The Role of the Technical Trainer free essay sample

This is an exploration study which inspects introducing and assessment techniques for specialized preparing. An assessment of the necessities and difficulties of the specialized mentor when planning and conveying guidance using innovation, explicitly through basic episode addressing. This examination decides the abilities and skills required by the coach so as to successfully convey data. Included are outlines and charts to clarify the material broke down. The job of a specialized mentor conveys an overwhelming load in todays work environment. With the ever-changing pace of todays innovation, there must be an approach to give direction and backing to these mentors. Exploration recommends that specialized preparing contains a scope of positive and negative attributes. Educating by means of the Internet can be classified as either institutional, instructional, specialized, or individual, and the particular misgiving about utilizing this innovation might be firmly identified with the sort and level of mechanical use. (Piotrowski Vodanovich, 2000, p. We will compose a custom article test on The Role of the Technical Trainer or then again any comparable point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page 48).

Critical Analysis of Media Techniques of Social Movements free essay sample

Basic investigation of media or potentially crusading procedures of social developments and social development association In the mass world, we are taking a wide range of activities and battles for ensuring our privileges and our reality. A significant number of battles are fruitful by utilizing prevailing press and elective media. News media both print and electronic, sites, autonomously delivered narratives (film, TV and radio) are generally utilized. By methods for media innovation; the social issues are best depicted and introduced. I am going to examination some social battles including PETA, Voiceless, Right On Site and Get-Up. I am going to examination the motivation behind these crusades and their objectives to the crowds. I will likewise take a gander at how they outline the issue and address of utilizing media setting to the crowds. Their prosperity and impediment in advancing change will be talked about by examination. PETA [pic](PETA’s T-shirt marked down) PETA is the short name of People for Ethic Treatment of Animals. We will compose a custom article test on Basic Analysis of Media Techniques of Social Movements or then again any comparable theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page It is a social association, with more than 2. 0 million individuals and supporters, and it is the biggest basic entitlements association on the planet. PETA concentrates to creature government assistance and assurance issues. It dismisses murdering creatures for food, style, side-effects, furniture and enrichment. It additionally restricts all types of speciesism, animal testing; manufacturing plant cultivating, and chasing, just as utilizing of creatures in amusement. (www. peta. organization. 2009). We can plainly observe what PETA needs to accomplish. PETA needs to secure creatures. How would I know the reason? Since their thoughts are introduced by utilizing web, news, video clasps and pictures. At the point when individuals go to PETA’s site, the elective media are utilized to communicate their thoughts. These elective media incorporates pictures, Video cuts, on-line news, archives, and so forth www. peta. organization. 2009). The most intrigued is pictures. Individuals may not enthusiasm for the theme, however they should be keen on the photos, the photos of creatures. PETA is telling individuals that creatures are enduring by human wants through these media structures. The visual and sound-r elated substance cause individuals to feel and think. What sort of individuals become the crowds and connects with them? They are individuals who are vegans, individuals who love creatures, individuals who have love and a feeling of equity. They can be youngsters, grown-ups, or the older. In another word, crowds can be any individual who thinks about creatures. PETA make open doors for individuals who ready to support creatures. Individuals can decide to be a chip in or give cash to help crusades. As volunteers, individuals can cooperate with PETA straightforwardly, taking social developments, for example, battle against McDonalds, KFC, taking care of homeless mutts, taking care of creatures, be a piece of parade, etc. In the event that individuals simply need to give cash, they can give on the web or by post. PETA likewise have inventive plans to make social clamor. PETA sell its marked T-shirts, Cups, Toys, and Cards, and so forth (http://www. peta. organization, 2009) the thoughts can be taken to every day lives and influences the individuals around. The site likewise opens a blog that individuals can submit remarks to PETA. Crowds can regulate the battle and make individual proposals or remarks. It is an incredible technique for tending to crowd. PETA needs advising individuals we are incorrect to slaughter them childishly. Their lives are a lot of significant than our longing. Despite the fact that the grisly pictures and ridiculous realities, the main thing I am believing is we are incorrect! We should stop our moronic conduct. Creatures have rights to live. [pic] Change [pic] Voiceless [pic] (fellowship) By taking a gander at site, I am inspect the social association Voiceless. Voiceless is a free non-benefit association to help the creatures in Australia. It built up by father and little girl group. The point of this social gathering is attempting to support creatures. They attempt to make non-species is naturally introduced to a world with a reasonable possibility of carrying on with an actual existence (www. voiceless. organization. au, 2009) Voiceless is utilizing media innovation to demonstrate the proof to crowds however site. Voiceless site is additionally utilizing elective media to show the position. The image of individuals helping creatures, the video clasps of Voiceless member’s meeting, and sorts of articles are utilized. Individuals can look through a ton of nformation from these media structures. Voiceless is indicating a genuine case of building a decent connection among human and creatures however numerous great pictures, for example, a pooch is kissing a woman (Jane, H. 2008) Most of uplifting news is introduced in the site. Voicele ss is giving more consideration to instruct individuals. In this manner, what sort of individuals is focused by Voiceless? The most significant group is youngsters gathering. Youngsters are quick student. Voiceless is attempting to change children’s thoughts and demonstrate genuine guides to them. Voiceless individuals went to the grade school, working with understudy and instruct them to treat creature pleasantly. Voiceless additionally goes to secondary school to have a discourse. They thought it is significant and important to instruct youthful ages with the goal that an ever increasing number of individuals become creature defender. Voiceless is likewise spoken with business gathering. They give the discourse to the general population, call individuals quit slaughtering creatures and treat creatures well. (www. voiceless. organization. au/instruction, 2009)Voiceless is progressively similar to elevate the plans to the open utilizing delicate mentalities. The most dazzled battle by Voiceless is discovering legal counselors for creatures. It sounds innovative, incomprehensible and energized. Individuals may perplexed why creature need attorneys? The Voiceless site offers crowds the response. For ensuring creatures, it isn't just treat creature well yet in addition put activity to enactment. The law can ensure creatures by forcemeat. Consequently, Voiceless makes systems of driving legal counselors, government officials and scholastics to impact law and open approach. Voiceless gets one of the expert relationship of utilizing legitimate voice to secure creatures in Australia (http://www. voiceless. organization. au/Law, 2009). Voiceless calls individuals to give cash for securing creatures. Individuals can join to be chips in or give cash. Discourse, training, and discovering legal counselors make Voiceless important. Right-On-Site [pic] Rights-On-Site is a social crusade for the 900,000 development laborers across Australia who doesn't have similar rights in their working environment. Right-On-Site is attempting to make every Australian laborer equivalent under the steady gaze of the law. Its site gives all the data about Right-On-Site and it likewise shows individuals how to include (www. rightsonsite. organization. au, 2009). As a social crusade of rights, it must have the subject which is development specialist and the article which is equivalent right. Along these lines, the crowds who might be keen on the battles are out of line treated development laborers, for example, low pay rates, less occasions, security issue, separation at work, and so on. It implies on the off chance that you are uncalled for treated under the watchful eye of the law, you can join the battle to secure your privileges. You don't stress over how to make a move, Right-On site will show you by utilizing of media setting. Crowds can see the means and techniques from the landing page straightforwardly. There are six different ways to make a move right away. They are email Kevin Rudd, Sign the request, email your MP, tell your mates, remain educated and watch a video. Crowds can join into the battle and associate with it (http://www. rightsonsite. organization. au, 2009). The more individuals included, the more grounded voice will communicate. The more grounded voice communicated the better life campaigners will have. Along these lines, it is a major association among crowds and crusades. Right-On-Site has solid surrounding of the issue. Crowds and campaigner can utilize the media device from site. You can download the Right-On-Site logo, stand up a banner, spread the news, and download a sticker and a guard sticker. Laborers can have their own battle of utilizing these media apparatuses. It is the easies way and successful technique to restrict the bad form. On site, there are numerous pictures to show what activities are, for instance, the pictures of activity out of the Adelaide Ministers Meeting in third of April 2009. Crowds can legitimately observe individuals are holding the flag which composes â€Å"One law for all. Scrap the ABCC now† (D. Noonan, 2009). What is ABC? From the exploration of ABC on the web, it is Australian Building and Construction Commissioner. Right-On site gives crowds the proof of ABCC’s discriminatory direct. The video cuts show the best proof of individual person’s uncalled for workplace. Right-On-Site is telling individuals the unjustifiable truth. (http://www. rightsonsite. organization. au, 2009)The battle they are doing is helping those individuals to get a similar just under the watchful eye of law. More activities, more expectation! [pic] Get-Up [pic] Get-Up is a free, open network supporting association. It gives Australians chances to get required to the social issues and hold option to manage legislators on significant issues. Regardless of whether it is a major issue or little issue, Get-Up individuals make a move to target and facilitate it. Get-Up doesn't have a place with a specific gathering, however intends to make a responsible and dynamic parliament of decency economy and social condition. It is non-benefit association; it advances by gifts (https://www. getup. organization. au, 2009). From its site, numerous issues are focused, for example, human right, monetary decency, Climate issue, boycott the bomb, and so forth. It centers numerous territories. Right now, it is running a battle called fuel watch. We could know the reason from the name which is about fuel cost dependent on every day change. Taking a gander at the video cut, the most dazzled talks are â€Å"What’s the cost for tomorrow? † â€Å"†¦. ery expensive† The video chop something down, yet feature the key-costly. The video cuts give crowd a direct a

