Performance Enhancing Drugs For Athletes - 2365 Words

Many people may not know what performance enhancing drugs, or PED are and what they have to do with athletes. When people talk about performing enhancing drugs, they assume that they are steroids or some type of human growth hormone (HGH). However, a performance enhancing drug is anything that is taken by an athlete to improve their skills. Performing enhancing drugs mostly refers to anabolic steroid use in sports by either professionals or amateur athletes. People all over the world use performing enhancing drugs. Starting from high school, college,and even to professional careers, the evolution of enhancing drugs has made a difference in the athletic world to this day. Performing enhancing drugs, should not be allowed in sports because they have serious long term health effects, they provide players with unfair advantages, and they lead to athletes serving as poor role models for fans and future players. The most common PED used by athletes and in general are creatine, precursors, and anabolic steroids. According to the Mayo Clinic, creatine is used to improve performance during a high-intensity burst of activity and increase muscles mass and strength. Even though it has high burst of activity in working out the muscles, athletes commonly use these in track for the extra boost in the starting the run, but receive muscle strain as the side effect. Additionally, Steroid precursors such as androstenedione (andro) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are substances that theShow MoreRelatedAthletes And Performance Enhancing Drugs1438 Words   |  6 PagesAthletes of all ages are always looking for that extra edge to excel in their sport. Living in a world filled with competition, this could be a challenge for certain athletes who want to progress and get to the next level. Many athletes have a strong desire for recognition and fame. Unfortunately, that makes some athletes who are determined to win at any cost, motivated to experiment with illegal substances even knowing the consequences. Being in sports that require significant strength and enduranceRead MorePerformance-enhancing Drugs and Athletes674 Words   |  3 Pagesadvance form of improving the ability of athletes is known as doping. Doping are performance-enhancing drugs which are used in sports. The uses of these drugs are considered to be unethical as it gives competitors an unfair advantage. Sports is seen as an activity based on full ethics and complete discipline. With the invention of performance-enhancing drugs in sports, it gives athletes a greater opportunity of cheating. There are many different types of drugs however the most common ones that areRead MoreThe Effects of Performance Enhancing Drugs on Athletes996 Words   |  4 PagesEffects of Performance Enhancing Drugs on Athletes The risks of taking performance -enhancing drugs to improve an athletes’ performance outweighs the benefits. Along with the fact that all performance-enhancing drugs are illegal to use in sports, there are also serious side effects and addiction risks to the drugs. Athletes may choose from a variety of drugs and each may achieve different benefits. However, most of the time, athletes are uneducated in their decision to take the drugs, which canRead MoreElite Athletes and Performance Enhancing Drugs1817 Words   |  7 PagesElite Athletes: An Asset or Liability to Sports? Many elite athletes are under great pressure to perform exceptionally well they often times resort to using performance-enhancing drugs to stay competitive. The path to success as an athlete is not an easy track; it is fierce! The fame and the fortune one can attain from being an athlete is only unimaginable to some; it is something worth going the extra mile to reach, for some, there is no limit to the extra mile. After all, in today’s society theRead MoreShould Athletes Be Performance Enhancing Drugs?2325 Words   |  10 Pagesaccurate. However, to test all adolescent athletes in Australia for performance enhancing drugs solely on the bases of an opinion is highly ineffective and time consuming, as there are other ways to combat the problem. To determine if junior athletes are taking performance enhancing drugs, there are a number of questions that need to be looked into. These include: which athletes are taking performance enhancing drugs, how often do they take them, how many athletes take them, which sports are the mostRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs Among Athletes Essay944 Words   |  4 PagesSince the dawn of the twenty-first century, performance enhancing drugs have become a religious practice in â€Å"the lives of some sport figures.† The use of these supplements have given the user an edge, an edge to perform at maximum capability. Most major athletes all agree on the fact that the competitive determination to win is intense. Despite all, most athletes have high hopes of either winning a medal, a full ride college scholarship or the once in a lifetime opportunity to play for a professionalRead MoreEssay on Performance Enhancing Drugs Among Athletes935 Words   |  4 PagesSince the dawn of the twen ty-first century, performance enhancing drugs have become a religious practice in â€Å"the lives of some sport figures.† The use of these supplements have given athletes an edge to perform at maximum capability. Most major athletes all agree on the fact that the competitive drive is intensely fierce. Despite all, most athletes have high hopes of attaining prestigious awards, a full ride college scholarship or the once in a lifetime opportunity to play for a professional teamRead MoreAthletes Should Use Performance Enhancing Drugs941 Words   |  4 Pagesstar athlete on any team of your choosing? Therefore, this is one of the reasons why I think steroids should be able to be used for anything of the professional athletes choosing.. Due to the amount of people using performance enhancing drugs in pro sports today, most people when they hear â€Å"Steroids† they think of huge men or women with big bulging muscles. Steroids have been used throughout sports in every way i n almost every sport. I think that the professional athletes that use performance enhancingRead MoreShould Athletes Use Performance Enhancing Drugs?935 Words   |  4 Pages PED users in sports Everyone wants to win and everyone loves a winner. Athletes are a competitive group and if you are good enough to get into professional sports, you can achieve fame and fortune would you cheat to accomplish? This is the question that many athletes have to answer? What do I mean by cheating? I mean the use of performance enhancing drugs. How many records were made and broken by athletes that used these enhancements. â€Å"According to Marvin Olasky â€Å"Baseball needs to putRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs Affects on Athletes Essay480 Words   |  2 Pagesresearch paper is performance enhancing drugs. My research is the affects of performance enhancing drugs on athletes and how it affects society. The stakeholders for the research paper are the professional athlete, the college athlete, governing bodies and the fan. The effects of drug use on the professional athlete can cost them their career and also their lives. The college athlete wants to become the fastest or the biggest and nevertheless don’t view performance enhancing drugs as dangerous.

