Aloha Products

Aloha Products is a United States-based coffee-processor company that has been providing non-specialty and low-priced coffee for over a hundred years. It purchases the raw materials or what buyers and sellers refer to as â€Å"green coffee† from brokers and trade firms then processes the coffee and sells the final product to customers. Large companies such as Nestle and P&G directly import the unprocessed or green coffee beans from coffee plantations in tropical countries such as Brazil and Colombia while companies with smaller levels of business such as such as Aloha buy the green coffee beans from brokers or trade firms.Aloha Products is managed by the owners and its headquarters is located in Ohio, United States. It has three plants located in Midwestern United States, each plant being responsible for its own profit and loss. Each plants performance is measured by each plant managers gross margin generated per plant. The raw materials or green coffee beans are handled by th e company’s purchasing unit that is located in New York City. Each plant receives a production schedule that is determined from the center and receives raw materials as well as pay in accordance with the production requirements of each plant.Aloha’s Top management is regulated by the members of the founding family. Company uses centralized control system where all main decisions regarding purchases, production, sales, marketing and promotion are made on corporate level while plant managers are only responsible for their profit and loss. Also there is centralized preparation of overall financial statement at home offices. This organization has led plant managers to a lack of adequate control over the activities of the managed plant; however, they are still assessed on the performance.This method has been done until in the 1990s, when the plant managers started to speak out on their dissatisfaction on the computation of their bonuses since they do not have authority to d etermine the prices of raw materials, production schedules and output prices from the manufacturer. External factors such as the steady decline in Americans consumption of coffee from 1965 to 1990 affected the sales and profits of coffee processors as well.Because of this, the company president hired a consulting firm to evaluate the current control systems in the three major departments: Plant Operations, Sales and Marketing and the Purchasing groups. 2. Case Question No-1: Evaluate the current control systems for the manufacturing, marketing, and purchasing departments of Aloha Products Answer is: From the case we can see that Aloha products have a centralized control system. What this means is that the main office or headquarters handled the purchasing, marketing and sales activities of each of the three plants.Based on the current control system evaluating three major departments of Aloha Products are described as follows†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Evaluation of Manufacturing Departments: Th ere are three production plants within AP’s manufacturing department; each plant is responsible for their own profits and losses. Unfortunately, the managers have no control over the any of the major activities in their respective production facilities. the vice president of manufacturing oversees all of the roasting, grinding, and packaging processes. Production schedules are provided to each plant manager for the current and following month.The plant managers also have no control over the green beans purchase, production schedule, production mix, or the costs of their inputs, as the purchasing department assigns the costs based on the specific contract for that shipment. If the inputs exceed the plant’s requirements, they are sold at the spot rate in the market, and could very well result in a loss. Evaluation of Purchasing Departments: The purchasing department is responsible for obtaining the required quantities and types of green coffee to be roasted in the produc tion plants.The level of sophistication and expertise needed makes this department a necessity; proper staffing is vital based on the complexity of the green coffee market. This department relies on relationships with growers and brokers; for smaller firms, an important feature of this department is their ability to foresee demand and required inventory and subsequently enter into forward contracts with brokers, anywhere from three to twelvemonths in advance. The costs of each shipment are based on the specific contracts for those green coffee beans, which can vary based on the various price drivers previously mentioned.This can create a diversified and volatile cost of inventory. Required inventory demand is based on communication between marketing (sales) and the purchasing department, any discrepancies at the current date is met by purchases through the spot market, which incurs significantly higher costs. The costs associated with running this purchasing department are charged t o the headquarters of AP. Currently, there is no communication between the purchasing and manufacturing department. Furthermore, purchasing department does not need to report to head office or meet any performance measurement standard.Ultimately, the power resides with upper management of the purchasing unit. Evaluation of Marketing (SALES) Departments: Under the current structure, this department is centralized. The president of AP and vice president of sales are in charge of advertising and promotion of the final products. The marketing department also determines the budgeted sales, which are then passed onto the purchasing department. Case Question No-2: Considering the company’s competitive strategy, what changes, if any, would you make to the control systems of the three departments?Answer is: The changes to the current control systems involve establishing accountability and effective communication among the three departments and providing key measures to evaluate the ma nagers’ performance objectively. Recommendations for the current management control system of Aloha Products are as follows†¦. Recommendation for Manufacturing Departments: The manufacturing department is currently a profit center. However, the plants do not have control over the costs of the green coffee.Thus, the main concern of this department as a whole should be efficiency; how well they can control the costs to roast green coffee. As such, were commend that the manufacturing department’s plants be accountable for the costs incurred to roast and package the green coffee. The performance measure for the manufacturing department at AP should be evaluated based solely on the roasting, grinding, and packaging of AP’s coffees. Conceptually, it’s unfair to evaluate manufacturing as a profit center, when in reality it has little to no control over product costs or sales.Since control over purchasing and selling will not be transferred to the manufactur ing department in this proposal, it is logical to assess based on controllable factors such as cost/pound only. This is in contrast to a measure such as using manufacturing costs as a percentage of net sales. Instead of being assessed for the performance of the purchasing and marketing departments, plant managers will now have an incentive to ensure their costs do not vary from the standard. It would still be possible to evaluate roasting plants based on gross margin as well.However, to ensure that plant managers are not penalized for fluctuations in the cost of green coffee contracts, a standard cost for green coffee would have to be established and used in the computation of gross margin. Recommendation for Purchasing Department: The purchasing department’s costs are being charged to central office. Due to this, the purchasing department is not being held accountable for the contracts it is entering into. The purchasing department’s main concern should be actual cont ract costs.Thus, we recommend that the purchasing department be accountable for the difference between the actual costs per signed contracts and the standard cost of green coffee raw materials. The actual costs should be measured in a similar manner to the current practice. Contract costs related to buying and selling in the spot market should not be included in the computed price per bag. A reasonable standard cost for green coffee contracts will have to be established based on discussions between management and executives in the purchasing department.The standard cost could potentially be based on the average of the spot price over the past 6 months. We recommend that this standard cost be updated every quarter, in order to provide accurate standard costs of green coffee raw materials. Recommendation for Marketing Departments: The marketing department focuses its efforts on advertising and promotion, however, it is not held responsible for the costs it incurs or how accurate their sales forecasts/budgets are. There is a large cost associated with differences between the forecasted requirements and actual requirements.The difference results in purchases or sales at the spot price for green coffee, which tends to cost more than forward contract prices. It is not reasonable for the marketing department to perfectly forecast sales and therefore there should be leniency in developing a method of accountability for this department. We must keep in mind that our goal is not only to hold each group accountable, but also to make sure managers feel they are being evaluated fairly and motivated to improve performance. In keeping with this, actual sales volume should be compared to forecasted sales volume.This will not only help to keep the marketing department accountable for their activities, but will also allow for forecast methodology to be reviewed and continuously improved. Overall, we believe that we also need to establish goal congruence between the three depart ments. This can be achieved through emphasizing communication between departments; this would encourage the forecasts of purchases/sales to be more accurate. In order to increase goal congruence and communication we recommend that the departments also beevaluated based on an overall measure for the firm. This measure would be economic value added (EVA), as when it is applied, managers will not just be focused on their own department profitability, but also that of the company as a whole. The EVA approach promotes the same profit objectives across the different departments. Thus, by keeping the same structural organization and only changing the way each department is evaluated, the incentive plan for each department more accurately reflects what each department can control.

Memo Performance Management Essay

Hi Marylee, having found our recommendations for the compensation and benefits strategy satisfactory to Clapton Commercial Construction’s needs I will next outline a performance management plan. â€Å"Performance management (PM) includes activities which ensure that goals are consistently being met in an effective and efficient manner.† (â€Å"Performance Mangement,† 2013, para. 1). According to â€Å"My Strategic Plan† (2012), â€Å"Performance Management is also known as a process by which organizations align their resources, systems and employees to strategic objectives and priorities†(Glossary). The performance management system is part of the companies strategic plan in achieving the goals set forth each year. There has to be an ongoing communication process with the managers and the employees throughout the year as part of the performance management plan. Below are actions that are part of the performance management system. (â€Å"Performance Management – Meaning, System And Process†, 2013). ââ€" ª Developing clear job descriptions and employee performance plans which includes the key result areas (KRA’) and performance indicators. ââ€" ª Selection of right set of people by implementing an appropriate selection process. ââ€" ª Negotiating requirements and performance standards for measuring the outcome and overall productivity against the predefined benchmarks. ââ€" ª Providing continuous coaching and feedback during the period of delivery of performance. ââ€" ª Identifying the training and development needs by measuring the outcomes achieved against the set  standards and implementing effective development programs for improvement. ââ€" ª Holding quarterly performance development discussions and evaluating employee performance on the basis of performance plans. ââ€" ª Designing effective compensation and reward systems for recognizing those employees who excel in their jobs by achieving the set standards in accordance with the performance plans or rather exceed the performance benchmarks. ââ€" ª Providing promotional/career development support and guidance to the employees. ââ€" ª Performing exit interviews for understanding the cause of employee discontentment and thereafter exit from an organization. Effectively implementing a performance management system benefits the organization, manager, and employee in several ways. Your company will benefit with employee retention and loyalty, improved productivity, which will result in cost savings. The manager benefits are saving time, reducing conflicts, ensuring efficiency and consistency in performance. The employee has clear expectations of the job and clearly defined career paths. Providing open and transparent feedback will have a positive influence on job satisfaction and loyalty. (Managementstudyguide, 2013). After implementing the performance management system in order for it to be effective the employees have to understand their roles and importance to achieving the goals set forth. Making the employee aware of the goals and having a performance metric and job description in writing is the role of each manager to go over with the employee prior to started any job. The managers will go over the in detail the key result areas with the employee and set up a reward package if the goals are exceeded in these areas. Benchmarking is a method that can be used to measure performance metrics. In the commercial construction field quality, time and cost are very important dimensions measured against best practices and other companies in the business. Benchmarking will be invaluable to the success of the Clapton Commercial Construction. Benchmarking is a method to evaluate the performance, and will show the strengths and weaknesses within the company. Benchmarking will ensure the Clapton Commercial Construction can keep job costs, cycle times, and productivity within the industry averages. It will give you the data necessary to see the areas that additional training is  necessary. The managers will be responsible to get the employees the proper on the job training to be the most productive while keeping costs down. The performance appraisal component of the performance management system is where the manager will twice a year evaluate the employee’s performance. The manager will do a mid -year PE to determine areas of improvement needed to achieve or exceed the goals and deadlines set forth. For the employees which fail to meet or exceed expectations based on the performance metric set forth at the beginning of the year can be put on a performance improvement plan (PIP). This plan will set expectations and guidance for the employee to follow to help meet expectations by the end of the year. The final PE of the year will determine if the employee qualifies for a salary increase and bonus and how much it is. If the employee was put on a PIP and improved in the key areas and meet expectations set forth he/she will also be eligible for a salary increase and a bonus. The performance management system is an important component of the organizational strategic plan for measuring and analyzing data to measure the performance of the company. It requires the cooperation and support of all employees, especially upper management to be successful. The performance management is proactive system for managing the individual and organization to achieve desired results. (â€Å"Performance Management – Meaning, System And Process†, 2013). References Benchmarking. (2013). Retrieved from http://Wikipedia. (2013). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benchmarking Managementstudyguide. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/benefits-of-performance-management-system.htm My Strategic Plan. (2012). Retrieved from http://mystrategicplan.com/resources/section/glossary/ Performance Management – Meaning, System and Process. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/performance-management.htm Performance Mangement. (2013, Septmeber). WIKIPEDIA, (), . Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance_management

