Efficiency Ratios

Efficiency Ratios The efficiency ratio is an indicator of how well Johnson and Johnson (J&J) is run on an organizational wide basis. Efficiency ratios are also defined as asset turnover ratios (Finkler, Kovner & Jones, 2007). The asset turnover ratio measures how productive J&J is in managing all of its assets to generate Sales. This efficiency ratio is calculated by dividing sales by total assets by total revenue. For year 2010, J&J had an asset turnover of 0. 6. Comparing J&J’s asset ratio to the industry, it is the same (Key Financial Ratios: Financial Results – Johnson & Johnson,  2011). Thus J&J is as efficient in the use of its assets as its healthcare competitors in the industry. Revenue to assets = Total revenueTotal assets Total revenue $61,587. 0= 0. 598 or 0. 6 Asset turnover Total assets $102,908. 0| The days' receivables ratio is calculated by dividing the accounts receivable by the revenue per day. The days' receivables will indicate how long, on average, it takes for J&J to collect on its sales to customers on credit. This ratio is also known as the average collection period (ACP). The shorter the collection period, the sooner the organization can pay bills or invest to earn interest (Finkler, Kovner & Jones, 2007). A short ACP is more efficient for the organization. J&J had an ACP of 58 days in 2010. This is a slight increase from previous year’s ACP of 57 days. Revenue per day = Total revenue 365$61,857. 0 = $168. 731 365 days Day’s receivable = Accounts receivable Revenue per day AR $9774. 0 = 57. 92 days DR $168. 731/day| Reference Key financial ratios: financial results – johnson & johnson . (2011). Retrieved from http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/compare. asp? Page=ManagementEfficiency&symbol=JNJ

Rules of evidence

Why are Americas rules of evidence more restrictive than those established by other countries? America's rules of evidence are more restrictive because unlike some countries we have Constitutional protections that safeguard Individual rights. An example of this would be the Supreme courts determination that a state rule requiring that a defendant wanting to testify In a criminal case must do so before the admission of any other defense testimony Is a violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment due process clause.The due process clause protects citizens of the united States from unfair and disorderly legal proceedings, coupled with the right to be informed of the nature and charges in accusation against them among other privileges. With this in mind it can be easily concluded as to the necessity of the restrictive nature of the rules of evidence. Although America adopted the English system of evidentially rules, many changes have been made since that time.Although the adoption of the Federal Rules of Evidence and the uniform Rules of Evidence has not embraced the simplicity that the drafters of the constitution may eave envisioned, they do bring about more uniformity and consistency to the legal system. The Federal Rules of evidence regulate evidentially matters in all proceedings In the federal courts and they bring about a significant measure of uniformity In the federal system. Unfortunately there Is far less uniformity among the states. Only thirty-six jurisdictions have adopted evidence codes that model the Federal Rules of Evidence. Out of the fifty states only forty-two have adopted these rules completely or in part. Of the remaining eight states, my home state of Georgia is in this line up. About a week ago I had the opportunity to learn of this first hand.My attorney and I were preparing a witness list to give to the District Attorney in a criminal case we have. He asked me to research the statute cited on the States witness list and tell him what i t says about using a defendant as a witness. To my surprise this is what I learned. Pursuant to O. C. G. A. 17-16-1 (2010) the deflation of a â€Å"witness statement† In a criminal proceeding Is as follows: (2) â€Å"Statement of a witness† means:A) A written or recorded statement, or copies thereof, made by the witness that is signed or otherwise adopted or approved by the witness; (B) A substantially verbatim recital of an oral statement made by the witness that is recorded contemporaneously with the making of the oral statement and is contained in a stenographic, mechanical, electrical, or other recording or a transcription thereof; or (C) A summary of the substance of a statement made by a witness contained In a memorandum, report, or other type of written document but does not Include notes r summaries made by counsel.Paragraph three of this statute is the statement that demonstrates Georgia is not homogeneous with the Federal Rules of Evidence; and it also exclud ed our defendant as a witness in her own defense. I find to be ironic that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land yet individual states are allowed to have laws that are contrary. This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the Judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. With the understanding that states can nullify federal laws that they determine to be â€Å"unconstitutional†, as was the case in Oklahoma regarding the Affordable Care Act; it is quite perplexing that Georgia along with seven other states find it unconstitutional to deny a defendant the right to testify in their own defense.

Concepts of Sociology Essay

Values, beliefs, behaviours, practices, and objects that constitute a peoples way of life. This is referred to as Culture. It takes two forms; material culture and non-material culture. Material culture being a physical trait and non-material culture being a non-physical trait. A prime example of a physical trait for a material culture in Ireland for example would be our national flag or a shamrock. This represents our culture and is recognised world-wide as being associated with us. Physical traits such as these are known as symbols of our culture. Having said that, a good example of a non-physical trait of culture would be the language of that culture, or the belief system. It’s something we don’t physically wear on our person but we know it is there. Our religion, our native tongue; Gaeilge. Each culture has their own non-physical trait. Culture consists of the beliefs, behaviours, objects, and other characteristics common to the members of a particular group or society. Through culture, people and groups define themselves, conform to society’s shared values, and contribute to society. Thus, culture includes many societal aspects: language, customs, values, norms, mores, rules, tools, technologies, products, organizations, and institutions. This latter term institution refers to clusters of rules and cultural meanings associated with specific social activities. Common institutions are the family, education, religion, work, and health care. Popularly speaking, being cultured means being well-educated, knowledgeable of the arts, stylish, and well-mannered. High culture—generally pursued by the upper class—refers to classical music, theater, fine arts, and other sophisticated pursuits. Members of the upper class can pursue high art because they have cultural capital, which means the professional credentials, education, knowledge, and verbal and social skills necessary to attain the â€Å"property, power, and prestige† to â€Å"get ahead† socially. Low culture, or popular culture—generally pursued by the working and middle classes—refers to sports, movies, television sitcoms and soaps, and rock music. Remember that sociologists define culture differently than they do cultured, high culture, low culture, and popular culture. Sociologists define society as the people who interact in such a way as to share a common culture. The cultural bond may be ethnic or racial, based on gender, or due to shared beliefs, values, and activities. The term society can also have a geographic meaning and refer to people who share a common culture in a particular location. For example, people living in arctic climates developed different cultures from those living in desert cultures. In time, a large variety of human cultures arose around the world. Culture and society are intricately related. A culture consists of the â€Å"objects† of a society, whereas a society consists of the people who share a common culture. When the terms culture and society first acquired their current meanings, most people in the world worked and lived in small groups in the same locale. In today’s world of 6 billion people, these terms have lost some of their usefulness because increasing numbers of people interact and share resources globally. Still, people tend to use culture and society in a more traditional sense: for example, being a part of a â€Å"racial culture† within the larger â€Å"U. S. society. †

Financial Crisis and Lehman Brother Collapse Essay - 1

Financial Crisis and Lehman Brother Collapse - Essay Example To this end, the paper will critically evaluate all the factors responsible for the global financial crisis and identify whether there were factors that were only related to the financial sector or not. The paper will therefore conclude on whether the financial sector was solely responsible or not Financial Retail Products and the Profit Motive Prior to the financial crisis of 2007, it was believed that mass marketing of retail financial products in high income countries after the early 1980s was safe (Froud, Johal, Montgomerie, & Williams, 2010). This was a general belief that this constituted the democratization of finance and ownership in modern Capitalist society. This is because poor people and middle class persons who could not normally afford to own some kinds of properties could acquire properties through the acquisition of various financial products and services. The supporters of this school of thought believed that it was a shared framework that enabled all people in the society to own what they wanted to own. â€Å"Mainstream finance represented financial innovation in circular and technological terms as that which perfected the market.† (Engelen, Erturk, Froud, Leaver, & Williams, 2008, p. 4). This means that the growth of technology and the enhancement of the financial sector led to the growth and expansion of the debt systems and debt structures (Froud J. , Johal, Montgomerie, & Williams, 2009). This grew the trend of financial intermediation and created more financial retail products. However, this process gave way for the evils of exploitation by numerous financial intermediaries (Froud, Johal, Montgomerie, & Williams, 2010). This created a major problem that fed into the system of the credit crunch. â€Å"Empirical evidence of the United States shows that extension of credit and asset ownership in an unequal society is self defeating because it does not abolish the tyranny of