The Elementary And Secondary Education Act - 852 Words

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), brain child of President Johnson, was passed in 1965. ESEA was intended to mitigate disparities in access to quality academic services and learning outcomes endured by underprivileged and minority students by federally funding schools serving their communities. ESEA, later revised as No Child Left Behind, was to be one element in a larger reform agenda focused on urban redevelopment, vocational training and â€Å"EDUCATION AND HEALTH† (Thomas Brady, 2005). In his 1965 State of the Union, Johnson proclaimed, â€Å"No longer will we tolerate widespread involuntary idleness, unnecessary human hardship and misery, the impoverishment of whole areas†¦ † Nevertheless, this intractable problem remains, as illustrated by recent National Assessment of Educational Progress findings: 50% of Latinos, 53% of Native Americans 62% of Black 12th-graders, scored below grade level in Civics (NCES, 2011). The average 8th grader eligible for free/reduced price lunches, scored 20% lower on music visual arts tests than their ineligible peers (Keiper, Sandene, Persky, Kuang, 2009). The average 8th 12th grade non-Asian Pacific Islander minority student’s math reading scores lagged 20 to 30 points or approx. two grade levels behind their white counterparts, unchanged from 1992 (Aud, Hussar, Kena, Bianco, Frohlich, Kemp, Tahan, 2011). From 1992 to 2009, the rate of 12th graders reading at or above Proficient Basic levels respectivelyShow MoreRelatedThe Elementary And Secondary Education Act1526 Words   |  7 PagesThe The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), was revamped in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Due to the time period of the inception and now, there is a pressing need for reform. Even when the law expired four years ago, Congress continued to update the out of date NCLB Act was never seriously considered by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce until now. Since the Republicans assumed control of the House of Representatives, they have created and passed a seriesRead MoreThe Elementary and Secondary Education Act 732 Words   |  3 PagesThe Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 was a part of the Great Society program which sent funding to primary and secondary schools, this act was enacted to hold schools responsible and to improve equality in education on a national level. This act targeted low-income families, specifically migrant and English limited families. Part of the ESEA was an attempt to close the gap which had been furthered by race and poverty, in order to improve the education of these students and theirRead MoreThe Reauthorization Of The Elementary And Secondary Education Act948 Words   |  4 Pages Every Student Succeeds Act was a new law that was signed into legislation in 2015 by President Barak Obama. ESSA is a biparty educational reform law was designed from several aspects of No Child Left Behind. The United States Department of Education (2015) stated that ESSA focuses on factors such as, advancing equity for the nations disadvantaged students by investing more in preschool programs, local innovations, reporting student progress on all high stakes assessmentsRead MoreEducation Reform For The Elementary And Secondary Education Act877 Words   |  4 Pageshistory of education there has been many education reforms. According to Enrique Pena Nieto â€Å"Education reform has as its main purpose to make sure that the education delivered is of quality† ( (2015 BrainyQuote INC, 2015). Whether it be for primary and secondary students, higher education, low-income students, or teachers, there is always an improvement that can be made for the better. A comparison of educati on reforms that reveals some of the positive, negative, and needed changes in education. One ofRead MoreFederal Elementary And Secondary Education Act Essay719 Words   |  3 PagesAfter the report, A Nation at Risk (1983), the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 was reauthorized in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). This reauthorization was a call to attain educational equality for all American students and to lessen the achievement gaps between and among ethnicity groups, children of poverty, and disabled populations (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). Additionally, because of this increased scrutinyRead MoreInclusion Of The Elementary And Secondary Education Act869 Words   |  4 PagesInclusion in education is when children with and without disabilities participate and learn together in the same class. One law that provides rights to students is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, which is a law guaranteeing special education services to all children with disabilities in the United States. Then there is the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which is a† United States Act of Congress that is a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education ActRead MoreElementary And Secondary Education Act Of 20011735 Words   |  7 PagesBy: Patrice Murphy English 122 Instructor: Stephen Rogers 8/18/2014 The current version of the â€Å"Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2001† is â€Å"The NO Child Left Behind Act of 2001†. Which supports â€Å"standard-base† education reform, each state is responsible for developing assessments in basic skills and standards. The Federal Government’s plays a part over seeing in annual testing, annual academic progress, report cards, teacher qualifications, and funding changes. ThisRead MoreElementary And Secondary Education Act Waiver Application1380 Words   |  6 PagesVirginia’s approved Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver application, schools must meet increasing targets — referred to as Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) — in reading and mathematics for all students, three â€Å"Proficiency Gap Groups,† and other subgroups in order to meet federal accountability requirements† (Virginia Department of Education, 2015b, p. 1). AMO’s are not available for scienc e; however, scores can be compared with the division and the state. Newsome Park Elementary School has aRead MoreThe Elementary And Secondary Education Act And The No Child Left Behind Act1335 Words   |  6 PagesEvery Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was enacted into law on December 10, 2015 by former President Barack Obama. This law replaced the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 that President George W. Bush passed into law during his presidency. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) replaced the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 which was passed by Lyndon Johnson. The ESSA â€Å"reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation’s national education law and longstandingRead MoreBilingual Student Sector Of The Elementary And Secondary Education Act Of 1965871 Words   |  4 Pagesstudent sector of our education system. The most impactful legislation, I believe, that was a vital toward helping this sector, was Title VII of the Ele mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, signed into law on January 2, 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson. As a formal teacher, President Johnson was an avid believer in equal opportunities for those children of low-income families, of which many of the EL students were. Title VII I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 â€Å"promot[ed]