In the light of this comment, consider the legal and political Essay

In the light of this comment, consider the legal and political relationship between the EU and NATO - Essay Example This may outdate the need for NATO as an alliance, rather a straight-forward agreement between North America and the EU as a whole. Therefore the first section will illustrate and examine the security problems and how they cause problems for the EU to fight organized crime and terrorism, asking whether NATO is outdated. The second section will then deal with how the EU combats terrorism amd organized crime and considers whether it will ever be successful. Finally, this section will consider the problems that terrorism pose to the EU's and whether its relationship with NATO is an integral part to security and intelligence considerations in this area and its importance of success. This joint NATO and EU effort was seen as a highly successful strategy in the fight against the Taliban by the freezing of Afghani bank accounts, also illegal workers have been stopped by the EU Directive governing the ability to work, i.e. the need to show appropriate ID to show entitlement to work within th e EU.2 The EU has seen increased problems with organized crime which comes from the opening of borders and promoting a union of states. This problem has intensified since the enlargement of the EU because a lot of the post-communist nations have had over 10 years to promote organized crime. In addition there is the added problems that the events of September 11th 2001 and have caused in respect to Islamic organized crime groups funding terrorist attacks. Therefore organized crime is no longer a domestic crime problem for the EU in respect to financial and service trafficking but is threatening the military security of the EU and the individual nations within. Therefore it is important that this section dealing with security focuses on the problems of enlargement, especially in respect to the Eastern European ascending nations and Cyprus which may cause instability in respect to Islamic terrorist and organized crime groups. This means that a secured security force and relations with NATO ma y be important in the area of intelligence and terrorist threats.3 Enlargement of the EU: Enlargement of the EU is a mixed blessing, because on one hand it is helping to achieve a status of stability and cohesiveness throughout the region. On the other hand, there are concerns that in making the Union larger will in fact de-stabilize the region making it harder for the EU to ensure security and this increase the difficulties for the EU to fight crime, especially organized crime.4 This is due to prejudice of certain groups which would have free access in the region, one such group are the Roma Gypsy migrants from Slovakia. In the past few months the newspapers have displayed the concerns of the British public and politicians about these migrants when the nation joins the EU. Therefore this introduces the question whether the EU really respects the integrity of cultural difference Other problems include the possible de-stabilizing of the economy by incorporating smaller,

Yellow Rain Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Yellow Rain - Research Paper Example Therefore, the US government made a case stating that around tens of thousands of people was killed on account of yellow rain since it contained contagious chemicals harmful for human life. However, the accusations were denied by Soviet Union while the UN investigations also didn’t prove to be futile in this context. In addition, a few of the samples containing the chemical were tested by an independent group of scientists which in reality proved to be merely honeybee feces. This discovery suggested that the liquid came about after defecating digested pollen out of bees swarms. Yet, there are conflicting views regarding these claims and various scientists offer diverse opinions on the subject. USA, however, haven’t backed off from the allegations till date and thus the issue is still often touched upon at various instances. For these reasons, the paper will present a study on various aspects of the yellow rain including a historic perspective and various hypothesis pres ented over time to explain the underlying concepts of the chemical. The concept of yellow rain emerged back in 1975 when various events in Vietnam and Laos took place with alleged involvement of Soviet Union. Refugees have reported that various instances which took place during the insurgency movement in these states involved chemical warfare via low flying helicopters or aircrafts (Ferrel 2013). These refugees describe that an oily yellow liquid which was later popularized as yellow rain was seen dropping from these aircrafts which produced chronic symptoms. These symptoms were related to but not limited to neurological disorders, for instance, seizures, bleeding and sometimes even blindness. These ailments were similar to those reported in Vietnamese insurgency which has occurred in Cambodia. In this context, a textbook maybe quoted which was authored by the Army Medical Department of USA which

Deception Detection in the Courtroom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Deception Detection in the Courtroom - Essay Example For instance, the use of the polygraph can give misleading information about a person. The simple principle applied by polygraphs is that it is stressful to lie, and stress brings up certain changes to normal functions of the body. The deviations from the norm can be measured, and the levels of stress determined to give conclusions. Another technology that is applied is fMRI. This is a type of technology that gives the direct behavior of the brain. Studies have been conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of this technology through experiments. There are differences in the brain’s activities when a person is engaging in lies and when the person is telling the truth. This simple principle is applied in the use of fMRI. There are debates that revolve around the application of this technology in getting justice in court rooms, but they have not been agreed upon. In this technology, there are procedures applied to detect deception. First there is the Control Question Test (CQT), this uses simple yes/no answers to get the culprits’ data captured and the second is Guilt Knowledge Test (GKT). The test is used to unveil any hidden information from the person being tested. Another technique that can be used is brain fingerprinting, this technology applies the use of electroencephalography. This technique is used to detect any hidden information in the brain through measurement of electric brain waves. This technique is also being tested for the determination of whether individuals are engaging in lies or not.

Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Cold War - Essay Example The USSR needs to take a firm stand on the Afghan war. If we cannot, the war may be lost, and soon it will be difficult to contain the internal masses. If the war lasts for another four years, it will easily cripple our already fragile economy. It will be difficult to justify to the subjective masses why we sponsored the war without the necessary capacity to sustain and win it within acceptable time frames. Winning in the nearest future (perhaps one or two years) means that the USSR has to commit more resources to the war, on such a large scale as to beat President Reagan’s enormous funding. While such a move is relatively highly risky and a huge gamble, its success will be the ultimate prize. One serious and immediate concern for your leadership is the growing influence of the US in Western Europe. We understand that the United Kingdom and France are jointly building aerial interception centers and equipment for launching long-range missiles. In fact, our intelligence has gone beyond this public faà §ade and exposed the real reason why the centers are being built. These are centers for launching both ground and aerial attacks on the USSR and conduct aerial surveillance in the country. Without the possible option to bomb these centers down, for the obvious reason we feel we may not amicably bear the escalated consequences of such a move, it is important to set up a counter-station in Eastern Europe for our own protection. Recently, the US has shown greater willingness to engage us in a nuclear war.

Convincing that the same sex adoption morally RIGHT Essay

Convincing that the same sex adoption morally RIGHT - Essay Example Having children is a dream come true for most couples, who are we to say that it is wrong for the same sex couples to want the same thing? In some ways, maybe same sex adoption has benefits that will prove it to be a morally right set up for those children looking for loving homes to belong to. After all, it is never morally wrong to want to give a child a place to live where he is loved unconditionally right? Let's admit it, not all heterosexual parents chose to become parents. Some of them became parents by accident. Such situations result in unwanted children whose existence is sometimes only slightly better than living in hell. On the other hand, same sex couples choose to become parents. It is because of this motivation that we can be assured that they will always be morally responsible for their actions when it comes to their children. According to experts like Abby Goldberg (As cited in Pappas, 2012), gay parents are usually more motivated than their heterosexual counterparts because they made the choice to become parents. As such the perception that same sex couples only want to have â€Å"designer babies† is based upon misinformation. The same sex couples have a full understanding of their responsibilities as parents and what to expect when they have children. They have a much deeper understanding and commitment to the life of the child that they will be raising than most heterosexual couples do. These children have the advantage of growing up in a home that has open-mindedness, tolerance and role models for equitable relationships as part of its lifestyle. Therefore the children will grow up having a deeper understanding of social issues and a ready acceptance for anything that others might view as out of the ordinary. Children raised in gay households are no different from their heterosexual counterparts. If anything, they grow up with more empathy towards other people because they do not find themselves constrained by gender stereotypes (Bloo ms, 2011). Instead, they prove to be well adjusted individuals who have a serious insight about life and the responsibilities that it entails. Let us not forget that there are thousands of unwanted children lined up in adoption agencies who are in need of a home. Homosexual parents are more than willing to give children that heterosexual parents pass on a good and loving environment to be raised in. Children all deserve to be raised in loving homes by people who only want what is best for them. But unlike straight couples who tend to pick the best of the litter (if one were to compare babies to dogs), same sex couples do not care about the shortcomings of a child. In a report by the LA5 Champions for Children, they discovered that (2012): â€Å"Research by the Evan P. Donaldson Adoption Institute found that gays and lesbians tend to adopt children who are typically difficult to place: minorities, special needs children, and kids older than 6... . â€Å" All that matters to them, i s that they have the chance to be parents to a child who would not have a chance in life otherwise. Maybe it is because the same sex parents have to overcome adversity and judgment themselves that is why they are able to offer the kind of love and care that these less than ideal babies and children would not get from traditional parent couples. Now that leads the a question that is normally asked of parents. What exactly makes a good parent? Does being a good parent mean that a child has a set of heterosexual pare