HT@MIT Academic Resources

HT@MIT Academic Resources Recitation The last two years at MIT has been a large exercise in learning how I learn best. What I found after Interphase was that lectures alone didnt cut it for me and that certain materials didnt sink in until after recitation and office hours. This is a compiled list of the resources that Ive been using since Interphase to make my life a little bit easier. Recitation This is usually your first line of defense when you leave lecture wondering if the classroom had changed without your knowledge. But this is also the resource youll have the most variable experiences. Some people will swear that recitations are the worst possible waste of your time while others swear by them. Ive been at both sides of the spectrum and here are a few things that Ive learned. 1. Shop around for the TA that works for you and not necessarily the most convenient time. The best TA Ive ever had (for 6.006) had his recitation at around 4-5 and he made me absolutely fall in love with the class (shoutout to Tim P.(but to be fair, every TA for this class was amazing)). 2. Try to go to recitation, its extremely easy to justify missing but it can be really useful and relevant for psets and test. Often times attendance wont be taken but the material covered is fair game for tests. Also, keep in mind that your TAs will grade your psets and tests and its much easier to fail a faceless name. Office Hours Professors and Teaching Assistants(TA) alike will hold office hours weekly to aid you with the problem sets and any questions you have that are out of the scope of lectures and recitations. Here are my tips for Office Hours. 1. Avoid the night before the pset is due office hours. Often times these OH are filled to the brim and youll find it difficult to get a question in edgewise. TAs also look to avoid these OH and they can be understaffed. 2. Find OH a few days before the pset is due and try to go every week. Its also best if the TA that is staffed is your recitation leader. This accomplishes two things, you create a routine that gives you a few silent hours to have personal help and you find a group of fellow PSETers to work with. 3. Try to go to the professors OH, its one of the few times youll get such personal instruction from the people who write the pset. Seminar XL These are mini recitations held for a variety of freshman classes that give you more exposure with the problem solving process with students who have gone through the class. For me this was invaluable for 8.02 because learning theory is wonderful but its important to have as much time DOING problems as possible. HKN Tutoring Now this resource is only for course 6 classes but it is absolutely wonderful. At the beginning of the semester you say which classes you would like tutors in and they match you with their volunteers. A bit worried my freshman spring semester I signed up for both a 6.01 and 6.042 tutors and it was absolutely wonderful. Being able to sit for an hour a week with a fellow undergrad whos gone through the class is great. Last semester I doubled up again and signed up for tutors in both 6.005 and 6.046. Sadly they didnt have enough tutors or I would have also had one for 6.033. This is one of the few resources that Ill swear by and continue to use through graduation. Math Learning Center While I never took advantage of this resource personally Ive had a few friends who will swear by its usefulness so I thought Id add it. These are essentially an extra set of office hours for your math classes with some wonderful undergrad and grad students in course 18! Life becomes a lot easier when you learn to ask for help, so better sooner than later. I didnt get into a routine I was happy with until last semester so hopefully this post helps you all get there a bit sooner.

