Analysis Of Walt Disney s The Disney Company - 1126 Words

The Walt Disney Company Walt and Roy Disney founded the Walt Disney Company on October 16 of 1923, as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. Established leader in the American animation industry that began with the Creation of Mickey Mouse; today, the Walt Disney Company is a diversified worldwide entertainment company. The company is the largest media conglomerate in the world and represents a collection of brands includes ESPN, ABC, Pixar and Marvel. The Walt Disney Company has different divisions: - Medias networks (Disney Channel, ABC Family, ESPN†¦) - Park and Resorts (Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Park) - Studio entertainment (Marvel, Pixar, Walt Disney Pictures) - Consumer products (Disney Store) - Interactive medias†¦show more content†¦So I selected this sector and more specifically the Walt Disney Company and Time Warner because they are both American’s companies and mostly because I m a big fan of Walt Disney‘s cartoons. Financial analysis Liquidity Ratios What is it? Liquidity ratios measure the relationship between a firm’s liquid assets and it’s current liabilities. In other words, liquidity ratios are used to determine the availability of cash of a company to pay its debts. Current Ratio The current ratio measures the dollars of current assets available to pay each dollar of current liabilities. Current ratio= (Current assets)/(Current liabilities). Walt Disney Company Time Warner Broadcasting and Entertainment sector: Average 2014 1.14 1.48 2013 1.21 1.53 1.19 2012 1.07 1.35 1.36 2011 1.14 1.51 1.31 Disney’s current ratio decrease from 2013 to 2014, Time Warner’s current ratio decrease too but less than Disney. In 2013, the industry average was 1.19 times. Both companies had more cash and other liquid assets (or current assets) available to pay its bills (or current liabilities). Time Warner has more resources to pay its bills than Disney since 3 years, but in 2012 both of them were under the industry average. Quick Ratio The quick ratio measures a firm’s ability to pay off short-term obligations without relying on inventory sales. Quick ratio= (CurrentShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Walt Disney s Public Limited Company1262 Words   |  6 PagesWalt Disney Public Limited Company 4.5 Detailed explanation of ratios and detail analysis of the company Liquidity ratio is consists of current and acid ratio. It is used to assess firm’s ability to its short-term debts. It does not count about profit but working capital, which is important to ability of paying its short-term debt of the business. Current Ratio analysis Current Ratio is used by business to compare its current liability with current assets. 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In 1996 at its New York Shareholder meeting, The Walt Disney Company s merger with Capital Cities Inc. created one of the biggest and most prominentRead MoreWalt Disney1491 Words   |  6 PagesThe Walt Disney Company: The Entertainment King Case Analysis The Walt Disney Company is one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world. Disney is able to create sustainable profits due to its heterogeneity, inimitability, co-specialization and immense foresight. It also success fully uses synergy to create value across its many business units. After its founder Walter Disney s death, the company started to lose its ground and performance declined. Michael Eisner became CEORead MoreOrganizational Excellence And Change Of Walt Disney1526 Words   |  7 PagesORGANIZATION 1 Introduction Walt Disney was created by a man named Walter Elias Disney in Chicago, Illinois; he was an animator and motion picture producer. 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Lupe Fiasco’s Modern Voice Essay - 1514 Words

History has constantly brought upon leaders and individuals who stands up against the corrupt society he and many others face. Those â€Å"leaders† express their profound thoughts for both him and the many others that are too afraid to speak out. One of the most notorious writers in American history and is known for his transcendental ideals. However, today’s society lacks individuals who parallels with Whitman. Lupe Fiasco represents the Modern American voice speaking out against the degrading world society and does so by influencing the public through their appeal of music. He rejects and contrasts from the negative influences of the world and uses his music to contradict those who degrade our society. Born in the west side of Chicago†¦show more content†¦In the song, Fiasco portrays the manipulation that many are often affected by. He suggests that others should, like him, ignore what others think and act purely on what you believe. Fiasco uses the analogy of slaves to describe the similar effects of losing one’s individuality. The experiences one would face if he/she succumbs into the negative influences of others would be similar to that of African American slaves. Because of human nature, jealousy exists amongst every individual and by allowing others to control aspects of your life, he/she will be able harm those dependent variables of one’s life. Similarly, Whitman states that one should freely â€Å"†¦give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Leaves of Summer, Preface) Whitman again describes the idea of individualism. People fear of the higher power and often let that fear consume them, eventually eliminating the individual’s ability to act freely. He implies that people should ignore those circumstances and without

Health Free Essays

Florence Nightingale Act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist him in his recovery. Martha Rogers humanistic science for maintaining and promoting health, preventing illness, caring for and rehabilitating the sick and the disabled. Sister Callista Roy a health care profession that focuses on human life processes and patterns and emphasizes promotion of health for individuals, families, groups, and society as a whole â€Å"†¦ the science and practice that expands adaptive abilities and enhances person and environmental transformation. We will write a custom essay sample on Health or any similar topic only for you Order Now Imogene King s a process of human interactions between nurse and patients who communicate to set goals and then agree to meet the goal. Betty Neuman unique profession in that it is concerned with all of the variables affecting an individual’s response to stress.A Science Knowledge of underlying principles of nursing care based on biological sciences. 2. An Art Skilled techniques in giving adequate care. 3. An Occupation Job requires concentration, learning and dedication to practice as means of livelihood. 4. As a Profession Intellectual capacity Learning: research-based Practical activities: skill-base Organized group practitioner. Nursing is a continuous caring b) Involves close personal care with recipients of care c) Nursing is concerned with service for the human individual as: Physiological Sociological Spiritual organisms ANA (American Nurses Association) (2003) Nursing is the protection, promotion and optimization of health and abilities, preventions of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities and populations. How to cite Health, Papers Health Free Essays In order for the goal to be successful, the goal must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Traceable, and must also e embraced with positive thoughts. Although body weight CAN be a good indicator of obesity, it is not always true. For example, each person has a different genetic composition that may cause them to have a naturally higher or lower set-point. We will write a custom essay sample on Health or any similar topic only for you Order Now Furthermore, said individual may engage in heavy lifting, and thus has far more muscle mass, and therefore weighs more the average person of similar height and age. In some cases yes, weight can be a very clear indicator of obesity, but it’s good to remember that some people may appear to be obese or overweight when they are in fact perfectly healthy and simply due to dedications, genetics, or any other extenuating circumstances, they have a negative predisposition that prevents them from lowering their natural set point. 7-9: About 60% to 70% of our daily calorie intake goes towards your basal metabolic rate, which includes necessary bodily functions like your heartbeat, breathing and maintaining a consistent body temperature. However, without physical activity, the remaining 30-40% of calories will remain unspent and thus causes weight gain. Furthermore, a younger individual (under 30) will have generally have a higher BAM than an older adult. Additionally, your diet and set point have a direct effect on your BAM. As get further away from your natural set point your body will compensate the lack of energy by slowing your BAM. Cigarette smoking Is the leading cause of death In the United States, with reports as high as 1:5 Americans dying from chronic disease and Illness directly caused by smoking. With education on the effects of smoking on the rise, and being an ex- smoker myself, I can state with confidence that premature death from smoking can be prevented. Especially if younger generations realize that you can’t become addicted if you don’t try it in the first place. When an individual experiences a stressful situation, the body produces a temporary surge in hormones. While these hormones are released naturally to assist your body and mind overcome the current stressful situation, prolonged exposes to these hormones can cause damage to your arteries and thus can be correlated with hypertension. Furthermore, mood disorders such as anxiety, depression, and isolation cause stress hormones to be released more frequently causing the individuals heart rate to increase. Overtime this can cause the blood vessels to narrow significantly, thus leading to hypertension. 21-27: CAN: 1. Smoking 2. Obesity . Physical inactivity 4. Frequently high stress levels CANNOT: 1. Age 2. Sex 3. Family History/Genetics 35-38: Mental: Our mental health is crucial to our success in day to day life; it plays a large part in how we think about ourselves. Mentally healthy people respond in positive ways, think rationally, understand the information presented to them, attach meaning and make wise decisions. Spiritual Health: â€Å"Being You† an individual who feels healthy spiritually, gives that individual purpose and meaning to life. It helps them be mindful, live with hope and love; living in harmony with the community ethics, values, and morals. Emotional: How you feel as person and how your emotions cause complex feelings such as love, dismay, hopefulness, anger, frustration, excitement, and compassion. All which are necessary and crucial to an individual’s ‘mental stability and how they respond to complex and upsetting events. Social Health: Social health is essential to our success both in school as well as work and home; it governs one’s ability to listen, and express themselves, how they develop relationships and how they respond to conflicting opinions. 39-42: Personally, I believe that self-efficacy has the strongest effect on fighting chronic asses. Self-efficacy plays a major role in every human endeavor. The feelings and beliefs an individual holds strongly influences the ‘path’ that individual takes. Choices such as engaging in physical activity, eating healthily and engaging in stress-relieving power to change and affect situations, then they’re most likely to face challenges like quitting smoking head on with competency; modifying behaviors in a positive way that directly affect your health and more specifically how you deal with preventing chronic disease. 43-45 Diabetes is a serious health problem that affects a striking number of adults, and even more concerning, it’s becoming increasingly common amongst teenagers and children. Diabetes is currently the leading cause of blindness, and kidney failure among adults. Furthermore, it can cause mild to severe nerve damage, circulatory issues, and significantly increases the risk of heart disease and is presently the seventh leading cause of death in the USA. In order to combat this pandemic, individuals should consume more whole grains products over highly processed carbohydrates. Furthermore, turning off the TV and getting outside and engaging in physical activity is essential, as is overall weight management. 46-50: Carcinoma is a cancer that is not only prevalent in our country, but one I personally saw when my grandfather died from it back in 2002, and again when my grandmother died in 2007. Increased risk factors of contracting Carcinoma are things like smoking, unhealthy dietary habits, not consuming enough vegetables with antioxidants, and coming into contact with environmental carcinogens. Symptoms include, but are not limited to smokers cough, wheezing, coughing up blood, chest pain, fever, weakness, hoarseness, difficulty breathing or swallowing. Methods of Prevention include things like not smoking, and proper occupational precautions such as a breathing mask when working around toxic chemicals known to contain carcinogens. Furthermore, if you are/were a smoker or worked in a hazardous environment and experience any of the symptoms above, early detection is crucial to your safety, have an X-ray done or fiber optic examination performed; it’s better to be safe than sorry. Presently there are several treatments designed to combat lung cancer; Surgery to remove said tumor/growth, radiation treatment, chemotherapy, and experimental procedures such as impenetrably and laser therapy. 51-57: C-E. A change in bowel or bladder habits A-D. An apparent sore that does not heal IS-G. An unusual bleeding or discharge T-F. A thickening lump in breast or elsewhere I-A. Difficulty in swallowing or indigestion 0-8. An obvious change in wart or mole N-C. A nagging cough or hoarseness 58-61 : lack of motivation and frequent back pains. Overcoming these road blocks was difficult to say the least, yet by developing and employing strategies that worked for me, I was able to overcome said barriers. To combat the frequent back pains I conducted research on stretches that specifically target high-pain areas. For example, every morning I engage in a series of stretches which targets the low center of my jack; more specifically my spinal cord. Secondly, I developed a regular sleep schedule (although it has recently been thrown of kilter) and purchased a bed that was firmer and better for my back. Increased sleep not only made me feel better, but the support from the bed throughout the night made an astronomical difference when paired with the stretches. However, even though my back was feeling better every day, I lacked the motivation to get out there and ‘do-it’. For that I had to look to my girlfriend whom played a huge role in motivating me to get out and exercise. To pop it off, I recently purchased a German shepherd (named Captain! Who has motivated me greatly to get outside and go. He gets at least 1 Jog or run every day and at least 1-2 walks. He has a lot of built up energy and if I don’t take him out he usually goes stir crazy. 62-64 I currently use exercise as a stress management/relaxation tool to help me stay focused during the day to day grind. For me, I find that getting out and burning so me energy and going on a long hike with my girlfriend and dog over the weekend not only relieves a great deal of stress, but it gets the blood flowing, my mind clear, and alps me keep centered; especially the weekend before finals. Furthermore, when I really Just need to take a break and get away from studying or the computer, Jog up and down a steep hill that’s Just down the road. 65-68: The data maps illustrate that different ranges of income and geographic regions experience certain forms of death such as lung cancer or heart related issue more so than others based off of income levels and perhaps stress levels. Furthermore, neighborhoods which were deemed safe seem to engage in frequent physical activity. Social norms like smoking maybe more present in neighborhoods where education or income isn’t as high. How to cite Health, Papers

