Movie Crash Analysis Essay

Choose three characters from the movie crash and compare their relationship elements based on social status, gender dynamics, age, race and tolerance of uncertainty. The opposing characters within the movie â€Å"Crash† depict contrasting lifestyles, attitudes and behaviours. The elements of social status and gender dynamics determine the characters’ tolerance for uncertainty as well as the ways in which they react to societal situations. A situation which may be quite dramatic and life changing for one person might be minimal for another. The following characters including: Jean Cabot played by Sandra Bullock, Daniel played by Michael Dena, and Officer Ryan played by Matt Dillon will be explored throughout this paper. Sandra Bullock’s character â€Å"Jean Cabot† illustrates an unforgettable amount of fear, stress, anxiety and turmoil within the film. For Jean, an upper class, affluent, Caucasian female, it is difficult for her to accept the fact that she has been a victim of a reckless crime as she and her husband were demanded to leave their vehicle while two black males with guns, drove off leaving them terrified and without their car. Jean makes it clear that the incident was in fact her fault because she knew it was going to happen. She makes it clear that she feared the two men based on their skin colour and that she initially did not say anything to her husband because she didn’t want to be implied as racist. Jean’s character shows an immense amount of anger but also a prominent stereo-typical attitude. Based on one experience Jean has had she then proceeds to discriminate against Daniel, a Mexican male who comes to her house to change her door locks. Daniel played by Michael Pena is a working class male in his early 30’s. He has a home and a family and is unfortunately discriminated against time and time again within the film. He is depicted within the film as having a happy life and a caring nature however, he lives in a lower-class neighborhood and can’t help many of his life circumstances. Rather than Jean being the victim it could be made quite obvious that Daniel is in fact the one who is now being placed in a target position. While both Jean and Daniel are victims in their own way, their reactions are immensely diverse. Daniel is a lot more calm and collected. Although his anger shows on his face, he has strong control over his emotions. Rather than speaking up in an angry tone after Jean directs biased comments against him, he still leaves her house with poise. Officer Ryan played by Matt Dillon has a fascinating role within this film. He is a police officer who has been part of the force for quite some time. It is apparent that he has had many incidences where it could be seen as understandable for him to have certain views of individuals based on social class, colour and background. His experiences in the force have allowed him to be present in a variety of situations that have shaped the way he sees individuals. At the beginning of the film, we are made to believe that Ryan is a racist, discriminatory, arrogant cop. Although we learn throughout the movie that some of his experiences do base his strong view points on truth. This is no excuse for him however to inappropriately touch a female car passenger when questioning her and her husband for a minimal accusation. All three of these characters can be compared and contrasted based on their diverse up-bringing and life experiences. For Daniel it is apparent that he has been challenged and turned against throughout his life. However, he has learned to cope and exudes poise and compassion for others. In contrast, Officer Ryan has also been through challenging times and has been a witness to years of criminal activity. Rather than demonstrating any kind of remorse or compassion for innocent victims, he is extremely judgmental even before anyone has proven to commit illegal actions. Both Jean and Ryan share similar hypercritical attitudes towards anyone that they assume could be involved in crime. It is quite sad however, to observe Jean’s discriminatory behavior throughout the film. Particularly seeing as how she has a Mexican female housekeeper, she is still terribly biased and subjective towards others. The symbolism between Jeans relationship with her housekeeper and the way she treats others is prominent. Ironically towards the end of the film, Jean makes a strong statement pointed at her housekeeper that she in fact is her only friend, which promotes the idea that Jean could be making amends with her negative past behavior. In terms of gender dynamics, it is evident that the female characters are significantly more emotional than that of the males. Jean is tremendously expressive in her behaviour while the male roles hold more of their emotions on the inside. Social class as well as gender also has a significant effect on the way the characters display their feelings. Jean is from a far more sheltered world while Daniel has been exposed to a harsher reality. It is only natural that Ryan is confident when it comes to expecting the unexpected as that is his role in life. This is despite the fact that it was inexcusable for him to have carried an undesirable arrogance and a discriminatory attitude at every turn. Throughout â€Å"Crash† the connection between the characters is much more than circumstantial. It is in fact human nature. The movie encourages the audience to realize that we are connected in a much larger context. This context is one that includes human qualities, experiences and emotions. We are all part of one world that has developed and made its own distinctions between itself. People separate themselves based on classifications such as social status, race, age and gender. This separation was depicted clearly in the movie and was shown to create a negative, discriminatory society. The irony of it all was that the characters made it a point to separate themselves from one another yet life brought them together through circumstances and although they may have thought they were vastly different from one another, their lives were in fact very similar.

