The Great Depression Was A Dark Period - 859 Words

The Great Depression was a dark period in the history of the United States, which affected all the economic sectors of the Americans’ lifestyle and greatly suppressed the economic status of the United States, despite so closely following an era that appeared to offer much economic prosperity. There are many contributing factors and causes for this time of poverty and despair, however, some events may have contributed more to the Great Depression than others. These would include events such as the stock market crash of 1929, the maldistribution of purchasing power (overproduction), and also America’s position in international trade. These all greatly impacted America’s future and resulted in the great depression being inevitable. Both domestic and international factors led to the Great Depression, and one of the domestic factors involves the 1929 crash in the stock market. This event has come to be known as â€Å"The Great Crash.† It was in autumn of 1929 that the market actually began to fall apart. October 29, â€Å"Black Tuesday,† marked the day in which all efforts to save the market had failed. Throughout the 1920s, stock prices had been rising steadily, but in 1928 and 1929 they surged forward and the prices of stocks greatly rose and when they reached their peak most people sold their stocks to earn a profit. So many people sold their stocks at a rapid rate that the corporations were unable to pay the shareholders. In this time frame, over sixteen million shares of stock wereShow MoreRelatedThe Hardships through the Life of Pablo Picasso700 Words   |  3 Pagespoverty and hardships in his life. He knew what it was like to be at the bottom of societies standards. He dropped out of school at age 16 to pursue a better art education. Picasso and one of his close friends moved to Paris looking better art opportunities. 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Tracing Narrative Threads in Life of Pi Essay examples

Tracing Narrative Threads 1) Father’s admonitions to stay away from the tiger in the zoo. During this part of the novel, Pi’s father is teaching him a lesson by letting a tiger brutally kill a goat right in front of him. He is trying to teach Pi to not go near an animal such as tigers because they are incredibly dangerous. I believe this thread represents the foreshadowing of what is to come for Pi. When Pi and Ravi’s father was telling them about staying away from tigers he said â€Å"Tigers are very dangerous. I want you to understand that you are never—under any circumstances—to touch a tiger, to pet a tiger, to put your hands through the bars of a cage, even to get close to a cage. Is that clear?† (37) This evidence indicates that†¦show more content†¦The name Pi is also symbolic because as Pi stated: â€Å"I was named after a swimming pool† (8) The word â€Å"Piscine† in French translate to ‘swimming pool’ in English. The significance of his name is because he spends 227 days in a huge swimming pool (the ocean) fighting for his life. The thread develops during the novel because as the novel goes on and he’s stuck on the lifeboat, Pi starts to question who Pi really is. When he starts questioning who he is, he finds it hard to learn who he truly wants to be. The message the author is trying to get across is be true to yourself. 3) Young Pi’s dedication to three religions As explained in the book, Pi follows three different religions; Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. Pi is extremely interested in all three religions and tries to find himself through religion. Although, he does not understand why he can’t follow all three religions. â€Å"But he can’t be a Hindu, a Christian and a Muslim. It’s impossible. He must choose.† (76) This thread represents that he dedicates himself to the things he believes in and will fight for what he believes in. Even when his family disagreed with his decision of following all three religions, he still fought for what he believed. This thread develops during the novel because while he is on the lifeboat Pi starts questioning who truly he is and wants to be. The young boy who was once dedicated to vegetarianism, which was rooted in his religion, must make a life changing decision.

Employees Voice Success Determinants †Free Samples for Students

Question: What is the Importance of employee voice? Answer: Introducation Employee voice can be defined as an idea of employee engagement and participation in the making of organization decision processes. In a communication, term employee voice is seen as a way of worker communicating his or her ideas and recommendations in the major organization areas to the employer. Under the above definitions, it is important to understand that participative human resource management concepts are required in ensuring an employee is empowered through teamwork building ideas where an employee can provide ideas and his or her ideas accepted or improved. An employee voice can be presented in two ways An employee can submit his or her suggestion through the already laid platforms such as suggestion boxes, in team works and through formal reports One on one discussion with organization leaders such as managers or supervisors is also another way that an individual may present intriguing ideas forward. Objective of Employee Voice There are several reasons for having an employee voice among them including expression of feelings toward certain issues. It allows for employees to articulate their dissatisfaction with relevant organization bodies and departments. Decision-making process becomes smooth if all departments in organizations are consulted before a decision is made or implemented. The idea of employee say is purposed to having a steady and reliable relationship between employees and the subordinate staff at all departments. Employees Voice Success Determinants The following factors will significantly affect employee voice success; Training available for managers and staff on importance and ways of airing employee voice. Employees are trained on the means of presenting their ideas while leaders are taught on the means of handling demands and ideas presented to them. The attitude of leaders toward the matter will play a huge role in determining if these ideas or complaints presented will be handled in the correct manner. In the case of pay or working condition dispute, both the organization manager and workers representative leaders must have the right attitude and aim at reaching the best possible outcome. Commitment and the drive to solve the problem from both parties is essential as it ensures that the parties come to an amicable and satisfying solution (Mitsuhashi, 2016). Trust from parties involved is the core of ensuring that openness and success of employee engagement initiatives are achieved in the subject organization. Types of employee voice in conflicts and resolutions There is more than one type or avenue employee expressing their voice among them including having an Ombudsman. This is where an outside individual is appointed to come and solve a problem involving an organization worker and the management. The person in this process is a type of confidant that takes the employee grievances or problems and tries to resolve them with the relevant bodies. Through mediation process an employee can also present a complaint or dispute with the organization (Taras, (2007). A mediator listens to both parties in conflict, proposes and encourages the both parties to reach to a consensus without the mediator intervention. Through arbitration and tribunals employee grievances can also be aired where the employee presents a problem to the mediating bodies and solution is arrived. It is important for organization to pay the necessary attention to these measures so as to prevent strikes or go slows that can ultimately affect production. It is also critical to outline that grievances of employees can also be presented in a collective participation platform. This is a legal and official ways of employees having presentation of their grievances forwarded to employees through workers or trade unions (Patmore 2016). An upward system is also a common way of employee presenting their ideas to the leaders of an organization. This type of employee voice is characterized by employees forwarding productive and viable projects or ideas to the management then in turn, the organization rewards them depending on the feasibility, quality and viability of the idea. This encourages innovation and creativity, but most importantly the employees come to learn that their individual or collective voice is being considered. Discussion and Analysis Importance of Employee Voice Organization that upholds and practice practices, strategies and processes that aim at giving an employee a voice and engagement in an organization can leap significant benefits both in short and long term. Such an organization will bring maximum benefits both to the employees and itself as a body since employees who have a say are likely to be more productive, which goes in favor of organization objectives and goals. Limiting an employee to working in a desk with no voice can only bring more negatives than positives to the respective employee and the institution at hand. Employees whose voice has been heard are more likely to be concentrated and focused on their jobs and undertakings. Focus on their assignment is key, as they worry less about being mishandled or exploited in their work place. It is critical for the employees to understand that their voices and recommendations are being considered therefore assisting them to concentrate on their work. Workers whose voices have not be en heard are likely to be stressed out and less focused on their duties (Lippert Huzzard, 2014). Employee voice is fundamental to any organization that wishes to maintain the maximum productivity from their employees. It is in both the organization and employee interest to make sure that engagement and participation of subordinates in decision making is upheld. The importance of employee voice ranges from improvement in employee satisfaction, improved output, retention and loyalty of workers to the organization. Due to the complexity of the issue, organizations find a challenge in integrating ideas of employee engagement and participation to their general, goals, visions and strategies. Enhancement of employees capability and skills is going to be promoted if organizations pay attention to employees ideas and suggestion. Creativity and innovation will come out automatically since the workers are motivated to do research and come up with ideas that may assist in developing organization ability further. An empowered employee through participation and engagement is more likely to develop his capabilities. Realizing of potential and development of talent will also be a result of an organization that promote and advocate for creativity of workers all through all the departments. Employee retention in an organization is most likely to happen if an employee feels his or her voice has been acted toward. Loyalty toward an organization is a delicate matter, as many organizations loose talent and manpower each day to bigger organizations each year due to employee satisfaction issues. A subordinate worker is more likely to stay for a company that his or her ideas are heard and involved in decision making process. Participation of a worker assist in developing that particular worker hence he or she feels no need to move to other organization since he is being engaged and consulted in important matters. Workers voice assist in setting an organization culture while also help in implementation of change. Any business or government entity that has a plan of initiating change is normally faced with lots of challenges especially from employees who are not comfortable with a given change. This resistance to change would be avoided if all department and workers are consulted and their voice is considered before any organization change is undertaken. Employees who have been alerted and consulted for ideas or recommendation about a change that is going to take place are less likely to resist the change (Lom, 2014). The reputation of an organization is at stake, not only from consumers but also from the employees also. External negative commentary is avoided as employees are happy with their job satisfaction and how they are treated by the organization. Unhappy and dissatisfied are very likely going to explain their disappointment about the organization to external sources. General media Social media has been a platform where the unhappy or exploited workers air out their grievances or frustrations if their grievances are not acted upon internally. Any organization that has basic strategies to deal with any complaint pertaining workers usually avoid these external negativity. Employees are important ambassadors to an organization thus making their opinions very important as they can influence external factors (Marchington, 2011). Workers review and opinion about their company is likely to shape and influence any potential workers out there. Discontent members of an institution who opt for extern al way of airing their dispute and issues are obviously going to affect the intellectual name and brand of an organization to potential workers and customers. External ways of organization employees airing their opinions and voices can have a positive impact on the organization brand. Over the recent years there have been developed rating systems where an employee privately rates an organization on social media platforms. Employees who have been given freedom internally and express their opinions, suggestions and ideas freely are likely to do so on the external platforms. Positive reviews and opinions from employees significantly assist in improving the brand equity of an organization. This is a form of marketing and promotion that every organization would wish for, however this will come if workers have been given freedom, participation and engagement in their places of work. Productivity is a core objective for any institution; however this cannot be achieved if employees and the employer are not at terms. Productivity of an employee is mainly affected by psychological factors, since an employee who is not stable cannot produce. The efficiency and effectiveness of an employee will be promoted if his or her grievances, ideas and suggestions are seriously considered and acted upon. Focus and concentration of employees to their work will ensure that they exhaust all their abilities and potential towards accomplishment of organization goals (Gulin 2015). Recommendations The study shows the sensitivity and the relevance of having and promoting employee voice due to the importance and general benefits an organization can leap from it. Few organizations have been able to integrate the ideas of participation and engagement fully into their culture (Yoon, 2012). The following are recommendations that would promote employee voice Sharing Information with Employees This can be done through by sharing business information such as strategies being laid out on improving the business. This can be done through face to face discussion, printing of and distribution of the strategies while also holding update meetings on those respective strategies (Ruck, 2015). Idea Encouragement Platforms Invitation of and rewarding of viable ideas will help build a culture where innovation and creativity are always welcomed. Through generation of ideas employees will present their suggestion and complaints all together. Idea Evaluation and Criteria Organization leaders should not only encourage ideas but also look at them in an open transparent manner. Through this employees will be able to gain the drive and general confidence to develop and present the ideas. Reduction of risk and cost, improving reputation, brand customer service and process of making decisions are among the areas that should be considered seriously (Dundon, 2011) Employee Voice Improvement through Technology This involves organization building internal social network platforms where employees can digitally express their complaints and suggestion. These tools will significantly assist in developing a feedback culture from both the manager and subordinates Observation of Participation in Departments. Organization leader should analyses departments differently and learn about their engagement behaviors. He or she should promote the culture of group formations on all departments as a tool that will help in participation and generation of ideas (Deakin, 2011). Creating A Single Voice Organization This attained by the organization merging the goal and objectives of the organization with the demands of the employee. A business or a government corporation should outline its objectives to the employees while at the same time catering for their needs. This can be achieved if organization and the trade unions form a relationship based of openness and mutual cooperation (Bae, 2010). Conclusion Employee voice is fundamental to any organization that wishes to maintain the maximum productivity from their employees. It is in both the organization and employee interest to make sure that engagement and participation of subordinates in decision making is upheld. The importance of employee voice ranges from improvement in employee satisfaction, improved output, retention and loyalty of workers to the organization. Due to the complexity of the issue, organizations find a challenge in integrating ideas of employee engagement and participation to their general, goals, visions and strategies. It is important for the business leaders and managers to understand that employee voice goes beyond trade union representations. The above recommendations would significantly assist in ensuring that the intriguing ideas, complaints, and demands are met and implemented for the better good the corporate entities. References Bae, K.-S. (2010). High Performance Work Practices and Employee Voice: A Comparison of Japanese and Korean Workers. Bonn: IZA. Deakin, S.. (2011). Capability theory, employee voice and corporate restructuring: Evidence from Uk case studies. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, Centre for Business Research. Dundon, T. (2011). Employee voice and engagement. London: Henry Stewart Talks Guilin, Z., University of Alberta. (2015). Employee voice and taking charge. Lom, (2014). A study of relationship between organisational culture and employee voice at XYZ Sdn Bhd Lippert, Huzzard ,. (2014). Corporate governance, employee voice, and work organization: Sustaining high-road jobs in the automotive supply industry. Marchington, M., Institute of Personnel and Development. (2001). Management choice and employee voice. London: Institute of Personnel and Developmet. Mitsuhashi, H. (2006). Employers' attitudes toward employee voice: Specifying the determinants encouraging US nonunion employers to install nonunion employee voice mechanisms. Patmore, G. (2016). Worker voice: Employee representation in the workplace in Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK and the US 1914-1939. Ruck, K. (2015). Exploring internal communication: Towards informed employee voice Taras, D. (2007). Reconciling differences differently: Employee voice in public policy making and workplace governance. Calgary, Alta: Institute for Advanced Policy Research, University of Calgary Yoon, H. J. (2012). Predicting employee voice behavior: An exploration of the roles of empowering leadership, power distance, organizational learning capability, and sense of empowerment in Korean organizations.