Organizational Governance and Performance - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theOrganizational Governance and Performance Management for Rules. Answer: Introduction The corporate governance is a frame work or a system which involves specific rules, regulations, processes etc which an organization is supposed to follow so that it can achieve a sustainable success in its industry. It also involves the process of supporting and balancing the interests of all the stake holders. The case of the Italian dairy company Parmalat is taken into its consideration for analyzing its failure in the corporate governance (Liu, Connell, Xu, 2017). The corporate governance failure of the organization Parmalat The organization Parmalat is the food and dairy giant which is based on Italy. The big holes in the financial statements of this organizations has put into the stage of bankruptcy. The experts highlights that the primary reason behind the failure of the organization is its failure in the corporate governance. Some of the corporate governance failures which can be identified from the case of the organization Parmalat have been discussed here (Dias, Rodrigues, Craig, 2017). The major failure in the corporate governance starts with the nature of the ownership. It has been owned and managed by the complex group of companies. A pyramidal structure of governance and management is practiced in the organization which has been controlled by the strong block holder which is the founder the tanzi family. This can be considered as the major disadvantage of the corporate governance as this complex and the pyramidal structure can make the decision making process delay, discriminated etc which can impact the competitive advantage of the organization. The food industry is prone to continuous changes and there should be a practice of empowering the managers to take critical decisions in order to become more competitive. The other reason for the failure of the corporate governance can be identified from the case of the Parmalat is the unprotected minority share holders. The corporate governance system provides much importance to the share holders and protecting the interests of the share holders (Dimopoulos, Wagner, 2016). Through maintaining and managing proper shareholder engagement process the organization can gain sustainability, competitive advantage, reputation etc. The organization Parmalat being practicing pyramid organizational structure and ownership failed to provide importance to the share holders which has put the organization into risk. The situations like this will resist the new share holders to invest for such organizations and forms the basic reason for the long term ruin for the organization (Schmidt Fahlenbrach, 2017). Apart from this they have also utilized the corporate resources illegally for the private use of the family at the expense of the minority share holders. These illegal activities can certainly impact the organization badly from the legal perspectives and also from the credibility perspectives. The primary purpose of the corporate governance is to built up good reputation and credibility for the organization which can support the organization in holding a dominant position in the market. This would also enable it to produce good competitive advantage also. This illegal activity has lead to the generation of big holes in the financial statements of the Parmalat which has cause for the destruction of the organization. There was also no independent directors from the controlling of the shareholders available in the Parmalat organization which is not compliable with the corporate governance guideline of Italy. This can be considered as the third reason for failure (Oyewunmi et al, 2017). The organization Parmalat could have implemented some mechanisms which would have protected it from its destructive failure. Some of them are mentioned below. A well developed organizational structure which follows a hierarchical model could have been implemented in the Parmalat. This would provide a better clarity in the mechanism and operations. The managers and the directors could have get directions and guidance from their direct superiors which would make the decision making process much easier (Agrawal Cooper, 2017). An inbuilt policies and procedures as per the corporate governance of the Italy were relevant for the organization. Such policies and procedures will restrict the ownership impact in the operations of the organizations and also in the unethical practices. The organization could have implemented good HRM policies and procedures like the job empowerment, self responsibility, etc which makes the employees and the managers to take their own decisions while handling the decision making process. This could have improved the performance of the employees also (Faleye, Krishnan, 2017). Adequate stake holder management system is also an essential factor for the organization Parmalat to make it safe from such crisis. In order to implement and enforce good corporate culture and governance the participants like the non-executive directors, internal audit committed, board of directors etc are having more or less equal role and can be considered as the gate keepers of the corporate governance. The board of directors plays a vital role in the promotion of the personal integrity and professional accountability. Under their guidance the high quality ethical performance can be practiced n the organizations and poor performance and unethical practices can be disciplined. They can also contribute in the maintenance of the reputation and credibility of the organization since they operate in the top position (Shi, Connelly, Hoskisson, 2017). According to the SOX provision and the SEC related rules the auditors and the internal auditing committee who doesnt have primary roles in the traditional corporate governance are now having dominant roles in the same. Apart from this some of the other mechanisms which are essential for the good corporate governance is being responsible towards stake holders, compliance with state and federal statutes, listing standards, Implementation of best practices suggested by investor activists and professional organizations. Conclusion The case of the food and dairy organization Parmalat which is based on Italy has been analyzed with relation to the corporate governance. It has been identified and mentioned that the failure in the corporate governance is the primary reason for its failure and some of its corporate governance failures are identified ad mentioned. Some of the mechanisms which could have been adopted by the company so as to avoid the destruction have also been mentioned. The role of non executive directors, auditors etc are also discussed. References Agrawal, A., Cooper, T. (2017). Corporate governance consequences of accounting scandals: Evidence from top management, CFO and auditor turnover. Quarterly Journal of Finance, 7(01), 1650014. Dimopoulos, T., Wagner, H. F. (2016). Corporate Governance and CEO Turnover Decisions. Dias, A., Rodrigues, L. L., Craig, R. (2017). Corporate governance effects on social responsibility disclosures. Australasian Accounting Business Finance Journal, 11(2). Faleye, O., Krishnan, K. (2017). Risky lending: Does bank corporate governance matter?. Journal of Banking Finance, 83, 57-69. Liu, B., McConnell, J. J., Xu, W. (2017). The power of the pen reconsidered: The media, CEO human capital, and corporate governance. Journal of Banking Finance, 76, 175-188. Oyewunmi, O. A., Osibanjo, O. A., Falola, H. O., Olujobi, O. J. (2017). Optimization by Integration: A corporate governance and human resource management dimension. International Review of Management and Marketing, 7(1). Schmidt, C., Fahlenbrach, R. (2017). Do exogenous changes in passive institutional ownership affect corporate governance and firm value?. Journal of Financial Economics, 124(2), 285-306. Shi, W., Connelly, B. L., Hoskisson, R. E. (2017). External corporate governance and financial fraud: cognitive evaluation theory insights on agency theory prescriptions. Strategic Management Journal, 38(6), 1268-1286.

How to Edit an Essay

How to Edit an Essay Essay writing no doubt requires a lot of work and research. A good essay is something you will have to sweat to achieve. The structure must follow the required guidelines i.e. the format, grammar and punctuation marks. For you to score high marks on your essay, these steps must be followed carefully to ensure you come up with an essay that will put you at the top. Tips that can help you in editing your essay; Â  Avoid long sentences and paragraphs Make sure to go through your entire essay and edit sentences and paragraphs that may have caused you to exceed your word count. Long sentences can be difficult to read especially if the one reading them is impatient. This can easily put off the reader. If you see a that paragraph is getting too long, you can shorten it by creating a new one. Make paragraphs short by writing fewer sentences. Â  Keep it simple by choosing your words wisely Avoid using complex words too much. There is no problem in using complex words but make sure you do not end up contradicting yourself. Sometimes you may choose the wrong synonym that end up confusing the reader and give a bad impression. It is important to understand the meaning of every word or better yet just stick to using a simple language that can be easily be understood. Â  Avoid repetition When writing your essay, it is possible to repeat yourself. Editing will enable you to spot these errors before you submit . While you are editing, keep an eye for any repetitive sentences and correct them. You can do this by either rephrasing them or deleting them altogether. If you keep on stressing on a particular point too much you end up looking desperate or just trying to reach the word count limit. Omit unnecessary words Avoid the use of unnecessary words that do not add any meaning. These words will only increase the word count with no actual substance; a word like very’ can be avoided. Using it repeatedly will not aid in adding meaning to your point and hence it is advisable to avoid it at all costs. Avoid tautologies Tautology is a stylistic error that involves the use of redundant words.Using two consecutive words that have the same meaning for example, big giant’ should be avoided. Opt for just giant’ as it will convey the meaning more efficiently. Use commas appropriately The use of commas in your essay will go a long way in making your piece more understandable. Using fewer commas will make your sentences appear too long and prompt the reader to re- read for better understanding. On the other hand, more commas in your sentence will also make it confusing as your sentences will appear broken and odd. Try reading your essay out loud, this will enable you to know where to put your commas. Essay writing is not as complicated as most people think. It only requires you to be careful. Editing your essay will help in fleshing it out. Correcting your mistakes here and there will allow you to gauge your writing ability.