Important Soft Skills for University Essay

Competition for jobs is very tight right now due to the many people who apply for jobs or at least the capacity of workers. Of course the graduates will work and will compete with the graduates themselves or other college graduates. Thus students should prepare themselves to compete before and after it passed in getting a better job. Develop hard skills are the main answer to success in getting the job. However, it is not enough hard skill capabilities, but must be balanced with the ability of soft skills in meeting the challenges while doing the work. By Admin working world believe that human resources are superior to those who not only have hard skill proficiency, but also an expert in soft skill aspects. Added also, that the world of education, revealed by research at Harvard University by the United States turns a person’s success is not determined solely by the knowledge and technical skills (hard skills), but more by the ability to manage ourselves and others (soft skills). From the above, we can see that the importance of hard skills and soft skills for anyone who wants to get or when doing the work. Thus required that every student should improve the hard skill and soft skill in preparing for the world of work during their studies. This is in line with the Higher Education Long Term Strategy 2003 – 2010 (Directorate General of Higher Education, 2004) which was formulated by the Ministry of Education clearly states that the role of higher education in increasing the competitiveness of nations is vital given the level of competition of human resources in the national labor market and International continues to increase with increasing application of science and new technologies in various fields of business, as well as the need for a level of professionalism (knowledge, hard skills, soft skills) are higher. Soft skills  Soft skills are personal attributes that enhance an individual’s interactions, career prospects, job performance and education. Soft skills complement hard skills, which are the technical requirements of a job, education and many other activities. Soft skills are skills that effect how people interact with other people, and also intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, such as one’s attitude, communication skills, time management abilities, ability to work under pressure. Soft skills can be said to incorporate all aspects of generic skills that include the cognitive elements associated with non-academic skills. The reorientation of education which is one trust of education for sustainability also relates the importance of these so-called soft skills. Vast research and expert opinions have been sought in the effort to determine the specific soft skills to be implemented and used in higher institutions of learning such as university level. Based on the research findings obtained, seven soft skills have been identified and chosen to be implemented in all institutions of higher learning here and university student. They are: * Communicative skills. * Thinking skills and Problem solving skills. * Team work force. * Life-long learning and Information Management. * Entrepreneur skill. * Ethics, moral and professionalism. * Leadership skills. Each of the soft skills comprised of several sub-skills. These sub-skills are divided into two categories of implementation. The first category delineates the soft skills that every individual must have and the second category represents soft skills that are good to have. Despite the emphasis being put on the soft skills that must be present, it is also encouraged to inculcate the soft skills that are good to have. All elements of soft skills must be acquired by each individual student and evaluated effectively and comprehensively. Soft skills must be acquired by each and every individual in the institutions of higher learning without which, the student is regarded as incompetent in the above skill. Soft skills can be regarded as the additional generic skills and a bonus to the student. It can be observed that education is an essential tool for achieving sustainability for university student such as communication skills. Communication skills are essential for the successful future career of a student. In today’s competitive world, communication skills in business are the most sought after quality of an educated person. Reading, writing and listening carefully are the three most important communication skills for students. These skills like most of the communication skills sounds too familiar as a result of which we take them for granted. As regards reading and writing, the only thing that we need to tackle is to adapt with our growing age and concentration. With these two qualities, it is possible to develop reading, oral communication skills, writing skills and increase Ability to deliver idea clearly, effectively and with confidence either orally or in writing. Apart from reading and writing presentations, reports and speeches are a part of university curriculum. This makes expressive skills and managing skills also important for a university student. It is also important to develop communication skills in relationships. FINDINGS 1. Soft skills that are important for university student. Communication skills The communicative skills involve effective communication in both the national language and English language in different contexts and with different people. Communicative skills are an integral part of any education system either in higher education or lower education. At this very level, emphasis has been given to develop the communicative skills of individual in university so that by the time they leave university, they are able to participate in public community activities and decision making. What is found to be missing in among university student is the lack of communicative skills. The absence of good communicative skills somehow or rather has an influence on the poor presentation of their views and decisions made to gain other’s confidence and respect. â€Å"Real communication occurs when we listen with understanding – to see the expressed idea and attitude from the other person’s point of view, to sense how it feels to him, to achieve his frame of reference in regard to the things he is talking about. † Carl Rogers (1952, p. 3) As we can see if students apply these skills, student able to deliver idea clearly, effectively and with confidence either orally or in writing, moreover, student also can communicate with individual from a different cultural background. Thus, this is a good time to reorientate the curriculum of higher institutions to embed communicative skills more effectively. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills This skill includes the ability to think critically, creatively, innovatively and analytically. It also involves the ability to apply knowledge and understanding to new and different problems as well. The critical thinking skills, skills to organize and interpret data and information, skills to formulate questions and the ability to analyze issues that confront communities are greatly addressed in the reorientation of basic education. The following are some examples of skills that are similar to the soft skills being emphasized in the university curriculum. The ability to think about systems (both natural and social sciences). * The ability to think in time-to forecast, to think ahead, and to plan. * The ability to think critically about value issues. * The ability to separate number, quantity, quality and values. All the above skills are important and students will require them as adults. The Skill of Team Work The ability to work with people from different social cultural background to achieve a common goal. Students are encouraged to play their role in the group and to respect opinions and attitudes of others in the group. They are also expected to contribute to the group plan and coordinate the group effort besides being responsible to the group decision. If the future human capital can attain these skills, we can be rest assure that the future generation for university student will collaborate ideas and cooperate a taskforce towards the well-being of the nation. 2. Reason why some university student are not equipped with the soft skills According to the former Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, the failure of graduates get jobs is because they do not have the soft skills required employer. He said that apart from poor command of English, is narrow-minded graduates, no leadership, a sense of belonging and no communication skills. In the dialogue between the Ministry of Higher Education and employers in the country, many say not employed university graduates because they have no soft skills (Bernama, 2007). as we see the dialog above, students nowadays less exposure to soft skills such as writing strategy, communication and critical thinking strategies, in addition, weak command of English is also included in the factor of lack of communication skills among university students. The next factor is, some students lack the confidence to speak in public, this is because, they afraid that they will mistakenly say, or embarrassed to talk and lack of preparation in an assignment or presentation. Other factors such as poor critical thinking can also be seen among university students, because students are not applying a concern or complacency of what the students’ own doing. Next, students are also less skilled organize, interpret data and information in some of the tasks assigned by the lecturer, this made the task is not complete and does not meet what is required by the lecturer. In this situation, we do not also have to blame the student, the university should also encourage students to apply soft skills in themselves. 3. Some efforts are made to develop students soft skills There are many ways of improving soft skills. One of them is through learning by doing. Besides the soft skills can be honed and improved by following the training and management seminars. Although, one powerful way to improve the soft skills by interacting and doing activities with others. Follow the organization is one way to interact with others. In order to develop the attributes of soft skills in university students, self-evaluation is required of every student of the power which is currently owned, as well as weaknesses. The students were given a questionnaire that contains the attributes of soft skills. Then fill it with a mark which had enough they have and which ones still need to be developed. Attributes that appear in the list of the most visible attributes so which ones have the highest mode to be developed. Then a course where a student are reviewing the vision of his study program, and seeks to combine the expectations of students, expectations and resources in the institution. Thus be selected several important attributes that need and developed for his students. Development of soft skills in university can also be done through the learning process and student activities in extra-curricular activities or co-curricular activities. Most importantly, this is not material soft skills rote but practiced by individuals who are learning or who want to develop it. By the time students want to develop interests and talents in the field of sports for example, often supervising sports activities always focus on the techniques of how to win the match to be performed by the students. Conscience must be developed to be able to govern themselves and to interact with others. FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS Model for implementing soft skills in higher education A holistic approach is used to plan and implement the soft skills among students of higher education. This approach is based on the combination of several programs and main activities formal teaching and learning activities (include all curricular and co-curricular elements), support programs (academic and non-academic focused) and the students campus life. In general, the development of soft skills among the students via the formal teaching and learning activities takes two models which is stand alone and embedded. Stand Alone Subject Model This model uses the approach of training and providing opportunities to students to develop soft skills through specific courses that are carefully planned for this purpose. Usually, these subjects are offered as university courses such as English language, entrepreneurship, and elective courses such as public speaking, critical thinking. The courses in this category are often a part of the overall requirements that make up the program. The number of courses and credits in this category depends on the curriculum design and the requirements of the program. The stand alone subject model can also be initiated by encouraging students to sign-up several additional courses which can be accumulated to be a minor course which is different from the initial program signed-up. For example, a student who is pursuing an engineering program is encouraged to take minor courses in management or mass communication. However, such an approach will require an increase in the number of credits and time spent for the particular program. Embedded Model This model uses the approach of embedding the soft skills in the teaching and learning activities across the curriculum. It does not require the student to take special courses as in the stand alone subject model. Instead the students are trained to master the soft skills through various formal teaching and learning activities that are planned and carried out using specific strategies and methods. In this way, the content and learning outcomes to be achieved for the respective courses are maintained. The learning outcomes related to the soft skills will be integrated and be part of the learning outcomes of the respective courses. This is the suggested model to be implemented in all the courses for the different programs in institutions of higher learning. Each element of soft skills is spelled out in the learning outcomes and then translated into the instructional plan for the semester. This is followed by implementing several teaching and learning activities such as questioning, class discussion, brain storming, team work, presentation, role play and simulation, project, field work and site visits. In general, the development of soft skills using the embedded model requires the expertise of the lecturers to use the various teaching strategies and methods that are entirely student-centered. It also involves active teaching and learning and students should participate actively in the activities. Some of the appropriate strategies and methods that are practical include learning by questioning, cooperative learning, problem-based learning (PBL), and e-learning. CONCLUSION To live to the challenge of globalization which is in line with the era of information economy, the strength of a nation is strongly dependent on the ability of its citizen to be highly intellectual and skillful. The development of human capital in university student is thus important and necessary since it drives the nation to the envision vision and mission. Without a quality human capital, a nation will be weak as there is no human factor that is capable to embark on new initiatives and perspectives. A quality human capital comes from a quality education process. A carefully designed and well planned education system is critical to developing such human capital. Thus, institution of higher learning plays a very important role to produce a human capital that is highly knowledgeable and skillful to meet the demand and expectations of many people. The teaching and learning processes in institutions of higher learning should be capable to provide such knowledge and skills to future graduates. We can see good results and positive when university students adopt or emphasize soft skills in themselves. (2511 Words) Reference Groupfenglish, (27 May 2011). The important of soft skills development in education. [Online]. Available: http://blogs. funiber. org/formacion-profesor/2011/05/27/the-importance-of-soft-skills-development-in-education/ Vishal jain, (22 February 2009). Important of soft skills development in education. [Online]. Available: http://schoolofeducators. com/2009/02/importance-of-soft-skills-development-in-education/342 TITLE: NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF SOFT SKILLS. Dr. A. Muthumanickam,. Reader,. Department of Education, Madurai Kamaraj University. http://dspace. unimap. edu. my/dspace/bitstream/123456789/5819/1/NEED%20AND%20IMPORTANCE%20OF%20SOFT%20SKILLS. pdf Chapter in a Book by More than Three Authors: S. Sivagnanachelvi. (2008). English For Oral Communication : Communication (Second Edition). Open University Malaysia (OUM) : Dr Woo Tai Kwon.