Impact on investments due to free cash flows - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 19 Words: 5634 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? CHAPTER 1 Introduction Background Maintaining suitable amount of liquidity within the firms was found to be fundamental for the smooth operations of firms. Managers had a propensity to hold large percentage of firm assets in the form of cash and cash equivalents in order to reinvest on other physical assets, payments to stockholders and to keep cash inside the firm (Almeida, Campello, S. Weisbach, 2004). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Impact on investments due to free cash flows" essay for you Create order The level of cash a firm maintains was described by its policies regarding capital structure, working capital requirements, cash flow management, dividend payments, investments and asset management (C.Jensen, 2000) broadly defines free cash flow as cash flow in excess of what is required to fund positive NPV investments. Free cash flow is a sign of agency problems because excess cash may not be returned to shareholders. (J. Brailsford Yeoh, 2004) When firms have free cash, any acquisitions made by these firms are, by definition, negative net present value. 1.2 Importance of the study A number of investment studies have demonstrated that cash flow is an effective way to predict investment. There are three primary interpretations of this relationship. The first states that a surge in company cash flow is a good indicator of an increased availability of valuable investment projects. The second interpretation argues that companies already know about potential investment opportunities, but are prevented from investing because of limited access to external sources of financing. As cash flow improves, companies are able to partake of attractive opportunities that would be otherwise unavailable. The third, known as the free cash flow theory, asserts that managers do not behave in a manner consistent with profit maximization, as the first two interpretations suggest. Managers instead use increased cash flow to pursue objectives that have little to do with increasing profits and a great deal to do with making the managers lives better (such as increasing the size o f their company), or easier. Purpose The purpose of this study is to find out the impact on investments due to the fluctuation in free cash flows. The study focuses on determining the performance of investments due to free cash flows using financial statement data of Pakistani companies in different sectors using regression analysis. Moreover, the behavior of different factors affects a firmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s cash holdings. Several studies e.g. the study by (A. Gentry, Newbold, T. Whitford, 1990) shows that the greater cash flow permits more investment, but also raises the threshold required to justify investment. Beneficiary Pakistani firms can be efficiently benefited with this research because it is seen that Pakistani firms hold a considerable amount of assets in the form of cash and cash equivalents and the trend is found in all firmsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ sizes. Problem Statement Managers have a tendency to hold large proportion of firm assets in the form of cash and cash equivalents in order to reinvest on other physical assets, payments to stockholders and to keep cash inside the firm (Almeida, Campello, S. Weisbach, 2004). The problem related to free cash flow arrived when it was started getting observed that the managers do not go for the benefits of share holders rather they hold cash and work for their benefits and prefer the bonuses and internal projects and in turn go for negative NPV projects through the free cash flows.. In this way, they were started taken care of through the share holders and the thesis can help them do so. The study also focused commonly that in Pakistan the firms which pay low dividends have considerable cash holdings. (Afza Adnan, 2006). 1.6 Thesis Organization We are going to present the thesis on free cash flows and investments on capital expenditure relationships. In the thesis we have discussed the background of the study as well as the importance of the study, we have clearly showed the purpose of the study and who ever will be benefited. Then we have presented the literature will shows the past studies that have focused on the same topic and variables. Then we have clearly showed the variables and the statistical technique which we have used is regression. We have then showed the results accordingly. Summary and Conclusion Growing free cash flows are commonly due to increased earnings. Companies that experience increasing FCF due to revenue growth, efficiency improvements, cost reductions, share buy backs, dividend distributions or debt elimination can reward investors tomorrow. That is why the investment considers FCF as a measure of value. But decreasing FCF is a sign of danger ahead. In the absence of decent free cash flow, companies are unable to sustain earnings growth. An insufficient FCF for earnings growth can force a company to boost its debt levels. Even worse, a company without enough FCF may not have the liquidity to stay in business. The objective of our study is to find out the impact on investments due to the fluctuation in cash flows. We also observe that the cash flow increases sales growth and sales growth increases performance of firms. LITERATURE REVIEW Production Efficiency and Agriculture Productivity The research by Taylor, Drummond Gomes (1986) related to eff ectiveness of subsidized credit programs in improving the productivity of traditional farmers in developing countries the credit program known as PRODEMATA. The empirical results suggested that PRODEMATA had no desire impact on technical efficiency and a slightly negative effect on ALLOCATIVE productivity (it was defined as a theoretical measure of the advantage or utility resulting from a planned or actual choice in the distribution or distribution of resources). Murgai, Ali Byerlee (2001) analyzed the efficiency and the production system for both Pakistani and Indian Punjabà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the both Punjabà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s were providing enumerating developments towards the origination of green revolution. It was analyzed that the productivity of the Indian side of Punjab was extremely more efficient than that of the Pakistani Punjab the reasons behind were the yields of main cash crops in which Indian Punjab was leading away and Pakistani Punjab was very far away and produci ng low yield. If the yield output of both cash crops of Pakistani and Indian Punjab has been compare the results shows that the growth rate of the Indian Punjab was 11.03% as compare to 3.08% of Pakistani Punjab for rice. The analysis of the expert revealed some factors which are the main causes for the productivity discrepancy. The main causes that lower the productivity performance are the cropping intensity the level of input, the quality of resources and the implementation of technology. In a research Looney (1994) suggested that over the past decade, the agriculture sector undergone major technological and policy transformations. By introducing technical changes offering production incentives, and increasing the availability of fertilizer, water, and credit, Pakistan increased it was exportable surplus of cotton and became close to self-sufficiency in wheat. For the 1980-88 periods the corresponding figure was 4.3 percent, up from 3.3 over the 1965-80 periods. Since then overal l growth had been maintained at similar levels. As in most semiarid developing countries, however, considerable variations existed in annual and seasonal production owing to adverse weather, pest incidence, and uncertain irrigation supply. In the study Butz (1945) suggested that agriculture credit is most effective after a war if the following problems are solved first is avoidance of another land boom which creates some unmanageable debt burdens secondly there should be different standards for à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“soundà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“softà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? credit thirdly a mechanism should be implemented so the qualified operators can borrow à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“soundà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? credit with less than 50 percent equity. Fourth is the accomplishment of desirable adjustments in credit terms. Fifth is part time farmers should be provided with credit facilities. Sixth credit should be disbursed for land development. Seventh steps should be taken to resolve the problems for low income farmers. And finally extension of the concept among bankers and bank examiners that liquidity of agricultural paper is more a function of repayment ability than of the maturity date on the note. In a research by Brinser Wheeler (1948) the author studied the factors of farm planning that are responsible for better agriculture credit utilization with minimum of social and physical loss and also studied the credit lending policy. There is an un-bridged gap between agriculture credit and practices of the banking system the author studied the factors that reduces that gap using farm planning the results of the research suggested that for better farm planning for better agriculture credit utilization it should be understand define what the right kind of credit may be; and second, to determine whether the American banking system can accept the kind of security on which such credit could be extended. Also it should be understand and find accurate measure of earning capacity technique for determining what a farmer can do with the resources of his farm. In the study Adams (1971) suggested that for the efficient use of agriculture credit there are two combinations which should be followed first is the technical help in planning for the use of a loan, and second is the use of the loan funds subsequently, with the making of the loan. The research also suggested that commercial banks that are scattered all over the country can play major role in servicing agriculture credit but there should be separate system or banks which are only considering agriculture credit servicing. The author also suggested three policies the better use and utilization of agriculture credit first is timing of providing the loans the agriculture loans should be provided first on the more de-stabilization the farmer which is more destabilized should be entertained first so he can be able make production in a stabilized condition as quick as possible. Second is the function of public credit most imp ortant function of public credit is to develop improved types of loans and methods which private agencies can later adopt. It seems to be in the nature of agricultural credit that competition among private lenders does not bring about the improvements needed, or brings them about too slowly. It is significant in this connection that the most successful and forward agricultures in the world depend on credit more than do the distressed and back-ward agricultures. Finally the intermediate credit evenly important because these type of loans of the intermediate type, for a term of one to three years usually, for the purpose of buying cattle and farm machinery and making minor building and land improvements and the like, be put on a sound basis before the next depression. In a research Narasimham (1971) suggested that the commercialization of agriculture and its certain capacity to break out of the vicious circles of low production and less investment has been result of the adoption, over an increasing area, of recent techniques centered around assured water, wider use of fertilizers and increased adoption of high yielding seeds. Also agriculture credit is scarce resource How much, in other words, of agricultural credit should be disbursed is related not only to what the agricultural economy needs but also what other sectors of the economy requirement in the light of how much there is to go round. Given the resources constraint, an increase of credit to one sector means fewer credit elsewhere. New technology new techniques to enhance agriculture productivity but it require investment, without finance the desire to apply the modern technology cannot be translated in action. In the research Hathaway (1957) studied the examined the possibility of the use of selective credit restraints by some centralized authority to reduce inputs in agriculture and thereby reduce output and surpluses. The results of the research suggested that selective credit restraints could not be desirable to achieve this end. The author tend to agree generally with his conclusions on this topic, but for somewhat different reasons. In the study Adams (1971) the author studied the shortage of agriculture credit in Latin America the results suggest that credit bottlenecks may be occurring where the modernization process is most intense and especially among small farmers. The results also suggested that that credit requirements dramatically increase when new technology is used. Additional fertilizer purchases, changes in irrigation systems, and more employed labor associated with use of new seed varieties may the author suggested following issues that should be emphasized to overcome credit shortage first interest rates on agricultural credit do not reflect opportunity costs of capital, high priority should be given to raising rates. Market forces should have more sway in the allocation of these funds. Higher rates could likely enable small farmers to get and use more credit as large operators back away from credit with higher costs. Increased rates could also allow credit institutions to protect the real value of their loan portfolios and make them less dependent on external funding. More realistic interest rates could also encourage the growth in nongovernmental credit. In the study Frey (1955) the author studied the possibilities possibility-that farmers were averse to borrowing in order to make farm adjustments-data from several studies suggested that this may have been an influential factor the results of the research suggested that the reluctance of farmers to use credit for farm adjustments apparently stems, to a large extent, from other considerations. These include their uncertainty as to future prices and yields and as to their ability to succeed at a different type of farming; their unwillingness to adopt systems of farming that could require them to perform tasks such as milking cows or caring for beef cattle; and tenure arrangements or pla ns for the future that give them little interest in possibilities for long-run gain compared with their interest in immediate income. The age and health of the farmer are factors in all of these considerations. In the study Feder (1990) emphasized on the two main factors which are responsible when analyzing the impact of agriculture-credit on agriculture productivity. The author analyzed that all of the farmers are not affected by insufficiency of credit but occasionally and marginal are affected by agriculture credit. Secondly if the agriculture credit is more useful if the formal schemes of agriculture should be developed. By the use of formal credit the effect can be greater because it is consumed where it is more needed at the right time. In the study Feder (1989) suggested that in rural areas the credit disbursed is more than half by the non-institutional sources. It is also analyzed that most of the researches in agriculture economics or agriculture credit one-third and two th irds non-institutional credit has been used. The reason of this type of credit used mostly it has no interest with it. These types of loans also have undecided legal status, and also had no collaterals. In the research Jodha (1981) suggested that Credit could play a major role in preventing the rather extreme measures of asset depletion and pauperization adopted by the farmers in drought years further the role of credit in risk minimization is discussed by the following factors. First is credit for drought proofing of the farming system to make it less vulnerable to risk. Secondly, credit for loss and risk minimization. Thirdly, there is also credit for loss management. The first category of credit indirectly strengthens the risk- minimizing and loss-management devices. This forms part of the general or wider strategy of resource transfers to drought-prone areas, and it is not indented to discuss here. Such credit need not come in response to actual or probable occurrence of drought s. The preference for kind loans during the droughts is also higher because, in the process, the borrowers minimize the risks of not finding goods already, in scarce supply. Production Efficiency and Agriculture Credit According to research done by Kahn (1994) on World Bank-its role in farm mechanization for the appropriate functioning of farm production main role is played by agriculture credit as a result of development in agriculture the farmerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s earnings can raise and can have its impact on his family and the community as a whole. Improvement of rural population and overall population in general is done a lot by Pakistan agriculture. If there is any project that has been designed for rural development the objective should be to promote the agriculture. This is important because the agriculture sector have more labor incorporation capacity as relates to other sectors. The implementation of newest technologies and the use of improved inputs and enterprise wh ich has changed the whole view of farm have given climb to an enlarged vital role has been played by World Bank for the increase in the demand of credit for agriculture. Financial services have lengthened substantially during the past four half decade especially in small earnings group society of Pakistan. Many new financial institutions which contain major boost in volume of formal loans have some steps toward mobilization of the resources which are local in the shape of monetary saving in the rural areas. The main purposes of these actions have been taken to increase agricultural production and to relieve rural poverty. Thus there is a rising recognition between Pakistani farmers of the effective of better inputs and use of newest technology on both agricultural yield and cropping. The main constraint in the mechanization of in Pakistan had been the paucity of foreign exchange and availability of standardized agricultural machinery. According to research by Lambert Bayda (2005 ) its states that Farm financial structure may influence equally long-run and short-run input usage, thus affecting farm efficiency. Any inefficiencies taking place due to the selection of inputs can be exaggerated over time as credit constraints continue