Accounting Practices And The Field Of Accounting - 1393 Words

Introduction to the authoritative resources in the field of Accounting In the era of technological advances, access to information of any subject is abundant. With this vast array of information to tap into, the credibility of the material presented becomes questionable. But throughout history, there are sources of material that have been highly regarded. These sources include Scholarly peer reviewed journals, Trade publications, and information presented by respected institutions or organizations. Technology has also allowed users to easily access a pool of information through electronic databases, which have their own set of criteria for collecting credible information. Every field of work and subject have their respected Scholarly journals, Trade magazines, and organizations that fosters the growth of that field. Accounting is the language businesses speak, therefore it is vital for publications to provide ethically sound information to conform with rules and regulations established by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. There are many ethical practices that have serious consequences, for example unethical accounting practices resulted in the Enron scandal. Events like this require publishers to provide ethically sound information to their audience. These journals and magazines uphold these ethical values through rigorous and unbiased reviews on future articles. These sources are highly regarded and often used within the field due to their strong history ofShow MoreRelatedResearch on the Influence of Informatization1698 Words   |  7 PagesInformatization On The Accounting Theories and Practices and Real-time Control in China Yang Lu Fairleigh Dickinson University RESEARCH ON THE INFLUENCE OF INFORMATIZATION 2 Abstract The 21st century is an information age of rapid development and the computer is more and more widely used in every country. As a development country, China is effecting by the increasing improvement of modern science technology in every field. In the accountingRead MoreAccounting : Financial And Management Accounting1025 Words   |  5 PagesAccounting is one of the three careers that is being discussed that a business majors are able to embrace in. Accounting is where employees are keeping up with the company’s records. Accountants take actions on keeping up with the company payroll cost, expenditures, and the sales revenues. 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As opposed to principles, we all have our own personal practices and traditions, which determine our behavior in the society. These practices are determined from our culture, society, ancestors, experiences and religion etc. But since we live in a world where every person has their own set of practices and traditions, we cannot expect to live the way we want and this is whe re rules and principles come in. The very foundationsRead MoreGaap Essay1520 Words   |  7 Pagesthe United Kingdom (UK). UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) has been in place for a long period of time and was harmonized in 2005 so as to comply with the international accounting standards. The UK embraced the principles of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in 2005 after the European Union (EU) mandated that all members that were publicly listed companies be subject to reporting under the International Accounting Standards (IAS). 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The purpose of this essay is to highlight my experiences at Accounting Firm X to shed light upon key learning experiences that can contribute to a holistic educational experience. In this essay I will first describe my goals and expectations. Next, I will go in to detail about myRead MoreAcc 541 Accounting Standards Board Paper1116 Words   |  5 PagesAccounting Standards Boards Leslie Brian ACC/541 November 14, 2011 Delphine Agnor Wolsker Accounting Standards Boards The field of accounting is constantly evolving. This is true not only for the theory of accounting itself but also the entities that govern its theory and practice. Presently, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are faced with some of the biggest challenges to date. 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The profession of accounting has become a mockery due to the accounting scandals that took place all over the world in the last decade (Smith amp; Smith, 2003). The major companies involved in it are Enron , WorldCom, etc

Introduction to Global Economics and Business Assignment

Essays on Introduction to Global Economics and Business Assignment The paper â€Å"Introduction to Global Economics and Business" is a   potent example of an assignment on finance accounting. What steps have been taken by the IMF to undo some of the criticisms that it has been subjected to by economists? There is a widespread critique of the IMF that states its policies hurt local populations and the environment (due to cuts in social spending in its policies). Will these measures address these criticisms as well?IMF has been criticized for its conditionalities, which exist because of the Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs), which can greatly reduce the level of government spending in the economy, an increment of interest rates, and deregulation and privatization. However, this has hurt the local populations, because the inflation rates have increased, and the standard of living in many countries have been witnessed to decrease. Privatization, although done to provide competition has its disadvantages, as well. Private firms may be largely ign orant of the environment, because they may exploit the resources to a great extent. However, one of the steps that the IMF has undertaken to reduce this criticism of conditionalities is to introduce programs, which do not have conditionalities in certain circumstances. The Flexible Credit Line (FCL) does not have the traditional conditionality. Sometimes, when a complete revamp of the economic system is not required, the IMF offers financial assistance under Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) and Rapid Credit Facility (RCF). Prior actions may be required, but no present actions will need to be warranted (IMF.org, n.d).Read the following and answer the questions that follow.Australians fret about their almighty dollar, By Sid Astbury May 2, 2011.Economists tell you that the 380 workers sacked when Germany's Robert Bosch GmbH shifted car parts manufacturing from Melbourne to South-East Asia could jump on a plane for Perth and land better-paying jobs driving big trucks in the labor-starv ed ore pits.It would show in a microcosm that Australia was behaving according to international trade theory and giving up manufacturing. Specialization has worked a treat, according to Chris Richardson, an economist with business consultancy Deloitte Access. 'The world is throwing more money at us than we've seen in more than a century and unemployment is already less than five percent and headed lower,' he said.Sounds too good to be true? It is.The mining boom has helped inflate the value of the Australian dollar. It has gained 11 percent in value against the US dollar in the last six weeks. A higher dollar makes imports cheaper but it makes life hell for manufacturers, for those in tourism and for those hawking services like education in foreign markets.'Businesses are seeing competitiveness stripped from beneath them,' said industry lobby group leader Heather Ridout.Calling on the Reserve Bank of Australia to intervene in the money markets to help save manufacturing and trade-ex posed service industry jobs, she said that when currency appreciation 'starts to drive structural change in the economy, people should be asked to justify whether it is a good thing or not.'The central bank does trade currencies, but currently, it is sitting on its hands. Ridout and others would like to see the bank follow its counterparts in the United States, China, and Japan, and engineer devaluation. The chief job of the central bank is to hold down inflation and a strong currency helps with that.'Increasing interest rates is hard work,' HSBC economist Paul Bloxham said. 'If the exchange rate does some of the work for you in terms of slowing down some parts of the economy, I think that's regarded as a good thing.'One reason the Aussie dollar is soaring is that the markets are betting that the bank, which has kept the cash rate steady at 4.75% for six months, will be forced to raise interest rates in the coming months to choke off inflation.A rate rise will make holding the dolla r even more attractive - and strip even more competitiveness from the manufacturers that Ridout wants protecting.Griffiths University economics professor Tony Makin estimated the rising dollar had the equivalent effect of chopping 40 percent from the protection that some Australian manufacturers receive. But he does not see the central bank able to help the withering manufacturing sector.'All in all, the staggering commodity price hikes worldwide cannot be ignored as a signal of higher inflation to come, with the Reserve Bank will be obliged to try to counter by raising domestic interest rates,' he said.Manufacturing employs 10 times as many people as mining. And most new mining jobs will be in city-based professional services like accountancy rather in positions that could be filled by those thrown off Bosch's production lines in Melbourne.So far, the central bankers are resisting pressure on them to bash the local unit down. What Ridout fears may come to pass: a high Aussie dollar and even higher interest rates.Questions:2a. The article makes a reference to international trade theory as if there were only one such theory.   As a little review of last week, which trade theory is being used?  Theory of Comparative Advantage, because specialization is being done, in such a way that Australia is benefitting. Other countries may also be in the mining industry, but Australia is better on the edge. Manufacturing has also been forsaken because it does not provide that much effectiveness.2b. Based on the Lufthansa case, explain the options that Australian manufacturers would have to deal with the currency issue in the article.  Since imports have become cheaper, the Australian manufacturers face the problem that the people in the country will not buy their goods, because they would be expensive compared to imported goods. Additionally, the manufacturers will not be able to compete in the international market effectively, because the Aussie dollar has gotten so expensive that people will not trade their currency to buy an Aussie product. This will also lead to a balance of trade deficit because the volume of imports will increase and the value of exports will fall. The Lufthansa case (1985), in which the dollar was greater than the German currency, involved an aero-plane, which had been pre-ordered and the dollar was bound to increase. In this way, the company was going to lose out. However, the current situation in Australia is completely reversed. Hedging can be used by Australian manufacturers in much the same way that was done in the Lufthansa case. Before adopting the Euro, the Greek currency was the drachma. Setting aside the debates around who’s to blame for the crisis, why would a Greek business owner be interested in keeping the Euro? Which industries? Conversely, why might other firms/industries prefer to return to the Drachma? If the currency were reintroduced, let us assume that the drachma would depreciate against major currencies after its release.A Greek business owner would be interested in keeping the Euro, because he/she will be able to trade easily with the European world, even if the exchange rate market fluctuates, his business would not be affected. Business owners, belonging to the manufacturing industry (because they can import raw materials at much the same price) and those belonging to the tourism industry will find it beneficial because traveling would become easier and cheaper for everyone. Tourism would definitely increase. Other industries might prefer a return to Drachma because, in times of depreciation of the Drachma against major industries, manufacturers who are exporting abroad widely will benefit because the price of the Greek goods will below. However, those producers, who are producing goods that have elastic demand will benefit in such times.What are the key factors that have contributed to the increased growth of the international equity markets? Why is this good for fi rms?The main reason for the increase of the international equity markets includes this idea that the investors will gain access to markets, in which the demand for shares for equity ownership is quite high. In the 1990s, this trend increased, especially in Europe. Privatization, liberalization and open trade have led to the growth of international equity markets. It is good for different firms, because it leads them to be diversified, which means that if they lose in some other investment or another area, they can avail the profits from another equity market.