EMI Corporate Finance Essay

In this Internet age, the consumer is using music content more than ever before— whether that’s playlisting, podcasting, personalizing, sharing, downloading or just simply enjoying it. The digital revolution has caused a complete change to the culture, operations, and attitude of music companies everywhere. It hasn’t been easy, and we must certainly continue to fight piracy in all its forms. But there can be no doubt that with even greater commitment to innovation and a true focus on the consumer, digital distribution is becoming the best thing that ever happened to the music business and the music fan. —Eric Nicoli, CEO, EMI Group1 In early spring of 2007, Martin Stewart drove through the darkened streets of Kensington in West London. As chief financial officer (CFO) for global music giant EMI, Stewart already knew most of the news that would break at the company’s April 18 earnings announcement. Annual underlying revenue for the company was down 16% to GBP 1.8 billion (British pounds). Earnings per share (EPS) had also dropped from 10.9 pence (p) in 2006 to −36.3p in FY2007 (fiscal year). Those disappointing numbers were roughly in line with the guidance Stewart had given investors in February. The performance reflected the global decline in music industry revenues, as well as the extraordinary cost of the restructuring program EMI was pursuing to realign its investment priorities and focus its resources to achieve the best returns in the future. The earnings announcement would include an announcement of the dividend amount, which had not yet been determined. The board would meet soon to review EM I’s annual results, International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI), â€Å"IFPI: 07 Digital Music Report,† January 2007. This case was written by Elizabeth W. Shumadine (MBA ’01), under the supervision of Professor Michael J. Schill, based on public information. Funding was provided by the L. White Matthews Fund for Finance case writing. Copyright  © 2008 by the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation, Charlottesville, VA. All rights reserved. To order copies, send an e-mail to sales@dardenbusinesspublishing.com. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means— electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of the Darden School Foundation. Rev. 2/09. .2 On an annual basis, EMI had consistently paid an 8p-per-share dividend to ordinary shareholders since 2002 (Exhibit 1). Now in light of EMI’s recent performance, Stewart questioned whether EMI should continue to maintain what would represent a combined GBP 63-million annual dividend payment. Although omitting the dividend would preserve cash, Stewart appreciated the negative effect the decision might have on EMI’s share price, which was currently at 227p. Stewart recognized that EMI faced considerable threat of a takeover. Although its board had recently been able to successfully reject an unsolicited 260p-per-share merger offer from U.S. rival Warner Music, there remained considerable outside interest in taking  over EMI. It seemed that boosting EMI’s share price was imperative if EMI was to maintain its independence. EMI With a storied history that included such names as the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, and Duran Duran, it was not difficult to understand why EMI considered its current and historical catalog of songs and recordings among the best in the world. EMI, Warner Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Group, collectively known as â€Å"the majors,† dominated the music industry in the early 21st century and accounted for more than two-thirds of the world’s recorded music and publishing sales.3 Exhibit 2 contains a list of the global top-10 albums with their respective record labels for the last four years. Recorded music and music publishing were the two main revenue drivers for the music industry. EMI divided its organization into two corresponding divisions. EMI Music, the recorded-music side, sought out artists it believed would be long-term commercial recording successes. Each EMI record label marketed its artist’s recordings to the public and sold the releases through a variety of retail outlets. EMI’s extensive music catalog consisted of more than 3 million songs. Recorded-music division sales came from both new and old recordings with existing catalog albums constituting 30% to 35% of the division’s unit sales. Exhibit 3 contains a list of EMI’s most successful recording artists in FY2007. EMI Music Publishing focused not on recordings but on the songs themselves. Generally, there were three categories of publishing-rights ownership in the music industry: the lyric’s author, the music’s composer, and the publisher who acquired the right to exploit the song. These publishing-rights owners were entitled to royalties whenever and however their music was used. Music publishers categorized their revenue streams as mechanical royalties (sales of recorded 2 In the United Kingdom, companies typically declared dividends twice a year, first with the midyear results and second with the full-year results. Typically, EMI paid an interim dividend of 2p per share and a final dividend of 6p per share. In addition, both EMI’s interim and final dividends were paid out to shareholders in the following fiscal year. In November 2006,  EMI’s board committed to paying the interim dividend of 2p per share following its 2007 fiscal midyear results with actual payment to shareholders expected in April 2007. Both the 2p interim dividend and the recommended final dividend would be reflected in the 2008 financial statements. 3 EMI included a fourth category of royalties labeled â€Å"other,† which included sales of sheet music and, increasingly, mobile ring tones and ring backs. Similar to the recorded-music division, the music-publishing division identified songwriters with commercial potential and signed them to long-term contracts. The division then assisted the songwriters in marketing their works to record companies and other media firms. EMI’s current publishing catalog encompassed more than 1 million musical compositions. Exhibit 3 includes a list of EMI’s most-successful songwriters in FY2007. EMI’s publishing business generated onefourth of the total group revenue. Revenue in the publishing business was stable, and  operating profits were positive. In addition to seeking out and signing flourishing recording artists and songwriters to long-term agreements, both EMI divisions also expanded and enhanced their individual catalogs and artist rosters by strategic transactions. Two key acquisitions for EMI’s recorded-music division were the 1955 acquisition of a leading American record label, Capitol Records, and the 1992 acquisition of Virgin Music Group, then the largest independent record label. Together the transactions added such key recording stars as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Janet Jackson, and the Rolling Stones. The music-publishing division similarly targeted existing publishing assets with large, proven commercial potential such as the purchase in various stages of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s music catalog in 1997, 2003, and 2004. Since the company’s founding in 1897, EMI’s model had been that of â€Å"constantly seeking to expand their catalog, with the hits of today forming the classics of tomorrow.†4 Both divisions pursued the goal of having the top-selling artists and songwriters and the deepest, mostrecognized catalog assets. EMI welcomed technological innovations, which often drove increased music sales as consumers updated their music collections with the latest music medium (e.g., replacing an LP or cassette with the same recording on compact disc). But the latest technology, digital audio on the Internet, was different and revolutionary. Digital audio on the Internet demanded rethinking the business model of all the majors, including EMI. Digital Audio and the Music Industry Digital audio had been around since the advent of the compact disc (CD) in the early 1980s, but the 1990s combination of digital audio, Internet, and MP3 file format brought the music industry to a new crossroads. The MP3 format had nearly the same sound quality as CDs, but its small file size allowed it to be easily downloaded from the Internet, stored on a computer hard drive, and transferred to a digital audio player, generally referred to as an MP3 player. Peer-to-peer file-sharing Internet services, most notably Napster, emerged in the late 1990s. First available in mid-1999, Napster facilitated the exchange of music files. The use of Napster’s file-sharing program exploded, and Napster claimed 20 million users by July 2000. EMI Group PLC annual report, 2007. Napster’s swift growth did not go unnoticed by the music industry. While the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) was eventually successful in using the court system to force Napster to remove copyrighted material, it did not stop peer-to-peer file sharing. New services were quickly developed to replace Napster. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organization representing the recording industry worldwide, estimated that almost 20 billion songs were downloaded illegally in 2005. EMI was an early presence on the Internet in 1993. In 1999, EMI artist David Bowie’s album, hours†¦, was the first album by a major recording artist to be released for download from the Internet. None of the record labels were prepared, however, for how quickly peer-to-peer file sharing would change the dynamics of the music industry and become a seemingly permanent thorn in the music industry’s side. In the wake of Napster’s demise, the music labels, including EMI, attempted various subscription services, but most failed for such reasons as cost, CDburning restrictions, and incompatibility with available MP3 players. Only in the spring of 2003, when Apple launched its user-friendly Web site, iTunes Music Store, did legitimate digital-audio sales really take off in the United States, the world’s largest music market. Apple began to expand iTunes globally in 2004 and sold its one-billionth download in February 2006. According to the IFPI, there were  500 legitimate on-line music services in more than 40 countries by the beginning of 2007, with $2 billion in digital music sales in 2006. Despite the rise of legally downloaded music, the global music market continued to shrink due to the rapid decline in physical sales. Nielsen SoundScan noted that total album units sold (excluding digital-track equivalents) declined almost 25% from 2000 to 2006.5 IFPI optimistically predicted that digital sales would compensate for the decrease in physical sales in 2006, yet in early 2007, IFPI admitted that this â€Å"holy grail† had not yet occurred, with 2006 overall music sales estimated to have declined by 3%.6 IFPI now hoped digital sales would overtake the decline in physical sales in 2007. Credit Suisse’s Global Music Industry Forecasts incorporated this view with a relatively flat music market in 2007 and minor growth of 1.1% to 1.5% in 2008 and 2009.7 The Credit Suisse analyst also noted that the music industry’s operating margins were expected to rise as digital sales became more significant and related production and distribution costs declined.8 Lehman Brothers was more conservative, assuming a flat market for the next few years and commenting that the continued weakness in early 2007 implied that the â€Å"market could remain tough for the next couple of years.†9 Many in the industry feared that consumers’ ability to unbundle their music purchases— to purchase two or three favorite songs from an album on-line versus the entire album at a physical retail store—would put negative pressure on music sales for the foreseeable future. A Bear Stearns research report noted: While music consumption, in terms of listening time, is increasing as the iPod and other portable devices have become mass-market products, the industry has still not found a way of monetizing this consumption. Instead, growing piracy and the unbundling of the album, combined with the growing power of big retailers in the physical and iTunes in the digital worlds, have left the industry in a funk. There is no immediate solution that we are aware of on the horizon and in our view, visibility on sales remains poor.10 Recent Developments at EMI The last few years had been incredibly difficult, particularly within EMI’s recordedmusic division, where revenues had declined 27% from GBP 2,282 million in 2001 to GBP 1,660 million in 2006. (Exhibits 4 and 5 show EMI’s financial statements through FY2007.) Fortunately, downloadable digital audio did not have a similar ruinous effect on the publishing division. EMI’s publishing sales were a small buffer for the company’s performance and hovered in a tight range of GBP 420 million to GBP 391 million during that period. CEO Eric Nicoli’s address at the July 2006 annual general meeting indicated good things were in store for EMI in both the short term and the long term. Nicoli stressed EMI’s exciting upcoming release schedules, growth in digital sales, and success with restructuring plans. EMI’s digital sales were growing and represented an increasingly large percentage of total revenues. In 2004, EMI generated group digital revenues of GBP 15 million,  which represented just less than 1% of total group revenues. By 2006, EMI had grown the digital revenue to GBP 112 million, which represented 5.4% of total group revenues. The expected 2007 digital sales for EMI were close to 10% of group revenues. Given the positive expectations for its 2007 fiscal year, financial analysts had expected EMI’s recorded-music division to see positive sales growth during the year. EMI’s surprising negative earnings guidance on January 12 quickly changed its outlook. EMI disclosed that the music industry and EMI’s second half of the year releases had underperformed its expectations. While the publishing division was on track to achieve its goals, EMI’s recorded-music division revenues were now expected to decline 6% to 10% from one year ago. The market and investor community reacted swiftly to the news. With trading volume nearly 10 times the previous day’s volume, EMI’s market capitalization ended up down more than 7%. EMI further shocked the investment community with another profit warning just one month later. On February 14, the company announced that the recorded-music division’s FY2007 revenues would actually decrease by about 15% year-over-year. EMI based its new dismal forecast on worsening market conditions in North America, where SoundScan had calculated that the physical music market had declined 20% in 2007. The investment community punished EMI more severely after this second surprise profit warning, and EMI’s stock price   dropped another 12%. British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported shareholders were increasingly disgruntled with performance surprises. One shareholder allegedly said, â€Å"I think [Nicoli]’s a dead duck. [EMI] is now very vulnerable to a [takeover] bid, and Nicoli is not in any position to defend anything. I think the finance director [Martin Stewart] has also been tainted because it suggests they did not get to the bottom of the numbers.† EMI analyst Redwan Ahmed of Oriel Securities also decried EMI management’s recent news: â€Å"It’s disastrous †¦ they give themselves a big 6% to 10% range and a month later say it’s 15%. They have lost all credibility. I also think the dividend is going to get slashed to about 5p.†11 Exhibit 6 contains information on EMI’s shareholder profile. As its fiscal year came to a close, EMI’s internal reports indicated that its February 14 forecast was close to the mark. The recorded-music division’s revenue was down, and profits were negative. The publishing-division revenue was essentially flat, and its division’s margin improved as a result of a smaller cost base. The company expected underlying group earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), before exceptional items, to be GBP 174 million, which exceeded analysts’ estimates. Digital revenue had grown by 59% and would represent 10% of revenue. EMI management planned to make a joint announcement with Apple in the next few days that it was going to be the first major music company to offer its digital catalog free from digital-rights management and with improved sound quality. The new format would sell at a 30% premium. EMI management expected this move would drive increased digital sales. Management was pleased with the progress of the restructuring program announced with the January profit warning. The plan was being implemented quicker than expected and, accordingly, more cost savings would be realized in FY2008. The program was going to cost closer to GBP 125 million, as opposed to the GBP 150 million previously announced. Upon completion, the program was expected to remove GBP 110 million from EMI’s annual cost base, with the majority of savings coming from the recorded-music division. The plan reduced layers in the management structure and encouraged the recorded-music and publishing divisions to work more closely together for  revenue and cost synergies.12 One headline-worthy change in the reorganization was the surprise removal of the recorded-music division head, Alain Levy, and Nicoli taking direct responsibility for the division. The Dividend Decision Since the board had already declared an interim dividend of 2p per share in November 2006, the question was whether to maintain the past payout level by recommending that an additional 6p final EMI dividend be paid. Considering EMI’s struggling financial situation, there was good reason to question the wisdom of paying a dividend. Exhibit 7 provides a forecast of the cash flow effects of maintaining the dividend, based on market-based forecasts of 11 Alistair Osborne, â€Å"Nicoli ‘a dead duck’ as EMI issues new warning,† Daily Telegraph, February 16, 2007. Restructuring efforts over the previous three years had collectively saved the company GBP 180 million annually; however, the result was a one-time implementation cost of GBP 300 million. Omitting the dividend, however, was likely to send a message that management had lost confidence, potentially accelerating the ongoing stock price decline—the last thing EMI needed to do.13 (Exhibit 9 depicts trends in the EMI share price from May 2000 to May 2006.) Many believed that music industry economics were on the verge of turning the corner. A decision to maintain the historical 8p dividend would emphasize management’s expectation of business improvement despite the disappointing recent financial news. Forecasts for global economic growth continued to be strong  (Exhibit 10), and reimbursements to shareholders through dividends and repurchases were on the upswing among media peers (Exhibit 11). As Stewart navigated his way home, the radio played another hit from a well-known EMI artist. Despite the current difficulties, Stewart was convinced there was still a lot going for EMI. Historically, there was strong evidence of significant negative stock-price reactions to dividend cancellations (see Balasingham Balachandran, John Cadle, and Michael Theobald, â€Å"Interim Dividend Cuts and Omissions in the U.K.,† European Financial Management 2:1 (March 1996), 23–38, for a study using only British firms, and Roni Michaely, Richard Thaler, and Kent Womack, â€Å"Price Reactions to Dividend Initiations and Omissions: Overreaction of Drift?† Journal of Finance, 50, 2 (June 1995), 573–608, for a larger study using U.S. firms. Both academics and practitioners vigorously debated the impact of dividend policy. In fact, Nobel laureate economists had argued that dividend policy should maintain little relevance to investors. Exhibit 8 contains a summary of Modigliani and Miller arguments.

