Skin

Identity and Belonging Karen Ford May 14, 2012 Skin – directed by Anthony Fabian Skin has so much power on so many levels. It is both empowering and disabling. Protagonist Sandra Laing proves to be a survivor, but at what cost? She is alienated from her family, her home and her identity because of South Africa’s ‘‘Population Regeneration Act’’. For a long time xenophobia, fear and racism have been enmeshed and hidden within government policy. The issues explored in Skin are no different to those sometimes raised in connection with British settlement of Australia, the stolen generation and Australia’s asylum seeker policies.More specifically, a court case last year in which commentator Andrew Bolt was accused of racial vilification touched on attitudes reflected in Skin. Mr Bolt’s comments regarding ‘‘fair-skinned Aboriginal people’’ were found to be in breach of the Racial Discrimination Act. A theme in b oth the Bolt case and Skin is the way skin colour is used as a weapon against individuals and their rights as human beings. One of the ‘‘disabling’’ elements of Skin is that so much of the South African landscape looks so much like the Australian outback.It is ironic that the beauty of the landscape is countered by the ugliness of racism where the rights of individuals to belong are less valued than the fear of those powerful few. Is the landscape the only aspect we have in common? Sandra’s question — What did I do wrong? — could also be the question posed by any person rejected and isolated on the basis of ‘‘difference’’. Sandra is neither white nor black, and as a result is denied a happy life. Though the film traces her life over 30 years, with legislative change along the way, a more entrenched culture of discrimination remains.Though the end of the film brings happiness to Sandra, with her tuck shop, doesn ’t the fact that her two brothers refuse to have contact with her suggest a lamentation for true equality and the existence of persecution? In some ways, Skin is more about Sandra’s father than it is about her. He is a very complex character who insists justice be pursued. But what kind of justice is it that is based on denial? Abraham’s insistence on having Sandra reclassified ‘‘white’’ is not so much for her benefit. He admits he is doing it ‘‘for all of us’’.To have the young Sandra attend a white school and be subjected to furious media inquiries and to drag her to face a courtroom does not suggest an understanding of her needs as much as his pursuit of legal justice. Abraham needs her to be ‘‘white’’ to assuage his own ‘‘black genes’’ and racist philosophy. Working with the Text Skin is all about identity. Sandra is ‘‘born’’ one thing but ‘‘taught’’ she is another. Throughout the film she is ‘‘punished’’ for committing a crime — that of being neither black nor white.Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that her own family rejects her because she does not conform to the ‘‘Afrikaans’’ ways inherent in the National Party to which her family belongs. The nature-nurture divide is reinforced throughout the film and the idea that ‘‘without connection to others there is no me’’ (2011 VCAA English Exam) can be linked to the film in many ways. It is skin that causes tension with her father; it is skin that causes her to be humiliated in school and to gravitate towards the black workers on her farm.It is skin that forms an attachment to Petrus, the black employee and first male to show her any sense of happiness and comfort; it is skin that ultimately causes her to be abused by her husband and which made her a ref erence point for the multiracial elections of 1994 and the victory by Mandela’s African National Congress. Living among the black community, Sandra is confronted with racism from within — a racism created by racism. After the Government Issue destruction of the homes, Sandra and Petrus are exiled into the bush along with the many others exiled on the basis of their skin.One can understand Petrus’ frustration and malaise as he rejects Sandra because she is white. There is truth in his alcohol-infused dirge: ‘‘They treat us like animals †¦ and we’re supposed to believe we’re human †¦ ’’ The audience must wonder how anyone is this predicament would feel a sense of belonging. Indeed, several instances in the film reinforce Sandra’s literal and metaphorical nomadism. She is shown coming to and leaving an environment; she is shown walking over the country and back again to find a place where she can belong.Sandr a is constantly moving or being moved to find a ‘‘home’’. Even at the end of the film, when Sandra is shown happily working inside her rainbow-coloured tuck shop, it is a makeshift add-on to her brick unit. So where does that leave the text and the prompt? What does Sandra have connection with? How does the film reflect the idea of connection and identity? Sandra wants only to connect. It is those around her who prevent her connection — hence preventing her happiness and sense of belonging.Prejudice and bigotry — even from her own family — are endemic in those who believe there is something wrong in being different, something to scorn and deride. Throughout the film, though, there is one place where Sandra finds a connection, and that is with other women. Sandra is supported and empowered by the women in the film, including the black workers on the family property. The bond of motherhood connects them and, regardless of location, women find support in other women. The women pass on her letters.It is her mother who struggles to maintain a relationship with her; it is Petrus’ mother who supports and cuddles her during their exile and it is her mother she seeks out following her abuse. It is the women who reflect the importance of belonging through kindness, compassion and nurturing. The power of women to override the political and cultural divide, and embrace connection, is the empowering force in Skin. In the end, the film confirms that connection does not have to mean a physical or even emotional connection. It can be a spiritual one, and this is what Skin celebrates.Sandra’s struggle is less about skin colour than it is about knowing that where we find happiness is where we belong. And for Sandra, that is a simple life helping, caring and supporting those less fortunate from her Rainbow Tuck Shop. Identity and Belonging – Sample prompts * Conflicts can strengthen our understanding of where we belong. * Belonging enriches and challenges identity. * Choosing not to belong may be detrimental but rewarding. ‘Identity and Belonging’ quotations list An identity would seem to be arrived at by the way in which the person faces nd uses his experience. (James Baldwin – Actor)) From the beginning each human embryo has its own genetic identity. (Robert Casey) The value of identity is that so often with it comes purpose. (Richard Grant – US writer) We all need a past – that’s where our sense of identity comes from. (Penelope Lively – English writer) I think history is inextricably linked to identity. If you don’t know your history, if you don’t know your family, who are you? (Mary Pipher) We are shaped by our thoughts, we become what we think. (Buddha)You can’t change the past but you can change the way you view it. (Anon) To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greates t achievement. Ralph Waldo Emerson What a man can be he must be. Abraham Maslow Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. Kenyan Proverb Yes, your home is your castle, but it is also your identity and your possibility to open to others. David Soul – US writer We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we all belong to the human race. Kofi Annan – ex President of the United NationsBeing human signifies, for each one of us, belonging to a class, a society, a country, a continent and a civilization. Claude Levi-Strauss Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is. Baghavid Gita The value of identity is that it so often with it comes purpose. Richard R. Grant Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. George Eliot Topic ‘Sometimes we learn more about ourselves from our enemies than from our friends. ’ ‘When you know who you are, you know where you belong. ’ ‘Without connection to other s there is no me. ’ ‘Having a sense of being different makes it difficult to belong. ’