Affirmative Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Affirmative Action - Essay Example This multipurpose term is used for the set of programs developed by government in order to eliminate the discrimination based on race and gender. The affirmative action programs provide opportunities in education and employment. This facilitates the opportunities that can help beneficiary group to improve its skill, opportunities and uplift the social status. There are various studies that have covered the controversies around the affirmative action within the American society and politics. This has been viewed a politically motivated activity to increase or maintain the vote banks. The controversy is also linked with the tangibility factors of the affirmative action. This is termed as ‘reverse discrimination or preferential treatment’ by Mangum. Berry (2004) has studied the expansion of the affirmative action programs to the private sector by providing educational, training and employment opportunity to the protected groups with increase their recruitment in the organiz ation. There have been various studies and debates over the controversies around affirmative action.

Ideal Non Profit Organzation Essay Example for Free

Ideal Non Profit Organzation Essay My ideal non-profit organization would encompass the idea of enabling people from anywhere to have access to a free world-class education. My mission is to empower young people around the world in developing countries with the education and training they need to build a life of prosperity and opportunity. I envision a world of opportunity, where educated minds and skillful hands work together to uplift the next generation, breaking the cycle of poverty. By empowering young people with education, we are able to unlock the potential of an entire generation. I believe education is the world’s most powerful tool in fighting global prosperity. This organization is structured through student lending programs. We are going to have available to you stories from different people all across the world. You have to pick a story that inspires you the most and you already are taking the first step in making a difference in their lives. Once you have found a student you want to support, the next step is to make a loan. Before distributing a loan to a student however, we will verify that the student has been accepted to an academic institution and that he or she has a record of strong academic performance. Each loan gives the student a chance to achieve their dreams while learning the skills they need to help their families and transform their communities. One-hundred percent of the loan goes directly to the student you want to support. Once a student receives your loan, the student can then go through school and acquire the necessary education for their dream career. After receiving the required education and graduating, your loan will be refunded fully by the student. Each student has an individual repayment schedule that is tailored to his or her needs. Every month, as a student makes repayments, we deposit the money into an account you would have created with our website. We would operate on contributions from organizations and people just like you. Your donations help this organization expand to new countries and build new programs all over the world so that we may reach more students. Your donation would be greatly appreciated to give a student in the developing world with the education they need to graduate beyond poverty. Our organization’s goal is to help 1,000,000 students in countries to earn their degrees by 2020. Your donation allows 100% of all loans to go directly to the students. We will use every donation and dollar we receive to its upmost greatest impact in benefiting the students. Teachers, nurses, accountants, engineers, these are the young people who will change the world. Only education can make it possible. .

Art & Literature Have No Place in the Modern World Essay Example for Free

Art Literature Have No Place in the Modern World Essay Creating and expressing ones self through various media, such as art and literature, has been a desire of mankind since the beginning of time. Art form and literature has been used to express mankinds deepest observations, most profound thinking and firmest beliefs; it encompasses many genres such as paintings,drama, poetry and novels. While both the physical arts and literature are a form of self-expression, each also represents a profession. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become. This adage is perhaps the most appropriate description of the importance of literature in our lives. As Amy Lowell quotes, ’Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in. ’ When we look around us, we see a lot of things that relate to art.. , contain art.. , are art.. and shows art.. Art is everywhere because people need to use it for daily uses. Art can come in the form of many things, including posters, murals, portraits, covers, paintings and more. This is enough to show how art and literature are blended into our lives. Music, paintings, sculptures, epics, fictions, movies, stories†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. and so on and so forth are all a part of us. Is there a home in this modern world without a painting on the wall or a deck which doesn’t hum their favourite tune or a rack with Fredrick Forsyth or James Hadley Chase novels? Even a child of this generation has his ears plugged all the time either listening to a soulful raga or a foot tapping Michael Jackson and reading either a religious book or a comic or an encyclopedia†¦. this is the common usage of art and literature. Art can also be used to liven up things in this world. It may not have a specific idea or meaning but it can be used to make things look better and more complete. When you write a project, it looks dull just with words, but when you add a picture or two to it, it looks much better because now there is visual aid. Art is found everywhere, including parks, school, malls,homes†¦ and is used just to make the place more comfortable and appealing to the eye. It can sometimes act as filler because it looks better than to just leave something on its own. It is through reading great literary and poetic works, that one understands life. They help a person take a closer look at the different facets of life. In many ways, it can change ones perspective towards life. Lives of brilliant achievers and individuals who have made a valuable contribution to society, are sketched in their biographies. These works give the readers an insight into the lives of these eminent people and sometimes help people change for the good. Friends, don’t you agree that Art and literature are great tools for learning. They can be found almost everywhere where there is a school. They are important because of what they can be used for. It is fun and acts as an interactive tool for learners who learn to appreciate art and literature for what it can do for them. In the process, people can learn a lot. Sometimes, art and writing go hand in hand. Art and literature serves as an enormous information base. Many people depend on art and literature. People who draw and write are not the only people who use and make money out of it. People who are book publishers, magazine editors, newspaper people, painters, actors all need to use art to supplement their work. Art and literature are used by some people directly andsome indirectly. People can choose to make a profession out of this because it is fun for them; it is something that they like to do, and more. Hence I strongly believe that we had art and literature in our blood since ages and is still used and appreciated by us in different forms in the modern world. There is not even a single person in this room who doesn’t love music or reading!