Ch 2 Study Questions Essay

Ch 2 Study Questions Essay Ch 2 Study Questions Essay Anthony D’Apolito III Theology II 2/27 Unit 2 Study Questions Pg 42 To say that the church is a mystery is to say that our faith can be expressed in many ways. The church is the â€Å"focal point of the Kingdom’s presence† because it is through the church that the will of god- the foundation of the kingdom- may be most reliably known. Pg 45 This phrase expressed their understanding of the role of the church in God’s plan for the world. From the creation of the world, God has intended human beings to share in divine life. The Holy Spirit was given through the father and son while bringing a variety of gifts to the church. God remains incarnate because he is with us. Pg 46 The church is necessary for salvation because Jesus is necessary for salvation. Without Jesus, there is no salvation. An example from the recent news in which the church had to speak out is the problem with ISIS. Pg 55 The Ten Commandments is the constitution of the church. The Magisterium is the teaching authority of the church. The Magisterium’s role in interpreting scripture and tradition is the moral teachings and doctrinal which have been passed from generation to generation. The Magisterium has served non-Catholic Christians by teaching them moral teachings and the church teachings. Every Catholic is responsible for learning and embracing this ethic. Moral teachings don’t change because they’re most important. The church wants to teach moral behavior to everyone and the role of the laity is to work together to preserve a permanent ethic and to give it life. Your knowledge of absolute truths help you speak with one voice that unites people from all places. Pg 62 The central image of the Body of Christ. All images of the church relate to this one because they all connect to it in some way. Pg 66 The attempt to reconcile or blend the beliefs and practices of various religions into one. Their role as God’s chosen people was to make Jewish faith relevant under Roman rule. The Jewish communities maintained strong ties to the Palestine. As Jewish merchants traveled to these places, they shared the good news. The church as the vineyard of God shaped the life of early church because it relates so well to the church. Pg 70 The common belief was that Christianity was antisocial. The church leaders didn’t want Christians to join the military. So some Christians left while others didn’t join the military. Military officers tried to get them to abandon Christianity and if they didn’t they would be killed. There was love among all citizens, women and men were welcomed into the church, and charity. Pg 74 The emperor was convinced his illness was a punishment from God, so he allowed Christians to practice their faith. Later Constantine won a battle and the symbol was put on the shields and hats of soldiers. The edict of

How does the Bhagavad-Gita reveal fundamental teachings of Hinduism Essay

How does the Bhagavad-Gita reveal fundamental teachings of Hinduism expressed in lyrical format - Essay Example To be specific, Bhagavad-Gita, which is in the form of sermon from the God (Lord Krishna), tends to reduce confusion and ethical predicament faced by Arjuna (the Pandava prince). When this sermon is generalized to the wider context of the fundamental teachings of Hinduism, one can easily identify that Yoga or selfless action is helpful to attain ‘moksha’ or enlightenment. Thesis statement: The fundamental teachings (theories) of Hinduism (say, yoga, karma/dharma and selfless action to attain the divine) are revealed through Bhagavad-Gita because it deals with the scope of the same in human life (special references to Bhagavad-Gita). The fundamental teachings of Hinduism expressed in lyrical format One can see that the fundamental teachings of Hinduism are expressed in lyrical format. For instance, the sacred texts/works in Hinduism like the Ramayana (the story of Rama’s journey), the Mahabharata (related to the dynastic struggle in ancient India), and the Puranas (related to spiritual and theoretical concepts in Hinduism) are expressed in lyrical format, especially in Sanskrit. So, lyrical format is the foundation of the fundamental teachings of Hinduism because the same deeply influenced the oral tradition of chanting mantras in Hinduism. Within this context, the fundamental teachings of Hinduism expressed in lyrical format include: yoga, karma/dharma and the importance of selfless action in human life to attain the divide power or the Brahman. First of all, yoga or unselfish action without considering the consequence is the most important aspect of the fundamental teachings of Hinduism. A yogi (a person who is ready to discard worldly pleasures) can attain moksha because he or she is ready to shed ego. Karma or the amassed liability of one’s actions in day to day life is another important element of the fundamental teachings of Hinduism. To be specific, karma hinders one from attaining moksha. Within this context, dharma or duty min dedness can help one to escape from the cyclic process of birth, death and rebirth. Another important element of the fundamental teachings of Hinduism is selfless action. One can easily identify that Hinduism provides ample importance to selfless action, not idleness. From a different angle of view, yoga and dharma lead one towards selfless action and salvation. Revelation of the fundamental teachings of Hinduism through Bhagavad-Gita The most important elements of the revelation of the fundamental teachings of Hinduism through Bhagavad-Gita can be divided into three: yoga, karma/dharma and the importance of action. A. Yoga The most important aspect of Bhagavad-Gita which reveals the fundamental teachings of Hinduism is yoga. In Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna motivates prince Arjuna by pointing out the importance of yoga in one’s life. When Arjuna hesitates to be the part of the Kurukshetra war against his relatives, Lord Krishna motivates him by creating awareness on the import ance of action in human life. Selfishness cannot help one to attain moksha. Instead, selfless action can help one to realize the eternal truth/enlightenment. Mehta (2005) makes clear that â€Å"according to Gita, work should be performed for its own sake, with whole-hearted attention, unaffected by any thought of success or failure, profit or loss, honor or dishonor, fame or loss of fame etc† (p.39). Yoga is interconnected with devotional service and action in life. Other elements or steps which can help one to be a yogi are meditation and knowledge. To be specific,

Hospitality and Tourism Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hospitality and Tourism Industry - Essay Example (Smith, 2003, p. 17) The term 'sustainable tourism' usually denotes the application of the more general concept of sustainable development to tourism as a specific economic sector. The ethical responsibilities towards code of practice enable the industry to acquire a critical role in protecting the vital needs of not only mainstream population but also the minorities that exist without political backup and economic support. Whether it is political extravaganza targeting masses or be it minorities, the role of legislation and codes should be based on the recognition of human rights and custom values. Hall & Richards (2000) while providing example of sustainable environment highlights the hospitality sector in which there are particular procedures of the installation of state-of-the-art energy-saving technology and waste-management which are followed by most of the hotels. In this context it is better for a hotel to survive thereby adopting 'sustainability'. For example a hotel can almost immediately have an impact on costs and may increase revenue if the organisation advertises its 'green credentials' and so attracts more eco-conscious clients. (Hall & Richards, 2000, p. 64) However, this may well lead to an increase in the level of aggregate demand and consequently an overall rise in total energy use and waste generation. Furthermore, the larger number of visitors puts unintended and increased pressure on the local infrastructure, services and environment, the effect of which is uncertain, especially with regard to the additional financial burden which is likely to fall not onl y on the public sector but the private (business) and personal sectors (perhaps receiving no direct benefit from tourism), because of the increased costs of mitigating the adverse effects of tourism, particularly dealing with waste. Besides characteristics, what matters within the context of tourism, are the characteristics of the natural, cultural and built environments of destinations that attract tourists towards them. All environments are different and have their own unique features, and what makes a particular type of environment attractive for tourism is a function of value judgements and fashions that exist in society. (Holden, 2003, p. 24) Code of Practice from Managerial Aspect The major constraints in today's tourism industry are those approaches, which are adopted by the managers, thereby influencing the hospitality of the product and labour markets, organisational status and structure, including size of workplace, and culture are chief among the factors thought to place constraints on managers. Managers, as much as workers and

The ABC Service Agency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The ABC Service Agency - Essay Example The ABC Service Agency The committee included six board members and four of our top managerial staff. The board of directors together with other key partners held meetings twice a week to review the mission and the core values of the company. Company staff members were also instrumental in providing support to the committee and review of the draft plan (Bond, 2003). In addition, different stakeholders provided their views on organizational assessment in relation to challenges and opportunities of international business. Executive summary Background The ABC agency was established in 1992 as a volunteer organization to provide support to children with disability. Currently the organization provides support services to over 2,000 children and adults across the United States and it is a major employer. ABC agency support program provides placement and support, Respite care, or planned relief for the caregivers of children and adults with disabilities, and vocational training. The agency also provides informati on and referral services to the community with the aim of providing support to people living with disabilities. Direction and Results Strategic direction and results included in this plan are based on the value that the company places on its customers and the need to utilize available resources for sustainable growth. The company is also keen on identifying opportunities in order to counter possible challenges. Due to the growing need for our services beyond our borders, the agency needs to expand its marketing and operation tentacles to enable it exploit emerging opportunities (Lawrence, Weber & Post, 2005). The five-year plan aim at establishing concrete relationship with the donor community and expand productions and marketing options. We also acknowledge the sensitive role that the company plays in the community. To maintain its position in the society the company seeks to expand its production capacity in order to cater for an expanding market. ABC agency will pursue the follow ing directions The company will review and heighten its existing services to ensure that they are effective and reliable. The company will also assess customer satisfaction index to determine its influence in the international market. The ABC agency will work with humanitarian organizations across the globe to identify possible areas of interests. The agency will also collaborate with leading manufacturer of support equipments around the globe to produce support equipments for people with disability at an affordable cost. The company also aims to collaborate with major technology companies to design an information system that will form its main operation platform. Goals The following goals were drafted following cross consultation with key stakeholders and a detailed analysis of the current business environment. The goals provide a strategic framework that will enable the company achieve its target within the stated time. Service delivery It is evident that the company has become a market leader due to its ability to offer high quality services to its customers. We deal in a highly sensitive environment and, therefore our services are evaluated various parties including human rights and government agencies. We therefore seek to reinforce our service delivery in providing family support, education, and employment opportunities. Human resources ABC agency values its staff and the