Composition Of The Board And Firm Performance Accounting Essay

Examination of anterior research has provided of import penetrations into the relationship between leading construction and public presentation. As suggested by the bureau theory, the conceptual model considers the importance of dividing the functions of president and CEO in impacting FP. To prove the above statement in relation to the Mauritian context, the undermentioned hypotheses are suggested:H0a: Separate leading construction is non associated with Firm Performance.H1a: Separate leading construction is positively associated with Firm Performance.3.4.2 Composition of the board and Firm PerformanceAnother of import mechanism of CG is the composing of the board, which refers to executive and non-executive managers. Both bureau theory and stewardship theory apply to board composing. Boardss dominated by NEDs are mostly grounded in bureau theory. Harmonizing to the bureau theory point of position, outside managers ( non-executive ) on boards aid in supervising the struggles of involvements between stockholders and directors due to their independency from steadfast direction ( Jensen and Meckling 1976 ; Fama & A ; Jensen 1983 and Shleifer & A ; Vishny 1997 ) . In contrast, a bulk indoors ( executive ) manager representation on the board is grounded in stewardship theory, which argues that directors are good stewards of the organisation and work to achieve higher net incomes and stockholder returns ( Donaldson & A ; Davis 1994 ) . Baysinger and Butler ( 1985 ) observed that companies with more outside managers performed better. Rosentein and Wyatt ( 1990 ) found that the assignment of an outside manager was associated with important positive surplus returns. Lee, Rosenstein, Rangan, and Davidson ( 1992 ) found that boards with bulk outside managers performed better than those which were dominated by inside managers. While analysing the nexus between board composing and FP, Jackling and Johl ( 2009 ) found grounds of a positive and important relationship between outside managers and Tobin ‘s Q ( TQ ) . On the other manus, Dalton, Daily, Ellstrand and Johnson ( 1998 ) did non happen important nexus between board composing and house ‘s public presentation. Reddy, Locke & A ; Scrimgeour ( 2010 ) found no important consequence of outside managers and FP. Hermalin & A ; Weibach ( 1991 ) and Bhagat & A ; Black ( 2002 ) found no important relationship between board composing and public presentation. Yermack ( 1996 ) besides showed that the per centum of outside managers does non significantly affect FP. Agarwal & A ; Knoeber ( 1996 ) suggest that boards expanded for political grounds frequently result in excessively many foreigners on the board, which does non assist public presentation. Even though, empirical grounds on the function of outside managers on FP is assorted, the bureau theory position has been adopted to measure the impact of board composing on FP. It is theorised that greater proportion of outside managers will supervise the actions of directors, bring in a broad breath of cognition, expertness and contacts which finally would hold a positive impact on the FP. The relationship between board composing and FP has been reported in anterior research. Harmonizing to the statements put frontward by bureau theory, non-executive managers are an of import constituent of the board construction that affects FP. The conceptual model considers the importance of non-executive managers in increasing FP. To prove the above arguments the undermentioned hypotheses are suggested:3.4.3 Board commissions and Firm PerformanceThe being of board commissions is considered by investors in their investing determinations. The puting up of sub-committees was emphasised by the Cadbury Committee ( 1992 ) for specific countries of administration that have been identified as a job. The countries which were considered of import were the quality of fiscal coverage, manager wage and assignment of managers ( Spira & A ; Bender 2004 ) . Therefore, the Cadbury Committee ( 1992 ) recommended set uping inadvertence commissions for wage of executive managers, the auditing of fiscal statements and assignment of managers, which was supported by bureau theory. Cadbury ( 1992 ) stated that these commissions should be staffed by non-executive managers, because of their independent position on of import determinations. Therefore, board commissions dwelling of audit, wage and nomination commissions must be composed of outside managers as outside managers are believed to guarantee determinations made by the executive managers are in the best involvement of the stockholders ( Weir & A ; Laing, David 2001 ) . The importance of board commissions has heightened as a consequence of corporate prostrations around the universe. Board commissions are appointed to work as independent proctors. The constitution of board commissions is expected to hold a positive influence on the motive of the managers and supply assurance in the fiscal studies of the house. Laing and Weir ( 1999 ) besides reported that the companies which introduced board commissions to the board construction performed better than those without them and therefore showed a important betterment in FP by houses which have introduced audit and wage commissions. In contrast, there is besides grounds to back up the position that board sub-committees had no consequence on FP ( Theoroudou 1998 ; Weir, Laing & A ; McKnight 2002 ) . As suggested in bureau theory, the monitoring map of board sub-committees is an of import mechanism of CG. To prove this, the undermentioned hypotheses are suggested:3.4.4 Corporate Coverage and Firm PerformanceCorporate Reporting ( CR ) is an of import mechanism of CG that represents board answerability. The board of managers is answerable to the stockholders and other stakeholders. The intent of corporate coverage is to unwrap information that is utile to stakeholders who have an active involvement in the house ( Zairi & A ; Letza 1994 ) . CR includes fiscal coverage ( agencies by which direction communicate FP and CG to outside investors ) and information beyond what ordinances require houses to supply to their stockholders and other stakeholders. It comprises of compulsory coverage required by ordinances like Companies Act, accounting criterions and The Stock Exchange listing demands every bit good as voluntary revelations.3.4.4.1 CSR CoverageCSR Reporting involves voluntary revelation of corporate actions refering societal and environmental issues ( Nielsen & A ; Thomsen 2007 ) . CSR is defined as â€Å" accomplishing commercial success in ways that honour ethical values and regard for people, communities and the natural environment † . ( Liyanage 2007 ) CG is about its relationship with stakeholders, so the administration activities must be directed in such a manner that it meets the demands of assorted stakeholders ( stockholders, employees, creditors, providers, clients, authorities and the community ) . Therefore, an effectual administration mechanism must guarantee the involvements of all stakeholders are met. Several research workers argue that a concern has an duty beyond net income maximization and should do a positive part to society ( Carroll 1999 ; Fisher 2004 ) . They believe corporations have a assortment of societal duties which range from run intoing the regulative and legal duties to benevolent activities like for case, assisting the destitute communities. Harmonizing to Buhr and Graftstrom ( 2007 ) , there are a big figure of companies which talk about their CSR activities as a critical success factor and refer to CSR as a concern policy that creates new market chances, competitory advantage and client satisfaction. It besides builds good will, improves their repute, strengthens their trade name names and helps companies to pull and actuate employees. On the other manus, Welch and Wazzan ( 1999 ) found no relationship between CSR and FP. Aupperle, Carroll & A ; Hatfield ( 1985 ) did non observe any important relation between CSR and FP. Mulyadi & A ; Anwar ( 2011 ) and Apria ( 2011 ) besides concluded there is no important impact of CSR on public presentation. Prior research has reported a relationship between CSR coverage and FP. Harmonizing to the stakeholder theory, CSR describing patterns of houses affects the value of house. Based on the statements it is suggested to prove the undermentioned hypotheses:3.5 Proxies for fiscal public presentationThe bulk of anterior surveies have examined the association between CG and FP utilizing TQ as a placeholder for FP ( Hermalin and Weibach 1991 ; Yermack 1996 ; Hovey et al. 2009 ) . Some surveies used both accounting and market step to quantify public presentation. In their survey, Biener et Al. ( 2004 ) and Bhagat and Bolton ( 2008 ) and Jackling and Johl ( 2009 ) used ROA and TQ as public presentation steps. Bauer et Al. ( 2004 ) used Net Net income Margin, Returns on Equity and TQ as public presentation indexs.4.0 Research MethodologyThis chapter is devoted to the methodological analysis adopted to run into the aims of the survey. The debut of CG patterns in Mauritius aimed to supply a mechanism to better investor assurance and trust in direction and advance economic development of the state.4.1 Research aimsThis research will find relationships between the CG patterns of board constructions ( dwelling of leading, composing, board commissions ) and corporate coverage of CSR Reporting and FP of listed companies in Mauritius.4.2 Datas beginningsData for research can be derived from two chief beginnings. Original informations, which is referred to as primary informations, is collected at the beginning. For illustration, study informations, questionnaires, observations and experimental informations. Data which already exists is referred to as secondary informations, such as one-year studies, books, published statistics and internal records kept by companies ( Veal 2005 ) . Evidence required to prove the hypotheses in this survey is based on one-year studies which include a administration study and published statis tics. Therefore informations derived for this survey is from secondary beginnings.4.3 Gathering of informationsThe information and information required for the survey were collected from the Mauritian Stock Exchange web sites, one-year studies, the Mauritian Stock Exchange publication The Handbook of listed companies and the SEM Factbooks. The information required included board leading, composing of the board, board commissions and CSR Reporting patterns of houses. Performance informations used in the survey were Return on Equity ( ROE ) , Return on Assets ( ROA ) and TQ. The information on size, which includes entire assets, were extracted from the Mauritian Stock Exchange publication The Handbook of listed companies and market capitalization was partially calculated utilizing the expression and partially was obtained from the SEM Factbooks.4.4 Data processing and analysisThe natural information will be processed. This procedure will be done with aid of appropriate statistical tools. The Statistical Package for Social Science ( SPSS 20 ) and Microsoft Office Excel 2007 have been used. The analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson ‘s correlativity and Regression Analysis.4.5 Defining variables for the surveySince the purpose of this survey is to measure the relationship between good CG patterns and FP. Hence I need to see an incorporate model of variables which comprises good administration patterns and FP. The ground for taking t hese variables is that they are in line with what has been considered to count in CG and besides most of them could be obtained by looking merely through one-year studies of listed houses. For the intent of this survey I shall specify the CG variables as follows: CEO-chair dichotomy Composition of boards Board commissions Corporate Coverage4.6 Design of the Variables: Measurement of VariablesVariablesMeasuresCorporate AdministrationSeparate leading Board composing Board commissions Corporate Coverage 0 for combined leading & A ; 1 for separate leading. Non-executive managers to figure of managers. A mark calculated based upon its composing and its term of mention. Word Count.Firm PerformanceTobin ‘s Q Roe ROA Market capitalization +Total assets-Shareholders financess Entire Assetss Net income after revenue enhancement Stockholders ‘ Fundss Net income after revenue enhancement Book value of Total assetsOtherMarket capitalization Board Size Entire Assetss Monetary value per portion multiplied by entire figure of outstanding portions Entire figure of managers Book value of entire assets4.6.1 Leadership StructureThe survey will stand for dummy variables for board LS as literature on CG widely used the same method to operationalise the board LS ( Abdullah 2004, Haniffa & A ; Hudaib 2006 ; Lee & A ; Lam 2008 ) . If one individual occupies the function of president and the CEO, it will be coded ‘0 ‘ because it will be classified as combined leading. If the functions are occupied by two separate person, it will be classified as separate leading and will b coded ‘1 ‘ .4.6.2 Board CompositionA largely used attack to operationalise the BCOMP is the proportion of non-executive managers to entire managers ( Abdullah 2004 ; Laing & A ; Weir 1994 ) . For this survey BCOMP is defined as the figure of NEDs divided by the entire figure of managers on the board.4.6.3 Board CommitteesThe Code provinces that all companies should hold, at a lower limit, an ACOM and a CGCOM, Section 3.5. Past surveies presented the presence and absenc e of commissions by silent person variables ( Laing & A ; Weir 1999 ) . But for this survey, it will be based on its composing and its term of mention with regard to The Code.4.6.4 Corporate CoverageCR includes fiscal coverage and information beyond that required by statute law. Reporting on CSR activities of the organisation are information that is voluntarily disclosed. In content analysis qualitative information is converted to quantitative steps by numbering. Word count ( Deegan & A ; Gordon 1996 ) is a robust step in which numeration mistakes are less likely than other measurings ( Campbell et al. 2003 ) . Word count was used to mensurate the degree of CR since words appear to be more appropriate unit if analysis ( Gray et al. 1995 ; Wilmshurst & A ; Frost. 2000 ) . That is, how many times â€Å" CSR † has been mentioned in the Annual Reports.4.6.5 Board SizeBoard size is considered as a variable that can act upon CG patterns and FP in this survey. This variable is measu red utilizing entire figure of managers ( Abdullah 2004 ; Keil & A ; Nicholson 2003 ) .4.6.6 Firm sizeFirm Size ( FSize ) can be related to CG features and can be correlated with FP. FSize can be represented by market capitalization and book values of entire assets of the house. Market capitalization The size of a company measured by market capitalization represents the entire value of a company. Market capitalization is a market estimation of the value of a company based on expected future chances, economic and pecuniary conditions. Investor assurance is reflected in the market capitalization. Investing in companies with higher market capitalization has lower hazard compared to the houses with lower market capitalizations. Prior empirical surveies find that FP is positively related to market capitalization ( Yarmack 1996 ) . Entire assets Firm size can besides be measured by the book value of houses ‘ entire assets.4.6.7 Performance stepsThe bing literature on CG patterns has used accounting-based public presentation steps, such as ROE and ROA and market-based steps, such as TQ as placeholders for FP ( Abdullah 2004, Bhagat & A ; Black 2002, Daily & A ; Dalton 1993 ) . Since I am taking to analyze the impact of CG mechanisms on FP, I took the steps widely used for listed companies viz. ROE, ROA and TQ. Tobin ‘s Q Tobin ‘s Q is measured utilizing the house ‘s market value to book value ratio. It is a step of growing chances of assets, defined by the future profitableness of the assets in relation to their replacing value ( Leng 2004 ) . TQ compares the ratio of a company ‘s market value and the value of a company ‘s assets. If the value of the TQ is tantamount to 1.0, it indicates that the market value is reflected in the assets of the company. A ratio greater than 1.0 indicated market value is higher than the company ‘s recorded assets. Therefore a higher TQ encourages companies to put more capital because the value of the company is more than the monetary value they paid. This creates more value for stockholders. On the other manus, a TQ of less than 1.0 indicates that the market value is lower than the assets of the company which suggests that the market may be underestimating the company. Roe ROE measures the rate of return on stockholder ‘s equity. It shows how good the company uses the stockholders ‘ investings to bring forth net incomes. This measures the efficiency of bring forthing net incomes from each dollar of stockholders ‘ equity. A higher ratio indicates a higher return. ROE is calculated as follows: ROA ROA shows the profitableness of the company ‘s assets in bring forthing net incomes. It indicates the effectivity of the companies ‘ assets in increasing stockholders ‘ economic involvements ( Haniffa & A ; Hudaib 2006 ) . It besides shows the efficiency of direction in utilizing its assets to bring forth net incomes. ROA is calculated as follows:4.7 Statistical Analysis4.7.1 Descriptive statisticsPrior surveies on CG widely used descriptive statistics ( Abdullah 2004 ; Lam & A ; Lee 2008 ) . Cardinal inclination and scattering are measured utilizing descriptive statistics. Mean, manner and median are the most normally used steps of cardinal inclinations. The most of import step of the cardinal inclination is the mean. Mean, Minimum and Maximum have been used in this survey. Descriptive statistics in this survey showed to which extent the houses have adopted the recommendations of the Code and the tendencies of the FP variables in 2011. Mean is equal to the amount of all observations divided by the figure of values. The equation is as follows: – hypertext transfer protocol: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavyMScWgVPZ832yQ3E5IJ11FhXstze2QdDBo3dQwYn-3WyN13O_H7FQ81_aM66j67nssWnr6z3bikX_yeJ5Fyj_SkkreNEHAYO4hHyq3yeazsqW4jB0cQNnNbOcZczziY6qrrxV3Dybk/s1600/mean_formula.gif The lower limit has been used to compare the lowest value and the upper limit to compare the highest value of the variables in 2011.4.7.2 Pearson ‘s CorrelationA correlativity analysis was besides conducted to prove for collinearity among the variables. For this peculiar survey I used Pearson ‘s correlativity to mensurate the strength of the association among the dependent variables that is ROE, ROA and TQ and the independent variables LDS, BCOMP, ACOM, CGCOM, CSR, FSIZE, BSIZE and Leverage. The symbol for Pearson ‘s correlativity co-efficient is â€Å" R † . It can run from -1 to 1, -1 bespeaking a negative correlativity, 0 bespeaking no correlativity and 1 bespeaking a perfect positive correlativity between the variables under trial.4.8 The Theoretical PopulationThe construct of good CG is so of import that I think that it should be applied to all concerns in Mauritius, irrespective of their size. But the Code applies merely to the following concern endeavors, which will unwrap conformity or give grounds for any non-compliance in their one-year studies for regulators and other stakeholders: Companies listed on the official list of the SEM Banks and non-banking fiscal establishments Large public companies State-owned endeavors including statutory corporations and parastatal organic structures Large private companies The above list represents the group that I was interested to generalize but the population of involvement was really big and hence it might hold resulted in a difficult clip developing a sensible sampling program. First, because it is rather hard to acquire an accurate listing of this population and secondly, a national sample of this size can turn out to be hard to mount.4.9 The survey populationDue to the troubles mentioned above, the survey focuses merely on listed houses. The companies listed on the official list of Stock Exchange were chosen because it was easy to acquire an accurate listing of the houses listed on the SEM through the latter ‘s web site and more information is available on them as compared to their private opposite numbers due to disclosure demands from Stock Exchange Listing Rules. These companies were required to stay to all proviso of the Code. The sample used in this survey consists of accounting informations for 21 houses listed on the SEM.4.10 Time H orizonAll one-year studies were gathered for the twelvemonth 2011.4.11 Construction of the Corporate Governance IndexIn the survey a Corporate Governance Index ( CGI ) was constructed to mensurate CG for listed companies at the SEM. In this way the work closely relates to the fiscal literature as Klapper and Love ( 2004 ) , Gompers et Al. ( 2003 ) , Black et Al. ( 2006 ) . All relevant informations needed to build the index was gathered first manus from one-year studies of houses listed on the SEM. A strenuous attempt was made to do certain that the information gathered was accurate and would bring forth dependable consequences. The building of the index was based on the sets of commissariats found in the Code. The most important commissariats that could be assessed were included. The commissariats extracted were classified in six chief headers. The classs are ( one ) Role of board ( subindex A ) , ( two ) Subcommittee of board internal control ( subindex B ) , ( three ) Auditing and hazard direction ( subindex C ) , ( four ) Integrated sustainability coverage ( subindex D ) , ( V ) Disclosure and communicating with stockholder ( subindex E ) , ( six ) Relationship with stakeholders ( subindex F ) . The index comprises of six classs that include a sum of 60 binary points, for each of them, the company is given a value of 1 if the company comply with a given point and a value of 0 otherwise. Each company is so rated from 1 ( hapless ) to 10 ( excellent ) in each of the classs based on the figure of points complied. This current chapter discussed the methodological analysis which was used to prove the hypotheses suggested in the survey. It included the research objectives, the theoretical population and the choice of the sample, informations beginning, design of variables and their measuring. Furthermore, the methodological analysis used to roll up informations and statistical methods used to analyze the information to prove the relationship between corporate administration variables in impacting steadfast public presentation in Mauritius was besides discussed. The consequences from the statistical trials used will be discussed in the following chapter.5.0 Consequences and AnalysisThe analysis of the relationship of CG variables and FP variables is discussed in this chapter utilizing the information from the sample. First, the attachment to the CG commissariats by the companies under survey is examined. This is followed by the analysis of the consequence of CG on the public presentation of these companies.5.0.1 Analysis of the Numberss of companies under survey from the different sectors in Mauritius5.0.2 Analysis of the execution of CG patterns within the companiesAll the listed companies are implementing CG within their companies. There has been a positive consequence for all companies because as from June 2005, all listed companies were required to stay by the Code.5.1 Analysis of the Board Structure5.1.1 Members representing the boardWith mention to Postpone 16.3, it can be seen that 47.5 % ( 10 companies ) have their board members in the scope of 11-20. This is in conformity with the Business Roundtable Principles of CG ( 2002 ) whereby larger companies have 8 to 16 members on their board. Furthermore, 52.5 % have members in the scope of 5-10. None of the company under survey has & lt ; than 5 members.5.1.2 Number of Independent and NEDsFrom the Table 16.4 it can be seen that the figure of independent and NEDs between 5-10 members is 80.9 % ( 17 Companies ) while 4 co mpanies have less than 5 independent managers therefore doing 19.1 % . However, it should be pointed out that all the companies under survey have at least 2 independent managers as per Section 2.2.1 of The Code. Non-executive and independent managers play a critical function in supplying independent judgement in all fortunes.5.1.3 Board CommitteesHarmonizing to the Code Section 3.1, board commissions are mechanism to help the board and its managers in dispatching their responsibilities through a more comprehensive rating of specific issues, followed by well-considered recommendations to the board.