A Explanation Of Different Financial Terms Finance Essay

A Explanation Of Different Financial Terms Finance Essay The main objective of the Finance Manager is to manage funds in such a way so as to ensure their optimum utilization and their procurement in a manner that the risk, cost and control considerations are properly balanced in a given situation. To achieve the objective the Finance Manager performs the following functions in the following areas:- The need to estimate/forecast the  requirement of funds  for both the short term (working capital requirements) and the long term purpose (capital investments). Forecasting the requirements of funds involves the use of budgetary control and long-range planning Helps to decide what type of  capital structure  the company needs to have return: whether these funds would be raised: from loans/borrowings or from internal source (share capital) To raise sufficient long term funds to finance fixed assets and other long term investments and to provide for the needs of working capital Investment Decision In projects using the various capital budgeting tools like payback method, accounting rate of return, internal rate of return, net present value. Assets management policies are to be laid down regarding the various items of current assets like accounts receivable by coordinating with the sales personnel, inventory with production Dividend Decision Taking into consideration, earnings trend, share market price trend, fund requirement for future growth, cash flow situation and others. Financial negotiation Plays a very important role in carrying out negotiations with the various financial institutions, banks and public depositors for raising funds on favourable terms. Cash Management The finance manager needs to ensure the supply of adequate, timely and cheap fund  to the various parts of the organization. That there is no excessive cash idling around. Evaluating financial performance To need to constantly review the financial performance of the various units of organization generally in terms of ROI (return on investment. Such review assists management in seeing all the funds have been utilized in the various divisions and what can be done to improve it. Dealing with relevant parties in the Financial Markets Where the company is a listed entity, the need to interact with the Stock Exchange To deal with money markets and capital markets for financing or investment of idling funds To foster relationships with bankers, investors, underwriters of equity and bond issuances and other government regulatory bodies. For those who are uninformed, they tend to think the sole function of this position is that of the head of Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable, but it goes far beyond that capacity. In fact, the finance manager is in charge of any  financing  and accounting function throughout the company. The role of this position involves that of not only financing functions such as Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Billing, but it also involves that of budget projections and working with the Chief Financial Officer to make sure that the companys funds are stable and assisting with any budget cuts that become necessary. The finance manager is the head of both the Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable areas of the company. As such, he will be the one to set policy and direct procedures for both areas of  business. That includes hiring staff based upon need, following budget guidelines for expenses including staffing, assuring that procedures are followed by all staff members, setting reasonable quota system to assure work is completed in a timely fashion, and interacting with department supervisors on a regular basis in order to stay abreast of happenings within the department. The finance manager will also compile reports that show all of the conditions within his department including expenditures, open invoices, production standards, quality control standards, and timeliness of both payment of invoices and processing of payments. The finance manager is also responsible for the billing operation of the Accounts Receivable Department and making sure that guidelines for timely billing are followed as well. The finance manager also is the one who will work with other executives in order to develop the budget for each year. He will work with the Chief Finance Officer and Chief Executive Officer in order to develop an equitable solution for each years expenditures in both staff, office supplies, and any other needs that the company has including training, business trips, out of town meetings, and staff entertainment expenses. The finance manager has a very important position within a company, and his decisions will determine the financial stability of the company, at least within the areas that fall under his control. It is also his job to make certain that other departments and areas of the company follow their budgets and make the most use of the companys  money  by avoiding frivolous expenses. Nature of Financial Management Financial management is that part of total management which is concerned primarily with the financial affairs of an organization and the translation of actions, both past and proposed, into meaningful and relevant information for use in the management process. It includes the functions of budgeting, accounting, reporting, and the analysis and interpretation of the financial significance of past events and future plans. It sometimes also includes other related functions such as internal auditing, management analysis, and others. It is not primarily concerned with the technical procedures and methodology of those individual functions. Rather, it is characterized by the coordination and correlation of those functions into an effective and broad system of financial control that will assure that they, collectively more than individually, become an integral part of the management of the organization. Financial management involves the art of interrelating data to obtain a perspective of the total financial situation that will assist managers in program planning and decision-making. A very simple operating program may require only a minimum of financial management, and this, in some cases, can be provided by the manager himself. Financial Management is also an important field of Management Sciences. It is a combination of Managerial Finance and Corporate Finance. Managerial Finance concerns with the managerial use of financial techniques, whereas on the other hand, corporate finance deals with corporate financial decisions. In both the cases, it is extremely important for Managers in an organization. Financial Management is used to determine the best way to use the  money  available to an organization in order to improve the future opportunities to  earn  money. Thus the financial managers use techniques such as Valuation, Portfolio management, Hedging and capital structure etc for better decisions about the future of an organization. On the other hand, it is also used to interpret financial results in a given year or time period using financial analysis techniques. This helps in judging the actual performance of an organization in that time period. Financial management helps in proper allocation of costs, anticipate future expense, and budgeting for the future. Retained Earnings The accumulated net income that has been retained for reinvestment in the business rather than being paid out in dividends to stockholders. Net income that is retained in the business can be used to acquire additional income-earning assets that result in increased income in future years. Retained earnings are a part of the owners equity section of a firms balance sheet. Retained earnings also called retention ratio or retained surplus, it is the percentage of net earnings not paid out as dividends but retained by the company to be reinvested in its core business or to pay debt.  Retained earnings are one component of the corporations net worth and increase the supply of cash thats available for acquisitions, repurchase of outstanding shares, or other expenditures the board of directors authorizes. It is recorded under shareholders equity on the balance sheet. It is calculated by adding net income to or subtracting any net losses from beginning retained earnings and subtracting any dividends paid to shareholders, as shown here: Smaller and faster-growing companies tend to have a high ratio of retained earnings to fuel research and development plus new product expansion. Mature firms, on the other hand, tend to pay out a higher percentage of their profits as dividends. In most cases, companies retain their earnings to invest them in areas where the company can create growth opportunities, such as buying new machinery or spending the money on research and development. If a net loss is greater than beginning retained earnings, retained earnings can become negative, creating a deficit. Debenture A debenture is a debt instrument, which is not backed by collaterals. Debentures are backed by the creditworthiness and reputation of the debenture issuer. Besides, a debenture is a long-term debt instrument issued by governments and big institutions for the purpose of raising funds. The debenture has some similarities with bonds but the terms and conditions of securitization of debentures are different from that of a bond. A debenture is regarded as an unsecured investment because there are no pledges (guarantee) or liens available on particular assets. Nonetheless, a debenture is backed by all the assets which have not been pledged otherwise. Normally, debentures are referred to as freely negotiable debt instruments. The debenture holder functions as a lender to the issuer of the debenture. In return, a specific rate of interest is paid to the debenture holder by the debenture issuer similar to the case of a loan. In practice, the differentiation between a debenture and a bond is not observed everytime. In some cases, bonds are also termed as debentures and vice-versa. If a bankruptcy occurs, debenture holders are treated as general creditors. The debenture issuer has a substantial advantage from issuing a debenture because the particular assets are kept without any encumbrances so that the option is open for issuing them in future for financing purposes. Usually, debentures are categorized into the following types and their definitions are also given below: Convertible Debenture:  Convertible bonds  or bonds that can be converted into equity shares of the issuing company after a predetermined period of time. Convertibility is a feature that corporations may add to the bonds they issue to make them more attractive to buyers. In other words, it is a special feature that a corporate bond may carry. As a result of the advantage a buyer gets from the ability to convert; convertible bonds typically have lower interest rates than non-convertible corporate bonds. Non-convertible debenture: Simply regular  debenture cannot be converted into equity shares of the liable company. They are debentures without the convertibility feature attached to them. As a result, they usually carry higher interest rates than their convertible counterparts. Corporate Debenture:   Debentures issued by companies and they are insecure in nature. Bank Debenture:  This type of debentures is issued by banks. Government Debenture:  This includes Treasury Bond (T-Bond) and Treasury Bill (T-Bill) issued by the government. They are usually regarded as risk-free investments. Subordinated Debenture:  This is a particular type of debenture, which ranks below regular debentures, senior debt, and in some instances below specific general creditors. Corporation Debenture:  Corporation debentures are issued by various corporations. Exchangeable Debenture:  They are like convertible debentures, but this debenture can only be converted to the common stock of a subsidiary company or affiliated company of the debenture issuer. Seed Capital Seed capital means the initial capital used to start a business.  Seed capital often comes from the company founders personal assets or from friends and family.  The amount of money is usually relatively small because the business  is still in the idea or conceptual stage.  Such a  venture  is generally  at a pre-revenue stage and  seed capital is needed for  research development, to cover initial operating expenses  until a product or service can start generating  revenue, and to attract the attention of venture capitalists. Seed capital is needed to get most businesses off the ground. It  is considered a high-risk investment, but one that can reap major rewards if the company becomes a growth enterprise. This type of funding is often obtained in exchange for an equity stake in the enterprise, although with less formal contractual overhead than standard equity financing. Banks and venture capital investors view seed capital as an at risk investment by the promoters of a new venture, which represents a meaningful and tangible commitment on their part to making the business a success. Frequently,  capital providers  will  want to wait until a business is a little more mature before making the larger investments that typify the early stage financing of venture capital funding. Seed capital in other words can be said as money used as the initial investment for a new product or service launch. Seed capital enables businesses to launch a new product or service without depending fully on a business loan. The funds for this form of financing are typically provided by private investors who are looking for a high return on their investment of at least 30 percent. The investors look to invest in an industry with a market of at least $1 billion, and they also want an industry with few competitors for the business. Businesses that typically obtain seed capital are young companies around one year of age that have not produced a product or service for commercial sale yet. The companies are so new, so it can be difficult to obtain a regular commercial loan that is sufficient for covering all of the related start up expenses. Cash Credit and Overdraft Cash credit  is  a short-term cash loan to a company.  