Project management yara2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Venture the board yara2 - Essay Example From the way that assets will consistently stay constrained, directors are required to deal with the restricted assets utilizing efficient thoughts, powerful strategies and speculations and great setting of norms to guarantee the undertaking prevails without pointless consumptions. Most undertaking directors whose ventures have fizzled can be followed to the poor translation of asset accessibility. It is on this point the task administrators are required to include all round asset the board aptitudes to abstain from bombing imperative organization items. An overall asset the board for this situation incorporates both money related and human capital. The components required for viable task the executives under the constrained assets incorporate the capacity of the chiefs to design, sort out, immediate, organize, control and assessment of the entire procedure. These components are constantly expected to shape a key piece of any undertaking at the beginning stage. Knowing or noticing th e significance of these components during venture isn't sufficient to direct the task towards progress. Administration characteristics and down to earth parts of the undertaking the board must become the overwhelming focus. Various undertakings have fizzled notwithstanding the accessibility of assets due poor initiative. One of the components of task the executives initiative is association of all and exact correspondence. Great venture the board must include a slow procedure of presentation of any new things or changes. This examination will concentrate on great undertaking the executives from administration to the pragmatic point (Meredith and Mantel, 2012). Associations and individual supervisors have encountered a progression of task disappointments. These disappointments can be followed to poor administration inside the association and the venture group. The contrast among effective and bombed ventures has been brought up to be the administration perspective. Fruitful undertaking the board as depicted by this examination requires successful administration from the

'How has the Y Generation changed HRM practice Thesis Proposal

'How has the Y Generation changed HRM practice - Thesis Proposal Example It is consequently why, today, explicit staff are doled out with obligations on representative maintenance. Integral to this drive is the human asset office in light of the fact that a great many people related exercises depend on its arrangements and procedures. (Finnegan 2009, p43) In a hierarchical endeavor for worker maintenance and turnover, human asset administrators need to look at, comprehend and deal with the issue and that a compelling administration can emphatically affect the expense on enrollment, preparing, socialization and disturbance, including various other circuitous expenses. (Phillips and Connell, p1) In this regard, a central worry in worker maintenance is the manner by which the supposed Generation Y influences HR rehearses. This is issue risen out of the rule that ages of representatives vary in their attributes, and, henceforth, have various necessities, wants, conduct, desires and prerequisites should have been fulfilled. Foundation: The Generation Y Generat ion Y alludes to those individuals conceived from the 1980s to the 1990s. A few scholastics are increasingly explicit, setting such births somewhere in the range of 1980 and 1995. (Tsui and Lai 2009, p39) They are otherwise called the â€Å"Echo Boomers† â€Å"Millenials,† â€Å"Netsters† among different names. They are, be that as it may, recognized from Generation X and, all the more as of late, the purported Generation Z. ... Age Y, in the interim, are those individuals conceived between 1995-2009. (Vaiman and Vance 2008, p66) There are around sixty million Generation Y-ers and that these would have entered the workforce by this decade. (Stone 2005, p266) Vaiman and Vance expressed that Generation Y representatives are in incredible interest and that they establish 20 percent of today’s workforce, and ready to arrive at 40 percent in only five years or less. (p66) The attributes and estimations of this gathering are all around reported. For example, Lamb, Hair and McDaniel (2008) laid out a far reaching profile, clarifying that a Generation Y-er is: Impatient since they have experienced childhood in a world that is constantly been computerized and that they approach PCs; Inquisitive in light of the fact that more than their folks about PCs and innovation and this is really a wellspring of pride; Family-arranged because of their steady adolescence because of guardians that are profoundly inspired by family life; Opinionated as they have been urged to impart their insights at home, at school and the network; Diverse as this age saw the biggest number of races inside America and there are a decent number who guarantee to have originated from more than one race; and, Time Managers since their whole lives have been planned †from play area to soccer cam to Little League. (p76) Put another way, Generation Y is as far as anyone knows a result of homes with gushing guardians, epitomized as soccer mothers, guardians who prep their kids for the correct schools, and guardians who regularly have a high level of association in their children’s close term and longer-term exercises, plans, and objectives. (Lloyd, p161) It isn't, subsequently, astonishing

Common Phobic Reactions for the Three Types of Phobias

Common Phobic Reactions for the Three Types of Phobias Phobias Print Common Phobic Reactions for the Three Types of Phobias By Lisa Fritscher Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer and editor with a deep interest in phobias and other mental health topics. Learn about our editorial policy Lisa Fritscher Updated on October 14, 2018 JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images More in Phobias Causes Symptoms and Diagnosis Treatment Types A loose definition of a phobic reaction is any reaction to a phobia. These reactions are symptoms -- for example, feeling intense anxiety or sweaty palms -- and may range from mild to severe. A therapist will use the details you give her about your phobic reactions to help her make the correct diagnosis. When to Seek Help for Phobic Reactions There are three types of phobia: social phobia, agoraphobia, and specific phobia. Symptoms, or phobic reactions, may be psychological, such as an intense feeling of unease or foreboding; physical, such as crying or gastrointestinal distress; or behavioral, which includes a wide variety of avoidance tactics. Your phobic reaction merits a trip to the doctor when your symptoms interfere with your ability to make money, maintain healthy personal relationships, and perform essential daily tasks, such as bathing or grocery shopping. Treatment for Phobic Reactions All three types of phobia are highly treatable with help from a mental health professional and tend to get worse over time if you dont seek treatment. Typical treatment for phobia includes cognitive behavioral therapy techniques including gradual desensitization, comparing your unreasonable fears to the actual risk, and changing your maladaptive thoughts into constructive ones. Phobic Reactions in Social Phobia Social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, is a fear of judgment by others. Its an intense fear of embarrassing or humiliating yourself in small or large groups. Phobic reactions to what triggers your social phobia may include:      being overly concerned you will offend someone      an intense fear of having a conversation with strangers      avoiding any situation where you will be the center of attention, such as a birthday party      anticipating the worst case scenario during a social situation Phobic Reactions in Agoraphobia Agoraphobia is commonly thought of as a fear of wide, open space. Actually, this anxiety disorder is a fear of being unable to escape to safety or find help when you start having a phobic reaction. The physical symptoms match those of specific phobia (below). Maladaptive thoughts during a phobic reaction to agoraphobia can include:      Im losing my sanity.      I might lose control and have an obvious phobic reaction in public and others may stare.      I wont be able to get out of here if I start to have a phobic reaction. Certain behaviors are characteristic of agoraphobia, including:      not being able to leave your residence for long periods of time      an aversion to being far from home      needing someone you trust when going out Phobic Reactions in Specific Phobia Specific phobia presents as an intense, exaggerated, and persistent fear of a situation or object. The number of specific phobias is only limited by the number of nouns and includes, a fear of bathing (ablutophobia), a fear of the number 8 (octophobia), and the fear of death (thanatophobia). A phobic reaction to specific phobia happens when you anticipate or encounter your trigger and includes:      feelings of imminent doom      feeling dizzy or light-headed      nausea or diarrhea      avoidance tactics to prevent an encounter with your trigger      ringing in your ears

Case of the Unpopular Pay - 7381 Words

Many managers have bought into expensive fictions about compensation, Haveyoul SIX DANGEROUS MYTHS ABOUT PAY BY JEFFREY PFEFFER pays an average C average of $21.^2hourly wage of $18.07. ^^^^ second pays an an hour. Assuming that other directemployment costs, such as benefits, are the same for the two groups, which group has the higher labor eosts^ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ An airline is seeking to compete in the low-cost, low-frills segment of the U.S. market where, for obvious reasons, labor productivity and efficiency are crucial for competitive success. The company pays virtually no one on the basis of individual merit or performance. Does it stand a chance of successl †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ A company that operates in an intensely competitive segment of the†¦show more content†¦But according to data collected by Fairfield University Professor Jeffrey Artbur, its labor costs were much lower because tbe productivity of tbe mills was higher. The seeond set of mills actually required 34% fewer labor bours to produce a ton of steel tban tbe first set and also generated 63% less scrap. Tb e second set of mills eould bave raised workers pay rate by 19% and still bad lower labor costs. Connected to tbe first mytb are three more mytbs tbat draw on tbe same logic. Wben managers believe tbat labor costs and labor rates are tbe same tbing, tbey also tend to believe tbat tbey can cut labor costs by cutting labor rates. Thats Mytb #2. Again, tbis leaves out tbe important matter of productivity. I may replace my $2,ooo-a-week engineers witb ones tbat earn $500 a week, but my costs may skyrocket because tbe new, lower-paid employees are inexperienced, slow, and less capable. In that case, I would bave increased my costs by cutting my rates. Managers wbo mix up labor rates and labor costs also tend to accept Mytb #3: tbat labor costs are a significant portion of total costs. Sometimes, tbats true. It is, for example, at accounting and consulting firms. But tbe ratio of labor costs to total costs varies widely in different industries and companies. And even where it is true, its not as important as many managers believe. Tbose wbo swallow Mytb #4-tbat low labor costs are a potent competitiveShow MoreRelatedCanadian Case Study774 Words   |  4 Pagessend their children to the Catholic schools, even if they were not religious, all on the governments dime. The issue was brought to court, and eventually the SCC itself where the judges there declared it violated the Charter of Rights and freedoms to pay for non-Catholic children to go to catholic schools, as it violated the state’s right to religious neutrality (Morgan, 2017). 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In 2009, Apple announced that for the first time would allow beginning implementing variable pricing on the iTunes Music Store. Instead of a absolute $0.99 cent price point, record labels would now have the option to charge $1.29 for moreRead MoreEssay about Lesions of the Prefrontal Cortex1530 Words   |  7 Pagesappear to extend beyond avoidance of punishment in most cases(Anderson 1999). Personality is marked by poor judgment, minimal insight into/slight anticipation of consequence, a desire for autonomy but a lack of self- initiation, lack of sense of competency, lack of identity, a lack of relationship between self and others and self and environment, and a deficit in motivation and goal directed behavior(Eslinger 2003). Most cases do not appear to experience anxiety or fear. These personsRead MoreA Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn1242 Words   |  5 Pagesupper-class and poor Americans against the British rapidly lead to a full scale war. The Revolutionary war began with the goal to free the colonist of America from the clutches of England, but in a more likely case it just got rid of oversea rulers with some much closer. The war was unpopular in America, â€Å"President John Adams estimated perhaps only a third of the Colonists were strongly for independence, with another third opposed and the last third indifferent† (Zinn, 1980). Noticing this trend, theyRead MoreMoral Courage For A Nurse Named Emily1513 Words   |  7 PagesThe impact a misinformed or inadequately trained nurse could have is profound as a simple wrong move could cost someone his or her life. Due to the severity of the situation and as a nurse, Emily had the responsibility to take action. Despite how unpopular a decision it was E mily did the right thing. Getting through the near-term negative backlash is easy in comparison to dealing with the long-term effect of not taking action. Despite the negative reaction and with guidance from Emily medical center’sRead MoreWhat Ethical Theory Is Most Consistent With Lawyer s Professional Responsibilities? Essay1661 Words   |  7 Pagesresponsibilities and obligations of a lawyer. The relationship is significant and indicates the manner of how the lawyer will distinguish their role in the justice system. This relationship and the lawyers responsibilities was first outlined in the case of Nocton v Lord Ashburton , where the courts held, a lawyer owed a duty to appropriately advise their clients; in the circumstance this duty was breached by the lawyer, the client was entitled to compensation. Since then, the legal responsibilities