to influence the usage of inputs. Farm financial needs included current-year borrowing to cover production costs; intermediate funds needed for equipment, machinery, and farm-improvement investments; and long-term capital required for investments in land and other real estate. Balancing internal and external sources of funds to cover farm costs may reflect farm financial targets, farm household income, farmer risk attitudes, credit constraints imposed by lenders, or the relative costs of internal versus external funds. According to research by Olagunju (2007) it was stated that Agricultural credit had long been identified as a major input in the development of the agricultural sector in Nigeria Credit determines access to all of th e resources on which Farmers depended. Consequently, provision of macroeconomic policies and enabling institutional finance for agricultural development had been directed to the provision of infrastructure capable of facilitating agricultural expansion with a vision to modifying the contribution of the sector in the generation of employment, income and foreign exchange. One of the reasons for the lowering of the contribution of agriculture to the economy was Lack of a formal national credit policy and paucity of credit institutions, which could assist farmers. Credit or loan able funds viewed as more than just another resource such as labor, land, equipment and raw materials. Therefore, by injecting capital into agriculture, it was possible to increase the rate of agricultural development since credit has frequently been considered as one of the main factors in overcoming agricultural stagnation that helps to expand farmland size and production. Credit facilities as well as the use of agricultural capital and labor Resources accelerate adoption process and expand the scale of production. It had been further ascertained that with the introduction of credit, the farmers could be able to make possible a better combination of resources that could be employed to facilitate an increase in resource productivity. RESEARCH METHOD Research Question R1: Is there a significant relationship between agriculture credit and development efficiency? R2: Is there a significant relationship between agriculture credit and production efficiency? Hypothesis Development H1: There is an association between agriculture credit and development efficiency. H2: There is an association between agriculture credit and production efficiency. Data Collection To evaluate relationship between agriculture and development and production efficiency data had been collected from State Bank of Pakistan for yield of 27 crops and loan data for four different provinces through 1990-2007 where yield is dependent variable the impact of agriculture credit on yield of different crops had been measured. Then for production efficiency loan data from different sources such as commercial banks ZTBL and State Bank of Pakistan. The impact of different types of loans on production efficiency has been measured and the data is taken for 31 crops for the four provinces of Pakistan. Statistical Technique To evaluate the relationship of variables the explanatory variables were regressed using Regression method called General Linear Model (GLM). In measuring impact of agriculture credit on development efficiency yield output of crops in Kg/hectare has been taken as dependent variable and independent variables were loan amount in million rupees, crops types 27 crops has been taken for four provinces of Pakistan. For evaluating the relationship between production efficiency and agriculture credit production output in thousand tones has been taken as dependent variable and independent variable is loan type there are four types of loan types, crops type there are 31 crops and loan amount in million rupees. Model Development for Development Efficiency COBB-DOUGLAS production function has been used to find the relationship between agriculture credit and both production and development efficiency. The traditional COBB-DOUGLAS production function Y = ALÃŽÂ ±KÃŽÂ ² Where Y=Production A=total factor productivity L=Labor K=Capital ÃŽÂ ²,ÃŽÂ ± are elascities for Labour and Capital Model for finding relationship of agriculture credit with development efficiency For the purpose of using COBB-DOUGLAS production function in this research the input and output variables used by traditional model i.e. prod uction, labor and capital were replaced by crop production, development loan, crop type and province the reason for taking these variables as proxy for traditional input variables used by COBB-DOUGLAS production function is that the input and output variables used in this research have same nature as the traditional COBB-DOUGLAS production function have. Now the model looks likes: Where Y=Yield DL=Development Loan CT=Crop type PR=Province ÃŽÂ ±,ÃŽÂ ²a,ÃŽÂ ²b are elascities for DL,CT and PR This equation is transformed into linear one to facilitate to use of General Linear Model method by taking logarithmic transformation. After making such a transformation the final equation is expressed as The reason for dropping all the variables other than development loan in the final equation is that the impact of development loan on development efficiency is calculated only. Therefore all the other variables than development loan are removed from the fina l equation. Model for Production Efficiency The model developed to find the relationship between agriculture credit and production efficiency again COBB-DOUGLAS production function is used with replaced variables. Now the Model looks likes: Where A=Total factor productivity P=Production PL=Production Loan CT=Crop type LT=Loan type YR=Year ÃŽÂ ±,ÃŽÂ ²a,ÃŽÂ ²b,ÃŽÂ ²c are elascities for PL,CT,LT and YR This equation is transformed into linear one to facilitate to use of General Linear Model method by taking logarithmic transformation. The reason for dropping all the variables other than production loan in the final equation is that the impact of production loan on production efficiency is calculated only. Therefore all the other variables than production loan are removed from the final equation. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS Results and Interpretation for Development Efficiency Table 4.1 Data Construction for Development Efficiency Method for testing GLM as has been used as the test method. GLM applies when there is a scale dependent variable and there is scale or categorical predictors. In this research dependent variable is yield used as scale variable and development loan a s scale independent variable and crop type, province are categorical variables used in the model in this research. Table 4.2 Tests of Between-Subjects Effects (Dependent Variable: lnyid ) Source Type III Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Partial Eta Squared Corrected Model 2055.885(a) 30 68.53 546.446 0 0.908 Intercept 661.856 1 661.856 5277.56 0 0.76 Province 31.727 3 10.576 84.328 0 0.132 Crops_Type 2029.412 26 78.054 622.396 0 0.907 Lnamt 0.655 1 0.655 5.219 0.022 0.003 Error 209.057 1667 0.125    Total 89799.913 1698     Corrected Total 2264.943 1697     Table 4.3 Parameter Estimates (Dependent Variable: lnyid)      95% Confidence Interval  Parameter B Std. Error t Sig. Lower Bound Upper Bound Partial Eta Square  8.197 0.094 86.786 0 8.011 8.382 0.819  0.033 0.014 2.285 0.022 0.005 0.061 0.003 After doing test the beta of intercept has been calculated which is the value of total factor productivity in COBB-DOUGLAS model originally that was à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Aà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? in main equation which is 8.197 and it is taken as beta of lnamnt (loan amount) for development efficiency the value is 0.033. The equation derived from the results. Interpretation of results The final equation that the value of total factor productivity was 3630.0460 and beta for development loan was 0.033 which is greater than 0 now the interpretation of results was started from Tests of Between-Subjects Effects which is the first table specially focused on row 6 and row 7 which were significance or p value and Partial Eta Square in this case significant level at 5% has been taken so if any value of sig or p0.05 that variable was rejected to had any impact on yield or development efficiency and also Partial Eta. Square analyzed that how much change in the dependent variable is due to different independent variables on the individual basis. The intercept in this model which is total factor productivity in COBB-DOUGLAS model it seem to be significant F(1, 5277.560) p=0.000 (p0.05) and have Partial Eta Square of 0.760 or 76% so it means that total factor productivity is highly important for yield improvement because it explains 76% variati on in yield output. The most important variable is Development loan amount which is significant F(1,5.219) p=0.022 which is less than 0.05 so it is significant Partial Eta Square is 0.003 which 0.3% only which shows the minimum variation in yield output so its means that either loan amount disbursed in these years(year variable removed from the model due to that reason) 1990-2007 doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t vary too much according to needs and the policy for the development loans is not much efficient but it is still significant also loan type is not significant means that loans disbursed for different purposes like tractors, water logging, land leveling etc. doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have much impact on yield output. Second is Province which is also significant F(3,84.328) p=0.000 and Partial Eta Square is 0.132 which 13.2% which is also high explanation in dependent variable (yield) and development efficiency so it means that loan provided has a positive effect on yield but not in significant in explaining yield differential in different provinces. Third is Crop Type which is significant F(26,622.396) p=0.000 and Partial Eta Square is 0.907 which 90.7% which is highest variation explained by Crop Type means that for development efficiency or increase in yield growth crop type plays vital role. Results and Interpretation for Production Efficiency Table 4.4Data Construction for Production Efficiency Code Variable Unit Of Measurement Descriptions Production Production Output Thousand Tones Production of different crops CT Crop Type Nill Types of crops used in this analysis there are 31 types of crops are used this analysis Crop Types were: Cash Crops Edible Oilseeds Food Crops Pulses Vegetables YR Year Nill Years of production data has been taken 1990-2007 PL Production Loan million Rs. Loan issued for increasing production efficiency Table 4.5Tests of Between-Subjects Effects (Dependent Variable: LnProduction) Table 4.6 Parameter Estimates (Dependent Variable: LnProduction)      95% Confidence Interval    Parameter B Std. Error t Sig. Lower Bound Upper Bound Partial Eta Square Noncent Parameter Observed Power(a)  -0.208 0.114 -1.824 0.068 -0.431 0.016 0 1.824 0.446  0.262 0.006 42.774 0 0.25 0.274 0.123 42.774 1 After doing test the beta of intercept has been calculated which is the value of total factor productivity in COBB-DOUGLAS model originally that was à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Aà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? in main equation which is (-0.208) and it is taken as beta of LnLoanAmount (loan amount) for production efficiency the value is (0.262). The equation derived from the results. Interpretation of results The final equation showed the total factor productivity of 0.8122 and alpha for production loan is 0.262 which is greater than 0. Tests of Between-Subjects Effects focusing on row 6 and row 7 which are significance or p value and Partial Eta Square in this case here again significant level at 5% has been taken. Looking at intercept which was total factor productivity in COBB-DOUGLAS model it seem to be significant F(1, 2847.736) p=0.000 (p0.05) and have Partial Eta Square of 0.179 or 17.9% so it means the total factor productivity is significant and is important for production efficiency improvement because it explains 17.9% variation in production output. Most important variable is Production loan amount which is significant F(1,1829.589) p=0.000 which is less than 0.05 so it is significant Partial Eta Square is 0.123 which 12.3% only which shows the medium variation but not as expected in production output so its means that either the policy of pro duction loans is not adequate or it is not much efficient from year 2005 and onwards state bank of Pakistan has work much on providing production in adequate manners and offered different types of schemes specially for small farmers to provide them credit for production easily to increase the production efficiency. Second is Crop Type which is significant F (30,934.741) p=0.000 and Partial Eta Square is 0.683 which 68.3% which shows high variation explained by Crop Type means that for production efficiency type of crop is considered very important may be some crops give high productivity in this case it is sunflower while the crops production for other crops than sunflower shows no growth or constant production in span of 1990-2007. Third is Loan Type which is also significant F (3, 92.942) p=0.000 and Partial Eta Square is 0.021 which 2.21% which is also show low explanation in dependent variable (production) but it is still significant partial eta square shows that type of l oan in this case is loan for pesticide, fertilizer, seed and others doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have very much significant effect on production level. Fourth is year which is also significant F(16,30.61) p=0.000 and Partial Eta Square is 0.036 which 3.36% which shows low explanation in dependent variable (production) but it is still significant partial eta square(3.36%) and if the diagram showing marginal means of production is analyzed it shows that by the passage of time production drastically decreased from 1990-2007 the trend is going downwards slightly increased production is seen in 2005-2007 because of change in agriculture credit policy for improvement lack of agriculture credit and proper policy for farmers specially small farmers which are more in quantity may be the reasons for this trend in these three years state bank of Pakistan has done a lot on providing small farmers adequate credit for improvement of production efficiency. Hypothesis Assessment Summary H1: Th ere is an association between agriculture credit and development efficiency. The first hypothesis in this research was whether there is an association between agriculture credit and development efficiency on the basis of statistical test results in which significance value was used at 5% the hypothesis was accepted because the results for development loan were significant F(1,5.219) p=0.022 which is less than 0.05(5% level of significance) so it is significant the variability caused by development loan in yield output is 3% therefore it is concluded that development credit has association with development efficiency. H2: There is an association between agriculture credit and production efficiency. The second hypothesis in this research was whether there is an association between agriculture credit and production efficiency on the basis of statistical test results in which significance value was used at 5% the hypothesis was accepted because the results for development loan were significant F(1,1829.589) p=0.000 which is less than 0.05(5% level of significance) so it is significant the variability caused by production loan in production output is 12.3% therefore it is concluded that credit disbursed for the purpose of improving production efficiency had association between them. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Research Implications This research has practical implications for predicting the productivity impact of agriculture credit in two areas to measure the overall productivity first is the development efficiency and second is production efficiency. The findings of the study concluded that credit disbursed for both production and development efficiency have significant impact but the impact is not as much strong as required also different factors are involved which type of crops are more productive in which province the credit requirements are more and which type of loan should be focused more the findings also suggested that crop type is con sidered very important while disbursing the credit specially for major crops also the type of loan is also very important for disbursing the credit. Implications for this research are that the requirements of the agriculture sector should be properly analyzed specially it is very important to understand to which type of loan either for production or development credit requirement is more than the others therefore proper amount of credit should be allotted for that purpose secondly according to the results loan for development efficiency is not up to proper requirement for the efficient improvement in land development like land leveling, irrigation and water courses the development loan should be disbursed according to requirements of agriculture sector it is very important that for better production of crops land development should be more efficient. The government should imply such strategies and programs to improve the credit supply system for better productivity in the sector alt hough the economy of Pakistan is highly depend on agriculture sector also strategies should be developed for the easy and secure credit supply which can result in proper utilization of agriculture credit and can results in better productivity. Conclusions The results for development loan on development efficiency concludes that there is a positive association between development loan and development efficiency but not up to that extent that is needed the reasons can be the credit policy is not accordingly as the need of credit for development efficiency or increase in yield per hectare also the types of loans government is providing for development efficiency is not significant to increase the yield output in such manners so the credit policies of providing loans should be re-analyzed accordingly. As for impact of credit on production efficiency the results are same like development efficiency there is a positive relationship between credit and production efficiency but not so significant enough the reasons can be amount disbursed in these years(year variable removed from the model due to that reason) 1990-2007 doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t vary too much according to needs and the policy for the development loans is not much efficient but it is still significant also loan type is not significant means that loans disbursed for different purposes like tractors, water logging, land leveling etc. doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have much impact on yield output.