English - Writing Directions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English - Writing Directions - Essay Example The following flow chart will help to clarify the actions that will be described: Choose a paint color and buy it ? set up the equipment and lay down the drop cloths ?put blue tape for delicate surfaces against all the edges ? use an angled brush to outline all the close edges ? open the can and stir the paint ? use a roller brush to fill in all the spaces in an X pattern After considering this flow chart, these are the directions. Instructions for Painting a Wall Painting a wall can be a source of achievement and pride when the room looks dingy and needs to be made to look fresh and alive. The area around the wall should be cleared away so that access to all portions is made convenient and clear of items that could be in the way. Equipment must either be gathered or purchased, so the first thing to do once the wall area is clear is to make a list of everything that is needed, including the paint. Choosing the paint color is the first step in deciding to paint a wall. This can be don e before the process begins or during the initial step as the equipment is being gathered. The wall will need to be taped off so that the edge beyond what is desired painted is protected. A two inch angled brush is used to paint near the tape, allowing for a clean edge that has not bled into the space that is not desired to be painted. The walls are then rolled in an x pattern so that there are no roller marks. When this is done, it is allowed to dry and then the tape removed in order to check for bleeds. The equipment is cleaned up and the room put back into order. The following instructions will outline exactly how to do each of the steps involved in painting a wall. 1. The first step in painting a wall is in clearing away the items around the space in front of the wall. This means that there should be enough room in front of the wall to put up a ladder. The ladder should allow access to every space of the wall that will be painted 2. The second step is to make a materials list, g ather what is already on hand and go purchase the materials that are yet needed. Steps one and two are interchangeable, but it can be preferable to have my work space clear and to see exactly what will be required for the job. 3. A basic materials list includes screwdrivers, spackle, blue delicate surface tape, two inch angle brush, roller pan, roller, roller head, and ladder. Do not forget the paint! 4. The third step is to choose the paint color, again interchangeable with steps 1 and 2. A paint color can be chosen long before the job will be done or during the trip to the store when all other materials needed will be purchased. One method of choosing a paint color is gathering paint sample cards from a store and taping them to the wall. There are many ways to choose a color and that will be up to the buyer. When purchasing materials, purchase the paint and it is recommended to use one of the new paints that have primer in them in order to get good coverage on the wall. 5. Once th e materials are brought to the site of the wall they must be organized. First, tools required to take off electrical plates and to fix any holes in the wall should go to one side of the wall away from the painting equipment and placed securely away from the wall so they can be grabbed, but not in the way. The floor should be covered with drop cloths to protect it from spills and drops that might damage

Zapp Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Zapp - Essay Example This is essential as it involves understanding the needs and issues that face other individuals. This principle can be applied in the sense that an individuals working as a team understands the concerns of the team members in order to work effectively and for the team or individuals within the team to be zapped. Through the process of understanding the concerns of other individuals effective measures are able to be applied in dealing with such concerns whenever they arise. Another important principle in Zapp that an individual may apply to zapp themselves involves asking for assistance in terms of problem solving. Whenever problems arise for instance within an organization an individual should engage other employees in the problem solving process. This is crucial as through seeking of assistance ideas, suggestions and information will be shared by the employees. Hence, in order for an individual to be zapped there should be sharing of information in relation to solving various issues within the organization as this will boost the morale of

A comparison of Boeing & Airbus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A comparison of Boeing & Airbus - Essay Example Here the researcher has discussed the operational management and strategies of two leading aircraft manufacturing companies. Therefore, researcher mainly stressed on five key aspects of operational performance objectives which are quality, speed, dependability, cost and flexibility. The various components of the operational management techniques have been discussed in details with emphasis on indispensable ingredients which can help the buyers. The quality assurance techniques need to be supervised and monitored in such a way so that the end results can be delivered in accordance with the proposed or assured quality. The speed is an important in the airlines industry. So, the researcher draws a comparison between the speeds of two companies. Finally, the flexibility, cost and dependability will discuss to highlight the operational efficiencies. Introduction In present corporate scenario, the international business management plays a crucial role to manage the business network (operat ion management) across the globe. So, most of the companies introduce innovative strategies to enhance the business network and reduce the competition. In this sense, strategic management is an integral part of international business management. ... Strategic management provides sustainability to a business entity in the competitive market. It gives a clear picture to the employees about their job culture and co-relates it with the organizational goals. Operational strategy helps in increasing the productivity of the firm and maximizes the skills of the employees by introducing new work cultures and providing new area of work. Thus, strategic management is beneficial to a firm in various important aspects. This study will throw light on the contribution of strategic operations management as well as the operational performance of two leading airlines company Boeing and Airbus (Owen and Maidment, 2009 p.142). Company overview Boeing Boeing is one of the largest aerospace companies in the World. The corporate office of the Boeing is established in Chicago. The company is specialised for manufacturing commercial jetliners and defence, space and security systems. This is the top exporter which attaches with the 150 countries’ allied governments and airlines companies. The product and service range of the company includes military and commercial aircraft, weapons, satellites, lunch system, defence and electronics system, communication and advanced information systems and performance based training and logistics. The aerospace company is traditionally specialised in innovation and leadership. The primary objective of the company is to meet the emerging customer needs through its continuous expansion of the product line. There are 170000 employees are connected with the business network throughout the world. The operational efficiency of Boeing shows the quality of the employee force. There are two customized business unit i.e. Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Boeing Defence, Space & Security. The company also has

Exploiting New Ideas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Exploiting New Ideas - Essay Example The working environment calls for the human resource department to talk of work in terms of output. The concentration of their workload is always the prime key for survival and going to upper management level or having a merit increase or vying for promotions. A big part of the big company's strategy to lessen work loads for a facilitated paper flow is the common centralization strategy. Looking into every inch of centralization is the limitation given to a certain employee to work on a particular project or subject or production phase only. It does not warrant the assumption of skill development through wide exposure of the company's different departments. Thus, the function of work is limited only to the job on hand. However, there are supervisors who constantly boost the morale of their employees and are very supportive with their endeavors to improve work efficiency. Still, procedures are being followed. In big corporations, work functions and loads are being followed literally. Example if you are in a marketing department, your concern is only with marketing. If there are any matters that relates to product innovations or improvements, it lies still in the department. They tend to wait for other people to look into the matter and giv e the feedback to quality or product control. The thing is, they really won't mind whether they get to view some changes. Their main concern is only how to market the product and how to properly draw their strategy to the segmented market. Somehow big corporations overlook expressions of inventiveness of their employees and come to refer those things only with systems and procedures or with research and development department. The act of transparency and information sharing is limited and is not so effective. Almost always, matters are often marked as classified or top secret like a government handy work. What is there to think of when the moment you begin to access data it is always looking for higher level authority access or it is always being pinned down to no access or access denied paraphrase. I am not talking about making confidentiality a common book for reading but simply stating that ideas are being maneuvered into a firewall if we talk in terms of computer. One just cannot read and one just doesn't have the freedom to generate new systems or generate new ideas. That is the humor of the complexities of the structure of big corporations it just can't get its grasp on the simplicity of small fundamentals and ba sics of business life. Delving into patent applications, small business market trend and procedures and looking into individual creativity, a lot of product or services is a by-product of our imaginations and dreams to make something out of life and out of what we want to do. Mostly, inventions came from the necessity to make our work more efficient and speed performance either in us being the worker and the performer or the materials itself that was used or in the systems and procedures that the company has sustained its operations. Employees in small businesses might not be as systematic as in structured big corporations but they are prone to developing their

Emergency Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emergency Communications - Essay Example olds at a cheaper price, but at the same time makes it hard for other video signals to pass through the same channel to other TV sets in the same region. Considering the US Federal Communication Commission analog standard, one program is delivered in a 6 MHz band (Fotheringham and Sharma, 2008). Using digital formats, the same frequency space can deliver about five to ten pictures similar in clarity, or at least two programs in high definition. Additionally, a single 6 MHz broadcast TV spectrum channel can also supply broadcast services (Fotheringham and Sharma, 2008). However, the broadcast service is eliminated by the FCC digital TV standard, which states that TV stations must deliver high definition videos across the whole 6 MHz band allocation in order to retain their licenses (Fotheringham and Sharma, 2008). The result is underutilization of techniques that save spectrum span and emission of too much power by TV broadcasters. The broadcast TV represents the traditional spectrum management, which suggests that governments must have a control over the usage of frequency to limit and prevent harmful interferences. Thus, the government resolves to the administrative allocation or the state property management of the frequency. The increasing number of interconnections to other systems and the evolution of technologies utilized contribute to the significant changes taking place in the electric utilities operation and design of automation and control systems. These changes present some very challenging aspects in the utilities, including interoperability and cyber security. Nonetheless, interoperability has the highest priority between the two challenges. Operability is a key requirement in assisting vendors and utilities to solve the cyber security challenge. Interoperability has been present in arguments concerning the smart grid, but absent in the cyber security section. Interoperability is possible with almost all cyber security solutions, but only in

Limitations of Intelligence assessment Essay Example for Free

Limitations of Intelligence assessment Essay Intelligence is defined as the ability for abstract thinking . It is the ability of an individual to act in a purposeful manner and think rationally as well as interact with the environment in an effective way. Some have also said that intelligence is whatever the intelligence tests assess which is usually dependent on the preferences of the test developer. According to Piaget, Intelligence is an equilibrium state towards which successive adaptatations of cognitive and sensorimotor patterns as well as accomodatory and assimilatory interactions between organism and environment tend towards (Flynn, 2007). Limitations of Intelligence assessment An intelligence assessment test does not show what an individual can do in specific areas and does not assess specific conditions such as dyslexia. A person with dyslexia may still have high intelligence quotient. An intelligence quotient score can be deceptive in that people with same IQ can have very different intellectual abilities. Furthermore, an IQ test does not measure raw intelligence or any absolute, inherent or innate ability. The IQ test is just a relative index of intelligence assessment which only compares one person’s performance with another of his own age (Flynn, 2007). Strengths of Intelligence assessment The strength lies in its purpose which can be educational, medical, research and vocational. In terms of vocation, IQ tests are used for vocational guidance as different vocations call for different aptitudes . In research IQ test are used to study mental growth as mental ability develop sequentially from birth onwards and so intelligence assessment can be used to see direction of individual and group curve it is also used in research to indicate the extent of differences of IQs among children of same calendar age and this will imply the need to provide materials at the different levels of difficulty. In medicine, IQ assessment is used to characterize the degree of mental retardation so as to evolve adequate management strategies. In education, it is used to identify gifted children and for homogenous grouping of children for educational effectiveness.