A bank provides this type of funding, but  only after the required security is given to secure the loan. Once a security for repayment has been given, the business  that receives the loan can continuously draw from the bank up to a certain specified amount. This type of financing is similar to a line of credit. Furthermore, cash credit is a facility to withdraw the amount from the business account even though the account may not have enough credit balance. The limit of the amount that can be withdrawn is sanctioned by the bank based on the business cycle of the client and the working capital gap and the drawing power of the client. This drawing power is determined, based on the stock and book debts statements submitted by the borrower at monthly intervals against the security by hypothecating of stock of commodities and/ or book debts. The excess withdrawal of cash is made generally on demand from the customer and the customer has to pay interest on the excess amount he/she has withdrawn. The cash credit facility is quite useful to those businesses where cash payment like wages, transportation, cash purchases are to be made and the receivables are not realized in time. An overdraft facility is a formal arrangement with a bank which allows an account holder to draw on funds in excess of the amount on deposit. Overdraft facility financing is most commonly used by businesses as a way of making their  working capital  more flexible, although it can also be available to individuals. Banks which offer this service typically have a number of expectations from customers who use it, and it is important to be aware of these expectations before entering an overdraft facility agreement. The idea behind overdraft facility agreements is that sometimes one needs a bit more money than is available on deposit to deal with various expenses. For example, a business which is always slow in March and April might like to use its overdraft facility to make  payroll  and keep current with all accounts and creditors. Or, a business might need to make a big one-time expense which exceeds the funds on deposit. With an overdraft facility, people can repay the funds at their convenience. The bank may charge an overdraft fee for accessing the overdraft facility, and the  interest rate  can be higher than that for other types of loans. The bank also has the right to demand repayment in full. Balancing an overdraft facility wisely can free up capital and make people more stable financially, but unwise use can lead people into a spiral of debt which may be difficult to escape. The amount of an overdraft facility is also curbed; people are not allowed to continually take money out and not repay it. The amount of the overdraft is usually pegged to account history and financial information, with the goal of ensuring that people do not end up borrowing more than they can realistically repay through an overdraft facility. The agreed limit can be negotiated with the bank, and some banks are willing to reevaluate if customers feel that their circumstances have changed. Similar to personal overdraft facilities, a business overdraft is a prearranged spending limit with your bank. Many businesses find an overdraft useful for those times when cash flow is a problem for a short period of time. Overdrafts are not a good option for funding larger needs, such as capital or expansion expenses. For these needs it is less expensive to obtain a separate business loan. Business overdrafts  may also be subject to more fees than a personal overdraft. Examples include fees to open the overdraft, to renew the overdraft, or sometimes even a fee for not using the overdraft. When used judiciously, overdraft facilities can be a great help in managing the occasional financial shortfall. Commercial Paper Commercial paper is a form of financing that consists of short-term, unsecured promissory notes issued by firms with a high credit standing. Generally, only large firms of unquestionable financial soundness are able to issue commercial paper. Most commercial paper issues have maturities ranging from 3 to 270 days. Although there is no set denomination, such financing is generally issued in multiples of $100,000 or more. A large portion of the commercial paper today is issued by finance companies; manufacturing firms account for a smaller portion of this type of financing. Businesses often purchase commercial paper, which they hold as marketable securities, to provide an interest-earning reserve of liquidity. Commercial paper is sold at a discount from its par, or face, value. The size of the discount and the length of the time to maturity determine the interest paid by the issuer of commercial paper. The actual interest earned by the purchaser is determined by certain calculations. Commercial paper is not  usually backed by any form of collateral, so only firms with high-quality debt ratings will easily find buyers without having to offer  a substantial discount (higher cost) for  the debt issue. For the most part, commercial paper is a very safe investment because the financial situation of a company can easily be predicted over a few months. Furthermore, typically only companies with high  credit ratings  and credit worthiness issue commercial paper. Over the past 40 years, there have only been a handful of cases where corporations have defaulted  on their commercial paper repayment. There are two methods of issuing paper. The issuer can market the securities directly to a  buy and hold  investor such as most money market funds. Alternatively, it can sell the paper to a dealer, who then sells the paper in the market. The dealer market for commercial paper involves large  securities  firms and subsidiaries of  bank  holding companies. Most of these firms also are dealers in  US Treasury securities. Direct issuers of commercial paper usually are financial companies that have frequent and sizable borrowing needs and find it more economical to sell paper without the use of an intermediary. In the United States, direct issuers save a dealer fee of approximately 5 basis points, or 0.05% annualized, which translates to $50,000 on every $100 million outstanding. This saving compensates for the cost of maintaining a permanent sales staff to market the paper. Dealer fees tend to be lower outside the United States. Bridge Finance Bridge financing  is a method of  financing, used to maintain  liquidity  while waiting for an anticipated and reasonably expected  inflow of cash. Bridge financing is commonly used when the cash flow from a sale of an asset is expected after the cash outlay for the purchase of an  asset. For example, when selling a  house, the owner may not receive the cash for 90 days, but has already purchased a new home and must pay for it in 30 days. Bridge financing covers the 60 day gap in cash flows. Another type of bridge financing is used by companies before their  initial public offering, to obtain necessary cash for the maintenance of operations. These funds are usually supplied by the  investment bank  underwriting  the new issue. As payment, the company acquiring the bridge financing will give a number of  stocks  at a  discount  of the issue price to the underwriters that equally offset the loan. This financing is, in essence, a forwarded payment for the future sales of the new issue. Bridge financing may also be provided by  banks  underwriting  an offering of  bonds. If the banks are unsuccessful in selling a companys bonds to qualified institutional buyers, they are typically required to buy the bonds from the issuing company themselves, on terms much less favourable than if they had been successful in finding institutional buyers and acting as pure intermediaries. There are 2 types of bridging finance which are closed bridging and open bridging. Closed bridging finance is where there is a date for the exit of the bridging finance and is sure that the bridging finance can be repaid on that date. This is less risky for the lender and thus the interest rate charged is lower. Open bridging is higher risk for the lender. This is where the borrower does not have an exact date for the bridging finance exit and may be looking for a buyer of the property or land. Capital Market A capital market is a market where both government and companies raise long term funds to trade securities on the bond and the stock market. It consists of both the primary market where new issues are distributed among investors, and the secondary markets where already existent securities are traded.  In the capital market, mortgages, bonds, equities and other such investment funds are traded. The capital market also facilitates the procedure whereby investors with excess funds can channel them to investors in deficit. The capital market provides both overnight and long term funds and uses financial instruments with long maturity periods. The financial instruments are traded in this market such as foreign exchange instruments, equity instruments, insurance instruments, credit market instruments, derivative instruments, and hybrid instruments. The primary role of the capital market is to raise long-term funds for governments, banks, and corporations while providing a platform for the trading of securities.  This fundraising is regulated by the performance of the stock and bond markets within the capital market. The member organizations of the capital market may issue stocks and bonds in order to raise funds. Investors can then invest in the capital market by purchasing those stocks and bonds.  The capital market, however, is not without risk. It is important for investors to understand market trends before fully investing in the capital market. To that end, there are various market indices available to investors that reflect the present performance of the market. Every capital market in the world is monitored by financial regulators and their respective governance organization. The purpose of such regulation is to protect investors from fraud and deception. Financial regulatory bodies are also charged with minimizing financial losses, issuing licenses to financial service providers, and enforcing applicable laws.   Capital market investment is no longer confined to the boundaries of a single nation. Todays corporations and individuals are able, under some regulation, to invest in the capital market of any country in the world. Investment in foreign capital markets has caused substantial enhancement to the business of international trade.   The capital market is also dependent on two sub-markets the primary market and the secondary market. The primary market deals with newly issued securities and is responsible for generating new long-term capital. The secondary market handles the trading of previously-issued securities, and must remain highly liquid in nature because most of the securities are sold by investors. A capital market with high liquidity and high transparency is predicated upon a secondary market with the same qualities. Money Market The  money market  is a component of the  financial markets  for assets involved in short-term borrowing and lending with original maturities of one year or shorter time frames. Trading in the money markets involves  Treasury bills,  commercial paper,  bankers acceptances, certificates of deposit, federal funds, and short-lived  mortgage-backed and  asset-backed securities.  It provides  liquidity  funding for the  global financial system. The money market consists of  financial institutions  and dealers in money or credit who wish to either borrow or lend. Participants borrow and lend for short periods of time, typically up to thirteen months. Money market trades in short-term  financial instruments  commonly called paper. This contrasts with the  capital market  for longer-term funding, which is supplied by bonds  and  equity. The core of the money market consists of banks borrowing and lending to each other, using  commercial paper,  r epurchase agreements  and similar instruments. The money market is a subsection of the  fixed income  market. We generally think of the term fixed income as being synonymous  to  bonds. In reality, a bond is just one type of fixed income security. The difference between the money market and the bond market is that the money market specializes in very short-term debt securities (debt that  matures in less than one year). Money market investments are also called cash investments because of their short maturities. Money market securities are essentially IOUs issued by governments, financial institutions and large corporations. These instruments are very  liquid  and considered extraordinarily safe. Because they are extremely conservative, money market securities offer significantly lower returns than most other securities.   One of the main differences between the money market and the stock market is that most money market securities trade in  very high denominations. This limits access  for the individual investor. Furthermore, the money market is a dealer market, which means that firms buy and sell securities in their own accounts, at their own risk. Compare this to the stock market where a broker receives commission to acts as an agent, while the investor takes the risk of holding the stock. Another characteristic of a dealer market is the lack of a central trading floor or  exchange. Deals are transacted over the phone or through electronic systems.   Venture Capital Funds Venture capital  (also known as  VC  or  Venture) is a type of  private equity  capital typically provided for early-stage, high-potential,  growth  companies in the interest of generating a return through an eventual realization event such as an  IPO  or  trade sale  of the company. Venture capital investments are generally made as cash in exchange for shares in the invested company. It is typical for venture capital investors to identify and back companies in high technology industries such as biotechnology and ICT (information and communication technology). A  venture capital fund  refers to a  pooled investment  vehicle that primarily invests the  financial capital  of third-party investors in enterprises that are too risky for the standard  capital markets  or  bank loans. Venture capital funds mean an investment fund that manages money from investors seeking private equity stakes in startup and  small- and medium-size enterprises with strong growth potential. These investments are generally characterized as high-risk/high-return opportunities. Theoretically, venture capital funds give individual investors the ability to get in early at a companys startup stage or  in special situations  in which there is  opportunity for explosive growth. In the past,  venture capital investments were only accessible to professional venture capitalists. While a fund structure diversifies risk, these funds are inherently  risky. Most  venture capital funds  have a fixed life of 10 years, with the possibility of a few years of extensions to allow for private companies still seeking liquidity. The investing cycle for most funds is generally three to five years, after which the focus is managing and making follow-on investments in an existing portfolio. This model was pioneered by successful funds in  Silicon Valley  through the 1980s to invest in technological trends broadly but only during their period of ascendance, and to cut exposure to management and marketing risks of any individual firm or its product. In such a fund, the investors have a fixed commitment to the fund that is initially unfunded and subsequently called down by the venture capital fund over time as the fund makes its investments. There are substantial penalties for a Limited Partner (or investor) that fails to participate in a capital call. It can take anywhere from a month or so to several years for venture capitalists to raise money from limited partners for their fund. At the time when all of the money has been raised, the fund is said to be closed and the 10 year lifetime begins. Some funds have partial closes when one half (or some other amount) of the fund has been raised. Vintage year generally refers to the year in which the fund was closed and may serve as a means to stratify VC funds for comparison. This  free database of venture capital funds  shows the difference between a venture capital fund management company and the venture capital funds managed by them. Present Value Present value means the  current worth  of a future sum of money  or stream of cash flows  given a specified rate of return. Future cash flows are discounted at the discount rate, and the higher the discount rate, the lower the present value of the future cash flows.  Determining the appropriate discount rate is the key to properly valuing future cash flows, whether they are earnings or obligations. The calculation of discounted or present value is extremely important in many financial calculations.  For example, net present value, bond yields, spot rates, and pension obligations all rely on the principle of discounted or present value.   If offered a choice between $100 today or $100 in one year  ceteris paribus, a rational person will choose $100 today. This assumes a positive interest rate for the time period. This is described by economists as Time Preference. Time Preference can be measured by auctioning off a risk free security like a US Treasury bill. If a $100 note, payable in one year, sells for $80, then the present value of $100 one year in the future is $80. This is because you ca