Liberty Adam Smith And Alexis De Tocqueville Both Adam Smith And Alex Essay Example For Students

Liberty: Adam Smith And Alexis De Tocqueville Both Adam Smith And Alex Essay is de Tocqueville agree that an individual is the most qualified to make decisions affecting the sphere of the individual as long as those decisions do not violate the law of justice. From this starting point, each theorist proposes a role of government and comments on human nature and civil society. Smith focuses on economic liberty and the ways in which government can repress this liberty, to the detriment of society. De Tocqueville emphasizes political liberty and the way that government can be organized to promote political liberty, protect individual liberty, and promote civil liberty. Adam Smiths theory makes a strong argument for the assertion that a free market will provide overall good for society, but, as de Tocqueville points out, it provides little or no protection for the poor. Smiths picture of human nature given in The Theory of Moral Sentiments suggests that people would do good and take care of the weak because of characteristics of their nature. Unfortunately, this image contrasts with the picture of the individual which emerges from his economic argument in Wealth of Nations and is a generally unsatisfying answer. We will write a custom essay on Liberty: Adam Smith And Alexis De Tocqueville Both Adam Smith And Alex specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In attempting to define liberty, Adam Smith is mostly concerned with negative liberty, or freedom from constraint, especially market constraints. According to him, in a free market, as long as they are not fettered by government regulation, actions are guided toward the public good as if by an invisible hand. Furthermore, the economic sphere is the determining section of society. Therefore from his economic model, he derives his argument for the best role of government and asserts that the resultant society will be the best overall for civilization. Since he defines the individual as sovereign (within the laws of justice), and he defines liberty as freedom from constraint, his argument begins with the individual, defining a mans labor as the foundation of all other property. From this it follows that the disposition of ones labor, without harm to others, is an inviolable right which the government should not restrict in any way (Smith 215). He uses his economic theory to support his belief that this limitation on government action creates the most overall good for society. First, he defines all prices as being determined by labor (Smith 175). Since labor causes raw materials to have value, Smith asserts that labor confers ownership, but when stock is used there must be something given for the profits of the investors, so labor resolves itself into wages and prices (185). The support for the free market lies in the way the prices are determined and the inner workings of the market. The prices ultimately come from the value of labor. A capitalist will want to produce as much as possible, in order to make the greatest profit, therefore his demand for labor will rise. As the demand for labor rises, wages will rise. As more people begin working to meet the increased demand for labor, production will rise, and prices will fall. Following this argument, in a free market, everybody is working for his or her own personal gain, but maximum production occurs, which increases overall wealth and prosperity. If the government interferes by setting minimum wages, charging prohibitive taxes, or regulating prices, it interrupts the natural flow of the market. Therefore, Smith argues that the market prices of wages and of goods should be regulated by the market rather than by the government. Smith then identifies three classes of people who develop from capitalism: laborers, landlords, and capitalists. Each of these groups act purely out of self-interest, and for this reason Smith does not think any of them will be able to effectively rule with the good of society in mind. The laborers are incapable of comprehending that the interest of the labourer is strictly connected with that of the society. .. (Smith 226). The landlords are the most impartial of the classes and therefore the least likely to use government for any plan or project of their own, but they are too often, not only ignorant, but incapable of that application of mind which is necessary in order to foresee and understand the consequences of any public regulation (226). By process of elimination, Smith settles on the capitalists as the most fit to rule, but stipulates, the proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and out never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention (227). Due to the lack of a class which would be able to lead with societys interests in mind and because the unfettered free market in which everyone is selfishly motivated produces the most, Smith relegates to government only the three tasks of the defense of the nation, the administration of justice, and the maintenance of certain public works (289). This plan will prevent too many unnecessary restrictions on perfect liberty, or complete freedom from restraints, and will allow a system of natural liberty to establish itself in which every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, i s left perfectly free to pursue his own interest his own way. This role of government also solves the impassable lack of information problem that, according to Smith, is faced by any government which takes the responsibility for superintending the industry of private people. .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 , .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 .postImageUrl , .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 , .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278:hover , .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278:visited , .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278:active { border:0!important; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278:active , .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278 .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf1f821b76b07ea2e321171692487d278:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Context is all Essay No government official could possibly account for all of the chains of cause and effect, and no government can truly know what is in the best interest of every individual. Furthermore, it is important to recognize that in Smiths theory, the government is actually defending the rich against the poor. The poor, according to Smith, are often driven by envy and need to invade the possessions of the rich. It is only under the shelter of the civil magistrate that the owner of that valuable property, which is acquired by the labour of many years or perhaps of many successive generations, can sleep a single night in security (294). Note the assumption that the rich are entitled to their wealth because it is acquired by hard work either of the person or his family. Because of this, Smith considers civil government a necessary institution. One objection to this view of government and to the economic reading in general is that one of the duties of government is to protect the poor from the tyranny of the rich. In fact, in Smiths economic perspective, money demonstrates preferences. Therefore, people with more money are able to influence the market much more than people with less, and would therefore be less needing of government protection. It is the people with less money who can least afford change and bad times. Thus, these people are in the least position to combat unfair practices or to change their position. Alexis de Tocqueville recognizes this fault in Smiths system. First, laborer becomes more and more involved in his labors, and therefore more focused on the small details for which he is responsible, while the industrialist becomes increasingly interested in the larger workings of the factory. In this way, the two classes become less alike and mobility between them becomes more difficult. Finally, the industrial aristocracy of our day, when it has impoverished and brutalized the men it uses, abandons them in time of crisis to public charity to feed them (de Tocqueville 558). In Smiths governmental plan, there are no provisions for taking care of the poor when they are not taken care of by the market system. In his Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith suggests that human nature will turn the beneficence of the rich to the poor out of sympathy for their condition (136), but this response does not offer strong enough promise that the poor will be cared for when the market fails. One can only hope that the de Tocqueville analysis is wrong and the laborers will always make high enough wages. Yet in Wealth of Nations, Smith says, A man must always live by his work, and his wages must at least be sufficient to maintain him, (197), but is later forced to admit that when society is in decline, wages fall even below what is barely enough to enable to bring up a family, or to continue the race of laborers (226). It is the capitalists who are calculated to be the most qualified to serve as government officials, it is the capitalists who have the most control over the market through manipulation of their money, and in the end it is still the capitalists who Smith thinks need to be protected from the poor. This lack of provision for the laborer makes Smiths system rather unsatisfying. Alexis de Tocqueville offers a more satisfying system stemming from the same faith in individual sovereignty. Where Smith states, Every individual . . . can, in his local situation judge much better than any statesman or lawgiver can do for him (265), de Tocqueville says, Providence has given each individual the amount of reason necessary for him to look after himself in matters of his own exclusive concern. That is the great maxim on which civil and political society in the United States rests.. . (397) The phraseology of these similar arguments is demonstrative if the different emphasis of the authors. Smiths phrase inherently limits government whereas de Tocquevilles includes it in government. By turning his focus to political society, de Tocqueville highlights the role of positive liberty 5 in government and builds an argument for the protection of political liberty and individual freedom, which he considers to be built into aristocratic society, but easily lost in democratic society. In defining liberty, de Tocqueville applauds the following definition of freedom by Winthrop: There is a civil, a moral, a federal liberty, which is the proper end and object of authority: it is a liberty for that only which is just and good; for this liberty you are to stand with the hazard of your very lives. . .This liberty is maintained in a way of subjection to authority; and the authority set over you will in all administrations for your good be quietly submitted unto, by all but such as have a disposition to shake off the yoke, and lose their true liberty, by their murmuring at the honour and power of authority (46). .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f , .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f .postImageUrl , .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f , .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f:hover , .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f:visited , .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f:active { border:0!important; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f:active , .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3719c25fdd9617cb4a0c3a976d76c45f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Crew Resource Managament Essay This definition emphasizes positive liberty, which is maintained through subjection to the authorities which have liberty as their goal. Implicit in this definition then is the assertion that government will has the power to act in the name of society. In an aristocratic society, negative liberty in the form of freedom from arbitrary control is built into the system. Also, for the aristocrats, positive liberty in the form of ability to act as a group exists. The question which de Tocqueville faces in describing democracy is how to expand these liberties to include all people. Positive liberty is opened to all people by extending the suffrage and electing a representative government, but there are no structural barriers to protect the negative liberties. Alexis de Tocqueville is especially concerned with the tendency towards tyranny of the majority. He therefore examines the institutions in American society which will balance the tendency of the majority to overpower its opposition. One such system is that of strong local government. De Tocqueville agrees with Smith that people should be allowed to take care of their own affairs because they are closer to them. He then extends his analysis beyond this to include the social benefits of strong local government. Local liberties . . . bring men constantly into contact, . . . and force them to help one another (511). Such social benefits are the more important consideration for de Tocqueville. If society can be maintained in a way which counteracts the overpowering strength of the majority, liberty will continue. Unlike Smith, however, de Tocqueville does not think that this argument for strong local government leads to the conclusion that federal government should be extremely limited. In fact, de Tocqueville expects the tasks of government to perpetually increase. This conclusion is based on the assertion that men will be less and less able to produce the bare necessities (515). Smith agrees with this statement but expects the market to step in and provide all that is desired. De Tocqueville does argue that the government must never wholly usurp the place of private associations. Implicit in his criticism of Adam Smiths industrial economy, which argued that the industrial aristocracy would abandon the poor to government support, is the assertion that government will take responsibility for the poor. De Tocqueville observes that in the United States the framers of government had a higher and more comprehensive conception of the duties of society toward its members than had the lawgivers of Europe at that time, and they imposed obligations upon it which were still shirked elsewhere. There was a provision for the poor . . . (44). The phrases chosen demonstrate de Tocquevilles support for the programs. While Adam Smith would argue that these provisions would hinder the free market by redistributing income and interfering taxation, de Tocqueville is clearly asserting that the duty of society to its members does include obligations to protect the weaker members of society. One of Smiths reasons that government should be limited is because there is no group of people who will rule with the good of society in mind. By turning the focus away from the individual or class of people who will be the magistrates and towards the system of selection, de Tocqueville makes a case for not needing to limit democratic government as severely as Smith would like. It is certainly not the elected magistrate who makes the American democracy prosper, but the fact that the magistrates are elected (512). The people collectively will elect a group of representatives who will have the power to make laws, but the power of executing them will be left to the lower officials. Often only the goal to be aimed at is indicated to , and they are left to choose their own means (206). In this way, the power of government is great, but the power of each individual to turn it to personal gain is small. It is not the definitions of liberty offered by the two theorists which are wholly incompatible, but rather the assertions about the workings of society and the conclusions about the role of government. Adam Smiths account provides a good argument for the power of the market and for a laissez-faire governmental policy. Unfortunately, his theory fails to account for the societal problems such as maintenance of the poor. Alexis de Tocquevilles theory uses the same considerations of individual rights and self-interested motives, but examines more closely the societal institutions which can balance governmental action. He therefore relegates a larger role to government which includes a duty to take care of its members through legislation aimed at liberty.