Essay about Gun Advocates! The Crème of the Crop of Americans

Have you been told repeatedly that something is really dangerous? Have you been told to stay away and perhaps report things that seem risky? Have you learned that those things as time goes on aren’t as jeopardizing and are even beneficial to people? Gun ownership is an example of things that may seem threatening, but really isn’t. Legalizing gun ownership reduces the crime rate dramatically, is a Second Amendment right in the Constitution, and helps control animal populations from exploding out of control. Firstly, the claims that guns contributing to higher crime rates are completely over exaggerated. Most people are spoon-fed by the mainstream media that guns contribute to higher crime rates. In fact, in large cities like Chicago it†¦show more content†¦Secondly, the right to own guns in the Second Amendment of the Constitution is a privilege that is treasured and strongly believed by a majority of Americans. This right was made by our Founding Fathers in ord er to protect against an insolent and abusive federal government. Next, the Second Amendment has protected against criminals breaking into our homes. It has been a tradition for those that hunt. This right in the Constitution is a right that many countries don’t have and we are very fortunate to have such a right. However, there are individuals that say the Second Amendment should be obsolete. They believe it should be banned because of the theory that guns are unnecessary in the 21st century, people don’t hunt with guns in such frequency as some might’ve 50 or 100 years ago and because we have police officers, it’s not a priority to have a gun to secure our residences. These claims sound popular in theory, but it’s not the case. On the contrary, those who support the Second Amendment believe that the Second Amendment must always exist in order to maintain stability and tradition in American society. So which side is right? Read ahead and make a de cision for yourself. In the article, An Unambiguous Right, by Herbert W. Titus, he explains the reason for the Second Amendment. He believes that the function and logic behind the workings of the Second

Sir Richard Branson Free Essays

Assignment 4: Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Group, Ltd. Case Study Mysherri Rhodes Instructor: Bess White Bus 520: Leadership and Organization February 25, 2012 Describe Branson’s leadership style in terms of the leadership models addressed in Chapters 10 and 11 and evaluate the likely effectiveness of that style in the U. S. We will write a custom essay sample on Sir Richard Branson or any similar topic only for you Order Now today. Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Group Ltd. , has created a multi-billion dollar enterprise, which includes: airlines, records, bridal wear, holidays, vodka, cars, bank accounts, mobile phones, cosmetics, condoms and gyms (Hellriegel Slocum, 2011). The Virgin Group is a globally recognized brand that has approximately 50,000 employees and earns more than $20 billion in sales annually (Hellriegel Slocum, 2011). Sir Richard Branson is known to be one of the greatest entrepreneurs and with that consumers can expect more unique creations from Sir Richard Branson (Boje Smith, 2012). In order for a business to acquire and maintain such exponential growth, a company must have an effective leader. According to Hellriegel Slocum (2011), Branson is a genuine strategist who thinks outside the box and he has achieved many great things despite some setbacks throughout the years. Branson anticipates future trends, inspiring followers to understand and embrace a new vision of possibilities. He develops others to be leaders or better leaders; that’s what makes him a transformational leader (Hellriegel Slocum, 2011). Sir Richard Branson, has a philosophy that is centered on finding people with strong communication and teamwork skills that can be integrated into Virgin Group culture. Once the proper employees are hired, Virgin Group continues the employee’s professional development, allowing the company to promote existing employees. Branson’s philosophy enables him to develop new leaders, which are able to foresee the company’s future and embrace new visions. Hellriegel Slocum (2011), also say that transformational leaders are risk takers and welcome new opportunities. Sir Richard Branson states that it is impossible to run a business without taking risks, and he is no stranger to doing so (Hellriegel Slocum, 2011). Branson publicly admits to three tremendous setbacks: a) the launch of a portable MP3 player (the Virgin Pulse) was crushed by the Apple iPod and lost over $20 million; b) against top management advice, Branson held on to Virgin’s Megastore retail outlets far too long, costing the group financially when the megastores were finally sold; c) Branson created Virgin Cola as an attempt to enter the United Kingdom’s Coca-Cola territory, but Coca-Cola crushed that effort. The Virgin Group has experienced its fair share of failures but that has never stopped Branson from looking for new opportunities. Because of these attributes, Branson is a great transformational leader and is a perfect fit in today’s world. The world is constantly evolving from the old into the new, and this constant change creates the need for companies to adapt accordingly. Based on constant change a company must be able to adapt accordingly. Transformational leadership is such a great asset to today’s world because its leaders are true visionaries. For instance, to his colleagues Branson is known as Dr. Yes because he finds it hard to say no to new ideas and proposals. Being open to new ideas and proposals sets Virgin Groups apart from other companies because they are never afraid to try venture into new areas. Virgin Group prides itself on doing things in an innovative way while aspiring to provide quality services (Hellriegel Slocum, 2011). Visionaries are key to the evolution of today’s world and are important to the generations of the future. Recommend a different leadership style (or combination of styles) that would make Branson an even more effective leader. Transformational and transactional leadership are two of the most popular approaches to leading a businesses (Sadeghi Pihie, 2012). Branson’s keen sense of transformational leadership is great for Virgin Group but could be more effective when combined other leadership styles such as transactional leadership. Transactional leadership is considered a great second style to work in synergy with transformational leadership. Transactional leadership focuses on the interaction and motivation that occur between a leader and his or her followers (Sadeghi Pihie, 2012). Branson’s states, â€Å"If you find people who are good at motivating others and getting the best out of people, they are the ones you want. There are plenty of so-called experts, but not as many motivators of people† (Hellriegel Slocum, 2011; p 344). Branson’s belief in motivating his employees demonstrates his belief in transactional leadership and is an incontestable method ensuring that Virgin Group uses the correct leadership path. Motivating employees is a great way to initiate great leadership but here are some other components of transactional leadership that should be considered: a) transactional leadership provides contingent rewards, which includes leaders setting measurable goals to obtain that are clear and concise; b) it exhibits active management by monitoring work performance of employees and enforcing rules to prevent mistakes; c) it emphasizes that enforced rules are not to be broken and unacceptable performance will result in corrective actions (Hellriegel Slocum, 2011). Determine how Branson would develop and lead a global team working on a major project (e. g. , space tourism) Americans have witnessed the continuous development of the world for decades and Sir Richard Branson has been a part of American history. Branson has continued to push the envelope year after year, and is familiar with the leadership styles that are necessary for leading a global team working on a major project. Branson spoke out, stating that carbon damaging the world is what is causing global warming. As a result, Branson recently pledged to give as much as $3 billion over the next ten years to tackle global warming. The funding for the global warming project will be given from Branson’s personal revenue from his airlines and rail company (Hellriegell Slocume, 2011). Branson’s states: â€Å"We must not be the generation responsible for irreversibly damaging the environment† (Hellriegel Slocum, 2011). In order for Branson to develop and lead a global team for global warming, he must use the core components associated with transformational leadership. According Hellriegel Slocum (2011; p 330), â€Å"the core components are individual consideration: refer to the leaders to anticipate the followers’ needs, perform as a mentor, and listen to the followers’ needs†. Next, Branson needs to intellectually stimulate his team by encouraging them to think outside the box and to not be afraid to take a risk. Then there are inspirational motivations, which is a concept pertaining to leaders creating a vision for the employees to follow. Last but not least is idealized influence which refers to the leader acting in a charismatic way to uplift employees and inspire them (Kirkpartrick Locke, 1996). Branson has stated on numerous occasions that he treats his employees like human beings, which allows him to anticipate his employees’ needs. Branson also feels that an entrepreneur will only succeed if he or she is surrounded by good people and are able to listen to their advice. Because Branson is open to advice he has innately displayed individual consideration. As a leader Branson has always provided attention to the employee’s needs for growth, encouraged individuals to embrace creativity, and placed an emphasis on innovation. Early in Branson’s career he developed a habit of actively reading emails from his employees. Once the email are read, he then responds to employees’ concerns and ideas personally. There has been instances where employees have presented innovative ideas for the company’s future that Branson has implemented, which demonstrates an intellectual stimulation outcome and encourages this behavior in the future. As I stated above, Branson has a vision that involves improving global warming. Branson’s plan to address the problem is by setting up a carbon war room to strategize reducing the carbon output of companies without damaging the company’s profitability. Setting a vision and creating a plan is a great method for providing inspirational motives for individuals. Historically, Branson is well known for his ability to inspire his team, which results in an ideal work environment. Discuss how you can incorporate some of Branson’s leadership qualities into your role at work or school. Sir Richard Branson is an extraordinary individual and worthy of businesses mimicking his leadership style. Branson’s leadership styles includes, but are not limited to: honing in on one’s ability to become a true visionary, taking risk, and providing quality. Branson states that he listens to all new ideals and proposals but ultimately makes decisions based on his intuition (Branson, 2012). One could practice becoming a visionary into their work or school environment by taking an in depth look at a new ideas or roposals and trusting their intuition. Implementing an environment for visionaries allows individuals to bring forth ideas that other individuals may have difficulty visualizing. This method also encourages individuals to speak up and voice their opinions. The next quality that a leader must possess is risk taking. It is impossible for a business to run without taking risks. â€Å"Virgin would not be the company it is today if risks had not been taken† (H ellriegel Slocum, 2011; p 344). In order for a manager to be successful there has to be some degree of risk taking and one could start by thinking out of the box (Hanna Klein, 2011). This could take place by setting aside time for the team to meet, discuss, and implement new ideas that involve more risk. Another one of Branson’s attributes for leadership is to provide quality service to his clientele. According to Hellriegel Slocum (2011), Branson prides himself on his ability to provide quality services to consumers in areas where other companies may not. As a manager, one could raise the bar through implementing higher standards for quality service. This could, as a result, increase the clientele and loyalty to the company. References Boje, D. , Smith, R. (2010). Re-storying and visualizing the changing entrepreneurial identities of Bill Gates and Richard Branson. Culture Organization, 16(4), 307-331. doi:10. 1080/14759551003769250 Branson, R. (2012). Sir Audcity. Inc, 34(9), 72-73. Hanna, J. , Klein, D. S. (2011). Sir Richard Branson: Great Brands, Virgin Brands, Branson Brands. Smart Business Orange County, 6(5), 10-11. Hellriegel, D. , Slocum, J. W. , Jr. (2011). Organizational Behavior 13th ed. ). Mason, OH: Cengage (Learning) Kirkpatrick, S. A. , Locke, E. A. (1996). Direct and Indirect Effects of Three Core Charismatic Leadership Components on Performance and Attitudes. Journal Of Applied Psychology, 81(1), 36-51. Sadeghi, A. , Pihie, Z. (2012). Transformational Leadership and Its Predictive Effects on Leadership Effectiveness. International Journal Of Business Social Science, 3(7), 186-197. How to cite Sir Richard Branson, Papers