Challenges and Opportunities of the Global Insurance Industry Free Essays

string(99) " of valuation could open up cost – savings in areas like data, modelling and reconciliation\." Introduction The global insurance industry seems to have escaped the worst of the financial crisis in comparison to other financial institutions. Day to day business has been relatively unaffected but the area that gave the most cause for concern has arisen from exposures to risky financial instruments. â€Å"The Reactions Magazine’s Global Insurance Conference 2009† was held in Swissotel, Zurich, Switzerland. We will write a custom essay sample on Challenges and Opportunities of the Global Insurance Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now At this conference the financial services industry tried to re set itself following the worst crisis for years. (www. euromoneyseminars. com). Insurance is an established industry. Like other companies insurance is facing increased competition from global players. It has been difficult for insurers to accomplish profitable growth, so they need to improve this. They will need to adopt new advanced approaches to expand their distribution networks. This essay is divided into two sections. The first talks about the types of risks that are present in the global insurance industry. I will take each of these points and discuss them in detail: growth, governance and risk management, market reporting, mergers and acquisitions, human capital and lastly compliance and regulation. The second section looks at the opportunities that are available to the global insurance industry within the next twelve to twenty – four months. They include: disaster modelling, disaster planning, managing the industry’s reputation, grow globally, innovative products and delivery and Focus on readdressing product and distribution strategies. The insurance industry is always looking for new opportunities in different services and geographies. To take advantage of these opportunities insurance companies need to re-examine their strategies and be prepared to drive basic changes in the way they work. The primary function of insurance is to act as a risk transfer mechanism. The basic principle of insurance is that the losses of the few are paid by the many. Its underlying purpose is to provide protection against the risk of financial loss, thus giving peace of mind to the policyholders. † (www. peerpapers. com) Challenges are getting bigger for insurers as an increas e in pressure for bigger profit margins. This means taking a hard look at reducing costs and top line revenue growth. Making a profit is due to the ability to accurately assess risk and look after customer relationships over time in order to get financial success. I am going to look at the following six challenges. 1. 1 Growth After a spell of cost cutting and readjustment, insurers are again moving up a gear and trying to strive for managed growth. While growth is valued by investors, it is hard to find in the fairly mature insurance industry. To be successful in the future companies will need to create and design new products and services, cross – sell more effectively, strengthen their ties with brokers and agents and avail of any opportunities presented by emerging markets such as China and India. (www. pwc. com). Further demand for pensions and health insurance is likely to rise in the Western world as the population ages and lives to enjoy a longer retirement. Costs will remain critical however to meet the ever exacting demands of today’s customers is liable to be the main point of contention. There are new openings from the increasing wealth of customers in new markets e. g. China. As their insurance industry is one of the fastest growing in the world with GDP at 3. 2% and the end of December 2008, they stand far behind the global average of insurance industry which stands at 7%. www. lloyds. com) Saturation of insurance markets in the developed world has made the Indian market more attractive for international insurers according to â€Å"Booming Insurance Market in India (2008-2011)†. This is due to its huge population base and large untapped market. (www. newsblaze. com) 1. 2 Governance and Risk Management Natural calamities are another challenge facing the industry. Global warming has caused a change in weather patterns which have caused a shift in the underlying probability of insured loss by storms, floods, wind and heatwaves. Natural disasters like hurricanes Katrina and Rita whose losses amounted to $61. 5 billion (www. duncansadviceonmmoney. vox. com) These disasters posed some very serious problems for the insurance industry as they are faced by difficult and uncertain financial burdens because of this this has shown the importance of quality data and calibration of model outputs, effective validation and also the experience and initiation of the underwriter. Structures will have to be put in place to tackle the threat of climate change. The development of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) capabilities help to protect insurers from damages to their reputation and provide a platform for strengthening governance, decision making and compliance with regulations. Pricewaterhouse- Coopeus (ERM for the insurance industry) revealed that many insurers have difficulty implementing and enforcing ERM in the face of containing data, systems and governance challenges. Also found in this study were examples of how resourceful and efficient management and helping to overcome these hurdles and bring greater insight to the insurers ERM missions. www. pwc. com) 1. 3 Market Reporting Insurers are facing a major overhaul of market reporting. This contains the launch of the market Casistent Embedded Value Principle, a planned move to a finalised IFRS level for insurance contracts and the increased risk and capital management disclosure foreseen by EU Solvency II â€Å"Scheduled for implementation in 2012, it is a new regulatory regime de signed to provide a principles-based supervisory framework for European insurers and reinsures. Solvency II is a risk-based system and is being built to meet the challenges of rapidly developing financial markets. It will also bring an increased level of transparency and harmonisation to the sectorâ€Å". (www. towersperrin. com). These changes are likely to set a model for global disclosure for others to follow in relation to risk. The key elements , include the possible adoption of IFRS(International Financial Reporting Standards) in the US form 2014. Implementation of Solvency II and IFRS reporting will be demanding. The good news is that corresponding timings and basis of valuation could open up cost – savings in areas like data, modelling and reconciliation. You read "Challenges and Opportunities of the Global Insurance Industry" in category "Industry" These changes help to increase stakeholder confidence by enabling insurers to show a single view of their business that shows more clearly how it is run on the inside. A survey by (IFRS 2007) insurance states that companies will need to provide more risk information and explanation to meet the exacting expectations that have come about from market events. (www. pwc. com) 1. 4 Mergers and Acquisitions Although funding is a challenge from time to time. Mergers and Acquisitions is vital for business to expand complementary earnings streams, realise opportunities for cost saving synergies and reinforce their existence in fast increasing emerging markets. Emerging markets are underinsured and these present potential business for the insurance market. Within ten years China is expected to become a leader in the global insurance market, while India is set to double its digits in the growth rate. However, due to cultural conflicts and protectionism could stop growth in economies. In the near future, the insurance industry is liable to be a very active period for mergers and acquisitions. US insurance companies attractive evaluation will make it easier for insurers in the EU to infiltrate the US market. (www. pwc. com) 1. 5 Human Capital All organisations in the world realise the importance of people in the conduct of their business therefore the trend of classifying their employees as assets. The human resource management school of thought tends to focus on the enrichment of the knowledgeable worker in terms of its theory. Human resource planning should be part of the total resource planning equal to planning devoted to capital development and materials and equipment purposes. Many insurers are facing an skills shortage in their workforce. Training and development of staff is now on the agenda as a rule in all organisations. Improved productivity is expected to result in trained and motivated workers. The employee training programs are intended to provide them with more knowledge and skills so they can do their job to the best of their ability. Training is a visible pay-off and is seen immediately whereas development is future- orientated.. Lessons are being learnt on a continuous basis in the requirement of human capital in the new economy in comparison to the old economic labour force. M Morley et al 2004). This investment in recruitment and career development lags behind other financial sectors. They look at short term fixes rather than looking at the long term prospects. However, looking to the future demographic shifts accelerating globalisation look set to change the shape of the labour market and make it more difficult to attract and retain good peo ple. (www. pwc. com) 1. 6 Compliance and Regulation Growing regulatory demands are bringing increased problems to insurers. Solvency II is included to require a critical check of capital and risk management along with sustaining information and documentation. The EU Reinsurance Directive gives a standard system of regulation and mutual recognition across Europe. This includes an ease of the regulatory limitations on securitisation which could give way for a large increase in risk transfer to the capital markets. Also they give a new definition of reinsurance that will prevent several contracts. Insurers are also facing a ceiling on regulatory changes including anti-money laundering and harder conditions on consumer protection. A key challenge is to know how to include these requirements into â€Å"business as usual†. Enterprise wide risk management can assist in providing ways to do so. They can help by giving a greater understanding of the trade off between reward and risk which will result in a brighter capital allocation. (www. pwc. com) As I have discussed in the challenges previously opportunities in the next twelve to twenty-four months can be found by global expansion adopting the latest technologies to give better service delivery and provide services to meet the exacting requirements of the next generation of retirees. The insurance industry is in the process of undergoing transformation as a result of the following three factors : sector specific, macro and operational. Increased regulation requirements outsourcing, globalisation, new distribution channels, more modern IT systems and climate change are adding to the increased volatility in the insurance industry today and they are now positioning themselves to be successful in the future that requires many changes in the way they do their business. China is one of the fastest growing insurance industries in the globe. â€Å"China Insurance sector forecast 2013† is the outcome of much research and in – depth study of the insurance market in China. Between 2009 and 2013 it is expected to grow CAGR of 28% – 30%. Chinas insurance industry is already out of the financial crisis and is expected to make great headway in the coming years. In 2008, the industry grew in the fastest pace since 2002, due to the rising insurance awareness level and government support. Insurance products which include life, health, and personal accidents accounts for the majority of growth. Property insurance products are also growing rapidly and are basically divided into two segments â€Å"motor and commercial property insurance†. Non life insurance products i. e. that is product liability, credit and marine insurance etc. These will decide the long term viability of the non- life insurance market. 2. 1 Disaster Modelling The tragic impact of the Asian Tsunami, as well as the worst Japanese typoon in 2004 was the year of improbable disasters. As a result, this forces us to look at how we prepare for such risks. Hurricane forecasting began in the 1980’s, forecasters have tried for many decades despite being unsuccessful to deliver accurate predictions, and landfall activities. Scientists of tropical storm risk in London announced that they had developed a new model which represents a major step forward.. (www. lloyds. om) Insurers also use models developed by companies e. g. Air Worldwide Corporation to predict the damages caused by storms so that insurers can forecast the payouts to be made. (www. informationweek. com). This reminds us of the importance of investing in scientific research to help our understanding of risk and its impact 2. 2 Disaster Planning Insurance and disaster planning are closely related as they both deal with the risk of the disaster happening and the after math. Due to the upward trend of catastrophe events we see the need for robust and effective disaster planning for the future. Part of the solution must be insurance markets and their regulators working together sharing their respective knowledge and expertise. By doing this, we can be sure that response procedures are well tested and run as smooth as possible for when the next disaster strikes. In terms of claim handling, lessons can be learnt. The shortage of adjustors on the ground and the mishandling of claims by some shows how important the relationship between the insurer, the adjustor and the regulator is. As the frequency and cost of disasters goes upwards it will be very important to have a relationship based on trust and flexibility. (www. lloyds. om) 2. 3 Managing the Industry’s reputation Improving transparency and disclosure are two issues which are needed to manage and improve the industries reputation that has been rocked by high profile developments. For instance in the USA the New York State Attorney Generals investigation sparked very close scrutiny of the commercial insurance market . In the minds of customers, commentators and regulators the financial service industry has been left with a very poor image, after the recent investigations. These investigations highlighted the lack of transparency and accountability that are expected of a 21st century business environment. These issues can no longer be ignored. In a survey, by Lloyds of a hundred underwriters, one third admitted that the industries reputation is tarnished. Transparency and disclosure as well as good communication appears to be the answer to those outside the industry globally. Basically more time communicating and building bridges with consumers, economic leaders and world politicians initially means less problems down the line. (www. lloyds. com) 2. 4 Grow Globally Sales in new markets or by new acquisitions insurance companies need to grow globally more than ever before. Growth in the European and American market is slowing down while growth in India and China is increasing. The aging population presents insurers with a dilemma. The industry has great difficulty in attracting and retaining talent than other sectors of the financial services industry.. This situation is going to get worse as there are more retirees and fewer graduates moving into the top jobs. There is also a loss of graduates to banking and other financial institutions. Concern is expressed about the career path from insurance company hire to insurance agent. If this problem is not addressed the industry’s sale force would diminish. By moving into the European and American markets, insurers can grow a less risky strategy rather than expanding into new product lines. Those who do go overseas have to look at the various business lines in different markets. Chinas middle class and aging population with long term care and security needed make it a very viable option for foreign insurance companies. By 2010 China will be a major player on the insurance market. The same is also said of India. (www. rmislab. com) 2. 5 Innovate Products and delivery Innovation is seen as the main driver of profit over the next three and five years both in delivery and product innovation. By building relationships with customers moving them for example form car insurance to other insurances as they become asset rich. By providing better service and delivery insurers can strengthen their customer base. Technology can strengthen relationships with intermediaries which helps them run more efficiently and reduce their running costs. Insurers must look to cut cost they can do this by cost reduction initiatives like outsourcing and use of shared services, rationalizing product portfolios . Companies need original approaches and to continue to invest in this very complicated environment. (www. rmislab. com). â€Å"In 2007, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co introduced a variety of enhancements to its variable annuities including an expanded choice of â€Å"living benefits† and the upbundling of optional income and death benefits† (www. deloitte. com) 2. 6 Focus on readdressing product and Distribution Strategies As the economy continues to even out, insurers need to evaluate their decisions and distribution channels. These decisions are vital in assisting insurers rebuild capital as well as positioning themselves for future growth. (www. ey. com). Insurance companies that sell directly through call centres, internet and direct mail have been performing better and this is due to lower costs because of their economies of scale and strong internet capabilities. Compared to independent insurance agents who lack these advantages have been put under pressure they require support and further development. Insurers need to find ways to work more effectively across product lines e. . give a customer packages that reward him/her for being a good driver. (www. deloitte. com) Conclusion In my findings I have found that the insurance industry has survived the financial crisis much better in comparison to the banking sector. This is due to its strong focus on risk management and long term prospects. Even though capital markets have decreased downwards their insurance assets, insurers are optimistic about the fu ture and some are expecting an improvement in prospects in mergers and acquisition over the next twelve to twenty – four months. The global insurance industry faces many challenges but despite these that they are being faced with the majority of insurers must move into fast growing markets i. e. India and China or find new innovative ways to get more businesses out of slower growing developed markets. China with its huge population is an obvious choice while the latter options include diversification, new products and speciality products. Insurers need to improve their risk management especially in the areas of disaster modelling and managing the industries reputation as it is vital to have a tarnished free reputation. Finally insurers need to work effectively and efficiently to develop and market a range of products aimed at older customers. In this intensely competitive market, employers will need to develop an excellent human resource management capable of responding to business needs and the workforce expectations. They will need to be able to identify and realise opportunities for career development prospects and other key areas of their employment. (www. pwc. com) With this knowledge insurers will be able to position their business models to optimize investment returns and control operations using the most effective and efficient methods available. How to cite Challenges and Opportunities of the Global Insurance Industry, Essays