Lesson plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Lesson plan - Essay Example This model is prepares students to learn the art of substantiating their knowledge with empirical evidence and research. On the other hand, Aligned with college and career expectations-model is preferred because of its guidelines that are meant to prepare students to life after high school (Sloven, 2013). Finally, to prepare students based on informed-knowledge from other well-performing countries in readiness for global needs; is essential because of what it aims at preparing the students to meeting the expectations of the global economy (Canyon View Elementary, 2014). Meeting the diverse needs of learners within the three instructional models requires the teacher to exhibit the following: On Research and evidence based instruction model, the teacher ought to teach through explanation, by encouraging students to observe, by guided practice (Bell &Dolainski, 2005). For Aligned with college and career expectations, the teacher should continue to his/her scope and sequence to realize individual requirements of each student. Finally, the teacher ought to set clear and rigorous career readiness by demanding students to apply concepts to real issues affecting the world. This will effectively align the student with the demands of the global world. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the unit of study will depend on the outcome of the set out objectives. Each instructional model has its own objectives, and once they are met at the end of the course, it will automatically mean that the unit was effective. In conclusion, lesson plan is an essential tool of preparing how to achieve the set out objectives in a given unit. Nevertheless, this concept is not as simple as it might look. It requires self-sacrifice, as well as help from the school management, the government, and the students for the successive implementation of lesson

Applying Social Influence Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Applying Social Influence Theories - Essay Example The message chosen to advertise this product is based on people’s need to confirm to their self – assigned roles of conservationist, environment conscious person; green warrior; or providing care-giver. It would go something thus: â€Å"You are amongst those people who are attempting to help the environment in so many small and big ways. You love the planet; and so do we. You want to make the world a better place; and so do we. Our little contribution is this range of organic snacks; developed from sustainable products all through. These recipes draw inspiration from age old traditional snacks across ethnicities. Our snacks are healthier, more nutritious, while being just as tasty as other competing brands. And as a bonus; they will help you protect the environment as well. Even the wrapping is eco-friendly! Yes, they have a shorter shelf life; but that won’t matter sine they will be long gone before that date. So help us help you make this world a better place. Question 2 Social influence is the process of affecting the opinions, attitudes, behaviors and desires of a number of people through the use of persuasive messages. This influence need not always be exerted in the first person; and can be done through the media in order to reach a large number of people.

Health Policy Value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Policy Value - Essay Example Quality is more important to patients than any other factor in regard to health care. Spirituality demands that the society should be able to take care of the underprivileged. Members of the society should not be left to die in the emergency room based on the fact that they cannot afford insurance costs (Porter & Teisberg, 2006). I personally believe that life is precious and costly beyond price. For this reason, I think that in spite of the cost constraints that exist in the healthcare setting, people should be served and lives saved at all possible costs. A good health care system is one that engages the community’s resources wisely and ensures that the coming generations will find the same resources for their good and development. American citizens do not get quality health care for their money. The health care system in America cannot be compared to those found in other countries. Health care leaders and institutions should be careful in the way they handle health care resources to ensure that clients do not continue paying high costs for medical care. Insurance has been the main issue concerning money in health care. Every individual in the society should not be forced to have health care insurance. Uninsured clients should not be left to suffer during emergency because they did not purchase health care insurance. It would be unethical not to take care of a bleeding patient in the ER since they do not possess health care insurance. Health care should be affordable to all citizens in America (Porter & Teisberg, 2006) Quality in health care should never be associated with cost reduction. Quality should be the determining factor in health care. Physician performance improvement in health care should be based on the significance of services they present to clients. There should be measures put in place to measure quality and improvement of quality. However, quality in health care remains to be

Statue of Liberty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Statue of Liberty - Essay Example The statue entitled "Liberty Enlightens the World" was shipped to America in 214 separate crates in 1886 and re-assembled on tiny Bedloe Island, which was soon renamed Liberty Island. (Schamel 299-302) For more than a century, the Statue f Liberty has stood as a symbol f the American ideals f freedom, equality, and opportunity, and has greeted millions f immigrants at the entrance to New York Harbor. Given by the people f France to the people f the United States to commemorate the friendship between the two countries during the American Revolution, the 151-foot-tall statue was shipped in pieces from France and assembled and dedicated in 1876. Over the years, world events have added new layers f meaning to the statue as a symbol. During two World Wars, it endured as a reminder f the sacrifices involved in maintaining freedom, and in 1989, Chinese students constructed a plaster "Goddess f Democracy" inspired by the Statue f Liberty during political protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. (Bender 60-62) The idea for a monument to commemorate the achievement f America's independence originated with the French scholar and abolitionist, Edouard de Laboulaye, in 1865. French intellectuals admired America's democratic ideals and its recent defeat f slavery, and aspired to create a French republican government modeled on the American constitution to replace the empire f Napoleon III. De Laboulaye suggested to F.A. Bartholdi, a 31-year old sculptor, that he travel to America to explore the possibility f a monument to French-American friendship. Bartholdi's vision for the Statue f Liberty solidified when he first saw New York Harbor. The tallest structure in the New York metropolitan area when it was dedicated, the Statue f Liberty rests on a granite and concrete pedestal to rise to a total height f over 300 feet. The statue's uplifted right arm raises a torch which is lit at night, and her left hand holds a tablet bearing the date "July 4, 1776." A broken shackle lies in front f her right foot as she strides forward, although it is difficult for visitors to see from the ground. A plaque with the words f a sonnet by Emma Lazarus titled "The New Colossus" was added to an interior wall f the pedestal in 1903. Lazarus had written the poem in 1883 to assist in fundraising for the pedestal, and her words, "...Give me your tired, your poor,/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/The wretched refuse f your teeming shore./Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,/I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" have become inextricably linked with the Statue f Liberty. Body- Case study presentation and analysis Design and Construction The statue is constructed f copper sheets hand-hammered onto wooden molds, but over the years the originally shiny copper has acquired a light-green hue. The engineer Gustave Eiffel, who later built the Eiffel Tower, designed the iron framework supporting the statue. Each section f the framework, and the copper sheets covering it, is attached separately to the central tower, enabling the sheets to move independently in varying weather and temperatures. (Hansen 34-35) Funds to build and transport the statue to the United States were raised entirely by the French people, not by the French government. An organization, the Franco-American Union, was formed in 1875 to raise money and

Globalink Understanding diversity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Globalink Understanding diversity - Assignment Example It has also discussed the best practices to manage organisational diversity. The micro analysis of organisational behaviour helps any business to understand the potential conflict issues within the individuals of the organisation. Most of the conflicts generate from the diversified work force of any organisation (Robbins and Judge, 2012). The workforce of this organisation is mainly diversified by age, race, and ethnicity. The organisation possesses different generation of workforce such as baby boomer, generation X and generation Y (Ibec, 2015a). The baby boomers of the organisation are mainly the sales managers who are within the age bracket of 45-65 years. Generation X employees or the supervisors fall in the bracket of 28-45 years. On the other hand the generation Y employees who are the call centre operative are aged between 20-27 years. These generation diversity causes difference in work related expectation and characteristics. These differences between these generations can be judged to understand the reasons behind the conflict within the workforce. The study of the differences of these employee generations has provided a clear view about the potential reasons of the conflict. The difference in work ethics, skill sets and attitude towards the jobs are causing conflict between different generations of the employees in the organisation. The different level of tolerance of these groups is creating conflict within the employees of different levels. The absence of proper interaction and communication is also causing problems within the employees and their managers. Another reason behind these conflicts is the cultural and racial diversity of the organisation. The employees of this organisation are from different race, religion and ethnicity across the world. The training procedure and work patterns of the organisation are not well designed as per the language and

CAD summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CAD summary - Essay Example When a person indulges more in physical activities, there is a recorded reduction in the danger of suffering from the coronary heart disease. Lack of exercise is currently considered to be the leading risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease (WebMD, 2014). It is a powerful risk factor as compared to the other risk factors of this disease for example high blood pressure and smoking. Taking part in regular physical activities ensures that the arteries are frequently kept flexible (Krucik, 2012). This will be reflected in a normal blood pressure and a good flow of the blood to the heart. This therefore means that high blood pressure, which is one of the risk factors of the disease, is kept at bay and the development of the disease becomes difficult. At Lankenau Heart Institute, they carry out Angioscreen. Angioscreen is a heart and stroke screening program. Under this program a patient receives personal evaluation of their vascular and circulation health. In addition, the patients receive immediate and clear outcomes of Carotid Artery Ultrasound, Ankle Brachial Index, Blood Pressure, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Peak Systolic Velocity, Body Mass Index, and also Heart Rhythm Electrocardiogram. From the above test results, the local screening program that is entirely tied to the heart and stroke disease is Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening. The program tests for the expansion of abdominal aorta. The abdominal aorta is a blood vessel that transports blood to the entire body. When the aneurysm widens and expands, it can easily burst and result to stroke or heart failure. On advance stages it can lead to death. The limitation of such illnesses is that they do not have symptoms, therefore, screening is very important. Research shows that an increase in the physical inactivity is closely connected to coronary artery disease as well as resulting death (Stahle & Cider, 2011).