This Is How I Am Prepaired for My Future Essay Example

This Is How I Am Prepaired for My Future Essay Most people have their future plans, dreams, things which they want to realize some day. Everyone dreams about interesting and satisfactory job with good salary, loving family, beautiful house and many friends. Future plans are often an escape from usual live for us. I often reflect on what kind of person I would like to be in the future and what my future life will look like. After 10th exam I want to study at the Delhi Politechnic and rent a room in this city. I want to study computer science because it is very interesting subject for me and using a computer gives me great pleasure. When I finish studying In my opinion it is a very interesting and good job – nowadays many bosses search for workers well-educated in computer science and they pay them much money. I want to live in Delhi or Kanpur the future. I think that living in a big city is interesting and very comfortable because there are many means of transport, a lot of museums, theatres, cinemas where you can go in your spare time. In Delhi, for example, there are also many cafes, restaurants, discos you can always find an interesting place. In big city there are many sorts of entertainment and you can meet a lot of people, Polish as well as foreigners. There are many good schools, when your children may be well-educated. In the future I want to spent much time with my family. I would like to have three children. I think that in the future I will adopt a child because in my opinion it is a disaster not to have parents and family. When I collect enough money I will travel to other countries. I have always dreamt about going to Noida or Bengalura. We will write a custom essay sample on This Is How I Am Prepaired for My Future specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on This Is How I Am Prepaired for My Future specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on This Is How I Am Prepaired for My Future specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Emotional Description Of Beethovens Ninth Symphony Essays - Symphony

Emotional Description Of Beethovens Ninth Symphony Essays - Symphony Emotional Description of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony It has been called the greatest audio entity one could ever listen to; a song which can pierce the soul of even the most dedicated music-hater: Beethoven?s Ninth Symphony. Not only has it been designated thus; also, as one of the few truly divinely inspired works, one which most men can only marvel at, as they wallow in their appropriate humility. These creations, however, are definitely not the only aspects of entities beyond the scopes of men; there are far more examples, which are seen every day, but often overlooked. I was walking outside, with this song echoing in the recesses of my mind, on a dismal, overcast day in the Autumnal quarter, a day when where the streets blended with the atmosphere, when one could hardly look up without feeling the singe of the wind against one?s face. To me, these days have always conjured up images of some distant, looming storm, some silent tempest which, if not otherwise distracted will soon wreak mayhem and disaster on my environs. This day had an intense air about it, as do others of its ilk. This is most likely the fault of the storm under which it is shadowed, as though it and its inhabitants are uneasy and harrowed about the imminent predator waiting overhead to pounce. As the sky overhead swam with deeper and deeper shades of gray and hopeless black, the song in my mind was reaching some vocal crescendo in the fourth movement, a better foreteller of the gale I could not imagine. While the winds bullied and tormented the defenseless neighborhood, I started for my house. Unexpectedly, as the crescendo was losing speed, a quiet, pacific violin entered the musical fray in my brain, and the entire mood of the symphony mellowed, the winds themselves pacified, seemingly under Ludwig?s fickle dominion. Thinking the storm had passed, I continued blissfully onward to the meadows which were my destination. Again I was assaulted, this time by a different part of the symphony; not too long after the first chorale. This was the startling and almost fearful, but still uplifting, part in which the female and male vocals collided like two huge tidal waves with the power to splinter a fleet of ships with the German Alle Menschen repeated several times. Upon this onslaught of euphony, I turned from whatever I might have been thinking before, and looked at some violently twisting and rising leaves and other debris, and gazed at the playful heavens, again ominous. Annoyed with Beethoven and the cruel elements, I stood there, unmoving; indecisive, not knowing whether to turn around or pursue my present course, I felt the excited chorale still striking some unknown and inexplicable fear within me, as though some divine creature were about to strike me down in some vehemence which lies well beyond the realms of verbal description. So, as the chorus continued repeating its faithful mantra, the winds again rose up stronger than before, as twigs began to snap and fall about me; I was still, yet deeply moved. Perplexed at the whimsy antics of nature, I was about to retreat to my home, when, in the remarkable symphony, a single male vocal broke through the complicated entanglement of godly voices, and I, despite the protests of my superego, decided to continue on with some alien, renewed vigor against the gusty weather, as though I were the bearer of news about the winner of a war or some other momentous aftermath. At this, as though impressed with my display of singular determination, the wind made itself placid, laying down before me. Violins were heard, along with the driving, male voice. Suddenly, completely without warning and all at once, what seemed like throngs of angelic, female voices sang as though sent on an appeal to God on the eve of apocalypse. They continued, soon joined by male voices, and other instruments, in the most spiritual and epiphytic reverberation I?ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing, and, seemingly, all in my favor, against cruel and remorseless nature, pleading to let me pass. I, however, felt like only a petty bystander in this competition between the symphony and the elements, completely unable to comprehend, let alone justify either