The Methods of Iago in Shakespeares Othello :: Othello essays

The Methods of Iago in Othello Through out the play of Othello Iago used many techniques to get what he wanted and one way or another he some how all most always got what he wanted. His techniques were that of an everyday sneaky, conniving bad guy, who always got people to trust him, except the person that was closest to him. But the main overall techniques he used were; 1)He gained the trust of people. Which was the number one technique, and from gaining their trust he could branch off form that and then he could manipulate the people he was playing into thinking that he was on their side even when he might be on the opposite side. Another thing that he could do to people was to, from gaining their trust and making then think that he was on their side he could manipulate them and make them turn on each other. The other technique that he used which didn't nearly play a role as large as the first technique but was important was he was always very careful, in being discovered and by covering his tracks. He knew how to take care of things in precarious situation. There was in my own personal opinion one more technique, and that was that he knew how to use all his options and could use his wits and cunningness. Iago's number one technique was his ability to make people trust him. He had just about everyone spun in Iago's web. Rodrigo, Othello, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, and etc. And he got every one of them to trust him, although he still hadn't got Emilia into his web fully. She still had suspicions about him. He could gain the trust of people as if it was nothing to him. He always when talking to that certain person said that he was on their side, making a false trust that the person believed, and therefore trusted him. Now most of the people he did this to it worked on. Such as Cassio calling him "Honest Iago" and when Cassio got in that fight with Rodrigo, he believed that Iago was the only good, honest man on his side, even though he was the one who set him up. The Methods of Iago in Shakespeare's Othello :: Othello essays The Methods of Iago in Othello Through out the play of Othello Iago used many techniques to get what he wanted and one way or another he some how all most always got what he wanted. His techniques were that of an everyday sneaky, conniving bad guy, who always got people to trust him, except the person that was closest to him. But the main overall techniques he used were; 1)He gained the trust of people. Which was the number one technique, and from gaining their trust he could branch off form that and then he could manipulate the people he was playing into thinking that he was on their side even when he might be on the opposite side. Another thing that he could do to people was to, from gaining their trust and making then think that he was on their side he could manipulate them and make them turn on each other. The other technique that he used which didn't nearly play a role as large as the first technique but was important was he was always very careful, in being discovered and by covering his tracks. He knew how to take care of things in precarious situation. There was in my own personal opinion one more technique, and that was that he knew how to use all his options and could use his wits and cunningness. Iago's number one technique was his ability to make people trust him. He had just about everyone spun in Iago's web. Rodrigo, Othello, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, and etc. And he got every one of them to trust him, although he still hadn't got Emilia into his web fully. She still had suspicions about him. He could gain the trust of people as if it was nothing to him. He always when talking to that certain person said that he was on their side, making a false trust that the person believed, and therefore trusted him. Now most of the people he did this to it worked on. Such as Cassio calling him "Honest Iago" and when Cassio got in that fight with Rodrigo, he believed that Iago was the only good, honest man on his side, even though he was the one who set him up.

The Role of Technology in Warfare Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research

â€Å"History does not teach that better technology necessarily leads to victory. Rather victory goes to the commander who uses technology better, or who can deny the enemy his technology.† –Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (qtd. in Schwartau 540) As the future of warfare becomes more sophisticated, what will be the military technology of tomorrow? The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, believes that there are three possible answers to that question: nuclear warfare, biological/chemical warfare, or cyber warfare. While nuclear and biological warfare is conducted on a battlefield, cyber warfare operates via the Internet and computers. All of these weapons have the same destructive potential, but the circumstances surrounding their uses and aftereffects are very different. With what new technology will a commander in World War III fight? Military commanders of the future will make greater use of state-of-the-art computer technology to fight wars, making the usage of conventional weapons obsolete. Since the beginning of military history, the commander who made the best use of technology always won. No matter if it was the arrows and tomahawks of the Native Americans against the guns and cannons of the European settlers, or the order given by President Harry Truman to drop two nuclear bombs on Japan, the army with the preeminent technology always came out on top. â€Å"A short time ago, an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima and destroyed its usefulness to the enemy. That bomb has more power than 20,000 tons of TNT (qtd. in Hiroshima).† This quote by Harry Truman describes the power of the first option, nuclear warfare. German and Austrian scientists, working for Adolf Hitler, created plans for a nuclear weap... .... 2000. Works Consulted Clinton, William Jefferson. Address. Address concerning Computer Security. White House, Washington, DC. 7 January 2000. *Cohen, Fred. . 6 Feb. 2000. E-mail to the Author. 6 Feb. 2000. Douglass Jr., Joseph D. â€Å"Chemical and Biological Warfare Unmasked.† 2 Nov. 1995. InfoManage. 18 January 2000 Haeni, Reto. â€Å"Infowar.† January 1997: 16 pp. Icove, David, Karl Seger, and William VonStorch. â€Å"Computer Crime: A Crimefighter’s Handbook.† Sebastopol: O’Reilly & Associates, Inc., 1995. Stocker, Gerfried, and Christine Schà ¶pf. â€Å"Infowar.† Austria: SpringerWeienNewYork, 1998. United States. President of the United States. National Plan for Information Systems Protection. Washington: 2000.

John Adams and His Roles as President Essay

John Adams was one of the leaders in the fight for American Independence. He was born on October 30, 1735. His presidency began in 1976 through 1800 and was the second president of the United States, after winning the election against Alexander Hamilton. Upon winning the election he became the Chief of State. His most notable accomplishment, as President, was to avoid a war with France, while maintaining American honor. In our opinion he did a good job of this however he was not greatly supported by the Americans at the time. John Adams was not a very popular president of his time. Being the president, and Chief Executive, Adams was allowed to choose his own cabinet. He replaced Washington’s cabinet which consisted of Edmund Randolph, Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox, and William Bradford. Timothy Pickering of Massachusetts was appointed the secretary of state, Oliver Welcott of Connecticut became the secretary of treasury, James McHenry of Maryland became the secretary of war, and Charles Lee of Virginia was appointed the attorney general. It’s obvious that George Washington had a much better cabinet than Adams did. John Adam’s cabinet was not nearly as sharp or as intelligent as the one of Washington. Obviously, Mr. Adams did not do too good of a job on choosing his colleagues. Another role that John Adams endured was the role as Chief Administrator. In today’s modern world the president would be in charge of agencies such as the CIA and the FBI. In Adam’s days these agencies did not exist. Nonetheless he was still in charge of keeping the government functions running as smoothly as possible. As a believer in centralized government, he helped strengthen the Federal government. As Chief Diplomat, John Adams ran into the biggest problem in foreign policy. The French were attacking American shipping. He sent three representatives to France to try to work out differences between the French and the US government. His emissaries were met by three French representatives demanding a bribe. This became known as the â€Å"XYZ† affair. Infuriated by the absurd 250,000 bribe of the French agents Adams began to prepare for war. He first asked for a provisional army. He also asked for the officers to be commissioned and for recruiting to begin. However, he did not call for an establishment of a large, professional army. Throughout the two years that the possibility of a war had existed, Adams had made it clear to everyone that he put he put his faith in a strong navy. As commander-in-chief he decided he did not want to use the army as an instrument for defense. Adams believed that the only way France could be brought around to treat with American envoys on an even basis is if it was made clear that the Americans were prepared to fight and that they would not submit to any further humiliation. He wanted France to see that the Americans were not backing down and that they were not afraid to go to war with the nation of France. After the â€Å"XYZ affair† John Adams acted on his role as chief legislature. He responded with The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. They were designed to crush the conflict. After two years John Adams decided it would be best to reopen negotiations because war with France was not in the best interest of the United States. He signed a peace treaty with France and thereof is accredited with bringing peace between the U.S. and France. Yet another role of the president is to be Chief of Party. We believe that John Adams was a failure in leading his political party as the end of the Federalists came about because of his presidency. During Adams’ presidency, the Federalist party split up. This happened because of how much John Adams and Alexander Hamilton disliked each other. Hamilton didn’t want Adams to be re-elected, and so he critized his performance as a President. Undoubtedly, Adams lost his re-election and Thomas Jefferson, the leader of the Democratic-Republican party, won office. After Adams retirement, and Hamilton’s unfortunate death, the Federalist Party was left without strong leader and steadily grew weaker and weaker. John Adams was not a bad president. However, because of society’s selfish and impatient needs, he was made out to be the enemy. Americans blamed John  Adams for being scared to go to war, but in reality, it’s a lot easier to go to war than it is to keep peace. It’s also quite difficult to go against the majority of ones colleagues who continually pressure you to act. John Adams may not have been the greatest president because of his ambition. However, he was a much better president and showed exemplary qualities as a chief citizen than what he was given credit for. He was a brave and honorable man who gave up re-election by not going to war. It shows real honor when you can give up your own selfish needs for the good of your country. John Adams was a much better president than he was given credit for.