Mary Shelley Essays - Frankenstein, English-language Films

Mary Shelley Morality. It has been questioned by people, honored by people and revered since the beginning of time. Yet even today not one person can say what is morally right. It is a matter of opinion. It was Dr. Victor Frankenstein's opinion that it was alright to create a "monster". Frankenstein's creation needed a companion. Knowing that his first creation was evil should the doctor make a second? With the knowledge at hand, to Dr. Frankenstein, it is not at all morally correct to bring another monster into the world. Looking at this probelm with his family in mind, the doctor begins his work on the second monster. The first monster threatened Frankenstein and even his family. The monster angrily said to Frankenstein, "I can make you so wretched." (pg. 162) Trying to scare Frankenstein for not creating his mate the monster resorted to threats. If the good doctor does create a companion for his first creation he may be endangering others. "The miserable monster whom I had created," (pg.152) says Victor upon looking back at his work. If there is another monster there will be twice the power and possibly twice the evil, which could hurt or kill his family. When and if Frankenstein commits the moral sin of creating another monster he may be rid of both monsters forever. "With the companion you bestow I will quit the neighbourhood of man,"(pg 142) promises the morally corrupt monster to the doctor upon the completion of his partner. When the doctor, if and when he, finished his first creation's mate there is a chance that the monsters will not keep their promise and stay in Europe envoking fear into townfolk. The good doctor, trying to act morally, destroys the monster for the good of the world. The monsters can potentially take over whatever they please. "A race of devils would be propegated,"(pg. 163) thinks Frankenstein to himself in his study. The monsters, if powerful enough, could possibly take over Europe. Frankenstein realizes that he can not possibly doom the world to benefit himself. "Shall I, in coold blood, set loose upon the earth a daemon.."(pg. 162) argues Frankenstein with his creation. It is not morally right for one person to unleash such a terror on the world to benefit only himself and his family. Frankenstein will not let any example change his mind on the point that the monster is and will always be morally corupt. Continuing on his point that the monster was too evil to duplicate, Frankenstein says, "Your threats cannot move me to do an act of wickedness; but they confirm me in determination of not creating you a companion in vice."( pg. 163) Frankenstein will not sacrifice his morallity because of persuation from a monster. Although beholding the threat of death and misery Frankenstein held his ground and did not sacrifice his moral. When and if Frankenstein creates another monster he can not feel as if he has done the morally right thing. From creating the monster Frankenstein will some how be making people other than himself unhappy. " I consent to your demand, on your solem oath to quite Europe forever, and every other place in the neighbourhood of man,"(pg. 143) says Frankenstein as he sees the power that the two could possibly possess. The good doctor sees that with his own hands he could possibly scar the world forever. The doctor wants, if anyone, himself to be unhappy instead of all of man kind. "Begone! I do break my promise," (pg. 162) states the doctor angrily. Not thinking about himself but the world unselfishly breaks his promise to the monster. Possessing such a great mind the doctor is able to realize that a greater evil will be realesed upon the earth then upon himself. "Your threats cannot move me to do an act of wickedness,"(pg. 162) says the doctor as he argues his point with his creation. The doctor sees that a greater and more horrible result can come from him making the second monster than not. With the knowledge at hand, to Dr.Frankenstein, it is not at all morally correct to bring another monster into the world. On the one hand if the

Explain what you believe is Orwells opinion of communism. essays

Explain what you believe is Orwells opinion of communism. essays The novel Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is a satire of the Russian revolution and is written as a fable. Orwell uses real characters and events of the revolution to base the story and its characters on. The novel portrays Orwells opinion of communism through the actions and events that take place on a farm and their consequences. He also illustrates how easily capitalism can fall apart. He shows that neither capitalism nor communism can ever work for everyone and some people will always suffer. Orwell illustrates how, because communism can never work, Stalin came to power. He shows that people will always be naturally greedy and take advantage of positions of power. Animal farm is written with symbols to represent to various groups and individuals who played a part in the Russian revolution. This makes it easy to understand for all ages, though is still sophisticated enough to keep all ages interested. The first chapters of Animal Farm are intended to show Orwells opinion on capitalism. It is hinted that Manor Farm was once very well run and all animals had been treated decently by Mr Jones. In recent years the farm has fallen upon harder times and many of the crops are failing. The first to suffer the consequences are the animals. This is a direct representation of the great depression of the 1930s. Orwell makes his feelings on the Czar, represented in the book by man, very clear through Old Majors speech; Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving and the rest he keeps for himself. In Animal Farm Jones has taken up quite heavy drinking and no longer seems to really care for the farm. This shows Orwel...

The Changing Pronunciation of Leisure

The Changing Pronunciation of Leisure The Changing Pronunciation of Leisure The Changing Pronunciation of Leisure By Maeve Maddox When I was about ten years old, my aunt gave me a subscription to a Disney comic. I remember one issue in which Donald Duck and his nephews had a treasure map. Overheard saying that he was in search of buried treasure, Donald tried to deceive the villain whod heard him by claiming that what hed really said was in search of hurried leisure. That was in the Fifties. By the time the leisure suit craze struck in the Seventies, not many Americans were pronouncing leisure to rhyme with measure. Come to think of it, I dont know of anyone who pronounces buried to rhyme with hurried. Here are the current American pronunciations of these words: buried [bÄ•rÄ“d] hurried [hà »rÄ“] treasure [trÄ•zhÉ™r] leisure [lÄ“zhÉ™r] although some folks still say [lÄ•zhÉ™r] What pronunciation changes have you noticed since your were a child? Here are some quotations from newspapers that illustrate the use of this word: travel company sells weeklong, small group trips to Costa Rica, Morocco and Nicaragua. The journeys are part leisure, part service: itineraries include between two and three days of charity work, in collaboration with a local (www.nytimes.com) A Tuscan vacation gives travelers a chance for an urban adventure with visits to the art museums of Florence, the architecture of Pisa and the traditions of Siena. Tuscany also is a destination for a leisurely trip that meanders through the countryside, stops at wineries for tastings or takes a leisure break in a spa town. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsDisappointed + PrepositionCharles's Pen and Jesus' Name

Health care crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health care crisis - Essay Example Health insurance is a crucial component in the health care system of Americans for unusual, expensive, and unpredictable events. It poses problems if it is used as a payment method for the everyday health care. Americans have been forced to pay more for health insurance but in return are receiving less. Kaiser Family Foundation (2010) states that, â€Å"American families arent only paying higher deductibles, but higher copayments as well; in 2004, only one in five people with health insurance through an employer had a copayment of more than $25; in 2008, that number was one in three and in 2009, it was nearly one in two.† Many researches and stakeholders argue that the current state of primary health in America care is unfair, corrupt, and devious and thus requires dire need of reformation. Statistics indicate that over 47 million of Americans lack health care insurance because of the high costs involved. For instance, about 2.4 trillion dollars was spent on health care in the year 2008 but it is estimated to rise to 4.3 trillion dollars by 2016. This is said to be four times the National Defense budget. This thus implies that every time the tax rates increase the unemployed people are injured and their medical costs need to be paid. Kaiser Family Foundation (2010) argues that, â€Å"The costs of employer-based health insurance premiums have  risen 114% since 2000; Americans are paying higher deductibles with the average family deductible increasing from $1,034 in 2006 to $1,518 in 2010.† Either the middle income families with individual health care insurance coverage spends about 22% of their household income while middle income families with employer based health insurance coverage spends about 8% of their household income. Thus, many Americans families are going without health care insurance coverage because of the escalating costs, gaps in quality and in access to health care. These rising cost are making innocent

Rhetoric & Stereotypes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rhetoric & Stereotypes - Essay Example †¨The language and rhetoric that is used to reinforce the stereotype of each group will be described. It will be examined if there some â€Å"truth† to stereotypes of these groups (and others, as well)? †¨Finally, there will be an in-depth self-appraisal about what this writer has learned based on this. The following are stereotypes generated by the writer which are not necessarily true but are commonly associated with the following respective groups. Generally, politicians have the reputation for being men who are usually lawyers, liars, crooked, long-winded, all talk and no action, cheaters, stealers, dishonest, powerful, power-hungry, ego-centric, self-centered, and egomaniacal. Tattooed persons may have the reputation of being the following: cheap; pro basketball players; losers; people who smoke; trailer trash; bikers; biker babes; self-cutters; people with low self-esteem; exhibitionists; people of low social class or socioeconomic status; people from the ghetto or who exalt ghetto life or the ghetto lifestyle; following their cultural norms; getting tattoos for fun; being sailors; being punks; being fans of â€Å"emo† music; and drunks. Feminists may be stereotyped as being annoying, loud, pushy, lesbians, dykes, whiny, single, organizers, protesters, bra-burners, peo ple who use the title â€Å"Ms.†, independent, ballbreakers, complainers, whistleblowers, strong, strong-minded, stubborn, and well-educated. Senior citizens may be labeled as grumpy, old, leaky, sickly, frail, poor, forgetful, repetitive, wistful, reminiscing, mean, doddering, docile, childlike, dependent, ornery, wise, professorial, people who live in the past, long-winded, toothless, bald or balding, frugal, cheap when it comes to money, hard-of-hearing, blind, sight-impaired, dependent on prescription drugs, unsteady, bad drivers, and people who have decreased mobility. †¨ Not all of