Profile of Serial Killer Richard Cottingham

Profile of Serial Killer Richard Cottingham Richard Cottingham was a serial rapist and killer that used the streets of New York and New Jersey as his hunting ground in the 1970s. Known for being particularly cruel, Cottingham earned the nickname The Torso Killer because he would sometimes mutilate the body of his victims, leaving just their torso intact. Early Life Relocating to a new school in the seventh grade proved to be socially challenging for Cottingham. He attended St. Andrews, a co-ed parochial school, and spent a lot of his after-school time friendless and at home with his mother and two siblings. It was not until he entered Pascack Valley High School, that he had friends. After graduating from high school, Cottingham went to work as a computer operator at his fathers insurance company, Metropolitan Life. He stayed there for two years and then moved to Blue Cross Blue Shield, also as a computer operator. First Kill and The Family Man Cottingham abducted Carr  from her apartment parking lot, took her to a hotel where he raped, tortured, and murdered her, and left her body at Ledgewood Terrace. In 1974, Cottingham, who was now the father of a baby boy, was arrested and charged with robbery, sodomy, and sexual assault in New York City, but the charges were dropped. Over the next three years, Janet gave birth to two more children- a boy and a girl. Soon after their last child was born, Cottingham began an extramarital affair with a woman named Barbara Lucas. The relationship lasted for two years, ending in 1980. Throughout their affair, Cottingham was raping, killing and mutilating women. Killing Spree March 22, 1978: New York City- Kidnapped, drugged and raped Karen Schilt, age 31.October 13, 1978: Hackensack, New Jersey- Drugged, tortured and raped prostitute Susan Geiger who was pregnant.December 2, 1979: New York City- Tortured and murdered Deedeh Goodarzi, 23, and â€Å"Jane Doe,† an unidentified woman in her 20s. The two women were found in a room at the Travel Inn Motel Hotel, bound together, raped, tortured and murdered. Cottingham mutilated their bodies, removed their hands and heads, then set fire to the hotel room.May 4, 1980: Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey- Valerie Ann Street, 19, was found at the Quality Inn Motel, naked, beaten, and with multiple cuts on one of her breasts.May 12, 1980: Teaneck, New Jersey- Drugged, beaten, and with several bite marks on her body, Pamela Weisenfeld was found in a parking lot.May 15, 1980: New York City- Jean Reyner, 25, was raped, stabbed, mutilated and strangled to death in a room at the Hotel Seville in New York City.May 22, 1980: Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey- Feeling invincible, Cottingham returned to the Quality Inn Motel with Leslie O’Dell, 18, where he raped, beat, tortured and tried to kill her, however, he was interrupted by hotel security. Finally Busted A search of a private room in Cottinghams home turned up various personal items linking him to his victims. The handwriting on hotel receipts was also matched to his handwriting. He was charged in New York City with a triple homicide (Mary Ann Jean Reyner, Deedeh Goodarzi and â€Å"Jane Doe†) and on 21 counts in New Jersey, plus additional charges for the murder of Maryann Carr. Courtroom Drama and Sentence During the New Jersey trial, Cottingham testified that since he was a child he was fascinated with bondage. But this monster who often demanded that his victims call him master showed no backbone when faced with the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison. Three days after he was found guilty of the New Jersey murders he attempted suicide in his cell by drinking liquid antidepressants. Then a few days before the New York verdict he attempted suicide by cutting his left forearm with a razor in front of the jury. Ironically, this master of mutilation could not master his own suicide Cottingham is currently housed at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, New Jersey.

Practicum Management Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Practicum Management Assignment - Essay Example Nurses are able to focus their attention on fewer patients. They are able to concentrate on their patients’ needs, safety, and individual care. In a study submitted to the Alabama Nurse Journal, it was established that the mandated nurse patient ratio has managed to improve patient safety and has also improved the quality of care given to patients. There has also been a decrease in mortality rates, lesser medical errors, and decreased rates in pneumonia, thrombosis, urinary tract infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, shock, and pressure ulcers. Hospital stay was also shorter for patients. Many hospitals in America argue that the mandated nurse-patient ratio cuts into a large part of the hospital budget. They argue that increasing staffing costs will eventually reduce patient access to healthcare. According to them, this mandate does not take into account the individual needs of the patient or the skills and characteristics of the nurse or the hospital. They also argue that hospitals are very much committed to providing quality patient care while still utilizing safe staffing levels, however, they feel that legally imposing nurse-patient ratios does not ‘allow for fluctuations in the supply of nurses and does not account for new technology’ introduced into healthcare (Lewis, 2005). Hospitals declare that mandated nurse-patient ratios are inflexible impositions on healthcare. Hospitals are forced to finance the obligatory increase in nursing staff and in the end, they may not be able to afford this cost. Hospital closures may follow. Nurses’ associations have a mixed reaction to this mandate. Some associations support the mandate, declaring that their lives have greatly improved. They are less stressed due to the decrease in their caseloads. Some unions have declared that this mandate has helped improve patient safety and has increased the job satisfaction of nurses. Nurses are now able to take

Reaction to Karen Pykes Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reaction to Karen Pykes Article - Essay Example Within these three factors, what become apparent are the immigrants high regard for the culture which is dominant in the society. Their picture of what is "ideal" and "normal" family becomes synonymous with that of the North American family as seen in popular media and their American peers. On the other hand, the family ideology of the minority like Koreans and Vietnamese is seen as deficient. The study reveals the preference of the immigrants to have a more Americanized family than stick with their own family ideologies. It should be noted that almost all the interviewees express their predilection for more sensitive, open communication, flexibility, and forgiveness among family members. Their traditional family values like role prescriptions, family obligations, hierarchical relations, and lack of emotional expressiveness are seen are hindrances in attaining rapport among family members. Given a chance to change their families, Koreans and Vietnamese immigrants want their parents to be less strict and give them more freedom, more open-minded and less traditional, and more expressive. As mentioned above, it can be seen that this perception of the normal and ideal family stems from the hegemony of the American culture in the society where they belong. However, Pyke also notes that even though Koreans and Vietnamese immigr

Six Basic Strategy Essay Example for Free

Six Basic Strategy Essay A Broad Differentiation strategy maintains a presence in both segments of the market. Competitive advantage is gained by distinguishing products with an excellent design, high awareness, and easy accessibility. RD competency is developed that keeps designs fresh and exciting. Products keep pace with the market, offering improved size and performance. Prices are above average. Capacity is expanded as higher demand is generated. Mission Statement Premium products for the industry: our brands withstand the tests of time. Our primary stakeholders are customers, stockholders, management, and employees. Tactics †¢ Research Development: We will keep our existing product line, and introduce at least one more line, maintaining a presence in both segments. Our goal is to offer customers products that match their ideal criteria for positioning, age, and reliability. †¢ Marketing: Our company will spend aggressively in promotion and sales in both segments. We want every customer to know about our superb designs, and we want to make our products easy for customers to find. We will price at a premium. †¢ Production: We will grow capacity to meet the demand that we generate, avoiding second shift/overtime when possible. After our products are well positioned, we will investigate modest increases in automation levels to improve margins, but never at the expense of our ability to reposition products and keep up with segments as they move across the perceptual map. †¢ Finance: We will finance our investments primarily through stock issues and cash from operations, supplementing with bond offerings on an as needed basis. When our cash position allows, we will establish a dividend policy and begin to retire stock. We are somewhat adverse to debt, and prefer to avoid interest payments. We expect to keep assets/equity (leverage) between 1.5 and 2.0. We measure performance in terms of market share, market cap, ROA, and profits.

The Effect of Being an Only Child on the Childs Personality Essay

The Effect of Being an Only Child on the Child's Personality Literature Review: Before a child has friends they have their family. Everything that they know and love about the world mostly comes from what they see around in their house. Children usually find role models in their family most of the time it is the child’s sibling. Yet only children don’t have that experience of living with another child and begin to develop their personality and traits from what they see in their parents. An only child’s role model is usually their mom or dad. Most of their time is anyway spent with them. Looking up to an adult rather than a younger being can really change a lot about the child’s personality. Only child are mostly known to be responsible and develop good language skills because they are around their parents so much. They may see the responsibility that the parent has and learn how to be responsible from that. They don’t have any influences of seeing a child being lazy and not listening to their parent they just see the work of th e parent. Also because an only child’s main person to speak to is an adult they learn how to speak more properly and are able to talk better because they are learning from an expert of speaking that will not make mistakes at saying common words. This is a great advantage later in life for these only children. (Brophy, 1989)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only children are also commonly known to become more mature faster then other children who grow up with siblings. Their maturity grows faster because again adults surround them most of the time. They copy what they see their parents do and they try to fit in and be like the parents. As other kids with siblings they would try to fit in with their siblings but only children have their parents to fit in with. (Koontz, 1989)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As these only children try to fit in with their parents they also try hard to fill up the expectations of their parents. Most parents put very high expectations on their only child since this is their only child and all their energy and attention is on them. They have high expectations because this is the only child that can make them proud. Knowing this, only children have a hard time trying to be the best. Only children have this pressure of being perfect for their parents because if they make a mistake they can’t say well at least I’m doing better than my brother or sister... ...y child. By giving out this survey to many children not just only children we can see the differences between only children and children with siblings. Statements 2-4 test whether or not the person likes school because most people who like school tend to do well at school. Statements 4-9 test whether the person is a hard-working student or not. Statements 10 and 11 test whether or not the person can have relationships with people because self-centered may not care too much about other people. Also in strong relationships you must think and care about other people this is hard for self-centered people. Statements 12,15,16,17 test whether or not the person has a high view of himself or herself because self-centered people have very high views of themselves. Statements 13 and 14 test whether or not the person cares about other people because self-centered people only care about themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited Brophy, B. (March 6, 1989). It doesn't hurt to be alone. U.S. News and World Report, 106, 54-55 Koontz, K. (February 1989). Just me. Health, 21, 38-39 Sulloway, F. J. (September 1997). Birth order and personality. Harvard Mental Health Letter, 14, 5-7