Children of the City Essay Example For Students

Children of the City Essay Water Imagery in Children of the CityRain has always been an important symbol in life. It is one of very few actions that can be both destructive and harsh, but at the same time constructive and life-giving. Throughout literature the visual image of rain is usually connected to feelings of sorrow, death, and despair. The most commonly known example of this would be in Hemingways Farewell to Arms. Hemingway uses the rain to tell of peoples negative emotions, so it is easy to take that idea into other readings. Outside of literature, however, rain is seen as being connected to positive thoughts of growth, prosperity and cleansing. In this story of adolescent love the author uses the presence of water to saturate the subjects with these positive feelings. At the beginning the author introduces the rain as urban in contrast to field or shore rain. Immediately the image of urban rain is less threatening than that of a field or shore. It gives the reader a playful image of almost being teased by the rain. In the city one has to hide from it and jump from umbrellas to awnings, yet never has to worry about the danger of being caught in it for too long. These playful and teasing characteristics of the rain are the exact guidelines to the relationship between the two main characters. The rain represents the couples emotion and they experiment with it just like in a real adolescent relationship. They see how long they can be drenched by its passion, nevertheless they return to the overhangs not knowing how much of it they can handle. Looking at it in a biblical sense, the rain is both destructive to them and helping their relationship grow. God sent the flood down to man because of our sins causing much destruction, but at the same time givin g us a rebirth and purification. Too much rain may flood their relationship with emotion; however this urban rain teases them and lets them feel free and pure. The idea of the rain giving growth to their relationship is seen in the lines ending a scrawny tree, and their forested way. Alone they are fruitless and scrawny, yet together they are given life by the rain to create an entire forest. Conversely, after all that the rain has provided them with the authors last mention is that of a negative connotation. The rain has taken away their playfulness and has left them cold. The lighthearted tone is not lost though; it is instead carried on by more and more water. The author gives the image of skipping over dotted puddles like playing connect the dots all the way home. The building up of water is their emotions beginning to rise. They yearn for more passion, freedom, and innocence and therefore the author ends the water reference by surrounding them, fully enclosing and protecting them in the bathtub. It never rains, but it pours is a common idiom that can concentrate the main idea behind the authors water imagery. The simple statement shows how small occurrences, such as an urban rain, can snowball into new passion. The author hints at this idea in the beginning by giving credit to the rain for sending them to her room. The gathering and growing nature of the water as you travel further down the page lets the reader see their pleasure grow until it finally engulfs both of them in the end.