Write about three job's you have chosen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Write about three job's you have chosen - Essay Example usiness, project costs are estimated to be billions of dollars and projects fail, costing billions of dollars, if project managers and their respective teams do not have enough coordination and cooperation. The project manager must not fail as a team manager and leader. Project success and project management success are two different things. Project success refers to the success of the overall objectives of the project while project management success refers to the performance of the team under the leadership and management of the team leader and project manager. The project has to be completed and must meet the specified time, cost, and scope and quality of the project according to the specifications of the contract between the contractor and the client. It is important to differentiate here the difference between management and leadership. Management emphasizes functions such as planning, organizing, and controlling. Management is concerned with providing decisions about processes and functions in order to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness. Leadership role of the manager refers to providing motivations and guidance to realize people’s potential and to achieve tougher and challenging organizational roles. (Anantatmula 14) Site project coordinator performs the function between project administrator and technical assistants, but is also in charge of locating, planning, coordinating, analyzing and understanding of organization. In other words, the project coordinator’s role is also complex as in the project manager. Project coordinators must have an effective relationship with the client, consultant and contractor. He must have qualities like working on time, technical knowledge of the project, team-playing attributes, and coordination skills in achieving quality for the project. A project coordinator works under limited authority and must earn the trust and confidence of the team in order to achieve various tasks at his/her disposal. A

Tension in the 1920s Essay Example for Free

Tension in the 1920s Essay During the 1920’s, the United States saw many large changes made in the country, the largest of which, the ratification of the 18th Amendment and the start of prohibition, was the greatest source of tension during that time period. The 18th Amendment which made the production, transport, and sale of alcohol illegal, upset many people, but was actually never enforced that strictly. Many people could still drink very easily and alcohol was never hard to find. Although many people think it was a terrible mistake and the government was taking away a simple way for adults to get together and have fun, the government gave them a good amount of time to prepare. As stated in an article by Mark Moore of the New York Times, â€Å"The amendment prohibited the commercial manufacture and distribution of alcoholic beverages; it did not prohibit use, nor production for ones own consumption. Moreover, the provisions did not take effect until a year after passage -plenty of time for people to stockpile supplies†. People could still produce alcohol for themselves which most already did and talks of prohibition had been going on for years with much support. The citizens of the United States should have taken that time to gather the alcohol they wanted and obtain the supplies needed to produce it. Once again, even though one could not sell alcohol or produce it, it was extremely easy to access, there were extremely large amounts of speakeasies in cities, people could go to Canada or Mexico, or just take a boat three miles out into the ocean where the government had no power. Although prohibition did not have much of an effect on the consumption of alcohol, the crime rates rose quite quickly and many saw organized crime begin in the country. Many gangs arose in large cities, but in only in Chicago could you find the most powerful gangster, Al Capone. He made millions off of the illegal consumption of alcohol, and although it caused a lot of chaos and disruption, he was giving the people what they wanted. As said by Capone himself, All I do is to supply a public demand †¦ somebody had to throw some liquor on that thirst. Why not me? †. The citizens of the United States yearned for alcohol and Capone gave them what they wanted, but they all suffered the consequences. With gangsters being as powerful as they were at the time, they could influence almost anyone, especially in law enforcement, the court system, and politics. The rate of homicides per 100,000 population was extremely large and the highest it had ever been. During the war, it was around six to seven, during prohibition it was around seven to ten. Although that may seem like a small number, more people were dying because of the want for alcohol. The 18th Amendment and beginning of prohibition dramatically altered the country in ways good and bad, which made it the greatest source of tension during the 1920’s.

Financial Analysis Tools for SMEs

Financial Analysis Tools for SMEs CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS INTRODUCTION The SME sector development is seen as a key strategy for economic growth, job generation and poverty reduction (Agupusi, 2007:2). This study endeavored to explore and describe the financial performance measures currently used by manufacturing SMEs in Mauritius. It was undertaken due to the fact that many studies were conducted on obstacles faced by SMEs in obtaining finance, but it appeared that not enough were undertaken on how these SMEs manage their finances; whereas some studies found that small businesses fail because more often than not cash flow is not properly managed (Mbonyane, 2006:18). In this context the Z-score model is presented as a useful bankruptcy model for SME. This chapter concludes the research project by summarizing the previous chapters and highlighting the results of the empirical study in Chapter Four with respect to the objectives of the research. It also includes comments on the contribution and limitation of the study as well as recommendations and suggestions for future research. SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH Chapter One presented the background of the study, followed by problem statement, rationale and objectives of the research, a preliminary literature review, research methodology and layout of the Chapters. Chapter Two presented a literature review regarding SMEs and their role in the Mauritian Economy. It was shown that the development of a sound SME sector is a key factor in job creation and economic growth for Mauritius. Many obstacles were pointed out as causes of SME failure, including financial performance skills, which were the focus of this study. Moreover, an international comparative analysis was presented. A brief discussion of non-financial measures was given as well, followed by financial performance measures that included financial ratios and bankruptcy prediction models. Chapter Three presented the research plan including sampling, data collection, and data analysis. Chapter Four presented the results of the empirical research findings on financial performance measures currently used by manufacturing SMEs in Mauritius. Thematic content analysis was used in presenting the results, taking the themes in the literature of the topic as basis for comparison. Chapter Five is the final phase of the study and aims at using the information from the literature study and the empirical findings to provide solutions to manufacturing SMEs’ financial performance measurement according to the findings and through recommendations. DISCUSSIONS OF FINDINGS FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT The first objective of the study was to identify financial tools currently used by manufacturing SME’s in measuring their financial performance. This objective of the study was achieved during the field study with semi-structured interviews at SME premises that helped gather information on the financial performance measures used by each. The findings revealed the following ratios as the most widely used by respondents: Cash flow to total debt (used by six respondents); Current ratio (used by six respondents); Working capital to total assets (used by five respondents); Cash flow to average total current liabilities (used by five respondents); Gross profit margin ratio (used by four respondents); and Inventory turnover (used by four participants). Gross Profit Ratio The level of satisfaction was measured using a likert scale. The conversion of the 5- point Likert- type scale for the satisfaction with current financial performance scale to illustrate the total score was as follows: (not satisfied at all = 1 (1), not satisfied = 2 (2), somewhat satisfied = 3 (3), satisfied = 4 (4), very satisfied = 5 (5)). The higher the mean score indicates a higher level of satisfaction. Upon computing the mean for this scale,, it was found that the mean was 2.4000, this implies that there is a relative low level of satisfaction prevails with the owners of the SMEs concerning their current financial performance. It can be seen that all of the participants felt that measuring financial performance is important. However, despite the fact that measuring financial performance is important, none of the SMEs used a finance officer or an external consultant to evaluate their financial performance. It can be observed that financial ratios (100%) is the only used tool by the SMEs sampled as compared to tools such as Scoreboards (0%), the Bankruptcy Prediction Model (0%) and other models(0%). Based on the results of the analysis, it was found that even though the owners of the SME used financial ratios, only 39 percent of them found the ratios to be useful in helping to improve their financial performance. BANKRUPTCY PREDICTION MODEL The use of bankruptcy prediction models (another financial tool in the literature) was totally absent among the respondents. In fact, almost all the participant SMEs knew nothing or very little about bankruptcy prediction models. The limited use of ratios and non use of bankruptcy prediction models raises the issue of objective number two which is to recommend necessary improvements on financial performance measurement of SMEs which will be part of the recommendations. Also, the lack of knowledge of bankruptcy prediction models by interviewees at different SMEs may necessitate relevant training for the financial officers of SMEs; that is the issue of objective number three of the study, which will be part of the recommendations section as well. The last objective of the study was to recommend necessary improvements on financial performance measures used by manufacturing SMEs. The study found that most manufacturing SMEs used financial ratios to measure their financial performance, but to a very limited extent. Very few ratios were used by individual SMEs and most of the ratios used were not the best indicators mentioned in the literature. Though, some of the interviewees acknowledged that they need to use more ratios. This objective will be part of the recommendation section below. Another objective of the study was to recommend necessary training interventions that would be needed for manufacturing SMEs’ successful financial performance measurement. The research findings indicated that none of the respondents used any of the available bankruptcy prediction models; whereas it was proven in the literature that the models could be used successfully by SMEs as well as big businesses. SMEs could use the models not necessarily for predicting failure, but as a tool to constantly assess how they are doing financially so as to take necessary measures anytime they feel threatened. It was found that most of the respondents knew nothing or very little about the models, and it seemed quite obvious that relevant training is needed. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY These results can only be seen as a trend and further studies need to be conducted for any attempt at generalization. For this study for example, either emails were not responded to at all, or potential participants kept postponing, suggesting that the researcher call the following week. In the end, respondents had to be approached at their business premises and requested to participate. It is costly if it is taken into account that many SMEs would decline to participate, but works better as procedure; and should be considered in future studies. Also, it was noticed that more small businesses (70%) participated in the study because most medium business that were approached declined the invitation. Therefore, for a bigger study that would seek to generalize the results, researchers should endeavor to have a more balanced number between small and medium businesses that participate. There was very limited literature on the topic of financial performance of SMEs as well. This resulted on the study having to be built on theory. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that SMEs use more ratios, especially those in the literature study (Chapter Two) as improvement of their financial performance measures. SMEs should probably consider the use of the six most used ratios as summarized in section 5.3 above, since they seem to be working well not only for the majority of participants, but for businesses in general. It is also recommended that SMEs owners/ managers request and enroll their financial staff for training on bankruptcy prediction models at relevant institutions such as universities. The few models presented in this study may be used by SMEs as well, since they are simple and cheap, and should not pose problems to trained financial staff. Another recommendation would be for those SMEs that can afford it, to try the use of specialized software (e.g. PASTEL or PRO ACC5), which were indicated as effective by the few participants who use them. The SMEs would be able to use ratios that are computed from the software. The Z Score is also a critical business tool managers utilize to make informed business decisions to improve the financial health of the business. The Z Score helps managers assess the factors contributing to poor financial health. Z Score factors that contribute to under-performance; working capital, earnings retention, profitability and leverage can be isolated. This enables managers to initiate actions to improve the score of these factors contributing to financial distress. Targeting actions to specific under-performing stress factors allows managers to make capital allocation decisions that mitigate principal risk factors and produce optimal returns. Focus areas for managers to improve Z Score are transactions that effect earnings/ (losses), capital expenditures, equity and debt transactions. The Z Score provides a quantitative measurement into a company’s financial health. The Z Score highlights factors contributing to a company’s financial health and uncovers emerging trends that indicate improvements or deterioration in financial condition. The Z Score is a critical tool business managers use to assess financial health. It helps managers align business strategies with capital allocation decisions and provide transparency of financial condition to lenders and equity capital providers. Business managers use the Z Score to raise capital and secure credit. The Z Score is an effective tool to demonstrate credit worthiness to bankers and soundness of business model to investors. The Z Score is based on actual financial information derived from the operating performance of the business enterprise. It avoids biases of subjective assessments, conflicts of interest, brand and large company bias. The Z Score employs no theoretical assumptions or market inputs external to the company’s financial statements. This provides users of the Z Score with a consistent view and understanding of a company’s true financial health. SMEs should have proper financial planning. They should undertake both financing and investment program according to financial planning. SMEs should keep all records of financial transactions in a system way. This will provide accurate accounting and financial information for making both routine and non-routine managerial decisions by the management of SMEs. This will also enable lending agencies to conduct credit risk analysis; and rating agency to carry out the rating job for the SMEs. SMEs should introduce internal audit to restore effective financial control in the SMEs. SMEs need to have an effective management system as well as skilled manpower. This is expected to exert a positive influence in efficiency as well as productivity of SMEs. Good culture in the firm develops leadership in the organization who can be able to trace the financial distress early and thereby prevent SMEs from the exposition to financial and operating risk. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH Further research could be conducted on a wider scale in an attempt to generalize the findings to manufacturing SMEs in Mauritius; and in different regions of Mauritius. Further research could also be done to determine whether the findings of the study are consistent across different sectors. Financial performance measurement of larger enterprises could be another subject of study as well. CONCLUSION It is fair to say that, contrary to what one may think, many manufacturing SMEs (with respect to the number of studied SMEs) in Mauritius, use financial ratios (one of the financial tools in the literature study) to measure their financial performance. Though, this use of ratios by the studied SMEs is limited, because only a few ratios are being used by the respondents. Yet again, out of the ratios used, few are among those in the literature that were found to be the best financial measures or good financial distress predictors. None of the respondents used any of the available bankruptcy prediction models. In fact, most of the respondents knew nothing or very little about the models. Some of the participants have opted for the use of computer software and are getting satisfying results from them. Although most of the respondents have performed fairly well so far, to improve their financial performance, SMEs should use more of the recognized ratios identified in this study. Six ratio s were identified to be widely used by the various SMEs interviewed, and because most of the respondents indicated that their financial performance has been satisfying (even though some said there is a need to improve), these ratios should be taken into consideration. SMEs need also to train their financial staff on other financial tools such bankruptcy prediction models that are quite easy to use. It was also pointed out in the literaturereview that ratio analysis and bankruptcy prediction models (since they consist of a group of ratios with variables of different weights) have their shortcomings as well. Therefore they should only be used as an indication. This study will contribute toward filling the gap in the literature of SME financial performance measurement; and if taken seriously by SMEs, will help them in effective financial performance measurement by drawing attention to the various tools that are available to them for that purpose and the necessity of training financial staff on various measures as well.

