the market is not operating efficiently. 2. 3 Should there be one universal standard of valuing the assets and obligations of all firms? The issue of whether there should be universal standard for valuing the assets and obligation may be very ideal since when one now talks of universal fair value as a universal standard for example, one will have to consider macroeconomic conditions of the different companies in the world. Since not all nations are similarly situated, at least economically, there is the strong probability that universal value could not be implemented. The question is being propounded to help in setting what is the fair value in accounting like the universality of human rights. However its impracticality will prevent the attainment of the objective. Accounting values are not human rights. Another thing is the difficulty of measuring the risks in business in different countries which are factors in determining the cost of capital of doing business. The difference in risks depends upon many factors including macroeconomic conditions which are affected by political developments. In answer therefore to the question, it will have to plainly say that the vision of universal standard is laudatory and this could be a part of an approximate desire to the internationalization of accounting in many part of the world. There is the plan to harmonize all accounting standards in the world. The FAS 157 definition was actually made part of the plan of IASB which makes IFRS, to adopt the former for the use of those using the IAS or IFRS (Sortur, 2007). In other words, efforts are made to approximate universality of standard in valuing the assets and obligations of all firms but its realization could only possibly become when the time will come for a universal government. 2. 4 Can accounting standards allow for both historical and fair value and still produce meaningful information for decision making? Accounting standards are in effect guides to users to help users make informed decisions in business. Having both historical and fair value must strike the balance of getting to the extreme of having one and disregarding the other. In other words, one needs to know what is historical for comparison to what is fair value or market value to make an informed judgment. Accounting standards must then work for the attainment for the creation of balance between the two values. As to whether the accounting standards can allow for both historical and fair value and still produce meaningful information for decision making, is answered again in the affirmative. This can be tackled better by breaking the given statement into two propositions first and then combine them latter. The first proposition would be declared settled in the fact the accounting standards can allow both historical and fair value together. The second proposition is that the use of both will still produce meaningful information. This first proposition is accomplished since the practice have been done for a long time already since in the case of valuing of inventories, accounting standards allow the valuing them of lower of cost or market under the IAS 2. (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, 2008). The fact that inventories can be valued at cost means the historical cost is maintained but requirement of presenting the fair value of inventory if it has gone down in the market is also a part of the standard which in effect allows the working of fair value concept. There are other IAS concepts which allowed fair value accounting and historical value accounting. Thus this section is not much of a problem. The second proposition appears to also to have been fulfilled by the use of IAS as illustrated. More meaningful information is in fact reflected by allowing a combination of fair value and historical cost in the valuation of assets and liabilities of companies. By combining the validation done is confirming the application of two proposition, it could be sufficient to strongly answer the question in the affirmative. 5. Relevancy and Reliability: Is one more important than the other, depending upon the financial user? Both relevancy and reliability are requirements for qualitative characteristics of accounting information. Forcing one to be is more important than the other would be asking the wrong question if the objective is only to determine whether preparing financial information using their fair values is fair. In fact to say that an information must be relevant carries the presupposition that the information must also be reliable. This is on premise that reliability connotes objectivity of information which is very much akin to being truth or fair. Information is relevant or has is relevancy character if it influences one’s decision about a particular issue. On the other hand, reliability deals with the objectivity or accuracy of the information. How could a decision maker consider information as relevant when there is no reliability of the information? On the other hand having reliable information would be of no value if the same is not needed in the decision to be made. The two characteristics must therefore go together. 3. Conclusion The issue of whether fair value accounting or the use of fair in accounting for company assets and liabilities is fair must be answered in the affirmative. What is fair is not what has caused much damaged to a person or entity if such damage was a result of failure to follow the basic rules of making investment. The effect of fair value should not be used to allow one to just justify greed while disregarding the rights of others. A loser under a fair value accounting is comparable to a person who is taking too much risk thus the return could also be high but could be low because of the working of the market. As long as buyers and sellers are not being compelled to complete their transaction, fair value is still fair. Fair value accounting will lead to the truth but its value will also depend on the users of information after they have done their roles in the market. The user will still need to make a comparison with what is historical and what is the current fair value as caused by economic conditions. Present accounting standards have caused the reporting of both kind of information but users must also be intelligent in doing their part. Fair value as a concept in accounting standard was just made to correct the apparent failure of purely historical cost accounting. If fair value accounting is fair, it does not imply that the standard must go back to historical accounting but historical information must still be reported and allow the user to make a difference in how to process the information. Since fair value and historical cost could co-exist together, the same must be the better option as it will provide a balance between historical and fair value accounting. References: Brigham and Houston, Introduction to Financial Management, Thomson-South Western, USA, 2002 Chasan, Emily (2008), Is fair value accounting really fair? {www document} URL, http://www. reuters. com/article/reutersEdge/idUSN1546484120080226, Accessed October 20, 2008 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (2008), Summary of IFRS for IAS 2, {www document} URL http://www. iasplus. com/standard/ias02. htm , Accessed October 21, 2008. Droms (1990) Finance and Accounting for Non Financial Managers, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, England Helfert, Erich (1994), Techniques for Financial Analysis, IRWIN, Sydney, Australia Meigs and Meigs, 1995, Financial Accounting, McGraw-Hill, Inc, London, UK Rees-Mogg (2007), Why FAS 157 strikes dread into bankers, {www document} URL http://www. timesonline. co. uk/tol/comment/columnists/william_rees_mogg/article2852547. ece, Accessed October 21, 2008. Sortur (2007) Fair Value Measurement, The Chartered Accountant {www document} URL, http://icai. org/resource_file/96471564-1574. pdf, Accessed October 21, 2008. ]