Achieving water neutrality in the Severn Trent region (technical Assignment

Achieving water neutrality in the Severn Trent region (technical report) - Assignment Example The second vital factor is the consideration of the accessibility of water resources both in the future and in the present-day, which can be used to meet the demand for water in areas of Wales and England. Severn Trent serves to bring in water neutrality and efficiency, and it occupies most of the East midland regions. Keeping new developments in mind, the notion of water neutrality serves as a crucial concept. This is so basing the ideologies on water resource management. It can be termed as offsetting the demand for water in a certain community at hand by making existing buildings and homes in the region, to an increasing extent, more water efficient (Environment Agency, 2007). In simpler terms, the up to date house developments should be equivalent to the total demand for water in a certain area. Notably, most studies undertaken on water neutrality have a background related to the definition of the notion. It is imperative to note that the Environment Agency performed a study on the possibility of attaining water neutrality in the Thames Gateway region (Community and Local Government, 2007). This served as a crucial part of the government policy for housing growth which targeted the betterment of the affordability of housing. In order to address this issue, the government’s 2007 Green Paper on Housing was tasked with devising a policy to establish over 3 million new homes by the year 2020. This was to be achieved by working with the rate of 240,000 homes annually. This paper delves to pinpoint that the auxiliary increment in housing would have to be planned for pre-existing Regional Spatial Strategies (RSSs) for recent and existing eco-towns as well as points of growth. The growing trend in housing projects and insubstantial water supplies combined with the threats of variations in climatic conditions, led to the further exploration of

Why We Root For Some Antagonist Portrayed in Film, Literature and Article

Why We Root For Some Antagonist Portrayed in Film, Literature and Television - Article Example Why we root for villains and antagonists is a manifestation of morbid curiosity. Most people want to know something they rarely knew about or just heard about in whispers such that the more you deny these villains and antagonists, the more people are attracted to them. It certainly defies logic why this is so but then again the human mind is really hard to fathom. The enduring attraction of Count Dracula attests to this unusual curiosity. Villains become the fodder of speculations and conjectures but more than that, there is the abiding yearning effort to know more just for the sake of knowing; it seems knowledge is its own reward. People go to great lengths to visit his old castle in Transylvania and spend plenty of dollars there. Psychologists and sociologists attribute this unhealthy and unwholesome fascination as sort of an unexpressed death wish. Yes, people can sometimes really have this unusual and inexplicable wish which they are not even aware of. This is why black films or film noire has made a comeback in Hollywood. This death wish is the exact opposite of the survival instinct but as to why people can have this trait, nobody knows exactly. Some posit the idea this is the form of sexual inversion, a pseudo-sexual attraction of an opposite (Ellis 288). There are many plausible reasons why we root for antagonists and villains despite how much we know about their bad or undesirable side. This can be due to their being authentic. Antagonists, whether in literature, film, television, and even in real life (such as Hitler) are the kinds of people who are true to themselves, no matter what the odds are against them. Society is against them and yet they still pursue their dreams, do what they want, or persist whatever it is that drives them even if public opinion is definitely against them. Perhaps there is a hidden sense of communal grief when people prefer the macabre over what is

The Necessity of Coed Classes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Necessity of Coed Classes - Essay Example That assumption is not backed by research or study but only on the notion that the opposite sex is a distraction to study. The perceived advantage is even overshadowed by its numerous drawbacks. By making a class exclusive for boys or girls, the students become socially inadequate to relate to the other gender because of their lack of exposure and training on how to deal with the opposite sex. Students will become less confident and they could even become insensitive because their social vocabulary and competence about the opposite sex are inadequate. Social competence is also important because students will have to deal with other people including the opposite sex when they are already in the workplace when they become professionals someday. Education is not only limited to academics. It also includes how to deal with people appropriately. A good education will become useless if the person cannot work or deal with other people. Dealing with other people is particularly important if a person will become professional someday. A businessperson has to deal with clients, suppliers, employees, a doctor to his or her patient, an employee to his or her teammates and so on and so forth. It only meant that it is inevitable that we will be dealing with other people someday and it would be better if the students are trained early by integrating boys and girls in a class. Making a class exclusive to boys or girls makes a student socially inadequate. The structure of gender exclusivity does not inspire confidence among students because of the lack of exposure towards the other gender making their emotional and social vocabulary limited. This will result in a lower self-esteem among students which could be disastrous when they become professionals.

Emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry to promote quality Research Paper

Emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry to promote quality - Research Paper Example Therefore, in ensuring that nurses embrace this change, a leader should understand the level of social focus in responding to nurses about changing situations. For health institution to be competitive, this change is inevitable especially in the contemporary society where majority are moving to digital platforms. According to Sadri (2012), being emotionally intelligent allows one to build mental health resilience which helps in successfully managing change. In this case, as a nurse, I will use emotional intelligence as an effective tool for communicating change. It is certainly that I will advocate for training of all nurses. Emotional intelligence as a communicating tool will allow me manage emotions of nurses, cope with stress and uncertainty, and influence my leadership style particularly in deciding who, when and how the training will be carried out. The change I am initiating lies on the premise of achieving high standards as a nurse. Therefore, to achieve positive perspective among nurses, I will use appreciative inquiry tool to win over their resistance. In this case, nurses will be in a position to recognize the need for change and open up their minds to the world of discovery. A better understanding as a result perhaps will subject nurses to challenge for new possibilities (Cooperrider & Godwin, 2010). The two skills will help me as nurse to win over the emotions of nurses and make them be part of change which will reduce resistance to change. In the end, nurses will have confidence with that change being advocated thus facilitating positive

GED 132 - US Govt-unit 1 question #3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

GED 132 - US Govt-unit 1 question #3 - Essay Example The greatest contribution of this era in changing the role of the government vis-Ã  -vis the people of America was the New Deal. This was introduced by the then president of the United States of America, Franklin Roosevelt. The New Deal led to a lot of new legislations that helped get the people back on their feet after the stock market crash of 1929 that had spiraled into the Great Depression. This included, during the first hundred days of the year 1933, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, a program that was supposed to enable unemployed people to receive a certain amount of money that would help them through the lean period that the Great Depression gave rise to. The period following this was one of great productivity as the government set people to work on many projects of infrastructure improvement that led to the creation of more jobs in a chain reaction that further boosted the process of recovery (Government by the People). The providing of jobs to people who were u nemployed also helped dispel the myth that poverty was an essential result of idleness and laziness. As a result of the New Deal, poverty came to be recognized as an effect of governmental policies and greater macroeconomic pressures. Another important contribution of the Great Depression was the creation of a social security net that would cover sections of the populations that had been marginalized and had been undergoing great hardships during the Great Depression. This covered the unemployed, the aging and the disabled. Through the years, this program has been expanded to include the survivors of the beneficiaries who were dependants but has essentially catered to the needs of the helpless (Government by the People). The era following the Great Depression helped create a framework whereby the people who occupied the margins of the society owing to their cultural and economic deprivations had opportunities to

Perceptual Deficits and the Inability To Receive Sensory Information Essay

Perceptual Deficits and the Inability To Receive Sensory Information - Essay Example Besides enabling inter-hemispheric interaction, the corpus callosum has also been demonstrated to be essential in the process of attention1. From the hemispheres, the lateral geniculate bodies relay sensory signals to the occipital lobes, which is the primary visual cortex. Here, an initial analysis of the image is done and the composed image of the retinal signal is sent to higher centers of processing for further interpretation (Glickstein p.118-127). Although, perception can also be achieved by olfaction, audition as well as visual, each of this sensory information follows different modalities. Visual perception can be object of space, face (with the involvement of internal factors), or top-down perceptional operations in identifying objects in varying perspectives (Cabeza, 1997). Each of these tends to activate different sub sections of the brain functions. For instance, Cabeza (1997), explained that object occipito-parietal pathways, while top-down perceptual processing (i.e. when objects are in varying and unusual views) involves frontal, parietal and anterior cingulated regions. Furthermore, object processing is said to be left lateralized, while face processing tend to be right lateralized or bilateral (Cabeza, 1997a). Cabeza (1997b), argue that perception and at times, identification also depend, to a large extent, on the retrieval of information relevant in the particular perception. Bruner (1970), believes that memory and perception cannot be separated. Along this line, Begley et al (1986) explained that the brain could store huge amount of information with different areas storing facts, such as names, images and events, necessary for perception and identification (p.48-54). In this regard, Cabeza (1997b) said the prefrontal lobe play a crucial role in retrieving stored information, while the right inferior parietal cortex is involved in recognition and recall. The cerebellum, traditionally believed to play just motor cortex functions has been demonstrated to be involved in cognition (intelligence, processing speed, cognitive learning skills, visual spatial processing, recall etc) and perceptual functions (1997b). Such is the complexity of the human brain functioning involved with processing sensory information, perception and identification. Some of the most compelling evidences for the functional neuroanatomical divisions of the brain functions involved with perception and processing sensory signals have been provided by patients with specific cognitive impairments following localized brain injury (Aguirre and Mark, 1999). Over the last century several dozens of patients have been reported to exhibit inability to carry out one cognitive function or the other. Such impairments have varied widely depending enormously on the part of the brain concerned and the function carried out by that part of the brain. This has engaged the minds of several researchers,

CAPM ana Capital Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CAPM ana Capital Budgeting - Essay Example The estimation of the cost of capital in turn is based upon the CAPM. However, not only does recent discourses in academic literature challenge the validity of the CAPM model, there is lack of consensus regarding the adequate measure of the market risk premium, a central input required for computing the cost of capital using the CAPM. However, in spite of these short comings, the CAPM has survived as the predominant quantitative model in its class for over 40 years since its inception. It is precisely this paradox the paper in concern addresses. In particular, Jagannathan and Meler (2002) offer an explanation to the following question: in spite of the various short comings of the CAPM model in computing the cost of capital, why do majority of managers report using the model to make critical decisions? The answer they offer is that in the real world, computing the exact cost of capital may not be crucial for optimal decisions. Hence, although the CAPM may not provide the exact value o f cost of capital, but it still remains useful for managers. Assuming rationed organizational and managerial capital which implies that not all projects with positive NPVs can be invested in, the paper shows that utilizing a hurdle rate greater than the cost of capital and the typical NPV computations, the value of waiting for an option can be accounted for. Therefore, the exact value of cost of capital no longer remains an imperative for optimal decisions. The idea that discounting values are set much higher than the cost of capital has significant support in financial literature. Stein (2001) for instance shows that aspects like agency costs arising out of asymmetric informational situations among share owners and managers leads to setting of discount rates that are much higher than the actual cost of capital. Empirical literature also lends further support to the claim by establishing the existence of a large number of hurdle rates that are set higher than the cost of capital (Po terba and Summers, 1995). Truong, Partington and Peat (2008) have also established that there are a number of hurdle rates used in the capital budgeting procedure in Australia. The critiques of using CAPM in capital budgeting fundamentally stem from two particular difficulties. First, the time horizon of the basic model is limited to a single period. But in reality, investment appraisals of firms typically involve decision making over multiple periods. Thus, this raises the question of applicability of the CAPM in investment appraisal in the real world. Secondly, computing discount rates specific to particular projects can prove difficult owing to for instance, difficulties arising in identification of appropriate proxy betas as proxy companies usually undertake multiple activities simultaneously. Disentangling the beta specific to a project may prove near impossible because these require certain information that may be extremely difficult to obtain. (Head, 2008) Additionally, it ha s been shown that although the NPV criterion can be utilized to make accept/reject decisions, these are valid and optimal only if the discount rate is not computed using the CAPM (Magni, 2009). In light of the discussion above what emerges essentially is that the CAPM generates estimates of cost of capital