The Role And Importance Of Educational Research Philosophy Essay

The Role And Importance Of Educational Research Philosophy Essay Educational research is important because it is conducted in order to provide trustworthy information regarding educational problems and their solutions. There are many things that need to be considered when looking at what educational research is for example some thought needs to be put into looking at current paradigms, what counts as evidence in educational research, maintaining quality, and the role of peer review in validating new knowledge in educational research. There are many different approaches to educational research which are shaped by many different research paradigms. Koul (2008) states that the various research paradigms have different criteria for ontology and epistemology to maintain quality standards. The ontology and epistemology of a research paradigm influence researchers applying the quality standards, methodology and methods (para. 1). What is Educational Research: Research is a combination of both experience and reasoning and must be regarded as the most successful approach to the discovery of truth (Borg, 1963, as cited in Cohan, Manion, Morrison, 2000). Educational research can be defined as a purposeful and systematic enquiry to solve a problem, illuminate a situation or add to our knowledge (Mutch, 2005, pp. 14) by the discovery of non-trivial facts and insights (Howard Sharp, 1983, as cited in Bell, 2005, pp. 2) in relation to the improvement of education policy and practices, with a commitment to broader dissemination of research findings beyond publication in high status, international, refereed journals (Lingard Gale, 2010, pp. 31). In order to define educational research we must first look at what research is. Research is a combination of both experience and reasoning and must be regarded as the most successful approach to the discovery of truth, particularly as far as the natural sciences are concerned (Borg, 1963, as cited in Cohan, Manion, Morrison, 2000). Therefore Educational Research can be defined as a `purposeful and systematic enquiry to solve a problem, illuminate a situation or add to our knowledge (Mutch, 2005, pp. 14) `by the discovery of non-trivial facts and insights (Howard Sharp, 1983, as cited in Bell, 2005, pp. 2) `in relation to the improvement of education policy and practices, with a commitment to broader dissemination of research findings beyond publication in high status, international, refereed journals (Lingard Gale, 2010, pp. 31). Anderson and Arsenault, (1998) suggest that there are ten characteristics of educational research that can be grouped into three main categories; the purpose of research, the procedures of research and the role of researcher (p. 7). They go on to explain that the purpose of research is to solve the problems and develop knowledge, the procedure involves collecting or generating data with accurate observation, objective interpretation, and verification. It also involves carefully designed procedures and rigorous analysis (Anderson and Arsenault, 1998 pp. 7), and finally the role of researchers is to be patient and careful in every step of the researchers procedures, and be experts in their area of study, which requires them to use research data to develop solutions and increase knowledge. What is a Paradigm: The use of this fashionable word came about from the philosopher of science, Thomas Kuhn. The word comes from the Greek work paradeigma which translates literally as pattern. It is used in social science to describe an entire way of looking at the world (Davidson Tolich, 1999). It can be viewed as a basic set of beliefs held by an individual that represent a worldview which defines the nature of the world, the individuals place in it and the range of possible relationships to that world and its parts (Denzin Lincoln, 1998, pp. 200) A paradigm relates to a particular set of philosophical assumptions about what the world is made of and how it works. One way to consider a paradigm is as a collection of ontological and epistemological assumptions (Davidson Tolich, 1999). Inquiry paradigms define for inquirers what it is they are about, and what falls within and outside the limits of legitimate inquiry. (http://prk.dreamwidth.org/60977.html) Examining paradigms define for inquirers what paradigms are about and what fall within in and outside the limits of that paradigm? Denzin and Lincon (1998) state that there are three fundamental questions that need to be addressed in order to complete research. These questions are; the epistemological question, the ontological question, and the methodological question it is important to note that however one answers a question it effects how they answer the other two. The Epistemological Question: Epistemology is the study of the nature of knowledge. http://www.translationdirectory.com/glossaries/glossary007_e.htm Epistemology raises the questions of how we know what we know, and what is knowledge. http://atheism.about.com/od/philosophybranches/p/Epistemology.htm It encompasses the debate on if knowledge can be obtained through experience (Empiricism) or by the use of reasoning (rationalism). The epistemological question is asking what the form and nature of reality is and, what can be known about it? Denzin and Lincoln (1998) uses the example of if a real world is assumed, then what can be known about it are how things really are or how things really work where as other questions like matters of aesthetic or moral significance, fall outside the realm of legitimate scientific inquiry. (pp. 201) Questions for analysing paradigms Research paradigms Positivism Epistemological questions Nature of knowledge Knowledge can be described in a systematic way Knowledge consists of verified hypotheses that can be regarded as facts or laws. Probabilistic i.e. holds true for large groups of people or occurs in many situations Knowledge is accurate and certain Role of theory Theories are: Normative Present models General propositions explaining causal relationships between variables Theory building/testing Postulate a theories that can be tested in order to confirm or reject Prove a theory from observable phenomena / behaviour Test theories in a controlled setting, empirically supporting or falsifying hypotheses through process of experimentation Role of research Uncover reality i.e. natural laws Scientifically explain / describe, predict and control phenomena Research findings are true if: Can be observed an measured Can be replicated and are generalizable Role of common sense None only deductive reasoning (Voce, 2004 pp. ) The Ontological Question: Ontology is defined by as What is the nature of the relationship between the knower or would be knower and what can be known? Denzin Lincoln (1998) continue with their example of reality being assumed because one has already answered the epistolocial question the posture of the knower must be one of objective detachment or value freedom in order to discover these thing.. What is the nature of the relationship between the knower or would be knower and what can be known? The answer that can be given to this question is constrained by the answer already given to the ontological question; that is, not just any relationship can now be postulated. So if, for example, a real reality is assumed, then the posture of the knower must be one of objective detachment or value freedom in order to discover how things really are and how things really work (Denzin Lincoln, 1998, pp. 201). Questions for analysing paradigms Research paradigms Positivism Ontological Questions Nature of reality An objective, true reality exists which is governed by unchangeable natural cause-effect laws Consists of stable pre-existing patterns or order that can be discovered Reality is not time- nor context-bound Reality can be generalised Nature of human beings Rational Shaped by external factors (same cause has the same effect on everyone) i.e. mechanical model / behaviourist approach. Under certain conditions people will probably engage in a specified behaviour (Voce, 2004) The Methodological Question: Methodology is defined by the free dictionary as a body of practices, procedures, and rules used by those who work in a discipline or engage in an inquiry; a set of working methods http://www.thefreedictionary.com/methodological Therefore the methodological question surrounds how the inquirer goes about finding out what they believe can be known? Depending on what answers have already been given to the above questions they will constrain the answer to this one, whether the methods are qualitative or quantitave. The methodological question cannot be reduced to a question of methods; methods must be fitted to a predetermined methodology (Denzin Lincoln, 1998, pp. 201) How can the inquirer (would be knower) go about finding out whatever he or she believes can be known? The answer that can be given to this question in constrained by answers already given to the first two questions; that is, not just any methodology is appropriate. For example, a real reality pursued by an objective inquirer mandates control of possible confounding factors, whether the methods are qualitative (e.g. observational) or quantitative (e.g. analysis of covariance). The methodological question cannot be reduced to a question of methods; methods must be fitted to a predetermined methodology (Denzin Lincoln, 1998, pp. 201). Questions for analysing paradigms Research paradigms Positivism Methodological questions Role of researcher Objective, independent from the subject Investigator often controls the investigated Role of values Science is value-free Values have no place in research must eliminate all bias Methods Empirical Structured and replicable observation Quantification / measurement Experimental directly manipulate variables and observe Type of studies Survey studies Verification of hypotheses Statistical analysis Quantitative descriptive studies What is Positivism: Knowledge is based not on unchallengeable, rock-solid foundations, but rather upon human conjectures (Phillips Burbules, 2000). Positivism is an epistemological perception which states that only knowledge which is based on sensory experience and positive verification is authentic knowledge. More simply worded, positivism is the view that all true knowledge is scientific, and that all things are ultimately measureable. Positivism emerged from the success of the scientific approach in natural sciences such as physics, chemistry, and biology. The impetus for this came from the overwhelming success of science in understanding and solving problems in the natural world. The ontology of positivism is realism; an apprehend able reality that is assumed to exist, driven by immutable natural laws and mechanisms. Knowledge of the ways things are is conventionally summarised in the form of time- and context-free generalizations, some of which take the form of cause-effect laws. Research can, in principle, converge on the true state of affairs. The basic posture of the paradigm is argued to be both reductionist and deterministic (Hesse, 1980, cited in Denzin Lincoln, 1998, pp. 204). The epistemology of positivism is dualist and objectivist; meaning the investigator and the investigated object are assumed to be independent entities, and the investigator to be capable of studying the object without influencing it or being influenced by it. When influence in either direction (threats to validity) is recognised, or even suspected, various strategies are followed to reduce or eliminate it. Inquiry takes place as through a one-way mirror. Values biases are prevented from influencing outcomes, so long as the prescribed procedures are rigorously followed. Replicable findings are, in fact, true (Denzin Lincoln, 1998, pp. 204). The methodology of positivism is experimental and manipulative. Questions and/or hypotheses are stated in propositional form and subjected to empirical tests to verify them; possible confounding conditions must be carefully controlled (manipulated) to prevent outcomes from being improperly influenced (Denzin Lincoln, 1998, pp. 204). Originally conceptualised by Auguste Comte in the early 19th Century (Pickering, 1993), positivism has been greatly criticised, including by positivist themselves. A number of the concerns raised have influenced the epistemological position taken within this research; particularly that knowledge is a social variable, knowing one is the subject of a study, changes in ones behaviour, and the notion of subjectivity and value orientation. What is Social Construction of Reality/ Post-Positivism: The Social Construction Reality/ Post-positivism paradigm include the following paradigms: interpretive, critical, feminist, and postmodern paradigm. I think interpretive paradigm is the paradigm that most education research is  based on  at the University of Waikato. The social construction of reality assumes that knowledge is subjective and unique therefore researchers undertake systematic and painstaking analysis of social episodes (Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2007, pp. 19). This is a less reductionist approach to research recognizing the importance of context and aiming to represent how participants view their world. Rather than seeking generalisations this paradigm accepts that reality is multilayered and complex (Cohen et al, 2007, pp. 21) therefore data collected are open to multiple interpretations. This approach is more speculative based on the assumption that theory is emergent therefore the researcher should not be seeking evidence purely to support a predetermined hypothesis. Post-positivism is a meta-theoretical stance that analyses and adjusts positivism in light of the criticisms which positivism, as a scientific paradigm, has received. Post-positivism offers primary amendments to the positivist paradigm. Firstly, that the absolute separation of the knower and the known is not assumed; and secondly, that a single, shared reality which excludes all others is not assumed to be a true basis for reasoning. It is critical to note that post-positivism is not a rejection of the scientific paradigm, but seeks to amend the criticisms associated with positivism (Phillips Burbules, 2000; Zammito, 2004). Post-positivism states that knowledge is based not on unchallengeable, rock-solid foundations, but rather on human conjectures (Phillips Burbules, 2000; Zammito, 2004). Epistemologically speaking post-positivism works on the position that facts and law deduced through research are probably true (Guba Lincoln, 2005) in light of evidence provided (Phillips Burbules, 2000; Zammito, 2004). Post-positivism of this type is common place in social science for conceptual and practical reasons (Phillips Burbules, 2000; Zammito, 2004). What are the differences between the two Meta-Paradigms: Based on the literature, the most fundamental differences between both paradigms are how they search for the truth and define validity and reliability. The positivist paradigm seeks and finds them in a (perceived)  value free and objective evidence based world and the constructivists in a subjective, contextual and interpretive world (Silverman 2005, p. 6; and Cohen et al. 2007, p. 26). Research as creating new knowledge: Positivism and Post-positivism create knowledge by a process of accretion, with each fact (or probable fact) serving as a kind of building block that, when placed into its proper niche, adds to the growing edifice of knowledge. When the facts take the form of generalisation or cause-effect linkages, they may be used most efficiently for prediction and control. Generalisations may then be made, with predicable confidence, to a population of settings (Denzin Lincoln, 1998, pp. 212). What counts as evidence in Educational Research: What counts as evidence in educational research depends on what is being asked. If one is looking at effectiveness of direct impact then there would be a different type of key evidence compared to if the question was in relation to the nature of a problem, or how some intervention worked or how a naturally occurring process takes place. Basically the kinds of evidence that will count will depend on the nature of the proposition. Anyone that is interested in the evidence needs to remember that the evidence is always connected to what was being asked or the proposition. One cannot take for granted that it is true one needs to still ask: how is the connection made possible? And what values, assumptions and conventions are behind that kind of connection? (Andrews, 2007). Maintaining quality in Educational Research: The quality standards related to the post/positivist paradigm are validity and reliability. This is because the focus of this is to discover the truth using empirical investigation. Anderson and Arsenault (1998) write that validity refers to the extent to which what we measure reflects what we expected to measure [which] has two forms: internal and external (pp. 257). Related to the research, the term internal validity refers to how the findings meet the expected results. While, external validity refers to being able to generalise the findings to other situations and contexts. Therefore, an experiment is valid if the results are appropriate to the manipulated independent variable and if they are able to be generalised to individuals or contexts other than the experiments setting (Gay Airasian 2000, pp. 371). Because the focus of this paradigm is to find out the truth, reliability is an important indicator for the consistency of the research findings. Anderson and Arsenault (1998) state that reliability refers to the extent that an instrument will yield the same results each time it is administered (pp. 256) an example of this is, if you were to administer a survey the larger the source of the data you collect the more it will be reliable as the results become more generalised the more it will give the same results the next time you did it. Furthermore, trustworthiness is a foundational criteria to maintaining quality. Trustworthiness can be broken down into four quality standards these being, credibility using multiple methods and perspectives and member checking, transferablility by providing rich data and thick descriptions, dependability by having a detailed audit trail, and comformability can be achieved by giving readers clear track of data and interpretations. (Anderson and Arsenault 1998) Peer Review. Research shows the benefits of Peer review doesnt only improve the language that authors use and they way their ideas are presented, but also alerts them to statistical and scientific errors in their research, inappropriate methodology, or accuracies in referencing which they can then correct before the publication. (Taylor and Francis Author Services, 2010) An example of this is when one submits his/her work to an international journal for anonymous refereeing by unknown peers, they read they article critically and then suggest for it to be accepted, rejected, or most often revised and improved before it is published. Without this external seal of approval many scientists would consider any results as preliminary, potentially flawed (Gannon, 2001). Conclusion Conclusion: Educational research with its characteristics is influenced by four major paradigms. Each paradigm has its own epistemology, ontology, and quality standards which influence the researchers to find the truth and see the reality. The important point is that knowing the nature of each paradigm which can help the researchers to conduct their research process. Researchers can conduct the research within and across paradigms which is called multi-paradigmatic research paradigms (Taylor, 2008). The nature of educational research is analogous with the nature of research itself, which is systematic, reliable and valid to find the truth, investigates knowledge, and solves problems. Moreover, educational research process involves steps to collect the information in order to investigate problems and knowledge. However, the educational research is more complex because it can use various approaches and strategies to solve problems in educational setting. It also can involve many disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, behaviour, and history. In addition, educational research is important because of contributing knowledge development, practical improvement, and policy information. Therefore, educators can use those research findings to improve their competences and teaching and learning process (Yulirahmawati, 2008).