Implementing A Cad System To Reduce Costs :: essays research papers

Implementing A CAD System TO Reduce Costs Introduction This report will analyze a proposal on how Woodbridge Foam could become more competitive through improvements in technology. This includes the saving of the companies money, shortening the design time for new products, decreasing quoting time and improving quality overall. By implementing a company wide CAD system, which would be networked together with each customer and all plants, these improvements could be achieved. Research will include interviewing various employees as to how business is done and what influences the winning or loosing of a contract. Research will also include study of both customer and competitors systems. Project Scope & Current Evaluation Goals Supported by CAD Initiative: In converting to a completely independent CAD system, there are a few aspects of operation which would be greatly improved. The first of the improvements would be the elimination of paper communication. The need to transfer large drawings using mylars would cease to be, thus helping provide a paper less environment. Another improvement as a result of CAD would be that of achieving much tighter tolerances in building new products. Using a CAD system, part designs could be received in an electronic format such as a math model. These models are currently in use by customers such as GM, BMW and Mercedes. The effect of having math models of all new products would enable a quicker turnaround in both quoting and production of products. CAD Vendors & Hardware Suppliers: Upon observing the various systems used by several customers and suppliers, the major CAD vendors worth consideration have been identified. Manufacturers of high quality workstations which have been distinguish are: Hewlett Packard (HP) IBM Silicon Graphics (SGI) SUN Premium, fully functional CAD solutions are: CATIA (Dassault / IBM) Computervision (Computervision / TSI) SDRC (SDRC / CAD Solutions) Unigraphics (EDS) Current System Description Success Factors: In implementing a new, otherwise foreign system into an established habitual way of doing things, there are several success factors which must be examined. If these factors are carefully thought over, a favorable shift from old to new may be obtained. Some critical success factors are as follows: Vendor availability - Will the chosen system supplier be readily available for technical support? Product engineering acceptance - Will those who are set in their ways be willing to abandon their habitual manner of operating? Training - Thorough training of all related employees must be completed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  before introduction of the new system. Data management - A new manner of recording all vital information must be established and proper procedures documented. Customer interface - Will the chosen system be compatible with those used by our customers and will needed

The Schlieffen Plan Essay -- First World War WWI

The Schlieffen Plan The Schlieffen Plan is commonly – though misleadingy – identified with the German western offensive at the start of the First World War in August 1914, which began as a campaign of rapid movement but ended in deadlock and trench warfare. The plan is generally seen as a desperate gamble almost certain to fail, and its recklessness is counted as part of Germany’s war guilt – the plan held out the false promise of a quick victory, and so it underpinned the â€Å"short war illusion† that led Germany into a long war of attrition, ending with her defeat and collapse in 1918. This analysis confuses two quite different moments in history. The Schlieffen Plan was not designed to meet the strategic challenge Germany faced in 1914, but rather to pre-empt it by winning a more limited and manageable war at the time it was written in 1906. The consensus is that the Schlieffen Plan epitomized the arrogance of German militarism in believing that swift and total victory could be gained in a war on two fronts against a numerically superior coalition. It is held that the Schlieffen Plan initially deployed most of the German army in the west, with a small force left in the east to conduct a holding operation against the Russians. After a lightning campaign leading to a decisive victory over France within six weeks, Germany could turn her full might against the Russians. The standard verdict is that France could not have been comprehensively defeated within such a short time, so the plan was quite inadequate to the strategic dilemma confronting Germany. Anyone who believes all this has simply not read the Schlieffen Plan. That document is solely concerned with a war in the west. It does not call for the deployment of any forces against Russia, and contains no reference at all to a six-week deadline for the defeat of France. The great historical misunderstanding has been to regard Schlieffen’s plan as a half-baked scheme for fighting a war on two fronts, when it was in fact a carefully reasoned scheme for fighting a war limited to the west, at a time when this seemed to be a distinct possibility. The German west-front war-plan in 1914 was devised by the younger Helmuth von Moltke, and while it bore some resemblance to Schlieffen’s proposal, it was extensively adapted to the changed circumstances, in particular to the necessity of now deploying against Ru... ... of a two-front war in which both enemies would immediately go onto the offensive. He could not deploy the whole of the German army in the west, even though he needed a quick decision there to release reinforcements for the eastern front. It was the Moltke Plan, not the Schlieffen Plan, which required a victory over France within six weeks. Nor could Moltke contemplate swinging a part of his right wing all the way around Paris, since that again needed more time and troops than could be spared in a war on two fronts. Moltke’s right wing, already much weaker than Schlieffen’s, was further depleted during the course of the operation when he pulled out two of its army corps and transferred them to the east. The German army that was forced back from the Marne in September 1914 was but a pale shadow of the one that is drawn up against France in the Schlieffen Plan. Moltke held to the basic idea of that plan, but under the time and manpower pressures of a two-front war he was unable to make the right-wing attack as powerful and sustained as Schlieffen had prescribed for a one-front war in 1906. It was a diluted version of the Schlieffen plan that failed in 1914, not the original concept.

Is Communication Competency a Skill or an Art

Is Communication competency a skill or an art? Communication competency is a skill that relies on a combination of behavior and knowledge. To communicate effectively, you will need to understand cultural diversity, have good language skills, listening and interpersonal skills. According to David Morley’s essay, â€Å"Communication†, states that all communication refers to the activity of imparting, or transmitting messages containing, information, ideas, or knowledge. With communication you can earn the respect from thousands of people all due to the way you bring your message across.People with a clear vision and the skills to communicate that vision with the passion that makes them contagious become leaders. Leaders such as Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Adolf Hitler radiate true inspiration and charisma. These great leaders were groomed from a very young age. Napoleon the first learned quickly the influence of the media and in 1793 published a prorepublican pamph let, â€Å" Le Souper de Beaucaire â€Å". He also founded two newspapers both for the troops in his army and also for circulation in France.His strict censorship and control from every aspect of the press, allowing the public to see what he wanted them to see. Alan Forrest in the, â€Å"Propaganda and the Legitimation of Power in Napoleonic France† explains how Napoleon fostered an important relationship with the art community. In doing this he forms an active role in controlling all forms of art production to suit his propaganda goals. Propaganda is an assertion of enthusiastic or energetic statement presented as a fact. Propaganda is a skilled form of communication that has been repeatedly used throughout history.Body language is non-verbal communication such as body posture, gestures, facial expressions and eye movements. The gestures or movements in which a person conscious or unconscious communicates their thoughts or feelings. Albert Mehrabian’s studies came t o two basic conclusions. The first is three basic elements in face-to-face communication; words, tone of voice, and nonverbal behavior (facial expressions). The second conclusion was how the person non-verbally match what is being said. Non-verbal cues are very mportant in conveying the message that the speaker is trying to give. Mehrabian’s studies linked the effect of three elements to communication: Words = 7%, Voice = 38%, and body language = 55%. Knowing this and reflecting back, Hitler was a highly skilled and effective speaker. He had a strong emotional persistence of purpose in his speeches. He would actually practice his speeches and new what hand gestures went where to make the best emphasis. Watching the videos of his speeches without tone lets you see the power in his body language.With tone you can hear the different vocal tones and emotion he used to convince the public. Hitler was mentored by Dietrich Eckart, one of the early founders of the occult Thule Societ y, and was taught politics. He learned how to use communication to get the public motivated and moving the direction he wanted them to go. He was able to turn an entire nation around, giving them a will to survive, to prosper making him a successful leader. Hitler was not a good person, but was a great Leader.A man like Alexander the Great through the teachings of the great philosopher Aristotle, was able to inspire keeping his army active and loyal using his excellent communication skills. This education built a strong emotional appeal (pathos) credibility of the speaker (ethos) and logic (logos). Giving him the intelligence to influence the audience to action. Rhetoric is the skill in the effective use of speech or writing as a way to persuade or influence people. Aristotle explains it best in the book, â€Å"Rhetoric† (trans. W. Rhys Roberts. :4:1359), who considers it a counterpart of both logic and politics, and calls it â€Å"the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion†. Rhetoric has been taught in universities during the middle ages and had influence within the church. Looking back through history we can see how the skill of communication has influenced the society. These men where able to take a handful of ideas, multiple language skills and transform them into a ceremony of communication. All of these men were very skilled in communication.When we look at these leaders, their education, their lives, and all the people that where constantly around them. We can only come to the conclusion that ‘Skill’ was the deciding factor of their success. The communication process requires multiple skills in interpersonal processing, listening, observing, speaking, and analyzing gestures. Communication is only complete when the listener understands what the speaker is trying to say. Misunderstandings are corrected by questions and answers, strategically placed examples or stories, follow up through critical thinking and feedback.Communication competency is a skill of getting your message across, through the background noise of culture. Using the appropriate words, preventing misunderstanding, understanding the audience, showing empathy, and communicating enthusiastically. Yes, Communication competency is a skill.Sources: †¢ Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia http://en. wikipedia. org/ †¢ David Morley’s essay, â€Å"Communication†. †¢ â€Å"Rhetoric† by Aristotle 350 B. C. E. (trans. W. Rhys Roberts. 1:4:1359) †¢ Mehrabian, Albert 1971. (Silent Messages)