Limitations of Interviews in Social Research

Limitations of Interviews in Social Research Why might you decide to use in-depth interviews for a research project? What are the potential limitations? Give examples of studies which have employed this technique well and discuss critically why in your opinion they are good examples. In the social research an interview/interviews are a frequently used mode of data collection. The aim is for the interviewer to elicit from the interviewee or respondent all manner of information. (Bryman, 2008:192). In-depth interviewing is more commonly known as a method that enables the researcher to explore the deeper structure of ideas presented by the participants. Many sociologists use in-depth interviewing to explore a multitude of substantive and theoretical topics (e.g., Bell and Hartmann 2007; Quark 2007; Read and Oselin 2008). (Healey-Etten, V., Sharp, S.,2010: 157). There are many types of interviews that can be used to carry out research however, I am going to describe why it may be beneficial to use in depth interviews for a research project and the potential disadvantages and previous examples of in-depth interviews that have been used to carry out research. Sociologists commonly use this popular method because it enables further detailed exploration about peoples subjective experiences, meaning-making, accounting processes, and unspoken assumptions about life and the social world in general.Two primary objectives of in-depth interviewing are exploration and verification (Johnson, 2002). One reason why it would be useful to conduct an in-depth interview, would be to reduce error due to interviewer reliability. The aim of this concept is to keep error down to a minimum, as should error occur it would have an adverse effect on the validity of the measure. The validity would be compromised if there is a high possibility of error occurring. However, due to the benefit of standardisation in depth interviews are useful to clarify any potential confusion. For example, in a self-completion questionnaire the participants. However, with the help of an interviewer the ambiguity can be clarified and the responses given by the interviewee are more li kely to be valid, based on the fact their answers where given under full understanding of the question. Interview control questions (ICQs) are in fact investigation questions aiming at both verification and exploration. A study that has exemplified the use of in depth interviews, was reported by Ramji Hasmita that focused on exploring commonality and difference in in-depth interviewing: a case-study of researching British Asian women. This research focuses on the experience British South Asian womens lives in London, and how a female British Asian researcher to explores this topic by investigating how and to what extent common social attributes are a result of influence. It examines these issues through a discussion of how the shared cultural identity of the researcher and the interviewees emerged as both a point of commonality and difference in the research process; with the researcher being positioned in terms of both because of the interviewees agency in interpreting their cultural commonality. Issues regarding Indian culture and religion emerged as points on which interviewees exercised agency and interpreted the researchers cultural identity. This was the basis on which they claimed commonality or difference and this assessment consequently impacted on their interaction with the researcher. The article suggests that more attention needs to be given to how assumptions made by interviewees regarding the cultural identity of the researcher through their agency and interaction in the research process shapes interview dynamics. (Ramji, H.,2008) Regardless of the differences between therapy and research interviews, and considering the similarities in approach and outcomes, I am suggesting the argument that participating in in depth interviews can be inherently therapeutic. Additionally, qualitative researchers must recognise the importance of this therapeutic possibility because it can and should affect participants reactions, interviewers approaches, and how researchers can make a difference in peoples lives. As well as clinical interviews, the social research interview context is a space for sharing stories, which can provide credible information for researchers and provide a platform for alleviation and healing. It has been recognised by several health practitioners and researchers that engaging in conversation can be liberating, as it encourages emotional release and can provide a sense of comfort at times. Sharing information and feeling building relationship by trying to understand ones mindset can also raise self-awar eness and perhaps even reform their perspectives on certain topics. This organization of thoughts can trigger new perspective and aid in promoting resolutions. The in-depth interviews are not aimed to act therapy, but it is therapeutic in that it offers a space for relaxation through sharing. In 2013 Yvonne Kahl, Johannes Jungbauer published an article reporting qualitive research regarding, Challenges and Coping Strategies of Children with Parents Affected by Schizophrenia: Results from an In-Depth Interview Study. The research consisted of thirty-four children undergoing in depth interviews to find out different forms of coping mechanisms they used to deal with their parents who were battling the mental health disorder, schizophrenia. The children who were being interviewed, expressed many obstacles in which they face daily, and in conclusion the report recognised through what was said by the interviewees that there is a desperate need for more professional support, to assist the children who are affected to discover more and appropriate forms of coping. (Kahl Jungbauner, 2013). The reason I believe an in-depth interview was more useful in understanding the question being researched here is due to the sensitive nature of the Schizophrenia and the stigmatisation of ment al health disorder. Through the in depth interviews the children conveyed many aspects of fear in relation to fear, frustration and stigmatisation as emotions they regularly feel concerning the relationship with their parents. As previously mentioned, in- depth interviews can be therapeutic and can offer a space for relaxation through sharing therefore would have been more useful as oppose to questionnaire, in enabling the interviewees to be as open as possible. Of course, with any form of research comes limitations. Regarding in depth interviews, there are many ethical issues. Although interviews may naturally be therapeutic for participants, and offer rich data, this quality can pose challenges to interviewers. As researchers encourage sensitive disclosures, role confusion may occur (Dickson-Swift, James, Kippen, Liamputton, 2006; Weiss, 1994). Participants could mistake the interview as therapy and, as such, the interviewer as a therapist. Researchers must carefully maintain boundaries to protect the researcher-participant relationship and ethical obligations to do no harm (Birch Miller, 2000; Dickson-Swift et al., 2006; Haynes, 2006). Boundaries can be achieved through minimizing personal disclosure, debriefing (Dickson-Swift et al., 2006), recognizing distress signals (Kavanaugh Ayres, 1998), drawing back when responses become negative (Haynes, 2006), and being direct about the research relationship. Because researchers are not train ed counsellors, they might experience emotional vulnerability, guilt, fatigue, and burnout (Dickson-Swift et al., 2006). The researchers role is listener, learner, and observer, not counsellor or therapist. A list of local counselling resources should be available for participants to highlight this distinction. References Willis, G. B. (2005). Setting the stage for cognitive interviewing: first principles of questionnaire design. In Cognitive interviewing (pp. 12-33).: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781412983655.n2 Healey-Etten, V., Sharp, S. (2010). Teaching Beginning Undergraduates How to Do an In-depth Interview: A Teaching Note with 12 Handy Tips. Teaching Sociology, 38(2), 157-165. Free, C., Lee, R., Ogden, J. (2002). Young Womens Accounts Of Factors Influencing Their Use And Non-Use Of Emergency Contraception: In-Depth Interview Study. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 325(7377), 1393-1396. Retrieved from http://0-www.jstor.org.serlib0.essex.ac.uk/stable/25453157 Ramji, H. (2008). Exploring commonality and difference in in-depth interviewing: A case-study of researching British Asian women. British Journal of Sociology, 59(1), 99-116. doi:http://0-dx.doi.org.serlib0.essex.ac.uk/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2007.00184.x Kahl, Y., Jungbauer, J. (2014). Challenges and coping strategies of children with parents affected by schizophrenia: Results from an in-depth interview study. Child Adolescent Social Work Journal, 31(2), 181-196. doi:10.1007/s10560-013-0316-2