Dynamics of Open Systems Model

Question: Describe about the dynamics of open systems model. Answer: Introduction Open Systems have porous or open ended boundaries that allow the exchange of information from inside to outside of the organization and vice versa. The organizations are increasingly adopting open systems so that they can be more aware of the external environment as well as the needs of the customers (Scott and Davis 2015). The open systems need to find more than one ways to achieve the organizational goals. In this essay, the open systems management model is discussed in an organizational perspective. One incident is also discussed, which showcases the application of the open system organizational approach. Discussion The systems that exchanges feedback to and from its external environment, is known as Open Systems. The open systems consist of inputs, outputs, processes, assessments, goals, evaluation and others (Steghfer et al. 2013). The healthy open systems engage in the sharing of information beyond the barriers of the organization. The boundaries of the organization are extremely porous, which allow transmit of the information. The external environment comprises of the influences and the needs, which affect the organizational functioning. There can be a lot of influences like economic, political, ecological, technological and societal in nature (Scott and Davis 2015). The highly effective organizations are regularly exchanging feedbacks with the external environment of the organization. The organizations try to scan the business environment by carefully assessing the market dynamics. The organizations use market research and market evaluations for the purpose of understanding of the external environment (Drori and Honig 2013). The organizations take initiatives of influencing the external environment by the use of various tools like public relations, promotions, advertising, advocacy and others. The organizations are concerned about the outcomes of their business (Steghfer et al. 2013). The outcomes are considered as critical factors responsible for the functioning of the business (Reich and Benbasat 2013). The outcomes are considered as the benefits that are accomplished by the business entity. The outcomes are measured by knowledge, behaviors, attitudes, conditions and values. The organizations strive for discovering more than a single way of ac complishing the same outcome. This explains the fact that there is no right way of doing a particular job. There are four characteristics of an open system like Inputs, Processes, Outputs and Outcomes (Schmutz and Manser 2013). The inputs consist of the standard concepts used by the organization in their day to day functioning. The examples of the inputs are ideas, people, time, money, technologies, facilities, customers, locations and others. The processes include the subsystems that are responsible for processing the inputs and the generation of desired outputs. These comprises of the individuals, teams, programs, projects, products, functions and others. The outputs consist of the tangible results from the organization (Steghfer et al. 2013). This includes the satisfied customers, revenues, patients, fixed cars, furniture, houses and others. The outcomes imply the benefits to the customers (within the external environment) after using the concerned outputs. The customers who are financially strong, happy, content, employed, literate, healthy, independent, healthy and others are conside red to have reached the optimum level of outcome (Schmutz and Manser 2013). The technological advancements are widely common in todays world. For example, Hospital ABC is one decade old and is successfully running its operations. It is a 100 bedded hospital. In recent times, I have taken feedback from the external environment and found out that the competitors are implementing the Electronic Medical Records in their systems (Gottesman 2013). I have found out that it is the needs of the customers as well as the organizational needs to install an electronic medical record system. The electronic record would help the company to improve its overall functioning and decreasing the turnaround time. This would lead to higher patient satisfaction rates. This would imply that the organization would be enjoying greater level of profits. I have scanned the external environment and found out the profitability of the electronic medical record. As a result, I took initiatives to formulate an action plan and consulted with the IT department to implement the most awaited ele ctronic medical record. I have successfully implemented the new software. The output of the implementation was satisfied customers and the increasing revenues. The outcomes of this software implementation were the customers were happy, delighted, healthy and satisfied. Conclusion The open systems management approach in organizations is flexible in nature. It is important for the organizations to get a thorough idea of the external environment. The analysis of the external environment is essential for the better services and products of the company. The open exchange of information between the internal and external environment ensures that both the organization and the customers are well aware of each other. References Drori, I. and Honig, B., 2013. A process model of internal and external legitimacy.Organization Studies,34(3), pp.345-376. Gottesman, O., Kuivaniemi, H., Tromp, G., Faucett, W.A., Li, R., Manolio, T.A., Sanderson, S.C., Kannry, J., Zinberg, R., Basford, M.A. and Brilliant, M., 2013. The electronic medical records and genomics (eMERGE) network: past, present, and future.Genetics in Medicine,15(10), pp.761-771. Reich, B.H. and Benbasat, I., 2013. 10 Measuring the Information SystemsBusiness Strategy Relationship.Strategic Information Management, p.265. Schmutz, J. and Manser, T., 2013. Do team processes really have an effect on clinical performance? A systematic literature review.British Journal of Anaesthesia, p.aes513. Scott, W.R. and Davis, G.F., 2015.Organizations and organizing: Rational, natural and open systems perspectives. Routledge. Steghfer, J.P., Anders, G., Siefert, F. and Reif, W., 2013. A System of Systems Approach to the Evolutionary Transformation of Power Management Systems. InGI-Jahrestagung(pp. 1500-1515).

History Of Algebra Essays - Ancient Greek Mathematicians

History of Algebra Algebra is defined by Websters New Collegiate Dictionary as a generalization of arithmetic in which letters representing numbers are combined according to the rules of arithmetic. This is not a good definition of algebra. It would take a thick book to really explain it. In fact, to this day it is still being added to. There are always new things to be discovered about it. It has been added to by many different people over the centuries. Algebra has a long interesting history. The first work describing algebra was called Arithmetica, a treatise by Diophantus of Alexandria. It was a collection of 130 problem and numerical solutions. Only 6 of the 13 books have been found, the others were believed to have been destroyed soon after their creation. Diophantus was known as the father of algebra. The way he solved problems algebraically was know as Diophantine analysis. He lived from about 200 AD to about 284 AD He was the first to use an algebraic symbolism, in which symbols and letters represented the unknown. He refused to believe that there was any such thing as a negative number. He reasoned this by saying it is impossible to have negative four objects. He did much work with quadratic equations and even equations with variables to the sixth power. Diophantus also seemed to know that any whole number could be written as the sum of four squares. Pierre de Fermat did some work with this but it was not proved until later when Joseph Louis Lagrange worked with it. Despite all of Diophantuss work algebra had a long way to go before general problems could be written down and solved. There were many other influential people in the history of mathematics. One such man was named Theon of Alexandria. He wrote commentaries on many other works of mathematics in his time. In many cases he added extra steps into others proofs. He never really did anything original but he added much to other mathematicians works. His daughter Hypatia grew up around mathematics. As she grew she picked up on it and eventually she even helped her father on several works. She became the head of a Plotinost school in Alexandria. There she lectured on subjects such as mathematics and philosophy. Platonusts believed that there was an ultimate reality in which humans could never fully understand. Hypatia only lived to be about forty five because she was brutally murdered by Christians who felt threatened by her scholarship. One of the works that she helped her father critique was that called Almagest by Ptolemy. This was a thirteen page treatise. This is the earliest of all of Ptolmeys works. It describes the mathematical theory of the motions of the Sun, Moon, and the planets. Ptolmey was an interesting man. He believed in the geocentric theory, that is the Sun and other planets revolve around the Earth. It was proposed by Aristotle. Another belief at the time was the heliocentric theory in which the Earth and all of the other planets revolve around the Sun. Along with this he also figured out the seasons. He discovered that every day was about 1/300 of a year. Later the exact number of days in a year, 365 1/4, was determined by Hipparchus. Ptolmey also started studying the motions of the moon. He discovered using an inscribed 360-gon that pie was 3 17/120 which is really close to pies true value. Also using this 360-gon he discovered that a 60 degree chord with the length of radical 3 is 1.73205. Another important figure in the history of Algebra is Pythagoras of Samos. He is often described as the first pure mathematician. Pythagorus founded a philosophical and religious school. Its many members had no personal belongings and they were vegetarians. He believes that at its deepest level, reality is mathematical in nature. He believes anything about nature relates to a mathematics law. Pythagorus had a rather odd belief that each number had its own individual personality and the number 10 was the best number because it was the sum of the first 4 numbers. Pythagorus was best known for his famous geometry theorem. It stated that the sum of the squares of the lengths of the two sides of a right triangle is equal to the square of the length of the hypotenuse. He also discovered that the angles of a triangle add up to 2 right angles. Pythagorus is also credited with the discovery of irrational numbers. Irrational numbers are numbers that are non-terminating non-repeating decimals. Pythagorus is a very important figure when it come to developing algebra and mathematics. One of Pythagoruss most prominent teachers was Thales of Miletus. Born