Literacy narrative Essay

Audience: Professor and fellow students of the English 102 course Purpose: To explain how I became literate in my lifetime and what contributed to my literacy level today 1,357 Words Benefits of Being a Bookworm Have you ever been asked, â€Å"What is your first language? † Living in such a melting pot of a country, the United States, minorities often get asked this question. Usually when people ask others this question, it is not because they want to know which language you learned to speak first. People ask this question to see which language the one being questioned is more fluent in. Is it possible that your second language might be the one you are more fluent and literate in? The answer to this question is yes. I am a first-generation immigrant to the United States and proud. My first language (to be politically correct) would be Cape Verdean Portuguese Creole. What I want to ask is why is it important to know what my first-language is when I am more literate and fluent in English? If I can compare my languages to my siblings, I would, due to the fact that I was raised with both of them equally during the course of my life. I learned Creole at home with my parents ad family, but I owe my literacy I English to school, and the love I had for reading. Practice makes perfect. A person’s literacy level is completely based on practice. Schools aim to train students to be literate and educated, but those students who practice at home (outside of the regulations of school) are the true scholars. Let’s look at Malcolm X, for example; a man who had formal schooling up until the eighth grade and nothing after that. Yet, even though Malcolm X had less schooling than all of us college students here at UMASS Dartmouth, he is probably, in my opinion, more literate and more educated than most of us. Interesting isn’t it? The reason why Malcolm X was so educated is because he read every day, non-stop, in his jail cell, with no distractions. He kept a dictionary by his side to teach himself any new words he would come across that he was unfamiliar with. What better way is there to familiarize yourself with a language and expand your vocabulary other than reading written works by other people that most likely know things you don’t know and have a different vocabulary than you? By reading you learn new diction, new facts, and cause your brain to grow in knowledge. I can say that aside from school, reading, like Malcolm X, expanded my literacy skills. As I had said before, I am a first generation immigrant; my parents also are first generation immigrants. I never had the luxury of being taught English by my parents, being read to by my parents, or getting help with my homework or anything academic at all except for math, of course, which doesn’t vary between countries that speak different languages. But even with this being said, I had always been at the top of my class in elementary school, done very well in middle school, and done well enough in high school to have the pleasure of being offered the opportunity to be in an Advanced Placement English class. I was a nerd in my early years. I used to enjoy reading very much. I would always ask my father to take me to the library, where I would check out many books and go through them like a bullet. During class time, when the teacher would be finished or took a break and there was nothing else to be done, I loved reading; I looked forward to silent reading time in class. When I had a 100-page book, I would tend to finish it within a day. Longer books such as the Harry Potter series would be finished within a few days. I never had a problem with reading assignments because I would finish them so quickly and understand everything I read. I had an eighth-grade reading level in elementary school while I would watch other students struggle while reading aloud as they stumbled on their words and wouldn’t know how to properly pronounce them. I never understood why it was so easy for me while other students would find it difficult. As a child I read all the Harry Potter books; they were my favorite. I also enjoyed other series such as Curious George, The Babysitter’s Club, and Judy Blume. I also read plenty of other books that I cannot remember because the list was so long. I believe that there is a strong relationship between reading and writing. Someone who is an excellent reader and comprehends what he/she reads should have a big vocabulary and a sense of how real, professional writers perform. Every book, magazine, and newspaper we read or look at is composed of articles and passages written by professional writers. If you have a lot of experience with all this, then you should know what a professional piece of work looks like and sounds like. Therefore, I feel like someone who reads a lot will be a good writer as well. The two things are connected, and it helps to write when you are a skilled reader and vice versa. Books are the perfect model for those who want to become more skilled as writers. After all, that is exactly what Malcolm X did, and he became very skilled. It takes a very skilled writer to produce the best books out there. If one does not know how to read and cannot understand words on a page, then how is it that they can know how to write the words down on their own pages. Similarly, if you are deaf, how can you learn to speak properly? Hearing words and their pronunciation is the model for the deaf to learn how to speak; and if they are missing their model or example, it can be almost impossible to learn naturally, on their own. I feel that reading and writing are the most important elements of school and learning. Books, articles, research papers, whether they are non-fiction or fiction, all serve a very important purpose. Whether you are reading for pleasure to expand your imagination and reduce your stress, reading to attain information on a specific topic or just to expand your knowledge, or reading to practice and become more literate and a better writer, you are never at a loss. Therefore, writing becomes very important because, if it wasn’t for writing, there would be nothing out there for us to read in the first place. Reading is not for the lazy. I used to love reading as a kid and found it so interesting, but as I grew into my teenage years and became more interested in action, reality and drama, I distanced myself from all the reading and became more of an extrovert. The occasional newspaper article or magazine article is still entertaining to me though. Even now, as a college student, you will never find me reading anything unless it is required for me to achieve the grades I desire; never do I read for pleasure. I feel that I achieved a high reading level way back in my middle school days, and that has influenced me to think that the only thing now that can improve my writing is to keep writing. I feel that I have acquired a great deal of knowledge throughout my lifetime and I did a lot of this myself through all my readings. Nobody pushed me to read during my spare time. My parents weren’t very literate in the English language to be role models for me or to help me read or even read to me. All the instructions I have read, all the words I learned how to pronounce, I did it on my own through reading. As a matter of fact, I don’t even remember seeing my father ever read a book, and my mom didn’t start reading until after she went back to school to get her college degree. Literacy is all about exploring the world of words, and pages, reading, and writing. In order for one to achieve great literacy, one will need to push and challenge himself/herself to read more and understand the readings.

Workplace

Workplace ShiftsSherry BestGrantham University March 20, 2018 The workforce is contingent with the teamwork of personnel and state. The workforce remain the main concern of employers everywhere. All areas of employment are touched by economics and its affected by births, plus the quality of training each person receives. 100 years ago, jobs were manufacturing in nature, what I mean is that individuals worked in factories or on an assembly lines. These types of positions weren't very challenging because it's a situation that was repetitious as the worker repeat steps. Subsequently new technology happens to be more demanding, very aggressive and creative. Women are employed within position that once was considered â€Å"only men were productive in. Work shifts are divided into three shifts for several organizations. They're basically eight hours a shift and the employee usually work forty hours a week. Over the years the workforce has added four generation of workers. This has caused a distinctive effect on the workforce causing them to face the age differences. The HR knows the older generation of the past consequently will sway the future of various organizations. They know that achieving their goal depends on how workers. Also, the facts show that countless people are not retiring but are carrying on working well past the age of 65. HR specialists find that they're having to formulate additional resolutions to link the demands relating to the workforce with the aging workers. Which requires HR specialists to understand and be able to execute ways to create jobs and to fill them with acceptable workers. Meanwhile workers and jobs are always transforming so organizations realize that they have diversity and the skill to maintain a balanced workforce being competent to accomplish their goals for the future of the organization. Also, companies have moved to global level with improved technology and communication. Besides more women employees entered the workforce which was not the state 100 years ago where women lives tended to be centered around their families. During WWI changed who the workforce would use once the men were either volunteering or being drafted to serve in the military which resulted in there was no one to fill the positions. So businesses hired the women to work in the men's place. After showing the factories that the women were capable to carry out the duties that the men could do, but they were paid less for the same job. Since then women have demanded rights for equal pay and equal treatment. Because the workforce have become more diverse with gender, age, and culture it has caused organizations to change how they attain workers and maintain their numbers. The older workers are still present in the workforce is making HR to consider alternative ways for hiring, training, and what type of benefits plans to offer as enticements.Today HR managers needs to spend considerable time and money in training in new technology and keep them updated. The future US workforce groups in 2025 would be mostly aged population over 60 years. The workforce I filled with many kinds of technology such as computers, internet, smart phones and many mobile devices that has opened communication where everything seems to move at the speed of light. Therefore, HR will need to be on their toes to meet every task in the future. ReferencesAnderson, B. E. (2000). Journal of Economic Perspectives. Worker Protection Policies in the New, 207-214.DeCenzo, D. A. (2016). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. Danvers, MA: John Wiley ; Sons.Effortless HR. (2018). Retrieved from The Past, Present and Future Workforce: https://www.effortlesshr.com/blog/present-future-workforce-generations/Huczynski, A. ;. (2010). Organizational behaviour. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall.Khan, A. H. (2012). Impact of job satisfaction on employee performance: An empirical study of autonomous Medical Institutions of Pakistan. African Journal of Business Management, 2697.Micheal Bailey. (2018). Retrieved from Demographic shifts and the HR challenges of the future: https://www.michaelbaileyassociates.com/news/hr/demographic-shifts-and-the-hr-challenges-of-the-futureWomen in the Workplace. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-09-15/edit-page/28241044_1_indian-women-chinese-women-chinese-counterpart