The Edo Period Of Japan

The Edo Period Of Japan The Edo period, also known as the Tokugawa period-taken from the name of the ruling Tokugawa family-was a long period of peace and order that lasted for about 250 years. This was a remarkable feat considering the fact that this period was preceded by devastating ordeals. The sengoku jidai (the age of country at war) was the Warring States Period of Japan during which numerous rival daimyos with their individual armies fought each other to gain greater jurisdiction of control over Japan, which was divided into about 260 countries. The term, Warring State Period was borrowed, among many other things, from the Chinese. But though the name was appropriate in describing the chaotic feudal warfare, it was more of a war (power struggle) among warlords. Regardless of the kind of war fought, the war took a toll on the cities and the Japanese people. The cost for the individual daimyo was tremendous, and a century of conflict would so weaken the bulk of Japanese warlords, that the three great figures of Japanese unification, beginning with Oda Nobunaga, would find it easier to militarily assert a single, unified military government.(Washington State University. n.d.) A rigid political and social structure was one of the determining factors for the long-lasting peace under the Edo period. Under the leadership of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the government transitioned from being a decentralized feudal government to a military government in the form of the bakufu. This centralized feudalism also maintained a controlled environment among the daimyos whose rivalry greatly contributed to the Chaos of the recently concluded Warring States Period. The key policies of the Tokugawa System were manipulating daimyo, managing the imperial court, controlling foreign relations, and sacralizing the Tokugawa legacy. (N.A. 1990) According to Tokugawa Japan: The Social and Economic Antecedents of Modern Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu made an extra effort to control the daimyos and minimize them in number. The adoption of the buke sho-hatto (laws pertaining to the military houses) restricted the daimyos tremendously-from the way they had to repair their castles to requiring their wive s and children to stay in Edo. A similar set of laws was placed on court nobles and it was called kinchu narabi ni kuge sho-hatto. Military authorities were in charge of keeping the court nobles in line and assured obedience through the punishment of exile in case of non-compliance. This control over the imperial court consequently assigned the emperor with a more scholarly (rather than military) and representative role. With regards to foreign policy, Ieyasus ban on Christianity was said to have sparked the seclusion of Japan (sakoku) from the rest of the world. Speculations indicate that this policy was implemented to create a monopoly on foreign trade and information from abroad because in exchange for exclusive trade with Japan, the Dutch and Chinese gave annual reports about the outside world The negativity toward Christianity began with Ieyasus fear of the increasing numbers of Christians revolting against him. This effort to eliminate Christianity left a path of death and des truction; these Christians worshipped Christ and placed him above the shogun, which apparently threatened and angered Ieyasu, who wanted the people to worship him instead. This led to a general fear of contamination from Western (or non-Japanese) cultures and ideologies and the eventual closing of Japans doors to the world. Though it had its own share of drawbacks, this cultural isolation, coupled with steady economic development from unparalleled agricultural productivity, led to the peace and eventual development of Japan as a unified country and served as a foundation for a rich distinct Japanese culture. The society was organized by means of a hierarchy in which movement in class was very difficult if not totally impossible. This rigidity was said to primarily be a strategy employed by shoguns to ensure their stay in power and the continuous benefits that came with it. Samurais comprised the highest class in society, followed by the peasants, then the artisans, then finally, merchants. This structure was strongly influenced by Confucian beliefs, much like many other aspects of Japanese culture, which borrowed heavily from that of the Chinese. The warrior class was headed by the Shogun, beneath him were the local feudal lords (daimyo) who were responsible for certain pieces of land. Each daimyo had a number of samurais who served as guards, advisers, and members of the private army. Some samurais carried on without the support and assistance of a master. These masterless samurai (ronin) became teachers, wanderers, or warriors for hire. Peasants provided the primary nourishment of the Japanese people and that earned them considerably high ranking. Differentiating artisans and merchants was a very tricky matter though; more often than not, their occupations overlapped. But despite this confusion, sword makers held a privileged position in society for their vital contribution to the samurais. The reason behind the subordination of merchants springs from the Confucian emphasis on not enriching ones self in the expense of others-which is why the merchants practice of making a living out of others hard work (craftsmen) was looked down upon. Entertainers, priests, and certain other people were not part of the class system. This detachment had its share of advantages and disadvantages. Freedom was the main benefit since the system was very limiting and strict. On the other hand, excluded from the protection of the system. Outcastes (eta) included people whose livelihoods were associated with death-leather tanners, animal carcass disposers etc-and people who were banished by their villages. The former were shunned by the rest of the Japanese community because strong Buddhist influences gave high respect to all living things. The latter were alienated for obvious reasons and will be described in greater detail later. In conclusion, it is evident that the government had a very militaristic way of structuring things. The power of the military as a means of intimidation and instilling fear among the people is a testament to this. Given the militaristic nature of the Edo period, criminal punishment was something ultimately utilized to discourage the people from committing any crimes or offenses, great or small. Their government structure gave power to the village-level administration with regards to dealing with majority of the crimes committed by individuals belonging to their corresponding areas of responsibility-leaving only especially serious crimes to be dealt with by the higher bakufu. Serious crimes included everything from theft to gambling and manslaughter. Aside from the crime committed, ones class or position in society was also a determining factor with regards to how he was sanctioned. Though regardless of class, the mode of punishment in the Edo period was harsh more often than not. Criminal Justice during the Edo Period Capital punishment was something only the bakufu could impose on the gravest of offenders; death penalties were in the form of beheading. On a local level, kyuri or banishment was the most serious punishment the village governments could impose. The legal system in their time affirmed the fact that a single persons wrongdoings could lead to the torment of his entire village. This substantiates the significance of banishment in a sense that the offenders village mates-who are presumably directly uninvolved in the criminal act-are absolved from any vicarious liability they may have incurred. Through the consent of the offenders parents, the village officials and a bakufu representative, the offenders name was literally erased from the population rosters. The banished (mushuku) were often marked with tattoos; non-samurais were commonly subject to Tokoro-barai, which meant that he was to be banished to a certain place and samurais were usually assigned to the post of Kofu in the mountain s west of Edo. Murahachibu (Ostracism) literally translates to eight parts out of ten. This pertained to the disqualification of an offender from receiving any assistance from his community in eight of the ten traditional facets of community life. These eight parts include: births, coming of age ceremonies, weddings, sicknesses, memorial services, travel, floods, and building and repairs. The only two facets in which they were allowed assistance were help in case of a fire and in preparation for funeral. This loss of residence or homelessness would degrade the banished and his family to an outcaste (hinin) status in a process known as hinin teka. Unfortunately, this descent in status was not confined to the person or generation that first occasioned the original ostracism, but extended in perpetuity. Unofficial ostracism, on the other hand, occurred when the individual was removed from the village through a votation (irefuda) without sufficient evidence (or any evidence at all for t hat matter). In such cases, the individual is merely asked to leave the village, while still remaining in the population roster. Irefuda was the votation of the village people to identify a particular offender, which they believe is responsible for whatever recurring crime they may be experiencing. Honesty and participation was key in this activity to the extent that villagers would make oaths before the gods and drink holy water to keep their words pure and those who dont vote are punished along with the guilty and his supporters. Another rather odd part of the Tokugawa law was the idea of rakushogisho, which means, dropped oaths before gods. Here, an anonymous paper with an accusation is dropped in front of the shrine and whoever picks this paper up first is obliged to implement it because this is seen as a sign from the gods themselves. For a crime such as theft, men could be punished with banishment and additional physical mutilation (cutting off ones nose and or ears) would arise depending on the severity of the theft. Women were forced to walk through the village naked, which was a punishment they deemed as even worse than physical mutilation. Mandatory community service(labor camps, gold mining, slavery), ostracism, distinct clothing, and the payment of festival expenses were other possible sanctions as well. One must note that the concealment of theft was a crime as severe as the theft itself-which means that the victim is treated the same way as the offender and is equally punished. Flagellation was another means of penalty for theft (and fighting). It was usually reserved for commoners of both sexes and knights and priests were exempted from it. This practice of stripping the offender to his underwear and striking his back and buttocks for, at most, 100 times, was eventually replaced by ear/nose cutting in th e early Edo period. Punishment for murder was dependent on the manner in which it was executed, ones involvement in the aforementioned crime, and the status of the person murdered. Accomplices to murder, execution of contractual murder, and the murder of inferiors were punishable by banishment. Premeditated, self-enriching, delivering the initial blow (even if it is not the fatal blow) and the masterminding of murder on the other hand were punishable by the death penalty. Through the bakufus discretion, additional additions such as gibbeting (hanging), crucifixion (for murder of a parent/husband), confiscation of property, or ones corpse being the sword practice dummy for a local samurai could be incorporated into ones sentence. Other variations of the death penalty include boiling, burning for those guilty of arson, decapitation, sawing, and cutting the accused in half. This was usually preceded by the parading of the accused around town, and then concluded with the public display of the severed head or body part/s. Torture was an accepted means of obtaining a confession, although a confession was a requisite for the death penalty and the central focus of a trial, it was not something that could be done on a whim (required approval of several levels of authority) and therefore, was hardly ever performed. Even in punishment, ones class is still taken into consideration; special distinction is especially given to samurais. The beheading of a samurai was called zanzai, whereas it is called shizai when done to a commoner. Seppuku, suicide by disembowelment, is also a special option reserved only for the warrior class. It is considered as a better alternative because if one performs seppuku, he dies with his honor intact. The Legal and Judicial System Japans modern legal and judicial systems trace their roots back to 1232 when the Kamakura shogunate (1185-1333) created uniform guidelines the Goseibai Shikimoku (Formulary of Adjudications) for its samurai, or warrior vassals. Drawn from the laws and procedures of such other older institutions as the imperial and provincial governments, private estates and religious orders, the bukeho (warrior house law) was not a legal code in the modern sense but, rather, a compilation of the most common and important court disputes settled by the shogunate. The Goseibai Shikimoku provided the foundation of Japans legal system for the next 400 years. The legal system of Japan evolved when it