Crime Rates and Perceptions of Crime

Sociological Problem The public perception of crime is that it has increased whilst official statistics show that overall, crime has decreased over the years. In this ‘risk society’, a fear of victimisation has become part of our lifestyle and we are constantly reminded of the potential dangers of becoming victims of crime. The famous study by Stanley Cohen (Folk Devils and Moral Panics (1972)) is a prime example of how society is encouraged to worry about certain groups and use them as a scapegoat to blame society’s problems on.Sociologists are concerned with this topic as the fear of crime is becoming a bigger problem to tackle than crime itself. 1. 2 Research Question Why has the fear of crime increased when statistics indicate a fall in crime? What influences people’s perceptions of crime and to what extent do these perceptions impact on society? The central concern of my research is to discover the reasons behind the growing fear of crime and if there is a causal link between newspaper readership and perceptions of crime.As (Blackie 2009: 77) suggests, my research question is to understand, explain and evaluate the reasons behind this problem. This is a topic of interest to sociologists as media’s ‘construction of reality’ creates a distorted view of crime, with people more out of touch with the reality of crime than ever. 2. Data Selection The first table I have selected shows the sources most influential on the changes of perception of crime over the past few years (see Appendix 1), and the second table reflects the correlation between newspaper readership and perceptions of crime (see Appendix 2).I collected these tables from the Home Office’s British Crime Survey on (‘Perceptions of crime, engagement with the police, authorities dealing with anti social behaviour and community payback’ (Chaplin et al, 2011)). This information was gathered by a national face to face victimisation survey of people aged 16 and over from households in England and Wales where people were asked their experiences of crime. 3. Methodology The data I am analysing is quantitative data, since ‘it is not possible to become a social scientist without an understanding of statistics’ (Diamond and Jefferies, 2001: 1).It is also a form of secondary data analysis as the data I am looking at are derived from official statistics. When analysing table 3. 02 (see Appendix 2), I discovered a bivariate relationship between the type of newspaper read, and the public’s perception surrounding the amount of crime. There is a causal relationship here; depending on what newspaper you read your perception of crime is likely to differ. As (Bryman, A and Cramer, D 2000) note, it is important to establish the cause prior to the effect. An effect cannot come before a cause. In table 3. 01 (see Appendix 1) there is a dependent variable and an independent variable.The dependent variable is the pub lic’s perception of crime and the independent variable is the type of source they hear it from. From analysing the variables within the tables I have come up with a hypothesis that media representations of crime can influence people’s view of crime. What I want to discover is if this amplifies people’s fear of crime. Firstly, I will be using formal content analysis to measure the amount of space devoted to crime and the types of crime covered in newspapers. I will then use thematic analysis to look for themes which underlie the content.My third and final analysis will be textual analysis where I will be closely examining the text used in newspapers to see how it encourages a particular reading and creates an impression. Some of the advantages of using secondary data analysis include firstly it is more structured and standardised which gives us more reliable and repeatable results. It allows us to study larger numbers which gives results that are more representat ive of a population. As it is a detached and objective method, the researcher merely manipulates the variables and records the results.Their subjective feelings have no effect on the outcome of the experiment. If subjectivity becomes involved it could interfere with the outcome. In the British Crime Survey they used interviews to find out people’s views. This made the results easy to quantify especially when answers are pre coded. This also makes them suitable for hypothesis testing. However, there are also disadvantages to using quantitative data. As we are analysing from a secondary source, there is a lack of familiarity with the data which may cause confusion with the data presented.It does not allow the researcher to be personally involved, thus they produce a more superficial understanding. The British Crime Survey 2010/11 gives us an overall view of the statistics involved; however it does not give a deeper understanding and a more valid picture of the other factors tha t may be relevant. The results of quantitative data are limited as it produces numerical descriptions as opposed to a detailed narrative which gives us a less detailed account of the public’s perception on crime. 4. Analysis The world appears to have become a dangerous place to live, there is a ‘fear of crime’ and a ‘fortress mentality’.The increased sense of insecurity makes many unable to deal reasonably with the problem of crime. One of the reasons crime has decreased is the privatisation of public space in recent years. CCTV are used to control how people access these public areas. The police have also become confined to certain parts of towns and cities due to ‘tipping’ which allows them to keep a watchful eye on a specific area. Baldwin and Bottoms (1976) looked at the process of ‘tipping’, which is when councils put all antisocial together in the same place.This leads to concentration of crime in a given area, which c an also have the opposite effect of creating more crime. The process of tipping is similar to the broken window theory of Wilson and Kelling (1982). It’s a zero tolerance where there is no acceptance even of the smallest crimes. This will not allow them to grow into bigger problems. The media devotes a great deal of time and coverage to crime and deviance. They are accused of giving a distorted image of crime, criminals and policing. There are studies that indicate that the proportion of news devoted to crime has increased over the past 50 years.An example is a study that found the proportion of space given to crime reports in the Daily Mirror and the Times from 1945 to 1991 increased from 8% to 21% (Reiner et al. , 2000). The coverage of violent and sexual crimes is significantly greater than their incidence as measured by official statistics, victim studies and self report studies. Homicide accounts for one third of all crime news. William and Dickinson’s (1993) stud y of 10 national newspapers in 1989 found 64. 5% of crime stories were about violence against a person, whereas the British Crime Survey only showed 6% of crimes reported by victims in 1989 about violence.The amount of violent and sexual crimes tended to be more frequent the more ‘down market’ the newspaper. Although murder stories attract much of the public eye, it only accounts for 600 or 700 offences a year, with most of these being domestic violence. Table 3. 03 (see appendix 2) shows the difference between tabloid newspapers and broadsheet newspapers and people’s perception of crime. 81% of people who read ‘popular’ newspapers believed crime had increased, in comparison to 59% of people who read ‘broadsheet’ newspapers.This shows how the type of newspaper affects people’s view of crime and how the media want certain groups to worry about crime more than others. If the working class are living in fear of crime, they are less l ikely to rise and revolt, as they are too busy fearing the ‘vicious’ streets. Crime news focuses on the actual incident of the crime rather than the causes. However broadsheets such as the Guardian are more likely to contain an analysis of the causes of crime (Carrabine et al. , 2002). Tabloid readers are mostly working class as they tend to prefer the cheaper and less intellectual types of newspapers.(Simmons and Dodd, 2003) discovered tabloid readers are twice as likely to be ‘very worried’ about burglary, mugging, physical attack and rape. An important fact is that the victims of crime are mostly the poor, working class and ethnic deprived groups. Much crime is done by the working class on the working class. Ironically, the media shows victims being mainly women, white people and high status individuals. This shows how the media are manipulating our view of crime, making us believe the working class are committing the crimes whilst the privileged are suf fering from the crimes.However, there is another view. The British Crime Survey found that people who live in inner-city areas and council estates are particularly concerned about crime, particularly violent crime. These are the areas where most working class people live and the areas where violent crime is more likely to happen. Tabloid newspapers may merely be reflecting their concern with crime rather than shaping it. As Crawford et al. , (1990) says, ‘in inner city areas, mass media coverage of crime tends to reinforce what people already know. ’ From looking at table 3.01 (see Appendix 1) it shows the major sources that influence people’s perceptions of crime is news programmes on TV/radio, local newspaper and tabloid newspapers. Different sources of information affected the different perceptions of crime. The people who thought crime had increased nationally were most likely to find out about crime through TV programmes or radio (62%), local newspapers (35% ) or tabloid newspapers (35%) as their source of information. Both tables are ordinal data as the events are ‘placed in ordered categories along a single dimension’ (Fowler Jr., 2004).The main sources of crime news derive from the police and courts. However, it is important to note that the way the statistics were collected may affect the data. There is a dark figure of crime that does not get reported and that the police consider not worthy to be recorded. Not all crimes are reported and the police record an even smaller proportion of property crime. The official crime index excludes for offences ranging from drunk driving to white collar violations. Marxists believe capitalism exploits the working class and this gives rise to crime.Capitalism encourages the middle class to be greedy and self interested. This sometimes leads to corporate and white collar crime however this is not the media’s main focus. Marxists also argue street crime is disproportionally prose cuted, that the poor commit compared to the white collar crime that the middle class commit. Stuart Hall’s (Policing The Crisis (1978)) study applied a fully social theory of deviance to the study of mugging. Hall’s study shows how the media will focus on a particular minority and create a moral panic, often to cover another problem.The myth of the black mugger served as a scapegoat to distract attention away from the real causes of problem such as unemployment. The black mugger came to symbolise the disintegration of the social order. This is also apparent in today’s society as we are encouraged to fear the ‘hoody’ youth and believe the majority of them carry a knife. Journalists are dependent on official sources for their information. These sources have become primary definers – they define what counts as crime, what counts as justice and what they believe to be significant.In doing so, they reflect the concerns of the powerful – the agents of social control and the state (Hall et al. , 1978). The British Crime Survey includes questions about perceptions of crime and the concerns. It also asks questions about newspaper readership. Findings from the surveys from 2001 to 2003 show that over the three years, a growing proportion of respondents thought that the national crime rate had risen ‘a lot’ (25% in 2001, 30% in 2001/02 and 38% in 2002/03). In comparison, the British Crime Survey indicated a steady fall in crime over these years.The 2002/03 survey shows that 43% of those who read a tabloid newspaper believed the crime rate had increased ‘a lot’ compared to 26% of broadsheet readers (Simmons and Dodd, 2003). The news media tend to portray a positive picture of the Criminal Justice System. Things such as the success and justice of the police are often exaggerated. There are some stories of the corruption of the police however this is presented as an individual’s failings, rathe r than the Criminal Justice System (Chibnall, 1977). The legitimacy of the Criminal Justice System is protected.This underlies many news reports on crimes. The mean ‘is the average of the distribution of the variable’ (Seale C 2004: 327). The most common expression for the mean of a statistical distribution with a variable is the average of all the terms. In order to discover the mean, you simply add up the values of all the terms and then divide by the number of terms. There are other expressions however these forms are hardly used in statistics. ‘The median is the number positioned in the middle of a distribution, below which half the values fall’ (Seal C 2004: 328) The median for table 3.01 (see appendix 1) is Broadsheet newspapers at 20% . The mean for table 3. 03 (see appendix 2) for the tabloid newspapers are The Daily Mail and The Daily Star both at 81% saying crime has increased. The median for the broadsheet newspapers are The Times and The Financi al Times at 60% and 50%. The mode is defined as ‘being the most frequently occurring value in a distribution’ (Seal C 2004:328). The mode for table 3. 01 (see appendix 1) this is the variable that occurs most often. The variable that occurred most often in both tables was the newspapers and more specifically tabloid newspapers.5. ConclusionIn conclusion, the tables and data provided have proved there is an obvious causal relationship between newspaper readership and perceptions of crime. It has effected society as we have almost become reliant on sources of secondary data such as newspapers to feed us with knowledge of crime, which has created a distorted view. We become sucked into the manipulation of the media and believe what we read to be fact, even if we do know at the back of our minds it is an exaggerated version of the truth.Crime has always been a staple ingredient of human’s fascination and it will always make headlines. The main influence of peopleâ₠¬â„¢s perception of crime comes from the media. The media has a huge part to play in shaping the way we think and hear about things, therefore they are also able to manipulate our view, but ultimately it is our choice to believe it or not. For Durkheim (1893) ‘Crime is normal and an integral part of all healthy society. ’ It is also important to realise that we do need crime in society as it affirms our cultural values and norms and promotes social unity.