The Drop Out Rate in Education in Cambodia

The Drop Out Rate in Education in Cambodia Introduction The number of students who drop out school in the basic education level is still very high although the government and the other stakeholders have been striving to cut down on number. It is very clear that there are number of things which cause those children to abandon their studies. It is, however, still a skeptical whether the demand side or the supply side which has the most influence on this phenomena. The government of Cambodia has considered the capacity building and human resource development as priority. In the Rectangular Strategy of the Royal Government of Cambodia has emphasized several points related to the education quality improvement at all levels. Like stated in the policies and strategies in ESP (Education Strategic Plan) 2006-10, there are a lot of reforms have been made in order to reach the Millennium Development Goals. The six EFA Dakar goals: 1- Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children. 2- Ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girl, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to, and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality. 3- Ensuring that learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programmes. 4- Achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults. 5- Elimination gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls full and access to and achievement in basic education of good quality. 6- Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuri ng excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. Source: UNESCO (2000 b), as cited in FE of IFL, pp 66-67 In those reforms, there have also been the strengthening tasks with other partnerships between the public and private sectors. These important tasks are really applicable for implementing the development goals for the betterment of the quality of education. Without doing the reforms, it is not effective form for the implementation because the concept or the social context does not respond to the strategic plan. The strategic plan and the resource of mobilization and utilization can not be cut off from the the understanding from the context or it will be failed to implement. (MoEYS, (2006) Education strategic plan 2006-2010). The objectives of the Ministry of Education, the implementers received the commands from the Royal Government of Cambodia, are to conduct the holistic development within the Cambodian youths. Young people are considered as bamboo shoots which can replace the old and dying bamboo, so building up the capacity among them is compulsory. The development of understanding among young people needs to be done for all sectors. In addition, the Ministry of Education attempts to contribute and engender a sense of nationalism and civic pride because it is really essential for them to determine their own identities. It also strives to upgrade the concept of high standards of morality and ethics in order to build up a good country that people can live in harmony. According to this stance, three main purposes have been set. The first purpose is the equitable access to education that indicates that all Cambodian children have right to receive education at least 9 years (finished grade 9). They receiv e education for free of charge in which the Ministry of Education calls for to promote this prestigious opportunity for all young Cambodians. Secondly, promote the service quality and efficiency of education; so for the Ministry strives to promote the quality of education in all levels especially the low level of education. It has created more supporting programs. In that the establishment of teaching materials is also paid the utmost care. Third, the Ministry intends to introduce the the idea of capacity building for decentralization in which new curricular has been put to manipulate this concept within young Cambodians through lesson of decentralization. The curriculum has been set by focusing much on the expansion of decentralization (Education strategic plan 2006-2010). According to the strategies and policies that the Ministry has set and determined above, it is not uncertain to fully understand what can be the things that have come as constraints to make students at basic level stop study. A long with the stimulants that the government have distributed, the families have to have some involvements to keep students remain in school. The government has continuously conducted reforms to find and to determine the weak points. Thus, this paper is to seek for the deep understanding on the hardships on the demand side and the capacity of distribution of the supply side. We also study to find out how the government of Cambodia manipulates with these challenges. Challenges That Lead to Dropping Out There are several significant challenges which lead to the dropping out among children. Some challenges are ignited by the supply sides while the other is caused by the demand sides. There have been several researches revealed the challenges that lead to the dropping out. The world Bank, in 2004, did stress the problems that lead to the drop out. Each year there is high rate of enrollment at basic level, but they eventually abandoned the school. These phenomena were caused by some factors. First, there is the increase of child labor at the very young age; children were exploited by several means without getting any care from the society or it is lack to be care by the related individuals. Second, there was late enrollment of the children and after a few years in school they felt embarrassed because they saw themselves as big; eventually, they quit. Third, there was lack of readiness for the enrollment; at the beginning of the enrollment the families seemed to have ability to send the m to school and later on it was impossible to do, so they stop. Fourth, there is the significant number of incomplete the low level school. Fifth, the lack of qualified teacher was identified as the ignition of the school abandon among the young children. Finally, the identification of the cause was the lack of health-environmental facilities such as playground and libraries (WB 2004). In fact the number of enrolment at primary level is quite big. The process of their studies can proceed only for a few years and after that the big number become smaller and smaller. There are numbers of complicated obstacles for these drops out. According to the data conducted by EMIS, only 45 per cent of children who start primary school can eventually finish grade sixth and among them, there are only thirty-eight per cent can go to lower secondary school; some of them didnt finish grade 9; in lower secondary school; there are three years which most students can only reach grade 8. It is such a big number of drop out which will be foreseen as number that will be much downgraded to reach grade 9. With this high percentage of drop out, it takes 10.8 years for a child to complete his or her education in primary school (EBEP 2006-2010). Recently, the Royal Government of Cambodia announced its practical way in improving the education system. Also it proclaimed the great achievements. In the contradict to this, there are still some big problems remain behind the achievement. The drop out rates is still high among primary school children and only small number that can accomplish grade 9. This phenomenon is a constraint for the Ministry in reaching its goal in stimulating the young people to receive basic education from grade 1 to grade 9 by the year 2015. Along with this, some constraints are identified by the Ministry of Education. In order to identify such problem, the Ministry created another department called Education Sector Support Program (ESSP) to detect and identify the problem. The challenges are found as follows: i) low access to basic education, particularly lower secondary schooling, among children from poor families, girls, ethnic minorities, children with disabilities, and children who are living in rem ote areas. ii) high dropout rates in basic education, with this most dropouts occurring in upper primary school before children have completed the full cycle. iii) uneven quality and standards in basic education (Benveniste 2008, p 15). In 2005 the World Band wrote that the transition period is another main cause of the drop out. The drop out occurs when they finished grade 6, and they are awaiting to pursue to grade 7. The number of children about 75 percent were able to go through from primary school and among that only 52 percent went on their studies to the secondary school and finished their basic education (from grade 1 to grade 9). During this interval, the decisions of the children as well as their parents are abruptly changed for some reasons (World Bank 2005). Supply-Side Factors So far the Royal Government of Cambodia that has the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports as an acting figure in implementing the educational policies has been working really hard to reduce the dropout rate among the basic education. The Ministry itself is looking for the the causes and it invests a lot of money in building facilities and instructional materials in recent years. Moreover, the government also set up policies to reduce the house whole financial burdens by letting children to enroll school for free. A long with this the necessity for the children to study is also supported. However, this support is still not enough for the children. The significant barrier for disadvantaged children is the direct cost. In recent year, the government commanded the removal of formal entry to enable them to enroll. Moreover, the Ministry strives to disseminate the information of free of charge enrollment for children. Some educational billboards about the importance of enrollment have been displayed in public to draw the understanding among parents. Unexpectedly, when students have already enrolled, some problems still occurred associated with the informal fees through providing the extra class to students or the like. This phenomenon should be combated for it functions as great constraint that lead to the drop out (Benveniste 2008). Another strategy to combat the dropout rate is to build up relationship with the community so that they can understand; they will support the enrolment and keep their children in school. In the citation of Education Strategic Plan 2006- 2010, there is the promotion of the relationship between homes and communities. The reasons of this expansion are to promote a shadow education which is considered as the important stimulant to achieve the objectives that have been launched. The campaign aims to disseminate the community- based information of holistic intervention at the early ages. The investments in early age among children has been increased from USD 0.19 million in 2006 to USD 0.3 million by 2010. The promoting program was supported by PAP (Priority Action Program) (Benveniste et al 2008). To ensure the stimulant package to upgrade within the children enrolment, the Ministry has also launched some other practical projects. In that, child friendly schools are seen significant to push the enrollment and to persuade children to remain in school. However, the campaign to spread the information about this project is not widely done so that parents do not fully understand the significance of it. If the parents know that they will value and help to encourage their children to remain in school. World Bank (2005) addressed other kind of constraints that lead to the dropout is the quality among teachers. The word quality in here does not really focus on the knowledge of the responsible subjects, but also the art or talent of teacher to harmonize with the students. Teachers need to have psychological knowledge to call for the interest among students. Qualified teachers can help students to stay in school more. In order to reform this, the project of quality improvement interventions program is also launched and a lot of money has been used to conduct this ability upgrading project. A long with student retention, promotion, and especially in student learning is done accompanying with teacher improvement. In the program of upgrading the quality of education, one dollar per pupil has been increased. The program also focuses on teacher training and this prestige implementation lead to the increase in points the students get between 0.70 and 1.05. After the implementation, there is the observation of increase in literacy as well; one dollar was invested in the upgrading policy, one percent was also excelled in student literacy. Another important task that the Ministry of Education pays its concentration in order to reduce the dropout is the investments in health care and skills training. Besides that, it goes to the the modernization of infrastructure.(World Bank: Quality Basic Education for All 2005) The followings are the components that can be used to stimulate the aspect of pushing the students to remain in school. The practical ways of encouraging students to remain are to enlarge the services to be available such as building up more school houses so that students are easy to get to school. This should be done in both primary and secondary school. Next, there should be the expanding of operating budget for these two levels. To do this can also lead to the elimination of gathering the illegal money. Thirdly, the development of remedial classes must be done. Fourth, the instructional material must be available to improve the quality of teaching and make the learning enjoyable for students. Sometimes it is hard for students to understand the abstract concept, so the use of teaching material can help students to form pictures in mind; they can understand better (World Bank 2008). Demand-Side Factors Elimination of unofficial fees. Unofficial fees are the significant constraint that make students families cant afford education for their children. In fact, under the support of the government, students do not pay for registration at the beginning of the new academic year. Surprisingly, students need to pay like bicycle parking fees; it is not a compulsory pay but students need to do unavoidable because they dont know where to park. The parking fees are thought to be too high sometime. Other unofficial fees are the fees students pay for the extra class. Students are not put pressure directly, instead they are put pressure indirectly through, for instance, giving low mark. Extra classes are reported in only 6-7 percent of small rural schools, but in more than 40 percent of large urban schools. Fees also vary considerably from less than R300 per class in small rural school to more than R500 in big urban schools (Araujo 2008. p. 58). Some other problems are identified for the demand side. These problems are the obstacle to miss persuading the students to remain in school. The primary education, especially the repetition of grade 1, 2 and 3 and the drop out of grade 5 and 6 still has some issues which have to be solved timely such as: a/Documents related to Child Friendly School program are not widely available. b/ PB budgets cannot be accessed at the start of the financial year, this impacts negatively on conducting activities and the achievement of targets. c/ The teaching hours and school calendar are often curtailed. d/ Insufficient access to textbooks reduces the quality of education and coverage of the curriculum. e/ Insufficient infrastructure, including: latrines, sources of water and sanitation, libraries in many schools in remote and disadvantaged areas impacts on students attendance and performance. f/ There are insufficient teachers in rural and remote areas undermining the quality of education and learning in these areas. g/ The capacity of District Training and Management Teams (DTMT) in all provinces and capital city is not strong enough to help the teachers and school directors improve school performance (National Education Congress Summary Report-Academic Year 2008-09 p.4) Work force The number of dropouts in the rural areas is higher than in the urban. In rural areas, children are subject to do works such as looking after cattle in the fields; besides that, those children need to do more chores like carrying water from ponds, wells nearby, and firewood to supply home. That is a great burden for them to manage time to study. When they are so busy with this kind of work, they seem to have no feeling to read books (Dy 2004). What the Government Should Do to Reduce the Dropout Rate In order to reduce the number of dropouts, the government should do several jobs such as staff training, financing, evaluating, facility providing, setting clear policies, and other program monitoring. As stated in the Congress Report (2009), staff training is important in reducing the dropout rate for it helps students to gain their knowledge quite well. It also relates to the quality of education. When students get good academic achievement, their families as well as themselves feel really proud so that they have strong commitment towards education. Sometimes, the academic achievement can insult students and their families and in the end student can quit their studies. Another important thing for the government to do is to finance especially on building more school building quite near to their home. The government has to ensure that one village there is one primary school. Besides the school buildings, financing on teaching materials is also important to achieve the effective academic result. Moreover, the government should provide more money for teachers. If teachers have high salary, it is clear that they spiritually have committed to their teaching and their teaching will have good result. Setting up clear indicators as well as other policies related education is extremely significant. Dy (2001) stressed the importance of clear policies making. Prioritizing the policies making is to pave the way clearly that the Ministry could access their goals. The Ministry of Education that has administrators to implement the policies should particularly focus on primary education by conducting special training for all teachers as well as the school principals. Conclusion It has been observed that the dropout rate is still remaining high even though the government has been striving its works to eliminate or to reduce. The areas that are considerably indicated as high are in rural. The problem is that in those remote areas really face many difficulties for children while the urban areas students seem to use most of their time in learning. In contrast to the city children, rural children use most of their time to do house work and other non-academic affairs. Although these problems occur, the government is the one which has significant function to stimulate the reducing process of the dropout among children in lower education.