Ethical Dilemmas Essay

There are three situations presented in the simulation which poses different ethical dilemmas on the part of the decision-maker. The symptoms of the respective dilemmas and their root causes shall be discussed individually because â€Å"analysis would be proper if they are able to locate the root cause of the conflict† (Lee). The Indiscreet Relationship The first situation presented was an indiscreet relationship between a boss and his secretary. The boss took the secretary along with him during business trips at the expense of the company. He even promoted the secretary to junior account executive. This problem created a stir within the company and corridor talks went around saying that the way to make it through the ladder of success in the company was through less than ethical means. This has caused an unrest among the employees of the organization that an ethical stand should be taken. However, the decision-maker had an ethical dilemma in making his decision. The boss, Patrick, is his former friend and colleague who was the one instrumental in landing him his job. Patrick also helped him during his early days with the company in getting hold of the ropes of the business of the company. On the other hand, company morale is going down because the employees think he is an unethical leader for allowing Patrick have his way in maintaining an indiscreet relations with his subordinate and in spending company resources in the process. This is what defines the ethical dilemma here. Sniffdog The second situation presented by the simulation which involved an ethical dilemma is the decision to represent SilverPill and their Sniffdog account. Sniffdog is a computer program which could sneak into the user’s hardware and retrieve many confidential data without the user’s knowledge. The ethical dilemma comes in when taking the account means allowance of the intrusion of privacy while not taking the account will make the company lose a lot of money by losing the account. The fact that compounds these all is that SilverPill informed the company that they will give all their accounts to McKinley should they choose to endorse Sniffdog. The ethics rulebook of McKinley states that the employees will maintain impeachable integrity in all its business dealings. Allowing Sniffdog to push through will not reflect well of this ethical rule. On its face, the business being dealt with here is plainly business and nothing will be objectionable about it. McKinley will just seek to endorse the Sniffdog program. However, when the program has capabilities of sneaking into private information, an ethical issue arises for McKinley will be signing itself to be part of such intrusion. Although SilverPill promised not to use any information that may be gathered for any illegal or extralegal use nor to sell it to a third party, the fact alone that there will be intrusion into the private lives of the users of the program will already present a grave ethical issue. Thus, the root cause of the problem here is whether or not to be a part of a project which can intrude into the private lives of clients by collecting confidential information from them without their knowledge. Think Eddie  And the third situation with an ethical dilemma presented by the simulation is whether or not to reveal certain information about the program Sniffdog to Think Eddie which is a competitor of SilverPill. At this point, SilverPill is no longer associated with McKinley and has moved on to another PR company. Think Eddie has entered the picture and wants McKinley to represent them for a computer program which has the same features as that of SilverPill’s Sniffdog. Think Eddie is a big client. And now it wants information about the Sniffdog program without, however, threats of any sanctions given to McKinley in case of non-compliance. The ethical dilemma here is whether to reveal the requested information to Think Eddie or not. Though Think Eddie did not give any threats for non-disclosure, surely there was an unwritten statement accompanying the request that non-disclosure might strain the relationship between the two companies. On the other hand, the ethics rule book of McKinley prescribes them not to hold conflicting interests. SilverPill, though a former client, still has the right that every information given by it to McKinley be kept confidential by the latter. Because of the mentioned rule, McKinley is duty-bound not to divulge confidential client information, especially in this case where the revelation will be made to a competitor. The root cause of the problem, therefore, is whether or not to reveal information obtained from a former engagement in order to establish a better business relationship with a new engagement even though the two have conflicting interests and the former engagement has already been severed. In all, the ethical dilemmas arise not because of the ethics rule books established by company but mostly because of moral grounds. â€Å"If doing what is right produces something bad, or if doing what is wrong produces something good, the force of moral obligation may seem balanced by the reality of the good end. We can have the satisfaction of being right, regardless of the damage done; or we can aim for what seems to be the best outcome, regardless of what wrongs must be committed† (Ross, 2007). Thus, the root of these dilemmas is simply because there are moral standards to which, companies as well as persons, must adhere.