Role of Stakeholder Paper Example

Role of Stakeholder Paper Example Role of Stakeholder Paper – Research Paper Example Role of Stakeholder Introduction The term stakeholders refers to persons or groups who rely on an organization to attain their goals while the organization depend on them for support and other aspects such as governance. These include people who are likely to benefit from company’s operations hence work towards the success of the company. Stakeholders thus include persons who play part in the running of a company (shareholders and employees) in addition to other persons who may be concerned in the company’s activities but do not own it. Generally, stakeholders are all entities who influence or are affected by the operations and decisions of an organization. Stakeholders are the individuals or groups that share the benefits and risks of a company. They are thus and are affected by management decisions. However, some stakeholder may not be in support of the companies decisions depending on the effect such decisions may have on them. The stakeholders are thus crucial and i nfluence the management of a company. This paper focuses on the role of stakeholders in implementing a quality management process. The chief stakeholders in any business include managers, shareholders, company employees, government, communities, clients, trade unions, and other companies or organizations. Employees are important contributors in decision making thus their opinions are crucial in running of a company or business (Jackson, Sawyers, Jackson, Sawyers, & Jenkins, 2008). Trade union’s role in implementation of quality management in a company since they influence company decisions regarding employees security, compensation as well as the recruitment process. Shareholders are the most important component of a company and play a crucial role in implementation of management process since they are interested in the welfare of the company in which they have invested. They also partake in making of some company decisions. Customers or clients are another important stakeholder who determines how a company should be managed. This is because customers influence management aspects pertaining to quality, ethics, as well as organizational values. For example, a food processing industry will have to include the major customers in management aspects regarding the quality to ensure that the product made meet their needs. The government is a critical stakeholder in any organization, which influence different managerial aspects hence management. The government regulates features such as taxation and company legislation hence the quality of management (Jackson, Sawyers, & Jenkins, 2008). Other organizations are also important entities that affect the management of a company. They could be the competitors or the distributors. A good example of an organization where other organization are important stakeholders is a manufacturing company where the retailers involved in distributing company’s product and thus influence management decisions (Foster, 2012; Jackson, Sawyers, & Jenkins, 2008). References Foster, T. (2012). Managing Quality: Integrating the Supply Chain. New York: Pearson Education, Limited. Jackson, S., Sawyers, R., & Jenkins, G. (2008). Managerial Accounting: A Focus on Ethical Decision Making. Stamford: Cengage Learning.

Children with Lupus have a more lethal form of kidney disease Assignment

Children with Lupus have a more lethal form of kidney disease - Assignment Example In that case, research study may contribute awareness and familiarity, as well as necessary action in handling patients, especially children, with lupus. Relevance of Kidney Disease in Children with Lupus Introduction Systematic Lupus erythematosus (SLE), or Lupus, in its simple term, is a chronic autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease is an illness that occur when the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and functions abnormally by attacking various normal and healthy tissues of the body. The body’s immune system is designed to fight bacterial agents and other foreign microbes, or antigens, that entered into human body. Under normal function, the body’s immune system produces antibodies that are made up of proteins to protect and fight the antigens such as viruses and bacteria. In lupus patients, the immune system produce abnormal antibodies in their blood. With abnormal antibodies, immune system is now unable to distinguish healthy tissues from antigens, th erefore the immune system will direct the antibodies against healthy tissues rather than the foreign infectious agents or antigens, causing swelling, pain, and damage to body tissues and organs such as skin, kidneys, blood, heart and lungs (Shiel & Stoppler, n.d.) . But how come kidneys are complicatedly affected? The normal function of kidneys are to remove waste materials from the human like creatinine and urea from the blood. Creatine is a subset of protein, wherein antibodies are also made up of protein. If the blood contains high levels of creatinine and urea, kidney weaken its function. That’s why if blood or protein in the urine is found during a urine test, it is a sign of kidney damage. Since immunity system of a lupus patient abnormally produce antibodies that are made up of protein, high level of it inside the body, especially in the blood will tend to a kidney failure. So, presumably children with lupus might develop kidney failure. Literature Review: According to research conducted by John Hopkins Children’s Center (2010), that in more than 98,000 children and adults with different kinds of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), those with lupus, Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), have a more lethal form of kidney disease. Researchers analyzed data specifically reports that â€Å"children with lupus kidney disease had more than twice (2.4 times) the risk of dying compared to children with other forms of kidney disease† (para.5). Research analysis was based on 98,483 ESKD patients, wherein 171 of them were children with lupus, with the record of 29 fatalities, while in non-lupus ESKD, among 3,276 children 316 died. The reported common cause of death was heart disease due to complication. Also, according to their research analysis, that among children with lupus, eighty percent suffer kidney disease, commonly called Lupus Nephritis, and with the recorded number of deaths seventy-five percent died of heart failure, mostly heart atta ck. Base on this statistical report seriously speaking, lupus and kidney disease is a deadly combination. Research analysis shows that the vital organs that are commonly and primarily affected by lupus are heart and kidneys. How does lupus affect our kidneys? Dr. Carl F. Anderson (2010) explained first how lupus manifest in one human body. Being an autoimmune disease, as I explained in my introduction, the body’s immune system mistakenly recognized our own tissue as pathogens. Thereby, our immune

Annie Hall movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Annie Hall movie - Essay Example While the film presents some beautiful and tender moments between the couple, these are set against a contextual backdrop that suggests a breakup. The film commences on a nostalgic note, where Alvy is thinking about his relationship with Annie, the relationship that almost was. He muses, â€Å"I keep sifting through the pieces of the relationship through my mind, and examining my life and trying to figure out where did the screw up come?† (Annie Hall). Yet, this nostalgia is also intertwined with an underlying element of cynicism, because we know at the outset what the outcome of the relationship was – it ended in a break-up. Revealing the outcome at the very beginning of the film helps to set the foreground of the narrative and direct the conception of the audience towards the meaning of the film. It sets up the central question to be addressed in the film – why did the relationship between Annie and Alvy end? The nostalgic question posed by Alvy at the very beg inning of the film is followed by a stand up comedy routine, adopting an ironic, self reflexive tone that successfully reflects a combination of nostalgia and cynicism. One of the means employed in the film to distinguish the relationship of Alvy and Annie from the rest of the events occurring in the film is through the use of contrasts. An associative, metaphorical sequencing through stand up comedy segments is used at the beginning of the film, whereas a conventional, sequential narrative structure is used for the scenes dealing with Annie and Alvy’s meeting and courtship.

Information Regarding CPA's Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Information Regarding CPA's Report - Essay Example The deferral method specifically focuses on income statement and the tax expense is calculated on the basis of identified revenues and expenses in the income statement. However, the deferral method is not acceptable under GAAP. In contrast, the liability method would estimate the future taxes payable or receivable. Hence, the liability method focuses on the estimation of current as well as deferred tax assets and liabilities. â€Å"The amount of income tax expense recognized for a period is the amount of income taxes currently payable or refundable, plus or minus the change in aggregate deferred tax assets and liabilities† (CCH Editorial, p.28). The liability method primarily focuses on the balance sheet. The changes in the balance sheet elements are used to calculate the amount of income tax expense under this method. 2. Procedures for Reporting Accounting Changes and Error Corrections Generally, accounting changes are of two types including changes in accounting principle an d changes in accounting estimate. Mainly, there are two approaches available for reporting accounting changes. They are retrospective approach and prospective approach. Under the retrospective approach, comparative financial statements are recast to clearly illustrate the changes. In addition, related accounting records are properly adjusted to indicate net effect of the change as of the starting of the current period. In addition, the identified accounting changes and their effects on the income statement and balance sheet are appropriately attached to the financial statements. The prospective approach is used when the application of retrospective approach becomes impractical. In case of reporting error corrections, the cumulative effect of the correction has to be reported as a prior period adjustment if only the statements relating to the current period are presented. â€Å"If comparative financial statements are presented, then the error should be corrected in the earliest affe cted period presented by correcting any individual amounts on the financial statements† (FASAB). In addition, the effect of correction of an error in previous financial statements on relevant balances must be properly disclosed. 3. Rationale Behind Establishing Subsidiary as a Separate Corporation The concept of making subsidiary as a separate corporation adds to the operational efficiency of an organization. When a parent company and its subsidiaries operate as separate legal entities, either of them may individually involve in legal proceedings, bankruptcy, or tax delinquency without depending on the other. In addition, the separate operation would be assistable to prevent a non-profitable subsidiary from operating at the expense of the holding company. Hence, the subsidiary corporation would be forced to raise operating funds by itself to meet its business requirements. When a parent company and its subsidiaries operate as a single corporation, the business management would be a cumbersome task because the single firm becomes responsible for dealing with huge volume of transactions. In addition, the separate operation would aid the holding company to take advantage of tax duties and public sector spending. This concept is also beneficial for the holding company to timely identify the operational pitfalls of its subsidiaries and recommend