family as a product of the Environment :: essays research papers

What is family? Family can be described in several ways, a group of persons of common ancestry, or by a person’s perceived view of what a family actually is. Everyone has their own beliefs on what actually makes and defines a family. We will compare the views on family based on Karl Marx’s â€Å"Communist manifesto† and Jose Saramago’s â€Å"The Cave† to see the differences and similarities that take place, and then we will come to a general conclusion that family is a product of our environment Marx felt that history of man is the history of class struggles; these class struggles generally exist between the oppressed and the oppressors. As for the modern class struggle, the authors of the Manifesto blame industrialization, the discovery of the New World and other foreign markets, and the amount of capital available to the businessmen and the bourgeoisie as reasons for the abuse of the working class. The working class is described as being nearly impossible to make better; they have only the bare minimum to survive and the growth of capitalism is making the proletarian class even bigger. This is why they are fit to rise up, together, in open revolution to change the current social structure, to overthrow the rule of the bourgeoisie. Because of the drive to make money, Marx felt the ties between men had been reduced to â€Å"naked self-interest† and â€Å"cash payment†. (Marx 11) To Marx families were seen as nothing more than a business relationship. For this reason, Marx advocated for the abolishment of families and supported free love to end the exploitation of wives. Instead of having many family units, the plan was to break these down to give way for the eventual birth of one large family of proletarians.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"The Cave† the view of family is represented by Cipriano Algor, his daughter Marta, her husband Marcal and even the family dog Found. Family is very important to the Algor‘s as it can be found in the constant crying and discussions by the family. There are many arguments that end up with one or more of the people in the discussion crying. For instance when Marta finally tells he father that they are having a child, Cipriano is upset that they didn’t tell him sooner, Marta begins to cry and it all ends up ok. Crying is a key way to show someone that you care for them.

New Years Changes in Henrik Isbens A Dolls House Essay -- Victorian

In Victorian England, women were expected to be undoubtedly obedient to their fathers, and later in life, servile to their husbands as well. They were normally forbidden to pursue a real education, and would often â€Å"devote themselves to their husbands' happiness† (Roland 10). Throughout history, women have had to make sacrifices for other people's feelings and lives. They have given up their own lives, freedoms, education, and careers due to their concern for others. A concurrent injustice occurs in Henrik Ibsen's play, A Doll's House. The play's characters, motifs, and symbols support it's theme; the sacrifices and decisions pushed onto women by society have hampered them from pursuing their own lives, but there is hope to overcome it. The two minor women characters, Anne and Mrs. Linde, both make sacrifices for different people in order to make life better for others. During the 1800's, a chance for a woman to get an advanced education was fairly rare. This limited a woman's options to low paying job or marrying a well-off man. Anne, the nurse, explains to Nora that when she was young, she was just â€Å"a poor girl† led down the wrong path by a â€Å"wicked man† (Ibsen 200). Anne was forced to put her daughter up for adoption so she could get a job and survive, but it also provided her daughter with a stable home. Mrs. Linde, an old friend of Nora's, reappears after ten years and tells Nora of the struggles in her past (Ibsen 180). Due to the familial obligations society often places on women, she had to leave her love, a poor man named Nils Krogstad, to marry a rich man who will able to financially help Mrs. Linde take care of her sick mother and younger brothers (Ibsen 182). Nora, the main female character of the play, care... ...ted as a doll all off her life by both her father and Torvald, and decides to leave her family so she can live a life of her own. The meaning of the New Year's Eve changes to represent how Nora and Torvald will evolve into new people (Ibsen 236). It also shows that it is never too late for any woman to take back her freedom. Ibsen's play displays how society's expectations of woman are unfair to their freedoms and the pursuit of their own lives. The female characters sacrificed having their own lives to better those of others. The motifs contrast what women experience in life and what they deserve. The symbol of New Year's Eve proves that a woman can reclaim her freedoms. Works Cited Ibsen, Henrik. â€Å"A Doll's House† The River Reader. Pearson Custom Publishing, 2009 Roland, Paul. The Crimes of Jack the Ripper. Edison: Chartwell Books, Inc., 2007. Print.

Cost and Quality Relationship Memo Essay

Many of the reforms contained within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) are aimed at reducing health care costs and improving quality without rationing care, cutting benefits or reducing eligibility. Starting with the populations that suffer from the most difficult health conditions and have the most medical expenses makes sense. If designed and implemented properly, these reforms hold the potential to transform not only their lives, but also to serve as models for other populations. However, this promise cannot be realized without the informed and meaningful participation of patients, families and their advocates. The problem: our fragmented system There is widespread acknowledgement that our current health care system is fragmented, failing to consistently deliver high quality care, particularly to certain vulnerable people, such as: those with multiple chronic conditions, the frail elderly, people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, and members of a racial or ethnic minority. These populations tend to see more physicians, have more office visits and take more medications. Too often, there is no one to coordinate this care. This failure to coordinate leads to poor care, such as: †¢ Duplicative tests or procedures †¢ Medication errors †¢ Avoidable hospital admissions †¢ Preventable hospital readmissions †¢ Unnecessary nursing home placements This fragmentation comes at a cost. Overall, health care costs represent 16 percent of our Gross Domestic Product. In 2009, we spent $2.9 trillion on health care. The cost of health care services provided to vulnerable populations is disproportionate to their numbers. For instance, 96 percent of Medicare dollars and 80 percent of Medicaid dollars are spent on patients with multiple chronic conditions. And, Medicaid and Medicare spend four times as much for the nearly nine million dually eligible beneficiaries than for non-duals. This disproportionate spending is in part because these populations have more complex health care needs. But preventable hospitalizations, complications and unnecessary nursing home admissions contribute significantly to these high costs. Improving the health delivery system for these vulnerable people will improve the quality of their lives, while also saving money. Page 2 National Health Reform and Delivery System Change, June 2010 Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization building consumer and community leadership to transform the American health care system. www.communitycatalyst.org 2 New opportunities emerging from national health care reform Noted Harvard surgeon and author Atul Gawande said it best in his December 2009 New Yorker article â€Å"Testing, Testing,† where he responded to claims that there was no master plan for improving quality and reducing costs in the then-pending national reform bills. Drawing from what’s worked in agriculture, he said that â€Å"[t]o figure out how to transform medical communities, with all their diversity and complexity, is going to involve trial and error. And this will require pilot programs – a lot of them.† Indeed, the PPACA is filled with just these types of reforms aimed at testing what works. By its very nature, it acknowledges the differences among health delivery systems. While there are too many reforms to cover, this brief aims to discuss some those that hold the most promising for states to improve the health of vulnerable populations. In exchange, designated providers receiving payment for these services must provide regular reports to the state on a set of applicable quality measures. The New Jersey Legislature is currently considering a bill that would create a primary care medical home demonstration project. Should that bill pass, New Jersey could explore taking this state option, and advocates could weigh in on the development of quality measures that are most relevant to vulnerable populations. Accountable care organizations (ACOs) The new law creates a general ACO pilot program in Medicare4 and a pediatric ACO demonstration project in Medicaid,5 in which groups of providers who work together to improve the quality of care they deliver to beneficiaries will be permitted to keep half the savings they achieve over a three-year period. Participating ACOs must promote evidence-based medicine and patient engagement, report on quality and cost measures and coordinate care. They must also demonstrate that they meet patient-centeredness criteria, such as the use of patient and caregiver assessments or the use of individualized health plans. The criteria by which a group of providers will be judged in order to qualify as an ACO will be determined by regulation issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, which will also determine the measures to be used to assess the quality of care provided by the ACO. There is already interest in New Jersey in creating an ACO demonstration project to serve urban, underserved communities. Creating a state project may position New Jersey to take advantage of the federal pilot funding. Home and community-based services (HCBS) The new law offers incentives to states that provide HCBS to individuals instead of placing them in nursing homes.6 Specifically, the law increases Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) payments to States that decrease the percentage of spending while increasing spending on HCBS.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 25