The meaning of life Essay Example for Free

The meaning of life Essay Introduction: According to Saint Exupery in The Halo (2006), â€Å"Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something moulded. † The meaning of life has a no specific definition; it depends on how each individual give meaning to their lives. It is a natural thing for an individual to curiously know about their life since their birth till death. Moreover, human beings are also curious to find out why they were put in this earth that is why babies keep touching everything in order to experience all their surroundings from the very beginning (Taylor, 2000). In this essay, the concept of meaning will be significantly analysed. Firstly, by defining the meaning which will secondly be followed by discussing the different types of needs an individual must meet to experience the meaning of life. Thirdly, the types of things that enhance and curb the experience of the meaning of life will be highlighted. Lastly, various practical steps will be described to enhance the experience of the meaning of life. This essay will be intertwined with personal reflections and aspirations that have enhanced the meaning of life for the writer. What is the meaning of ‘meaning’? Subjectivism: According to Eagleton (2007), everyone adds their own meaning to life. The meaning of life is never universal or complex. The meaning of life is very simple and people experience it when they understand the universe, themselves, their identity and their goal in life (Bennet, 2005). Subjectivists state that the meaning differs with individuals’ psychological and mental states and their desires and goals. For example one individual can find meaning of life in music or art while other may find it in attaining goals or in religion (REF). In addition to this, (REF) states that life only becomes meaningful when all the needs and wants are fulfilled and when the individual is content and satisfied with themselves. Super naturalistic views: On the other hand, spiritual beings consider their lives to be consequential and significant when they can reach the pious pathway God has set (REF). The God-centred view points out that the definitive meaning of life is holistically attained. Moreover, an individual will only figure out the meaning of life when they are not attached to the worldly desires (REF). Personal reflection: Personally, the meaning of life for me is constantly being in search for my identity and accomplishing the goals I have set in life. I explore my identity through my art work as it helps me express my feelings and emotions about everything. My art work makes me realize who I am as a person and what people interpret me as a person through my paintings. What types of needs must be met for a person to experience meaning in life? Searching the meaning of life is a motivational force in an individual however; the degree of motivation to which they search the meaning of life differs in all individuals (REF). Despite individuals having different degrees of motivation, there are some needs and conditions that must be met for the individuals to experience the meaning of life. Individuals do not necessarily have to meet the same needs and conditions to experience the meaning of life. Some individuals are inspired by other individuals like great artists, inventors and thinkers, some individuals need sense of belonging, some need to experience certain events to make sense of life while others need to attain autonomy and self efficacy to experience the meaning of life. In short, individuals can discover the meaning of life through social work, experiencing something or someone or reactions towards unavoidable circumstances (REF). For example, an individual who is very emotional needs to experience the need of belonging in order to experience the meaning of life. They need to have many friends and a good relationship with their family in order to satisfy their need of belonging; this helps the individual to live a happy and full life. However, if they do not feel the sense of belonging, they have no hope hence do not have anything to look forward to and see no point of living. Conversely, not all individuals need to meet the need of belonging to experience the meaning of life. Some may have to experience the need of autonomy and self efficacy. These types of individuals usually have certain goals and tasks in life which they believe they can attain thus that would help them experience the meaning of life. For example, an individual whose goal is to become a doctor tries to attain that goal by being a hard worker and devoting all his time to attain their goal. They would experience the meaning of life when they achieve the title of the doctor as it would help them conquer a place in the community and gain some prestige. In addition to this, if an individual fails to attain this need might gain a very low self esteem which would then impact on the choices they makes in life. They would become very dependent on others and would not be able to cope with that leading them to suffer from various health issues. What types of things enhance the experience of meaning in life? The meaning of life can be enhanced by sustaining life, accepting a teaching, giving life or creating wisdom (REF). For example things that would enhance the meaning of life for mothers, doctors and nurses is when they deliver as links in a biological chain by giving life from one generation to the other. Young artists are inspired and enhance their meaning of life when they authorize and respect and accept their teacher’s work (REF). Personally, as an artist, the meaning of life for me is enhanced when I can appreciate the work of different artists and what they are trying to express in their paintings. Art work makes me understand the different feelings individuals go though and how they express it through drawings. It also makes me see different viewpoints of life and experiences people are going through. Despite all individuals having different needs to discover the meaning of life, there are certain things that all individuals require to enhance the meaning of life like: Hope Inspiration Goals High self esteem. What types of things curb the experience of meaning in life? Many individuals curb their experiences of the meaning in life due to: No inspiration or goals and failure: If an individual constantly fails and has no potential and inspiration of achieving his goals may feel ineffective and hopeless. They may start feeling that they have no purpose in life and life is completely meaningless for them. Loss of loved ones: loss of a loved one through death or divorce may affect an individual mentally and emotionally. They may feel the are not loved and do not belong anywhere as their loved one does not exist anymore. The loss brings suffering and misery which makes an individual believe that like if meaningless. Lastly, experiences like these pushes an individual to have a low self esteem and become reserved (REF). Personal Reflection: If individuals are not open, emotionless or afraid to be seen as themselves due to low self esteem cannot enhance their meaning of life and hence would curb this experience. As an artist, my goal is to become an art teacher and help other children to express their feelings through painting if they cannot through words. However, I have a clear goal and always have been inspired by my father to attain this goal. If I had a low self esteem and did not believe in myself, I would have no hope hence that would curb the search of meaning of life as I would feel I am worthless Practical steps to enhance the experience of a meaningful life As mentioned above, many individuals curb their experiences of the meaning in life due to low self esteem, no inspiration, no goals and being reserved. However, they can enhance their experience firstly by accepting and believing in themselves. This would help them make a contribution to life and share their best. According to (REF) self-destructive behaviour can be conquered by increasing self-efficacy and self-esteem. This can be done through counselling so that they can start believing in themselves. Individuals who need the sense of belonging to experience the meaning of life should try and fit in and socialize with people they are close to and have good relationships with them all. Furthermore, individuals who are trying to attain a specific goal should always reward themselves every time they are a step closer towards the goal. This would keep them motivated and not lose hope. Personally, I enhance my experience by acknowledging the great artists and how they are an inspiration to other young artists. Conclusion Finally as mentioned there is no specific meaning of life. All individuals need to meet different types of needs such as the need of belonging, experiencing life threatening incidents, need of autonomy and self efficacy to experience the meaning of life. An individual’s perception, values, needs and feelings centre him and help in organizing the world around him. Feelings help in expressing oneself. If an individual has a great skill in expressing himself, he can change the larger world. Great artists found expressions in their art work which helped them change the world that came after them. The creations around us are the different individuals trying to express themselves and their experiences of the meaning of life. All the inhibitors that we posses such as low self esteem and inner struggles should be resolved to make life more creative and enhance the meaning of life.