Treatment :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main character is Janine Starr. She is overly shy, a bookworm, and an extremely religious Christian; however, she is an undercover cop. She works for the New York Police Department. In order for her to be promoted to a â€Å"detective† she has to work at a local strip joint, â€Å"ChiChi’s,† on West 8th Street. The reason for her to work at ChiChi’s is to bust the city’s top drug tycoon, Miguel Martinez.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our other main character is Barry Johnson who is senior detective at the station. Starr does not know of Johnson. Johnson’s front is a cage cleaner at The Bronx Zoo. Johnson is keeping an eye on Starr because Johnson works on the side with Martinez; Johnson is betraying the department. Johnson moved next door to Starr and he pretends to be mentally challenged and in love with Starr. He watches her nightly at the club, yet she only notices him around the elevator—here or there. She has never seen him at the department or at the club.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Starr is very attractive, early to mid-twenties. She has medium brown hair, blue eyes, roughly 5’8†. A Tiffany-Amber Theissan type of look. Starr has the opportunity to be promoted to detective at her age because her father is a retired Commissioner. Starr hates working in the strip joint because she is religious. Our comic relief is a cross made out of black leather that she carries around. They chose Starr because she needed initiation for detective (she needed to do REAL detective work), and she was the best-looking female on the force.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Johnson is also early to mid-twenties. He became senior detective at the department because he is extremely intelligent, a Doogie Howser if you will. Though computers are not big because the year is 1978, he secretly is a computer genius. Johnson is a partner with Martinez; Johnson is not only the brain of the operation, but he is the cover because of the department. The department thinks Johnson is working at the zoo because of some animal-raids that have been going on. People have been breaking into zoos and injecting animals with virulent chemicals. Johnson is really working in the zoo as the cover for Starr, remember that while he is at the zoo he is pretending to be mentally challenged.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Martinez is the biggest drug tycoon in the city. They estimate he deals with approximately $20 million worth of drugs daily.

Agro Based Industries

Agro-based industry would mean any activity involved in cultivation, under controlled conditions of agricultural and horticultural crops, including floriculture and cultivation of vegetables and post-harvest operation on all fruits and vegetables. The development of agro-industries has assumed crucial importance in the economic planning and progress of the country. There are extreme variations among different states in the number of processed food industries.It is also evident from this study that except potatoes, all the other perishable products have been showing inadequate number of cold storage plants and low capacity utilization of the existing units. This study suggests that there is a need to develop the processed food industries throughout the country in order to provide more employment opportunities and to reduce the regional imbalances.The main focus of Agro based industries is: Livestock farming – Livestock are domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. Crops- Cultivation of crops. Aquaculture – The cultivation of aquatic animals or plants for food. Livestock farming is a type of farming with living animals.Livestock farming consists of Poultry farming where birds are grown for eggs and its meat, Dairy farming where milk giving cattle are grown for dairy products, apiculture where bees are grown for its honey, and cattle farming where cattle is grown for meat. Aquaculture can also be considered as a type of livestock farming dealing with water-living animals and plants. Crops, as you know are useful plants that are needed by humans. Crops consist of Food crops, beverage crops, fiber crops and fodder crops. Food crops are crops that grow food.

Divine Command Theory

Divine Command Theory Divine command theory is based on the idea that God is the determinant of right and wrong behavior. Religious groups such as Christians, Muslims and Jews follow laws contained in holy books that guide their worship activities.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Divine Command Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Holy books were written by wise people inspired by God and should be followed. God forbids morally wrong actions and encourages people to engage in morally upright activities. Violation of commandments of God is immorality. People will be held responsible for their actions on the final Day of Judgment. Theists disagree with divine command theory because they do not believe in the existence of God. There are also differences within believers. According to Plato, any act is neither good nor bad unless God has categorized it. This raises an issue of dilemma in some cases such as whether people should be truthful because God has commanded them or because it is good (Rachels Rachels, 2011). According to Rachels and Rachels (2011), the criterion used to define wrong and right is not clear. For instance, in a case of child abuse where a child has been slapped, the action could be right if God wants it that way. In such a case, defining morality would be mysterious. The definition of what is moral makes commandments of God Arbitral because judgment depends on God. For instance, lying is not allowed. However, if God commanded it, it would be accepted. Conception of morality differs with moral principals. This is because the theory does not recognize effects of child abuse as long as punishment is based on Gods commandments. Divine command theorists argue that child abuse could be allowed if God was not in existence. The statement is invalid because if God was not there, then He could not be there to make child abuse wrong. Since child abuse is malicious, it would still be wrong. Religious texts give contradicting information that makes even believers have doubts in God’s commands. It is wrong for believers to say that the commandments given by God are arbitrary because He knows what best fits them. People should remain truthful because God requires them to do so. Believers should follow Gods wishes if they are to remain religious. Many theologians have rejected the theory because it is impious and untenable. Other thinkers like Saint Thomas Aquinas have explained the relationship between religion and morality in other ways (Rachels Rachels, 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Theory of Natural Law According to this theory, laws of nature govern human beings. According to Aristotle who lived between 384 and 322 B.C, everything that exists should serve a certain purpose. He gave the example of a knife that is used for cutting, different body parts th at perform different functions in the body and rainfall that enables proper growth of plants. Many things exist in the world with each serving its own purpose making the world a rational and orderly system. Other scholars who followed later have supported Aristotle’s view. For instance, Christian thinkers accepted the view but added that the aspect of God was missing. They argued that human beings use animals because God made them to serve that purpose (Rachels Rachels, 2011). Rachels and Rachels (2011) point out that the Natural theory describes the nature of things. People live in unity when everything is in place and every individual assumes his/her responsibilities in order to maintain social order. For examples, eyes that cannot see are functionless and this can be explained by the natural law. God created people to help each other. Naturally, human beings are social beings who need the company of other people. People who seem not to care about others (psychopaths) go a gainst the natural law. Deviant sexual activities are condemned in the theory of natural law. Theorists argue that sex is meant for procreation. Practices like gay and masturbation are condemned. The Catholic Church bases its moral values on this theory. Apart from Catholics, the theory has few supporters; reasons being that not all natural things are good. Secondly, it brings about confusion because people must not engage in sex except for purposes of procreation. Lastly, natural law differs with science (Rachels Rachels, 2011). The theory of natural law points out that determining right and wrong depends on one’s reasoning. Right actions should bring about good results. In this case, believers and non-believers follow in the same category of accessing moral truth. People have the ability to listen, think and make sound decisions. Natural theorists argue that morality is not dependent on religion (Rachels Rachels, 2011). Reference Rachels, J. Rachels, S. (2011). The eleme nts of moral philosophy. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.