â€Å"Oh, I just want to take a little peek,† Bonnie moaned, looking at the forbidden sketchbook, the one in which Lady Ulma had drawn their high couture outfits for the first party, the one that would be held tonight. Beside it, just within reach, were some sample squares from bolts of fabric in shimmering satin, rippling silk, transparent muslin, and soft, rich velvet. â€Å"You'll get to try it on for the last fitting in an hour – this time with your eyes open!† Elena laughed. â€Å"But we can't forget that tonight isn't playtime. We'll have to dance some dances, of course – â€Å" â€Å"Of course!† Bonnie repeated ecstatically. â€Å"But our purpose there is to find the key. The first half of the double fox key. I just wish there was a star ball that showed the inside of tonight's house.† â€Å"Well, we all know pretty much about it; we can talk about it and try to imagine it,† Meredith said. Elena, who had been fiddling with the star ball from the other house, now put the slightly cloudy orb down and said, â€Å"All right. Let's brainstorm.† â€Å"May I storm, too?† a low, modulated voice asked from the doorway. The girls all turned, rising at the same time to greet a smiling Lady Ulma. Before taking a chair, she gave Elena a particularly heartfelt hug and kiss on the cheek and Elena couldn't help herself from comparing the woman as they had seen her at Dr. Meggar's to the elegant lady she was now. Then, she had been hardly more than skin over bones, with the eyes of a timid wild creature under great strain, wearing a common housecoat, with men's bedroom slippers. Now, she reminded Elena of a Roman matron, with her face tranquil and beginning to fill out under a crown of glossy dark braids held back by jeweled combs. Her body was filling out, too, especially her belly, although she retained her natural grace as she took a seat on a velvet couch. She was wearing a saffron-colored gown of raw silk, with an underskirt of fringed and shimmering apricot. â€Å"We're so excited about the fitting tonight,† Elena said, with a nod toward the sketchbook. â€Å"I am as excited as a child, myself,† Lady Ulma admitted. â€Å"I only wish I could do for you a tenth of what you have done for me.† â€Å"You have already,† Elena said. â€Å"And if we can find the fox keys – it will only be because you helped us so much. And that – I can't tell you how much that means to me,† she finished almost in a whisper. â€Å"But you never thought I could help you when you defied the law for a ravaged slave. You simply wanted to save me – and you have suffered much for it,† Ulma responded quietly. Elena shifted uncomfortably. The cut running down her face had left only a thin white scar along the cheekbone. Once – when she had first returned to Earth from the afterlife – she would have been able to wave the scar away with a simple wash of Power. But now, although she could channel her Power through her body, and use it to enhance her senses, she couldn't make it obey her will in any other way. And once, she thought, imagining the Elena who had stood in Robert E. Lee High School's parking lot and drooled over a Porsche, she would have considered the marring of her face the greatest calamity of her life. But with all the accolades she had received, with Damon calling it her â€Å"white wound of honor,† and her certainty that it would mean as little to Stefan as a scar on his cheekbone would mean to her, she had found she just couldn't take it very seriously. I am not the same person I once was, she thought. And I'm glad. â€Å"Never mind,† she said, ignoring the pain down her leg that still throbbed at times. â€Å"Let's talk about the Silver Nightingale and her gala.† â€Å"Right,† Meredith said. â€Å"What do we know about her? How did the clue go again, Elena?† â€Å"Misao said, ‘If I said that one of the halves was inside the silver nightingale's instrument, would that even give you an idea?' – or something like that,† Elena repeated obediently. They all knew the words by heart but it was part of the ritual, every time they discussed it. â€Å"And the ‘Silver Nightingale' is the nickname for Lady Fazina Darley and everyone in the Dark Dimension knows it!† cried Bonnie, clapping her small hands in sheer delight. â€Å"Indeed, that has long been her sobriquet, given to her when she first came here and began to sing and play on her harps strung with silver,† Lady Ulma put in gravely. â€Å"And harp strings need to be tuned, and they're tuned with keys,† Bonnie continued excitedly. â€Å"Yes.† Meredith, in contrast, spoke slowly and thoughtfully. â€Å"But it's not a harp-tuning key we're looking for. They look like this.† She put down on a table beside her an object made of smooth pale maple that looked like a very short T or, if held on its side, like a gracefully waving tree with one short horizontal branch. â€Å"I got that from one of the minstrels Damon hired.† Bonnie eyed the tuning key loftily. â€Å"It might be a harp-tuning key we're looking for,† she insisted. â€Å"It might be used for both things, somehow.† â€Å"I don't see how,† Meredith said doggedly. â€Å"Unless somehow they change shape when the two halves come together.† â€Å"Oh, my, yes,† Lady Ulma said, as if Meredith had just made an obvious proposition. â€Å"If they are magical halves of a single key they will almost certainly change when the two halves come together.† â€Å"You see?† Bonnie said. â€Å"But if they can be any sort of shape, then how the hell will we even know when we've found them?† Elena asked impatiently. All she cared about was finding what it took to save Stefan. Lady Ulma fell silent, and Elena felt badly. She hated to use harsh language or even appear distressed in front of the woman who had lived a life of such subjection and horror since her early teens. Elena wanted Lady Ulma to feel safe, to be happy. â€Å"Anyway,† she said quickly, â€Å"we know one thing. It's in the Silver Nightingale's instrument. So whatever is inside Lady Fazina's harp, that has to be it.† â€Å"Oh, but – † Lady Ulma began, and then she stopped herself almost before the words were out. â€Å"What is it?† Elena asked gently. â€Å"Oh, nothing at all,† Lady Ulma said hastily. â€Å"I mean, would you like to see your dresses now? This last fitting is really just to make sure every stitch is perfect.† â€Å"Oh, we'd love to!† Bonnie cried, at the same time making a dive for the sketchbook, while Meredith rung a bell pull that brought a servant hurrying in and hurrying away again to the sewing room. â€Å"I only wish Master Damon and Lord Sage had agreed to let me create something for them to wear,† Lady Ulma said mournfully to Elena. â€Å"Oh, Sage is not going. And I'm sure Damon wouldn't have minded – as long as you designed him a black leather jacket, a black shirt, black jeans, and black boots all exactly like the ones he wears every day. He'd have been happy to wear it then.† Lady Ulma laughed. â€Å"I see. Well, there will be enough fantastical styles worn tonight that he may change his mind for the future. Now let's draw the curtains on the windows all around. This gala is to be indoors, with gaslight only, so colors will show true.† â€Å"I wondered why it said ‘indoors' on the invitations,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I thought maybe it was because of rain.† â€Å"It's because of the sun,† Lady Ulma said soberly. â€Å"That hateful crimson light, changing every blue to purple, every yellow to brown. You see, no one would wear aqua or green to an outdoor soiree – no, not even you, with that strawberry hair that cries out for it.† â€Å"I get it. I can see how having that sun hanging there every day would really get you down after a while.† â€Å"I wonder if you can,† murmured Lady Ulma, and then she added hastily, â€Å"While we wait shall I show you what I have created for your tall friend who doubts me?† â€Å"Oh, please, yes!† Bonnie held out the sketchbook. Lady Ulma thumbed through it until she came to a page that seemed to please her. She took up pens and coloring pencils like a child eager to play with beloved toys again. â€Å"Here it is,† she said, using the colored pencils to add a line here and a curve there, but holding the book so that the three girls could see the design. â€Å"Oh, my God!† cried Bonnie in genuine astonishment, and even Elena felt her eyes widening. The girl in the sketch was definitely Meredith, with her hair half up and half down, but wearing a dress – such a dress! Black as ebony, strapless, it clung to the long slim figure perfectly sketched in the picture, emphasizing the curves, enhancing them on top by what Elena learned was called a â€Å"sweetheart† neckline: one that made Meredith's front look like a Valentine's Day heart. It kept close to the body all the way to the knees where it suddenly flared out again, dramatically wide. â€Å"A ‘mermaid' dress,† Lady Ulma explained, satisfied with her sketch at last. â€Å"And here it is,† she added as several sewing women entered, reverently holding the miraculous gown between them. Now the girls could see that the material was of plush black velvet dotted with tiny rectangular metallic golden flecks. It looked like midnight back home, Elena thought, with a thousand falling stars in the sky. â€Å"And with it, you will wear these very large black onyx and gold earrings, these black onyx and gold combs to hold your hair up, and some lovely matching bracelets and rings Lucen has made just for this outfit,† Lady Ulma continued. Elena realized that sometime in the last minutes Lucen must have entered the room. She smiled at him, and then her eyes dropped to the three-tiered tray he held. On the top tray, against an ivory background, were two black onyx and diamond bracelets, as well as a ring with a diamond in it that almost made her swoon. Meredith was looking around the room as if she had stumbled into a private discussion and didn't know how to get out. Then she looked from the dress to the jewels to Lady Ulma again. Meredith was not one to lose her composure easily. But after a moment she simply went to Lady Ulma and hugged her fiercely, then went to Lucen and very gently put her hand on his forearm. It was clear that she couldn't speak. Bonnie was studying the sketch with the eyes of a connoisseur now. â€Å"Those matching bracelets were made just for this dress, weren't they?† she said with a conspiratorial air. To Elena's surprise Lady Ulma seemed uncomfortable. Then she spoke slowly. â€Å"The truth is†¦well, that Miss Meredith is†¦a slave. All slaves are required to wear some sort of symbolic bracelets when they travel outside their households.† She turned her eyes down to the polished wooden floorboards. Her cheeks were flushed. â€Å"Lady Ulma – oh, please, you can't think it matters to us?† Lady Ulma's eyes flashed as she looked up. â€Å"Not matter?† â€Å"Well,† Elena said hautily, â€Å"it doesn't really matter†¦er, yet, because there's nothing to do about it, not now.† Of course, the servants weren't in on the secrets of the Damon-Elena-Meredith-Bonnie relationship. Even Lady Ulma didn't see why Damon didn't free the three girls just in case â€Å"something should happen, may the Celestial Guardians forbid it.† But the girls had formed a solid phalanx against it; it would be like jinxing their whole enterprise. â€Å"Well, anyway,† Bonnie was blathering, â€Å"I think the bracelets are beautiful. I mean she could hardly find anything more perfect for the dress, could she?† – striking at the professional sensibilities of the designer. Lucen smiled modestly and Lady Ulma gave him a loving glance. Meredith's face was still glowing. â€Å"Lady Ulma, I don't know how to thank you. I will wear this gown – and for tonight I will be someone I have never been before. Of course, you've drawn my hair up, or partly up. I don't usually wear it that way,† Meredith finished weakly. â€Å"You will tonight – up and high over that lovely wide brow of yours. This dress is to show off the charming curves of your bare shoulders and arms. It's a crime to cover them, day or night. And the hairstyle is to lay bare your exotic face instead of hiding it!† Lady Ulma said firmly. Good, Elena thought. They've gotten her off the subject of symbolic slavery. â€Å"You'll wear a touch of makeup as well – pale gold on your lids, and kohl to enhance and lengthen your lashes. A touch of golden lipstick, but no rouge; I don't believe in that for young girls. Your olive skin will complete the picture of a sultry maiden perfectly.† Meredith looked helplessly at Elena. â€Å"I don't usually wear makeup either,† she said, but they both knew that she was beaten. Lady Ulma's vision would come to life. â€Å"Don't call it a mermaid dress; she'll be a siren,† Bonnie said enthusiastically. â€Å"But we'd better put a spell on it to keep all the vampire sailors away.† To Elena's surprise, Lady Ulma nodded solemnly. â€Å"My seamstress friend has sent a priestess today to bless all the garments and to keep you from being victimized by vampires, of course. If that meets with your approval?† She looked at Elena, who nodded. â€Å"As long as they don't keep Damon out of the way,† she added jokingly, and felt time freeze as Meredith and Bonnie immediately turned their eyes on her, hoping to catch something in Elena's expression that would give her away. But Elena kept her expression neutral, as Lady Ulma continued, â€Å"Naturally, the restrictions would not apply to your – to Master Damon.† â€Å"Naturally,† Elena said soberly. â€Å"And now for the smallest beauty to go to the gala,† Lady Ulma was saying to Bonnie, who bit her lip, blushing. â€Å"I have something very special for you. I don't know how long I've been yearning to work with this material. I've trudged by it in a shop window year after year, just aching to buy it and create with it. You see?† And the next set of sewing women came forward, holding a smaller, lighter frock between them, while Lady Ulma held up a sketch. Elena was already staring in amazement. The material was glorious – incredible – but especially clever was how it had been put together. The fabric was vivid peacock green-blue, with the most amazing hand stitching to represent a pattern of peacock eyes flaring up from the waist. Bonnie's brown eyes had widened again. â€Å"This is for me?† she breathed, almost afraid to touch the material. â€Å"Yes, and we're going to slick that hair of yours back until you look as sophisticated as your friend. Go ahead and try it on. I think you'll like the way this dress has come out.† Lucen had retired and Meredith was already being carefully encased in the mermaid dress. Bonnie happily began to strip. Lady Ulma turned out to have been right. Bonnie loved the way she looked that evening. Right now she was being given the finishing touches, such as a delicate spray of citrus and rosewater; a fragrance made just for her. She stood before a giant silvered-glass mirror, just minutes before they were due to start off for the gala given by Fazina, the Silver Nightingale herself. Bonnie turned a little, looking at the strapless, full-skirted dress in awe. Its bodice was made – or seemed to be made – entirely of the eyes of peacock feathers, arranged in a spray that was gathered together at her waist, showing off how tiny it was. There was another spray of larger feathers that pointed downward from the waist, front and back. The back actually had a small train of peacock feathers against emerald silk. In front, below the larger, downward pointing spray, a design worked in silver and gold, of stylized undulating plumes, all upside down, made its way to the bottom of the gown, which was edged with thin gold brocade. As if this were not enough, Lady Ulma had had a fan made with real peacock eyes set in an emerald jade handle, with a tassel of softly clinking jade, citrine, and emerald charms at the bottom. Around Bonnie's throat was a matching necklace of jade, inlaid with emerald, sapphire, and lapis lazuli. And around each of her wrists were several emerald jade bracelets that clicked together whenever she moved, the symbol of her slavery. But Bonnie's eyes could hardly linger on them, and she couldn't summon up a proper hatred of the bracelets. She was thinking of how a special hairdresser had come to â€Å"slick back† Bonnie's strawberry-colored curls until, darkened into true red, they were plastered flat against her skull and held in place with jade and emerald clips. Her heart-shaped face had never looked so mature, so sophisticated. To emerald eyelids and kohl-darkened eyes, Lady Ulma had added a vivid red lipstick and had for once broken her rule and cleverly, wielding the brush herself, had added touches here and there of blusher so that Bonnie's translucent skin looked as if she were constantly coloring at some compliment. Delicately carved jade earrings with golden bells inside completed the ensemble, and Bonnie felt as if she were some Princess of the Ancient Orient. â€Å"It's really some kind of miracle. Usually, I look like a pixie trying to dress up as a cheerleader or a flower girl,† she confided, kissing Lady Ulma again and again, delighted to find that the lipstick stayed on her lips instead of transferring to her benefactress's cheeks. â€Å"But tonight I look like a young woman.† She would have kept on babbling, helpless to stop herself even though Lady Ulma already was trying to discreetly dab tears away from her eyes, except that at that moment Elena came in and she gasped. Elena's dress had already been finished by the afternoon and so all Bonnie had seen of it was the sketch. But somehow that had failed to convey just what this dress would do for Elena. Bonnie had secretly wondered if Lady Ulma were leaving too much to Elena's own natural beauty, and was hoping that Elena would be as excited about her own dress as everyone seemed to be about Bonnie's and Meredith's. Now Bonnie understood. â€Å"It is a called a goddess dress,† Lady Ulma explained to the stunned silence in the room, as Elena walked in, and Bonnie dizzily thought that if goddesses had ever lived up on Mount Olympus, they would certainly have wanted to dress this way. The trick of the dress lay in its very simplicity. It was made of milk-white silk, with a delicately pleated waist (Lady Ulma called the irregular tight pleating â€Å"ruching†) which held two simple bodice panels that formed a V-neckline, showing off Elena's peach-blossom skin between them and behind them. These panels in turn were held at the shoulders by two carved clasps – gold inlaid with mother-of-pearl and diamonds. From the waist, the skirt fell straight in graceful, silken folds all the way to Elena's delicate sandals – again designed in gold, mother-of-pearl and diamonds. In the back, the two panels that clasped at the shoulder became straps and crossed over to once again meet at the pleated waist. Such a simple dress, but so magnificent on the right girl. At Elena's throat, an exquisitely designed golden and mother-of-pearl necklace in the stylized shape of a butterfly was inset with so many diamonds that it seemed to blaze with multicolored fire each time she moved and they caught the light. She wore this over the lapis and diamond pendant Stefan had given her, since she had flatly refused to take the pendant off. It didn't matter. The butterfly covered the pendant completely. On each wrist Elena wore a wide bracelet of gold and mother-of-pearl inset with diamonds, creations that they had found in the secret jewel room, obviously made to go with the necklace. And that was all. Elena's hair had been brushed and brushed and brushed until it formed a silky golden tumble of waves that hung below her shoulders in back, and she was wearing a touch of rose-colored lipstick. But her face, with its thick black eyelashes and lighter arched brows – and just now its look of excitement that parted her rose-colored lips and brought brilliant color to her cheeks – had been left entirely alone. Earrings that were just cascades of diamonds peeped through her gold tresses. She's going to drive them crazy tonight, Bonnie thought, eyeing the daring dress with envy, but not with jealousy, instead rather reveling in the thought of the sensation Elena would make. She's wearing the simplest gown of any of us, but she still completely puts Meredith and me in the shade. Yet Bonnie had never seen Meredith look better – or more exotic. She'd also never known what a stunning figure Meredith had, despite her friend's wide assortment of designer clothes. Meredith shrugged when Bonnie told her this. She had a fan, too, black lacquer, that folded. Now she opened it and folded it shut again, tapping her chin thoughtfully. â€Å"We're in the hands of a genius,† she said simply. â€Å"But we can't forget what we're really here for.†