Education and Philosophy Essay

Introduction Critical to an advancing society is the need for teachers to recognize and utilize best teaching practices. Teaching requires knowledge of the subject matter and the skills to effectively engage learners. The best educators conceptualize teaching as anything that might promote student learning. Therefore, the teacher is the engineer of the learning environment (Bain, 2004). Many educators believe that learning is the purpose of all education, however educators differ substantially in how they engineer the learning environment through their classroom teaching styles and educational philosophies. Some educators consider the role of the teacher that of transmitting knowledge through a teacher-centered approach, while others consider the role of the teacher that of leading the student to construct knowledge through a learner-centered approach (McCarthy & Anderson, 2000). The teacher’s role in the learning process is often defined by educational philosophy. The manner in which they view their role in the classroom, how they view the student-teacher relationship and the method of instruction, all reflect their philosophy and beliefs about education (Petress, 2003; Youngs, 1979). Educational Philosophy At the most basic level, philosophy is a quest for wisdom and understanding (Ozmon & Carver, 2007). It â€Å"†¦raises questions about what we do and why we do it† (Elias & Merrium, 1995, p. 5). A philosophy of education is â€Å"†¦a set of ideas and beliefs that guides teachers’ 1 actions and provides a framework for thinking about educational issues† (Kauchak & Eggen, 2011, p. 197). Educational philosophy is the basis that shapes the structure and goals of the relationship between the faculty and the student. â€Å"When considering the inter-relationship of philosophy and activity it is clear that philosophy inspires one’s activities and gives direction to practice† (Elias & Merrium, 1995, p. 5). Faculty beliefs about the purpose of education, expectations in the student-teacher relationship, the teaching-learning process and what methods of instruction to use, are all guided by their educational philosophy (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005; Petress, 2003). A clear understanding of philosophy provides a solid foundation for effective analysis of educational practices and professional growth (Conti, 2007; Elias & Merrium, 1995). The five traditional western philosophies, which form the structure of most educational practices, are idealism, realism, pragmatism, existentialism, and reconstructionism. These western philosophies serve as a foundation and perspective for analysis of educational practices (Ozmon & Craver, 2007). There are five educational philosophies which were identified as having roots in traditional schools of western philosophy which form the structure of most educational practices. The five educational philosophies are: liberal, behaviorist, progressive, humanistic, and radical (Zinn, 2004). Professional educators are likely to be influenced in their actions by one or more of these five philosophies. Regardless of teachers’ awareness of their educational philosophy, their beliefs are reflected in their behavior (Youngs, 1979). â€Å"True professionals know not only what they are to do, but are also aware of the principles and reasons for so acting† (Elias & Merriam, 1995, p. 9). What teachers believe and practice in the classroom is related to educational philosophy and to teaching style. 2 Teaching Style The five educational philosophies have each been categorized as influencing either teacher-centered or learner-centered teaching styles (Conti, 2007; Johnson, Musial, Hall & Gollnick, 2011; Zinn, 2001). Conti (1998) describes teaching style as the qualities and behaviors displayed by a teacher which are consistent from situation to situation regardless of curriculum content. Teacher-centered teaching styles are consistent with traditional philosophies of idealism and realism, and the educational philosophies of liberal and behavioralism (Conti, 2007; Zinn, 2004). Learner-centered styles are consistent with traditional philosophies of pragmatism, existentialism and reconstructionism, and the educational philosophies of progressivism, humanism and realism (Conti, 2007; Zinn, 2004). Teacher-centered style is defined as a formal, controlled, and autocratic instructional style which assumes the learners are passive (Conti, 2004). Learner-centered style is defined as a pattern of instruction that is responsive, problemcentered, democratic and employs a collaborative learning environment (Dupin-Bryant, 2004). Regardless of an educators’ teaching styles, their beliefs should be evident in their teaching (Heimlich & Norland, 1994). Teaching style is the application of an educator’s philosophy demonstrated in classroom practices. Teaching style includes the â€Å"implementation of philosophy; it contains evidence of beliefs about, values related to, and attitudes toward all the elements of the teaching-learner exchange† (Heimlich & Norland, 1994, p.40). College of Education Teacher Education Program Teacher education programs are expected to refer to the mission and goals of their colleges in defining excellence in teaching for their own program, course development and teaching styles (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, 2008). This study investigated a comprehensive university in the Midwestern part of the United States of America. 3 For the purposes of this study the university was given the fictitious name of Newton State Univeristy (NSU). The long history of the teacher education programs at NSU was reflected in the growth of the size and scope of its educational programs and the number of its graduates. The influence of professional national and state accrediting bodies, such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation (OCTP), was evidenced by the university’s College of Education (COE) having a well-defined conceptual framework and educational philosophy. The Philosophy of the Unit statement, the COE Conceptual Framework, and other documents, informed the field of educational ideology for the college. Through an inspection of the language and expressed expectations contained in these documents, it was apparent to the researcher that the COE advocated an educational philosophy and a teaching style preference consistent with learner-centered teaching style and humanistic and progressive educational philosophy. Problem Statement Although the College of Education advocated a learner-centered approach, the teacher education faculty may be like many other higher education faculty and may not believe in such classroom practices and philosophies (Labaree, 2005). This potential dichotomy of beliefs between the teacher education faculty and the COE could be a possible source of conflict. What was not known was whether this was typical of the teacher education faculty at this Midwestern state university. For those colleges with clearly defined mission statement, like that of the COE, it is necessary that any fissure between the faculty and college be made apparent. Based on the COE mission statement, Philosophy of the Unit statement, the Conceptual Framework and the rubric criteria, it was implied that the teacher education faculty use 4  compatible teaching approaches to instruct their teacher candidates. However, it was unknown whether the teacher education faculty themselves preferred to conduct their classrooms utilizing learner-centered approaches. Through an assessment of the faculty beliefs, their teaching style preferences may be made apparent. Such a discovery would ascertain whether the philosophy and teaching style preferences of the teacher education faculty were congruent with the ideology of the COE. The mission statement of a university provides the vision and foundation for its employees and stake holders (Velcoff & Ferrari, 2006). If there is tension or conflict between the beliefs and values of COE and the teacher education faculty the foundation of the university could become ambiguous and unstable (Andreescu, L. 2009). There was no information about the educational philosophy and teaching style preferences of the teacher education faculty at this Midwestern state university. A survey of the teacher education faculty would ascertain the degree of alignment between the philosophy and teaching style preferences held by the teacher education faculty and those professed by the College of Education. Purpose The purpose of the study was to describe the educational philosophies and teaching style preferences the teacher education faculty members at this Midwestern state university and to determine the extent to which these matched with the university’s College of Education educational philosophy and preferred teaching style. Research Questions 1. What are the education philosophies and teaching styles of the teacher education faculty? 2. What are the relationships of the education philosophies and the demographic variables of the teacher education faculty? 5 3. What are the relationships of teaching styles and the demographic variables of teacher education faculty? 4. What are the relationships between the education philosophies and teaching styles of the teacher education faculty? 5. To what degree are the education philosophy and teaching styles of the teacher education faculty similar to the stated education philosophy and preferred teaching style of the College of Education? Theoretical Framework The theoretical framework constructed for this study was underpinned by two theoretical constructs: philosophy and teaching styles. There were five educational philosophies; liberal, behavioral, progressivism, humanism and radical. These five educational philosophies were adapted by Zinn (2004) from the writings of Ellias and Merriam (1995). The educational philosophies each have a basis in five traditional western philosophies (Ellias and Merriam ,1995). The concepts of teaching styles include teacher-centered and learner-centered teaching (Conti, 1989; Kauchak & Eggen, 2008). The theoretical constructs of andragogy is influential in this study due to the nature of the relationship of the teacher education faculty and their adult learners who are pre-service teacher candidates (Muirhead, 2007). One of the central objectives of the teacher educators and the COE in this study is to teach pedagogical concepts to the preservice teacher candidates. For these reasons, andragogy and pedagogy are conceptually relevant to this study and are a part of the theoretical framework; however they are beyond the scope of the study’s research questions. The theoretical constructs and the theoretical framework will be addressed further in chapter two. 6 Methodology The participants responded to an e-mail which provided a link to an on-line survey. All full-time and part-time graduate and undergraduate teacher education faculty were asked to participate in the study; however all did not choose to participate. The on-line survey contained the Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory (PAEI), the Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) and a demographic questionnaire. The concept of educational philosophy was measured with PAEI. The concept of teaching style was measured with PALS. Descriptive statistical methods were used to establish the profiles for each instrument and demographic variables. Frequency distributions were used to construct the educational philosophy and teaching style profiles for the participants. Analysis of variance was used to examine the relationship among the demographic variables and the educational philosophies and among the demographics and the teaching styles. Chi Square analysis was used to examine the relationship between educational philosophies and teaching styles. Frequency distributions were used to describe the degree to which the teacher education faculty and the COE were congruent in educational philosophy and teaching style preferences. Table 1 lists the data analysis techniques related to the research questions of this study. Table 1 Summary of Research Questions, Data Sources and Procedures Question Data Source Procedure 1. Education PAEI Frequency distributions philosophies profile Teaching styles profile PALS Frequency distributions 2. Education philosophies and demographic variables 3. Teaching styles and demographic variables 4. Relationship between PAEI & demographics PALS & Demographics PAEI & PALS 7 ANOVA ANOVA Chi-Square Education Philosophy & Teaching Styles 5. Teacher education faculty Philosophy & teaching Style and COE PAEI & PALS Frequency distributions Significance of the Study This research has the potential to benefit both teacher educator faculty and teacher education programs by helping them understand the importance of relationship of educational philosophy and teaching style. This study focuses on previously unknown information about the NSU teacher education faculty and the previously unidentified level of congruence between the educational philosophy and teaching styles of the COE and the NSU teacher education faculty. Therefore, this study’s significance lies in the findings, conclusion and recommendations of the research that will help improve professional development and practice of the teacher education faculty and the COE at this university. A strengthening of awareness of how congruence of beliefs and behaviors relate to teaching and learning is central to the study’s significance. Resolution of the dissonance between the teaching style preferences of COE and teacher education faculty has potential to enhance the NSU teacher education program and provide professional growth. Key Terms Philosophy: Belief about reality, the nature of knowledge epistemology, what is good and valuable in the world and the logic of reasoning. The five western philosophies (a. k. a. traditional philosophies) are idealism, realism, pragmatism, existentialism, and reconstructionism. Educational Philosophy: Ideas and beliefs that guide teachers’ actions and provides a framework for thinking about educational issues (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). The educational 8 philosophies are based on five western philosophies. The five educational philosophies: liberal, behaviorist, progressive, humanistic, and radical. Teaching Style: Distinct overt application of teacher beliefs that is persistent from situation to situation regardless of the content (Conti, 1998). Learner-Centered: An interactive learning process in which the learners are actively engaged in experiences and role of the teacher is to serve as a facilitator who is focused on the students’ abilities and needs. Learner-centered style is consistent with the western philosophies of pragmatism, existentialism, reconstructionism, and the educational philosophies of progressivism, humanism and realism (Elias & Merriam, 1995; Conti, 2007). Teacher-Centered: A formal, controlled, and autocratic instructional style which assumes the learners are passive. Teacher-centered teaching styles are consistent with the western philosophies of idealism, realism, and the educational philosophies of liberal and behavioralism (Elias & Merriam, 1995; Conti, 2007). Newton State University (NSU): A fictitious name given to the Midwestern state university where the study was conducted. Andragogy: The art and science of teaching adult learners (Knowles, Holton, Swanson, 1998). Pedagogy: The art and science of teaching children (Ozuah, 2005). 