Gösta Berlings Saga Selma Lagerlöf, 1891

Gà ¶sta Berlings Saga Selma Lagerlà ¶f, 1891 G ¶sta Berlings Saga Selma Lagerl ¶f, 1891Selma Lagerl ¶f (1858-1940) v ¤xte upp i V ¤rmland i en bildad familj. I din ungdom h ¶rde hon m ¥nga historier och myter om personer i V ¤rmland under b ¶rjan av 1800-talet. En del av detta material har hon satt ihop till en roman - G ¶sta Berlings saga. Det  ¤r oklart hur mycket av inneh ¥llet i romanen som  ¤r tagit fr ¥n andra men det  ¤r ocks ¥ mindre intressant. Det intressanta  ¤r resultatet, hur det  ¤r ihopsatt, hur det  ¤r skrivet och vad budskapet kan t ¤nkas vara. Syftet med boken  ¤r enligt Selma sj ¤lv att visa att de v ¤rml ¤ndska personer hon skildrar i boken inte  ¤r mindre personligheter  ¤n de i till exempel Bellmans och Runebergs verk. Det egentliga syftet med boken  ¤r nog att underh ¥lla och ber ¤tta en god historia.I boken ber ¤ttar en ber ¤ttare en samling ber ¤ttelser som hon har h ¶rt fr ¥n  ¤ldre ber ¤ttare. Det hela utspelar sig runt den V ¤r ml ¤ndska sj ¶n L ¶ven p ¥ 1820-talet.English: Mà ¥rbacka at autumn.Ber ¤ttelserna  ¤r r ¤tt frist ¥ende men h ¥lls samman av en ramber ¤ttelse. Alla ber ¤ttelser tillf ¶r minst n ¥got till ramber ¤ttelsen till exempel kan de inblick i en persons karakt ¤r och bakrund. Ramber ¤ttelsen  ¤r den om kavaljererna p ¥ Ekeby och av dem s ¤rskilt G ¶sta Berling. Kavaljererna  ¤r en samling udda men beg ¥vade m ¤n som alla kommit av sig i sina liv p ¥ ett eller annat vis och blivit omh ¤ndertagna av majorskan p ¥ Ekeby. P ¥ Ekeby herrg ¥rd lever de sedan ett till synes sorgl ¶st liv under gl ¤djens, rusets och  ¤ventyrets lag.Boken utspelar sig under ett  ¥r d ¥ kavaljererna sj ¤lva lyckats f ¥ makten  ¶ver Ekeby. Det  ¤r ett  ¥r som s ¤tter sina sp ¥r p ¥ folk runt hela L ¶ven. De flesta episoderna i boken handlar om G ¶sta Berling, hans k ¤rlekshistorier och dess konsekvenser. G ¶sta skildras som en riktig hj ¤lte, med makt att dikta och f ¶r ¤lska kvinnor. Han lever,

Skype and its impact on Social and Culture Environment Term Paper

Skype and its impact on Social and Culture Environment - Term Paper Example Importance of Skype and its Impact on People’s Lives Skype has been significant in the lifestyles of the modern society. The most important aspect has been lowering the cost of telephone services. Subscribers of Skype are able to communicate effectively through unlimited phone calls, which is not possible through the common telephone service providers. Moreover, Skype services are accessible globally and therefore every person who has access to the internet can use them (Booth, 16). The current wave of globalization has necessitated effective communication among business people, workers and their families as well as among organizations with mobile workers. Greenhow observes that Skype services have enabled many people working away from home to accomplish work-life balance by means of video conferencing (11). The common mobile telephony only allows voice calls, but workers and their relations appreciate visual communication whereby they are able to see the person whom they are communicating with. Under such circumstances, expatriate workers overseas are able to see their families through video chats. This is significance in the enhancement of satisfaction in employment and avoidance of family breakdown as a result of distance work. Video conferencing has also enhanced business and inter-organizational partnerships by enhancing networking capabilities. The cost of travel and conference rooms has been eliminated by Skype. Moreover, it helps in saving time in the p reparations for conferences (Turban et al. 19). In making purchases online, a person is in a position to see the partner whom he/she is communicating with thereby avoiding chances of falling in to the trap of fraudsters. For example, the recent rise in fraudulent transactions involving the sale of used motor vehicles by fake dealers through their short-lived websites could have been avoided if buyers insisted on visual conversations through Skype. This would enable them to request an image of the company premises and the cars before concluding a deal. On the other hand, the fear of fraudster companies in the internet has led to a decline of consumers willing to buy products online (Booth, 13). Skype can be applied by marketers to express their genuineness to potential online customers. Its application offers the opportunity to present a positive image by showing customers their marketing team, management and physical location. In deed, as Kuriyan & Ray (95) assert, Skype is the way to go in future online shopping. In healthcare, Skype has contributed to numerous positive changes with regard to communication between doctors and patients. Doctors, just like other professionals have been using Skype to communicate with families and friends. However, new developments have changed the manner in which they relate with patients. With increased cost of hospitalized healthcare, doctors have established a new strategy of home based care through Skype. Routine medical checks for patients have been facilitated by Skype video calls to patients in the comfort of their homes. Moreover, patients can interact with doctors for clinical consultations and other health related issues without physical presence in the hospital (Turban et al. 19). This has enabled doctors

Effective Teaching and Learning in the Primary School Essay

Effective Teaching and Learning in the Primary School - Essay Example Promoting the learning and achievement of pupils is a main aim of school education (TLRP, 2006). Teacher’s commitment to education and the insight reflection regarding teaching and learning process enables him to see the complexity involved in the process and only then he is able to discover the hurdles which learners face during the process. Readiness for implementation of different strategies for individuals and persistent research to overcome these bottle necks in the learning environment; increases the capacity of children to contribute in the contemporary society. A school’s curriculum consists of content which facilitates its students to learn and experience at a quality level. National curriculum not only provides with the same objectives to be achieved throughout the country, keeping in mind the age level; but also provides a platform where schools can produce their own curriculum according to need basis. The concepts to be learned are planned in such a way that they are integrated with social and moral values. Children learn civility and manners in this way as this is considered as a part of hidden curriculum. The purpose is clear for all to develop learning skills and enrich our children in such a way that they become a useful and constructive member of the future. Every child has a different learning style an effective teacher learns through experience and research that one strategy of learning might not fit for all. The groups of individuals in a class have learning potential but all of them possess different styles of acquiring them. Thus holistic development of a child does not only depend on contents of his curriculum but on the effectively applied strategies of an effective teacher. All over the world teachers, teach children writing styles through several ways. Children need different characteristics and styles from teacher to learn the specific trait. Learning how to write is a difficult process for children, where educators are required to link several skills together which matches the child’s comprehension and learning style. The problem becomes quite clear describing the characteristics of an effective teacher, who is able to foresee the hurdles in the process and therefore is ready with a plan to overcome these challenges. Learning how to write can be a distressing problem in a child’s personal and educational life. If a child is unable to develop certain basic skills during his schooling, later on further stages he will be unable to compile his thoughts into writing and will be unable to express what he learnt. Different subjects require students to show their learning through writing and even in exams they are supposed to write what they learnt in the session. Children who face such problems feel difficult to cope up and thus are discouraged easily. The process of writing itself becomes a challenge providing minimum help. This problem is interlinked with several other areas of learning w hich in turns slows down the holistic development of a child. Children, who are inattentive and impulsive, face difficulty to start with writing tasks, are easily distracted, get bored or tired quickly, show lack of interest in writing, write in improper font, make careless spelling mistakes and are less interested in organizing writing tasks. Children, who face spatial order problem have poor sense of line on paper, uneven space between letters and

HW Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

HW - Assignment Example For example, from the scale it indicates that there is no specialization of tasks which eliminates competition among employees. There is no competition among the employees and merit is a group pride but not an individuals. I would recommend that the two organizations have similar ratings on any of the scales because both have different hierarchy. Despite the two organizations following different hierarchy, they can be evaluated on the same scale (Daft, 2012). This is because they follow different norms, their method of leadership is different and their level of specialization differs. For instance, Daft compares a tall, horizontal and government agency on the same scale. From the given scale, while evaluating the formality of the organizations, one has many rules while the other has almost no rules. Therefore, this makes it possible to rate them on same scale. Another reason is that they are not producing similar products. One is a product based organization while the other is a service based organization (Daft, 2012). From the given scale, GoPro technology is product based while Morning Star is service based organization. Similarly, Daft compares the three organizations that do not offer similar products on the same scale. One is a software development company, the other is a retailing company and the last one is a government service company. Therefore, both GoPro and Morning Star are comparable on the same