Neo

Introduction The total number of hours that an individual is capable and willfully supplies at a standard wage rate is called the labor supply. Thus supply of labor involves individuals seeking to be employed for a given an agreed amount of wage. But the neoclassical theory of individual labor supply terms income and leisure as the major source of individual utility.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Neo-Classical Supply of Labour specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Income that is generated by the individual from work is spent for the leisure activities, depending on the individual’s own preference. However, the changes in the market wage rate impacts the individual in two ways; an increase or decrease in the income and a shift from one activity to the other. In the longer term, the extreme increases and decreases in the wage rate may decline to unacceptable levels forcing individuals to exit the labor market, a situation known as voluntary unemployment (Burda Wyplosz 2009). Therefore, the neoclassical theory of individual labor supply is based on two assumptions. First, an individual has two likely ways of spending time; for labor and/or leisure, and secondly, the individual equitably distributed the time spent for leisure and labor in order to derive maximum satisfaction. Because individuals alternate between working and leisure, foregoing an hour of leisure equals to the wage rate. Thus, if the value of leisure time is higher than the market wage rate, individuals would prefer not to work. In both cases, the opportunity cost of foregoing an activity equals to the value derived in the other activity. As such changes in the wage rate results in either a substitution effect or an income effect (Veblen 2010, p. 373). Effects of wage rise The graph below shows the supply curve resulting from changes in real wage rates and their effects on the quantity of labor supplied. For instance, real wages increased from W1 to W2 the individual would benefit from an increase in income, and increase in utility. Consequently, the individual would willingly increase their working hours from L1 to L2; represented on the graph as income effect being less than the substitution effect. The positive price change results from the comparison of a greater substitution effect against the income effect. According to Gupta Dutta (2010, p. 923) the resultant increase in wage rate results in to a significant climb in the opportunity cost of leisure time. The resultant costly leisure time is due to the increase in wage rate. Instead of spending more time for leisure, that is already expensive, individuals would instead prefer going to work more to increase their income. This is termed as the substitution effect result from a higher wage rate. On the contrary, Hazan Maoz believe that the income effect results from further increase in wage rate. From the graph, increase in wage rate from W2 to W 3 would cause the labor hours to decrease from L2 to L3. According to Veblen (2010, p. 397), the wage rate increase results in a higher income effect than the substitution effect, such that an individual derives higher utility from an hour spent on leisure than from an hour spent working.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The backward bend in the supply curve results from the increase of wage rate beyond W2. Beyond W2 the individuals earns enough income to sustain their lifestyle, thus do not need to work for extra hours. Hence individuals prefer to increase leisure time and reduce the hours spent at work (2010, p. 2126). On the basis of an indifference curve-like platform, Ransom Sims suggest that an individual’s utility function is composed of real income (Y) and leisure (L). It is represented mathematically as utility is a function of Y and L, U = U(Y,L). Since an individual would be prompted to sacrifice some leisure time to receive additional income, an indifference curve is downward sloping, with points above the indifference cure offering higher utility than points on or below it (2010, p. 331). In order for individuals to attain the highest achievable level of utility, alternative levels of Y and L, with the limiting goods and time constraints, the full-income constraint is represented as wT = pY + wL. The equation can be in the form Y = -(w/p)L + (w/p)T, referred to as individual’s constraint. Graphically, From the above graph, the intercept of the budget constraint on the Y (income) axis is wT/p; giving the full income point. The budget constraint has a slope of –w/p. hence the downward slope. At the point of tangency (point A) between the indifference curve and the budget constraint, giving certain optimal levels of Y and L or Y and T, maximizes the utility (Caliendo, Gambaro Haan 2009, p. 877).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Neo-Classical Supply of Labour specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Neoclassical theory and wage differentials According to Aspromourgos (1986, p. 265), differences in wages exist and according to the neoclassical theory of the labor market, they should be equal. This decision was based on the assumptions of maximizing profit, perfect competition and homogeneity of workers. Nevertheless, there are three neoclassical trajectories elaborating the workers’ wage differentials; human capital theory, theory of equalizing differences, and efficiency wage theory. According to the theory of equalizing differences, identified differences that associated with inherent traits of a specific job require wage compensations with non-monetary positive traits. In order for effective compensation, the should exist, consistency of work, agreeableness of the job, ease of learning the employment, probability of success an d degree of responsibility (Caliendo, Gambaro Haan 2009, p. 877). The second theory, the human capital theory, attempts to explain differences in wages as resulting from an individual’s marginal capital productivity caused by differing human capital stocks such as aptitudes, training, knowledge, education and skills of an individual group are characterized. The productivity differentials are contributory to the wage differentials as the neoclassical labor market dispenses its wages depending on the marginal product of labor. Because, human capital differences are exhibited in the varying productivity, different wages will be paid. Evidence has shown that workers possessing high education earn comparatively higher wages. Individuals that sacrifice their leisure time and finances to acquire more skills and experiences add to their human skills which translate to increased productivity (Casares 2010, p. 233). Thirdly, the efficiency wage theory, while explaining the existence o f above equilibrium wages seeks to understand why these rates result into unemployment. Because firms paid above equilibrium wages to employees in developing countries during the 1950s, the theory was coined to understand the trends. The theory concluded that equilibrium wages were not enough to cater for the workers’ basic health. Thus paying them above the equilibrium rates ensures that their improved health would contribute to increased productivity. The employers according to the theory aimed at reducing turnover, discourage shirking and attract superior employees. Disutility of labor and working hours In contrast to the associated increased utility resulting to the individuals increasing their work hours, Van der Hulst, M 2003, pp. 171) postulates that certain disutility effects arise from work at the margin areas. On the basis of the standard economic theory, there are positive non-monetary effects of being employed.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus a relationship exists between individual well-being and working hours; whereby studies have been conducted. For instance, an increase in the individual’s working hours automatically generated an improvement on the individual’s life utility, even with a constant amount of wage/income. As such, work is considered a positive generator of utility for an individual, hence life’s utility increases with employment and working time. According to Hazan, M Maoz (2010, p. 2134), substantial improvement of the living standard results from a change in status from unemployed to employed, irrespective of the few hours spent working. According to the study, it was further evidenced that increasing labour hours benefits men due to the non-pecuniary utility, thereof. Beyond the optimal labor supply of seven hours known to maximize well-being, the level of happiness is reduced. Although women just like men benefit from the non-monetary utility of additional working hors, the ir optimal labour time per day is four hours and any extension beyond that leads to utter discomfort. According to the neoclassical assumption of marginal labor disutility, for both sexes, the happiness maximizing labour time should be less than the average real working time. The theory is supported because at the margin the disutility is caused by labor for the employed individuals. However, according to the happiness literature, the total utility of work for most employees is positive and not negative. Therefore, the well-being research empirical findings concur with the theory assumptions (Clark 2003a, p. 323). A similar picture is evidenced in the evaluation of the external changes of working time that resulted into under- or over-employment. Just as noted above, the positive utility of working hours are impacted by the strong decrease in well-being resulting from external deviations from the desirable labor time. Especially, work extended beyond the utility maximizing level has a significant diminishing impact. According to Kaufman work in addition to generating disposable income for individuals, also provides non-pecuniary utility effects. In the happiness economics, the debate point of contention is whether greater focus should be directed more on leisure than on work. Too much leisure is known to negatively impact life satisfaction, while individuals should not be forced to work long hours, because labor improves well-being. The consequences of excessive labor time and too much leisure, such as negatively impacting the workers, eventually, affect the organization’s performance. Primarily, the major perspective should be reduction in the levels of unemployment through policy. The policy has a two-fold impact on the well-being; increase in the disposable income, and increase in the non-monetary utility of work (2008, p. 285). If the policy regulatory measures on working hours are externally determined they will negatively impact welfare because in most cases they would conflict with the individually desired labor time. However, if internally determined, the policies are likely to match or accommodate the individual preference of the employees, hence positively impacting welfare. Due to the external policies, the feeling of under- or over-employment will contribute to decline in individuals’ well-being. On the contrary, Mutari, Figart Power, believe that improvement in workers welfare and happiness is associated with less restrictions and flexible working time. The benefit can accrue to companies that provide a favorable working environment and flexible working hours. Through the non-monetary utility, companies can opt to substitute the favorable working conditions and flexible working hours for a discounted wage for their employees compared to the competitors (2001, p. 23). Voluntary unemployment and income replacement programs The above graph shows the point A representing an individual’s combination of H hou rs and L hours of leisure at a wage rate of w. Income equals to Y. According to the neoclassical theory of labour supply, it is assumed that the only type of unemployment is voluntary in the long-run because the market is assumed to sort itself. Specifically, the movements in the market wage rate will in the long-rum reach unacceptable levels that individual would prefer not to work; instead opt out of employment (Vroman Brusentsev 2005). In the event that an individual becomes unemployed, and all lost income is replaced, the individual moves from point A to point B, as shown below The shift from A to B represents an increase in utility from Uo to U1 possible in the complete incomplete unemployment when an individual becomes unemployed. Income replacement programs in the US include disability insurance, whereby an individual disabled while in employment receives income equal to the initial wage, while increased leisure hours are provided, their level of utility would increase. The assumption includes full compensation for â€Å"pain and suffering† and medical expenses (Nakamura Murayama 2010, p. 665). Effective insurance for the disabled workers requires approved medical physicians assigned to conduct medical examinations aimed at curtailing on fraudulent disability claims by employees. However, partial disability from a work-related injury discounts the wage that the affected worker will be paid. Retrospectively, the income and substitution effects resulting from the wage reduction affects the quantity of labour and time spent in the working place. Because it is only the income effect that results from a loss in utility, the partially disabled employee can be compensated with a replacement scheme large enough to cancel out the income effect caused by the reduced wage. This applies when the desire is to adequately compensate the partially disabled employee (Van der Hulst 2003, p. 171). Conclusion Based on the neoclassical theory of individual labor s upply individuals use of time for both work and leisure. This indifference in an attempt to attain utmost utility of time, and changes in the wage rate greatly impacts the level of utility attained. Neoclassical theory of labor explains the variations in the wages paid to workers through theory of equalizing differences, human capital theory and efficiency wage theory. Consequently, an increase in the wage rate results causes an income effect and substitution effect. However, disutility in the working hours and working time exists in situations whereby excessive time is spent either in work or on leisure. Companies that provide favorable working conditions and flexible working hours have the option of paying a satisfied workforce less-than market wage rate. Furthermore, the change in the market wage rate determines the level upon which individuals prefer leisure for working; a situation called voluntary unemployment. List of References Aspromourgos, T 1986, â€Å"On the origins of the term ‘neoclassical’,† Cambridge Journal of Economics, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 265 -270. Burda, M Wyplosz, C 2009, Macroeconomics: A European Text, 5th edn, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Caliendo, M, Gambaro, L Haan, P 2009, The impact of income taxation on the ratio between reservation and market wages and the incentives for labour supply, Applied Economics Letters. London, vol. 16, no. 9, p. 877. Casares, M 2010, â€Å"Unemployment as excess supply of labor: Implications for wage and price inflation†, Journal of Monetary Economics, vol. 57, no. 2, p. 233. Clark, A 2003a, â€Å"Unemployment as a Social Norm: Psychological Evidence from Panel Data†, Journal of Labor Economics, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 323-351. Clark, A 2003b, â€Å"Unemployment as a Social Norm: Psychological Evidence from Panel Data†, Journal of Labor Economics, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 289-322. Colander, D, Holt, R Rosser, B 2004, â€Å"The changing face of mainstream economics, † Review of Political Economy, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 485-499. Gupta, MR Dutta, PB 2010, Skilled-unskilled wage inequality, nontraded good and endogenous supply of skilled labour: A theoretical analysis, Economic Modelling, vol. 27, no. 5, p. 923. Hazan, M Maoz, YD 2010, â€Å"Women’s lifetime labor supply and labor market experience†, Journal of Economic Dynamics Control, vol.34, no. 10, pp. 2126-2134. Kaufman, B 2008, â€Å"The Non-Existence of the Labor Demand/Supply Diagram, and other Theorems of Institutional Economics,† Journal of Labor Research, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 285-299. Mutari, E, Figart, DM Power, M 2001, â€Å"Implicit Wage Theories In Equal Pay Debates In The United States,† Feminist Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 23-52. Nakamura, T Murayama, Y 2010, â€Å"A Complete Characterization Of The Inverted S-Shaped Labor Supply Curve†, Metroeconomica, vol. 61, no. 4, p. 665. Ra nsom, MR Sims, DP 2010, â€Å"Estimating the Firm’s Labor Supply Curve in a â€Å"New Monopsony† Framework: Schoolteachers in Missouri†, Journal of Labor Economics, vol. 28, no. 2, p. 331. Van der Hulst, M 2003, â€Å"Long work hours and health†, Scandinavian Journal of Work and Environmental Health, vol. 29, pp. 171-188. Veblen, T 2010, â€Å"Why is Economics not an Evolutionary Science? Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 373-397. Vroman, W Brusentsev, V 2005, Unemployment compensation throughout the world: a comparative analysis, Michigan, W.E. Upjohn Institute. This essay on Neo-Classical Supply of Labour was written and submitted by user Leah Salas to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Sherlock Holmes English coursework Essays