Youths and Gangs in School: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Youths and Gangs in School: Causes, Effects and Solutions The correlation between youths and crime is well documented in the available literatures. Research shows that a huge number who regularly get involved in criminal activities are youths. According to Home Office (2011), Home Office commits approximately  £18m of the entire funding solely to curb young individuals from engaging in criminal activities. Such statistics clearly demonstrates the magnitude of the problem caused by youth gangs justifying the need to integrate mechanisms to adequately address the issue. There is no universally accepted definition for gangs considering the many definitions that have been advanced by scholars. Due to lack of universality of gang definition, there have been little consensus concerning what should constitute a gang and the precise definition of a gang member. Esbensen et al (2001) asserted that experts have reported faults with almost all definitions of a gang. Thrasher (1963, p, 40) boasts for being the first person to provide a comprehensive definition for a gang. He defined it as an interstitial group initially formed spontaneously and eventually integrated through conflict. Thrasher characterised gang with certain features, including milling, meeting face-to-face, conflict, movement through spaces as a unit, and planning. Nonetheless, criminal activities vital to many researchers understanding of gangs was virtually omitted from Thrashers definition. Thrasher had failed to integrate elements, including law violating behaviour and delinquent as a criterion for gang. Despite Schools being some of the most common socialization places for the youth across the world, they are increasingly becoming vulnerable to incidences and effects of youth gangs, especially in the United States. Background Schools are some of the most common socialization places for the youth across the world. In this respect, schools are vulnerable to incidences and effects of youth gangs, especially in the United States. Statistics indicate that about 24% of all public-school students report the presence of youth gangs in their individual schools (Smith, 2011). Recent surveys reveal that more than 45% of high school students acknowledge the existence of active youth gangs in their campuses. Empirical studies also demonstrate that group operations are more pervasive in urban schools than suburban schools (Mayer Furlong, 2010). However, gang operations in suburban schools have been growing at an alarming pace over the recent years. It is disturbing to note that scholars, education administrators, and security agencies have underestimated the implication of these statistics. Arguably, these stakeholders have shown little seriously about young gangs due to lack of well-defined criteria for assessing the elements of a youth gang. The reluctance to notice the prevalence of gang operations in schools have been attributed to the fear of public perception and politicization of the issue. The presence of youth gangs in communities poses serious problems for school going children. Reports show that schools form suitable grounds for recruitment, intimidation, and boasting (Smith, 2011; Howel, 2007). Concurring with this debate, Mayer, and Furlong (2010) added that the idea of gang activity creates an environment of anxiety and incompliance. Fear and incompliance interferes with classroom order and reduces the academic performance of non-gang students. Undoubtedly, the existence of youth gangs in schools disrupts the learning environment, inculcates fear among students and educators, and accounts for increased violence in schools. Research shows that young gang activity is positively associated with the increasing episodes of bullying, violence, and intimidation in schools (ODonnell, Egley Howell, 2009). Smith (2011) also reported a strong correlation between the existence of gangs and the availability of guns and drugs in schools. Cases of students having weapons, as w ell as, students reports of availability of illicit drugs are more rampant in schools where youth gangs are prevalent. Therefore, violent victimization rates are higher in schools with operational youth gangs than in schools without gangs. It has been noted with great concern that young gangs are characterized by ever-changing structures, thereby surpassing the stereotypical perspectives on traditional gangs. People always believe that modern youth gangs operate within the confines of urban settings. Research shows, however, that the contemporary youth gangs are rapidly growing and spreading to suburban areas and villages (Egley, Howell, Moore, 2010). The fact that young gangs are present in most of the urban high schools is a clear indication that schools are growingly being infiltrated by gang activities that are engineered in local communities. As mentioned earlier, the purpose of schools has extended beyond academic and co-curriculum development to include drug markets and recruiting grounds. Moreover, schools where notifiable gang operations are not addressed often register higher victimization rates. The failure to address gang operations imply that the potential indicators of gang activity are not being recognized as expected. In most cases, this failure leads to a compromise of the school security in the broad-spectrum. It is on record that teachers and school heads show little commitment to recognizing the prevalence of youth gangs in their schools due to fear of victimization. Studies have also found that students and police officers are more likely to report the existence of youth gangs in schools than both teachers and parents (NCES, 2010). These important facts support the need to explore the motives behind youth gang formation, awareness of key indicators, and risk factors linked to participation in the same. According to the National Center for Education Statistic (NCES, 2010), youth gang formation does not consider age, gender, or race. Scholars claim that pov erty and high costs of living explain the formation of a majority of youth gangs in schools (Estrada, Astor, Benbenishty, Gilreath, De Pedro, 2011). Estrada, Gilreath, Astor and Benbenishty (2013) reported that all children are becoming growingly vulnerable to the attraction of local youth gangs and indoctrinated with gang practices. Anti-gang analysts have suggested that the aspiration for love, security, improved social status, and a feeling of empowerment always promote gang formation. Academic failure, alcohol and substance abuse are other motivations to join a gang. Estrada, Astor, Benbenishty, Gilreath, and De Pedro (2011) contributed to this issue arguing that the ineffective and discriminatory nature of the existing social systems, including families and schools account for the rise in youth gangs in schools. Based on this argument, one can state without doubt that socio-economic predicaments are both predisposing factors and outcomes of the prevalence of youth gangs in the society. Professionals from across various quotas have contended that there is a difficulty in addressing gang pervasiveness. The problem which emanates from identification has been compounded by the lack of identifiable traits. The availability of identifiable traits would make it rather easy to differentiate between gang-affiliated students and non-gang students. Although other recognizable characters should be analyzed, gang members commonly use a different language, mannerisms, and dressing codes. The use of hand gestures, certain color displays, and signs are typical of youth gangs. However, blame has been pegged on educators and school administrators for overlooking such actions. Teachers and administrators have no option when it comes to learning and acknowledging the key indicators of youth gangs in schools. More importantly, educators lack knowledge of the risk factors that drive the formation of youth gangs. Battin-Pearson, Guo, Hill, Abbott, Catalano, and Hawkins (1997) categorized the possible risk factors into the family, school, peer, community, and individual circumstances. Dysfunctional families bring disaffection in children, thereby providing a primary motivation to join a gang. When one is separated from the community, he or she may seek acceptance in peer groups. These peer groups would then make joining a gang more appealing to the socially isolated young person. Therefore, exposing children to various risks increases the probability that they may accede to forces of youth gangs. Problem Statement It is evident that the explosion of youth gangs and gang-related violence has continued to skyrocket since the late-1990s. Global records show that the United States harbors about 30,000 distinct youth gangs made up of not less than 800,000 members. It is believed that these figures may be higher because people have imperfect information on what constitutes a gang. Incarceration of gang members and complicated legal procedures are other justifications of the variations in the estimates. Per the most recent surveys, more reasonable estimates comprise of at least 20,000 respective gangs with over 1,000,000 associates. It is worth stating that the more these gangs spread throughout a country or region, the more devastating their implications on public schools and learners become. The severity of effects of gangs in the contemporary society has exceeded historical levels. In other words, both the presence and activity of youth gangs in schools have raised concerns such as academic disrup tion, the decline in discipline among students, and increased cases of violence. The primary problem is that in most cases, teachers and school administrators fail to identify in time and mitigate gang problems in schools sufficiently. However, analysts do not blame educators and administrators entirely for their reluctance to recognize the presence and effects of gangs in school environments. In that essence, the contribution of public and political perceptions to their reluctance cannot be overlooked. On the contrary, the absence of official gang training in the pre-service and in-service professional development activities. Scholars have projected that when gang operations go unnoticed and unmitigated, such outcomes as increased gang activities, uncertain learning conditions, and ineffectiveness of campus security become more pervasive (Egley, Howell, Moore, 2010). The underlying issue is not just the recognition of key indicators and risks factors but the ability and capacity to recognize them in such a manner that facilitates mitigation and eradication of gangs from schools and the local communities. The situation may worsen in the near future if appropriate recognition methods and interventional measures are not implemented as fast as necessary. Solution to Gang Related Problems in School Before addressing the possible solution to gang related problems, it is imperative to address some of the risk factors promoting gang violence in a school setting. Understanding the root cause of gang related violence is key to addressing the issue of youths and gangs in schools. Howell (2011) documented some of the factors likely to prom youth gangs in a school setting. These factors are classified into individual, family, and school related factors. The individual risk factors include alcohol and drug abuse, antisocial behaviour, victimization, mental health problems, and negative life events. Howell (2011) contended that antisocial behaviour was one of the prim factors promoting youth and gang in schools. Howell asserts that children whose antisocial behaviour progressively worsens are more likely to join various gang groups. Antisocial behaviour includes aggression, alcohol and drug use, early dating, and violence without a weapon. In adolescence, other forms of violence do emerge, including attacking someone with a weapon. Therefore, antisocial behaviour is one of the prime causes of youth gang violence in a school setting. This implies that effort to address the issue of gang violence should be geared towards addressing the issue of antisocial behaviour in schools. Another individual factor contributing to youth and gangs in school include alcohol and drug abuse. Many students who are drug addicts are more likely to join gang groups (Huizinga Lovegrove, 2009). According to Howell (2011), alcohol and drug abuse are among the leading triggers of youth and gangs in schools. In fact, where drug involves marijuana, the probability of joining gang group is extremely high. Besides alcohol abuse, mental health also constitutes problem compelling an individual to join gangs in school. Despite little evidence on the role played by mental health problems in promoting gang violence, research shows that mental problems among young people escalates their chances of joining a gang group in a school setting. These mental health problems encompass externalising behaviours, conduct disorders, depression, and hyperactivity (Howell Egley, 2005). The study conducted by Davis and Flannery (2001) highlighted that gang members in juvenile correctional facilities are regularly admitted with histories of sexual and physical abuse, psychiatric disturbances, substance abuse, cognitive deficits, and traumatic stress disorder among others. Therefore, effort to provide robust solutions to addressing the issue of youths and gang in school should be geared towards addressing the above documented individual risk factors. Howell (2011) cited family risk factors as being responsible for compelling an individual to join a gang group in a school setting. Per Howell, parents play an incredible role in promoting positive child-development right from birth. He pointed adversities, including multiple family transitions, single-parent household, financial stress, and poverty as potential risk factors, increasing the likelihood of one joining a criminal gang. The aforementioned factors weaken effective parental supervision while disturbing proper development of stronger family bonds. In ability for parents to exercise proper parental control has been proven beyond reasonable doubt to promote children involvement in gang in various school settings. Additionally, parents history of gang involvement also plays an important role in the childs criminal behaviour. Howell (2011) posits that where a family member got involved in criminal behaviour or gang, the probability of his or her children joining gang is very high. School related factors have also been scrutinised to explore the role they play in promoting youth engagement in gang membership. However, it is interesting that study in this area have only been directed towards examining the role played by a students academic achievement in gang