Plato Allegory of the Cave Essay Example for Free

Plato Allegory of the Cave Essay The Allegory of the Cave is one of Greek philosopher Plato’s most well known works. It is an extended allegory, where humans are depicted as being imprisoned by their bodies and what they perceive by sight only. In the allegory of the cave Plato wanted to show how true reality is not always what it seems. A group of prisoners were chained up in a cave since there childhood, each prisoner was chained to each other by their heads.The prisoners were forced to face a blank wall while they were in the cave. Behind the prisoners there was a fire however the prisoners could not see the fire but between the prisoners and the fire there would a be puppet show where people would walk, talk and carry objects to keep the prisoners amused. The prisoners perceive only shadows of the people and things passing on the walkway; the prisoners hear echoes of the talk coming from the shadows. They perceive the shadows and echoes as reality. Whilst in the cave one prisoner is set free. He stands up and turns around and is forced to look at the fire, after the pain in his eyes from the fire he struggles to see anything. The prisoner is dragged out of the cave and into the world above. At first, the prisoner is so dazzled by the light that he can only look at shadows, then at reflections, then finally at the real objects like trees, flowers and houses. He sees that these are even more real than the shadows were, and that those were only copies of reality. The prisoner has now reached the cognitive stage of thought. He has caught his first glimpse of the most real thing, which is the Forms. In the film The Matrix, the humans trapped in the Matrix are like the people in the cave. They see only what the machines want them to see, but they believe they see reality as it really is. They accept what their senses tell them all that exists. Neo suspects that this is all a lie, but he’s not sure how the Matrix works. Morpheus, who runs the resistance to the Matrix, brings Neo into the Resistance, believing that Neo is the person who has been foreseen by the Oracle to be able to defeat the Matrix In The Allegory of the Cave the people creating the shadows represent the powerful people in society. In The Matrix the puppet-handlers are the machines controlled by Artificial Intelligence. The puppet-handlers use fake surroundings as a way to manipulate the information that the prisoners receive. While the prisoners are being fooled and influenced by the fake reality, the puppet-handlers are too because they are also living inside the artificial world they have created as well. Neo lives in world which is controlled by the matrix agents just like Platos prisoner lives in a world (cave) controlled by the form holders. They both manage to escape from the world as they know it and come to know the world as it really is. Neo, with some help from Morpheus, comes to realize that the life he as been leading so far is nothing but the life of a slave, shaped under the control of the Matrix, protected by the agents. Platos prisoner comes to realize first that the shadows he is looking at are not the truth, they are just shadows cast on the wall by the form holders. He sees the fire and as he follows the path which leads him outside of the cave, he sees the sun and everything else illuminated by it. The characters, simultaneously experience shock and then a feeling of fear when they first perceive what is real. Neo is able to see how humans are grown, hooked on wires, an element which symbolizes control just like the chains which tie the prisoners in Platos cave. In the movie as Morpheus and the group decided to leave the matrix they get attacked by the agents, the agents in the movie are just like the government in the allegory. Morpheus decided to flight against the agents will the rest of the group including Neo decided to get out of the matrix but what they dont know is that they were set up by one of there own Cypher. Cypher hates knowing the truth he wants to go back to his normal comfortable life in the matrix he doesnt want to be part of the experience anymore, so he makes a deal with the agents to get his normal life back he tricks Morpheus. The agents and the government are the same they are like the puppets in the allegory fooling the society to make them believe what they want me to believe not allowing them to see what is the truth. Unlike Plato’s prisoner, who managed to find his way out of the cave without any help from others, Neo is helped out by Morpheus. Neo is then faced with a moment of choice would he take the blue pill and stay in the world of the matrix which is the world of the senses or take the red pill, and come to know reality as it objectively exists. He chooses the red pill therefore giving himself the opportunity to experience the world of the mind, the real world and finds it as mind-blowing as Plato’s prisoner finds the enlighten world outside of the cave. The Mirror right after Neo took the red pill and the distorted spoon illusion before Neo went to the Oracle are simply products of the mind. It is in Plato’s Allegory of the cave where this illusion is happening. It is the mind that makes the spoon and the mirror distorted. It is the mind that makes the spoon inexistent, which is considered to be the truth. This spoon is the copy of the spoon of perfection in the world of forms. The spoon does not move by itself but Neo makes it move. In the Allegory Plato says that the freed prisoner would be confused at what he saw. When Neo is finally confronted with the real world, he is in a state of uncertainty. The realization of the truth is so overwhelming that he throws up and passes out. In The Allegory of the Cave, the Freed prisoner might even feel that what he was seeing now was the illusion and the shadows on the wall were actually more real. The freed prisoners first reaction would be to turn around and return to the false reality because it is less painful and more familiar to him. According to Plato, the freed prisoner must have started to question what he saw in front of him and wondered about where the shadows came from. He must have sensed that something was wrong and he wanted to know the truth. This theme is also found in the movie, Neo is very much like the freed prisoner. As Morpheus tells Neo, Youre here because you know something. Morpheus realizes that Neo has a place in society and is there because of what he knows. For Neo to realise this Morpheus says ‘free your mind, let go of doubt’. In conclusion, Platos story of the cave brings up many philosophical points; and, most importantly, it addresses the issue of societys role in our lives. Trinity tells Neo ‘The Matrix can not tell you who you are.’ It seems that the differences between The Allegory of the Cave and The Matrix do not prevent them from telling a similar story about the unreliability of the senses. We find Neo, at the end of the film, doing more than simply bending the laws of physics with the Matrix. It seems like he has stepped almost entirely out of that very world. He does not, however, appear in two places at once, but his destruction of one of the agents, and his ability to fly, says that the laws of physics are bent.