Sherlock Holmes English coursework Essays Sherlock Holmes English coursework Paper Sherlock Holmes English coursework Paper In The Speckled Band Conan Doyle introduces Helen Stoner, the victim, and she is wearing a thick black veil over her face. This makes her look quite dark and mysterious. In The Red Headed League, the victim is also introduced at the beginning of the story. The victim, Jabez Wilson is quite a poor person unlike Helen Stoner who is quite rich. You can tell he is poor because he says he owns a small pawnbrokers business. However The Blue Carbuncle is quite different. The victim gets introduced later on. First, Sherlock Holmes has a hat and a goose which were found by Peterson the commissionaire. These belong to the victim. Holmes deduces all he can from these two objects. Conan Doyle does this to intrigue the reader and to show the reader how clever Sherlock Holmes is, that he can tell how a man looks like and how clever he is, just from looking at a hat. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle uses a lot of weird and mysterious clues in his stories. His intended effect was to try and lead the reader astray. Also to let the readers try and solve the clues and figure the mystery out themselves, but of course he doesnt make it easy. The main reason Conan Doyle uses clues is to build tension. The story with the strangest clues was The Speckled Band. When Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson go to Stoke Moran to analyse the bedrooms, Sherlock Holmes finds a vent that leads into another room, a bell pull that doesnt work and a bed thats clamped to the ground. The clues that Conan Doyle used here would confuse any reader whether they were clever or not. Conan Doyle often used flashbacks in his stories to give the history of his characters. At the beginning of the story The Speckled Band Helen Stoner gives a flashback about family. Also in The Blue Carbuncle Sherlock Holmes gives a flashback about Henry Baker, from what he deduced from his hat. The writer effect is to give the reader a detailed history of his main character. The endings Conan Doyle creates for his stories are quite dramatic in different ways. The Speckled Band ended with danger, The Red Headed League ended with punishment and The Blue Carbuncle ended with justice. In The Speckled Band, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson both spend a night at Stoke Moran they get into a lot of danger. Watson didnt really know the danger they were in because he didnt fear what Holmes feared. At the end when Holmes and Watson go into Dr. Roylotts bedroom Holmes says, The band! the speckled band! , It is a swamp adder! , the deadliest snake in India. This is when the reader finds out about the danger they were in, especially after the snake had killed Dr. Roylott. At the end of The Read Headed League Sherlock Holmes had captured the criminal, John Clay. Well, would you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry your Highness to the police-station? This quote shows that the criminal was punished, most probably imprisonment. In The Blue Carbuncle after Sherlock Holmes had made the criminal, James Ryder confess to all that he had done. Using his deductive reasoning, he let him go free or in other words put him to justice. Sherlock Holmes did this because he knew that James Ryder wouldnt commit another crime again. All of Conan Doyles stories follow most of the ten Knoxs rules written by Monsignor Ronald A. Knox in 1929. Each story introduces the criminal early, but in a way that reader wouldnt know that it was the criminal. None of the stories have anything supernatural or preternatural. No undiscovered poisons are used, or anything which will need a long scientific explanation at the end. In all the stories, the mystery was solved by Sherlock Holmes himself. He did not get any help and he did not solve anything with the help of coincidence or an accident. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did break one of the rules, rule number 9. The stupid friend of the detective, the Watson, must not conceal any thoughts which pass through his mind; his intelligence must be slightly, but very slightly, below that of the average reader. Watson, in these stories is a doctor. It takes quite a lot of hard work to become a doctor, no one that has the intelligence below the average reader can become one. Watson? Could your patients spare you for a few hours? This shows that Watson is quite a successful doctor and he has his own practice. I have nothing to do to-day. My practice is never very absorbing. Most of the language used in the three stories The Speckled Band, The Red Headed League and The Blue Carbuncle is old fashioned. That is because these stories were written in the 1880s and 1890s. Nowadays language is much different than of how it was in the 1880s and 1890s. In the three stories, the old fashioned word that was used the most was pray. Pray was another way of saying please. You can tell that the language is old fashioned by looking at the dialogue. It is to him that this trophy belongs. It is his hat. No, no, he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual problem The old fashioned language is quite efficient for detective stories; I think that if they were written with todays language, the stories wouldnt be as good. All of Sir Arthur Conan Doyles descriptions are quite detailed; he uses a lot of similes. In The Speckled Band one simile is, Then suddenly another sound became audible a very gentle, soothing sound, like that of a small jet of steam escaping continually from a kettle. The writer is comparing the sound of the whistle to the sound of a kettle letting out steam. Here is one simile from The Red Headed League, with his thin knees drawn up to his hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird. Here the writer is comparing Sherlock Holmes to a bird. A simile from The Blue Carbuncle is, Holmes unlocked his strong-box and held up the blue carbuncle, which shone out like a star . Here the writer is comparing the diamond to a star. The writers intended effect is to give the reader a detailed description of what is going on. Sherlock Holmes was a character based on a man named Dr. Bell who was a professor of medicine at Edinburgh. Sherlock Holmes is a very calm and precise gentleman. He is not the type of man that just wants to get rich. Detection is his hobby; he does it to help people and to bring criminals to justice. Sherlock Holmes is a man that cannot be provoked easily; we can see this by taking a look at The Speckled Band. When Dr. Grimesby Roylott charges in and starts threatening Sherlock Holmes, he doesnt really care. He acts as if nothing is happening, which shows that he is very good at controlling his temper. While Dr. Roylott is calling him names, he just sits there and smiles. You are Holmes, the meddler. My friend smiled. Holmes, the busybody! His smile broadened. Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office! Holmes chuckled heartily. Your conversation is most entertaining, said he. When you go out close the door, for there is a decided draught. Sherlock Holmess power of deduction is very amazing indeed. If we look at The Blue Carbuncle Sherlock Holmes deducts what a man looks like, how clever he is and that his wife doesnt love him that much by just looking at his hat, which is quite remarkable. Watson is the narrator of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Everything in the stories is told from Watsons point of view. Watson and Holmes are very dear friends and Holmes is always relying on Watson. This shows that Watson is a very reliable person. Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City first, and we can have some lunch on the way. This shows that Sherlock Holmes is always relying on Watson to travel with him and he always asks him to carry his gun. Do not go asleep; your very life may depend upon it. Have your pistol ready in case we should need it. Watson is a doctor, we can tell this straight away because in the story he is called Dr. Watson. And also Sherlock Holmes talks about his patients. Watson? Could your patients spare you for a few hours? After reading and analysing the three Sherlock Holmes stories The Speckled Band, The Red Headed League and The Blue Carbuncle, I think I have learned a lot about detective writing in the 1880s and 1890s. I really liked reading about Sherlock Holmes; I think it is very clever how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created him with his unique abilities. I especially like Sherlock Holmess deducting abilities. I now no why detective writing was so popular at the end of the nineteenth century. The mysteries that Conan Doyle created were very interesting, especially the mystery of The Speckled Band. I thought this because in the speckled band story Conan Doyle created a lot of tension which keeps building up, this made me want to read on in a faster way to find out what happened. This is how it affected me as the reader. Out of the three stories I prefer The Speckled Band. This is because the story is much more interesting and intriguing than the other two. I like the clues that Conan Doyle created, which were really very puzzling at first. Once I got to the end of the story I understood the whole thing. The other two stories were interesting, but not as much as The Speckled Band.Ali Mohsen 10N Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.