involvement (Gottfredson et al., 2005). The study conducted by Thornberry, Krohn, et al., (2003) found that poor school performance on mathematics subject predicted male gang involvement. Based on this study, it is apparent that poor school performance played a role in youth gang involvement in a school setting. The community risk factors have also been cited as a risk factor for youth involvement in gang violence. Pyrooz, Fox, and Decker (2010) opine that gangs always tend to cluster in economically disadvantaged and high-crime neighbourhoods. Where gangs cluster in each neighbourhood, the probability of youths joining gang group is extremely high. Some of the community related risk factors compelling youths to join gangs include widespread use of drugs and firearms, a huge number of people involved in illegal behaviours within the community, and increased alcohol and drug abuse. Solutions With respect to the rising rate of gang related violence, more so in a school setting, it is imperative to develop robust strategies to sufficiently address the issue of school youths joining gang groups. There are many strategies that can be implemented to address the issue as will be discussed in this section. Ineffective gun control strategies have been blamed to be responsible for the increased gang violence in a school setting. This implies that effort to reduce gang related violence should be geared towards implementing effective gun control policies to ensure that youths do not get access to guns. Research shows that drug abuse worsens juvenile violence in two different ways. For instance, firearm is highly prevalent among drug addicts, something that increases the chances of possessing and illegally using arms to engage in violence. Therefore, effort to reduce drug-gun related violence should be geared towards addressing the issue of drugs in community. To reduce an environment of fear and attain the highest reduction in number of youths carrying weapons, effort ought to be directed towards not only implementing effective gun control policies, but also conducting an operation to disarm the number of youths carrying the weapons. Youth involvement and community support planning and implementation are key to making the disarmament process effective. Community support programs geared towards promoting economic development is also a step in the right direction as far as solutions are concerned. In most cases, youths join gang groups because of poverty; they are unable to access adequate food. They are, therefore, forced to resort to gang violence as a strategy of achieving the end, which is using illegal methods to earn money. Therefore, community efforts should involve integrating programs that promote economic growth and development within the community. Besides the above, another effective strategy is studying students displaying antisocial behaviors. Based on this research, such students were more likely to join the school gang group. In this regard, they must be warned that any attempt to promote youth-gun would be dealt with accordingly. In some cases, promoting economic growth and development may not be effective because youth crime has always been reported to be high even in cities with a robust history of economic development. In this case, teaching school going children on the need to avoid violence behavior and the consequences associated with participating in gang groups is likely to reduce the number of school youths considering joining gangs. Scholars have suggested different strategies for mitigating the prevalence of different youth gang activities and gang-associated impacts on students. Among the most cited strategies include anti-gang education, anti-violence programs, school absenteeism and exclusion responses, positive pro-social behavior models, and inclusion. These strategies are useful in nurturing peaceful learning, coexistence, and social integration. Anti-youth gang education is a promising way of discouraging children and young adults from acquiring youth gang membership. In some jurisdictions, gang resistance education and training programs have been integrated into the curriculum. The advocates of this program argue that it enables students to have perfect information concerning their respective schools and homesteads, thereby encouraging positive social behaviors. The mentioned program focuses primarily on emphasizing the negative effects of alcohol and drug abuse, while engaging the youth in community development programs. However, the implementation such a curriculum should be the responsibility of security officers because they are more familiar with conflict management, drugs, and criminal justice. Research shows that students who have successfully undergone an education and training programs portray more pro-social behaviors than other students. On the same note, well-trained police officers play pivotal roles in not only preventing the formation of youth gangs, but also in enforcing law and order in the community. Therefore, police presence in schools can boost educators and administrators morale in the fight against youth gangs. Anti-violence programs form another set of strategies for curbing the proliferation of gangs in learning institutions. This category of strategies consists of mentoring programs for young boys, anti-bullying campaigns, pro-diversity policies and practices, and selection of community liaison officers. Psychologists believe that anti-bullying programs such as reporting of bullying incidences make vulnerable students feel more secure and less likely to seek refuge in a gang. Per emotion experts, mentoring boys reduces violence against students having same sex relationships. Besides, racial-violence in schools can be reduced by creating and promoting race-free environments. As a matter of fact, schools are encouraged to preach cultural diversity and equality so that foreign students can gain a sense of belonging to a school community. In addition to the school community, liaison officers can also promote cultural diversity by ensuring that ethnic minority communities actively participate in youth education and well-being promotion. Additionally, curriculum reforms, creation of incentives for attendance, allowing re-entry of excluded and disaffected students, and the use of restorative justice in disciplining students are the main ways of reducing cases of absenteeism and exclusion. Those who support curriculum change posit that learning should be more vocational and practical in the sense that evening hours and weekends are devoted to recreational and talent shows. Studies have established that most students find these sessions exciting and refreshing. Elsewhere, setting a class target with the reward of an excursion has been found to potentially increase school attendance. Students can also be prepared to re-enter regular schools by taking them to alternative schools such as rehabilitation centers. Most these alternative schools have provided community service training necessary for building self-esteem in young people. Fundamentally, there is a need to streamline the interaction between parents, educators, ad ministrators, and security personnel. Effective communication in social systems harbors myriad of achieving restorative justice. Scholars have identified youth conferences as the most effective communication channel when it comes to impacting behavior change in young people. Nevertheless, other educationists have viewed the role of mentorship in preventing gang activity from another lens. The contribution of both adult and peer mentors towards behavior change has been seamlessly commendable. Adult mentors comprise of designated and proficient individuals who offer guidance, counseling, and assistance to young groups. School administrators and peer leaders can be more productive in addressing problems affecting young people such as appropriate dressing, appropriate verbiage, and understanding. Scholars have suggested different strategies for mitigating the prevalence of different youth gang activities and gang-associated impacts on students. Among the most cited strategies include anti-gang education, anti-violence programs, school absenteeism and exclusion responses, positive pro-social behavior models, and inclusion. These strategies are useful in nurturing peaceful learning, coexistence, and social integration. Anti-youth gang education is a promising way of discouraging children and young adults from acquiring youth gang membership. In some jurisdictions, gang resistance education and training programs have been integrated into the curriculum. The advocates of this program argue that it enables students to have perfect information concerning their respective schools and homesteads, thereby encouraging positive social behaviors. The mentioned program focuses primarily on emphasizing the negative effects of alcohol and drug abuse, while engaging the youth in community development programs. However, the implementation such a curriculum should be the responsibility of security officers because they are more familiar with conflict management, drugs, and criminal justice. Research shows that students who have successfully undergone an education and training programs portray more pro-social behaviors than other students. On the same note, well-trained police officers play pivotal roles in not only preventing the formation of youth gangs, but also in enforcing law and order in the community. Therefore, police presence in schools can boost educators and administrators morale in the fight against youth gangs. Anti-violence programs form another set of strategies for curbing the proliferation of gangs in learning institutions. This category of strategies consists of mentoring programs for young boys, anti-bullying campaigns, pro-diversity policies and practices, and selection of community liaison officers. Psychologists believe that anti-bullying programs such as reporting of bullying incidences make vulnerable students feel more secure and less likely to seek refuge in a gang. According to emotion experts, mentoring boys reduces violence against students having same sex relationships. Besides, racial-violence in schools can be reduced by creating and promoting race-free environments. In fact, schools are encouraged to preach cultural diversity and equality so that foreign students can gain a sense of belonging to a school community. In addition to the school community, liaison officers can also promote cultural diversity by ensuring that ethnic minority communities actively participate in youth education and well-being promotion. Additionally, curriculum reforms, creation of incentives for attendance, allowing re-entry of excluded and disaffected students, and the use of restorative justice in disciplining students are the main ways of reducing cases of absenteeism and exclusion. Those who support curriculum change posit that learning should be more vocational and practical in the sense that evening hours and weekends are devoted to recreational and talent shows. Studies have established that most students find these sessions exciting and refreshing. Elsewhere, setting a class target with the reward of an excursion has been found to potentially increase school attendance. Students can also be prepared to re-enter regular schools by taking them to alternative schools such as rehabilitation centers. Most of these alternative schools have provided community service training necessary for building self-esteem in young people. Fundamentally, there is a need to streamline the interaction between parents, educators, administrators, and security personnel. Effective communication in social systems harbors a myriad of achieving restorative justice. Scholars have identified youth conferences as the most effective communication channel when it comes to impacting behavior change in young people. Nevertheless, other educationists have viewed the role of mentorship in preventing gang activity from another lens. The contribution of both adult and peer mentors towards behavior change has been seamlessly commendable. Adult mentors comprise of designated and proficient individuals who offer guidance, counseling, and assistance to young groups. School administrators and peer leaders can be more productive in addressing problems affecting young people such as appropriate dressing, appropriate verbiage, and understanding. References 2010. Retrieved fromhttp://nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators/crimeindicators2010/ind_08.asp. Battin-Pearson, S., Guo, J., Hill, K. G., Abbott, R., Catalano, R. F., Hawkins, J. D. (1997). Early predictors of sustained adolescent gang membership. In American society of criminology annual meeting, San Diego, CA. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1991). Weapon-carrying among high school students: United States, 1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 40(40), 681-684. Blumstein, 1994. Egley, A., Jr., Howell, J. C., Moore, J. P. (2010). Highlights of the 2008 national youth Estrada, J. N., Astor, R. A., Benbenishty, R., Gilreath, T., De Pedro, K. (2011). Merging gang and school violence theoretical models: examining predictors of gang membership within California schools. In American Educational Research Association, Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. Estrada, J. N., Gilreath, T. D., Astor, R. A., Benbenishty, R. (2013). Gang membership of California middle school students: behaviors and attitudes as mediators of school violence. Health education research, cyt037.  From http://www.k12.wa.us/LegisGov/2011documents/GangsTaskForceReport.pdf. gang survey. Retrieved from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/229249.pdf HOME OFFICE (2011). Knife, gun and gang-related violence. [online]. Last accessed 25 April 2011 at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/knife-gun-gang-youth-violence/. Howell, J. C. (2007). Menacing or mimicking? Realities of youth gangs. Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 58(2), 39-50. Howell, J. C. (2011). Gang prevention: an overview of research and programs. DIANE Publishing. Mayer, M. J., Furlong, M. J. (2010). How safe are our schools? Educational Researcher, 39(1), 16-26. National Center for Education Statistics. (2010). Indicators of school crime and safety: ODonnell, C., Egley, A., Howell, J. C. (2009). Over a decade of national youth gang  Retrieved from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p373416_index.html Smith, T. G. (2011). Gangs in schools task force: Report to the legislature. Retrieved   Survey research: What have we learned? Paper presented at the annual meeting of  The ASC, Annual Meeting, Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Philadelphia, PA.