Pornography Pornography And Pornography - 1482 Words

Pornography: Mr. Collins reports that he first viewed pornography when he was in sixth grade. He states that he became curious about women and sex and â€Å"Googled boobs† on the Internet. After his initial query, he states that he viewed digital images of nude women about once or twice a month. Mr. Collins reports that his pornography consumption increased when he was in the 8th and 9th grade. Mr. Collins reports that he discovered Internet websites dedicated to pornographic content, videos, images, and erotic stories, from conversations with his peers at school. Being curious about sex and women already, he states that he began to make Google queries to dedicated pornography websites and his consumption of pornography increased. Mr.†¦show more content†¦Collins reports that he moved to San Diego when he was nineteen and half years of age to live with a friend. He states that he needed a change of â€Å"scenery† at that time because he felt lonely. He reports that the majority of his friends had moved away to college and his spent a lot of time alone in his room. Mr. Collins reports that his masturbation and pornography consumption decreased during this time, mainly due to the lack of privacy. He states that there were people in and out of the place he was living and he was working and â€Å"hanging out with friends†. When he did view pornography, he states that it would be during the evening and each occurrence was about thirty minutes in duration, all the while masturbating. Mr. Collins reports that while he enjoyed his time in San Diego, he was not satisfied with the trajectory of his life. He states that he worked odd jobs and would spend most of his free time socializing and this did not financially afford him to be able to live on his own. So he decided it was time to move back home after living in San Diego for about six months. That same year, Mr. Collins reports that his father suddenly passed away. After this tragic event, he reports that his pornography and sexual chatting online increased. â€Å"My porn and chatting slowly increased, because I had less to do, I was bored, and all my friends were away at college. I was home alone more and this became a habit†. Mr. Collins reports that his pornographyShow MoreRelatedPornography : Pornography And Pornography913 Words   |  4 PagesBefore, I started this course I would have defined pornography by saying porn is porn. This quote sums up how I felt. â€Å"I can t define pornography, bu t I know it when I see it,† said Justice Stewart (West, 2012). 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Environmental issues in Asia Free Essays

Developing countries face severe environmental issues as the rapid economic and population growth had created serious social and environmental problems which if left unattended can bring about very serious consequences. Some of these burning environmental issues faced by these Asian regions are the deforestation, global warming, air and water pollution, limited safe drinking water etc. apart from this manipulation of the natural resources and using unhealthy ways and means for developmental purposes is slowly destroying the resources of these nations which are of serious concern and needs immediate steps by the government and non governmental organizations to protect and rescue them from extinction. We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental issues in Asia or any similar topic only for you Order Now Two main problems that I wish to discuss in this research paper is air pollution and the increasing deficit in drinking water supply which is a great threat to the nations overall economic development. India is a fast developing country and its growth in the IT and industrial sector over the years is abundant. With the per capita income increasing with the sudden boom in industrial and technological sectors purchasing power has increased. Easy EMI and retail option enable almost anyone to get a vehicle and as the result traffic congestion, air pollution and noise pollution etc have increased thereby endangering the whole atmosphere and paving way to global warming. Water is the elixir of life we all know but although the world is third filled with water drinking water is available in limited quantity. India largely depends on monsoon rains for it agriculture and underground drinking water resources. Due to environmental issues like global warming, air pollution, industrial wastes, use of fertilizers etc result in less rainfall. Moreover the little rainfall received is wasted as it reaches the ocean without any proper preservation methods. The existing dams and water reservoirs are maintained poorly and hence little water collected due to seasonal rains are wasted. Hence an emergency plan to preserve this resource is necessary and steps to minimize air pollution should also be undertaken. Land usage in India: Area of the country: 3287260sq.kms Cultivable area: 1839560sq.kms Cultivated land area: 1697000sq.kms Population: Total population 1038056000 Rural: 71%  Ã‚  Ã‚   urban – 29% (www.indiastat.com) Water resources: Internal renewable water: 1260540 million cubic meters Total renewable water 1907760 million cubic meters Water use: Total withdrawal: 500000 million cubic meters Agriculture: 92% Domestic: 5% Industrial: 3% Irrigation: Irrigation potential: 1135120 sq. kms Land under irrigation: 501010 sq. kms Surface irrigation: 493300 sq. kms Area irrigated with surface water 40.5% Area irrigated with ground water 53% ( research paper on survey of Indian resources – 2005) The above facts clearly state the environmental condition of this great nation. The need for ground water for irrigation alone is almost 53% and this ground water level is diminishing today due to lack of rains and improper irrigation methods. The surface water again is becoming polluted because of unhygienic and improper maintenance and preservation methods. Further use of chemicals and pesticides for industry and agriculture has highly polluted both surface and ground water. When agriculture uses highly toxic pesticides it destroys not only the soil but also the water underneath. Some of the reasons for water scarcity in India are rising demand for water as population increases over extraction of surface and ground level water delay in completion of developmental projects due to lack of funds and political pressure or instable governments contamination of water resources due to the increased human impact globalization and industrial development polluting air ad water thereby altering urban climate Etc. There is a huge demand for water in the years to come especially keeping in mind the population the demand seems to be a nightmare. In almost all parts of India water deficiencies show an increasing trend and the surplus show a decreasing trend Four states and one union territory   have no surplus water The availability of water will reduce one fifth in three decades Government role to curb further water shortage: From time to time government plays a major part in implementing measures to check this water scarcity. Development projects like building dams, reservoirs, cleaning tanks and increasing awareness to store and use drinking water sensibly is being undertaken. State and central governments join together and use the allotted funds to implement such projects. But political pressure, unstable government and lack of funds create a void in these projects which is either dropped or not put into practice wholly. Moreover bribery in all fields curbs the growth and development of these projects. Although many NGO’S and non governmental organizations and business establishments try to fund these projects the funds are highly misused or mishandled by faulty politicians. Balanced growth in both agriculture and industry is needed for a countries overall performance and development. But industry is developing in India in a faster pace and it looks like agriculture is neglected. Plans to curb air pollution are needed desperately as it affects the rain and overall climatic condition of the nation. More plants should be planted and forests should be conserved and all measures to save rain water undertaken. Rain water harvesting was seriously implemented in some states and the result is yet to be seen. The roads and the infrastructure is very poor and even the slightest rain causes flash floods. Proper drainage and town planning is missing in cities like Mumbai and Chennai. Great awareness of the results of such negligence should be spread around and people should be educated as to the affects of global warming and air pollution. Individuals should take this mission in their hands to ensure safety for future generation. Every successful business concern should adopt one area or town to implement development projects like planting trees, cleaning drinking water reservoirs and dam’s etc. individuals for their part should maintain hygiene and prevent wastage of water. Governments should curb the vehicles promotion by making strict laws against easy availability of driving license and fine or punishment if driving unchecked vehicles against air and noise pollution. Industries should be made to dispose their chemicals and smoke safely so as not to pollute the air and water. Strict laws and cancellation of their industrial license should be enacted. If everyone could use water sensibly and avoid polluting substances India would become a super power rich in natural resources and hygiene. Short term practical solutions: Keeping the surroundings clean and maintaining a social responsibility to preserve and conserve our natural resources is every individual’s imminent responsibility Creating social awareness of this burning issue among the general public by conducting seminars, student programs and through entertainment to educate even the uneducated and down trodden To keep water bodies clean and check for pollution from nearby factories and industries Proper recycle of industrial wastes Undeterred implementation of government development schemes Strict implementation of anti pollution laws Increasing facilities in public transport and curtailing the use of private transport facilities Planting more trees Long term practical solutions: general infrastructure of the cities and towns should be properly planned and implemented keeping the long term benefit in mind strict adherence to herbal petrol and enabling gas or pollution free fuel regular pollution control checks in vehicles and factories strict laws against faulty companies which release industrial waste into water bodies building tanks, dams and reservoirs to save the excess rain water from reaching the sea soil promotion and banning chemical pesticides in agriculture organic farming should be encouraged and promoted funds must be set aside for developmental projects awareness for the need for funds should be created among NRI and all steps to utilize these funds properly should be undertaken social organizations, business establishments and individuals should be encouraged to undertake or adopt certain social duties to minimize government pressure Singapore is the world’s second free economy and second most competitive Asian economy. It is the best connected countries with a robust infrastructure to suit another century or so. Globally connected, top ranking business environment, with stable infrastructure and diverse world class business solutions has made Singapore the top ranked and most preferred business ground. Free trade will definitely enable people from all over the world to throng Singapore but how does it maintain its resources against the growing demand, how is it possible for this small nation to keep its streets and water bodies clean and vehicles free from polluting the atmosphere. With a total land area of only 699.0 sq. km together with the mainland and other small islands surrounding it has a annual rainfall of about 2,136 mm. the resident population is 4,483,900 and mainly consist of immigrants from neighboring Asian countries like china and India. The literacy rate above 15 years is 95% and the per capita GDP is S$ 44,666. Labor force in this country is 2,367,300 and the unemployment rate is just 3.4%. ( http://www.sedb.com/edb/sg/en_uk/index/why_singapore/singapore_rankings.html ) The country synthesis report on urban air quality management conducted in 2006 clearly states the measures taken by Singapore to prevent or restrict air pollution. The ambient AQ is regularly monitored with the help of 14 air monitoring machines placed across the island of Singapore. This monitoring has aided in the review of pollution control measures and this has given a positive result in controlling air pollution in the country. AQ monitoring methods used are based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The offenders were prosecuted and were required to take remedial action. Since 1971 many laws are set up to maintain clean air focusing much on vehicular pollution and industrialization. The EPCA combines laws for air, water and noise pollution and gives a legislative framework to control pollution of the environment. Lead petrol was stopped and slowly the level of sulfur from diesel was also reduced considerably to control and reduce emission from vehicles. Ultra low sulfur diesel was introduced to implement euro 4 emission standard and it took effect from October 2006. Air quality in Singapore is the best in the world and it was possible only through strict measures taken by the government to control emission and resolve different forms of pollution. Green plan 2012 is another great step undertaken to further improve the quality of the environment for the years to come. (http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/category_sub.asp?cid=29 ) Highly compatible and well maintained reservoirs catch every drop of rain water and this is utilized by almost half of Singapore uses this water. New projects to build new dams and reservoirs desalination plants, etc are also are being developed. To aid in this mission MEWater is set up which is high quality water received from water reclamation from 2003. Sustainability and cleanliness of water supply and environment is maintained well as Singapore stands tall as a very good example of how we should conserve and preserve our natural resources for a better tomorrow. It is clearly evident that Singapore has successfully implemented anti pollutant measures and even though its economy is growing fast the infrastructure and the low pollution levels are unchanged. There is enough water to meet all the growing needs and the greenery and the cleanliness stands proof of the people commitment to make their country a higher power standing out and setting an example to all other nations. Asian countries like India and china can take this as an example and with proper coordination with this country try to implement such strict rules in their country too. Finally it is a joint responsibility of both the government and the individuals and they should both commit themselves to make a better, cleaner and pollution free nation not only for us but also to our future generations. Reference: Survey of Indian resources – research paper submitted to the Annamalai Open University. India   www.indiastat.com http://www.sedb.com/edb/sg/en_uk/index/why_singapore/singapore_rankings.html http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/category_sub.asp?cid=29             How to cite Environmental issues in Asia, Essay examples