Analysing data and findings from questionnaire Essay

Analysing data and findings from questionnaire - Essay Example This information is available in Figure 5.3. 5.2.4 Respondents' Education The academic background of each of the respondents was obtained. Figure 5.4 reveals that most of respondents were Master degree holders and they represented 34.9 percent of the sample population while 8.9 percent of the respondents were educated up to high school level. 29.4 percent of the respondents were found to be having a Bachelor degree and 14.4 percent were PhD degree holders. 12.5 percent of the respondents revealed they had other certificates. 5.2.5 Respondents' Position It is evident from Figure 5.5 shows that most of respondents were experienced and had worked for 1-5 years. They represented 37.6 percent of the respondents while respondents having more than 20 years’ work experience comprised of 4.9 percent of the sample population. About 18.7 percent of the respondents had working experience of 6-10 years. Additionally, respondents having experience of less than one year accounted for 14.1 pe rcent of the respondents; while 17.7 percent amongst them had working experience of 11-15 years. The remaining 7 percent respondents amongst the sample population had experience of 16 -20 years. 5.3 The Data 5.3.1 Data Inspection Data analysis commenced with an inspection and review of the data in order to ascertain that it was suitable for analysis. In order to carry out an exhaustive data analysis it was considered proper to follow the procedures outlined by Hair et al. (2006), which included examining data patterns that were missed out and adhering to statistical assumptions, identification of outliers, and a review of skewness and kurtosis. 5.3.2 Missing... The study provides specific contributions relative to quality management practices in public hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The researcher uses a sample population of 327 respondents in carrying out an exploratory factor analysis to determine the factor structure of instruments that had 101 items. The factors examines in this context were: transformational leadership style, transactional leadership style, laissez-faire leadership style, organizational culture and quality management practices. A test of reliability was also made in the context of all the interval scale variables in order to ascertain the extent to which they are free from casual errors. Additionally, this research made an analysis of the assumptions made in regard to homoscedasticity, linearity and non linearity and the outcomes showed that the assumptions proved to be correct. In addition to the above, the research conducted hierarchical regression in order to analyze the relationships amongst different leadership styles , organizational culture and practices of quality management. In view of the outcomes that emerged from the research, it can be said that all the hypotheses made in this study were found to have adequate support in terms of the research outcomes. The independent variables also revealed a pattern whereby they sufficiently contributed to practices of quality management. Organizational culture has been found to be important and to have a partially moderating impact on the relationships amongst laissez-faire leadership styles and quality management practices.

Brand community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Brand community - Essay Example Brand community is a set of individuals who relate to each other for their interest in some brand or product (Flavià ¡n & Guinalà ­u, 2005). Such brand communities have become the focus of attention for marketers of all products and services. Sports and particularly football has become big business, drawing the attention to brand communities. The brands communities, according to Seo et al., are not bound by personal relations but are based on looser, more impersonal links. The strength of the community and the members’ identification with the community are associated with consumers’ consumption of the core product or product augmentations or brand extensions. The members of the community feel an intrinsic connection with one another which Muniz, Albert and O’Guinn describe as ‘consciousness of kind’ – a shared consciousness, a way of thinking about things that is more than shared attitudes. Such communities also share rituals and traditions and they have a sense of moral responsibility to the community as a whole and to the individual members. This sense of morality can in times of threat, protect the community and produce collective action. A community forms because of certain shared traditions, rituals, behavior patterns or values. According to Muniz and Schau (2005) religious a ffiliation are vital to brand communities. Consumer behavior thus depends on the individual society and its characteristics. The character and structure of the communities are further affected by the commercial and mass-mediated ethos. Brand communities are different from subcultures although they may have some commonalities. The meaning that sub-cultures create stand in opposition or indifference to the meanings that is generally accepted. Brand communities are united by their commonalities and they are communities of limited liability (Muniz, Albert and O’Guinn). They are legitimate forms of community

Working in a Virtual World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Working in a Virtual World - Essay Example This brings in the best of the talent present in the multiple locations in which the virtual world exists. Moreover, the virtual world brings forth the use of many technologies, which makes it even more interesting, as communication and collaboration becomes easier and working on any project becomes a dream-come-true even if each member of the project is kilometers away from each other. The barriers that would have been present in any virtual organizations - that of time and distance - have been conveniently removed by the technologies that are used, essentially that of telecommunications and computing. Furthermore, the virtual organization is flexible, because it is the management of an organization over a virtual set up. This also makes the virtual organization dynamic and ever-changing; it is restless in nature and dares to experiment with new ideas and creative techniques of operation. And lastly, the most important attribute which gives virtual organizations a unique touch is th e integration that results and which enhances and brings out the best in all individuals to level out complete synergy and work in favor of the organization. There is always a limit as to the efficient performance of the communications network that has been set up. As will be mentioned in the next few pages, handling and managing communication with remote workers will be one of the biggest challenges for the organization. For example, there will be a potential limit as to how much of transmission can the bandwidth set up do. Therefore, the moment that limit is crossed, the speed of communication gets slowed down and thus collaboration gets difficult. (Gareth, 1998) A very big disadvantage for virtual organizations lies in the fact that there may be hardware and software compatibility issues with the remote workers. The hardware that the remote worker uses will most probably be personal and would not be a specialized computer, rather just a simple one to keep at a house. The software that the management expects the remote worker to use would be specialized and would not be that efficient on an old, slow or mediocre computer. Thus, this mismatch is likely to result in low productivity and frustration of the employee to get things done the way management wants him to do. Computer security is an issue for the virtual organizations because they exist on around a million personal computers of all their remote workers. Leakage of information is highly likely. Technology that is being used in managing a virtual organization is most likely to evolve over time. Updating it in the many computers of the many remote workers would be difficult. The Advantages - Employee and Employer The virtual organization has many advantages for the employee: Often organizations experience an increase in production, but there is no as such acceleration in productivity, as should be the case. Therefore, implementing a virtual organization helps increase productivity and the number of output per worker, thus improving quality and not just the quantity of work that is being produced. Moreover, the employee is always at a pressure from all the