Employee Motivation Essay Example for Free

Employee Motivation Essay Abstract. Employee motivation is the psychological feature that arouses an employee to behave in a certain manner for accomplishing certain organizational goals. Individuals differ in motivation along three parameters viz. self-esteem, need for achievement, and intrinsic motivation. There has been a growing emphasis on employees needs rather than just organizational needs, and recognition of the strategic value of employees being developed to their best potential. Organizations have become increasingly aware that the effective development of their employees skills and knowledge has benefits for the whole organization. Performance appraisal can be a crucial factor in the setting of career goals and the perception of job satisfaction leading to increased motivation and productivity. The paper examines employee motivation at the workplace. What is Motivation? Motivation is based on emotions. It is the search for positive emotional experiences and the avoidance of negative emotional experiences. Motivation is involved in the performance of all learned responses. It is a behavior that will not occur unless it is triggered. In general, psychologists question whether motivation is a primary or secondary influence on behavior. For example, is the behavior stemmed from personality, emotion perception, and memory or if motivation stems from concepts that are unique. Each year, billions of dollars are spent on motivation courses by large companies. The course involves training in motivation, meetings to boost motivation, incentives to strengthen motivation, meetings to analyze problems in the workplace motivation, tools to measure motivation mission statements, etc. These training sessions also include how to cope with problems in recruitment, productivity and retention, problems of commitment to teams and corporate agendas. Motivation is extremely important to success and to reach personal and business goals that one has set. Ethics Employees must learn to work together towards common goals. Employees must have an understanding of the organization as a whole and how they fit into the organization. They will most likely need training to acquire the knowledge needed for organizational understanding. Once an understanding of the organization and their role in it has been established, the employee with act on the goals set forth. Management must show the employee the need for their being there and for their output and input. The top to bottom role should be fair and there must be a clear code of corporate ethics. There must be communication between all levels, top to bottom, bottom to top. No employee should be left out. Management should ensure that their employees feel secure and they can be trusted and are equals among their peers. Performance should be viewed as a learning experience, not a horrific experience. Appraisals The annual performance review is one of the most feared and fearful processes that leaves employees angry and depressed as opposed to motivated to perform better. Companies have started to look at the appraisal as a more developmental approach to performance evaluation, instead of making the employee feel more insecure about their job performance. By using this technique, it would emphasize on giving employees the skills they need to perform effectively. The goal of a plan such as this would be to achieve goals that have been set by the company and be appraised on how many of those goals they have reached. Goals should be clear and sufficient to motivate employees into action. Business performance will improve by using an effective appraisal system. By defining clear objectives, the employees will be able to focus on the specified task and company goals. Appraisals help the employees feel that their good work is recognized and that they are valued. It also provides an opportunity to discuss concerns and weaknesses that the employee may have and suggestions may be made to find a solution to the problem. Motivation Techniques In order to motivate employees, they must know what is expected of them. Employees must have a clear understanding of challenges and realistic goals that they must meet. Employees that are encouraged to healthy competition ensure that the criteria for successes are clear and do not encourage resentment or low morale. Tough approaches, like firing staff that are not working to their full potential, can motivate other employees to do work better and strive for those goals that have been set. There is no perfect way to motivate staff. Some psychologists hold that financial bonuses or perks will be enough to motivate employees to give their best effort. Competition between employees is also commonly used as a motivation strategy at times. However, the keys to effective employees are motivation strategies that provide a range of incentives that appeal to the different personalities of the employees. While one individual may be driven by money, another may find job satisfaction or creative opportunities more powerful factors. Some company employee motivation techniques suggest that most employees respond to the same incentives. Money is most commonly used to improve motivation, staff retention and ambition. Everyone is different and has their own view about what is important to their life. For this reason, there are steps that can be used to motivate employees by doing things that they value and mean doing the right thing. They are as follows: Find the right job for the right person Empower Employees Co-operation vs. Competition Involve employees in company development When staff feel secure and nurtured in their work environment they perform  better. These steps help employees feel secure in their environment: Praise and recognition of the employees successes as much as you constructively criticize them. Let employees be aware of their job security. Be a Leader to staff. Create a comfortable working environment. Treat employees fairly. Mangers are responsible for overseeing employees who are engaged in work or learning tasks. Managers must be aware that some employees participate more out of interest in the task than others are. Others gain their satisfaction principally out the way in which their performance on the task leads to rewards like pay or status. But typically there is a mixture of motives for which a range of different incentives is relevant. Most employees will find at least some satisfaction in simply doing the work. The balance of these intrinsic and extrinsic sources of satisfaction varies from one person to another and between different situations. Some people indeed are highly motivated by both intrinsic interest and extrinsic rewards. Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation Most employees understand intrinsic satisfaction or intrinsic motivation, when an activity is satisfying or pleasurable in and of itself. These activities are things employees like and want to do. For most people, intrinsically enjoyable activities are things like eating, resting, laughing, playing games, winning, creating, seeing and hearing beautiful things and people, and so on. To do these things people do not need to be paid, applauded, cheered, thanked, respected, or anything. They do them for the good feelings that are automatically and naturally received from the activity. Intrinsic rewards also involve pleasurable internal feelings or  thoughts, like feeling proud or having a sense of mastery following studying hard and succeeding in a class. Many, maybe most, activities are not intrinsically satisfying enough to get most of people to do them consistently, so extrinsic motivation needs to be applied in the form of rewards, incentives, or as a way to avoid some unpleasant condition. There are many activities that are intrinsically satisfying to some people but not to other people. This diversity suggests that past experiences can have a powerful influence on determining what is intrinsically satisfying to an individual. In many activities, intrinsically satisfying aspects combine with extrinsic pay offs. For example, employees and people in general, intrinsically enjoy conversing and, at the same time, they get attention, praise, support and useful information. In this case where intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are mixed, one might suppose that over a period of time the accompanying extrinsic reinforcements gradually increase our intrinsic enjoyment of the activity and perhaps vice versa. Extrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation comes from without, such as money, titles, honors, trophies or a date. Extrinsic motivation has been found to destroy intrinsic motivation. Presently there is a movement to eliminate extrinsic motivation from schools, hospitals, and government. Extrinsic Motivation can be based on the phrase, Do this, and get this. Methods of Extrinsic Motivation are sometimes controversial. Some argue that employees view their work as a form of punishment and the paycheck is their reward. Extrinsic rewards tend to focus attention more narrowly and to shorten time perspectives, which may result in more efficient production of predefined or standardized products. Job satisfaction and long term commitment to a task may also be affected. Management first thinks about rewarding employees with money as an effective reward. Unfortunately, money will not always motivate employees to perform better or stay with the company longer. Not everyone thinks money makes the  world go round. Intrinsic Motivation Intrinsic motivation is the satisfaction in which the rewards come from carrying out an activity rather from a result of the activity. Employees that are intrinsically motivated tend to be more aware of a wide range of phenomena, while giving careful attention to complexities, inconsistencies, novel events and unexpected possibilities. They need time and freedom to make choices, to gather and process information, and have an appreciation of well finished and integrated products, all of which may lead to a greater depth of learning and more creative output. Intrinsic Motivation is the outcome of a work situation that employees enjoy. It comes from inside of the employee. Employees feel that they are in charge and that they have the opportunity to acquire new skills and abilities to match a different challenge. Employees also feel that they are a part of a successful team. When rewards, such as praise, are based on performance standards that imply one is doing well and performing competently, then the intrinsic interest increases. People like to be told they are doing well. Intrinsic Motivation is an emotional preference that gives pleasure and enjoyment. It stems from a strong emotional interest in an activity. It can be classified as a sense of freedom. Theories. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. Abraham Maslow is considered as the father of Humanistic Psychology. Humanistic Psychology incorporates both Behavioral and Psychoanalytical Psychology. Maslow, although he studied both types of Psychology, he rejected the idea that human behavior is controlled by only internal and external factor. Maslow, instead, based his Motivation Theory on the basis that mans behavior is controlled by both internal and external factors. (pp. ) He also emphasized that humans have the ability to make choices and  exercise free will. Maslow collected data for his theories by studying individuals with an outstanding presence. His studies led him to believe that certain people have needs which are unchanging and genetic. Some needs are more basic than others are and others are more powerful than others are. As these needs are satisfied, new needs are created and other needs emerge. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs is as follows: Basic Needs: Physiological; The need for sleep and rest, food, drink, shelter, sex, and oxygen. Safety; The need to be safe from harm. The need for a predictable world with consistency. The need for fairness, routine, and a sense of stability and security. Growth Needs Love and Belonging: The need for love and affectionate relationships, belonging to a group, and caring. Esteem (two components): Self-respect: The desire for confidence, competence, adequacy, achievement, and mastery. Respect of others: The desire for acceptance, recognition, reputation, appreciation, status, and prestige. Understanding and Knowledge: The needs to satisfy curiosity, explore, discover, find solutions, look for relationships and meaning, and seek intellectual challenges. Aesthetics: The need for beauty in surroundings. Self-actualization: The need for growth, development and utilization of potential, becoming all that one can be; self-fulfillment. McGregors X and Y Theories Two theories of human behavior at work were developed by Douglas McGregor. Theory X and Theory Y. McGregor did not indicate that workers would be type X or type Y. He saw the two types as extremes, with various possible behaviors in between. Theory X workers would be described an individuals who dislike work and avoid work when possible. They also lack ambition and do not like responsibility and prefer to be followers instead of leaders. These individuals also have a desire for feeling secure. Theory Y workers are individuals that could be characterized as individuals who did not dislike work and are considered responsible. These workers consider work as play or a rest time. For Theory Y workers, management would need to challenge the individual and create a working environment where they can show and develop their creativity. With Theory X, receiving rewards motivates the individuals. Kellers ARCS Theory of Motivation John M. Keller designed four conditions for an employee to be motivated. Attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) are these conditions that when an employee uses them, they will become more motivated to do their tasks and reach goals set by themselves or others. Keller suggests that ARCS must happen in sequence. By following the ARCS order, it will keep the employee interested in the topic. If it were to lose its sequential order, then interest will be lost and motivation would not take  place. This motivation theory argues that events that fulfill personal needs or goals will enhance performance and effort put forth by the employee. Each of Kellers conditions build upon the next condition. The management should keep these conditions in mind when designing goals and assigning tasks. The Conditions set by Keller are as follows: Attention: The first and single most important aspect of the ARCS model. It is gaining and keeping the employees attention. Kellers strategies for attention include sensory stimuli, question provocation, and variability. Relevance: Attention and motivation will not be maintained unless the employee believes the training is relevant. The training program should answer the critical question, Whats in it for me? Benefits should be clearly stated. For a sales training program, the benefit might be to help representatives increase their sales and personal commissions. For a safety-training program, the benefit might be to reduce the number of workers getting hurt. For a software-training program, the benefit to users could be to make them more productive or reduce their frustration with an application. Confidence: The confidence aspect is required so that the employee feels that they should put a good faith effort into the organization. If they think they are incapable of achieving the objectives or that it will take too much time or effort, their motivation will decrease. In technology-based training programs, employees should be given estimates of the time required to complete the task or a measure of their progress through the program. Satisfaction: The last is Satisfaction. The employee must obtain some type of satisfaction or reward for achieving the goal or finishing a task. This can be in the form of praise from a supervisor, a raise, or a promotion. If managers are to use this Theory of Motivation, they must address adequate  examples and/or choices for their employees to be available to complete the task or reach a goal. Some employees may be active learners and enjoy experimentation. Some employees may be reflective learners and are more in tune with observing and lectures. These styles must be taken into consideration in order for the employee to feel motivated and be able to help the organization. There are currently thousands of articles on employee motivation research that has evolved from the early work of Maslow, Keller and McGregor. The application of these theories into new communication situations, like the Internet, will be an important contribution for generations to come. Benefits of Motivation Employees It is important that employees are motivated to work hard and increase productivity. Yet some workers are not reaching their full potential. Managers need to be proactive and start or improve existing motivation programs. Employees are aware of what their employers are or arent doing to recognize their efforts. The time it takes to set up a program is minimal, program administration is easy and efficient with automated program tracking and reporting. The end result is a program tailored specifically to the needs of the company. To develop a successful motivation program that benefits a company the following suggestions may be helpful: Specific goals that provide a strong sense of motivation and are expected to be obtained. Equity for all participants. Employees perceiving inequity may lower productivity. High perceived value so the participant becomes emotionally involved in obtaining the goal. Employee involvement during the development of the program and timely feedback to employees continuing throughout the program. Employee motivation is the responsibility of the company and its managers. The company must create a workplace that is full of culture and high achievers in order for the business to improve. Recognition, appreciation and rewards are crucial to employee motivation. A pat on the back or a mention of thanks can literally move mountains. Productivity rises for employees that are rewarded for the work they do. A companys reputation and productivity increases with employees that feel appreciated. Recognition keeps communication open. It is important to keep communication alive with staff. By opening the lines of communication and staying in touch with the employees it will keep you in touch with their needs and desires. Create an atmosphere of cooperation, and give credit where credit is due. In return, the company will have employees that will go the extra hundred miles, and the returns will be tenfold. When an employee is passionate about their involvement and contributions, there will be no limit to the success that can be achieved. Bibliography Pandy, Wayne. (2001) Safety Incentives Recognition. Creating an Achievement Based Safety Culture. Retrieved September 18, 2004 from http://siri.uvm.edu/ppt/csseincentive/sld030.htm Captain Webb, Bob. (2001) Developing productive skills through self-discovery. Retrieved September 18, 2004 from http://www.motivation-tools.com/ Accel Team. (2004) Motivation. Retrieved from http://www.accel- team.com/motivation/index.html Accel Team. (2004) Theorists and their Theories. Retrieved from http://www.accel- team.com/motivation/theory_01.html Carnegie, Dale. (1981). How to Win Friends Influence People; Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment (pp. 205-243). New York, NY: Pocket Books. Faculty of Information Studies. (1995) Motivation Theories. University of Toronto Retrieved from http://choo.fis.utoronto.ca/FIS/Courses/LIS1230/LIS1230sharma/motive1.htm