Issues That Plague Law Enforcement Personnel Essay

In the criminal justice career path many problems can arise. Stress from the job can create problems in the work field as well as in the personal and social areas of one’s life. Job stress can also tie into fatigue and alcohol and/or drug abuse. Fatigue gives us tired cops and tired cops can be a bad thing in the criminal justice field. Alcohol and drug abuse plagues cops everywhere. There are many suggestions for programs and treatment ideas for these problems that plague our law enforcement officers. Job stress can’t be avoided in any job field. It especially can’t be avoided in the field of law enforcement. Job stress can come from many sources. Having to exercise prudent discretion all the time, the threat of using violence and having violence used against them, and isolation from the rest of society are the major causes. It can lead to negative attitudes, burnout, loss of enthusiasm and commitment (aka cynicism), increased apathy, divorce, substance abuse and health problems, and many other social, personal, and job-related problematic behaviors. Work place support, training officers to cope with the effects of stress, stress management, and stress training are things that law enforcement are currently doing to lessen job stress. Stress training includes diet info, biofeedback, exercise, relaxation, and meditation. I believe that all law enforcement personnel should have to undergo psychological and fitness evaluations every three to six months. Fatigue is a growing problem in law enforcement today. Lengthy shifts with unpredictable hours can cause for a major loss of sleep for law enforcement personnel. It can cause officers to act inappropriately or become injured on the job. It can cause car accidents or officers to fall asleep at the wheel. It can also cause officers to miss important details of a case; sometimes a few hours of sleep can mean the difference between life and death. Administrators should pay attention to scheduling, adopt policies placing limitations on second jobs, and giving officers a voice in work-hour and shift-scheduling decisions can help lessen the fatigue problem that plague our law enforcement personnel. The sad part is that alcohol and/or drug abuse plagues law enforcement  personnel and ties in with both job stress and fatigue. They are both major contributing factors to the start of alcohol and/or drug abuse. Counseling and self-help classes can help tremendously for personnel who admit they have a problem and seek help. If law enforcement personnel were to undergo psychological and fitness evaluations every three to six months we might be able to combat these problems before they start. If measures are taken and new programs implemented for combating the issues of job stress, fatigue, and alcohol and drug abuse we can lower the health risk that these problems pose to our law enforcement personnel. Job stress, fatigue, and alcohol/drug abuse are common problems. If we make our personnel aware of these major problems they may realize they have a problem or wish to avoid these problems taking over their lives. The hope is that they come and ask for help. Administrators also need t o know how to spot a problem to get personnel help before the problem affects their lives, jobs, or anyone else’s lives.