Romeo And Juliet, Lovers For All Time 2 Essays -

Romeo And Juliet, Lovers For All Time 2 Romeo and Juliet, Lovers for All Times For: English 442 Purdue University ?1998 Chrisitan L Mattix -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ever since the publications of the good quarto, published in 1599, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, has been one of the classics of Western literature (Evans 1093). In being this, it has been produced many different times, in many different ways. I will be discussing how the production of this great play has changed over time. First, though, I will supply a little background for the play. The stories of two star-crossed lovers and forbidden passion are not new to literature. There were many works before Romeo and Juliet from which Shakespeare borrowed. Some of these include Mosuccio of Salerno in his 1476 work, Il Novellin o, Luigi da Proto with his Istoria . . .di due nobili Amanti, in about 1530, and Arthur Brookes three thousand line poem titled The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet, published in 1562 (Evans 1055). All of these had the same themes as Romeo and Juliet. This borrowing of ideas and loose use of the text continued in the manner in which the play has been produced. In 1745 and 1750 David Garrick direct several productions of Romeo and Juliet (Branam 170). In these productions he made several changed to both the way the characters are presented and to the play itself. In a 1748 text, Garrick wrote a note To the Reader: The alterations in the following play are few and trifling, except in the last act; the design was to clear the Original, as much as possible from the Jingle and the Quibble, which were always thought the great objections to reviving it (qtd. In Branam 173). Garrick uses several means to remove the Jingle and Quibble from the play (Branam 173). Where he thought the rhyme and wordplay to be excessive he would compact it. For example the long drawn out exchange between Samson and Gregory in the first scene is compressed to four lines: Sam. Gregory, I strike quickly, being mov'd. Gred. But thou are not quickly mov'd to strike. Sam. A dog of the house of Montague moves. Greg. Draw thy tool then, for here come of that house. (qtd. In Branam 173) Garrick also took liberty with Romeo's lyrical nature. He shortened many of Romeo's lines in order to dull it somewhat. For example, Garrick shortens: Why such is love's transgression. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast; Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest With more of thine: this love that thou hast shown Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. From act one, scene one, to: Which thou wilt propagate with more of thine; This love, that thou hast shewn in my concern, Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. in his 1748 text (Branam 173-174). In reading the play the rhyme is missed, but in watching a performance the mood is more set by the interaction of the two lovers, then the actual words. Another change that Garrick made, albeit reluctantly and under pressure, was the complete removal of Rosaline from the play. In 1784 he explains: Many people have imagin'd that the sudden change of Romeo's Love from Rosaline to Juliet was a blemish in his Character, but alteration of that kind was thought too bold to be attempted; Shakespear [sic.] has dwelt particularly upon it, and so great a judge of human nature, knew that to be young and inconstant was extremely natural (qtd. In Branam 177). Garrick's largest, and most prominent, change was in modifying the tomb scene. Here Garrick borrows from Thomas Otwayis History and Fall of Caius Marius, published in 1679 and based on Romeo and Juliet (Branam 174). In Shakespeare's original work the act of the poison on Romeo is almost instantaneous, but in Garricks new rendition the poison acts slowly. This gives new light to both Romeo and Juliet's characters. Garrick designed the scene to be more tragic then the original play. In this rendition, Romeo sees Juliet and she speaks to him: I now remember well Each circumstance Oh my lord, my Romeo! Had'st thou not come, sure I slept for ever: But there's a sovereign charm in thy embraces That can revive the dead Oh honest Friar!

Hard Times Essays - Literature, Hard Times, British Literature

Hard Times Essays - Literature, Hard Times, British Literature Hard Times In Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times a conflict between Tom and his father Mr. Gradgrind is caused by childhood devoid of fancy. Tom rebels from such a past by gambling, drinking and other unsavory habits. This father/son conflict enhances the meaning of the work by showing how an improper upbringing can lead to failure in adult life. Mr. Gradgrind's whole philosophy on life was that life itself should be composed entirely of facts and nothing else. He believed the only way to make a successful man was to strip away the very essence of his childhood, fun and fancy. Gradgrind forced his beliefs upon his children Louisa and Tom and while Louisa simply became incapable of love, Tom vowed for vengeance against his father's dogma. Tom plans to enjoy life and wreak havoc at the same time when he moves out of their house the Stone Lodge. He finances his expenses through Bounderby whom he manipulates by incorporating his needs to seem in his sister's favor. Tom also uses his sister's great love for him by preparing her to marry Bounderby as this will help in increasing his financial means. Tom lies to Stephen Blackpool telling him to loiter around the bank for a job opportunity when in fact he is preparing to frame Stephen for a robbery he commits. Tom does not go unpunished for his evil deeds for his planting the seeds of dishonesty he reaps the harvest of guilt and isolation. When the villagers bring Blackpool out of Old Hell Shaft he clears himself of the robbery by naming Tom as the man who told him to reside outside of the bank. Tom attempts to escape from the country and after a brief encounter with the interfering Bitzer he manages to leave and never return. Tom finishes the rest of his life as solitary depressed man his last words pleading for forgiveness. In Hard Times Dickens' portrayal of the conflict between Gradgrind and his son contributes to the message against the Utilitarian school of thought. Since the child never learned the fancies of society the man abused them to the point of self-destruction. Tom's life was led down the path to tragedy by his father's strict interpretation of the All-Fact No-Fancy way of "life".

The Difference Between the Words Aural and Oral

The Difference Between the Words 'Aural' and 'Oral' The words aural and oral are often confused, most likely because theyre nearly homophones (that is, words that sound the same). While the two words are related, theyre not interchangeable and in fact are in contrast with one another. Heres what you should know before using these words in your writing or speech. Definitions The adjective aural refers to sounds perceived by the ear. For instance, a musicians aural skills might refer to their ability to identify melodies and intervals by hearing them, rather than seeing them written out in sheet music. The adjective oral relates to the mouth: spoken rather than written. In everyday life, its often used in the context of dentistry (i.e. an oral exam checks for cavities, gum disease, etc.). It can also be used to describe something spoken, often in contrast with writing. For instance, a foreign language class might have a two-part exam: a written exam as well as an oral exam that requires speaking the language aloud. Origins Aural derives from the Latin word auris, which means ear. Oral dervies from the Latin oralis, which in turn derived from the Latin os, meaning mouth. Pronunciations In common speech, aural and oral are often pronounced similarly, which can contribute to the confusion between the two words. However, the vowel sounds at the beginning of each word are technically pronounced differently, and one can consciously emphasize those differences if confusion seems likely. The first syllable of oral is pronounced as it looks: like the conjunction or, as in this or that. The first syllable of aural, with the au- diphthong, sounds more similar to the ah or aw sound, like in audio or automobile. Examples: Harlems brand of ragtime was not made to accompany dancing or seduction; its only aim was aural delight. . . . The music flourished where it could feed, and feed off of, high spirits.(David A. Jasen and Gene Jones, Black Bottom Stomp. Routledge, 2002)Poetry remembers that it was an oral art before it was a written art.(Jorge Luis Borges) Usage Note: For many speakers of English, these words sound the same. But for all, their meanings are distinct. Aural refers to the ear or to hearing: aural disease, a memory that was predominantly aural. Oral refers to the mouth or to speaking: an oral vaccine, an oral report.In certain contexts, the difference can be more subtle than might be expected. An oral tradition is one that is conveyed primarily by speech (as opposed to writing, for example), whereas an aural tradition is one that is conveyed primarily by sounds (as opposed to images, for instance). (The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style. Houghton Mifflin, 2005) Answers to Practice Exercises: Aural and Oral (a) Tall tales and legends have filtered down to us through oral traditions and early written records.(b) Her music is the aural equivalent of a deep breath of country air. Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words

Marxism and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marxism and Culture - Essay Example Marxism is not a culture, but has necessarily created a culture that Marxism depends on to self-replicate across time and throughout the class stratifications. Classical Marxism was a strict theory of labor and economics and was for all practical purposes devoid of any culture. Structural Marxism began to see the interactions of social classes and their impact on production. The media portrays the classes that are necessary for an orderly economic system and they become a part of our culture. Economic status, occupation, and social position all become cultural values. According to Butler, "Marx himself argued that pre-capitalist economic formations could not be fully extricated from the cultural and symbolic worlds in which they were embedded" (42). Values, norms, history, and heritage all become the ingredients of a culture that provides a willing and capable workforce for the ruling class. The culture, social structure, intellectual debate, and economic system cannot be divorced or stand independently. The world is made up of social groups that work either independently or interdependently to create their own culture. Groups may be formed and maintained on the basis of family, economics, geography, education, or occupation. Closely related to these social groups is the functional quality that they contribute to society's ability to produce and sustain.