Student investment properties

Student investment properties 2.0 Introduction Property assets such as land and buildings are key resources for all types of organizations. Since there are a lots of demand in the property market, it caused investors started investing in property assets. Residential property is one of the target sectors to invest from investors speculation. However, investing in student property market (student investment properties) has become a new type of investing trend in residential property. There is an increase in the demand of student properties vicinity to any campus. Student properties are popular because of its location and accessibility. Hence, there is high demand towards the properties nearby to the area. It caused many investors involved in investing in this sector nowadays. Furniture and facilities that provided in student properties is one of the factors that will took into consideration when students renting the unit. Thus, it can be one of the factors that investors will have to think of when investing in student property market. Furthermore, this chapter will discuss about the definition of investment, characteristic of real estate, parties involved in property investment, definition of rate of return / return on investment, capitalization rate, factors and reasons that should be considered when investing in student property market (student investment properties). 2.1 Definition of Investment Investing is defined in several ways, such as placing money for profitable purposes, or extending capital in return of perceived profits. Another definition for investing, favored by many economists, which is known as â€Å"Investing is defined as giving up present consumption in exchange for future benefit†. Business Dictionary defined that investment is money committed or property acquired for future income. In addition, it is also known as trading between risk and reward while aiming for incremental gain and preservation of the invested amount (principal). Two main classes of investment are: Fixed income investment such as bonds, fixed deposits, preference shares Variable income investment such as business ownership (equities) and property ownership. Investment means the purchase of any incoming yielding asset, such as securities (stocks and bonds), or real estate. The assets themselves are also referred to as investments due to financial theory. In economic theory, investment means expenditures for additions to capital. Capital is usually defined as man-made goods used in production, such as machines and other productive equipments (Anatol Murad, 1962). 2.2 Characteristics of Real Estate There are two types of characteristics which are known as physical and economic. (Real Estate Decision, 2002) 2.2.1 Physical Characteristic Physical characteristic of land are its immobility, indestructibility, and nonhomogenity. Once the size and shape of a parcel of land are established, the legal nature of the land is also established with respect to mineral and air rights. Knowledge of the legal concept of land is important for making an analysis of its physical characteristics. Land in its legal sense is immobile because it cannot be moved from one place to another. Moreover, The location of the mineral rights and the air rights cannot be moved even if the surface is moved. Land is indestructible in the sense that movement of the surface does not destroy the full package of rights. Even though there are many types of human act that may destroy the land but they are not capable to destroy land in its legal sense. Land cannot be destroyed because its location cannot be destroyed. Land is non-homogeneous because each parcel of land can be distinguished from all other parcels of land on the basis of several physical characteristics. The size and shape, geological features of elevation, slope, drainage capacity, mineral composition, soil fertility, and bedrock characteristics can be different from each of parcel of land. However, even if all of these characteristics are perfectly identical, each parcel of land is unique because of its location. No two parcels of land occupy the same space on the earths surface. 2.2.2 Economic Characteristic The first economic characteristic of real estate is high price. Real estate is the only commodity that the typical consumer buys that is measured in multiples of that individuals or households income. Second characteristic of real estate is shared with many other commodities that the consumer buys. It is because purchasing a real estate is generally undertaken with borrowed funds. The third economic characteristic of real estate arises from its physical characteristics of immobility, nonhomogenity, and location. The search costs, or information gathering costs, associated with comparison shopping are greater for real estate than for any other product. Purchaser must expend money and time to examine the many different units that are being considered for possible purchase or rental. The fourth economic characteristic of real estate is scarcity. Because of total amount of land available is limited, real estate in both its components of land and improvements is not available in sufficient quantities to meet the desires that all individuals have for it. The fifth economic characteristic is the concept of situs, the economic location of a parcel of real estate. Each parcel is affected by changes in economic and demographic factors in the surrounding area because each parcel is immobile. Sixth economic characteristic is the influence that the quantity and the quality of surrounding structures and other off-site improvements to the land have on the property in question. For an example, the value of subject property increase when the quantity of desirable improvements increased, or when their physical quality improves. Finally, concept of fixity is the final economic characteristic. Real estate has a long physical and economic life because it cannot be moved or easily altered once the investment is fixed. 2.3 Investing in Real Estate According to Micheal C. Thomsett, ( 2009), there are several reasons of investing in real estate which are: It is one of the few finite investments. Land is limited resources in the world. Hence, prices will rise when it is used up. Type of development such as development of housing, office, commercial, industrial, recreational, government, and lodging purposes is also limited due to limited amount of space can be used. There is some land which is used for reserve purposes, some cannot developed due to zoning restriction and topographical problem. It shows that land which is suitable for developing has become less followed by time passing and it shall be one of the sectors to invest. Real estate is a safe investment compared with stock market. The historical record for real estate, like all markets, has had ups and down. But over time, real estate has kept pace with inflation and has usually exceed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth rate. The real estate cycle is highly predictable, following patterns based on normal supply and demand and varying regionally but in the same manner for each cycle. With a growing population caused by both natural increases and immigration, demand pressure on housing stock has continued. In addition, real estate is considered one of the basic needs to human. People need shelter and housing provides them with that. Hence, there are always demand in real estate. Real estate investors can have opportunities for tax shelter which given by the local government. Real estate investors in United States enjoy exceptional federal income tax benefits. The benefits are unlike those available for any other investment. The 1997 Taxpayer Relief Act dramatically improved the tax benefits of owning your own home by eliminating the tax on profits for the first $500,000 when primary residences are sold. Investors are allowed to deduct all of the necessary expenses connected with owning rental property, such as for repairs, cleaning, accounting, interest, property taxes and others. In addition, cost of improvements on the buildings over a period of years can be claim by real estate investors. Besides that, capital allowance, exemption of foreign investment tax and reduction of real property gain tax is an exceptional tax from Malaysia government to real estate investors. Fourth, real estate is a visible investment. There is something satisfying and reassuring about owning an intrinsic property. Property is an tangible object and it is a fixed. It is visible and touchable. In comparison, investing in stocks market directly or through mutual funds is an intangible investment because investors own the companys real assets indirectly. ( Micheal C. Thomsett, 2009) 2.4 Investors involve in Real Estate According to Jack Harvey , (1996), investing in real estate is usually involve private persons, private trusts and the institutions such as insurance companies, pension funds, charities, property companies, property bond funds and property unit trusts. Each of the parties involved in have different objectives and their preferences. 2.4.1 Private persons Private person can be anybody who purchases a property rather than renting it. The return received from rented the property should at least equal to what could be obtained from the return invested in elsewhere. For example, a person may rent rather than buy a shop either through lack of capital or because it is considered that the money can be more profitably employed in carrying stock, and so on. Owner-occupiers, for example, shop owners, farmers and households, are holding wealth in the form of real property. They enjoy a full equity interest income or satisfaction from the use of their property, and normally a hedge against inflation. Other private persons investing in this property sector usually have only limited funds. Thus their direct investment tends to be restricted to dwellings and secondary shops. Indirectly, however, they can invest in prime shops and offices by buying property bonds or shares in property companies. 2.4.2 Insurance companies Insurance companies try to match assets to future liabilities, and this largely determines the spread of their portfolios as between short term and long term fixed-interest investments and equity holdings. Due to short term and long term fixed interest investments, insurance companies find the advantageous to own properties directly rather than through shares in property companies because: Direct investment in property gives the company more control than an investment in property company shares A substantial holding of the shares of a property company (necessary to exercise some control) may be more difficult to dispose of than a first-class building. The prices of buildings have tended to be less volatile than the prices of property company shares. The high gearing of a property company is of little advantage to an insurance company, which always holds part of its assets in fixed money terms. Holding shares in a property company represents an inefficient way invest in property, since corporation tax is deducted from profits attributable to dividend, whereas the insurance company pays a lower tax rate on life income. Insurance companies still hold a part of their assets in mortgages as an alternative to fixed interest bearing stock. 2.4.3 Pension funds Pension funds compete strongly with insurance companies and property companies in investing in real estate. it helps to retain the real value of the accumulated pension funds. The smaller pension funds invest in property indirectly through pension fund property unit trusts, whose trust deeds limit membership to pension funds and charities enjoying tax exemption. Such trusts afford the advantages of property investment without management problems. They prefer to purchase and manage their own properties. 2.4.4 Charities and trusts Charities and trusts are concerned not only with income (from which periodic distributions are made) but also with retaining the real value of thrust funds. Consequently, although they pay no income tax, they cannot invest entirely in high yielding securities. Charities receive some investment each year. They are therefore constantly reviewing their existing portfolios. The function is to observe that possible adjustments could best serve their beneficiaries in present and future condition. 2.4.5 Property companies Property investment and development companies have grown considerably since 1945, largely reflecting the boom in urban redevelopment. Most tend to be highly geared, their capital consisting of a high proportion of loans to ordinary shares. Properties owned provide the security against borrowing, while interest charges are covered by regular rents. High gearing is beneficial to the few ordinary shareholders when profits are good, and it makes it easier to retain control. The larger companies tend to specialize in office blocks or prime shop properties, and a few (such as Slough Estates) in industrial property. Residential property investment is confined mainly to smaller companies, many of which engage in ‘break-up operations, selling houses and flats to fitting tenants or, when vacant possession is obtained, to owner-occupiers. 2.4.6 Foreign investors Overseas investment in UK property has increased considerably since the fall in property prices through the recession and the 1992 devaluation of sterling. Foreign banks have also been active in funding such purchasers. 2.4.7 Property bond funds The person wishing to invest in property is faced with the snag of having insufficient funds to buy prime property, the kind which has shown the greatest capital growth. The property bond fund, a comparatively recent innovation, partly succeeds in overcoming this difficulty. Subscribers buy a number of units in a fund which invests the money in first class property. These funds take an active interest in the management of their properties, revaluing them at fixed intervals. 2.4.8 Property unit trusts A similar principle operates with those unit trusts which specialize in property, nut in order to avoid management commitments, such unit trusts use their funds to buy shares in property companies such as hotels which are concerned with property. 2.5 Rate of Return / Return On Investment (ROI) From Wikipedia, Rate of Return (ROR), also known as Return on Investment (ROI), rate of profit or sometimes just return, is the ratio of money gained or lost (whether realized or unrealized) on an investment relative to the amount of money invested. The amount of money gained or lost may be referred to as interest, profit/loss, gain/loss, or net income/loss. The money invested may be referred to as the asset, capital, principal, or the cost basis of the investment. ROI is usually expressed as a percentage rather than a fraction. Return on Investment is the actual earnings from the investment. This is apart from any returns that represent repayment of the principal invested (called amortization). In real estate, it is sometimes difficult to determine how much of income is Return on Investment and how much is a Return of Investment. It depends on what types of properties are invested. For example, renting a property that depreciates in value, some of the rental income must go toward significant repairs or even, eventually, replacing the building when it become useless from age or obsolescence. It is vital because it makes a difference in evaluating the performance of the investment. The Return on Investment determines how well the money is invested. Return of Investment affects risk of capital. The sooner the investment is recovered, the less risk there is of losing it. Measures of Return on Investment include the equity dividend rate, based on a one year analysis, and the internal rate of return, based on a multi-year projection by using discounted cash flow techniques. There are few elements need to be included when considering rate of return. The elements are: A safe rate: the rate that could get if putting the money into a perfectly safe and liquid investment. A liquidity premium: compensates for the difficulty of and time required in selling the property. Stocks and bonds may be sold at market value within a moments notice, whereas selling real estate may take months or years. A management premium: for the burden of monitoring and making decision about the investment. A risk premium: accounts for the chance that may not get back the money invested or the return will be lower than expected. Formula for ROI = NOI Capital of the Investment 2.6 Capitalization rate Formula for Cap Rate = NOI Estimated Market Value = NOI Market Value Cap Rate From Real Estate Investment Analysis Software, it defines that Capitalization Rate (â€Å"Cap Rate†) is a ratio used to compare properties with different valuations, and to also place a value on a property based on the income it generates. The Cap Rate is computed by taking the rental net operating income (NOI) and dividing it by the propertys fair market value (FMV). The higher the Capitalization Rate is the better. Capitalization Rate or Cap Rate is also known as a ratio used to estimate the value of income producing properties. Put simply, the cap rate is the net operating income divided by the sales price or value of a property expressed as a percentage. Investors, lenders and appraisers use the cap rate to estimate the purchase price for different types of income producing properties. A market cap rate is determined by evaluating the financial data of similar properties which have recently sold in a specific market. It provides a more reliable estimate of value than a market Gross Rent Multiplier since the cap rate calculation utilizes more of a propertys financial detail. The GRM calculation only considers a propertys selling price and gross rents. The Cap Rate calculation incorporates a propertys selling price, gross rents, non rental income, vacancy amount and operating expenses thus providing a more reliable estimate of value. The Cap rate may vary in different areas of a city for many reasons such as desirability of location, level of crime and general condition of an area. In a real estate market where net operating incomes are increasing and cap rates are declining over time for a given type of investment property such as office buildings, values will be generally increasing. If net operating incomes are decreasing and capitalization rates are increasing over time in a given market place, property values will be declining. From Investopedia, capitalization rate is a method used to convert an estimate of a single years income expectancy into an indication of value in one direct step, by dividing the income estimate by an appropriate rate. 2.7 Reason that student property market is attractive to investors, Real Estate Research in United Kingdom, 2007 The student property market is attractive to investors for a number of reasons. Firstly, demographic trends support increasing demand, in terms of both the magnitude of population growth and matriculation rates. University-owned supply has failed to keep pace with demand growth, leaving a large and growing supply gap, as the private sector has been slow to fill the void. Moreover, much of the existing student housing stock is old and obsolete, and does not meet evolving industry standards or satisfy student preferences in terms of unit design and project amenities. Thus, the effective gap between the units preferred and those actually supplied is magnified. Per-unit rents for student housing generally exceed those for normal apartments, as units have more tenants paying rent. Recent rent growth also has been greater. Rents and occupancy tend to be less sensitive to economic cycles than normal apartments. It does not affect much by economic factor especially during economic recession period. Besides that, credit-loss at student complexes typically is below that of conventional apartments because they got parents as their guarantee. Parents are the person who responsible to the rental paying of the students. Thus, it makes the investors in this sector more secure. 2.8 Risk factor when investing in student property, Real Estate Research in United Kingdom, 2007 Student property presents a number of challenges and risks unique to this sector, which if not managed property, can affect the performance of the investment. They are: Short leasing cycle: Most student property is leased during a narrow window of time during the spring semester, and few students move during the academic year, so prospects for filling vacancies once this window has passed are limited. If management has misjudged rents or amenities, it could have long-term implications for the project. High reliance on a single source of demand: Demand for student property primarily comes from one nearby university (though student housing projects in urban markets sometimes can draw from more than school). Developers and investors must know the local student population and admission trends and gear their product toward their student base. High turnover: Unit turnover during the academic year is small, but only about one-third of students typically renew, creating high annual turnover that all occurs in a concentrated time. Reputation: Word of mouth is the key to marketing efforts for off-campus property. If a property is not well managed or maintain, students will quickly spread the word, which could affect future demand. Wear and tear: Maintenance costs can be higher for student property due to more intensive use by the students, and the short time to turn-around units ( though the perceived extent of student abuse is sometimes exaggerated relative to the reality). Economic cycles: The demand for student housing overall is less cyclical than that for other real estate categories. Student enrollments do not vacillate as dramatically as do, say, employment and consumer spending. Even so, students will seek for less expensive units during recessions. Weak market conditions for regular apartments can attract students seeking bargain rents. 2.9 Summary of Chapter This chapter on literature review has discussed the definition of investment, rate of return, capitalization rate, characteristic of real estate, investors investing in real estate, reason investing in real estate, reason investing in student property market (student investment property) and risk investing in student property market (student investment property). Rate of Return / Return on Investment is considered same as Capitalization Rate in this study. Capital of the investment is similar with market value of the property that would be investing in. In addition, research methodology used in gathering the information will be discussed in the following chapter. The process of data collection, analysis and determination on study area also will be explained in the following chapter.