Evolution of Leadership Models

What is leadership? And how has the theory on leadership developed? Greenwood (1993) paints an interesting if somewhat surprising picture as he reviews the development of leadership theory from the turn of the twentieth century onward. Greenwood (1993) describes how in the early 1900s the Father of Scientific Management, Frederick Taylor while not directly writing about leadership in his description of the role of the supervisor introduced the matter of traits and its link to situation.He did so as he described the ideal traits to be found in an effective foreman even while acknowledging that no one person would have all those characteristics and so there was the need for by dividing the work into specialized areas. Further, from the nineteenth century Thomas Carlyle examined the characteristics of great men â€Å"positing that the rise to power is rooted in a heroic set of personal talents, skills or physical characteristics† (Heifetz, 1998:16).At the start of the twentieth c entury, other scholars (Bird, 1940, Tead and Metcalf, 1920, Barnard, 1938), also affirmed that successful managers have certain traits. However, in 1948 Stogdill’s seminal work highlighted the inconsistencies in the trait theory studies significantly dismantled the theory noting that: The evidence suggests that leadership is a relation that exists between persons in a social situation, and that persons who are leaders in one situation may not necessarily be leaders in other situations†¦. Stogdill, 1974 cited in Greenwood, 1993:7Interestingly, Davis (1934) referring to traits noted there was no checklist for success but stated that leadership characteristic â€Å"they are necessarily a function of the characteristics and requirements of the leader and the particular situation, as well as the innate capacities of the executive himself† (Davis, 1937 cited in Greenwood, 1993:8). By 1955 Koontz and O’Donnell building on his work posited that the trait theory was of little promise noting that leadership involved the power of persuasion upon followers and that the quality of leadership was impacted by certain nvironmental factors. Leadership theory was also influenced by human relation considerations, which emerged around about the same time. These thinkers made the link with leadership as it relates to the leader’s ability to connect with people, to empathise, develop teams and to delegate and emphasized that the follower was central and leadership focused on the needs of the follower. So while the movement did not develop a leadership theory it introduced the linkage between individual needs, observations and group dynamics and appropriate styles of leadership behavior.Blake and Mouton challenged Davis’s theory of behavior stating that â€Å"the dimensions needed for an effective description of operational conduct are attitudinal variables, not behavior variables† (cited in Greenwood, 1993:13). Using the managerial gri d and attitudinal variables the writers posited that there was one best way to lead but differing tactics depending on the situation. This premise is not supported by the situational theory, which focuses on many leadership styles which depends on the situation.In many ways situational theory is a convergence of many schools of thought; although the path to its development has been ‘messy’ and sometimes circuitous. The theory is based on â€Å"leadership effectiveness †¦ strongly tied to a leader being demanding and simultaneously sensitive to the needs of the followers† (Greenwood, 1993:14). It predicts leadership performance based on interaction between leadership personality and the leaders control of the situation. In this regard, the theory is a variance with Blake and Mouton’s view of one best style.Tannenbaum and Schmidt’s (1973 ) classical work supports the contingency theory and described seven leadership styles, which were employed de pending on interrelatedness of three key issues: forces in the manger, the subordinate and the situation. As noted by the writers. the successful manager of men can be primarily characterized neither as a strong leader nor as a permissive one. Rather, he is one who maintains a high batting average in accurately assessing the forces that determine what his most appropriate behavior at any given time. Tannenbaum and Schmidt (1973:180) Situational Model versus LMXThe situational approach has evolved into a situational leadership model, which combines the four styles of leadership linked with the nature of the task and the performance readiness of the individuals to determine the most appropriate leadership style. Performance readiness is based on two principal issues ability and willingness. By combining the leadership styles with performance readiness continuum matrix one is able to match performance readiness with leadership style. So for instance a low performance readiness (R1) wou ld require a telling style (S1) (Hersey, Blanchard & Johnson, 2008).The work of Armenakis, Harris & Mossholder (1993) writing on creating readiness for organisational change provide a framework of readiness and urgency, which is related to the Situational Model and supports the premise that readiness is linked to leadership style. On the other hand, the LMX theory (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995) is a more recent theory, which examines the three domains of leadership; that is leader, follower and relationship in order to increase predictability of leadership practices. It incorporates operations and relationship in the leadership process.However, Stage 3 Leadership Making and Stage 4 – Team Making two important elements of the leadership process are still evolving. In my opinion, while the concepts are of interest it has not yet matured sufficient to be a useful tool when compared to the Situational Model. In summary, the situational model while not the end all and be all of leadersh ip theory provides a useful tool for practitioners to apply in their professional practice. Concluding remarks I am amazed at the state of leadership theory despite the many years of intense study. Such is the complexity of the issue.In my own professional practice I often adopt a leadership style that is in line with the contingency theory. With my team the style based on the model tends to be S2 while with some of the pilots countries where there is a concern with preparedness ranging between R1 and R2 I tend to adopt a telling or selling leadership style. Additionally, given the time limitation on the project readiness of the stakeholders can generally be described as low readiness/high urgency. I am not in apposition to replace staff so I will have to rethink my communication strategy ( Armenakis, Harris & Mossholder, 1993).I start where I began what is leadership? In a sense I know more about what leadership is not. It is not about traits or personalities nor is it leader focus ed. Leadership in many ways is still an art, it is relational, reflexive, intuitive and is a state within, which the leader and follower are inextricably linked. Denise Forrest Bibliography Armenakis, A. A. , Harris, S. G. & Mossholder, K. W. (1993) ‘Creating readiness for organizational change’, Human Relations, 46 (6), pp. 681-703. Graen, G. B. , & Uhl-Bien, M. 1995) ‘Relationship-based approach to leadership: development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective’, The Leadership Quarterly, 6 (2), pp. 219-247. Greenwood, R. G. (1993) ‘Leadership theory: a historical look at its evolution’,Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 1 (1), pp. 4-19, Heifetz, R. A. (1998) ‘Values in leadership’. In: Leadership without easy answers. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, pp. 13-27. Hersey, P. , Blanchard, K. H. & Johnson, D. E. (2008) ‘S ituational leadership ®Ã¢â‚¬â„¢: In: Management of organizational behavior: leading human resources. 9th ed. New York: Pearson International, pp. 132-157. Leana, C. R. (1986) ‘Predictors and consequences of delegation’, Academy of Management Journal, 29 (4), pp. 754-774. Raelin, J. A. (2003) Creating leaderful organizations: how to bring outleadership in everyone. San Francisco, California: Berrett-Koehler. Tannenbaum, R. & Schmidt, W. H. (1973) ‘How to choose a leadership pattern’, Harvard Business Review, 51 (3), pp. 162-180. Evolution of Leadership Models What is leadership? And how has the theory on leadership developed? Greenwood (1993) paints an interesting if somewhat surprising picture as he reviews the development of leadership theory from the turn of the twentieth century onward. Greenwood (1993) describes how in the early 1900s the Father of Scientific Management, Frederick Taylor while not directly writing about leadership in his description of the role of the supervisor introduced the matter of traits and its link to situation.He did so as he described the ideal traits to be found in an effective foreman even while acknowledging that no one person would have all those characteristics and so there was the need for by dividing the work into specialized areas. Further, from the nineteenth century Thomas Carlyle examined the characteristics of great men â€Å"positing that the rise to power is rooted in a heroic set of personal talents, skills or physical characteristics† (Heifetz, 1998:16).At the start of the twentieth c entury, other scholars (Bird, 1940, Tead and Metcalf, 1920, Barnard, 1938), also affirmed that successful managers have certain traits. However, in 1948 Stogdill’s seminal work highlighted the inconsistencies in the trait theory studies significantly dismantled the theory noting that: The evidence suggests that leadership is a relation that exists between persons in a social situation, and that persons who are leaders in one situation may not necessarily be leaders in other situations†¦. Stogdill, 1974 cited in Greenwood, 1993:7Interestingly, Davis (1934) referring to traits noted there was no checklist for success but stated that leadership characteristic â€Å"they are necessarily a function of the characteristics and requirements of the leader and the particular situation, as well as the innate capacities of the executive himself† (Davis, 1937 cited in Greenwood, 1993:8). By 1955 Koontz and O’Donnell building on his work posited that the trait theory was of little promise noting that leadership involved the power of persuasion upon followers and that the quality of leadership was impacted by certain nvironmental factors. Leadership theory was also influenced by human relation considerations, which emerged around about the same time. These thinkers made the link with leadership as it relates to the leader’s ability to connect with people, to empathise, develop teams and to delegate and emphasized that the follower was central and leadership focused on the needs of the follower. So while the movement did not develop a leadership theory it introduced the linkage between individual needs, observations and group dynamics and appropriate styles of leadership behavior.Blake and Mouton challenged Davis’s theory of behavior stating that â€Å"the dimensions needed for an effective description of operational conduct are attitudinal variables, not behavior variables† (cited in Greenwood, 1993:13). Using the managerial gri d and attitudinal variables the writers posited that there was one best way to lead but differing tactics depending on the situation. This premise is not supported by the situational theory, which focuses on many leadership styles which depends on the situation.In many ways situational theory is a convergence of many schools of thought; although the path to its development has been ‘messy’ and sometimes circuitous. The theory is based on â€Å"leadership effectiveness †¦ strongly tied to a leader being demanding and simultaneously sensitive to the needs of the followers† (Greenwood, 1993:14). It predicts leadership performance based on interaction between leadership personality and the leaders control of the situation. In this regard, the theory is a variance with Blake and Mouton’s view of one best style.Tannenbaum and Schmidt’s (1973 ) classical work supports the contingency theory and described seven leadership styles, which were employed de pending on interrelatedness of three key issues: forces in the manger, the subordinate and the situation. As noted by the writers. the successful manager of men can be primarily characterized neither as a strong leader nor as a permissive one. Rather, he is one who maintains a high batting average in accurately assessing the forces that determine what his most appropriate behavior at any given time. Tannenbaum and Schmidt (1973:180) Situational Model versus LMXThe situational approach has evolved into a situational leadership model, which combines the four styles of leadership linked with the nature of the task and the performance readiness of the individuals to determine the most appropriate leadership style. Performance readiness is based on two principal issues ability and willingness. By combining the leadership styles with performance readiness continuum matrix one is able to match performance readiness with leadership style. So for instance a low performance readiness (R1) wou ld require a telling style (S1) (Hersey, Blanchard & Johnson, 2008).The work of Armenakis, Harris & Mossholder (1993) writing on creating readiness for organisational change provide a framework of readiness and urgency, which is related to the Situational Model and supports the premise that readiness is linked to leadership style. On the other hand, the LMX theory (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995) is a more recent theory, which examines the three domains of leadership; that is leader, follower and relationship in order to increase predictability of leadership practices. It incorporates operations and relationship in the leadership process.However, Stage 3 Leadership Making and Stage 4 – Team Making two important elements of the leadership process are still evolving. In my opinion, while the concepts are of interest it has not yet matured sufficient to be a useful tool when compared to the Situational Model. In summary, the situational model while not the end all and be all of leadersh ip theory provides a useful tool for practitioners to apply in their professional practice. Concluding remarks I am amazed at the state of leadership theory despite the many years of intense study. Such is the complexity of the issue.In my own professional practice I often adopt a leadership style that is in line with the contingency theory. With my team the style based on the model tends to be S2 while with some of the pilots countries where there is a concern with preparedness ranging between R1 and R2 I tend to adopt a telling or selling leadership style. Additionally, given the time limitation on the project readiness of the stakeholders can generally be described as low readiness/high urgency. I am not in apposition to replace staff so I will have to rethink my communication strategy ( Armenakis, Harris & Mossholder, 1993).I start where I began what is leadership? In a sense I know more about what leadership is not. It is not about traits or personalities nor is it leader focus ed. Leadership in many ways is still an art, it is relational, reflexive, intuitive and is a state within, which the leader and follower are inextricably linked. Denise Forrest Bibliography Armenakis, A. A. , Harris, S. G. & Mossholder, K. W. (1993) ‘Creating readiness for organizational change’, Human Relations, 46 (6), pp. 681-703. Graen, G. B. , & Uhl-Bien, M. 1995) ‘Relationship-based approach to leadership: development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective’, The Leadership Quarterly, 6 (2), pp. 219-247. Greenwood, R. G. (1993) ‘Leadership theory: a historical look at its evolution’,Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 1 (1), pp. 4-19, Heifetz, R. A. (1998) ‘Values in leadership’. In: Leadership without easy answers. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, pp. 13-27. Hersey, P. , Blanchard, K. H. & Johnson, D. E. (2008) ‘S ituational leadership ®Ã¢â‚¬â„¢: In: Management of organizational behavior: leading human resources. 9th ed. New York: Pearson International, pp. 132-157. Leana, C. R. (1986) ‘Predictors and consequences of delegation’, Academy of Management Journal, 29 (4), pp. 754-774. Raelin, J. A. (2003) Creating leaderful organizations: how to bring outleadership in everyone. San Francisco, California: Berrett-Koehler. Tannenbaum, R. & Schmidt, W. H. (1973) ‘How to choose a leadership pattern’, Harvard Business Review, 51 (3), pp. 162-180.

Intel vs Amd essays

Intel vs Amd essays Choosing a processor can be a very difficult decision. Should I get the AMD Athlon? Is the Intel Celeron a good choice? Is the Pentium III the processor that I should get? Well each of those are valid questions. But which Processor is best for you? Well that is a question that only you can answer. Coming to a determination for yourself is not so simple. So what questions do you need to ask yourself? Well here is what I use to determine which Processor that I will put into my PC each time I build a new machine. First what is the primary use of this machine? For the gamers the Intel celeron is the best processor. This is due to the lack of level 2 cache. Video and video ram is most important to the gamer. If you are using strictly using business applications then the AMD Athlon is an excellent choice. The more ram the better with these machines and Win NT is a great OS for business applications. If your doing some games and business applications a decent amount of graphics and an excellent server processor then I like the Pentium III processor. The more ram the better and also the more video ram the better here too. This processor like the drafting programs and other processor intensive programs. Although all of the above processor will work in each other place they each function better in different roles. The Intel Celeron processor is the least expensive of the Intel line of processors. a Celeron can be obtained for about $100 plus depending upon the speed. The AMD Athlon is a well priced Processor. The AMD processor family starts at under $100 and then goes up from there depending on the speed to upwards of over $600. The Intel Pentium III is a bit pricier processor starting around $250 to over $800 depending upon processor speed. Price although an important consideration is not that last consideration that I use for a final decision. ...