Reality Shows: Their Effect on American Teens

Their Effect on American Teens Martha Wallace ENG 122: English Composition II Professor Kathy Conner August 8, 2011 The values of our forefathers for America have disappeared. Each year more and more of American children are Judging themselves based upon the lives portrayed in popular media. Certain media in the music industry portrays the life of getting rich fast and having a lot of girls. Movies depict a life of fast cars, many sexual partners, and dishonesty. The latest media that has become very popular in portraying negative values Is reality shows.Reality shows have replaced traditional family values wows such as: Happy Days, Seventh Heaven, The Cowboys Show, Family Matters, and Growing Pains. Today's family values are now being portrayed through shows like: Keeping up with the Sardinian, Teen Moms, The Real World, Jersey Shore, and all of the Real Housewives shows. Reality shows have changed the way American teens view family and the values of marriage, honesty, and respect. Today's teenagers view marriage as a commitment between two people who are in love. Once the love is gone, the marriage is over. On the other hand, some adults may think differently.Marriage is not Just the result from love between two people. There is much more to it. A successful marriage is like a good recipe whose main ingredients, besides love, are commitment, understanding, concern and loyalty. If you can include these qualities In your married life you can find happiness In your marriage. Yet, the future of the stability In American marriage Is slowly decaying. Adults and teens alike are viewing marriage In a different way. This view Is being persuaded by new television shows called Reality television. It Is a known fact the media plays an important part In how teens view themselves and others.Almost every person in the united States has excess to television and the younger generation is the ones who watch it the most (Cheeseboard, 2003, Para 4). Considering the average teen spends more time watching television than with their parents. The majority of them are also learning about the basic values of life, also from television. This bring about a serious concern of reality shows' effects on teens attitude, values, and behavior. The traditional family value of marriage is portrayed on reality shows as an option for couples who are living together.The reality show Keeping up with the Sardinian is a perfect example of his type of arrangement. One of the older sisters, Courtney, currently lives with her boyfriend and when approached by another slang asking her why she refuses to get married. Courtney replies, â€Å"I'm not sure If he Is really the one† (Bravo, 2011, Para 2). When her mother approaches her about the same thing, Courtney replies, â€Å"Mom, I'm lust not Into ten traditional things† (Bravo, 2011, Para According to David Opened, a Rutgers sociology professor and report co-author, â€Å"Cohabitation is here to stay.I don't think it is good news, especially for children†, he says, â€Å"As society shifts from arraign to co-habitation, which is what's happening, you have an increase in family instability' Canyons, 2005, Para 8). The reality shows that have married couples on it either end up in divorce, the wife shows no respect for her husband, or one spouse cheats on the other. These are the lessons reality shows are teaching American teens today. The broadcasting station, Bravo, has a series of shows titled, The Real Housewives of some very popular cities in America. One of those cities is Atlanta.This reality show is about six women who are married or were once married. The show aired for three years detailing the lives of women who were to represent the real lives of American married women living in Atlanta. Only one of the six was actually married and before the end of the three year series, she was filing for a divorce. Americans by the million were tuning in each week to watch the drama unfold. A ccording to Nelson Media Research, 4. 4 million viewers watched the shows season finale January 30, 2011 and 1. 3 million of those viewers were under the age of 18 (2011).What does this mean for the future of marriage? Many teenagers no longer look forward to their wedding day. In fact in a conversation with teenagers through a youth organization, Youth for Prevention, Action, and Change Through Thought (HAPPY), which aims to develop community leaders by teaching teens about social, racial, and health disparities in their neighborhoods, many of them do not see the need for marriage. One participant stated, â€Å"I'm not looking forward to marriage and I don't think we [people in general] should be married, because I see how other marriages ended up in my family and on television.It's always a disaster. When asked which television shows she mainly watches, she replied, â€Å"Reality shows, they ell you how life really is†, Cones, 2006, Para 2). As this ten's comments indicate , views about marriage are formed by what they see in their lives and in popular media. Shows such as â€Å"The Real World† and the media's focus on the latest celebrity break-up do not paint a perfect picture of marriage. It is a sign of the growing decline in the value of one of the greatest institutions developed in America. It is these factors that may explain why the U.S. Divorce rate approaches 40 percent. Marriage is not the only American value which seems to be affected by reality shows, honesty s another value among teenagers that is almost invisible and reality shows does not appear to make the view any clearer. There was a time when a man was held to his word and a handshake was the only deed required. Those days are long gone. No one can trust the other. Prenuptial are written before marriages, contracts are required between businesses, and even teenagers are signing contracts with parents.One reality show, Teen Moms, broadcasted a show which detailed a written co ntract between one teen and her parents. The purpose of the contract was to validate the parents' words to help their daughter financially after she gives birth to he child. Reality television shows and their effects on teenagers can depend on the desires and motives they see themselves in these stars and somehow these stars are living their lives through the show. Each reality show portrays and fulfills certain desires like powerful high class living, survival and outwitting others, beauty, revenge Ana amnesty.Many teenagers enjoy a certain sense AT pleasure Ana satisfaction when they watch these reality television shows and their effects are continuously mirrored in the way they interact with others, deal with various situations, and face certain challenges. According to the teens in HAPPY, the reality shows are entertaining Cones, 2006, Para 5). Yet, most of these shows are built upon other people's failures, sadness, frustrations, depressions, and other mental and physical handi caps. There are some reality shows that have a positive effect on ten's lives.Broadcasting station, FOX, had a show, Trading Spouses, where two families, usually of different social classes, swap wives or husbands for a week. Each family is awarded $50,000, with the stipulation that the guest mother decides how her host family must spend the money (Schneider ; Italian, 2004). The adults show how families can come together and grow. It gives hope to the value of family and honesty. Each participant is required to react normally and to come to an understanding on how to handle differences.The children are given an opportunity to express themselves and this usually results in their parents making some changes to include the opinions of their children. The parents come face to face with the honesty of some mishaps in their family and agree to make an honest effort to correcting them. These types of reality show effect teens in a positive way. For those men's that may not have been able to express their thoughts or opinions to their parents, the show gives them suggestions and allow them to see an honest possibility of the outcome.Most teenagers see their parents as difficult people to compromise with. This type of reality television shows the vulnerable side of parents and how they can make mistake too. Teens begin to see their parents as human and someone they can talk to. Honesty is rarely played out in reality shows, therefore our teens have a front row view of how to become a liar and deceive people. Some of these wows are so deceitful; it is hard to imagine someone would have agreed to be a participant.For example, â€Å"Joe Millionaire†, is a reality show where women compete to win the heart of a supposed millionaire. At the end, the women find out the â€Å"Joe Millionaire† is actually an â€Å"Average Joe† and have to decide if they want to stay with him. This show is probably one of the most dishonest reality shows and unethical of th em all. Teens and adults alike are shown ways to be dishonest and degrade the true meaning of finding love and honesty in an individual. Respect has great importance in everyday life.As children we are taught ,one hopes, to respect our parents, teachers, and elders, school rules and traffic laws, family and cultural traditions, other people's feelings and rights, our country's flag and leaders, the truth and people's differing opinions (Dillon, 2010, Para 1). If we are to live by this description of respect, then reality shows has gotten it wrong. A study called, â€Å"Kids These Days: What Americans Really Think About the Next Generation†, surveyed 2,000 adults who characterized teenagers and young children as â€Å"irresponsible†, â€Å"rude†, and â€Å"lazy' (Kids these days, 1997).Those words are scarcely new attitudes towards American's youth. The reality show, Keeping up with the Sardinian, portrays a family with two teenage daughters who are often rude t o their parents, constantly shows disrespect towards each other, and uses profanity towards their parents. This reality show is rated number one among teenagers in America. Yet this show, â€Å"Keeping up with the Sardinian†, shows very little respect towards the parents Trot any AT ten SIX centre Foul language Is town across ten room Trot ten teen daughters, young adult children, their boyfriends, and the parents.There is no respect for other people's feeling, rights or differing opinions. One particular episode, the teen daughters swore at her mother and told her dad she will make her own decision and didn't need his help. After consulting with his wife, they agreed to allow their 13 year old daughter to make her decision on a career move that would affect her for the rest of her life. This is not a good message to send to teenagers today. Raising one's voice and slamming doors is not the way to gain respect.Yet, reality shows often show teenagers acting this way and the re sults are often the arenas bending the rules to allow the teens to make their own decisions. Showing respect is the best way for anyone to receive respect. Everyone should have an opinion, be able to express them and feel good about that relationship. No one should feel pressured to do something Just because it seems like everyone else is doing it, or because someone else is trying to get you to do it. Yet that is precisely what most reality shows are doing. Teens are being pursued to make decisions and react to certain things according to celebrities on reality television.The reality show reduced by MAT, The Real World, gave American Teens a real look at honor and respect in it episode featuring Pedro Somoza. Pedro Somoza was a young man chosen to be one of the six young adults sharing a house in New York City, who Just happened to have AIDS. Pedro died of the disease and America tuned in the watch every episode as it unfolded on television. This series of The Real World, New York taught many people the truth about AIDS. The effect this show had on American teens open their eyes to respect other people, taught valuable lessons on safe sex, and gave AIDS a new found respect.Since the rising of these popular reality elevation shows, American teens have changed the way they view â€Å"entertainment†. This genre has influenced the way teenagers express themselves. Considering many of these shows are geared towards teens, they are the ones who are more susceptible to its various influences. With each passing year more and more of American children are Judging themselves based upon the lives portrayed in popular media. Certain media portrays the life of getting rich fast, having a lot of girls, a life of fast cars, many sexual partners, and dishonesty. There are not many good values portrayed in these reality shows.Yet, reality shows can give insight to teens about many different types of people and cultures. They can also prepare teenagers for the outcome o f bad choices people make about the values of marriage, honesty, and respect. The core role is to see what people reactions in certain scenarios are, and how they face these given situations. American teens can learn and apply these outcomes to their lives. They can learn about teamwork. They can become motivated in life to achieve their goals and can even chase a dream. References Dillon, S. (2010). Respect, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2010 Edition).