Cambodia And United Nations :: essays research papers

Cambodia is a small country located in Southeast Asia bordering the Gulf of Thailand. Cambodia lies between Thailand and Vietnam. It occupies a total area of 181,040 square kilometers, and out of all of this, only 176,520 square kilometers are on land. Cambodia has a 2,572-kilometer long land boundary and 443 kilometer coastline.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cambodia has a tropical climate like most countries in Southeast Asia. In this tropical climate, there is a rainy, monsoon season from May to October. The dry season lasts from December to March. The land terrain in Cambodia is mostly made up of low lands, flat plains, with mountains in the Southwest and north. There is a wide amount of natural resources in Cambodia. The natural resources include, timber, gemstones, manganese, phosphates, and hydropower potential.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main kind of agriculture in Cambodia is subsistence farming. This is where the food you grow on your farm is for your own good. The opposite of subsistence farming is commercial farming where big industries farm for commercial profit. The Mekong river floods the fields in the wet season, making the land perfect for growing rice, which is their main cash crop. Even though they grow a lot of rice, their main export is rubber, and their man import is machinery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cambodia has a small population compared to the many states of the United States of America. As of July 1993, Cambodia had a total population of 9,898,900. The nationality, or the names of the people who live in Cambodia are Cambodian(s). The primary ethnic group that makes up 90% of the total population is Khmer. The major religion in Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism. About 95% of the people in Cambodia follow this religion. The official language is Khmer, and French is the second most common language.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The French colonized Cambodia for 83 years. Cambodia became independent in November 1953. This was because Norodom Sihanuk led a peaceful independence movement against the French. Norodom Sihanuk was the current Prince of Cambodia at that time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Soon after this, a communist group called the Khmer Rouge, which was lead by Pol Pot and backed up by the Chinese stepped in. They were in charge of Cambodia for eight years. Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge murder millions of innocent Cambodians. Their rule ended when the Vietnamese took control.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Royal Government of Cambodia administers the government in Cambodia. There are currently two Prime Ministers, who are Hun Sen, and Ran Narit.

Mephisto Products Ltd

Unit Title: Marketing PrinciplesUnit Code: 4Date Issued: 6th March 2013 Student Name: Andrei OlariuStudent ID: P1003160Due Date: March 2013 Module Leader John HeatherInternal Verifier Name M. Azam Mephisto Products Ltd Mephisto ltd raised from form the idea of an engineer James Watkinson which married the daughter of the owner of a detergent manufacturer, where also realised hi can improve the work in the chemical industries and make it more qualitative and much safer.He started first to manufacture safety devices for his father-in-low and then grow wider because he believed in his product and he introduce it on the market focusing on chemical industry only, but for that needed a plan to penetrate the market. Because the customers did not know about his product and they were not aware of such a device might be needed for their mechanisms a team of salesman’s took the product and successfully sales it over the country.Also started to do some advertising and promotions from some parts of his profits, for a while there were some discounts for larger orders to make potential customers buy the product but Watkinson’s philosophy was: ‘If they want the product badly enough they will wait for it’, as well as: ‘Why offer discounts for larger quantities – if they did not want that many they will not order them. ’ During for five years the business was very successfully, but unlikely its market share dropped drastic when on the market new competition arrived with more innovative products.Now Jim Bullins the senior executive at Mephisto decided is time for a new marketing director to come aboard. What Mephisto Is looking to accomplish with a new marketing director is to establish, expand and maintain relationships with customers and partners. Defined by (AMA 2007): â€Å"Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers , clients, partners, and society at large. Defined by (CIM 2001): â€Å"Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably† The marketing manager has to create a plan that shows all the steps that needs to be undertaken to achieve the business marketing objectives. That plan has to include and not to be limited to: The demand of product and services, a description of its competitors and a stand point of the business and its competitors for their strengths and weaknesses. Also is important to include a description of the product and services rendered with possible future improvements. -An advertising, promotional and loyalty program plan included in the marketing budget. -A pricing strategy. Mephisto believed its product is unique and high quality, which that makes it superior and customers will like it and buy it straight away. The problem on this approach is that’s not enough for a product to b e superior to sell out, unless you satisfy the clients with what they want and what they need.Mephisto should have done a marketing research to help them see what is going on into their marketing environment, like what the customers think about their product, how are their needs changing, the competitors strategies and in which way macro and micro environment affects the business. When realised sales dropped down the company should take in consideration an improvement to the product and some updates to try and stay ahead on the market and not fall beyond their competitors. Benefits of marketing orientation for Mephisto: Is the focus on the customer and their needs and this is just the first step.