Determination of the Focal Length of a Convex Lens

Determination of the Focal Length of a Convex Lens Shaikh Ilyas AIM: To determine the focal length of converging lens and it’s radius of curvature. HYPOTHESIS: The relationship between u and v and the focal length f for a convex lens is given by . Where f is the focal length, u is the distance between the object and the lens v is the distance between the image and the lens. Real and Virtual Images: Lenses produce images by refraction that are said to be either real or virtual. Real images are created by the convergence of rays and can be projected onto a screen; real images form on the side of the lens that is opposite to the object and by convention have a positive image distance value; Virtual images are formed by the apparent extrapolation of diverging rays and cannot be formed on a screen, whereas virtual images form on the same side of the lens as the object and have a negative image distance value.[1] [2] BACKGROUND: For a thin double convex lens,refractionacts to focus all parallel rays to a point referred to as the principal focal point. The distance from the lens to that point is the principal focal length f of the lens. Below is the derivation of the lens formula Following graphic illustrates a simple lens model: [3] where, h= height of the object h’= height of the object projected in an image G and C = focal points f= focal distance u= Distance between the object and the focal point O= Centre of the lens v= Distance between the centre of the lens and image plane Assumptions Lens is very thin Optical axis is perpendicular to image plane Proving is true. Proof In ΔAHO, In ΔEDO, ∠´ (1) In ΔBOC, In ΔEDC, ∠´ (2) Equating equations (1) and (2), Dividing both sides by v, Hence the formula is proved. VARIABLES: Independent: Distance between the candle and the lens Dependent: Distance (v) from the image to the lens Control: This experiment was conducted in an almost dark room. Same sheet of paper used as the screen. A stable candle flame The time taken for a sharp and focused image to settle The size of the candle. METHOD FOR CONTROLLING VARIABLES: Made sure that the room was sufficiently dark enough to carry out this experiment as smoothly as possible without any entrance of light from the outside. So I pulled down the blinds of the windows and also made sure that there was no draught present in the room that can make the candle flame unstable. Moreover, I waited for around 6-7 seconds for the image to be seen as sharp and focused. And throughout this experiment I used candles of the same make and size. APPARATUS REQUIRED: 2 meter rules A white screen Candle Convex lens PROCEDURE: I divided this experiment in to 2 parts, A and B. In part A, I experimented using a single lens at a time, while in part B, I used 2 lens in contact at a time. Part A: Firstly I set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 1 above by making the distances v and u the same. So the image observed on a plain white screen was focused and clear Recorded the value of the lengths u and v and thereby marking these original points using a chalk on the bench. Then I adjusted the length of u by moving it away from the lens by 5cm. Consequently, I adjusted the length of v until a sharp and focused image was seen. Recorded this distance of u and v Repeated step 3 4 for 7 different values of u by increasing the distance by 5 cm in each step. And recorded the values of u and v for every increment. Then I placed the candle and the screen back in their original marked positions. Finally, repeated the steps 1-8 by using different convex lenses A, B, C, D and E. Figure 1: Setup of the apparatus for Part A Part B: Firstly I set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 2 by making the distances v and u the same. So the image observed on a plain white screen was focused and clear Recorded the value of the lengths u and v and thereby marking these original points using a chalk on the bench. Then I adjusted the length of u by moving it away from the lens by 5cm. Consequently, I adjusted the length of v until a sharp and focused image was seen. Recorded this distance of u and v Repeated step 3 4 for 4 different values of u by increasing the distance by 5 cm in each step. And recorded the values of u and v for every increment. Repeated the above steps 1-5, thrice. Figure 2: Setup of the apparatus for Part B DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING: Part A: Table 1: Data collected for convex lens A Table 2: Data collected for convex lens B Table 3: Data collected for convex lens C Table 4: Data collected for convex lens D Table 5: Data collected for convex lens E Part B: Table 6: Data collected for Trial 1 Table 7: Data collected for Trial 2 Table 8: Data collected for Trial 3 Using the formula, R = 2f I can calculate the value for the radius of curvature. The value of f can be found using the equation. Part A: Table 9:Data processing for convex lens A Standard deviation: ÃŽ ´m = = = 0.30967 Therefore, the focal length is 10.01+ 0.31 cm The % error = = 3.1% Table 10:Data processing for convex lens B Standard deviation: ÃŽ ´m = = = 0.47044 Therefore, the focal length is 10.26+ 0.47 cm The % error = = 4.6% Table 11:Data processing for convex lens C Standard deviation: ÃŽ ´m = = = 0.30500 Therefore, the focal length is 9.89+ 0.31 cm The % error = = 3.1% Table 12:Data processing for convex lens D Standard deviation: ÃŽ ´m = = = 0.32524 Therefore, the focal length is 10.15+ 0.33 cm The % error = = 3.2% Table 13:Data processing for convex lens E Standard deviation: ÃŽ ´m = = = 0.20508 Therefore, the focal length is 9.76 + 0.20508 cm The % error = = 2.1% Part B: Table 14: Data processing for Trial 1 Standard deviation: ÃŽ ´m = = = 0.43905 Therefore, the focal length is 19.85 + 0.44cm The % error = = 2.2% Table 15: Data processing for Trial 2 Standard deviation: ÃŽ ´m = = = 0.16976 Therefore, the focal length is 19.76 + 0.17 cm The % error = = 0.9% Table 16: Data processing for Trial 3 Standard deviation: ÃŽ ´m = = = 0.14809 Therefore, the focal length is 19.90 + 0.15 cm The % error = = 2.2% CALCULATIONS AND DATA PRESENTATION: Table 17: Data presentation for Convex lens A (cm)-1 (cm)-1 (cm)-1 <

General Structure of Comedy and the Importance of Being Earnest by Osca

General Structure of Comedy and the Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde GeneralStructure of Comedy: * Things start out badly and end well * The deeper aim is broadly social: the kingdom or other city space is at first badly ruled or in turmoil for some reason--perhaps the values and institutions of the citizens and/or rulers are in need of some re-examination. * Next, the main characters leave (willingly or otherwise) the city setting and wind up in the countryside, in a pastoral setting. This setting allows for the necessary re-examination of values and social roles. * Magical transformations of characters occur; they are put in situations that could not occur in the city or the kingdom; the forest or countryside's magic opens up new possibilities to them. * After this reappraisal and readjustment period has been completed, the main characters come together--the young by marriage, the foundational institution of the civil order and its only hope for regeneration. * Finally, the characters return to the "kingdom" proper or are about to return when the play ends. Comedy of Manners: This kind of comedy is the one that best describes The Importance of Being Earnest. English comedies deal with "the relations and intrigues of men and women living in a polished and sophisticated society, relying for comic effect in great part on the wit and sparkle of the dialogue--often in the form of repartee, a witty conversational give-and-take which constitutes a kind of verbal fencing match--and to a lesser degree, on the ridiculous violations of social conventions and decorum by stupid characters such as would-be-wits, jealous husbands, and foppish dandies." The Impor... ...y ideal to love someone by the name of Ernest." One view among critics is that Wilde is saying that marriage based on class by birthright is no less stupid that marriage based on something else a baby cannot control: say, his name. In the play many other examples occur of things that cannot be controlled but people act as if they could be: "Some aunts are tall, some aunts are not tall. That is surely a matter that an aunt may be allowed to decide for herself." "I think it is high time that Mr Bunbury made up his mind whether he was to live or die." The play also trivialises other things, like religion, death, customs and manners, etc. For instance, when Algy tells his Aunt Augusta that his friend Bunbury died when his doctors told him he could not possibly live, her only concern is that he acted under the proper medical advice of his physician.