Fire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fire - Essay Example These aspects will include appropriation, crowding, privacy, territoriality, and personal space. A hospital setting needs to be spacious to allow patients to feel well accommodated and enhance visiting process by their friends and relatives. People in hospitals need personal space to feel at home. According to Sommer, personal space means an emotionally tinged zone around the human body that people feel they own it. The zone varies according to internal states, culture, and context (Sommer, 2002). There is need to design a cubical for each patient to give them enough personal space. In case of a fire originating form one of the cubicles, it is easier to contain it, control it, and put it off before it spreads to other cubicles. This is unlike a situation where many patients share same room. A territory is another aspect of human interaction with the environment. According to Griffon, territoriality is a pattern of behaviour or attitudes held by a person attempting to control a physical space by marking, personalisation, defence, or physical occupation (Brown, 2005). In a hospital setting, persons will tend to defend their territories for a period of time they will be in the hospital. It will vary by characters of person’s gender, and age. Therefore, designing places that people of differing characters can call their own when in the hospital will allow nurses to give them care in a convenient setup. However, it is necessary to take care not to put lockable doors on the cubicles. In case of fire, it is easy to remove curtains on the doors and evacuate patients through it other than breaking in if there was a door. Every human being needs privacy, which include access to self and one’s group. In a hospital setting, patients, nurses, and visitors need privacy as they attend to each other. Nurses need a quiet workplace with social places where they can connect to each other outside work. Additionally,