9 CHAPTER II REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Philosophy Rene Descartes’ famous declaration, â€Å"Cogito ergo sum,† â€Å"I think therefore I am,† (Yaldir, 2009, Tweyman, S. 2005) could be the way that some teachers describe their unmindful connection between their teaching and their philosophy of education. A philosophy provides a foundation for understanding and guiding professional practice (Kauchak & Eggen, 2002). All professions have philosophies which help guide actions and beliefs within their vocation. A common organizational practice is to have a philosophy statement that reflects the beliefs and philosophical priorities which guides the institutional leadership (Graham & Havlick, 2005). Philosophy can exert a powerful influence on professions, such as architecture, medicine and in education (Kauchak & Eggen, 2002). It is a professional practice for educators to develop and profess their philosophy statement (Kauchak & Eggen, 2002). Whether or not they are aware of their philosophy, a teacher’s beliefs and behavior are guided by their educational philosophy (Kauchak & Eggen, 2002; Petress, 2003). The teaching-learning process, expectations of the role of the student and what method of instruction to use, are examples of actions guided by a teacher’s educational philosophy (Conti, 1982; Elias & Merium, 1995; Kauchak & Eggen, 2002; Zinn, 1983, 2004). A philosophical orientation to education allows for comparison with beliefs versus practices. A clear understanding of philosophy provides a solid foundation for effective analysis of teaching and  10 institutional educational practices (Conti, 2007; Elias & Merrium, 1995; Graham & Havlick, 2005). Traditional Schools of Philosophy Philosophers have developed answers to questions about reality, the nature of knowledge epistemology, what is good and valuable in the world and the logic of reasoning (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). These efforts have manifested in five philosophies, considered by many to be the traditional western philosophies which are the pillars for most educators (Conti, 2007; Kauchak & Eggen, 2005; Ozmon & Craver, 2007). The five traditional philosophies, which form the structure of most educational practices, are idealism, realism, pragmatism, existentialism, and reconstructionism. Idealism. Idealism is one of the oldest Western philosophical views. It was established in ancient Greece by Plato (Harwood, 2010). Idealists hold the view that the world does not exist independent of the human mind and that the true nature of reality is based upon ideas. The constant change that occurs in the physical world strengthens the idealists’ conviction that ideas are the only reliable form of reality (p. 34). Teachers using curriculum based on idealism focus on content which emphasizes teacher-led instruction on time-honored ideas and works of literature, history, art, and music (p. 211). It was established in ancient Greece by Plato, and was brought into modern history by idealists such as Kant and Hegel (Harwood, 2010). Mortimer Adler’s book (1988), Reforming Education: The Opening of the American Mind, advocated a curriculum based on these timehonored subjects. Adler placed more emphasis on the ultimate goal of developing intellectual skills which leads to higher order thinking and awareness, and less on promoting students’ understanding  of content. Teachers serve an essential role for idealists. â€Å"To idealists, ultimate 11 reality exists in the world of ideas, so they believe that teaching and learning should focus on ideas† (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005, p. 211). With this ultimate reality, which exists in the world of ideas, teachers lead their students to become rational, logical thinkers and to develop values through classic, enduring ideas (Ozmon & Craver, 2007). Realism. Realism is also a historic philosophy, having roots to Aristotle, Francis Bacon and John Locke (Ozmon & Carver, 2007). Realists center their beliefs on the constancy of the physical universe and argue that the â€Å"features of the universe exist whether or not a human being is there to perceive them† (Kauchak & Eggen, 2002, p. 211). Realists claim important ideas and facts can only be taught and learned through studying the material world. The universe and the essence of all things exist objectively and thus they are not an extension of the mind (Harwood, 2010). The learning environment includes emphasis on order, lecture, practice and high levels of time on task (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). â€Å"Curriculum consistent with realism emphasizes essentials, such as math, science, reading and writing, because they are tools to help us understand our world† (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005, p. 211). Teachers who use educational practices based in realism set goals for their students to use observation, experimentation, and critical reasoning in order to learn and understand logical and natural laws. Realism is noted for the scientific method as the central idea of instruction (p. 211). Pragmatism. Pragmatism is considered a more modern philosophy. American educator, John Dewey, was one of its central proponents (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). Pragmatism rejects the â€Å"†¦idea of absolute, unchanging truth, instead asserting that truth is what works† (p. 212). Pragmatists contend truth is relative to the experience of the individual. Because experiences change, the perception of truth changes and the methods for dealing with these also change. 12 Pragmatists accept the methods of science for understanding the human person and solving problems (Elias & Merriam, 1995). Pragmatism philosophy places an emphasis on collaborative learning and problemsolving skills in a self-regulated learning environment (Elias & Merriam, 1995; Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). The process involved in learning is as important as the content in a pragmatist’s classroom (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). Teacher practices based upon pragmatist philosophy â€Å"doesn’t de-emphasize the importance of knowledge, but instead attempts to connect it to children’s interests† (p. 212). As a result, emphasis is placed on the tools of problem-based learning, subject integration, and direct hands-on experiences, which focus on individual accountability and development (p. 212). Existentialism. Existentialism holds a strong view concerning freedom of choice. Existentialists assert all people possess total freedom of choice and thus are personally responsible for all aspects of their lives and society (Elias & Merriam, 1995). â€Å"Existentialists stress awareness, consciousness, perception and the total meaning-structure of the individual, his vision and death, his word choices and other aspects of his relating life† (p. 111). Influential existential writers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Carl Rogers, and Abraham Maslow believed humans become a construct of ourselves, which requires total commitment to a self-determined destiny (Harwood, 2010; Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). Empathy and unconditional caring are more important to learning than student attainment of content objectives (Harwood, 2010; Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). The existential teacher views education as â€Å"an individual’s search for understanding† (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005, p. 214). Reconstructionists. In the philosophy of reconstructionism, the societal function of education is a central premise (Ozmon & Craver, 2007). There are two major principles of this 13 philosophy. The first is society is in constant need of reconstruction or change. The second principle is that social change involves both reconstruction of education as well as the use of education in reconstructing society (Ozmon & Craver, 2007). Reconstructionists declare that schools and teachers should serve as agents to both address social inequities and to enact the ideals of democracy (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). An American educator, Theodore Brameld and Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire, were both influential social reconstructionists who strongly promoted that teachers and schools should serve as agents for marginalized people and advocates for a more just and equitable society. Teachers encourage students to become an actively involved force for social change. Teachers influenced by reconstructionist philosophy place emphasis on teaching students to expose hidden bias and on inspiring students to influence the world today as well as in the future (Kauchak & Eggen, 2011, 2005). Philosophies of Education From Aristotle and Plato to Dewey, Rogers and Freire, the traditional schools of philosophy have served as a foundation to educational schools of thought. Although they have useful implications for the field of education, the traditional philosophies were not developed as philosophies of education. â€Å"A philosophy of education is a conceptual framework embodying certain values and principles that renders the educational process meaningful (Merriam & Brockett, 2007, p. 28). † An educational philosophy typically includes, â€Å"terms, aims and objectives, and curricula, methods and the teaching-learning transaction, the role of society, and the roles of student and teacher (p. 28). † Zinn (2004) adapted Elias and Merriam six educational philosophies liberal, behavioral, progressive, humanistic, and radical, which were identified as having roots in traditional schools of philosophy (Elias and Merriam, 1995; Zinn, 2004). The 14 differences in these philosophies centers upon the concept of knowledge, the role of the learner and the role of the teacher and the purpose of the curriculum (Conti, 2007). Liberal Education. Like Aristotle, Socrates and Plato, the liberal education philosophy emphasizes the development of intellectual power (Zinn, 2004). This philosophy is not associated with liberal political views; liberal education philosophy stresses traditional, classical humanism based on the liberal. It is supported by more contemporary educators such as Houle, Adler, and Piaget (Zinn, 2004) and has its roots in idealism and realism traditional schools of philosophy (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). Emphasis is placed on general, liberal humanities education to shape a rational mind. The task of education is to impart knowledge of eternal truth and preparation for life through great works of literature, philosophy, history and science (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). Teachers with the liberal education philosophy might be referred to as the expert ‘sage on the stage’ transmitting knowledge with an authoritative approach to a rigorous intellectual curriculum (Zinn, 2004; Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). Teaching methods based in this philosophy often include lecture, critical reading and discussion, which direct the student in the broadest sense â€Å"intellectually, morally, spiritually and aesthetically† (Zinn, 2004, 72). From a practice standpoint, liberal education is oriented toward conceptual and theoretical understanding and not just absorbing and using facts (Elias and Merriam, 1995). Behavioral Education. Behavioral education is a contemporary philosophy with its foundation in the early 1900’s from psychologists Watson, Pavlov, Thorndike and Skinner. Behaviorists believed psychology should be about the science of behavior and not about science of the subjective mind (Slavin, 2000). Behaviorism is consistent with the traditional philosophy of realism which utilizes absolute law and scientific method to stress knowledge and skills useful 15 in today’s world (Conti, 2007). It professes the purpose of education is to promote skill development and behavioral change (Zinn, 2004). Emphasis is placed on compliance with standards and societal expectations. The teacher’s role is of manager and controller of the learning environment through prediction and direction of learning outcomes. Some teaching methods used by behaviorists include programmed instruction, skill training, competency-based and criterion-referenced assessments, mastery learning, and feedback and reinforcement. The learner is expected to take an active role in learning and expected to practice new behavior and respond to feedback and reinforcement (Zinn, 2004). Behaviorism is associated with a learnercentered teaching style(Conti, 2007). Generally the process of learning involves the educator diagnosing specific learning needs and evaluating progress towards meeting those needs. Accountability for learning is placed on the shoulders of the learner using competency-based behavioral objectives for evaluation (OBrian, 2001). Several models of behaviorist adult education exist. Special education programs, computer based training, adult basic education programs, vocational training and military training are often based on behavioral educational philosophy (OBrian, 2001; Zinn, 2004). Progressive Education. The educational focus of progressivism is the notion that the child is an experiencing organism capable of learning by doing; education should be life itself, not preparation for living. Progressive education is aligned with the traditional philosophy of pragmatism (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). Prominent educators include Spencer, Dewey, Bergevin and Lindeman (Zinn, 2004). John Dewey’s ideas about education reform in the early part of the 20th’century created both excitement and criticism (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). His emphasis on â€Å"seeing learners actively involved in real-world problems† was considered a stimulating concept in the traditional  16 educational system (p. 200). Critics of Dewey’s reform principles believed â€Å"progressive education seemed to de-emphasize content and cater to student whims† (p. 200). Progressive schools encourage cooperation rather than competition; the free interplay of ideas enhance individual effectiveness in society through practical knowledge and problem solving skills (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005; Zinn, 2004). School is viewed as a microcosm of society with emphasis on learning through application of experience and problem solving (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). Classrooms are designed for experiential learning and spaces to learn from each other through active learning and cooperative group learning experiences. The teacher is a guide and organizer for experiential learning through use of scientific method, integrated curriculum, project method and problem based learning (Zinn, 2004). Constructivist teaching, a progressive based teaching method in which knowledge is actively constructed by the pupils, is consistent with the traditional pragmatism philosophy (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005; Ozman & Craver, 2007). All three, pragmatism, progressivism, and constructivism, â€Å"emphasize concrete experiences, real-world tasks, and the central role of the individual in determining reality and promoting learning† (Kauchak &Eggen, 2005, p. 220). Humanistic Education. In the classroom, humanistic philosophy, also known as humanism, places emphasis on a nondirective approach to education which focuses on individual choice rather than on academic subjects or timeless ideas (Conti, 2007). Humanism, which is closely associated with the philosophy of existentialism, is influenced by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, who were primary contributors from the field of psychology (Elias & Merriam, 1995). Carl Rogers stressed person centered and unconditional regard. Maslow is most well known for his hierarchy of motivation which evaluates needs based on growth and being needs, 17 culminating in self-actualization (Slavin, 2000). Several adult educators have contributed to this theory, however Malcolm Knowles may be the most well known in the field of adult education. He spawned the concept of adragogy as a specific teaching strategy for adults (Elias & Merriam, 1995). The function of school from the humanistic educational philosophy is to enhance personal growth and development and to facilitate self-actualization (Zinn, 2004). Teachers are facilitators and partners in students’ growth; however they do not direct the learning. Through the use of self-directed learning, discovery, and experiential learning, the learners assume the responsibility for their education. Cooperation, group tasks and communication are valued as a part of the process of growth (Zinn, 2004). Specific education programs which are based on humanistic educational philosophy are limited. Examples include self-actualization workshops, self-esteem building programs, and the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California (OBrian, 2001). Some educators consider progressivism to be controversial because too much emphasis is placed on â€Å"children’s interests and self-esteem and that knowledge and understanding has been sacrificed † (Kauchak & Eggen , 2005, p. 218). Radical Education. In the radical education, the political power of the individual is viewed as a responsibility to create and change history and culture through reflective action (Zinn, 2004). Education’s purpose is to bring about, through education, fundamental social, political and economic changes in society. The educational focus is recognition that society needs to be reconstructed and that education must take the lead in that reconstruction (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). The exploration of the political nature of education, including social control and power in schooling and a rejection of the politics of exclu.