The Most Disastrous Job Interviews [Video]

The Most Disastrous Job Interviews [Video] Maybe you’ve just come from what you consider the worst job interview of your life. First of all, relax, it (hopefully!) didn’t go as badly as you think. Second, realize that we’re all human, and everyone understands how nerve-wracking job interviews are. It’s okay not to be perfect- really. Have a laugh (or a cry?) a mashup of the most disastrous job interviews put to film. You’ll surely look like a superstar in comparison.You’ll get ’em next time, we promise!

Behavioural Finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Behavioural Finance - Research Paper Example Montier’s articles and assess them one by one by providing supportive argument. Under this topic, Mr. Montier examined the QWERY keyboards and gave reasons as to why they are still in use today (Shiller 51). It is evident that QWERTY keyboard was established in 1874 by Christopher Sholes who saw the need to reduce the typing speed because the type writer that was in use during those times was jamming of plates in the mechanical arms due to the ease of typing that made people type faster (Thaler 8). Therefore, Mr. Montier clearly explained why the QWERTY keyboard was developed and why it is in use today. He also touched on the concept of Dvorak keyboard which is an alternative keyboard to the QWERTY but it was not adopted because it is efficient than Dvorak and certain studies suggest that the difference in their speed is very low and insignificant. However, Montier’s problem is that with adaptation of QWERTY keyboard up to date clearly implies that the benchmark policy that was used to develop this keyboard limits technological advancement and that, pers onally, he cannot come up with a policy benchmark (Thaler 3). How is technology involved? His reason for not coming up with a policy benchmark is the fact that such policies restrict technological advancements and confine them to one place for a long time (Dopfel 78). The reason as to why I support his argument of rejecting policy portfolios is the fact that they do not interpret investment risks correctly. This is because they concentrate too much on profit making than on the risks involved and the best way to deal with them. Therefore, Mr. Montier’s argument about of typewriters and benchmarks is correct. According to Montier, the notion of investment that was used in earlier times was better than the modernized idea and depiction of investment (Shiller 52). He clearly imply that the main aim of investment in early days was to look for value through purchasing what was

The Four Stages of Life as a Hindu Research Paper

The Four Stages of Life as a Hindu - Research Paper Example Overall, the first three stages aim for an appreciation of life, while the fourth one is centered upon the rejection of life and the attainment of wisdom. During the first three stages of Hindu life, one is expected to observe the â€Å"dharma† or the laws of morality and the â€Å"sistacara† or the ideal social culture (Jhingran 77). Only Hindu males, however, are expected to undergo the four stages (76). Overall, the first three stages only include men and not women. Nevertheless, wives may participate with their husbands’ role beginning with the second stage. (â€Å"The Four Stages†) The first stage is the student stage, or Brahmacharya, where a Hindu male is expected to live and study with a guru or teacher for several years (â€Å"The Four Stages†). Normally, a high caste Hindu male undergoes the student stage from the age of 8 to 12 years old up to about 18 to 24 years old (â€Å"Hinduism†). This is the stage where the student serves th e guru and shows respect to his teacher, as well as develop the habits, skills and practical knowledge he needs for the succeeding stages (â€Å"Hinduism†). Moreover, it is during this stage that the student begins studying the Vedas, or the sacred Hindu texts. (â€Å"The Four Stages†) It is actually only the Brahmins who are supposed to study and memorize huge portions of the Vedas as well as the accompanying texts, while at the same time undergoing training in the various Hindu rituals. Moreover, these Brahmins, as well as all other members of the other castes, learn the procedure for setting up and maintaining their own household worship, which are centered on the holy fire of Agni, the Hindu god of fire and receiver of sacrifices. (â€Å"The Four Stages†) It is interesting to note that the study of the Vedas applies only to those who belong to the â€Å"twice-born† castes, or the upper three castes – the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and the Vaishya s – or only those to whom the religion applied in the Vedas applies. The Shudras, or the servants of upper castes and peasants, are therefore excluded from the study of the Vedas (â€Å"Social Organization†). On the other hand, members of the twice-born castes, before they become a student, undergo a certain ceremony called the thread ceremony, where the initiate wears a red thread over his left shoulder. This is symbolic of the formal and official entrance of a young boy into Hinduism. The thread ceremony is a kind of samskara or ritual not only ordains a young boy into Hinduism but also confers in him the quality of being reborn and permits him to hear the sacred Vedas for the first time and learn his first mantra. (â€Å"The Four Stages†) The student at this stage is also expected to remain celibate (Sharma 28). The means of which is to preserve the semen, which is the â€Å"vital fluid of life,† and the purpose of preserving this vital fluid is to hav e â€Å"glowing faces, reddish or pinkish countenance, strong muscles and bones, [and] proportionally built healthy bodies† (29-30). Overall the ultimate purpose of the student stage is the development of three aspects of a young person’s self and personality: body, mind and intellect. (30) Lastly, the student is expected to avoid any form of luxury or pleasures, and to practice forgiveness, perseverance and self-control. He is also expected to develop control of emotions like anger and jealousy. (Jhingran 78) After the

State sovereignty and globalization Research Paper

State sovereignty and globalization - Research Paper Example This is also possible because of the concept of globalization. Globalization has made it possible to disseminate and distribute information thousands of miles away. Globalization has also led to the emergence of other actors at the international arena, such as International Governmental Institutions. Examples of Inter-Governmental Institutions include the United Nations, NATO, European Union and the African Union. States have to cede some of the sovereign rights in order to be members of these organizations.2. Inter-Governmental Institutions as agents of Globalization: Inter-governmental organization is an institution that is composed of sovereign states, and they join it for the purposes of benefiting politically, socially or economically. The representatives of various governments sign treaties, which then pass through the process of ratification, to give the agreement a legal recognition. The inter-governmental institutions must not be confused with various treaty organizations. F or instance the North American Free Trade Agreement and the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade are not examples of inter-governmental institutions, but they are examples of treaty organizations. Because inter-governmental organizations involve associations between governments at the international arena, it can be termed as an agent of globalization. ... Some Inter-Governmental organizations are formed for the main purpose of restoring and preserving peace. An example of such an institution is the Formation of the League of Nation, after the end of the First World War. The institution was formed to prevent an emergence of another war, similar to the magnitude of the First World War. However, the institution failed to prevent the emergence of the Second World War. Because of this failure, the International community resolved to form the United Nations. One of the failures of the League of Nations is to attract United States of America as a member. United States refused to join the League of Nations, for purposes of protecting its sovereignty. The government of United States of America realized that joining the institution would amount to ceding some of its sovereign rights. Some inter-governmental organizations are formed to promote inter-governmental cooperation in relation to environmental conservation, human rights protection and s ocial development. Examples include UN Habitat, United Nations Economic and Social Council, and Economic Community of West African States. Globalization in this context is seen through the interaction of States, to benefit from those associations either through trade, or advancement of their socio-political ideologies. This is the case of International Monetary Fund and the promotion of Liberalization of a State’s economy. This was the main ideology of United States and the Western parts of Europe3. They were the main financiers of IMF and World Bank. These institutions played a great role in opening up the economies of third world countries, and therefore eroding some elements of their