was unified by the Tokugawa shogunate . Iyesu Tokugawa strengthened the centralization of militaristic and economic power on the shogunates hands, but also replaced the laws issued by regional warlords with standard codes. Two important laws were made during this time, the 13-article Buke Shohatto(Laws for Military Houses) and the Kinchu Narabi ni Kuge Shohatto (Laws Governing the Imperial Court and Nobility). The final contribution of the Tokugawa or Edo period was the 742 Kujikata Osadamegaki (Official Provisions). For the first time a set of rules was made for the commoners and lesser samurais and not for those in the elite class. This had two parts. One was the administrative procedures and civil rules composed of 81 articles. The second, which composed the bulk is on criminal laws and penalties which is made up of 103 articles. This was the first time that the commoners who were under the shogun had to answer to a codified set of laws. Japanese Values behind the System The Japanese valued social responsibility and obligation very much. This can be translated as giri. Giri implies that people should behave according to what society dictates of you. The Japanese see this as very important that is why anyone who deviates from the law or from the expectations of society is punished for it. There is also a strong sense of community seen in the valuing of human relations and empathy because even those that are not the criminals are subject to be punished if they do not report the offender. More people will get hurt as crimes increase especially in the villages where there is voting on who the culprit is. If you want it to stop, then community as a whole must stop because everyone is affected. Confessing immediately is best rather than getting tortured to admit the fault or whose fault it is. Ninjo which is they psychological factor refers to a persons feelings and reactions which may or may not be in line with the giri. If one experiences conflict with t hese interests, one may suppress his feelings, close his eyes from all of these or worst case scenario, commit suicide. Samurais are known to do the last because of the common practice of seppuku. If a samurai does not reach the expectations society has for him he feels the need to kill himself for losing his honor. Here we see another important Japanese value, honor. The Japanese highly value this that some of the punishments just mainly strip away ones honor and dignity. Women parading naked, being proclaimed a criminal and many more are just some of the ways that the old penal system has stripped away the honor of many individuals. Loyalty and obedience not only to ones master, but society as a whole is also very important. Those who disobey may be executed or be tortured just for not following the law. Harmony and order is so important for them that they would do anything to maintain this. Even today these values are still practised in society. Honor for the Japanese is just as important before as it is today. One example would be how students study so hard to get into a good university that failing leads to a lot of suicides in Japan. By not passing one has not only disgraced his name, but more importantly, disgraced his family. This is why they would prefer death, similar to how the samurais would think. Japanese highly value social obligation that your responsibility to the community is far greater than to a transcendent god. From the past, Japan has relied on social rather than supernatural sanctions and they have always emphasized the benefits of having a harmonious society. They are also very disciplined people today and there is more often than not, fear of authority. The hierarchies present before are still present now. There are still people who have a higher status than you such as your parents. Loyalty and obedience has always been emphasized before and just like now any disloyal act against your parents is frowned up by society. Here the strong influence of Confucianism is seen and by following ones roles, order can finally be obtained. Although punishment today may not be as harsh before, the Japanese have kept these in their minds and have worked very hard to keep the order in their society which has made them one of the strongest and most influential countries today. From past to present: The Yakuza The militaristic nature of Edo period in Japan gave importance towards the use of physical might as well as more strict control over the people. The context during that time forced people to resort to more dire measures for survival and people were under pressure on a daily basis. Some people conformed to the harsh settings but others sought escape and lived defiantly, away from society. This strict way of living entailed the first beginnings of the formation of various groups that eventually led to a more famously known group in Japan: yakuza. Currently, yakuza are more popularly known as an organized crime syndicate in Japan, similar to the Mafia. They are known to be an extremely large and influential group in Japanese politics as well as business; having direct or hidden control over several businesses and political figures. The yakuza are infamous for their ruthlessness and for being forceful in their dealings with people, Japanese or foreign. The pop culture depiction of yakuza members varies from tattooed hoodlums and thugs to the high class suit-and-tie figure. They are infamous for their activities that range from political activities and assassinations to protection rackets and shady business dealings including drugs, weaponry, gambling, smuggling, etc. These income generating activities are generally called shinogi. Admirably, the yakuza are also famous for having a strong sense of honor and loyalty amongst themselves. They strictly follow a structure similar to that of a family, even referring to their superiors as oyabun or father and the followers as kobun or child. This structure allows the yakuza to have a systematic way of carrying out their work and helps in creating loyalty to the family. The early origins of the Yakuza during the Edo-period can be traced back to the emergence of two groups. First we have the kabukimono (crazy ones) which include people that are peculiarly dressed, have odd hairstyles and have volatile, violent behavior. Kabukimono groups usually consist of unemployed samurais or ronins that have resorted to violence, banditry and other vigilante acts instead of enlisting in other jobs. Another name for the members of this group is the hatamato-yakko, which means servants of the shogun, referring more to their previous affiliation with the shogun than their more recent deviant nature. Their constant harassment of local towns forced the townsfolk to find protection of their own, as the daimyos were less concerned over the common town and townsfolk. This led to the rise of the other group so called machi-yakko, also came to be known as servants of the town or local town heroes. These machi-yakko comprised of local people who have banded together to repe l the assaults of the invading bandits. The members of the machi-yakko were usually weaker than the kabukimono, seeing as they were usually untrained individuals. A remarkable aspect of both groups that is still associated with yakuza is the developed sense of family trust and loyalty among the members. The more common notion of most people would be to identify yakuza gangsters to have come from the line of the kabukimono or hatamato-yakko. However, from the yakuzas point of view, their claim is that they are descendants from the machi-yakko faction. We can note that the yakuza seem to have taken characteristics from both of these groups. However, it is unclear and erroneous to directly link the modern yakuza to any of the two groups. A second, but not entirely exclusive explanation as to the formation of the yakuza is that the yakuza derive from the two classes of tekiya (peddlers) and bakuto (gamblers). Basically, the tekiya is a group comprised of small-time peddlers that banded together. Although in the Edo period, they were considered to be of low social standing, their organized mass activities eventually gained them influence on commercial dealings and administrative duties. Tekiyas business activities were considered legal at the time and were eventually allowed by the Edo government for their oyabun (leaders) to have surnames and to carry swords, which was previously only available for samurais and nobles. Bakuto, or gamblers, were considered lower than tekiya, primarily because gambling was frowned upon and considered illegal. Gambling houses were present in more or less deserted areas in town, or on the outskirts and were looked down upon. Bakuto also dealt in loan sharking businesses and held their own security force. The bakutos way of doing business is what is more commonly associated for the negative image of the yakuza today. In fact, the term yakuza is said to have originated from a card game. Ya-ku-sa or the most useless hand in the game, caught on as a term to refer to the bakuto, seen as derogatory to society. It is also from bakuto that the infamous yakuza tattoos originated from, as the members of this group usually had on their bodies. To the yakuza, tattoos were a symbol for toughness and most yakuza had majority of their bodies tattooed. It is from the history of the tekiya as well as the bakuto groups that we can see how the structure of the yakuza began to form. Knowing the backgrounds of the tekiya, bakuto and kabukimono, we can see how the yakuza are also known to allow misfits and rejects of society into their organization. It is also from the four previously mentioned groups that we see the early stages of the kinds of transactions and dealings that the yakuza do. Basically, we can see how and why the yakuza are said to have origins from all of these different groups. The yakuza evolved into a larger, more organized and structured group after the Meiji Restoration period, which ushered in a more formal political format as well as military might. The yakuza also made motions to modernize their organization but they still held on to their former activities: businesses and gambling rings. They expanded recruitment and began to take interest in and dealt in politics. The yakuza were also vital during the American occupation years in Japan. During the occupation years, Japan was in a sunken economic state and the black market emerged as a more viable option for the people to survive. The yakuza, especially the tekiya group, took advantage of the black market. They proved to be an extreme difficulty for the Americans in controlling Japan. Eventually, another cluster of yakuza, called the gurentai emerged, who also dealt in the black market. The gurentai group is what is more closely associated to the organized and violent side of the yakuza (similar to the Italian Mob in America), portraying the more stereotypical gangster image. After the war, the yakuza continued its black market transactions and started to use more direct violence, which resulted in the group entitled boryokudan (violence gang). Post-war Japan started improving economically and dependency on the black market declined. As such, the yakuza continued to adapt and were able to prosper. The yakuza began to grow in number, but the yakuza also began to fragment into regional sub-organizations. Much of the post-war regaining of strength for the yakuza are attributed to Yoshio Kodama, an extremely wise and powerful man who worked his way through industry and politics to empower the different yakuza groups. The many opportunities in the market also bred competition amongst the yakuza subgroups. The existence of different yakuza gangs led to gang wars and has troubled both the yakuza structure as a whole and the law enforcement. There was a spike in the number rate of boryokudan arrests, which consisted of a lot of physical violence against other groups. These subgroups are usually headed by a single family. An example is one of the most famous and powerful yakuza clans to have existed: the Yamaguchi-gumi. This particu lar group is said to have been able to dominate a good majority of its territories. One particular head of this clan was Kazuo Taoka, known to be one of the most, if not the most effective leader of this clan. During his period as the kumicho (family boss), he was able to empower the Yamaguchi-gumi clan into one of the most powerful clans in his time. In the latter part of the 20th century, Japanese government has worked towards the stoppage of the violent and criminal acts performed by the yakuza. More specifically, they have even passed a law against the boryokudan; this law is called the Botaiho (passed in May 1991). Despite this, the yakuza are still at large in many other aspects and are usually conducting their work within the law. Their influence on business and politics is still significant but clandestine to most. Again, the modern day yakuza has evolved and has been able to adapt to the current context of the world today, and not just in Japan. In the end, the yakuza has always had an influential role on the lives and culture of the Japanese, even if their actions were never stated explicitly in the history books. Their early existence began during the Edo period and throughout Japanese history, they have evolved into what they are today: a formidable force in everyday Japanese life.