Wine Making

The differences between red and white wines include the kinds of grapes used, the fermentation and aging process, and the character and flavor of the wine. White wines are almost always made from white grapes, although they can be made from black grapes, since the juice in most black grapes is clear. When white wine is made, the skins of the grapes are separated from the juice when they are put into a crushing machine. After filtering etc, the wine is aged by storing it in stainless steel or occasionally oak containers and bottled after a few months. White wines, then, are made without skins or seeds and are essentially fermented grape juice. They have a light character and have crisp fruit flavors and aromas. They can be sweet or dry or somewhere in between Red wine is usually made from red or black grapes, although all the kinds of grapes usually have a clear juice. The process of making red wine is different from the one of making white wine. After the grapes have been in the crushing machine, the red grapes with their skins and everything sit in a fermentation vat for a period of time, typically about one to two weeks. . The skins tend to rise to the surface of the mixture and form a layer on top. The winemaker frequently mixes this layer back into the fermenting juice (which is called must). After fermentation is over, the new wine is taken from the vat. A little â€Å"free run† juice is allowed to pour and the rest of the must is squeezed into â€Å"press wine†. The wine is clarified and then is stored, usually in oak containers, for several months until it is ready to be bottled. The oak containers add additional wood tannins and flavors to the wine which help to intensify it and add richness to it. The result of this process is that red wines exhibit a set of rich flavors with spicy, herby, and even meaty characteristics. Late harvest ice wines are the exceptions in both hemispheres. The grapes are typically left on the vine to increase the sugar content and may be harvested up to a few months after the traditional harvest. An indigenous yeast fermentations starts by itself when wild yeast strains – originating in the vineyard – start fermenting. Wild yeast can take up to a week to begin the fermentation because their initial populations are small compared to an inoculated fermentation. But there is strenuous debate as to whether the wild yeast come in from the vineyard or are already present in the cellar on winemaking equipment.

Rights and Obligations of Ship Owner under the Bill Of Lading Essay

Rights and Obligations of Ship Owner under the Bill Of Lading - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the central role played by the bill of lading in international trade cannot be underestimated. The history of this document dates back to the 14th century where it was merely a receipt showing that the shipowner had received a certain quantity of goods shipped. Later the bill of lading developed in status from the mere receipt it used to be to the level of becoming a document of title. This is in terms of the carriage were progressively incorporated into the bill of lading. In effect, the bill of lading implied possession. For instance, a buyer of goods in port A could not transfer the goods to a third party until the physical goods in the high seas arrived. With the developments in international and the elevation of the bill of lading to a document of the title then a buyer of goods could transfer or resell them to a third party without the physical possession of the goods. This was made possible by the bill of lading which puts an im plied obligation the shipowner to deliver the goods to the holder of the original bill of lading in the agreed port. The duty to ensure delivery of the goods shipped to the holder of the original bill of lading is central to trade and as a result of this duty, being in possession of the original bill of lading impliedly had the same effect as being in possession of the goods in transit. From the above short overview, there are several duties imposed on the shipowner by the bill of lading. Key among these being the duty to deliver the cargo to the holder of the original bill of lading, failure to do so makes the carrier liable both in contract and tort. The following essay explores the duties and rights of the shipowner under the bill of lading in details.

Complete this as a formal analysis ( There should be three paragraphs Assignment

Complete this as a formal analysis ( There should be three paragraphs to this analysis) - Assignment Example What Terry lacks in the duration of her experience, she more than makes up for in anecdotes, a very practical asset in her presentations. Throughout her talk, Terry gave excellent anecdotes to give emphasis to her points. She used no graphics which, if added, might have made her presentation better. Presentation Two is one delivered by the noted economist, John Kenneth Galbraith, who addressed a convention several years before he died. It is probably obvious that Galbraith can be forgiven for some of the shortcomings of his talk. At 92, he displayed some of the characteristics of his advanced age, but these took away only very slightly from his talk. For example, after his presentation was complete, he took questions from the audience. After he finished with each answer, he would step back to the high stool that he sat himself on until the next question was asked. In a way, however, this added to the meaning of his answers, since after each question was asked, he would put his hand t o his chin, as if in deep thought, and only after he rose and lumbered to the podium did he answer the question. This gesture gave emphasis to the thoughtfulness of the answers he was giving to the questions prior to answering He used no graphics in his presentation, but his knowledge of the subject was first-hand and colorful.

Marketing Major Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Marketing Major - Essay Example The market gap represents signs of potential success. The product is mainly targeted to three segments, namely the youth, professionals who have a tendency to eat convenient food and health-conscious people who survive on a healthy diet. The product is being positioned in the market as a healthy one which is supreme to its competitors on account of taste and quality. The target consumers lie in the age group of 16-24 and 26-45 mainly so a wide range of media support has been devised. For instance, radio and television has been mainly used to target all the age group on account of their popularity. On the other hand social media like facebook and LinkedIn has been used for promoting the product launch among the youth and young professionals. Magazines like The Economist have been used to communicate with the young professionals. Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) include a variety of products which are sold at low prices and their sale occurs relatively faster. The target market for FMCG is quite vast but proper segmentation of the market and adding value to the customers are formidable challenges for any FMCG company. According to the traditional definition FMCG goods can be described as goods which are purchased very frequently. These goods are generally sold in large volume in order to generate profits for the companies which produce them. These goods are priced relatively lower compared to consumer durable goods and are perishable generally. These goods can include a wide range of items like soft drinks, toiletries, packed food items and chocolate bars to name a few. The shelf-life of the products is relatively lower for which they are manufactured in large quantities to compensate for the small price. The FMCG sector is a key component of the U.K. economy and accounts for 10% of the GDP of the country a nd 20% of the entire market (The Statistics Portal, 2014). The food and beverages sector is one of

Do corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports provide shareholders Essay - 1

Do corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports provide shareholders and stakeholders with useful information on corporate soci - Essay Example Emphasizing on the corporate social responsibility has become a core part of the public policies for development of private sectors within the framework of the international cooperation development. It is considered a deliberate choice for an enterprise to give back to the community and to respond the environment crises while maintaining relations with the shareholders and stakeholders based on dialogue and transparency (Godfrey, Merrill & Hansen 2009). A CSR report, therefore, consists of all activities that the company has taken part. This includes the whole of their chain of value and it considers the effects on ecological, economic, and social parameters in dialogue with the shareholders and stakeholders. The report conveys the following information to the public and to the stakeholders: consumer interest, environmental care, air operating practices such as corruption and bribery, involvement to the community and firm’s governance. A company will therefore, use the report to reach to its consumers, shareholders, and stakeholders. Corporate managers and leaders have taken the initiative to call upon the government, as a stakeholder, to recognize their CSR participation and achievements. The companies can only achieve that by creating a CSR report that communicates to the society on its CSR activities. The government has gone ahead to encourage, support and to enforce Corporate Social Responsibility behavior of firms (Turker 2009). This has therefore resulted to multiple rationales, such as deregulation and competitiveness in companies by including their CSR reports in their annual reports. However, the legal standards and frameworks have been put in place in order to ensure the companies include the appropriate information. This is because some of the stakeholders and shareholders are non-profit agencies which require in knowing the benefit of the company to the community before investing in it. The government also requires knowing how the company res ponds to environmental issues such as pollution and global warming. It is important to note that most stakeholders including investors, community, markets, NGOs and the government need to know the role of a company to the society and their role in ensuring the environment is maintained. For instance, the mentioned groups expect organizations to put efforts in fighting global warming and feeding the poor. It is humble call for a company to do that, but it has a great effect to the consumers and to the investors. Consumers want to be associated with a company that understand their needs and which cares for their future. As well, investor will invest in a company that has responsible management and that which takes part in CSR activities. Background information Since the early years of 1990, an increase in the environmental awareness and development of sustainable economic growth redirected firms into environmental sensitivity. The recent economic events have resulted to a greater emph asis on the Corporate Social Responsibility in redefining the future of the society. Whereas companies and business organizations are responsible of creating wealth for the shareholders and driving company’ progress, they are directed and guided by regulations and governments, green consumer pressure and society pressure groups (Henriques & Sadorsky1999). A balance between needs of the society and economic growth attracts