Study On A Paperless System Information Technology Essay

Study On A Paperless System Information Technology Essay Many organizations, in an effort to increase their effectiveness and efficiency in order to develop competitive advantages in their marketplace, are eager to develop information technology on their business systems. The age of information technology provides possibilities for an effective coordination of business process. Different partners and parties transact electronically in the modern commerce environment and this creates a push factor for accounting and auditing systems to convert into paperless forms as well. Over the last decade, climate change became one of the top key concerns for all countries. More and more nations are concerned with the sustainability of the worlds environment and are trying to contribute by various policies such as reducing their carbon footprints, conserving on resources, building greener environments and preserving wildlife habitats. The challenge is to maintain economic growth without threatening the long term survival prospects of mankind. One of the key issues with regards to the environment is deforestation. Food and Agricultural Senior Forestry Officer, Dieter Schoene, said, at a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change workshop in 2006, that We are working to solve two of the key environmental issues deforestation and global warming at the same time The removal of trees causes many problems including destruction of natural habitat and damage to our atmosphere. One reason for deforestation is the production of paper. Paper pulp is made of wood. Paper production accounts for about a large percentage of felled trees, and thus paper conservation has been a key concern for the world with plenty of researchers, conservation groups, campaigns and initiatives with the aim of reducing paper usage. A typical sale transaction will consist of but not limited to: the quote, the purchase order, the proforma invoice, the delivery note, the sales invoice. This means that one transaction will use at least five pieces of paper and this does not include other documents like the bank payment advice, beneficiary advice and other functions that lead to the sale. In 2007, Singapore had at least 160,000 small medium enterprises. If each business had a conservative average of 20 sale transactions per month, 16 million sheets of paper would have been used which is the equivalent of 32,000 reams of paper. That would mean to the world a lost of at least 1,800 trees every month just because of Singapores SMEs alone. Paperless system is used for automating the accounting information processes. Automation in accounting system means reducing the paper dependency, and it will provide effectiveness. An effective paperless business system will make paper an option rather than a necessity and thus reducing the usage of paper in the corporate world. It is for this reason that paperless systems have also become a need for business processes with many professionals believing that going paperless is no longer an option but a must. Another reason is that paperless systems involve technology which could make the business much more effective. The rapid rise of paperless business solutions and providers around the world goes to show that more and more businesses have identified pursuing a paperless office as a strategy that can help them gain a competitive advantage in their marketplace. It has been observed that internationally (Hannon, Neal 2004) many regions are adopting and shifting towards electronic transactions, electronic business systems and even the development of Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL), a standardized digital language for business financial reporting. The EU for example already has a large and extensive list of directives covering the usage of electronic transmission of financial transactions, customs and trade documents, taxation issues, online privacy and security. Almost all countries in Asia have electronic transaction laws, with the exception of Sri Lanka and Nepal which have pending legislation. In Singapore there are many statutes that govern the administration of documents within organizations. A recent addition is the Electronic Transactions Act 2010 where it is specifically stated that where a rule of law requires any document, record or information to be retained, or provides for certain consequences if it is not, that requirement is satisfied by retaining the document, record or information in the form of an electronic record if conditions are satisfied (Singapore Statutes). The Singapore Standard for Auditing, namely SSA 500, also deals with electronic documentation. It has specified that electronic evidences are accepted as long as they fulfill the requirements. However it has also stated that electronic evidences are not as reliable as original documents. This contradicts the Electronic Transactions Act 2010 where the original documents may actually be in electronic forms. It is in the above context that this study attempts to investigate the awareness of the implementation of the Electronics Transactions Act 2010 in Singapore. It further attempts to examine whether such awareness translates into an intention to adopt paperless accounting systems and if there is no intention to adopt paperless accounting systems then the reasons for companies resisting the intention to pursue a paperless office. For the above purpose, the study will conduct a survey on the awareness of paperless accounting and the Electronic Transactions Act 2010 in Singapore and whether it has impacted the way businesses operate in various industries. It will also survey on the reasons that hamper businesses from adopting electronic transactions as part of their operation models. The study will also attempt to find out what can be possible push factors to help businesses adopt paperless accounting. LITERATURE REVIEW The case for paperless accounting and chasing paperless offices have been researched and discussed by many practitioners and researchers, yielding a lot of literature on this topic both in popular and academic sources 2.1 The Case for Paperless Accounting Paperless accounting is based on electronic transactions where all business transactions are recorded electronically. The literature available on this topic is generally from popular sources with very little scholarly research attempted. The literature on paperless accounting from both popular and academic sources is primarily targeted on the benefits of going paperless, ways to implement a paperless office. They are focused on building the case for businesses to adopt a paperless strategy. Many researchers and practitioners believed that businesses must adopt paperless processes as part of their strategies. As a company grows and the transactions increase it will require a paperless system for its business processes (Webster 2004). James Blaylock (2005) believed that Going paperless is no longer an option, but must for a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). Businesses have to go paperless in order to keep up with their competition. The mentality has changed. For example in 2005, a survey by PCPS/Texas Society of CPAs National Management of Accounting Practice (MAP) showed that 41% of CPA respondents indicated that they would consider going paperless, and 20% already have done it. 25% of the firms are planning to go paperless, but 13% will not consider it. Later in 2008, CCH Incorporated surveyed accountancy practitioners who have implemented paperless system. Of those of were surveyed, 95% would recommend the idea of setting up paperless offices to other users. However some researchers have also challenged the notion that paperless is the way to go. Paper is still the most widely used form of document medium due to its many benefits that is not easy to replace and will still co-exist with electronic documents in the long term (Liu and Stork, 2000) Paper usage cannot be reduced significantly unless work practices are re-organized and the digital alternative to paper has to be improved. Until that happens, offices will still most likely have paper around (Sellen 2003). This view is further re-emphasized by Gragg (2004) where he pointed out that it is difficult to depend solely on electronic documentation due to swift developments in software technology and hard copies will unlikely go away permanently. It is also wrong to assume that there will be no printing costs in a paperless office since a lot of people will carry on to print out the documents that are sent to them electronically, even if huge investments have been made to obtain technol ogy that help to store documents digitally. What Sellen and Gragg observed in 2003 and 2004 respectively still hold true today. The world usage of paper is still increasing. Some businesses still stick to paper. Even those which have invested in technology to automate their business processes still rely heavily on paper documents. For example, it is not uncommon to see executives printing out hard copies of their email correspondences. Logistics and shipping companies still require hardcopies of the bills of lading and certificates on goods. Banks and tax authorities still require hardcopies of hand-signed institutional documents. In such cases, businesses should look at usage of recycled paper which is more environmentally friendly although the ultimate aim should still be at reduction eventually. Therefore the case for paperless offices is very obvious with many benefits that all businesses should strive to achieve. Paperless accounting can bring about increased efficiency while at the same time lowering the costs of accounting (Gullkvist 2002). Brian Steinert, director of specialty software product management at CCH, in a supplement to Accounting Today, said that Because of the amazing efficiencies that result from streamlined, integrated workflows; because of the greater productivity brought about when professionals have anytime/anywhere access to what they need and anywhere/anytime ability to collaborate with their peers; because young professionals expect and embrace paperless processes; because all professionals will spend more time on high-level, high-value work; because money will be saved in the long run simply by buying and storing much less paper. Cost reduction will be the primary objective for many vendors who are considering implement paperless business processes (Davis 2005). Reduction in paper usage will also reduce the damage to the environment. The amount of literature available on paperless accounting suggests that it is a widely known concept around the world. However the lack of literature on the adoption rate of paperless accounting systems even in the United States and Europe, which are considered to be more developed in terms of technology, suggests that the actual awareness of the public is much lesser. A survey on the awareness of paperless accounting in Singapore should yield negative results. 2.2 Electronic Transactions Act in Singapore Many regions around the world are experiencing pressures for legal and regulatory changes due to the growth of paperless offices. The paperless office demands that transactions are documented electronically. Therefore the laws related, for example taxation and contract laws, need to be updated to recognize digital records of transactions as legal documents. As the information technology environment develops over time, nations will also move to improve their laws governing electronic commerce. This can be observed from the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts (UN Convention), adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 23rd November 2005 which was based upon the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce issued in 1998. The main driver for the new Convention was the fact that the electronic commerce environment in 2005 was very different from 1998 due to the evolution of the Internet. Singapore, being the first country in 1998 to follow the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce, on 7 July 2010 was the first Asian country to confirm its alignment to the new Convention, which is aimed at minimizing differences between laws in different countries. Therefore Singapore needs to update its Electronic Transactions Act (ETA) 1998 to complement the UN Convention and this resulted in ETA 2010. The ETA 2010, although based on the one in 1998, has introduced many key changes, one of it being Clause 9 which provides that Where a rule of law requires certain documents, records or information to be retained, the requirement is satisfied by retaining them in the form of electronic records subject to certain safeguards. If the rule of law already expressly provides for such retention in electronic records, the clause will not apply. A public agency may impose additional requirements for the retention of electronic records under its jurisdiction. This is the critical change that allows for the feasibility of a paperless office as businesses are no longer required to keep paper records of their business transactions by law. Besides financial reporting purposes, the other reason that companies archive their financial transactions is for audit purposes. In the Singapore Standard on Auditing under SSA 500, A31 states that Audit evidence in documentary form, whether paper, electronic, or other medium, is more reliable than evidence obtained orally (for example, a contemporaneously written record of a meeting is more reliable than a subsequent oral representation of the matters discussed) This is consistent with the ETA 2010 and further enhances the notion that companies no longer have to generate invoices in paper forms. Businesses can choose to issue their invoices in digital formats to their clients. The digital invoice will be recognized in the eyes of the law as a legal document. As the ETA 2010 was passed only in July this year, it is expected that most executives will be unaware of this change in the Act and subsequently, most will not have plans to adopt paperless accounting systems yet. The survey will attempt to determine if this is indeed the case. METHODOLOGY The primary research instrument used in this paper is a questionnaire which is piloted among members of the public working in finance related positions across a wide range of industries. The diversity of the members surveyed was as wide as possible in order to obtain a good mix of responses from members in both IT-savvy industries and non IT-savvy industries. The survey was administered and collected between October-November 2010. In keeping with the topic that is being discussed the questionnaires were sent out either via e-mail as attachments or through transfers via thumb drives and respondents were encouraged to complete and return in the same manner. The questions were structured in order to get feedback of respondents awareness of the Electronic Transactions Act 2010, whether it has impacted the way their businesses operate. If it has no impact yet, the survey will aim to find out why the business has not adopted a paperless transactions as part of its operations and what factors will push the business to adopt paperless systems. Surveys were distributed to 200 possible respondents from through digital survey forms. Although the target members were requested to reply in digital formats with respect to the topic in questions, some respondents replied through their own paper formats of the survey. Instructions and explanations are clearly stated should the respondents face any difficulties in understanding the questions. RESULTS 4.1 Question one After 2 reminders, the surveys were returned by 124 (62 percent respond rate) respondents. The breakdown of the respondents according to their industries is shown in the chart below. Chart 4.1 Breakdown by Industries Although an attempt to survey a wide diversity of respondents was made, 47% of the respondents came from the Banking and Finance and the IT industry. This is highly due to the fact that almost half of the 200 surveys were distributed at 2 commercial buildings physically where the tenants at both buildings consisted mainly of companies providing financial services or IT-related services. In order to obtain a more accurate response rate for different industries, the survey should have been distributed in a fixed number per industry. It must also be mentioned that a larger sample of respondents is needed in order to obtain more accurate results that can be indicative of the total population. 4.2 Question 2 The second question of the survey was to find out whether the respondents were aware of paperless accounting. The results of the survey are shown below. Q1 Q2 Yes No Banking and Finance 32 19 13 Fashion 5 1 4 Food Beverage 13 1 12 IT 26 9 17 Logistics 4 0 4 Manufacturing 11 2 9 Pharmaceutical 1 0 1 Property 1 1 0 Retail 20 1 19 Trade 10 4 6 Government 1 0 1 Total 124 38 86 Table 4.1 Question 2 results Out of the 124 respondents, 69% of the respondents were unaware of what is paperless accounting. This is consistent with what was concluded in the literature review. Although paperless accounting is widely discussed in both popular and academic articles, the adoption and awareness rates are much lower. This is especially the case as shown by the results above, where almost 74% of the respondents who are aware of paperless accounting come from IT-savvy industries. And even within the IT-savvy industries, only 28 out of the 58 respondents (48%) are aware of what is paperless accounting. Clearly, more has to be done in order to increase the awareness. 4.3 Question 3 The third question of the survey asked if respondents are aware of the Electronic Transactions Act 2010. As discussed in the literature review, the awareness level should be low since this Act was only in effect since Jul 2010. The results of the survey are listed below. Q1 Q3 Yes No Banking and Finance 32 6 26 Fashion 5 1 4 Food Beverage 13 0 13 IT 26 6 20 Logistics 4 0 4 Manufacturing 11 0 11 Pharmaceutical 1 0 1 Property 1 0 1 Retail 20 0 20 Trade 10 1 9 Government 1 0 0 Total 124 14 110 Table 4.2 Question 3 Results The results are almost one-sided with 88% of the respondents stating that they are unaware of the Electronic Transactions Act 2010. Most are unaware that invoices no longer need to be in paper form and can be sent via electronic means. This can be considered as a failure on the part of the government when the residents of a country are unaware that the country is the first Asian country to ratify the UN Convention. The government will need to raise awareness through more media coverage, campaigns and gazettes. 4.4 Question 4 The fourth question of the survey tries to find the adoption rate of paperless accounting by businesses in Singapore. The results are tabulated below. Q1 Q4 Yes No Banking and Finance 19 0 19 Fashion 1 0 1 Food Beverage 1 0 1 IT 9 6 3 Logistics 0 0 0 Manufacturing 2 0 2 Pharmaceutical 0 0 0 Property 1 0 1 Retail 1 0 1 Trade 4 1 3 Government 0 0 0 Total 38 7 31 Table 4.3 Question 4 Results Since the results of the previous 2 questions have indicated that there is a lack of awareness of paperless accounting and the Electronic Transactions Act 2010, only 38 respondents answered this question. The rate of adoption of paperless accounting systems cannot be high. Based on these 38 respondents, only 18% of the companies implemented paperless systems. Based on the results of this survey, Singapore is on a long road to becoming a paperless society. It is worthy to note that among the 19 respondents in the Banking and Finance industry who are aware of what paperless systems are; none of them were in companies that implemented such systems. This is highly likely due to the nature of their industry where paper documents are required. 4.5 Question 5 Question 5 asked respondents, whose companies have not implemented paperless systems, the reasons behind their companies decisions. A list of 5 options was offered to the respondents and they were allowed to choose more than one. The following chart shows their responses. Chart 4.2 Reasons for not adopting Paperless Systems Out of the 38 respondents, only 3 felt that paperless systems were costly. A majority of 30 felt that their suppliers and clients required paper documents and thus there was no need for them to adopt paperless systems. This clearly shows that the respondents and their clients/supplier as well are unaware of the new Electronics Transaction Act 2010. Half of the respondents felt that paperless systems are not adopted as it was not a standard procedure in their industry. Thus if their competitors started adopting paperless systems, they will highly likely follow suit as well. 13 respondents felt that there was no need to implement paperless systems since it is not mandatory by law and 7 felt that there were not many incentives to adopt such systems. 4.6 Question 6 Question 6 surveyed all the respondents on the factors that will push their companies to adopt paperless accounting. Again, a list of 5 options was offered and respondents were allowed to choose more than one option. The chart below shows their response. Chart 4.3 Push Factors for Paperless Accounting The biggest push factor for companies to adopt paperless accounting systems is for the government to make is a legal requirement. This is indicated by the response of 66% of those surveyed. 76 of the respondents indicated that they will consider adopting paperless systems if it is one of their industry standards. Half of the respondents felt that there is a need to create more awareness of paperless accounting. It is also worthwhile to note that less than 30% of respondents are looking at incentives and costs of adopting paperless accounting. CONCLUSION This survey, carried out in late 2010, found a low level of awareness and adoption rate of paperless accounting. The results of this study must be interpreted in the light of the response rate of 62%, which were obtained after 2 reminders. The final sample size of 124 respondents is definitely not a good indicator of the total population. The fact that 47% of respondents came from 2 out of at least 8 different industries shows that the distribution of the survey was not conducted wide enough although the time given for the survey to be conducted has to be taken into consideration. Basically this means that more time and resources need to be allowed in order for a similar survey to be conducted on a wider scale. A survey that yields at least 1000 respondents that are equally distributed across different industries will be a better indicator of the total population. The results of the survey indicate low awareness of both paperless accounting and the new Electronic Transactions Act 2010. Survey respondents have indicated that there should be more awareness made about paperless accounting. This indicates that there is a lot of potential in the Singapore market for companies that provide digital document management services. The government can increase the awareness of paperless accounting by setting up a national framework for a paperless society as well. This framework should be aimed at resolving the issues that are creating resistance to paperless accounting and helping Singapore businesses to switch to paperless accounting systems progressively. When businesses adopt paperless accounting systems, there are a few authorities that will have to be involved as well. For example, the Monetary Authority of Singapore will have to look into solutions that can enable banking and financial institutions to adopt paperless business processes without compromising on risks and securities. The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority will have to look into the acceptance of electronic financial statements. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore will have to come up with solutions that enable business to file their taxes electronically. By creating such frameworks and support, businesses can be assured of a smoother and easier transition as they adopt paperless accounting systems. This will greatly reduce the resistance to the adoption of paperless business processes that currently exists. The survey results should be interpreted with caution as they indicate only respondents awareness of paperless accounting and the Electronic Transactions Act 2010. However it does indicate that there is a need for more research to be done regarding actual business adoption rates of paperless systems and the benefits that both companies and the environment enjoy with the reduced usage of paper.