Pre Existing Strategies For Youth Offending

Pre Existing Strategies For Youth Offending For over a decade Labours three successive administrations from 1997 to 2010 has left the youth justice system in a state of near permanent reform. With almost two decades prior to 1997 in opposition Labour had the opportunity to implement ready-made polices on criminal justice which started with the youth justice system by adopting a root and branch reform agenda.  [2]  This paper will critically review the policies pursued by Governments over the past fourteen years to address the social causes of crime amongst young people. The primary question this paper will ask is whether these policies have made a difference to either crime figures or recidivism amongst juveniles. The paper will initially begin by discussing the pre-existing strategies on youth crime employed before the last fourteen years which is crucial to critically reviewing the laws development over the past fourteen years. The second part of this paper will focus on the strategies employed to deal with the social ca uses of youth crime. The final section of the paper will draw the paper together by discussing the impact of the strategies employed by the various Governments to deal and manage youth justice offending by examining their impact upon youth offending. Pre-Existing Strategies for Youth Offending: Much of the twentieth-century juvenile justice system was characterised by a double taxonomy which can be best described as punishment and welfare.  [3]  The last fifty years have seen a bewildering complexity of shifts in the approach of the police, courts and various governmental agencies established to respond to youth offending and the social causes of crime.  [4]  It has been a dissected mix of governmental policies that alternate between punitive punishment and a welfare or care approach. The literature presents the 1960s as a high point in the development of welfarism in the youth justice system with a shift away from penal punishment to family councils and family courts to deal with juvenile offending and the surrounding social causes of youth crime.  [5]   The coming to power of the Conservative government in the 1970s brought a shift back to punitive punishment for youth offenders with an increasing use of juvenile courts with custodial sentences rising from 3000 in 1970 to over 7000 in 1978.  [6]  Alongside this shift towards a strong sharp punishment of youth offending in England and Wales, Scotland sought to introduce an alternative approach with the introduction of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. An underlying feature of this approach to youth offending were welfare tribunals which used lay people such as social workers, teachers and family representatives in coming together to manage youth offending in a collaborative way to tackle both the wider social causes of youth offending and the individual offence under consideration. Pratt argues that there were four major sets of criticisms of the welfare model of youth justice: firstly the treatment-orientated interventions were perceived to be ineffective.  [7]  Secondly, evidence suggested that care could become more coercive than punishment. Thirdly, professional expertise of the members of the tribunals was less important than it was perceived to be, in that members were serving with little experience of juvenile offending. Fourthly, the care model of justice was alleged to be ineffective at dealing with youth delinquency. The election of the Conservative government during the 1980s with a law and order agenda produced a mixed approach to youth offending yet again.  [8]  The 1980s brought an introduction of a multi-agency approach to youth offending and the social causes of crime, with an increased use of formal and informal cautioning of youth offenders which distinguished first offenders from repeat offenders. A distinctive feature of this approac h to youth offending was the introduction of the concept of corporatism into the youth justice system which allowed a system to produce efficient, effective justice that worked.  [9]  The focus was on delivering a youth justice framework that worked efficiently delivering value for money for the government using cheaper alternatives than the court system. The youth justice model of the 1980s enjoined the 1990s with a marriage of punitive sentencing of repeat offenders with an incoherent cautioning system for first time youth offenders which the police patrolled without any consistency.  [10]   New Labour, New Youth Justice Police? It is arguable that, amongst other issues, Labour won its first general election under the banner of its tough talk on criminal justice issues.  [11]  By taking a mixed approach between retributive justice and restorative justice Labour sought to increase the States control, regulation and mangerialism of criminal behaviour and the social causes surrounding crime.  [12]   Labour sought to formulate its youth justice policies around a development of pre-existing philosophies of restorative justice values and practice including responsibility, restoration and reintegration, which would draw upon the experience of the existing framework.  [13]  Labour presented a Third way to deal with law and order which centred upon tackling the youth crime which were premised upon making young people take responsibility for crime through the concepts of responsibility, restoration and reintegration.  [14]  The centre piece of reform manifested itself in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 which have sought to bring restorative elements and values on a formal platform within youth justice.  [15]  In essence the statutory framework represented a clear attempt at modernising youth justice based on empirical evidence.  [16]   The reform advanced by Labour to deal with the social causes of youth offending effectively represented a new youth justice system composed of a Youth Justice Board (YJB) at national level and a multi-agency Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) at local level to administer the youth justice framework.  [17]  This multi-level and multi-agency approach to youth justice redefined the architecture of the youth justice apparatus by reconfiguring the lines of power, management and responsibility.  [18]  In addition to redefining the youth justice apparatus within the criminal justice system, Labour adopted a twin track approach with a perpetual stream of legislative reform focused on reformulating the punishment framework within criminal justice. The main stay of the reforms was provided in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which established the Youth Justice Board, Youth Offending Teams and for a restructuring of the non-custodial penalties available to the Youth Court, other reforms included: anti-social behaviour orders (ASBO) and action plans, to reparation orders and parenting orders.  [19]  For offenders under 18, the system of police cautioning was replaced with a new system of reprimand and warnings, to allow young offenders to have the opportunity of at least one reprimand and one final warning prior to prosecution.  [20]   Newburn argues that the new reforms implemented sought to allow restorative values where possible within youth justice through the development of restorative cautioning, action plans and reparation orders.  [21]  The action plan represented an attempt to allow youth offenders to begin a short intensive programme of community intervention combining punishment, rehabilitation and reparation to change the offending behaviour and prevent further crime.  [22]  Although Labour sought to redraw the criminal justice agenda many of the reforms introduced echoed and resembled the multi-agency approach of the 1980s.  [23]  The crucial difference between this fresh attempt at reform was that part of the multi-agency approach this time was not to divert but rather to intervene and become involved in the process.  [24]  A central driving force in Labours restorative reforms was the influence of communitarian thinking, particularly with the introduction of reparation orders and rest orative cautioning.  [25]  The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 placed local authorities with the responsibility of formulating and implementing annual youth justice plans which dealt with the social causes of crime amongst other priorities. Gelsthorpe and Morris argue that the reforms introduced will allow restorative processes to occupy a marginal place within criminal justice until contradictory values and practices of blaming and punishing are given significantly less emphasis and restorative values and practices are given significantly more emphasis.  [26]  A potential flaw of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 presented in the literature is that significant elements inherent in the reforms are premised on the basis of proportionality which is characteristic of punitive punishment. Wasik identifies that the reparation order is subjected to the normal requirements of proportionality which is linked to the retributive justice value of responsibility of the offender for the crime.  [27]  The central concern among advocates of restorative justice is that this model will not operate with the full potential of restorative justice values and principles which could over time gradually become more punitive than restorat ive in nature. Much of the debate throughout the literature focuses on the various elements of the reforms which can be considered to have restorative ideals.  [28]  The most significant reform was the introduction of Referral Orders as part of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. Dignan and Marsh argue that Referral Orders are potentially one of the most radical aspects of the entire youth justice reform agenda where the court can divert the young offender away from the courts system to deal with the offending behaviour through restorative approaches.  [29]  Crawford and Newburn argue that the reforms implemented by Labour were heavily influenced by the what works paradigm and the language of risk factors.  [30]   Conclusion: Goldson argues that Labour introduced an unprecedented corpus of youth justice legislation both in terms of reach and volume.  [31]  Fergusson argues that the approach to youth offending became a melting pot of contradictions, ideals and ideologies where a hybrid model emerges which encompasses a dissected mix of restorative and retributive values.  [32]  Fergusson correctly identifies that the way governments present policy rhetorically, how they codify it legally, and how those policies are played out in practice are critically different facets of the policy process in the management of crime.  [33]   Successive governments have responded to the social causes of youth crime in various ways throughout the last five decades, in particular the latest strategy employed a double edged sword which leans heavily on punitive punishment for adult offenders with a more welfarist approach in dealing with youth offenders.  [34]  Restorative justice undoubtedly represents one of the most significant developments in criminal justice and criminological practice and thinking over the past two decades.  [35]  It is arguably the social movement for criminal justice reform of the 1990s and into the new millennium.  [36]   Empirical evidence emanating from America, Australia and New Zealand indicate that where the use of restorative justice is prevalent for young offenders, there has been success at reducing youth offending rates and a reduction in repeat offending resulting in greater effectiveness at dealing with youth crime and the social causes of crime.  [37]   The net effect of these new policies aimed at the reduction of youth crime and tackling the social causes of crime represent a more integrated approach by the state to manage youth offending rates. The policies acknowledge the failures of the previous strategies of strict punitive punishment as a deterrent for further offences. The approach of incorporating restorative values, although arguable only at the fringes of the youth justice system, represents a more inclusive justice system which takes into account mechanisms to address the social causes of youth offending.