Research Paradigms and Concepts of Ontology and Epistemology

Research Paradigms and Concepts of Ontology and Epistemology Chapter 2: Research Methodology This chapter of our thesis will illustrate the methodology that was undertaken in order to conduct our research. This chapter is further divided into two sections. In 1st section of the chapter we will discuss theoretical methodology. It includes research philosophy, research approach and research strategy. In 2nd section of the chapter we will discuss practical methodology. It includes choice of the subject, preconception, perspective, literature, data collection and sampling of methods. Here we will not only describe the methods that are opted during our research process but also try to explain and justify why they are preferred over the alternatives methods that are available. 2.1: Theoretical methodology 2.1.1 Research philosophy During a business research it is imperative to think about different research paradigms and theme of ontology and epistemology. These research paradigms represent a parameter that controls the research carry out from research design to the conclusion and recommendations of the research. Thats why it is of great significance to understand these features in order to move in harmonious manner and actions leading towards unambiguous investigation and making sure that researcher biasnesses are minimized (Flower, 2009, p 1). 2.1.1.1 Epistemological Choice â€Å"Epistemological issue concerns with the question of what or should be regarded as acceptable knowledge in a discipline†.(Bryman Bell, 2007, p. 16). Eriksson and Kovalainen describe epistemology as â€Å"what knowledge is and what are the sources and limits of knowledge† (Eriksson and Kovalainen, 2008). It is important that the given piece of knowledge is studied in the relative manner. Epistemology is further divided into positivism, interpretivism and realism. Positivism: Positivism is the resultant of research in natural science where a hypothesis is tested that is derived from a prevailing theory. Positivism emphasizes that true and reliable knowledge is that which stands upon logic, practical experience and affirmative authentication. â€Å"The purpose of theory is to generate hypotheses that can be tested and that will be thereby allow explanations of laws to be assessed†(Bryman Bell, 2007, p. 16). Positivism is generally linked with quantitative research where one selects a theory and piece of knowledge, then collects data and interprets it and hence proves the hypothesis to be true or not. â€Å"The researcher seeking to adopt a decided positivist stance exercises choice of the study, the research objective to pursue and the data to be collected† (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 114). It is believed that the positivist researcher will use structured methodology with the aim of producing replicability. Interpretivism Interpretivism is a stance contrary to positivism and is also known as anti-positivism. Philosophers of social science believe that subject matter of a research in a social science that is undertaken upon some individuals and personals or institutions are different from that of the natural science (Bryman Bell, 2007, p. 17). According to Saunders et al., (2009) phenomenology and symbolic interactionism are the two intellectual traditions that interpretivism comes from. â€Å"Phenomenology refers to way in which we as humans make sense of the world around us. In symbolic interactionism we are in continual process of interpreting the social world around us in that we interpret the actions of others with whom we interact and this interpretation leads adjustment of our own meaning and actions† (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 116). Realism: Realism is another branch of epistemology that is similar in nature to positivism. According to this philosophic position reality does exist independently of the human realization. There are two main types of realism. Bryman Bell, 2007 named them empirical realism and critical realism. Whereas Saunders et al., 2009 name them as direct realism and critical realism. Main difference among critical and direct realism is that critical realism claims that our knowledge is developed in two phases. Firts there is an object and substance we see and experience trough our senses and in second phase process goes on after the senses receive the sensations. Whereas direct realism claims first phase is enough and what we see is what we get (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 117). In epistemological consideration of our research we take the positivist position. The reason behind selection of positivist stance is what we studied in the literature we develop a hypothesis on the basis of prevailing theories and in our empirical findings we will test this hypothesis for acceptation or rejection. What we are going to study is the usefulness of banks internal evaluation model (CAMELS) with respect to external credit rating models such as PACRA and Moodys. Another reason behind selection of this stance is the use of secondary data and positivism is usually linked with researches that are quantitative in nature such as statistical tools and figures. 2.1.1.2 Ontology: This pillar of the research paradigm deals with the nature of social entities and realities. This raises the question of â€Å"whether social entities can and should be considered objective entities that have reality external to the social factors, or whether they can and should be considered social construction build up from the perception and actions of the social actors† (Bryman Bell, 2007, p. 17). Above we discussed two aspects of ontology, are known as objectivism and constructivism respectively. In ontological consideration, our research thesis is objectivist in nature. For empirical finding of our thesis we will use statistical tools such as financial ratios. The result provided by these ratios will be rated on the scale of 1 to 5 based on the issued ranking system of CAMELS rating model. Then we will compare the result provided by CAMELS rating model with the issued ratings of PACRA rating agency of the same period of time. So it is obvious from our choice of ontological consideration that the research will be free from every sort of biasness of the authors. 2.1.2 Research Approach: At this stage of a research one has to decide on the basis of chosen theory thats is either learnt or contained in the literature that he/she will follow a deductive approach or inductive approach. In deductive approach one develops a hypothesis from the theory and devises research strategy to test the hypothesis to accept or reject it. Whereas in inductive approach one has to collect data, analyze it and develop theory based on the result of analyzed data (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 124). 2.1.2.1 Deductive approach: This approach represents characteristics of the correlation among theory and research. On the basis of gained knowledge that may be inferred from the theoretical reflection about the research field, one assumes a hypothesis that will be observed in empirical analysis (Bryman Bell, 2007, p. 14). According to Robson (2002, cited in Saunders et al., 2009, p. 124) deductive research goes through 5 steps. First develop a hypothesis from a theory, second express the hypothesis in operational terms, third is hypothesis testing, fourth analyzes the particular result of the inquiry and in the fifth and final stage verifies or modifies the theory on base of your findings. Collection of quantitative data is an important characteristic of deductive approach although it may use qualitative data some times. In deductive approach highly structured methodology is implemented to assist replication to guarantee reliability. Generalization is another important characteristic of deductive approach (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 124-125). 2.1.2.1 Inductive approach: In inductive approach theory is developed on the basis of research observations. Researchers in inductive approach are predominantly concerned with the events that are actually taking place and deal with the small sample as against the large number in deductive approach. Researchers most likely use qualitative data in this approach. Structure of the research in inductive approach is more flexible as less generalized as compared to highly structured methodology and generalized characteristics of deductive approach (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 126-127). In our research we will use deductive approach and not the inductive approach. The primary reason behind selection of this approach is correlation among the theory and hypothesis. On the basis of studied literature and constructed theoretical frame work we have derived a hypothesis. Our thesis findings will lead us towards the acceptation or rejection of hypothesis which is superiority of banks internal evaluation models with respect to external rating agencies models. As we know that deductive approach is highly structured methodology so our thesis will follow the predefined structure.. 2.1.3 Research strategy: According to Bryman Bell, 2007 â€Å"by research strategy, we simply mean a general orientation to the conduct of business research†. Two separate clusters of research strategy are qualitative and quantitative research. Both quantitative and qualitative researches are different from each other not only on the basis of quantification and measurement of the result but also on the basis of epistemological and ontological foundations (Bryman Bell, 2007, p. 28). 2.1.3.1 Quantitative research: Quantitative research is mostly used in deductive approach where the aim of the study is to test a hypothesis for proving a theory. In quantitative research analysis of the result is mostly in numbers and quantify. Another characteristic of quantitative research is size of the sample is very large. Quantitative research is subject to a very low level of biasness in the interpretation from the researchers as statistical tools are used for analysis of the results. Quantitative research is more generalizable. Quantitative research is more positivist in nature when it comes to epistemological orientation. While in ontological orientation quantitative research is objectivist in nature (Bryman Bell, 2007, p. 28). According to Bryman Bell, 2007 quantitative research have 11 steps. Steps mentioned by them in their book Business research methodsare as follow 1st Theory, 2nd Hypothesis, 3rd Research design, 4th Devise measures of concepts, 5th select research site, 6th select research subjec t / respondent, 7th administer research instruments / collect data, 8th Process data, 9th Analyze data, 10th finding and conclusion and 11th is write up findings and conclusions. Fig 2.2 Based on the idea from Bryman Bell, 2007 the process of quantitative research. 2.1.3.2 Qualitative research Qualitative research is the contrast of the quantitative research in almost every aspect. Qualitative method is mostly used in inductive research where emphasis is on the generation of a theory that is based upon research observation. Analysis of the qualitative research is based upon the words and statements and mostly in textual form. Qualitative research is more interpretivist in nature when it comes to epistemological orientation. While in ontological orientation qualitative research is constructivist in nature. Size of the sample in qualitative research is small. Researcher in the qualitative research requires special skills for the interpretations of the results. Contrary to quantitative research, qualitative research is less generalizable and very low level of replicability. (Bryman Bell, 2007, p. 28). Below is differentiation chart of quantitative and qualitative research based on different research aspects. Research Aspect Quantitative Research Qualitative Research Scientific Method Deductive Inductive Nature of reality Objectivist Constructivist Research objective Description, explanation and prediction Description, exploratory and discovery Nature of observation Narrow angle focus lens Wide angle focus lens Form of data Quantitative data Qualitative data Sample Size Large sample Small sample Data analysis Statistical tools Search for patterns, themes and holistic features Results General findings Particular findings Conclusion Statistical report Narrative report Self made chart based on the studied books and articles. In our research thesis we will use quantitative research strategy instead of qualitative research. Selection of quantitative research strategy is based upon number of arguments other than presentation of result in numerics and figures. As in epistemology consideration our research is positivist in nature and in ontological consideration we has opted the stance of objectivist, this is another reason for our selection of quantitative research. Our research is basically concerned with numbers and use of statistical tools to measure and analyze these numbers and figures. We have selected deductive approach which is usually related with quantitative research strategy and we argued about its selection in previous section. So keeping in mind our research question and objective we selected this strategy that will be appropriate and will guide us though out our research process. 2.1.4 Nature of Research The relationship between events or factors is often described, examine, and explain by the researchers. The research can either be descriptive, explanatory, exploratory or predictive nature. Nature of the research totally depends on research question. In descriptive research the researcher tries to identify or describe the events. For example in descriptive research if the question is â€Å"What is the present or past state of events?† for this the researcher selects the representative sampling of the people. Whereas explanatory research is for events to be explain by the researcher and look for fundamental reasons. Explanatory research is also referred to interpretive research. For example the researcher conducts explanatory research if they ask â€Å"Why have these events happened in the manner they did?†Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Or â€Å"What are the implications of these events occurring as they have? (Rubin et al, 2010, 198)†. Exploratory research is a type of research when researcher is unable to find any or very few prior studies about the research question. Exploratory study aspire researcher to look for the ideas, Patterns, or hypothesis, instead of testing or verifying a theory. In exploratory research typical techniques are used here researcher comprises observation, case studies, and previous studies. In this type of research the researcher uses both qualitative and quantitative data. Exploratory research totally focuses on achieving the imminent and acquaintance with the subject area to examine at later stage (Collis Hussey, 2009, p. 6). Predictive research advances one step further than explanatory research. Aim of the study is to create justification for what is happening in particular circumstances. Predictive researchis concerned with the anticipation of a possibility of some occurrence. Aim of predictive research is to generalize the investigation by forecasting some phenomena on the foundation of hypothesized, general relationships. Henc e we can say that solution provided by a predictive research in a particular situation can be applicable to some other problems of similar nature, provided that the solution is valid (Collis Hussey, 2009, p. 6). Nature of our research is exploratory in nature as we didnt find any previous research work on the same research problem. There are some articles and thesis that reflects the usage of camels rating model framework on any particular or limited number of banks. As in our research we will try to investigate the superiority of banks internal rating models with respect to external credit rating agencies, we found no research work in this particular field. Our research will open a new window of research in the field of banking rating systems. 2.1.5 Time horizon of research: Time horizon of research plays a very significant role for both authors of the research and readers of the research. From researchers point of view it is important to understand that what type and quality of data they are collecting for the research and how easily it can be collected. Some time it is very difficult and time consuming to collect the data spread over long period of time. From readers point of view time horizon of the research is of great importance as it shows credibility and quality of the research observations. According to Sunders et al. 2009 time horizon of the research can be divided into two types; cross-sectional research and longitudinal research (Saunders et al.2009, p. 155). 2.1.5.1 Longitudinal study Longitudinal study is such type of a research in which same sample of population is observed over a longer period of time. Longitudinal research is a type of observational research in which the subjects are observed without manipulations and hence can be argued that it has less potential to detect cause and effects relationships of variables as do by the experimental studies. In longitudinal research, researchers have the opportunity to observe changes and improvement that took place over the period of time (Lindborg Ohlsson, 2009, p. 15). 2.1.5.2 Cross-sectional study Cross-sectional research is a study of sample observations or of a population in which a researcher makes her/his study and get result for a short period of time or on a single occasion. From the population researcher takes sample and within that sample he/she distribute the variables, and sometime the variables which are predict and designated on the bases of reasonable information which he/she gets from other sources. Descriptive and exploratory studies are frequently cross-sectional. For example a single survey of a country to describe the population of the specific country at a given time. Cross-sectional study is also very close to explanatory studies. A researcher conducts a survey on national base to examine the nation problem at a given time (Hulley et al, 2007, p.109).   Keeping in mind above arguments about longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, we can easily say that our research is a cross-sectional study. As in our thesis we will manipulate one year annual financial reports for the year ended on 31st Dec 2010, and all 17 banks belongs from Pakistan. It would be of great significance to use annual reports of more than only year but the problem is at the same time we need to collect published credit ratings of banks for the same year and that was very difficult to collets as most banks do not keep their old records of ratings. As we discussed above that cross-sectional studies are mostly exploratory or descriptive in nature and our research is also exploratory in nature. 2.2 Practical Methodology: Selection of the research topic: Both authors of the thesis come from Islamic Republic of Pakistan where banking industry is on the boom despite of the general economic turmoil. As far as our educational background is concerned, one of the authors has done of BBA (Hons) with major in Finance and second author has done MBA with major in Finance, in which we studied several courses about banking and finance. This was the point where our interest was developed in the field of banking. Now being the students of Master in Finance, keeping in view our future professional careers in the field of banking and finance, we choose this research topic. As our research is focusing on CAMELS rating model that takes into account 6 important component of banking industry, it will give us better understanding and knowledge about performance of banking industry particularly in Pakistan. Another reason behind selection of this research topic is our personal curiosity about the ratings of the banks particularly in Pakistan. Preconception: Preconception about the research topic is quite important as it develops interest of the researcher and involves him neutrally in the topic. Both authors of the thesis worked as an internee in conventional bank in Pakistan after completion of their studies and have gained some practical experience of banking. In our practical experiences we observed that not all of above but some of these factors that are addressed in ratings models are of great importance for better performance of the banks. Perspective: Perspective provides point of view about the chosen field of study from several angles with different aspects, providing a pool of options from which the most suitable one is to be selected while keeping in mind your research question and purpose. Our thesis is based upon the superiority of CAMELS rating model results with respect to external rating agencies; we will be looking at it from internal point of view of the banks and their regulatory authorities. But it readers can also be external users such as rating agencies and will be useful for them as well. Data Collection Method: For any type of research study data collection is an important aspect. Data is the source from where researchers can get relevant information to answer the research questions. To gather applicable information researchers use primary and secondary data as a sources. Primary data is collected or perceived straight from the first time experience. Or we can say that data collected for the first time particularly for this research problem. The sources contained in primary data are questionnaires, observations, social surveys, experiments and interviews. On the other hand secondary data is published and the data collected by someone else in the past. We use the published and collected data by someone else to solve our problems but the problem might be different from others. The sources from which we can collect secondary data are articles, books, journals, and web-based data (Ghauri Gronhaug, 2005, p. 91-102). Theoretical framework of our study that is based upon secondary data, we read all relevant literature to our study that gave us full knowledge and beneficial understanding of our research questions. On the basis of this further study should be conducted. Findings of our research are totally dependent upon secondary. Findings of our research are complex in nature but our secondary data will help us to achieve this objective. The electronic search engine is the main source in our study we used Umeà ¥ University electronic library, Google search, electronic books; we also use printed materials like books. Literature studied: Access to the relevant and authentic literature for a researcher is of great importance. It provides basis for the researcher to build upon the theoretical frame work of a chosen field of study and research design (Brayman Bell, 2007, p. 94). In the beginning of our research we studied some articles regarding the financial crises caused by the collapse of leading financial institutions of that time and banking industry of Pakistan afterwards we collected some articles and books through university archives database and internet search about research methods to construct research methodology chapter of our thesis and to guide us throughout our thesis. Articles are mostly collected from journals of Banking and Finance, journal of international banking regulation and the review of financial studies accessed through university provided logins on its database. It is a difficult task to gather relevant articles as one comes across so many articles that look relevant but they are not in rea l. We also studied some online books that are available via different websites such as www.book.google.com. We also gathered some material such as brochures and working papers about the procedures and methods used for ratings of financial institutions form rating agencies websites including SPs, PACRA, and regulatory authorities such as Basel and SBoP. The collected materials provide us better understanding and capabilities to work in the field rating systems.   Sampling: Sample is a subset of whole population that is selected to represent the population in any specific research to perform statistical inferences and to make judgments about the whole population on the basis of selected sample. For researchers it is very important to select appropriate sample from population to make inferences. There are two primary reasons why researchers select a sample for their research instead of studying the whole population, 1st it is very costly and 2nd is the time limitation for a research. According to Bryman Bell, sample is a fragment of population chosen for examination or research. Talking in a broader sense there are basically two types of sampling approaches: Probability and non probability approach (Bryman Bell, 2007, p. 182). Probability sampling is an approach in which each and every unit of population has equal chance of being selected in the sample and their probability of selection is greater than â€Å"0†. This is the most suitable approach that eliminates bias in sample selection and reduces sampling error. Simple random sampling, systematic or interval random sampling, stratified sampling and cluster sampling are some types of probability sampling (Brayman Bell, 2007, p. 182). Whereas on the other side non probability sampling is an approach in which probability of selection of elements is not known or some elements of the population have no chance to be selected as a sample. Referral (Snow ball) sample, quota sample, criteria sample, homogeneous sample, critical sample and matched sample are the types of non-probability sampling. Referral sampling method is also knows as snow ball sampling. This type of sampling procedure is used when it is difficult to find subjects or samples for the research. In this type of a research sample we cannot identify our sample in advance and important consideration is to find initial subjects and informants. From initial subjects we can ask to identify further subjects for our research sample and the process continues to go on like a snow ball (Swisher, 2010, p.1). In Quota samplingpopulation is first divided into subgroups based on some criteria and then subjects are selected as a sample from each group. Quota sampling can be further divided in two sub groups known as proportional and non proportional quota sampling. In proportional quota sampling, sample of every sub group of population is represented by its proportional weight age of the population. Where as in non proportional quota sampling a limit of minimum numbers of sample subjects are set as a standard and are not nec essary to represent its proportion in the population. It only has to justify that the chosen sample is able enough to represent a small group in a population. Heterogeneity sampling is a procedure when we select sample for our research that will represent every group of thought or variables of the population, on the other hand Homogeneous sampling is a procedure of sampling when we want to study about some specific factors or variables and their effect on the outcome that represent the population (Trochin, William, 2006).   Criteria sampling is a procedure to select sample from the population that is based upon some specified and thoughtful criteria. Criteria set by the researchers fulfilled by any subject that represents the population should be included in the sample and any subject fail to meet the criteria is not included in sample that will represent the population (Swisher, 2010, p.4). To make a sample for our research we have selected criteria sampling method. As we are working on the CAMELS rating model and its replicability to the results of the external credit rating agencies published ratings, so for that we have to work upon banks annual financial reports. Our criteria for the banks to be included as a sample is the availability of their audited annual financial reports for the year ended 31st Dec 2010. Total population of number of banks operating in Pakistan is 38. Out of 38 banks 5 banks are Islamic commercial banks and operating on Sharia standards that is to great extent different from commercial banks system. CAMELS rating model is designed for conventional banks and its applicability on Islamic banks is argued by several authors but contradicted by others. So for this particular reason we did not include Islamic banks in our sample. There are 6 foreign banks operating with in Pakistan as subsidiaries of other multinational banks, and these banks prepar e their annual financial reports and submit it in their Head offices that further add up in their consolidate annul reports. So there were some complications in collection of their annual reports and its interpretation. Because of this reason we did not include these foreign banks as our sample for our thesis. Further on searching for the annual audited financial reports of the banks, we find out that till date 10 banks did not published or announced their annual financial reports. As these banks did not meet with the predefined criteria of availability of their annual financial reports, they are also excluded and are not part of our sample. At the end we are left behind with 17 banks and their audited annual financial reports, so our sample includes 17 commercial banks from Pakistan.