Level of Awareness of BSTM Students Essay

This chapter is divided into five parts: (1) Background and Theoretical Framework of the Study, (2) Statement of the Problem and Hypothesis, (3) Significance of the Study, (4) Definition of Terms, and (5) Delimitation of the Study. Part One, Background of the Study and Theoretical Framework of the Study, presents the rationale for choosing the problem and the Theoretical Framework upon which study was anchored. Part Two, Statement of the Problem and the Hypotheses, states the main and the specific problems of the research including the hypotheses. Part Three, Significance of the Study, cites the benefits that may be derived from the findings of the investigation. Part Four, Definition of Terms, gives the conceptual and operational meanings of the important terms used in the study. Part 5, Delimitation of the Study, specifies the scope and coverage of the study. Background and Theoretical Framework of the Study Capiz is a 1st class province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. It is dubbed to be rich in sea food products, and more likely to the brilliant Capiz shell that is produced here, making them as a decorative lantern, windows, vases, etc. Aside from this, the Province of Capiz also holds good fishing grounds and a major contributor in the aquamarine industry of the Philippines. To add, there are more to this in Capiz, with protected minerals, limestones, and gold from unexplored caves. (Captivating Capiz Brochure) Capiz is known for its seafood, but apart from that Capiz has a lot more to offer. Talking of many things to offer we have cultural, we have religious, we have food or palate heritage and most all of we have our own built heritage. Traditionally, it is classified as intangible or tangible, movable or immovable, natural or cultural, personal or communal. Usually, heritage is perceived as something without use or practical value and has no return of investment. Moreover, some view its preservation as something contrary to modernization, westernization or globalization, which are concepts equated with development. (Zerrudo) Nowadays, the Province of Capiz nurtures the aesthetic beauty of the places. Several major events have been venue in the Province of Capiz and making this as a promotion to the developing province. Culinary tourism is now one of the boast of the province but to enhance the developing place several of the heritages are now open to the public for educational purposes and awareness. Apparently, the Province of Capiz also treasures the heritage of both ecological and cultural areas; it may be tangible of intangible aspects of heritage. So much of Capiz contributed to the History of the Republic of The Philippines, many of the prominent persons came from the Province that made a great change to the renewal of the country, and many of the places have been preserved for the commemoration of the history that has happened in the place. Heritage conservation is action taken to sustain the value, meaning and significance of cultural resources from the past, for the use of the present and inspiration of future generations. And all decisions of conservation are based on the significance and meaning, the core value of a heritage resource. There are various types of significance such as historical, architectural, aesthetic, spiritual or social. It is established through physical, oral and archival research and study and is embodied in the place itself, its fabric, a setting, use, associations, meanings, records, related places and related objects (Australia ICOMOS, 1999). Heritage conservation is about protection and promotion of heritage significance or making heritage meaningful to the community. (Zerrudo) Heritage conservation maintains links with our past by preserving significant structures, historical and cultural sites and settings. Our built heritage is evidence of our political history and socioeconomic development; it reflects our shared values, and is tangible proof of Filipino excellence and creativity. This study is focused on examining how Tourism Students of Filamer Christian University are aware of the preservation of heritage sites in the Province of Capiz. Figure 1 shows the framework of the study. INDEPENDENT VARIABLEDEPENDENT VARIABLE Figure 1. The participants’ assessment of awareness of the heritage sites and the preservation process of the heritage sites in the Province of Capiz as influenced by certain personal factors. Statement of the Problem and the Hypotheses This study aimed to determine the perceived level of awareness of the Tourism Students of Filamer Christian University towards the heritage sites and the preservation process. Specifically it sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the level of awareness towards the heritage sites in the Province of Capiz are as assessed by the participants taken as an entire group and classifies according to: (a) age. (b) sex, (c) year level, (d) district? 2. What is the level of awareness of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management in Protecting and Preserving the Heritage Sites of Capiz and participants are taken as an entire group and classifies according to: (a) age, (b) sex, (c) year level and (d) district? 3. Are there significant differences in the level of awareness towards the heritage sites in the Province of Capiz are as assessed by the participants taken as an entire group and classify according to: (a) age. (b) sex, (c) year level, (d) district? 4. Are there significant differences in the level of awareness of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management in Protecting and Preserving the Heritage Sites of Capiz and participants are taken as an entire group and classify according to: (a) age, (b) sex, (c) year level and (d) district? 5. Are there significant relationships among the level of awareness towards the heritage sites in the Province of Capiz are as assessed by the participants taken as an entire group and classify according to: (a) age. (b) sex, (c) year level, (d) district? In view of the aforementioned problems, the following hypotheses were advanced: 1. There is no significance differences in the level of awareness towards the heritage sites in the Province of Capiz are as assessed by the participants taken as an entire group and classifies according to: (a) age. (b) sex, (c) year level, (d) district. 2. There is no significance differences in the level of awareness of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management in Protecting and Preserving the Heritage Sites of Capiz and participants are taken as an entire group and classifies according to: (a) age, (b) sex, (c) year level and (d) district. 3. There is no significance relationships among the level of awareness towards the heritage sites in the Province of Capiz are as assessed by the participants taken as an entire group and classifies according to: (a) age. (b) sex, (c) year level, (d) district. Significance of the Study The results of this study may be beneficial to the following: Provincial tourism office. The result of this study may be beneficial to the provincial tourism office in developing the Province of Capiz as a tourist destination. Local government units. The local government units may use the findings from this research as a guide to develop the heritage sites in the Province of Capiz. Local businessmen. Local businessmen may find the result of the study useful in customizing products to satisfy the needs of the tourist. Colleges and universities. The results of the study may provide insights to school administrators, especially those offering hospitality management programs in promoting community awareness and helping the Province of Capiz boosts its local tourism. Researchers. The investigation may greatly help other future researchers who wish to replicates this study. Definition of Terms For the purpose of clarity and precision, important terms in this study were given their conceptual and operational meanings: Awareness — Heritage — a broad concept that includes tangible assets, such as a natural and cultural environment, encompassing landscape, historic places, sites and built environment as well as intangible assets such as collections, past and continuing cultural practices, knowledge, and living experiences (ICOMOS 1999). Preservation — is the maintenance of something, especially something of historic value, in an unchanged condition. Protection — is the act of preventing somebody or something from being harmed or damaged, or state of being kept safe. (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.  © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved). Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature A lot has been written about heritage tourism. Richards (1996; 2000) for example views tourism as heritage – it is one of the most powerful modern traditions. In a broad view, he connects heritage tourism with the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, gives the profile of cultural and heritage tourists and explains current trends and future directions of this type of tourism. Poria (2001) challenged the present approach to heritage tourism researching specifically the tourists’ perception of the site while Chen (1988) examines travel motivation of heritage tourists. Masberg and Silverman (1996) deal with visitor experiences at heritage sites. Bauman (1995) wrote about politics of historical representation of the heritage. The importance that must be given to local landscapes in the planning of cultural and/or historical attractions is the subject of Teo’s and Yeoh’s (1997) study on remaking local heritage for tourism. The title of the Herbert’s (1995) book ‘Heritage, Tourism and Society’ reveals a broader approach to the issue although it is of a greater value to the heritage manager than the tourism practitioner since it relates mostly to exploration of the concept of heritage and its troublesome connections with tourism. Boniface and Fowler (1993) write about heritage and tourism in ‘the global village’ from the aspect of heritage sites protection assigning responsibilities to each of the actors in the chain. They also write about heritage presentation and interpretation. How museums compete with tourism in the production of ‘heritage’ is the subject of Kirshenblatt-Gimblett’s book ‘Destination Culture: Tourism Museums, and Heritage. The authors of the book reviewed here have previously also written a lot about the subject focusing on some of the aspects presented in the book in a more integrative way. The previous list is only an excerpt from the existing literature on heritage tourism and shows how ‘hot’ this subject has been for more than a decade. Still, the authors mainly focus on one or two aspects of heritage tourism while the book Heritage Tourism probably for the first time provides a comprehensive review of the main issues and concepts relating to the subject. It considers the area broadly to include culture and nature in both urban and rural contexts, and presents an in-depth discussion of important global issues. Its inclusive approach to heritage as well to cultural tourism is of a great value since most of other texts focus only on one aspect of the heritage (for ex. built heritage, natural heritage). (Timothy & Boyd, 2003) Cultural heritage, whether built or living, is one of the most salient elements of the global tourism system. Many destinations rely almost entirely upon art, culture and built patrimony for their economic well-being and most devout non-heritage destinations have some elements of culture that can be shares with visitors as part of the tourism product mix. More places, such as some Caribbean islands, are beginning to realize heritage as a potential tool for diversifying their tourism economics. Heritage tourism encompasses all elements of human past and the visitor experiences and desire associated with them. Serious heritage tourist seeks meaningful, educational or spiritual experiences, or a combination of these. (Timothy, 2011) Chapter 3 Research Design and Methodology This chapter has three parts: (1) Purpose of the Study and Research Design, (2) Methods, and Data Analysis Procedure. Part One, Purpose of the Study and Research Design, restates the purpose of the study, describe the research design, and clarifies the variable used Data-gathering instrument Two (2) data gathering instruments used in the study were in the Index of Heritage Sites and the Preservation and Protection process. The questionnaires were taken at face value. Index of heritage sites (IHS). The Index of Heritage sites determined the awareness level of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management of Filamer Christian University. The Index of Heritage Sites and the Preservation and Protection process contained two columns. The first column contains the statement of awareness, while the second column requires the participants indicate the importance of different measurement items related to Level of Awareness of the existing Heritage Sites of the province of Capiz. The following scores and descriptions were used: ScoreResponse 4 Conscious Competence 3 Unconscious Competence 2 Unconscious Incompetence 1 Conscious Incompetence