The Big Sleep †Film Essay

The Big Sleep – Film Essay Free Online Research Papers The film script can be seen as a nexus, an intermediary point between the world of literature and the visual world of cinema (Hueso, 221). In order to negotiate these two worlds to get from a novel to a film some form of adaptation is necessary. Howard Hawks’s, 1946 version of The Big Sleep, is, in this respect, not just as a visual retelling of Raymond Chandler’s novel but also an adaptation, with its own purposes, themes and emphases. Hawks’s ‘revised, revamped and renovated’ (Abbott, 313) story has several key differences from Chandler’s original but perhaps it is in what remains that the core messages of The Big Sleep can be found. The omissions and additions that the script writers opted for have made certain critics, Abbott and Athanasourelis among them; believe that Chandler’s complex and gritty critique of society has been sanitised by the Hollywood production machine. In part this argument can be backed up by the overwhelming evidence that The Big Sleep was intended as a ‘star vehicle’ (Athanasourelis, 335) to capitalise on the success of Lauren Bacall (Vivian Regan/Rutledge) and Humphrey Bogart (Philip Marlowe). Some scenes in particular, for example Vivian’s singing, have little plot value but mimic a similar occasion in Hawks’s first Bogart and Bacall picture, To Have and Have Not. Similarly, Vivian’s character is given a much more dynamic and active role in the narrative simply to include more scenes for the two stars. The aspect which has been most criticised however, is the way Chandler’s original characters, and the antipathy between them, have been we akened to allow for a traditional romance structure and a â€Å"happy† or at least enclosed ending. The loose ends of Chandler’s final pages (where Eddie has yet to be dealt with; Vivian and Marlowe part ways with rancour and our final view of Marlowe is at a bar drinking alone) are replaced by a balanced frame showing Vivian and Marlowe, shoulder to shoulder, looking out at the approaching sirens together and then turning to face each other. This image of solidarity and harmony is symptomatic of the trajectory of the rest of the plot; where, in the novel, Marlowe is alone or with other women, as in his captivity in Art Tuck’s house; Vivian is inserted into the scene to assure a romance angle. This comfortable, because so traditional, addition to the plot may be a refusal to acknowledge the complexity and unredeemable qualities of Chandler’s characters but it is also a product of its historical context. Not only were Bogart and Bacall hot property at the time, leading to executive decisions to increase their number of scenes together, but also a happy ending was almost obligatory. Since 1927, Hollywood had instigated ‘a self-regulating mechanism, the Motion Picture Producers and Directors Association, whose strictures, commonly referred to as the Production Code†¦[were] a stringently enforced censoring mechanism that shaped narratives according to perceived mainstream moral values’ (Athanasourelis, 325). The Production Code performed ‘ideological censorship’ (Athanasourelis, 325), insisting on a â€Å"happy ending† specifically, the romantic attachment of a monogamous heterosexual couple. These industry strictures can account fo r some of the variations that occur from text to screen, for example, the romance or Regan’s transformation from husband to employee, in order to free Vivian from emotional attachment. According to Athansourelis, (332) it also explains the rather neat ending, where Marlowe confronts Eddie, who is hinted as the murderer of Regan and who, in a moment of cosmic justice, is gunned down by his own men. The Production Code Officials were challenged by Hawks to some up with a new ending and they did so, conveniently laying guilt on Eddie Mars. This may explain, or at least excuse, the rather torturous manipulations of the final confrontation, the censors ‘were concerned, not with narrative credibility or aesthetics, but solely with placing the white and black hats firmly on the appropriate heads’ (Athanasourelis, 332). By making Eddie guilty they remove the criminal threat entirely. They also allow for an opposing view of criminality to appear than that which the novel seems to express. The film supports Jerry Palmer’s idea that crime fiction ‘asserts, at root, that the world does not contain any sources of conflict: trouble comes from the people who are rotten, but whose rottenness is in no way connected with the nature of the world they infect’ (Thrillers, p 87). Such a simplistic view of the world is endorsed by the film’s ending at least, if not by the rest of the action, as it neatly places criminal behaviour within specific strata of society. This is in direct contrast to Chandler’s open-ended and unresolved ending and to the novel’s refusal to reassure readers. Rather than a comforting portrayal of criminality as abnormality more in keeping with Golden Age crime fiction the noir detective ‘discovers darkness everywhere’ (R. Palmer, 73). Chandler does not allow us, as readers, to comply with the facile judgement that ‘crime is committed only by a distinct social class’ and his unresolved and complex narrative confronts ‘his readers with the possibility that, even if they are not directly affected by crime, it is impossible not to live within its reach†™ (Athanasourelis, 327). It is not only plot additions that drastically alter Chandler’s narrative but omissions as well. The Big Sleep has often been seen as an extremely convoluted narrative, which is further complicated by the industry’s insistence that for reasons of morality the drugs, pornography and homosexual aspects of the text must be removed. That these still remain in the subtext of the film is a testament to the power of Chandler’s plot, which cannot merely be torn apart and, perhaps, to Hawks’s own subversive attitude. Of particular interest in terms of the overall tone and mood of the piece are the omissions regarding the Sternwood sisters and the character of Marlowe. Carmen is given a smaller role in the film, removing the ruthless scene where she tries to shoot Marlowe, and Vivian, whilst still manipulative, is ultimately subordinate to Marlowe as his love interest and his (though admittedly sassy) sidekick. This again, has much to do with the mood of Hollywood a nd America in the 1940’s. Having just come out of the second world war there was an increased displacement and maladjustment for men upon returning home (Maltby, 45) and an increased anxiety over masculinity. This anxiety over sexuality may account for the sister’s less powerful roles and the number of female characters who make themselves sexually available to Marlowe: the bookshop girl, the taxi driver and so on. In this climate of concern over male and female roles it was imperative that women be subdued and subordinated to men. Showing a ‘spoilt, exacting, smart and quite ruthless’ daughter and a ‘child who likes to pull wings off flies’ (Chandler, 18) may be more psychologically interesting but it is an image of threatening female power. In order to remove these menacing elements of the novel the ‘slithering twin threats’ of the Sternwood sisters are transformed into ‘a petty nuisance’- Carmen is less vicious than in the novel – and ‘a redeemed love interest’ (Abbott, 306). Likewise, the character of Marlowe undergoes some alteration. Chandler’s Marlowe is a more or less honourable man, who works for his money (quote ) a wisecracking, witty detective, much as Bogart plays him, but he is also a man who plays chess alone rather than interacting with people (Chandler, 150-151), ‘a man who can be driven to dissolution and hysteria’ (Abbott, 306). Bogarts ‘sardonic, knightly’ Marlowe ( Abbott, 305) would nev er find himself, after killing Canino, laughing ‘like a loon’ (Chandler, 194) in an inexplicable, chilling and extended manner nor would he ‘savagely’ tear his bed to pieces because the unstable Carmen has been in it (Chandler, 155). Neither of these episodes occurs in the film. Screen Marlowe is infinitely more stable, killing Canino and reacting afterwards with cool efficiency, displaying none of the vulnerability that makes the textual Marlowe so compelling. At this juncture, it is perhaps significant to note that the common film noir cinematic techniques, as set out by Schrader, are stylistically absent from The Big Sleep. Whilst he argues that the essence of film noir is in ‘more subtle qualities of tone and mood’ (53), there are a number of stylistic aspects, such as deep and shadowed images, oblique and vertical lines, jarringly unbalanced frames and a space that is ‘being continually cut into ribbons of light’ (57). Hawks’s film noir, though still given that appellation, has none of the camera and lighting effects which are common in other examples of the genre. This use of more traditional technique, despite the fact that The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Double Indemnity (1944), forerunners of the genre, had by this time appeared, signifies also a deliberate difference in mood from Chandler’s novel. The Big Sleep, as a text, is dark and shadowy, occurring in cramped spaces such as the claustroph obic greenhouse, Geiger’s fussy house and rain swept streets. The atmosphere is one of gloom, rain and night, yet the film, whilst keeping the formal elements many of the scenes are set at night and rain is almost omnipresent refuses to emphasise the darkness, the instability of the noir world that is at all times on the brink of dissolution . Even in ‘the heart of the noir world’ in the depths of depravity at Geiger’s house, all the details of the crowded orientalised room are clear (Walker, 191) rather than bathed in the devouring shadows of other noir settings. It may seem pedantic to accuse the film of not having those elements which were only recognised in hindsight and are still being argued over, but it does seem relevant that an expressive form, which existed at the time, was not used to emphasise the anxiety and corruption within the text. Perhaps this is another instance of sanitising the text; a wish to create a faà §ade of harmony and resol ution for the tattered fragments of instability that Chandler exposes. This analysis alone, however, is too simplistic a view of the film adaptation. It is necessary to complicate this facile judgement which too easily writes off the film as inferior without taking into account both the production constraints and the film in its entirety. For one thing, there is much that Hawks does not leave out, that remains very much in the text and in the film. An example of this would be the General’s stoic and realistic portrayal of his daughter’s vices and their ‘corrupt blood’. Indeed the entire scene in the hothouse, with the luscious orchids and their ‘rotten sweetness of corruption’ (General Sternwood) is an almost exact match to Chandler’s text. This scene is particularly significant because it sets out several of the main themes of the work as a whole: corruption, ambiguity, faà §ade and cover up. The lush setting and the reason for Marlowe’s arrival the General wishes to remove a blackmailer are sign s both of their wealth and position in society but also of the pervasiveness of criminality. The so-called higher class are just as full of ‘all the usual vices’ (General Sternwood) as the rest of society, implicating a grand narrative of criminality rather than confining it within a set sphere or restricting it as abnormality. This is also the only view of family life that appears in the narrative. R. Palmer states that: ‘[t]he crime melodrama characteristically images the illicit and the erotic as otherness apart from safer forms of living – in particular a family life defined by marriage and parenthood’ (71) but here the family we get are deviant, corrupt or half dead and where illicit and illegal forms of behaviour begin. The ambiguity of this situation, as with the Generals insistence that he doesn’t want to know anything about how Marlowe works which is implied in the text (Chandler, 20) and explicit in the film, are likewise symptoms of a society preoccupied with faà §ade: showing the right cover story to the public. In both text and film the media are misinformed and manipulated and in the film the DA rips up some shorthand notes which refer to aspects of Marlowe’s tale which he wishes to cover up. The theme of faà §ade is continued throughout the film and text, as we see behind Vivian’s, Geiger’s, Carmen’s and, in the text at least, behind Marlowe’s faà §ade. Thus Vivian’s comment, ‘[y]ou don’t put on much of a front’ (Chandler, 59), is a tacit acknowledgment of the way society in general does create faà §ades, which is counterintuitive to the traditional view of detectives as exposing what lies beneath. The theme of ambigui ty is kept up thematically by our ever shifting ideas of who the killer is and explicitly in the film when Marlowe tells Vivian: ‘I don’t want to ask you any more questions.’ This is striking considering the general expectation that a detective’s job is about truth and revelation. Here Marlowe’s job is to hide, to send Carmen away, to cover up for her. This is less explicit in the film despite the suggestion that Eddie is Regan’s killer and not Carmen in the way Marlowe removes Carmen from his account of Joe Brody’s murder. A detective’s role is presumably to bring to justice but Marlowe must circumvent justice. The narrative as a whole depicts the failure of the orderly legal system, Carmen is not punished or revealed as the killer, Brody, Geiger, Canino and Eddie are not punished legally, but by the divine retribution of death for their rackets and their murders. In fact, it is hinted in both film and text that Geigerâ€℠¢s ‘racket’ is known by and untouched by the police. In terms of ambiguity as well there is the ultimate ambiguity in that, neither in the film nor in the novel, do we ever definitively uncover the murderer of Owen Taylor. These explicit examples are in keeping with the ethos of Chandler’s work and his gritty, subversive view of a dissolute and disordered society. There are also, however, implicit moments within the film, at the level of subtext, that open up ideas of ambiguity and fluidity. For example, the pornographic nature of Geiger’s business is implied by Marlowe’s ‘[s]he takes a nice picture’, the drug angle is sufficiently inferred by Carmen’s dopey performance at the scene of Geiger’s murder. Similarly implicit is the homosexual aspect of Geiger and Carol’s relationship. Hawks uses parallel shots of running legs, to show Taylor running out of Geiger’s house and Carol running out of Brody’s flat (Walker, 193). This echoing of sequences implies a connection between them and their motives for killing. In addition there is Marlowe’s assumption that Carol has a key to Geiger’s house; easy shorthand for implying that they were lovers. That these elements are only in the subtext does not remove the subversive accounts of sexuality and pleasure that they expose. On a stylistic note the references to rain and water, which display ‘an almost Freudian attachment to water’ (Schrader, 57) which occur in both the text and screen versions creates a world of fluidity, of indistinct edges and blurred lines. This lack of solidity is mirrored by ‘the dram-like quality’ (Walker, 193) of the narrative itself, a constantly shifting set of crimes, victims and possible explanations, and by Marlowe and the world he inhabits. It is a morally ambiguous and fluid world, where we feel sympathy for a small time crook, Harry Jones, where ‘a pornographer, a blackmailer†¦ a killer by remote’ (Chandler, 187) is an almost attractive character and where a private detective is our hero. The detective is an intermediary figure, he inhabits the space ‘midway between lawful soci ety and the underworld, walking on the brink†¦fulfilling the requirements of his own code and of the genre as well’ (Borde and Chaumeton, 21). He also acts as a guide between the viewer and the criminal world (McCraken, 63). Marlowe, as detective, ‘facilitates a transgressive act’ (Mcraken, 63) not merely textually, in his covering up of several crimes, but metatextually, in the very act of being a detective. By negotiating our entrance, as viewers or readers, into the deviant criminal world, he acts both within and without the narrative, as aiding, rather than revealing, transgression. The film may try to sanitise and clean up Chandler’s work or as Robin Woods describes it: ‘the Chandler-Hammett atmosphere is too stifling for Hawks to breathe in happily: he lets in what fresh air he can’ (quoted in Walker, 191) and he does this by papering over the dissolution, instability and disorder of Chandler’s world with a patina of romance, happiness and resolution. Ultimately the subversive and threatening themes of Chandler’s work escape these strictures an the film cannot escape the undermining influence of a world that shows itself, whether textually or sub-textually as ambiguous, fluid and disordered. As a film, The Big Sleep may offer more traditional cinematic techniques and a more conventional resolution but it can never completely subdue the subversive elements that it was founded on and the noir themes from which it originates. Neither the fictional setting of Hollywood nor the strictures of the industry can completely efface the c orruption and ambiguity of the noir world and, as in Chandler’s novels, despite Hollywood’s sheen the ‘streets are [still] dark with something more than night’ (quoted in Haut, Pulp Culture, 73). Research Papers on The Big Sleep - Film EssayWhere Wild and West MeetHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThree Concepts of PsychodynamicResearch Process Part OneComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Spring and AutumnStandardized Testing