Benefits Of Financial Ratios And Analysis - 1816 Words

Introduction Droms and Wright (2010) state, â€Å"adequate financial planning is a key element in the success of any business venture. Conversely, the lack of adequate financial planning is a key element in the failure of many business enterprises† (p. 107). For the purposes of this paper, the benefits of using financial ratios to analyze the balance sheet, income statement, and the statement of cash flow will be discussed. The author will choose two key ratios for a review of how they best serve her purposes, and why. Additionally, the dangers of overanalyzing ratios will be discussed and the pitfalls for shareholders, for the owner of a small company, and for a banker assessing risk will be included. Benefits of Financial Ratios and†¦show more content†¦Ratios are used to interpret the financial situation and performance of the company differently depending upon who is assessing the information, what problem they are trying to solve, and/or what decision they trying to make. Balance Sheet. The balance sheet represents the stock of assets, liabilities, equities with in a company; they are used to view the financial condition of a company at a given moment in time (Droms and Wright, 2010, p.33). Ratios that are beneficial to assessing the financial health of the company from the balance sheet include: net working capital, return on assets, and long term debt/equity. Net working capital is important and beneficial to balance sheet analysis as it reflects the company’s short-term liquidity or ability to meet its financial obligations as they become due (Droms and Wright, 2010, p. 35). This is an important measure for bankers and other lenders as they decide whether or not to fund your company. An increase in net working capital is considered a negative cash flow, making it not available for equity. Net working capital is calculated by subtracting the current liabilities from the current assets. The rule of thumb for bankers and lenders is to have twice the amount of current assets over the current liabilities. Return on assets measures the company’s ability to turn assets into

Increasing The Competitiveness Of Russian Banking Industry - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 12 Words: 3667 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Economics Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose The purpose of this research is to develop a strategy or strategies allowing Russian government and banking institutions to increase the competiveness of domestic banking industry through processes of mergers and acquisitions (MA). The initial research will cover following: banks, financial and banking sectors of economy. 2 Aim The research aims to elaborate theoretical and methodological recommendations and system of practical ways to stimulate and increase number of MA within the domestic banking industry; leading to the increased concentration of capital within the Russian banking industry and its competitiveness based on the analysis of current conditions, specifics and progress trends of these processes in Russia, in contrast with the experience of developed countries. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Increasing The Competitiveness Of Russian Banking Industry" essay for you Create order 3 Chronology The research will look closer at the processes related to banking industry in Russia and the world in the period of 90s until nowadays. The dissertation will consider further ways of development of the Russian banking industry in context of the globalization. 4 Objectives This is a general description of the objectives of the research: To compare the conceptual methods used within the context of MA in Russian and global experience, legislation and scientific literature; theoretically analyse terms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“mergerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“acquisitionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, ground the classification connected with MA; To systematically analyse the causes why banks choose to merge and acquire, define the key players in the global market; expose the reasons typical for MA in Russia, its specifics, evaluate and forecast progress trends; To define general features and elements of MA for Russian banks, to prepare recommendation for each stage; To state and ground the development trends of future MA according to new economic and political issues; To critically analyse the current conditions of governmental policies and regulations aimed at stimulating the processes of MA of banks in Russia and develop recommendations in order to improve t he concentration and efficiency of banking capital; To classify the influence of foreign banks in Russia and ground the beginning of new developing stage of the banking industry, where issues of capital will be critically discussed; To produce a system of particular ways to stimulate and effectively use processes of MA within the banking industry. 5 Context 5.1 Introduction The project will be based on one research area, on processes of MA within the banking industry in Russia. Subsequently these processes and its relevance to the competitiveness of the banking institutions will be discussed. Moreover an industry profile including brief overview will be drawn. The information on the industry ought to explain the current situation and relevance of the processes. 5.2 Area of research One of the most problems the Russian banking industry is facing today is the capitalisation (Ashurkova, 2007). Operating within the global market banking institutions are unable to compete with major players effectively influenced by the processes of globalisation and high competition. Domestic banks are essential part of economic processes within the state, thus its condition and competitiveness are significant characteristics of the efficient economy (Gorelaja, 2008). In this context, the progress trends of banking industry acquire a special meaning not only in the case of the domestic economy but global market too. 5.3 Industry overview New economical and political issues, such as expansion of large Russian corporations to international markets, strengthened by the activity of foreign banks in Russia, the necessity to supply credits and investments directed at the steady growth of national economy and welfare, negotiation concerning joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO), increased risks and political tensions, etc, increased the importance of the domestic competiveness, especially within the banking industry (Gorelaja, 2008). In order to achieve success in the competitive rivalry within the domestic and global markets, where corporations will face competition of major foreign banks, it is necessary to significantly raise the capitalization and stability of the whole banking industry (Zoznobin, 2007). The most optimal ways to achieve it are MA, as the number of credit organisation organisations in Russia exceeds 1,200 (Uglovskaja, 2007). The process of consolidation within the banking industry should strengthe n existing institutions delivering financial gearing and diversification (Porter, 1985). However the negative side of these processes are linked with raising systemic risks (Brukov, 2004). Expansion of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“westà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? banks to Russia has worsen the situation of developing economy and especially of the domestic banking industry and forced banks to search for new ways of development, market niches, and slowly moving away from the corporate clients (Ioncev, 2004). Under these conditions major financial institutions favour regional development and further expansion to low competitive markets. Most of the regions in Russian, except Moscow and St. Petersburg, are considerably underdeveloped (Kaurov, 2006). The importance of these processes for the modern Russian economy and especially for financial market should not be underestimated. It is recognised by the Russian government and confirmed by the increasing number of such processes (Baranova, 2005). Banking industr y has experienced two stages of development: from 1991 until the crisis in 1998, this is the initial forming stage of domestic banks, accumulation of capital and establishment of first financial groups; from 1999 until today is the post-crisis period of recovery, restructuring of the whole industry and formation of new financial groups (Gorelaja, 2008). 5.4 The relevance of the chosen topic MA in the financial sector of Russian economic were not studied in details and do not possess with a solid methodological foundation. However, today, in the context of diversification and intensification of production, banking industry is facing following objectives: to satisfy the increasing consumer needs, i.e. credits, investments and other banking services; to survive and successfully compete with foreign banks and its branches. On the other hand, it is necessary to secure the domestic market from the monopoly in the banking industry. In essence, the banking industry is facing a start of a new stage in its development, including further liberalization of financial flows within the countries and outside of its boundaries. Moreover it is necessary to remember that functioning of banking industry at this stage is also requiring the formation of new type of banks, stable and efficient in a time of financial crisis, as well as creation of holdings and banking groups and further attr action of investments. The processes of MA are developing very quickly in Russia and the whole world. Meanwhile the scarce efficiency of a large number of deals, in both developed and developing countries, illustrates the inability of corporations and banks to recognise and evaluate effectively all the advantages and disadvantages of concrete offers, risks related to it and its reasonability. Under these circumstances the investigation of MA in Russia in contrast with the world experience acquires special relevance. 6 Literature review 6.1 Introduction The objective of the literature review was targeted at the specifics of the processes of MA within the Russian banking industry. Main sources of information are Aston university library, Moscow Government University library, the online libraries and Google scholar. In order to evaluate the current conditions of banking industry and process of MA within that industry the literature provide a broad variety of theories, concepts and models. 6.2 Definitions and concepts Mergers and acquisitions (MA) are forms of corporate restructuring taking a large part in the corporate finance world. Every day, banks attract investment to arrange MA transactions, which aimed at bringing separate business entities together to form a larger one (Arzac, 2008). The key idea behind these processes is to create a shareholder value exciding the sum value of two companies (Gole and Hilger, 2008). In other words the main idea behind MA stating that two companies together are more valuable than two separate business entities. Although it should be understood that these two words are not synonymous, the meaning of terms merger and acquisition is slightly different. When one company takes over another, it is establishing itself as the new owner (Bruner et al., 2004). In this case the purchase is called an acquisition. In contrast, a merger happens when two firms, often of about the same size, come to the agreement to continue operating as a single new company seeking for benefits rather than remaining separately owned and operated. This action is accurately referred to as a merger of equals (Frankel, 2005). However, in practice, actual à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“mergers of equalsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? happen very rarely (Gaughan, 2005). Moreover these processes possess with certain specifics which will be further discussed in the final project. The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“domesticà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Russian) and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“foreignà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? literature has studied this topic in-depth. However, literature does not provide with deep analysis of MA, considering its correlation with the overall economic growth and growth of the banking industry; evaluating those in combination with changes in the social and economical development of Russia. It is necessary not only to examine the current conditions, but progress trends too, in order to contrast those with world trends and draw up a proper conclusion including future development strategies and policies for banking industry a nd overall economy. In the Russian-language literature such topic, considering the specific consolidation of capital within Russia, occurs rarely. However, other literature possess with deeper understanding and analysis of MA, which has no theoretical and practical experience under circumstances similar to those in Russia. 6.3 Foundation Theoretical and methodological foundation for the project is the work of foreign and Russian scientist-economists and financiers in the credit and investment activities, economical policies of Russia: Arzac, Ashkenas, Ashurkova, Baranova, Brukov, Bruner, Frankel, Gole, Gorelaja, Harding, Ioncev, Kaurov, Kulik, Orlova, Potochnig, Reed-Lajoux, Rykova, Seredin, Uglovskaja, Weston, Zoznobin, etc. The work of experts in MA: Copeland, Gaughan, etc. Other sources of secondary data, i.e. analytical and statistical information, are the information provided by the websites of Bank of Russia, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Federal State Statistics Service, World Bank, Federal Financial Markets Service, journal à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Bankerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Financial Timesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, data and information of consulting agencies Bloomberg, Interfax, Reuters, and Thomson Financial. The work will also use the information provided by the Russian banks, i.e. annual reports ; and analytical materials and reviews provided by international consulting organisations: PriceWaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, etc. Legal base for the research are legislative acts of Russian Federation of the banking industry, investments, equity market and antimonopoly law. 7 Methodology 7.1 Introduction In order to develop an approach based on the experience of Russian banks and its major rivals the theory and practise will be put together through the multi-method approach of: case study, exemplified by many researchers (e.g. Kaplan and Duchon, 1988), and field work à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" face to face interviews with senior managers of the major banks in the UK and Russia. The multi-method approach is likely to help gaining the comprehensive knowledge together rather than use of only one method (Robson, 2002). The whole research will last for maximum eight months, starting at January 2010. 7.2 Desk research Due to the specific nature of the chosen topic use of secondary data will be preferable. According to Gummerson (2000) secondary data is the pre-existing data or information gathered by the third parties (e.g. research study, survey, interview, etc) for a certain purpose not directly linked to the purpose of the initial research. Yin (2003, p.13) stated that a case study is suitable when à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life contextà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? is analysed. Secondary data can be easily obtained and used in the research at the current moment (Saunders et al., 2007). Based on Hair et al. (2007) main advantages of the secondary data are resource implications, much easier to gather than primary data; low cost, as already collected; longitudinal study may be possible; quality and permanence of data (e.g. government surveys, official statistic). However, main challenges of the secondary data are linked to the fact that information was gathered for the purpose of another research (Gummerson, 2000). Thus, it is most likely to be out of date, not full, not directly linked to the current research and unreliable. It is appropriate to start a research from looking at the secondary data and when it is exhausted or its usefulness is decreasing considerably, this is a moment to start gathering primary data (Hair et al., 2007). Primary data Secondary data Purpose The purpose of the current research Not gathered for purposes of the current research Use Difficult to analyse Fairly easy and quick Cost High Relatively low Time-consumption Long Short Based on: Gummerson (2000) and Hair et al. (2007) 7.3 Semi-structure interviews Field work Deep understanding cannot be achieved through use of secondary data only. Thus use of a primary data is an advantage to gather unique knowledge and answers to the questions. Semi-structured in-depth face to face interview on one-to-one basis as one of the methods allowing gathering qualitative data is a significant part of a research process (Saunders et al., 2007). Journals, books and academic publications allow observing of basic information where interview is the next step delivering deep understanding of the topic. Semi-structured interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“are particularly useful if you already have a clear theoretical appreciation of your topicà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Lee and Lings, 2008, p. 218). In this particular case interview will allow to draw up a conclusion and further recommendations for Russian banking industry based on the world experience (in this case experience of UK banking industry). Main advantages of the interviews are: considered to be helpful to obtain detailed inf ormation about personal opinion, experience and perception; possess with high response rate; useful in gathering specific information as open questions can be asked, moreover vague answers can be fulfilled (Jesson, 2006). However, there are some disadvantages too: interviews are time consuming (e.g. interviewing, analysing, reporting, etc); costly and sometimes difficult to analyse (Hair et al., 2007). The research will include up to ten interviews of senior managers within the banking industry in the UK and Russia, 30 minutes long each (in total 600 minutes, 2030). The time limit for the interview will not exceed two months. Each interview will be analysed on a thematic basis using the methodology proposed by Easterby-Smith et al. (1991). Many people are not used to giving interview, and probably would not like the fact of losing their free time (Gill, Johnson, 2002). Interviews will include group of people of senior working within the banking industry directly or indirectly related to the processes of MA. These are the people possessing with the significant information research is interested in. Interview will be taken in the lunch time in the informal environment, which is an advantage (Stjernberg, 2006). Interviews will start from general questions further moving to specifics. Successful interview should start from neutral questions such as question related to the industry as a whole (Lee and Lings, 2008). This helps to enjoy the favour of the interviewee in the discussion. Important questions are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“how long you are working for the businessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“what are the main responsibilitiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“what is the experience the person possesses withà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, etc (Saunders et al., 2007). 8 Ethics According to the research ethics guide of Aston Business School (Evans, 2004) the research has to to fulfil following principles: Beneficence Non-malfeasance Informed consent Confidentiality In order to ensure that guidelines are strictly followed interviewees will be fully informed of the issues concerning the aim and purpose of the initial research before the prior interview. Moreover such issues as anonymity, confidentiality, potential benefits and risks related to the interview and everything concerning the collected data, information and records will be emphasised by the researcher. The participation in the interview should be voluntary. Furthermore confidentiality should be documented for the benefit of the interviewee. 9 Novelty The novelty of the dissertational research and its topic is following: Based on the theoretical knowledge and analysis of economic literature it is possible to define terms: MA, which will allow adequately to evaluate these processes with particular attention to its dependence on the corporate control; To create a scientific classification of reasons leading to MA in banking industry, and analyse in details its role in the context of the global financial market; Based on the results of comparative analysis of Russian and global markets of MA reveal the specific causes of these processes dominated in Russia and major factors influencing the progress trends for this market in Russia. Retrospectively classify the Russian market of MA and define its historical and future trends; Based on the theoretical studies and world experience (McKinsey Company organisation) in the market of MA critically evaluate these process and create recommendation for the banking industry with p articular references to the specific nature of domestic banks; To develop a system of measures stimulating future development of required processes within Russian banking industry, aimed at gaining a competitive advantage of the whole banking industry and concentration of capital; To define and critically evaluate the presence and functioning of foreign capital in the banking industry; analyse those in the context of future development, progress trends of MA. 10 Practical meaning and approval The practical meaning of this work will reveal the results leading to a positive outcome. On micro level, banks face many challenges within the banking industry, thus they have to develop and plan MA more carefully taking in account the specifics of Russian market, its economic and political issues, and whereas using the experience of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“westà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? countries can be advantageous. Perhaps this will increase the effectiveness and bring down the costs. Organisations should consider better use of synergic effect and recommendations, keeping in mind the difference of each single process. This will likely to ease the integration of consolidating structures. On macro level, there is a necessity to change the legislative and regulatory rights, and policies in the whole banking industry, methods of regulations and supervision, as well as particular regulations in the governmental developing policies of the banking industry. This will accelerate the development of the ba nking industry and its competitiveness in a global market. The Bank of Russia is facing the necessity to develop a complex policies dedicated to the problem of future development of MA based on the high differentiation of services provided by commercial organisations, and recommend these organisations terms and conditions only of those processes leading to economical and social efficiency. 11 Structure The structure of the dissertation is based on the aims and tasks of the dissertational research and will include three chapters, conclusion, bibliography and appendices. The work should not exceed the length of 15,000 words. Introduction Chapter I. Theoretical foundation of mergers and acquisition within the banking industry 1.1. Terms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“mergerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? andà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“acquisitionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? 1.2. Why do organisations tend to merger and acquire? 1.3. Reasons and causes in Russia and its specifics 1.4. Systemic analysis of mergers and acquisitions Chapter II The evaluation and comparative analysis of experience and progress trends f mergers and acquisitions within the banking industry in Russia and the world 2.1. Practice and trends of mergers and acquisitions in Europe and USA 2.2. Evaluation of experience and progress trends as an optimal way to attract investments within the banking industry in Russia, and its specifics according to the world experience Chapter III. Development perspectives of mergers and acquisitions, consolidation of banks in Russia and its influence over the capital 3.1. Mergers and acquisitions within the Russian banking industry as a significant factor in competitiveness and attraction of financial flows 3.2. Governmental policies and regulation of mergers and acquisition in Russia and the potential use world experience 3.3. The influence of foreign investments over future development of Russian banking industry 3.4. The place of mergers and acquisitions in the future development policies Conclusion Bibliography Appendices 12 Task list Task Difficulties Solutions Desk research Obtain literature on mergers and acquisition within the banking industry, banking industry conditions, progress trends Literature is not available through university library, limited due to specifics of the topic Textbooks, Journals, Newspapers, Business Magazines, Online sources, reserve of required items online, order books via internet-library loan, use of non-academic literature if appropriate Review literature, identify relevant and reliable sources Possibly large number of sources, analysis can be limited by time Efficient time management, scheduling, assistance of tutor and critical analysis Semi-structured face to face interviews Identify the interviewees for semi-structured interview, sample size 4-6 candidates May not identify the correct people Use of personal contacts to identify interviewees Conduct three pilot surveys to test interview agenda Responses may not be relevant Amend interview agenda Contact most appropriate candidates to arrange interview Candidate refusals to participate Reserve candidates Design interview agenda Ensuring appropriate focus on relevant questions Prepare interview thoroughly, send emails providing information about the interview, question, topic, etc, provide interview guide Conduct survey Insufficient, irrelevant or obsolete gathered information Vary question according to the interview flow, open vs. closed, neutral vs. specific Transcribe interview Time limitation, focus on relevant and reliable information Use of appropriate guidelines (Secondary data) Code and analyse the transcripts Information overload Use of appropriate guidelines (Secondary data) Report related Collate report based on objectives Write up dissertation, draw conclusion and recommendations Use of appropriate guidelines (Secondary data) Presentation and thank you letters to senior interviewees Week No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Task Literature search Literature review Idetify interviwees Pilot test interview Contact interview candidates Design interview agenda Conduct survey Transcribe interviews Code and analyse interviews Collate report, conclusion Write up report Presentation/Thank you 13 Time Plan Gantt Chart 14 Literature Search Framework Strategy Key Words Theory, concepts, mergers and acquisitions, banking industry, Russia, Bank of Russia, World Bank, experience, consulting, reports, analitical materials, review Online database Host/System Used Data Searched Key Words Fields Searched Years Searched Hits Relevant Proquest 24.12.09 Merger, acquisitions Bank, Russia, mergers acquisitions Russia banks Mergers acquisitions banking industry MA, strategy, development, future All fields All fields All fields All fields All fields 1990-2009 1990-2009 1990-2009 1990-2009 1990-2009 12 2 29 16 19 2 0 5 3 4 Aston E-Library Merger, acquisitions Bank, Russia, mergers acquisitions Russia banks Mergers acquisitions, banking industry, theory MA, strategy, development, future All fields All fields All fields All fields All fields 1990-2009 1990-2009 1990-2009 1990-2009 1990-2009 142 124 110 78 87 12 15 9 7 6 MSU E-Library Merger, acquisitions Bank, Russia, mergers acquisitions Russia banks Mergers acquisitions, banking industry, theory MA, strategy, development, future All fields All fields All fields All fields A ll fields 1990-2009 1990-2009 1990-2009 1990-2009 1990-2009 178 154 113 98 129 21 23 12 13 37 Web sites www.bankir.ru www.bo.bdc.ru Journals Government Other